The days leading up to the championship were getting fewer and fewer. Each day, the air grew heavy with anticipation as Val and her teammates hustled it out on their home court.
“Communicate with your body, Fabian.” Coach Eric’s voice was gentle but Val wasn’t deceived. The throbbing vein in his forehead was a dead giveaway of his suppressed irritation. “Feel the energy flow from your shoulder to your wrist to the tips of your fingers.”
Val cast him a nervous look. If their coach had suddenly gone zen, then he was definitely more stressed than she thought.
But it wasn’t just he who changed. His nerves caused a ripple effect on the whole team, affecting the way they played. Gone were the sudden fits of giggling, the high fives, and the high-pitched chatter in between plays. For the past few days, their court had been shrouded in stone-cold silence as players shot furtive glances at the huge digital clock perched on the wall, as if time wasn’t going fast enough.
Each moment spent on the court felt more and more like boot camp; especially after Coach had increased training both in intensity and duration, adding an extra hour for weight training and timed sprints around the oval. Practice matches became nerve-wracking as the girls were ordered to treat each bout as a “championship game.”
Even viewing their past games, which used to be a welcome break from the physical exertion, became a draining chore as Coach enforced a “No Talking” rule, pausing the video every so often to point out their errors and how they should be rectified.
At the end of each session, Val would go home, exhausted, with just enough energy to crawl into bed and drift off into a deep sleep. Her grueling schedule left her with little energy to think about Jake, except during lulls in class, where she would plot how to make their next conversation happen.
“I told you, practice ends in two hours,” Kat whispered into her phone as Val plopped down beside her and snuck a look at the clock. “I can’t go out tonight, I’m so tired. Besides—“
Kat pulled the phone away from her and checked the display before putting it to her ear again. “Hello? Hello?” She swiped her phone shut. “That jerk hung up on me!”
“He’s playing hot and cold,” said Val wryly. “He’s not worth it.”
Kat nodded, her eyes flashing. Then she let out a soft wail and rested her head on Val’s shoulder. “I’m so so so exhausted. Someone needs to give Coach the memo that we do not have superpowers.”
Val inwardly sighed, tempted to crumple along with her. Instead she gently stroked Kat’s head. “We just need to hang on a for a bit more. Remember, what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”
Kat straightened up and gave a mock salute. “Aye, aye, Captain. Adversity builds character.” She shook her head with a bitter laugh. “This is bad. We’re spewing out quotable quotes.”
In silence, they watched the match in progress until the shrill sound of Coach Eric’s whistle broke the monotony.
All eyes turned to the diminutive figure that was making a “T” with his two palms. “Practice over. Everyone, grab your stuff. We’re heading out.”
Ignoring the questioning looks, he led the way to his van parked outside the gym. “ We can’t all fit in here so those who have cars, bring them. I’ll lead the convoy.”
It took a while to settle the logistics but once everyone had a ride, they all headed out of the university grounds.
“Where are we going, Coach?” Val leaned from behind the driver’s seat. Her teammates, especially Dessa who was riding shotgun, have been giving her signals; silently begging her to ask the question.
“I’m breaking the routine.” Coach Eric navigated a U-turn, and flicked his signal switch, making the right arrow blink.
“Uh, Coach,” the gangly, ponytailed sophomore beside Val chimed in. “That’s the mall.”
“Oh, really?” Coach Eric’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Just sit back and enjoy the ride, Valdez.”
The van entered the open space parking space fronting the mall with the other cars following behind them. When all the vehicles were parked, the players filed out of their vehicles, gathering in front of their coach.
“Wear your jackets. The alumni will have my head if any one of you gets sick.” Then he muttered under his breath, just enough for Val to hear. “As if they aren’t pressuring me enough as it is.”
Like a mother duck leading her brood, Coach Eric directed his aqua-and-silver-clad team to the topmost floor. People ogled at the gaggle of leggy girls filling the length of the escalator. Some brought out their phones and took pictures.
Finally they stopped at an enclosed area announced by blinking neon lights and a mixture of sounds that grated on the ear: excited squeals, and tinny music ranging from techno and rock to nursery songs.
