Xiania's
POV

My bags are packed and I'm ready to get out of here.

"Hey, Xiania! Is it true?!"

I turned around, she grinned mockingly at me.

I smirked.

It's not like it's the end of the world. I can figure this out. And isa pa, I didn't do anything wrong. Nakakainis.

"Don't worry Des, I will be back."

Her smile faded away. How stupid of her to think that I will just let her be?

For all I know she was the one who paid the staffs just to get me out of here, those dirty money that came from her parents occupation. Politicians like them are such a pain in the ass, a whole mess. Salamat naman at hindi kagaya ng kanyang mga magulang yung sa akin. It would be horrible!

"And Des?" I asked her.

She gave me her attention waiting for something good. What does she think that I will do? Luluhod sa kanyang harapan para ibalik ako sa kuponan? That's the last thing I would do.

"Ano?" she asked me when I didn't utter a single word.

"Be prepared. I'll be back and you'll rot in the bench." I smiled.

"Do you really think na kaya mo? Everybody thinks you're the one who did it." I didn't mind what she said.

"And don't worry, I won't resort to any dirty tactics that you did to me."

I'm too good of a player to cheat! And why would I do what everyone thinks?! Ginapang ko kung saan ako ngayon, I did everything just to get to this team! And in just one wrong rumor, ito ang mangyayari?

I got out of there. My heart is pounding so fast that I could hardly breath. Suddenly my phone rang.

"Hello?" I ask the caller.

It's an unregistered number. I crunched my nose while thinking kung sasagutin ko ba ito. Maybe I should.

"Xi? I heard what happened."

It's Lexian, it been years since we talked. But hearing his voice comforted me. Tears pooled down on my cheeks but I gently wiped it away. I've never been this kind of person. My ghad!

"I didn't do it, Lex. I would never do it!" naiiyak kong sigaw.

"I know. You'll hurt your pride if you did it. Did you already talk to Mom?"

Is he serious? Mom would be furious if she'll hear all about this! At saka tama siya. Hinding-hindi ko gagawin ang pagbabayad sa mga referees!

"I didn't. You know her! I would be dead if I tell her about all of this things!"

I stopped.

"Wait. Saan mo naman nalaman lahat ng to'?" kinakabahan kong tanong.

"Meet me at the nearest Cafe."

And then he hung up.

I did what he said for about two minutes, I arrived at the nearest cafe and look! He's already there!

Walking towards him makes me sick. I don't want to let him see how stupid I am today. I kissed his cheek and sit on the vacant chair in front of him. Ngumiti ako nang maamoy ang pabangong ibinigay ko sa kanya.

"What's your plan?" sabi niya.

Pagkaupong-pagkaupo ko palang ay yan na ang sasabihin niya? I rolled my eyes na ikinangisi niya naman. See? This is why I hate being with him in my worst state! Coz' he'll just tease me!

"Can you please stop grinning like an idiot?!" I shouted at him.

Itinaas ko ang aking kamay and one waiter saw me.

"What's your order Ma'am?"

"I'd like to have a Iced Caramel Macchiato and an expresso for him." turo ko pa kay Lexian.

He hates expresso, I just said it to tease him. Haha.

"What?! I don't want expresso! Excuse me. I would like to have some latte please." naiinis niyang sabi.

The waiter then change the order.

"How was your school?" I asked him.

He studies at a public school in the First District. While I'm on the Second District.

"You mean, how's our volleyball team?" nakataas ang kilay nitong balik tanong sa akin. Bakit kung tumaas ang kanyang ay gwapo pa rin ito? Tunay nga talagang hindi patas ang mundo.

He read between the lines. Actually that's my last resort. The only that I could do to compete at the Grandfinals is to join the First District's Team.

"They're going to the Grandfinals." he said meaningfully.

"Here's your order Ma'am and Sir, enjoy your date!" nakangiting sabi ng waiter na ikinatawa naming dalawa.

Hindi na kami nagulat. I looked at Lexian, he has this deep set eyes, curly hair but it isn't too long, his nose is too Nordic and his lips is as red as my liptint! Tinalo pa ako.

