Chapter 09: "Practice Makes Perfect"

"Maybe... I misjudged him?" I mumbled to myself upon walking on my way to the field.

I sighed and shrugged it off. "I need to focus on sports day for now."

When I arrived on the field, I saw my classmates training for Sports Day.

Time flies too fast. It's only a week from now and the month will be over.

"How are you guys doing?" I asked while watching the basketball team practice.

"We're doing better. Just a bit more practice." Luke answered while wiping his sweat with a towel.

"Good." I smiled and walked to the other groups. "How about you guys here?" I asked the others.

"Actually, I think we can pull this off!"

"Yeah!"

I think everything is falling on their right places now.

"Jian!" Chet called.

"What is it?"

"Let's run." Chet invited.

I'm glad he's just as determine as everyone else.

"Alright, how many—"

"100 laps!" I almost fell from where I was standing when he said that.

Now I regret making this guy lead the relay race...

"Come on! Please spare me!"

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"My legs hurt from all of that running. I didn't even finished all the laps..." I sighed while standing in front of the vending machine to buy a drink.

When I was about to drop the coin into the vending machine, it suddenly fell on the ground and it rolled from a distance.

"Ugh... You've got to be kidding me." I mumbled.

I was about to get it when a hand lend it to me.

"Oh, thanks—" When I raised my head I saw Zen Liang.

He's standing in front of me with his other hand on his pocket.

"It's you again." I squint my eyes and took the coin from his hand.

I dropped the coin on the vending machine and bought a drink.

I took the drink and opened it. After taking a sip, I looked back at Zen Liang. He was just standing there.

What does he want now?

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

He just looked at me with his stoic face. "You're on the way. I'm buying a drink." He answered and pointed the vending machine behind me.

The heck?! I was in his way..!

My face turned red due to embarrassment.

"A-ah, right. Sorry." I moved aside.

That was embarrassing!

As he was ordering on the vending machine, I stood aside and drank my soda.

"S-so, how was it on your side?" I broke the silence and asked, without looking at him.

"Why? Are you spying on us?" He answered while taking his soda.

"Of course not! I was just asking!"

This jerk! What does he take me for?!

I glanced at him as he took a sip on his drink. I was mesmerized, I was just straight up looking at his neck, swallowing that drink.

"He's... hot—" Upon realizing what I'm thinking. I quickly snapped out of it and slapped my cheeks with both of my hands as I turn my head away from him.

What the hell am I thinking?!

"Ow..." I squat down, my palm still on both of my cheeks.

"Uh... Are you okay?" Zen Liang asked.

I was about to face him. When I lift my head up, I found him slightly bowed down. Our eyes met, his face close to mine.

He slowly removed my hands away from my face.

"Don't slap yourself. It will sting." He looks too gentle. With that soft yet manly voice of his.

I can literally feel my face heating up.

I quickly stood up and covered my cheeks with my palm once again. He also stood straight after.

"Y-you..!" I stepped away from him.

He just look at me in confusion.

This guy is totally messing with me?!

"We will freaking beat you and the whole Class A!!!" I exclaimed and ran away.

"The hell...?"

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I must've been crazy... What was that about?

"Geez..."

Zen Liang was definitely messing with my head!

"Don't slap yourself. It will sting." That memory kept on repeating on my mind.

"Ah! Forget it!" I shook my head aggressively.

"Dude, you good?" Chet asked as he sat down after a run. He took the water bottle and took a sip.

"Y-yeah... I'm fine." I forced a smile. "Bro, have you... Uh... Find other guys attractive?" I asked trying to lower the volume of my voice as possible.

"Oh yeah!" Chet answered without thinking.

I guess it's fine! I'm not the only one who feels that way!

"I find Luke attractive, you, our classmates, the other sections, the teachers, my neighbors, and even chips!"

I was dumbfounded. "Yeah... Right..."

Why did I even try and asked this guy..?

We were just peacefully sitting on the bench near the field when a group of class A guys approached us.

"Hey." One of them called out.

Chet and I looked at them.

"What?" I talked back.

"You're John, right?" Another one spoke up.

"It's Jian, you idiot!" Chet defended.

"Doesn't matter."

They moved closer to us. All three surrounding me. I stood up and so did Chet. He was about to back me up but I eventually stopped him. It's better not to make a scene before the sports day starts. They might use it against us.

"Do you really think you can win against us?" He is downgrading us.

"Of course we can!" Chet furiously claimed.

"Haha. You guys are good for nothing."

"Even if you try so hard, your future would be the same. Nothing can change the fact."

They're right. Nothing can change my future...

"Nothing can change it except for myself." I replied with a smile.

They were startled. Thinking that they got through me.

"You're crazy..."

I pass through them, on my way to the field.

Before starting my run, I look back again to them.

"And one more thing, smartasses... Can you not bully someone like that? Even kids can come up with better words." I smirked and left.

"Why you?!"

"Haha! Mindless monkeys!" Chet added a salt to an injury.

"You wanna die?!!"

I may not fully change the future ahead of me. However, it's still my choice! My future is on my hands. And no one can say what I will be nor how it is going to end!

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It's already dismissal time and I'm still running on the field. It's been already 4 hours straight.

"Jian, that's enough already!" Chet shouted from a distance.

I didn't listened to him and continued.

"This guy is stubborn." Luke sighed, standing beside Chet.

"He's clearly exhausted. Let's stop him, Luke."—Chet.

"You know him. He wouldn't listen to anyone once he already made up his mind."—Luke.

I didn't noticed Zen Liang and the council's vice president stopped by.

"Why is he still practicing at this hour?" The vice president wondered.

They were both looking at me, running on the field alone, and visibly out of breath.

"I think he had been running for hours now... He's really determined." The council's vice president added.

Not knowing what is on Zen Liang's mind right now. He just looked at me intently.