BRICE POV
“Tig half court tayo girls ahh?” Ayer pointed the half line to the other ring for girls. They all nodded and began to walk.
Earl dribbled the ball and Ayer tried to stop him. I saw Keith in the free throw line and positioning himself to shoot while holding the ball. Fabian is on the side trying to dribble the ball.
And here I am, standing while looking at them. I fixed my eyeglasses with my middle finger.
“Papa Brice!” Claud called my name. They're always calling me papa, fafa and even daddy! Am I that old? I know that they all looked like models straight out from the photoshoot but I am good-looking for normal students.
I looked at him with a straight face.”What?”
He passed me the ball and I catched it. He turned around and left me wondering what to do with this ball I’m holding. I looked at it and tried to dribble it. One.. two.. Three. Oh! I can dribble it.
“Brice! Dito ka!” Ayer called me, gesturing me to come. He’s on the three point line.
I approached him while I’m holding the ball. “What?” I asked him.
“Gayahin mo ko ahh.” He dribbled the ball and ran to the post of the ring.
“Ikaw naman!” He shouted when he arrived at the other end.
I nodded to him and I dribbled the ball first. I took a step and tried to walk but the ball hit my shoe and rolled. I picked it up and tried to dribble it again. The ball hit my shoe again and again.
I felt that everyone was already staring at me so I picked the ball up and looked at Ayer. He’s trying to stop himself from laughing, maybe not to make me feel bad. Though it’s okay, because I also want to laugh at myself but I don’t want to show it to them.
Graig cleared his throat.”It’s okay, ngayon lang naman siya nakapag try.”
“Oo nga, dito ka Brice try mo mag shoot.”Ivo defended me and I followed him to the free throw line.
“I’ll try.” I held the ball both hands and positioned myself. I bent my knees and jumped.
It….didn’t go in.
Ayer passed me the ball for me to try again. I shoot the ball for a second time. For the third time. Fourth. Fith. They all didn't go in.
Ivo faked a cough. “Okay lang yan, first time eh.”
“Is my angle wrong? How about the force I’m using, is it okay? I can see the trajectory is okay but how about my position?” I asked them. My forehead furrowed as I began to be annoyed.
They all looked at me and didn’t say anything. They’re just staring.
Keith approached me.”Don’t think too much, Brice. Just feel the weight of the ball and release it.” He gave me a ball.
I tried following him and still, the ball didn’t go in. That’s the moment all of their laughs can be heard. It looks like they can’t handle it anymore. Ayer is kneeling on the ground holding his tummy. Claud is spanking Ivo.
Aldo tapped my shoulder. “Hindi ka namin tinatawanan ah? Yung ano lang…” He laughed again. “Yung bola kasi diba? Nakakainis?”
I nodded and their laughter echoed. I saw Keith chuckling and Fabian was wiping his tears from laughter. Earl and Graig are laughing while trying to spin the ball with their finger. I smiled with them.
Now, we’re trying to play volleyball. We also need to participate in it, it sucks to only have 8 boys. Well, if we’ll have more classmates, I don’t think I can handle it.
“Mine!” Ayer shouted while looking at the ball coming. We’re playing 4v4 half court. We’re just practicing passing.
Ayer received it and returned it to Aldo. Aldo stretched his right arm preparing to hit it. His palm hit the ball very hard and made a loud but satisfying sound.
Keith received it with his hands together. He looked at Aldo annoyed and Aldo chuckled. Ivo gently received it and it’s coming in my direction.
“Mine!” I also shouted. Copying what Ayer has done.
The ball went past me. It hit the ground without even me knowing. Ivo tried to pass it to me once again.
I received it but it didn’t even fly halfway. They stopped playing to teach me the right position for my arms. I copied them but the ball kept flying to different directions.
“Try hitting a ball, Brice.” Keith threw me a ball lightly. I catched the ball and looked at him.
He looked at me.“I-I’m setting it to you. I’ll throw the ball then you’ll jump to hit it.”
I nodded and threw the ball back to him. He received it and tossed it in the air. The ball is coming to me. I took a step and put the force on my feet and jumped. The ball hit my head.
I heard them laugh when I landed. I didn’t know that I am also starting to smile because of them. Keith tried to toss the ball to me for how many times. The ball hit my head or my fingers were too weak for them.
“Keith! ‘Wag mo muna kasi patalunin.” Aldo shouted at Keith. “Brice, wag ka muna tumalon paluin mo muna binibigay niya.” Aldo pointed to the ball Keith was holding.
