Chapter 4: Open Court

Chapter 4: Open Court

As the clock struck 3 p.m., signaling the end of classes for the day, Marcus pulled out the basketball he had been carrying and grinned at Aria and Emily.

"Laro tayo basketball sa open court!" he asked with a grin.

Aria's eyes lit up with excitement, though she maintained her composed demeanor, while Emily hesitated, her expression reflecting uncertainty.

"Sure," Aria replied calmly, a small smile forming on her lips. "Some fresh air sounds nice after being in class all day."

"watch lang ako sa inyo, guys," Emily said, her voice apologetic. "Di ako magaling sa basketball at di ko type, pero sa sidelines lang ako manood."

Aria nodded understandingly, placing a reassuring hand on Emily's shoulder.

"Marcus, message ka nga sa group chat. See if anyone else wants to join for a game?" Emily suggested, "Para makilala natin classmates natin, even if some of us prefer to watch."

Marcus nodded in agreement, pulling out his phone to send a message to the group chat. "Sure thing! Let's see if we can round up a few more players," he said with a grin, his thumbs flying over the screen as he typed out the invitation.

"anyone up for a basketball game in the open court?" Marcus typed and sent the message to the archi 1B group chat.

Within minutes, their phones buzzed with notifications as their classmates began to reply.

"Count me in," Aiden replied, followed quickly by another classmate named James, "Sali ako pre!"

Marcus' eyes lit up with excitement as he read the responses aloud. "Eyy, marami-rami ang gustong sumali. Siguradong fun ang laro maya," he exclaimed, a smile spreading across his face.

"Real. I'm itching to shoot na, punta na tayo open court," Aria replied.

"Atat mo Aria pero same," Marcus replied as he chuckled.

"Going na kami ni Aria at Emily sa open court, message lang kayo kung naroon na kayo sa court," Marcus typed.

"Okay, Me and Kon are also coming," Aiden replied in the group chat.

Aria, Marcus, and Emily quickly gathered their things and made their way to the open court, eager to start playing basketball.

As Aria and Marcus stepped onto the empty court, a sense of exhilaration washed over them. With the court all to themselves, they wasted no time in getting started, dribbling the ball and passing it back and forth with practiced ease. Emily, on the other hand, finds a comfy seat and watches them play.

"This is awesome, Marcus! Nice ang weather and tayo lang nandito sa court," Aria exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across her face as she moved to intercept Marcus's pass.

Marcus nodded in agreement, his eyes shining with excitement. "Rightt, parang private basketball court natin," he replied, his voice filled with enthusiasm as he dribbled past Aria with a quick spin move.

With a quick flick of his wrist, Marcus sent the ball sailing towards the hoop. Aria leaped into action to swat the ball away but she jumped too late.

The ball sailed through the air in a perfect arc, heading straight for the basket.

As the ball swished through the net with a satisfying swoosh, Marcus grinned triumphantly, his eyes alight with excitement.

"Nice shot, Marcus. You got me there," she admitted as she retrieved the ball.

With a burst of speed and agility, Aria made her move towards the basket, her eyes locked on the hoop with unwavering focus. With Marcus hot on her heels, she dribbled past him with a swift crossover, leaving him momentarily off balance.

"Ooohhh, ano yan Marcus!" Emily poked fun at Marcus' defense.

Marcus just shrugged it off.

Aria approached the basket and with a quick glance over her shoulder to gauge Marcus's position, she planted her foot and launched herself towards the hoop with a flashy layup.

Time seemed to slow as Aria soared through the air, the ball cradled in her hands. With a flick of her wrist, she released the ball, watching with anticipation as it arced towards the basket.

The ball hits the backboard and swished through the net with a satisfying swoosh. Aria landed gracefully on the court, a triumphant smile lighting up her face as she turned to Marcus.

"Did you see that?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement and pride. "That's how it's done!"

Marcus grinned, his admiration evident in his eyes. "Wow, Aria, that was amazing!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine awe. "Let's team up later when our classmates arrive."

As Aiden, Kon, James, and Rufus arrived at the court, Aria, Marcus, and Emily greeted them with warm smiles and friendly nods.

"Hey, guys! Glad you could join us," Marcus exclaimed.

Aiden nodded in agreement, "Yeah,"

Marcus passes the ball to Aiden, "Here, let's play!"

With their group now complete, they wasted no time in getting started. Splitting into teams, they began to play. Their laughter and cheers echoing across the court as they dribbled, passed, and shot.

As Aiden stumbled over his own feet, sending the ball flying in an unexpected direction, Marcus was quick to rush to his aid, offering a helping hand.

"Looks like someone's got two left feet!" Emily teased from. the sideline, earning a chorus of laughter from their classmates.

Aria couldn't help but join in, a smile playing on her lips as she watched the scene unfold. "You alright, Aiden?" she called out, amusement dancing in her eyes.

Aiden chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, yeah, just a minor mishap," he replied, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Their classmates continued to tease Aiden, affectionately poking fun at his momentary blunder.

Aria chased after the loose ball that Aiden sent flying, her focus solely on retrieving it. The ball rolled and was then picked up by a tall bystander.

Her brows furrowed in confusion as she tried to place the familiar face.

'Ahh, yung magaling na basketball player kahapon'

With a closer look, Aria recognized the bystander as the mysterious talented player from yesterday's game in the gym.

'Ang tangkad at wow, hindi clear kahapon pero ang gwapo pala' Aria thought as she openly stared at him.

The bystander, Orion, possesses a unique and striking appearance, inheriting a blend of features from his Filipino and Japanese heritage. Orion's complexion, akin to freshly fallen snow, held a subtle warmth, kissed by the sun's rays. His almond-shaped brown eyes sparkled mischievously, framed by thick, dark lashes. High cheekbones and a straight nose added definition, while full lips enhanced his captivating charm. Orion's long hair cascaded around his face, framing his features with an air of casual elegance.

Orion, on the other hand, noticed Aria's approach and immediately recognized her as the girl he had played with in a local basketball court. Despite the years that had passed, he recognized her instantly, the girl who had once been his closest companion in basketball.

"Aria?" he spoke softly, the name slipping from his lips before he could stop himself.

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