Coach Eric turned to the girls and barked, “Fabian!”
Val jostled her way to the front. She had been momentarily distracted by the SALE sign hung on the window display of her favorite clothing store a few shops away.
“Coach?”
“You’re in charge. Each one gets a hundred bucks worth of tokens.” He gave Val some bills and gestured to the booth fronting the entrance.
“Question?” Coach Eric nodded to the shorthaired girl at the back, who had her right arm raised.
“What are we training for here?” She asked, the braces on her teeth glinting. “Hand-eye coordination? Maintaining focus in a chaotic environment?”
For the first time that afternoon, Coach Eric smiled. “This”—he said, sweeping his arm dramatically towards the arcade— “is a lesson on having fun.”
* * * *
“Almost there…almost…come on…yeeeesssssheeeeshkebab!”
Without missing a beat, Dessa slid another token inside the claw machine.
“That’s your fifth time, Dess.” Val threw cheese popcorn at her best friend, whose brows were furrowed in deep concentration. “Just give it up.”
Dessa pulled the lever that controlled the mechanical claw. “I’ll get it this time. Just you wait.”
In spite of herself, Val held her breath as Dessa pushed the button, making the claw descend on the pile of stuffed toys at the bottom of the glass. Its metal fingers closed in on a furry pink bunny.
“The ear!” Dessa shrieked. “Go for the ear!”
The claw pinched the tip of the bunny’s ear. As the machine whirred, making its slow ascent, the small piece of fur it held on to slipped from its grasp. The stuffed toy dropped back to the heap, its glassy eyes staring back at them.
“Did you see that?” Dessa jumped repetitively, her curly ponytail bouncing like a cheerleader’s pompom. “I almost had it. Ooh, ooh, I’m gonna try again.”
Val popped another popcorn into her mouth. “I told you. This place is a fudging casino.”
Munching, she went around the arcade, her pocket still heavy with her tokens. More than playing, she enjoyed watching her teammates shed the championship pressure, their faces open and laughing. She spotted Coach Eric, along with Kat and two others, hamming it up at videoke while a small group was racing against each other at the virtual F150 circuit. Two of her teammates were even riding the carousel, giggling as they tried to fit their lanky frames in between the low circus-tent roof and their horses’ tiny saddles.
Val drifted to the back of the arcade and stopped short at a game booth set on a stage covered with separate dance pads marked by colored arrows. Each had a monitor above, flashing computer-generated characters gyrating to the bass-heavy music.
Someone went up the stage, feet heavily thumping on the wood.
“Care to battle it out?”
Val looked up to see Rico grinning at her, looking flawless in a white V-neck shirt layered underneath a flannel plaid polo. His face, framed by a gray beanie hat, was full of mischief.
Val cocked her head to one side, smirking. “Game on, Gomez.”
They rallied through three fast songs before calling it quits, their backs drenched with sweat, their breathing labored. Rico took off his polo and Val marveled at how good he looked with just the white shirt. But she knew he wasn’t going to take off the beanie because he’d rather endure the sweaty scalp than expose his hat hair.
Rico took her hand. “Let’s go get something to drink.”
Val allowed herself to be led outside to the fruit shake stand where both ordered mango smoothies.
“So I was passing by and I saw Kat by the token booth. I stuck my head in the arcade and saw your teammates everywhere. I figured the trail of Volleybelle jackets would lead me to you.” He sipped on his straw. “I thought you guys had training. What are you doing here?”
Val pulled her hair back into a ponytail. “Coach wanted us to unwind a bit.”
Rico nodded and shifted his feet. Val had a feeling he was about to reveal the reason for his strange, clingy behavior the past weeks.
“What’s up?” She asked, speeding up the process.
“I want to talk about us. You know…about our relationship.” He lingered on the word as if it were enclosed in quotation marks.
In reply, Val simply raised an eyebrow.
Rico’s face turned red as he continued. “I was thinking we could up the ante. You know, date for real.”
Val let out an exasperated sigh. “Rico, we already talked about this. The rules—“
“Screw the rules!”