"So you're saying, na makakalaban nila kami?" nakangunot-noo kong tanong sa kanya.

"Yes, pero hindi ka kasama ng makakalaban nila." He sipped his latte.

Kung hindi lang sana lunaganap ang pesteng rumor na yun, edi sana wala akong problema.

"Okay. Can you get me there? I meam, put me in their team?" pakiusap ko sa knaya.

This is better. Ang akala ko ay isang taon pa ang gugulin ko upang makapaglaro sa grandfinals.

"Uh." nag-aalangan nitong saad.

"I didn't let you transfer to that school for nothing Lex!"

Everybody's staring at us, I looked away.

"Can you please stop shouting?" pakiusap nito habang nagsosory sa mga tanong nakatingin sa amin. Ikinangiwi ko naman ito.

"Ano na nga? Diba sinabi ko sayong lapitan mo yung si Maxine? She's the granddaughter of the principal in that school."

Last year at pinatransfer ko siya nang school, hindi ko naman pinilit dahil gusto rin naman niya. I told to him get close to Maxine Spencer. Nakita ko kasi kung paano ito maglaro. I could probably say na magaling ito, lalo na kapag nakikita ko ang services niya. Mahina man ito kung pumalo ng bola ay masasabi ko pa rin namang magaling siyang maglaro. Who knew na I've hitted two birds with one stone? Alam ko na ang mga kailangan kong malaman sa kanya. Kaya naman sana ay pumayag itong si Lexian.

"Well, I'm kind of close to her." maikli nitong saad habang tiningnan ang latteng nasa mesa.

"You mean you're inlove with her?" nang-iinis kong tanong. I chuckled. Paano kaya manligaw to? It's not like it's bad for him. I'm curious kung papaano nito napapaamo ang mga babaeng gusto niya. Hindi ko nga lang alam kung gusto niya ba talaga ni Maxine.

"I don't know." he shrugged.

Well, they say don't hope too much.

"How come you don't know?" nakanguso kong sabi.

"I didn't watch her championship game." saka kinamot ang ulo.

Dahil sa inis ay sinapok ko ito.

"Ow!" sabay himas sa tinamaang bahagi ng kanyang ulo.

"Kaya nga kita pinapalapit sa kanya para maging close kayo at kahit anong pabor ay pagbibigyan ka niya! But now look what you did!" sigaw ko na naman.

Sino bang hindi maiinis sa kanya?!

"Stop shouting Xiania Clementine Medina." may diin nitong pahayag na ikinatigil ko.

It's not like I'm scared of him. But I need to respect him, just a little bit.

"I will do everything to help you join their Team, alright? But I can't promise you that this mess will be kept from Mom."

Imagining that Mom will know this eventually send shivers to my spine.

"Kaya nga kailangan mo na akong ipasok sa kuponang yun'. And when the time comes that Mom will know about all of this shit, in that time we will have a proper plan." paliwanag ko sa kanya.

We looked at each other. His face doesn't show anything. Sometimes I wonder how I survived this hell of a person.

"How come you know all of this stuff?" I asked him.

Isang palaisipan sa akin kung paano niya nalaman ang problema ko? Wala naman akong social media at kung meron man ay hindi ko naman ipopost ang ganitong detalye ng buhay ko.

"I have this friend from your school, we play basketball sometimes, and he texted me about the things that are happening inside your school." he said.

"You're saying that all the people in our school knows what is happening?" kinakabahan kong tanong.

"He's the brother of one of your team mates and I doubt na sasabihin niya sa lahat yun'." chill na chill pa nitong sabi.

I think for a while, while he's sipping he's latte.

Our school is known for its players and knowing na hindi na ako makapaglaro sa kuponan nila ay hindi ko masisisi ang lahat kapag ito ay lumabas na sa publiko. Ang kailangan ko ay plano.

"We need to think of a plan." I said to him.

Tinitigan niya ako na parang bang nahihibang na. Hindi ko na dapat ito pinapahaba pa, kailangan ko ng plano at ang lalaking kaharap ko ang makakatulong sa akin.

"Ano naman?" kuryoso niyang tanong.

