Chapter 4: That's Scary Road

ZACHARY FLYNN'S POINT OF VIEW

We were leading from the moment the game had started. So even the first half just ended, my teammates grew complacent about this game, especially our coach. It was pretty obvious how he just played it cool. Maybe because he was the one who was in charge to train the players from the culinary department last month, so he knew how they play, they were our opponents this afternoon. Their coach got sick last month, so they asked our coach if he can train them just for a month.

"Bro, we can't deny the strong effect you have on Xincere." Nate tap my back after I successfully got a score from the three-point line. I even saw a bunch of girls who were wearing their department shirts who were now cheering for our team. But Xincere was still seating on the bench while crossing her legs and resting her chin on her palm, I winked at her that made her furrow and murmur something. I know it was her line again, 'too confident'. That was exactly what she always says.

I just laughed and gave him a soft shoulder punch.

"Stop it, man!" Nate did not stop teasing me, he knew it for sure. I just don't know how to hold it, though I knew that she might kill me for what I did. I took a glance at her who was now rummaged on my duffle bag that was on her lap, she seemed like finding something from it.

After the ball was successfully shot into the basket by Leo, who was looked so inspired even before the game started, we heard the whistle being blown by the referee, calling for a time-out.

I hastily ran toward the bleachers and straightly walked in Xincere's direction. Her eyes were on me and abruptly rolled her eyeballs after I gave her a teasing smile. She was about to stand up, but I chuckled and took half-ran and gently pulled her bag to stop her.

"Where are you up to?" I asked between my chuckle. I was forced not to smile as I saw her furrowed. She easily got annoyed.

"I'll go ahead." She simply uttered.

"Just wait for me. Let's go home together, I'll drop you off. Just give me a sec, our game will about to end." I said, trying to convince her to stay for a bit.

"Hello, Zachary! You looked so tired. Here oh!" We both looked in the direction where we heard an unfamiliar voice of a girl. As I remember, she was the one from the other department who was handed the banner with my name on it earlier, before the game was started. She was offering a plastic bottle to me. I just looked at it for a moment. Xincere gently pulled her hand from my grip, attempting to walk out.

"No need. I already have one. But thanks, by the anyway." I got a bottle of water on Zincere's left hand and did not show any affection. She used to give me a bottle of water every game, Bettina used to give me water every time that we had a game, but usually, my teammates were the ones who got it from her. I know what she was coming from, and I don't want to give her or any other girl false hope, especially since I know whom I was really into. I saw a sudden change of expression on the face of that girl.

"Zac!" I turned my attention to my coach who looked like waiting for me before he started to discuss and instructed us about the strategies that we must do for the remaining time.

"Can you wait for me?" I asked Xincere who looked so tired and irritated for some reason. She just deeply sighed before she shrugged and made her way back to the bleachers where she was sitting. She slightly smiled at the girl who was approximately an inch taller than her before she passed by on her. I walked behind her and did not take time to take a glance at that girl.

"Don't leave while I am inside, okay?" I told her as I saw a bunch of girls who once tried to hurt her last time. I hated it when she gets into trouble just because of me. So, I used to protect her at any cost. She turned her back and looked in the direction where I was looking before putting back her attention on me.

"I can protect myself from your harmful admirers! Just focus on the game. You will be punished by your coach." She chuckled a bit, which made me feel relief somehow.

"Zac..." She let me catch the towel she threw at me.

"You looked so messed. Wipe your sweat!" She coldly uttered before looking away. I just smiled before making my way toward the direction of my teammates who were teasing me.

"Stop it, bro. She was already mad!" I threw my hand on Nate's shoulder while smiling as I remembered how irritated she was. Maybe she noticed that I often check in her direction just to check if she was still there.

Last one minute of the last quarter and even before we heard the commentators, the whole team knew that this game was on us. Since they looked so pressured.

"Good job, team!" Couch shouted after we ended the game with a score of 121-97. A rare smile etched on our couch face.

"Couch, the entire team was waiting for your treat." That has been the second joke Nate had been able to throw against him. The first one was when he got the three points after throwing the ball from the middle of the court that made the crowd crazier!

