RAIN
by: LegnaThgin
Chapter3 #Lie#
She panted heavily, upper body bending down low, her weight shifted from one foot to the other. The opposing team served. Shena, her teammate, managed to hit the volleyball before it got too low, sending it high above them. Christine then volleyed it to Mya, who spiked it to the other court.
The whistle signaled game point for their team, and its end.
"Good game," their coach announced. She gestured with her hands for the players to gather around. "Okay guys. We all know that the game's going to be a week from now, am I right?"
Cheers erupted from the group, all of them pleased, excited and nervous at the same time. Christine could feel her stomach churning from all the mixed emotions, but she continued on cheering.
A raised hand from Coach Aino and the gathering hushed. "Alright. We have to work extra hard on this. The practices are going to be tougher next time. I will NOT have my team defeated, you hear?"
"Yeah!" they chorused, spirits running high.
"Good! Do not disappoint me." she gave each of them a long stare. "Dismissed."
The group disassembled, the murmur among them getting louder by the minute.
"Oh gosh, I'm so psyched!" a girl with long auburn hair gushed. "Aren't you?"
Christine smiled, Irene was one of those really bubbly girls, who when excited, seemed to affect everyone with their enthusiasm. "Of course, Irene! Everybody is!"
She left her enthused friend to ramble on and on while they headed towards the side benches. She reached her bag and took out a towel. "That was a workout." she said to no one in particular.
"Yeah." Irene had finally worn her enthusiasm out. "Man, I'm DRAINED!!"
"I'm going to go over to the water fountains, you wanna come?" she offered. They weren't far. The school had conveniently placed water fountains all over the grounds, with all its sports clubs and athletes.
"Sure! Let's go!"
The two laughing volleyball players grabbed their bags and walked out the court, towards the fountains, which were across the bike racks.
"You go on ahead," Christine said. From all the talking her friend did, she must be thirstier than her.
"Thanks Chrissy," Irene looked at her gratefully. She bent down to drink.
She took her time, watching people go by as she waited for her turn. Between a couple of people she saw a familiar face coming her way.
Her heart skipped a beat. She unconsciously smoothed her hair and then intertwined her hands together to stop their fidgeting. For the love of God she didn't know why she cared that much for her physical appearance at that instant.
Kogore slowly came into her view, dressed impeccably in the school uniform, probably from basketball practice. It was a few breathtaking moments later that she realized that he wasn't alone.
Clinging to his arm was a very pretty girl, with flowing golden hair and slanting green eyes.
"Oi, Chris." Irene called, tapping her friend on the shoulder. "Your turn."
She seemed frozen to the spot. Only her eyes moved, following the couple as they turned the corner. They hadn't seen her at all.
Inside, a part of mind was reeling from the shock. The other was scolding her, saying matter-of-factly that a handsome guy like him needed an equally beautiful girl as a partner. She shook her head, waking up from her daze. She strangely felt empty all of a sudden, and more exhausted than if she practiced for twelve hours straight. She hurt all over.
Her eyes focused to Irene's hands waving madly in front of her.
"Earth to Chris~tine! Hello?"
"Sorry," she apologised, "I spaced out for a moment there."
"No duh!"
She forced a smile. "Irene, I'm going home ahead, okay? I'm more tired than I thought I was. I'll see you tomorrow, bye." she dashed off before her confused friend had a chance to reply.
She reached the locker room, took a quick shower and packed her things in her bag hurriedly. Hair still dripping wet and haphazardly combed, she ran outside towards the quad, seeing Keira bent over a drawing book.
"Kei. We have to leave. NOW." she commanded in an authorative tone.
"Geez, what's gotten into you? You sound so bossy!" The ponytailed girl got up to stuff her drawing book into her folder. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." she said a bit too quickly. "Please, not now. But we have to go..." she clutched at her girl friend's arm desperately. "Please-?"
