DV Series: decoding the boys (under revision) ??

1 - game || edited

Then there was Hiro (Hiromi Yamamoto), our shy tennis player. Fierce inside the court, but outside those games?A total wallflower. Interesting nga kasi kahit mahiyain, active pa rin siya sa campus pageants.

And the last, my best friend since elementary days.

Ahron (Reah Claiborne Rosales), our student council vice president, campus queen, and a popular social media influencer. She didn't play any sports, like me, but we were both into it just the same.

Ako naman, I was the student council's treasurer, habang si Lhyle (Lhyle Arian Fuentez), part ng photography club kaya kung ano-anong events na ang na-cover niya inside and outside the campus. One could say he was also an influencer in his own right, but he was the type to work behind the scenes. The type where he preferred to have his models showcase the brands for him instead.

"Who are you rooting for this time?" tahimik na tanong ni Hiro kay Anjo.

Mukhang naeskandalo si Anjo sa tanong niya. "Anong klaseng tanong 'yan, H? S'yempre team natin!"

Ahron smirked. "Really, now? You're not rooting for that Racel Gutierez?"

Namula kagad si Anjo. "Gagu, hindi ah!"

"Really? Then what's with the lobster blushing?"

"Che. Racel may be the god of all hotness, but Jacob is still hotter, 'no! I'm 100% Jacob's bitch!"

Tumawa kami sa reaksyon niya—and then my gaze went and found the man in question.

Ang daming beses ko nang naririnig ang pangala ni Racel Gutierez. He was someone that was always around, his name always lurking in the corners of our campus like a shadow, kahit na never pa kami pormal na nagkakilala. He had a bit of a reputation around him. Magaling nga raw at gwapo. I couldn't personally attest to that because I'd never seen him up close until now. Sure, I'd seen photos of him kasi sikat siya even among my classmates, but I'd never really paid enough attention to form any solid opinion. 'Di kasi siya kasundo ni Kuya Jacob.

May certain period of time noon na na-curious din naman ako sa kanya, pero 'di ko na sinubukan na kilalanin for obvious reasons. Wala namang magandang idudulot, plus it could also send a bad message to my brother, na tinitingala as Racel's fiercest arch-rival inside and outside the court nga. It seemed petty to some, but my brother had the worst temperament ever and I didn't want to push my luck.

"Real talk though. I heard the other team's gotten even stronger?" Maxxie said. "Because of... that Justin? New player ba 'yan?"

"Justin Mercedez—yeah, dude's a beast," Lhyle answered. "This year lang sumali pero grabe ang bilib d'yan ng mga taga-Centrex."

"Shh. Stop talking about the other team. Don't jinx us."

Sa sinabi ko, inasar ako lalo ni Lhyle for being too overprotective of my brother, but before I could fire back at him, a text interrupted me. Galing kay Kuya Andrei, my third oldest brother.

Kuya Andrei:

Come outside.

Me:

Why? Where?

Kuya Andrei:

Parking lot. Here with the others. Jacob's also here.

I furrowed my brows, confused. Magsisimula na ang game. Ano pang ginagawa nila sa labas?

I whipped my head back to the court—and sure enough, Kuya Jacob was nowhere to be seen. Mabilis akong nagpaalam at naglakad papunta sa parking lot. Finding my brothers was easy enough. They were a foot taller than everybody else, so they were quite hard to miss.

"Kuya!" I yelled to get their attention.

Instantly, four heads turned to look at me and I instantly grinned at the sight of them. Kumpleto kaming lima ngayon.

Pinalapit ako ni Kuya Jacob. Seeing him here was shocking enough, but seeing him acting so comfortably like he wasn't doing anything wrong was even more unbelievable.

"What are you still doing here? Magsisimula na yung game," sabi ko sa kanila bago nilingon si Kuya Jacob. "Saka why are you even here, Kuya? 'Di ba dapat nagwa-warm up ka?"

"Chill, sis. I got this," sagot niya at nagawa pang ipagmayabang ang bicep niya.

Napasimangot ako sa kanya.

Nginitian ako ni Kuya Travis, our eldest, as if reassuring me. "We won't be long. We're just giving our moral support to Jacob."

I almost snorted. Moral support. Yeah, right. Baka naman pinapaalala lang yung bet.

"Have you seen him before we called him out? Jacob looked like he'd piss himself." Tumawa si Kuya Chris, ang second oldest namin, at sabay inakbayan si Kuya Jacob.

Pero mukhang 'di naman tinatablan si Kuya sa pang-aasar nila. "As if."

I narrowed my eyes at Kuya Jacob. "Whatever the reason is, you need to go back. Magsisimula na ang game soon!"

"Sheesh, Javee, relax. Alam ni Coach na nag-restroom lang ako kaya ayos lang. Plus, we still have a bit of time left."

"Your overconfidence is worrying me, alam mo ba 'yon? Sana 'di ka maging too complacent. I'd really hate for you to lose just because of that."

"Like I said—as if," sagot niya lang. "I'ma beat those Centrex losers, just wait and see. Before you know it, I've already won the bet."

I wrinkled my nose at him and stuck out my tongue. Ang childish, but when it came to Kuya Jacob, I just couldn't help but default back to being a kid.

"I heard there's a monster rookie on that team," Kuya Chris mentioned. "How is he? Is he really good?"

"Ah, Mercedez?" sagot ni Kuya Jacob. "Nahh. That guy's nothing. He can support Gutierez all he wants, but that still won't change the outcome. This game's ours."

"Even so, don't lose your guard. Gutierez is not dumb. He knows what he's doing," tahimik na pasok ni Kuya Andrei. "I placed my bet on you, asshole. 'Wag mo 'ko ipatalo."

"Seriously, you're all wounding me. Where's the trust here?" sagot niya lang bago bumaling sa phone niya. "Right, that's my cue. Coach is calling me back," he announced, putting his phone back in his pocket. "I better get going."

"Good luck, Kuya," I said bago siya niyakap.

After that, my brothers tapped him in the shoulder and then we entered the arena complex together bago naghiwa-hiwalay ulit.

Nang makabalik ako sa grupo, angat-kilay akong nilingon ni Ahron. "What's up? What did they say?"

"Nothing important. Moral support lang daw for Kuya J," tumatawa kong sagot.

"Seconds before the game?" she muttered. "Weirdos."

'Di na 'ko nakasagot sa kanya because in a beat, the game finally started.