Val was stunned into silence, never having seen Rico break into an outburst before. His features contorted as he struggled to control his voice, to make it sound more casual. “I know we started doing this because we were both lonely. But lately, I’ve been feeling different about this whole thing.” He took both of Val’s hands. She could feel his awkwardness; like her, he wasn’t used to baring his feelings. “I think I’ve fallen in love with you.”
Val’s lips parted, the shock evident in her eyes. She had chalked up Rico’s constant texting to something simpler, like an increased sense of loneliness now that graduation was drawing near. She could understand if he needed something or someone to hold on to before being thrust out into the chaos of employment and adulthood. But this, this was something she did not expect.
Rico took a deep breath and finally gazed into her eyes. “You get me, Val. With you, I don’t have to pretend I’m anything else.”
Val felt her face soften. She completely understood what he meant. With each other, they could be their vainest, meanest selves and not worry about the other would think. They were a reflection of each other: their desires, their philosophies. Even their looks were on equal footing.
But on the subject of love, Val wasn’t on the same page as he was.
“Rico,” she began, thinking how she could soften the blow of her words. “Off the top of my head, I could think of at least ten girls who’d kill to hear those words from you. But the thing is…” The words died in her throat.
“You’re not one of them?” Rico finished it for her and let go of her hands.
Val bowed her head. “I’m sorry. I wish I felt different.” She faced him and put her palms on his cheeks. “I love you, Rico. But not in the way you want me to.”
He pulled away. “Message received loud and clear.” His face was all rigid lines, the boyishness gone.
Val didn’t say anything. She let him go, his cup swinging forgotten by his side, dripping yellow slush on the shiny floor as he walked away. She had turned down dozens of guys before, but with Rico, she felt genuinely sad. He was her friend. She thought he knew her better than this. If he did, he would have kept his mouth shut because she was bound to reject him in the end.
She was so deep in thought that it took her a while to register the sight of Dessa waving at her with her bag slung over one shoulder.
“Where are you going?”
“I have a meeting, remember?”
Something clicked in her head, all Rico-related thoughts pushed aside to make room for this new development.
“Thesis?” She asked slowly. “With Jake?”
Dessa nodded, pressing her cheek against Val’s. “Laters.”
“Wait, wait.” Val’s voice was high-pitched with urgency. “Can I come with you?”
“Why?” Dessa looked puzzled.
For a moment, Val considered confessing to Dessa. But knowing her academically-anal friend, Dessa would probably request she seduce Jake at a more convenient time. Dessa took her grades seriously, especially since she’s targeting a big-time corporate job after graduation.
“Because…because I need you, right now,” Val croaked, her mind racing. “I just bumped into Rico and I’m all messed up.”
That did the trick. Dessa reached out to touch her arm, her eyes filled with concern. “What happened? Are you okay?”
Val shook her head. “I’ll tell you on the way there.”
“Let’s go, then.” Dessa hooked Val’s arm through hers. “Jake’s house is just a jeepney ride away.”
“You’re not going to change?” Val’s tone was incredulous.
Dessa rolled her eyes. “I already changed my shirt. Jake and I need to get to work, stat. Let’s go?” Val could see that she was raring to power-walk her way to the escalator.
“I’ll meet you at Jake’s,” Val said, inching away. “I just remembered I have to give something to Kat. Just text me his address, okay?” Before Dessa could reply, she scooted back to the arcade and waited a full minute before heading out again.
“Going?” Kat called out, breaking in the middle of a song, microphone still in hand.
“Yup!”
The coast was clear as Val checked out the floor. No sign of Dessa, who was already probably flagging down a jeepney outside the mall.
Her skin prickled with the prospect of seeing Jake in his own home, which no doubt, was a mansion. Val entered the ladies’ room and pushed open the cubicle door to change into her school clothes. She surveyed the contents of her bag: the neatly folded black tank top, jeans, and her matte-gold thong sandals. It wasn’t exactly seduction fashion, but it would have to do.
Once changed, she stepped out and approached the mirror with her toiletry kit. It was a shame she wouldn’t be able to take a shower, but no matter, she was an expert on looking gorgeous on the fly.