"Okay. C'mon." The taller girl stood and the two friends trotted over to the bike racks. They unlocked their bikes and walked them towards the entrance.
Christine hesitated. Without knowing the reason why, she looked back in the direction of the school.
"Yo, Chris! You're the one who was rushing me and NOW you're dilly-dallying?" Kae chided impatiently, her friend's seeming upset frustrating her as well, as she didn't know the cause of it.
Her face set, she turned back to her black-haired friend. "Gomen," she apologised softly. "Let's go."
They rode out into the streets, turning corners and swerving around the occasional pothole. Keira cast worried glances at Christine from time to time, she could swear that something was different with her somehow. She shrugged. When the time came, she knew she would confide in her. But still.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Excuse me miss," a polite voice spoke up behind Irene, who was standing by the quad, waiting for Shena and the others.
The auburn-haired player whirled around. "Yes?" She took in the kind face in front of her. A junior? No, she guessed he was a senior.
"I was wondering if you have seen Christine anywhere? I've been meaning to talk to her," he explained, smiling down at her.
"Oh, you've just missed her, senpai! She just left!" she replied, wondering at the same time why he was looking for her teammate.
A crestfallen look crossed his handsome features as he heard her words. "Really? Just now?" he asked.
"Yep. Just now," Irene affirmed him. "Too bad, if you had been here say, ten minutes ago you would've caught her."
"I see. Thank you for your time." he bowed, and turned away. Walking towards the entrance where Akagi was waiting for him.
"So, you talked to her yet?" the captain of the basketball team asked once Kogore stepped up beside him.
"No... I was too late." Kogore sighed unhappily, disappointed.
Akagi looked at him almost empathically. "Sorry, if I hadn't asked you to escort my cousin around you could have made it."
"That's alright." he condoned, "I didn't mind."
But deep down inside he knew he was lying.
tbc...
~*~*~*~*~*~
Note: Wai~! =) Comments? Suggestions? Email me at LegnaThgin@hotmail.com! =)
()*() )
by: LegnaThgin
Chapter3 #Lie#
She panted heavily, upper body bending down low, her weight shifted from one foot to the other. The opposing team served. Shena, her teammate, managed to hit the volleyball before it got too low, sending it high above them. Christine then volleyed it to Mya, who spiked it to the other court.
The whistle signaled game point for their team, and its end.
"Good game," their coach announced. She gestured with her hands for the players to gather around. "Okay guys. We all know that the game's going to be a week from now, am I right?"
Cheers erupted from the group, all of them pleased, excited and nervous at the same time. Christine could feel her stomach churning from all the mixed emotions, but she continued on cheering.
A raised hand from Coach Aino and the gathering hushed. "Alright. We have to work extra hard on this. The practices are going to be tougher next time. I will NOT have my team defeated, you hear?"
"Yeah!" they chorused, spirits running high.
"Good! Do not disappoint me." she gave each of them a long stare. "Dismissed."
The group disassembled, the murmur among them getting louder by the minute.
"Oh gosh, I'm so psyched!" a girl with long auburn hair gushed. "Aren't you?"
Christine smiled, Irene was one of those really bubbly girls, who when excited, seemed to affect everyone with their enthusiasm. "Of course, Irene! Everybody is!"
She left her enthused friend to ramble on and on while they headed towards the side benches. She reached her bag and took out a towel. "That was a workout." she said to no one in particular.
"Yeah." Irene had finally worn her enthusiasm out. "Man, I'm DRAINED!!"
"I'm going to go over to the water fountains, you wanna come?" she offered. They weren't far. The school had conveniently placed water fountains all over the grounds, with all its sports clubs and athletes.
"Sure! Let's go!"
The two laughing volleyball players grabbed their bags and walked out the court, towards the fountains, which were across the bike racks.
"You go on ahead," Christine said. From all the talking her friend did, she must be thirstier than her.
"Thanks Chrissy," Irene looked at her gratefully. She bent down to drink.