I nodded and patiently waited for Keith to throw me the ball. He tossed it to me and I stretched my arm. My palm landed but it didn’t go far when I hit it. I tried again but my ball seems to be afraid of flying. I think it’s only 2 meters away from me.
We took a lunch break and Ivo, Ayer, Claud and Graig presented to buy lunch for all of us. We all ate and rested for a while. They keep telling each other what happened during the practice.
“Tara tennis.” Ayer invited us to join him on the court. They all went to him and there’s only 4 tennis rackets.
“Graig! Ikaw na isa lalaro ah.” Graig nodded to what Claud said.
Graig gave me one racket. He showed us the right position for tennis and also how to swing the racket. We tried swinging it all at once but I can already feel the beads of sweat on my forehead.
“Tama na! Yung may bola na Graig.” Claud shouted while swinging his racket.
Graig stopped. “Sige, balik mo sakin ha.” A mocking smile appeared on his face. He took a step back to give space. He threw the ball into the air and hit it.
Claud returned the ball. Graig hit the ball once again with much more force. Claud didn’t reach the ball.
“Ano na Claud?” Graig is trying to piss Claud. The boys are laughing and teasing Claud while I’m here trying to protect myself.
While Graig and Claud were playing, we decided to let them play tennis. They look like they’re having fun playing it. Why not give it to them.
Ayer poked me on my shoulder. “Tara billiards?” I nodded to him.
Earl and Ivo set up the billiards in the middle of the court. The girls also stopped playing tennis to join us. Fabian and Iris are drinking on their tumbler while Graig and Ella sit on the bench.
Aiby gave me a cue stick.”Try it.” Nginuso niya ang billiards na naka set up na.
I accepted it and moved closer. I heard Aldo discussing the rules so I listened to him. I already watched a billiard game but I’m still not interested at that time.
I saw Keith getting one of the cue sticks. “I’ll show it to you Brice.” He bent down and positioned himself trying to see where to send the ball.
Aldo explained to me what Keith’s doing and I understand what the rules meant. I saw my classmates nodding, maybe they’re also new to it’s rules.
“I’ll try.” I’ve made up my mind. I roam around the billiard table trying to look for the ball. When my eye landed on the white ball, I decided to bend over and try looking for a ball near him.
I tried calculating the rate they have to go in for a pocket. I also took note of all the angels they have. I’ve made sure I got to the position I need.
My eyes focused on the green solid ball, number 6. I calculated all the things In my mind and tightened my grip on my right hand. I gently pulled my arm and pushed in with the force I calculated.
Shoot.
They clapped. “Nice! Isa pa.”
I tried again what I did earlier and the ball went in the pocket. I tried it and it went it. I tried again and all of the balls went to the pocket I wanted.
They keep clapping their hands. I even saw Claud, Ely, Deborah and Ayer with open mouths.
Ivo tapped my shoulder. “Ayos!” He thumbs up. “Paano mo nagawa yun?”
I fixed my eyeglasses with my middle finger. “I-I calculated them. I used math.” It’s true though. From the force I need that will be appropriate for the weight of the ball to the angles I used to shoot them to the pockets.
Ivo’s mouth parted. “Grabe, iba talaga sports ng matatalino.” He clapped. “Ikaw na sa billiards ah?”
They all nodded, agreeing to Ivo. I nodded ‘cause it looks like I will enjoy playing it. And it is the only thing I can help them with.
“Peram Brice?” Ely popped in front of me looking at the cue stick I’m holding.
I gave it to her. She immediately ran towards Aiby who was also holding a cue stick. It looks like they’ll play a game ‘cause the girls are surrounding them. Deborah assembled the ball and lifted the triangle rack.
Opening break shot will be made by Ely. None of the balls went to it so Aiby teased her. Aiby looked at the billiard table looking for her first shot.
I saw her smirked and bent down looking at the blue solid ball, number 2. Her eyes never left the ball as he pulled her arms, estimating the force she needed. She made the shot and the ball went in.
She tried going for the number 1 but she failed. “Ayyyy.” She hissed and her girls laughed at her.
“Bleh, kala mo ah.” Ely also teased her.
They are all looking at the billiard table and laughing. Graig and Fabian are also watching them while the rest of the boys are playing basketball. I saw Rave standing still and looking far behind me. I followed her eyes and saw her looking at Earl shooting in the three point line.