Nasa locker room si Kelsey at nililigpit ang gamit niya ng bigla na lang sumara ng malakas ang pinto ng locker.

Napapitlag si Kelsey sa gulat at napatingin kung sino ang gumawa nun.

Si Tessa pala at nakapamewang ito habang nakatingin sa kanya.

Sa likod niya ay nakatayo ang dalawang bestfriend niya na si Lexi at Eliza.

"What's your problem?" Hamon niya kay Tessa sabay tumayo ng diretso.

"You're my problem." Prangkang sagot nito.

"I didn't do anything to you."

"Yes you did."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You shouldn't have said yes to the offer." Nanggagalaiting sabi ni Tessa na ipinagtaka naman ni Kelsey.

Wala siyang idea kung anuman ang pinagsasasabi ng babaeng ito.

"Look. Kung anuman ang problema mo, take it with Coach A. I didn't exactly ask to be the libero. She offered it to me." Tinuro niya ang dibdib.

"And you were stupid enough to accept it."

"I think you're the one who's being stupid." Buwelta ni Kelsey.

"You know you need me on the team because newsflash, the Valkyries are not sitting on the number one spot."

"You're not the one who's going to help us get on top." Dinuro siya ni Tessa.

"I mean, look at where you came from. You didn't even play for any national games. I bet hindi pang big league ang level mo."

"But look where you are now, Tessa? Pinagmamalaki mo na galing kayo sa big league," Nag-air quote si Kelsey, "pero pang-ilan kayo? You are only six games away from being eliminated." Tinulak niya ang pinto ng locker at kinuha ang duffel bag na nakapatong sa bench.

Iniwan niya si Tessa at ang mga kasama nito na nakanganga.

After ng encounter sa locker room, dumiretso si Kelsey sa lugar na binansagan ng mga estudyante na secret garden.

Marami daw kasing sikretong nangyayari sa lugar na iyon dahil bukod sa nagtataasang puno, liblib ang lugar.

Tuyo na ang mga upuan at binalibag niya ang duffel bag bago siya umupo.

"Shit! I hate you Tessa Aragon." Sigaw niya.

High blood pa din siya dahil sa ginawa nito.

It wasn't her personality na umurong sa away lalo na kung ibang tao ang nanghahamon sa kanya.

Ilang beses na din siyang napaaway on and off the court.

The most times were when she was outside holding hands with her girlfriend.

Pero ayaw niyang masuspende o di kaya maexpel kung makikipag-away siya.

Alam niyang sinasadya ni Tessa ang ginagawa pero kailangan niyang habaan ang pasensiya.

Kapag nalaman ng daddy niya ang nangyayari, makakahanap iyon ng dahilan para tumigil siya sa paglalaro.

Ayaw niyang mangyari iyon.

Hindi siya pwedeng maapektuhan ng pagiging antagonistic ni Tessa.

Ang sabi nga ni Rachel, she deserved what was given to her.

Pinaghirapan niya ito at hindi pwedeng hayaan niya na i-intimidate siya nito.

Hindi nga niya alam kung bakit umpisa pa lang, galit na galit ito sa kanya.

Ang masakit pa, lahat ng Valkyries, kampi dito.

Pinulot ni Kelsey ang maliit na bato at hinagis sa isang puno.

"Aray!" Biglang may sumigaw.

Nagulat si Kelsey at napatayo.

Nilapitan niya ang puno ng acacia kung saan galing ang boses.

Sa likod nito ay nakaupo ang isang babae na kasing kapal ng Coke glass ang salamin.

Hindi din pantay-pantay ang pagkakagupit ng bangs niya, chubby ang cheeks at medyo ngayon pa lang nagda-dry ang pimples niya.

She looks so weird. Naisip niya.

"Sorry. Di ko alam na may tao pala."

"It's okay. Most of the time, hindi talaga ako nakikita eh." Tinukod ng babae ang isang kamay sa lupa para tumayo.

Nagulat si Kelsey dahil halos magpantay ang height nila.

The girl looked imposing dahil she was built large.

A giant.

Naisip niya iyong laging tukso sa kanya noong bata pa siya.

"So, you hate Tessa?" Tanong ng babae habang pinapagpag ang kamay niya.

"No?" Pagsisinungaling ni Kelsey.

"Malabo lang ang mata ko. Hindi ako bingi." Tinulak ng babae ang salamin palapit sa mata niya.

"Why bother asking kung narinig mo naman pala?"