She took her time, watching people go by as she waited for her turn. Between a couple of people she saw a familiar face coming her way.
Her heart skipped a beat. She unconsciously smoothed her hair and then intertwined her hands together to stop their fidgeting. For the love of God she didn't know why she cared that much for her physical appearance at that instant.
Kogore slowly came into her view, dressed impeccably in the school uniform, probably from basketball practice. It was a few breathtaking moments later that she realized that he wasn't alone.
Clinging to his arm was a very pretty girl, with flowing golden hair and slanting green eyes.
"Oi, Chris." Irene called, tapping her friend on the shoulder. "Your turn."
She seemed frozen to the spot. Only her eyes moved, following the couple as they turned the corner. They hadn't seen her at all.
Inside, a part of mind was reeling from the shock. The other was scolding her, saying matter-of-factly that a handsome guy like him needed an equally beautiful girl as a partner. She shook her head, waking up from her daze. She strangely felt empty all of a sudden, and more exhausted than if she practiced for twelve hours straight. She hurt all over.
Her eyes focused to Irene's hands waving madly in front of her.
"Earth to Chris~tine! Hello?"
"Sorry," she apologised, "I spaced out for a moment there."
"No duh!"
She forced a smile. "Irene, I'm going home ahead, okay? I'm more tired than I thought I was. I'll see you tomorrow, bye." she dashed off before her confused friend had a chance to reply.
She reached the locker room, took a quick shower and packed her things in her bag hurriedly. Hair still dripping wet and haphazardly combed, she ran outside towards the quad, seeing Keira bent over a drawing book.
"Kei. We have to leave. NOW." she commanded in an authorative tone.
"Geez, what's gotten into you? You sound so bossy!" The ponytailed girl got up to stuff her drawing book into her folder. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." she said a bit too quickly. "Please, not now. But we have to go..." she clutched at her girl friend's arm desperately. "Please-?"
"Okay. C'mon." The taller girl stood and the two friends trotted over to the bike racks. They unlocked their bikes and walked them towards the entrance.
Christine hesitated. Without knowing the reason why, she looked back in the direction of the school.
"Yo, Chris! You're the one who was rushing me and NOW you're dilly-dallying?" Kae chided impatiently, her friend's seeming upset frustrating her as well, as she didn't know the cause of it.
Her face set, she turned back to her black-haired friend. "Gomen," she apologised softly. "Let's go."
They rode out into the streets, turning corners and swerving around the occasional pothole. Keira cast worried glances at Christine from time to time, she could swear that something was different with her somehow. She shrugged. When the time came, she knew she would confide in her. But still.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Excuse me miss," a polite voice spoke up behind Irene, who was standing by the quad, waiting for Shena and the others.
The auburn-haired player whirled around. "Yes?" She took in the kind face in front of her. A junior? No, she guessed he was a senior.
"I was wondering if you have seen Christine anywhere? I've been meaning to talk to her," he explained, smiling down at her.
"Oh, you've just missed her, senpai! She just left!" she replied, wondering at the same time why he was looking for her teammate.
A crestfallen look crossed his handsome features as he heard her words. "Really? Just now?" he asked.
"Yep. Just now," Irene affirmed him. "Too bad, if you had been here say, ten minutes ago you would've caught her."
"I see. Thank you for your time." he bowed, and turned away. Walking towards the entrance where Akagi was waiting for him.
"So, you talked to her yet?" the captain of the basketball team asked once Kogore stepped up beside him.
"No... I was too late." Kogore sighed unhappily, disappointed.
Akagi looked at him almost empathically. "Sorry, if I hadn't asked you to escort my cousin around you could have made it."
"That's alright." he condoned, "I didn't mind."
But deep down inside he knew he was lying.
tbc...
~*~*~*~*~*~
Note: Wai~! =) Comments? Suggestions? Email me at LegnaThgin@hotmail.com! =)
()*() )