"I need to get to your School's team" sabi ko na ikinahawak niya sa kanyang sintido.

Halatang naiinis na.

"That's all? Pero hindi ko alam kung papapasukin ka nila ng ganon-ganon lang."

Napaisip naman ako. May point siya hindi ako makakapasok sa Team nila ng ganon-ganon lang. Ngunit ano ang kailangan kong gawin?

"If sasabihin mong galing ka sa NVTA ay papasukin ka nila." simpleng sagot nito.

I looked at him with disbelief. Ano pa ang silbi niya?

"Are you stupid?" natanong ko na lamang.

"Lahat ng manlalaro sa school na iyon ay gustong-gustong makapasok sa NVTA. At ang malaman nilang galing ka doon ay siguradong papapasukin ka nila sa kuponan ng wala nang tanong." mahaba nitong lintaya.

May point naman siya.

"Are you sure? What if hindi sila maniwala?" tanong ko sa kanya uli.

Mabilis na ginulo niya ang kanyang buhok at saka tinitigan ako.

"You need to prove it." walang gana nitong saad saka naorder ng isang cheesecake.

"I mean, how?" naguguluhan kong tanong.

"Saan ka ba magaling?" tanong nito.

"Spiking?" nagdadalawang isip kung tanong.

"Ikaw na rin nagsabing ikaw ang pinakamagaling na spiker sa henerasyong ito, kahit na hindi naman talaga." irap nito.

"Hindi na siya naglalaro at matagal na siyang hindi nakikita Lexian kaya ako na ang pinakamagaling." nasabi ko na lamang.

Mahigit limang taon na ng huli ko siyang nakita at pagkatapos non' ay wala na akong naging balita sa kanya. Kung maglalaro naman siya ngayon ay mahihirapan na siya.

"Pero hangga't buhay siya ay siya pa rin ang pinakamagaling Xi, alam mo yun." saka nito kinuha ang cheesecake na bigay ng waiter.

"Siya nga Lex, pero hindi na ngayon, giba na ang kamay niya at hindi na siya makakapaglaro sa ano mang posisyon sa volleyball." nakangiti kong sabi.

You could say na masama ako, dahil ikinasasaya ko ang misfortunes ng mga kasama ko noon, pero anong magagawa ko? Kailangan kong makapasok sa National Team.

"May isa pang posisyon na hindi kailangan ng pagpalo ng bola o pagset nito Xi." nakangising pahayag niya habang pinaglalaruan ang cheesecake.

"What do you mean? Maglalaro siya sa posisyon ng pagiging libero? You make me laugh Lexian." sabi ko.

Kukuha na sana ako ng cheescake nang hilahin niya ito palayo sa akin. Madamot.

"Merong kang sayo Xi, Ano ba. At Ganoon nga sinasabi ko. Hindi naman impossible diba?" nakataas ang kilay nitong tanong sa akin

Nangunot ang noo ko. Paano niya nasasabi ang mga ganitong pahayag?

"Sabihin na nating maglalaro siya sa ganyang posisyon, ano naman sa akin?" naiinis ko nang sabi.

Ang ayoko sa lahat ay ang pag-usapan ang babaeng yun.

"You decide kung ano ba sayo." saka kinain na ang cheesecake.

Napantig ang tenga ko. Sino ba ang kinakampihan nito?

Hindi naman na siguro kami magkikita, hindi ganoon kaliit ang mundo.

"At saka Lex. Kung maging libero man siya ay hindi niya na magagampanan ng maayos yun." sabi ko nalang.

"Kilala mo siya Xi, sadyang napakagaling niyang manlalaro kaya hindi mo dapat yan sinasabi."

Napipi ako.

Wala ngang katumbas ang galing niya at ang posisyong yun ay sisiw lang kung ikukumpara sa galing nitong magkabisa ng galaw.

She was legendary.

She was.

But it's in the past now Xiania at hinding-hindi na kayo makikita pa.

_____
Dominique Roque as Lexian Clarke Medina
Vanessa Gandler as Xiania Clementine Medina
Cha Cruz as Desiree Chua

Ctto: pinterest