Chapter 27: Practice Game Part I

Chapter 27: Practice Game Part II

Aria quickly changed into her sports attire in the bathroom in the gym and with a determined mindset, she made her way into the court. 

She entered the bustling court where her teammates were already warming up. Aria greeted them one by one. She greeted the team captain, Tamara, first, exchanging a brief nod and a smile of acknowledgment. Moving on, Aria greeted the seniors, who welcomed her warmly and offered encouraging words. Finally, she joined her fellow freshmen, Yuan and Sammer, who were stretching nearby.

"Kayo naman ang maaga sumali sa practice ngayon ah," Aria remarked with a smile as she laid down her bag on the bench.

Yuan grinned, adjusting her stretch, "May practice game tayo ngayon eh, kailangan natin maging ready." 

Sammer, who was sitting beside Yuan, nodded thoughtfully.

Aria began stretching, focusing on loosening up for the intense session ahead, when she noticed Orion and Rico approaching. They greeted her warmly, Orion flashing his trademark braced smile.

"Hi Aria! Ready kana sa practice game niyo?" Orion asked with enthusiasm.

"Oo, ako pa kuya Orion!" Aria exclaimed with a bright smile.

Yuan and Sammer, who were nearby, noticed Orion and approached Aria with curious expressions.

"Ay, Aria, kilala mo si Orion? Diba team captain siya sa boys?" Yuan asked, glancing at Orion with interest.

Aria nodded, her smile widening as she replied, "Oo, childhood friend ko si kuya Orion. Actually, siya pa yung nagturo sa akin mag-basketball nung bata pa kami."

Yuan and Sammer looked impressed, nodding in understanding. "Ah, kaya pala kilala mo siya ng mabuti," Sammer remarked.

Noticing the conversation between the girls, Orion grinned modestly, adding, "Kaya marunong maglaro si Aria ng basketball, I taught her eh."

"Orion halika rito!" The boy's coach suddenly called out to Orion.

Orion then excused himself as their coach called him over, saying, "Tawag na ako ng coach namin. Galingan niyo sa court!"

Aria waved him off with a smile, then turned back to Yuan and Sammer who looked at her with interest.

"...Ano guys? Ba't nagspasparkle mga mata niyo?" Aria asked in confusion.

Yuan and Sammer exchanged glances before Yuan spoke up, her curiosity evident. "Aria, parang ang close niyo pa rin ni Orion. Bakit 'kuya' pa rin tawag mo sa kanya? Sabi nila 2nd year pa si  Orion then ikaw 1st year pa."

Aria chuckled, adjusting her position as she thought about how to explain, "Kasi, since bata pa kami, yun na tawag ko sa kanya. Ang liit ko noon then ang taas niya. Di ko alam na malapit lang pala age gap namin, I think 2 years?" she paused, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.

Yuan noticed Aria's reaction and leaned forward, whispering gently into her right ear. "Aria pansin ko lang.... may crush ka ba kay Orion?"

Aria's blush deepened, but she managed a small nod of acknowledgment. 

'Paano niya nalaman?' Aria thought as her blush intensified, feeling a mix of embarrassment and surprise at being found out.

"Halata ba?" Aria whispered.

Yuan gave Aria a knowing smile as she  glanced subtly at Orion who was engrossed in practice drills.

"Anong whisper-whisper niyo diyan, isali niyo naman ako," Sammer said, looking back and forth to Aria and Yuan. 

"Ay Sammer, wait lang, may architecture tips lang akong shinare kay Aria," Yuan smiled and leaned closer to Aria again.

"Aria, baka mas maganda kung tawagin mo na lang siyang Orion. Baka ma-sister zone ka kasi kung kuya pa rin ang tawag mo." Yuan whispered.

Aria bit her lip, considering Yuan's advice. The idea of dropping the 'kuya' felt both nerve-wracking and liberating.

 "Parang mas magiging weird," she whispered back, her eyes flicking towards Orion before returning to Yuan.

Just then, the coach of the girls' team, coach Bermie, arrived, clapping her hands to gather everyone's attention. "Alright, mga girls, warm-up drills tayo. Let's get started!"

Aria and the girls immediately stood up, their focus shifting entirely to the coach's instructions. They lined up for warm-up drills, while doing the drills, Aria's mind keep floating around.

'Kuya Orion...Orion, huh' she thought as she couldn't help but wander back to her earlier conversation with Yuan about Orion.

The coach's commands became background noise as Aria found herself reflecting on the subtle shift Yuan had suggested: dropping the "kuya" from Orion's name.

As they finished the warm-up drills, Coach Bermie gathered the team together to announce the lineup for the practice game.

"Alright, girls, listen up," Coach Bermie called out, drawing everyone's attention. "Team 1 will be Tamara, Flora, Niki, Sammer, and Bea. Team 2 will have Yuan, Aria, Nabi, Mea, and Sherie."

"Ohh, kasama tayo Aria," Yuan smiled as she went over to Aria.

Aria nodded, trying to hide the nervous flutter in her stomach. "Yeah, looks like it," she replied, flashing Yuan a small smile.

Coach Bermie continued, outlining the goals for the practice game and emphasizing teamwork and communication. As she wrapped up, the girls split into their respective teams, preparing for the upcoming scrimmage. Aria could feel the weight of Orion's gaze as he and the other boys observed from the sidelines, awaiting their turn.

Yuan nudged Aria gently, breaking her reverie. "Focus sa laro, Aria," Yuan whispered with a reassuring smile. "Mamaya na yan,"

"Ikaw may kasalanan nito eh," Aria chuckled softly. 

With a final deep breath to steady herself, Aria turned her attention fully to the court. The game was starting, and she needed to be at her best. 

"Good luck sa atin, Aria and Yuan," Their team captain, Tamara, smiled while going into her position as a Center.

"Good luck rin ate, don't hold back po!" Aria replied back with a smile.

Tamara nodded at her before the game commenced. With a final deep breath, Aria refocused on the court.

As the whistle blew, signaling the start, Aria and her team sprang into action. 

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