"You won't be the first to express indignation towards her."

Wow!

What does indignation mean?

Nakangiti sa kanya ang babae at pilit na binabasa ang expression niya.

"I'm Florence. You can call me Flo." Inabot ng babae ang kamay niya.

"I'm Kelsey." Nagkamay sila.

"I know who you are."

Nagulat siya sa sinabi ni Flo.

"The new libero of MUV."

"How did you know? You don't look like you watch volleyball."

"Don't be so cliché. Just because ganito ang itsura ko, ibig sabihin ayoko ng sports."

"Do you like sports?"

"Isa lang."

"Which is?"

"Volleyball."

Natawa si Kelsey.

"Don't let Tessa get to you. Insecure lang iyon."

Nagulat si Kelsey sa kaprangkahan ni Flo.

"She's always like that lalo na sa mga baguhan. It's like, if you want to be a part of a sorority, consider her verbal abuse as your initiation."

"I don't like abuse."

"Neither do I."

Lumakad si Flo papalapit sa bangko kung saan nakapatong ang duffel bag ni Kelsey at umupo ito.

"I just don't understand why she's so mad at me."

"Oh. It's not hard to understand. Tessa is very transparent. You just have to know how to look for signs and the latest gossip."

"And you're good with both?" Dudang tanong ni Kelsey.

"Yes." Confident na sagot ni Flo.

"We used to be best friends."

Lalong naguluhan si Kelsey.

Isa, they don't look like they could be friends.

While Tessa was glamorous kahit pa pinagpapawisan, Flo was dowdy.

Ang buhok, magulo ang pagkakatali.

Pati ang suot nito, mukhang she's been wearing for three days na.

Baggy Adidas gray track pants, baggy gray sweaters with the same oversized classic logo in white and matching white Stan Smith's with gold stripes.

"Are you judging me right now?" Tinaasan siya nito ng kilay.

"Sorry."

"As I was saying, she's transparent."

"I still don't know why galit siya sa akin. I don't even know her."

"Well, isa lang naman ang reason eh. You took the spot away from her girlfriend."

"What?"

"Yeah. I know it's bad of me to out her to someone I just met pero mukha namang you play for the same team."

"I don't know what you're saying."

"Here's one thing you should know about me. I'm like a bloodhound. Magaling ang detective skills ko. I could smell you from a mile a away. Isa pa, you don't have to be afraid. MU prides itself in being liberal. In case you haven't notice, may samahan ang mga LGBTQ people dito."

"You're scary and creepy at the same time."

"Call it what you want. Don't you like honesty?"

"I do. But you're too honest."

"I know. Kaya nga I don't have friends in real life dahil sabi nila, I'm blunt, tactless at walang social etiquette."

"I like you already."

"Ikaw pa lang ang nagsabi niyan."

"But back to Tessa's girlfriend?" Maintrigang tanong ni Kelsey.

"Oh yeah. Si Trixie. She's been waiting for an opening para makasali sa MUV ang girlfriend niya. So when Coach A offered you the spot at tinanggap mo, ayun. She lost her shit!"

"How do you know all this?"

"I told you I would make a very good detective. Maybe that should be my career instead of studying Economics."

"It's not too late to switch."

"Kaya pala nagalit siya when I accepted the position."

"Yup! At dahil diyan, expect her to make your life hell."

"How do I stop it?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I don't make miracles, Kelsey. I just know things."

"Great! This is going to be a fun semester."

"If you make it." May warning sa tono ni Flo.

"Well, wala naman siyang magagawa. I'm here to stay."

"That's the spirit."

Inangat ni Kelsey ang duffel bag at sinabit sa balikat.

"Why don't we get something to eat?"

"Okay. But," Natigilan si Flo. "Okay lang sa'yo na makitang kasama ako?"

"Bakit naman hindi magiging okay?"

"Because I have a big," Inangat ni Flo ang daliri na nakaL-sign at tinaas sa noo niya.

"Only losers think that." Sabi ni Kelsey.

"I like you already." Nakangiting sabi ni Florence.

Paglabas nila ng secret garden, pinagtinginan sila ng mga estudyante.

Two very tall girls.

One with a confident stride while the other had her head bowed.

"Hold your head up." Sabi ni Kelsey kay Flo.

"Why?"

"Because they deserve to see that you are a winner like me." Ngumiti si Kelsey.

"Narcissistic much?"

"Not usually. Only when necessary." Sagot ni Kelsey.