Chapter 7: Reserve Player

Chapter 7: Reserve Player

Days, weeks, and even months passed by like the usual but for Rina, each passing day she saw Lambert inside the gym is pure blissfulness. Especially now that the finals for Women’s Division League are just around the corner, the first five had been too busy practicing and they hadn’t got enough time for them to bully her due to their rigid training.

The venue for the finals had taken place in their university’s gym, it will be the decision-maker who will bag the championship. Just as expected, many went to watch the match, both the gymnasium and the field were filled by people who intend to cheer with one and another’s team. The men’s basketball club was there too to support the women team, including Lambert, who obviously was just forced to come but it’s okay, it’s just that his presence is too important to boost the team’s morale.

Lambert is not only an inspiration for his men’s team due to his exceptional skills in basketball which made them bag the gold but also an inspiration for all his admirers, they all come to cheer for their university’s team just only to see him and hope for him to notice them. That is why Rina had noticed that most of the audience were girls who kept on staring at Lambert, acting cute in front of him. But Lambert seems to look bored and he kept on leaning on the side of the wall while assisting his head with his hand as if he was sleeping already.

"OUUCHHHH!!!! Aaaaaarggghh!!!", Paula yelled in pain and she fell on the floor. It was evident in her expression that she was indeed suffering too much pain as she held on to her foot. It was not a good sign. The referee blew his whistle.

“CAPTAIN!!!”, everyone worriedly yelled as they hurriedly ran towards Paula.

“Paula what happened?”, the coach had asked Paula. Rina wanted to get near her and help her but she is too afraid that due to her clumsiness, she might end up hurting her instead so she decided to stay behind the others while looking at Paula worriedly.

“OUCH! Ouch!!!!”, Paula cried in pain, she couldn’t hide it and it was the first time everybody saw her like that. Everybody wanted to cry with her if it would only ease her pain. Rina looked at Paula's foot as the coach removed it and everyone was shocked to see how swollen it is.

“You’re injured?!”, the coach uttered in both shock and disappointment. Everyone gasped in horror, it’s no wonder she was twisting in extreme pain.

“Captain why did you force yourself to play if you hadn’t recovered from your injury yet?!”, Lemon cried. Everyone wondered as if Lemon knew Paula’s injury.

“You knew?!”, the coach yelled.

“You knew about the captain’s injury?”, Georgina was shocked.

“And you didn’t even tell us?!”, Dulce went on to confront her.

“I… I saw Captain. The metal rack where we put the balls fell on her foot 2 weeks ago.”, Lemon admitted.

“She’s injured and forced herself to practice with us and now, because of your secret, it had come to this worst!”, Dulce blamed on Lemon angrily.

“It’s my fault! Because I don’t want something like this would happen! I didn’t tell you all so that you could focus on your practice… not arguing like this!”, Paula answered for Lemon even though she is still in pain.

“But Paula, because of what you have done… you might not be able to play basketball… ever again.”, the coach commented.

“Your injury looks bad, captain… no, it looks worst!”, Georgina added.

“I DON’T CARE!!! As long as we’re going to bag the gold! If the men’s team could do it, so can we! I want to prove that we could also win! We always end up as 2nd placer! It hurts my pride every time our team is being compared to Lambert’s invincible team! They always bag the gold, why can’t we? That’s why even it’s okay for me to lose my foot just to match the achievements of Lambert’s team!”, Paula answered angrily and emotionally. Everyone stared at her, no one was expecting she was harboring this kind of burden and pressure from Lambert’s achievements.

"You are not going to play, for now, Paula.", the coach had decided.

Paula felt the heavens and earth had fallen upon her with what she has heard. Paula wanted to play, she wanted to make her team win. She is determined to make her team win this time… she wants to win.

"But coach!", Paula complained

“Your injury is not looking good, Paula… you must be sent to a hospital ASAP.”, the coach told Paula and sighed in disappointment.

“NO! NO!!! I won’t agree to it! I can't just give up! I can still play!”, Paula complained, she couldn’t accept the coach’s decision and hurriedly tried to stand up to prove him but she fell again as she twisted in pain again. Paula bawled her eyes out as she grieves her failure.

At that moment, Paula’s cool and brave image had suddenly vanished. She cried as she begs her coach to let her play. Rina was moved by her determination to play as she compared her intention why she had entered basketball and that is just to get near to the man of her dreams, Lambert. Just like how passionate she is to be with Lambert, Paula is also passionate about playing basketball. Rina was embarrassed and felt little compared to Paula. She didn’t enter basketball because she likes it but she is only using this as her medium to be with Lambert, no wonder her teammates would always insult her about this. At that moment, for the first time, Rina felt that she had now come to love basketball.

“Coach, what should we do? We don’t have a reserve player. We could be disqualified.”, Dulce looking worried as she speaks with the coach.

“Yes we do.”, the coach answered.

“WHO?!”, Paula wondered while still enduring the pain.

“Rina Montecruz.”, the coach called on to Rina. Rina stared in shock, she wasn’t even sure if the coach was pertaining to her.

“WHAT?!!!”, everyone was shocked in chorus, even Rina too.

“W-what? Why me coach?”, Rina still couldn’t believe.

“COACH!? You’re replacing me with RINA?!!!”, Paula couldn’t believe it as well and she couldn’t accept even more. It hurts her pride that the one who will replace her is the clumsy Rina. She is now hurting both physically and emotionally.

“Yes, Paula.”, the coach answered briefly.

“But coach! Rina knows nothing! All she has been practicing since she has started is just dribbling and passing. My gosh! How are we able to win this coach?!”, Georgina complained. Rina felt hurt with her teammates' words once again, it’s as if they’re rubbing it in her face how useless she really is.

“Coach! I love basketball! I am begging you... Allow me to play! I can surely bag the gold for our team!”, Paula insisted, continuing to beg and cry in front of the coach.

“Paula it is easy to say you love something but it is hard to prove it. If you really do love basketball then why are you insisting on playing despite your injury? So you would rather choose to not be able to play forever just to win this game? Paula, basketball does not count just because of how you win the game... But also on how you play the game. So for you, it’s okay to lose your foot? You know that is one of the vital parts of playing basketball. Saying is one thing but proving is another thing... please rest. Paula, you forced me to come up with this decision.”, the coach with his long explanation had put an end to Paula’s tantrums. Everyone fell silent and Paula could say no more.

“Rina… warm-ups.”, the coach instructed Rina. Rina felt everything was surreal but she happily accepted and obeyed the coach.

“Captain Paula… I promise to do my best. I had put in my heart everything you have said and advised to me during our practices.”, Rina said happily to Paula who still refuses to look at her, before running towards the corner to do warm-up exercises. Lemon and Georgina frowned, while Dulce shook her head in disappointment.

Paula is gnashing her teeth in anger. She had prepared this game for a very long time but Rina is going to ruin this in front of her.

“It’s not true that Rina knows nothing. I saw her. I saw how determined she was while practicing…. and there was a time while passing by the gym, everyone had left already except for one… It was Rina. She was secretly practicing jump shots and 3-point shooting. She has the potential and you will see later when you play along with her.", the coach tried to convince the other team members but it only made them irked in anger and refused to believe. They knew Rina, she is clumsy, an idiot and they have no trust for this reserve player.