"What you, guys, want? A hundred push-ups? I'm cool with it." A modulated voice was uttered by him. There was a tumultuous laugh was heard from my teammates.

"This will be the last hangout we have with some of the seniors before they graduate," Leo complained.

"I'll treat you after winning, we win the finals." We heard an authoritative tone of his voice, even if he was joking around.

"No problem, Coach," Nate uttered. He nodded his head before flashing a smile.

"We're going ahead, couch." I slightly tilted my head in Xincere's direction. He got what I meant and tapped my shoulder before nodding my head. I took a high five from my teammates before making my way to her before the number of students in our department increased, those who wanted to congratulate the team, maybe that was the reason why she already walked from a distance even before we got here.

"Xincere..." Nate shouted and waved goodbye. I saw her smiling while waving back to him.

"We will go ahead. Take care!" She shouted back.

"Let's go," I uttered and gently hold her elbow and pulled her closer to me as I saw some students who were pushing each other toward our direction. I even saw some flashes of the camera but did not pay attention to them. I put my hand on her both shoulders as I was walking behind her while hanging my duffle bag on my left shoulder. I was soaking with sweat, but it seemed like she was not in the mode to wait for me for other minutes to take a shower.

"Where are we goin'?" She asked as we got out from the gymnasium, and I was leading her toward the direction of going to the parking lot.

"Do you still have something to get in your locker?" I asked and faced her.

"Go and wash up. I'll wait for you." She gave me a quick smile and hold my arm to turn in the opposite direction.

"Are you sure?" She just nodded as a response.

"I'll wait for you. I will just check on Geli since, I was not able to wait for her earlier, okay?" She raised her eyebrow and seemed like waiting for my answer.

"No need, you might go somewhere else. Let's just go home, I'll take a shower at home instead." I resisted her idea.

"Fine. I'll wait for you here." She sat on the wooden bench before the men's room. I furrowed and stared at her for some moment before letting out a deep sigh as giving up. I took up a shower the fastest way I could, knowing that she was waiting alone outside. I smirked after seeing the 'X' mark The black tee-shirt I put in the upper left corner. It was actually one of the gifts given by Nate on my last birthday, who tried to tease me. This was my first time wearing it.

I hardly dried up my hair using my towel. Before hastily getting my things and running outside.

"Xincere!" I successfully got her attention together with a guy sitting next to her. He was Louis Gan Gill, one of my teammates, he was a junior student from our department. The one who gave back her book yesterday. He stood up and gave me a smile. As if I'm stupid. I mean, I was not born yesterday. I know those moves. I walked toward our distance and grabbed her wrist while still sitting at the bench where I left her a while ago. I felt her gaze on me as she stood up and gently hold my right arm, which held her left wrist. My eyes were still on this asshole, I never judged anyone this too soon, but I guess I just did it by now.

"Bro..." She gave me a sheepish smile before rubbing his nape.

"I just passed by and saw her waiting here." As if I was believing in his lame excuses!

"Let's go." I turned my attention back on Xincere and pulled her in the opposite direction.

"Why are you in a hurry?" She pulled back her hand that caused us to stop as we got into the parking lot. I just rolled my eyes out of irritation before facing her.

"Didn't you want to go home earlier? Don't tell me you wanna stay there and talk with that stupid guy?" I could not contain myself, I was actually yelling at her. I pursed my lips and clenched my fists, trying to calm myself.

"Stop it, Zac. I am not in the mood to argue with you. Go home now. I'll take a cab instead." Her voice was so calmed and her eyes reluctantly met mine. She looked so pale, and I could even see some beads of sweat on her forehead.

"Is there anything hurt?" I asked and abruptly looked at my wristwatch. It was the 7th day of the month, the same day when she was like this last month. I was hardly swallowed before closing my eyes in irritation. She may be suffering from cramping again this time.

"It was not that serious. I can go home on my own." She was about to take off my jacket that was on her earlier. She gently clamped her hair on the other side and lightly braced herself and winced at the pain.

"I-I'm sorry. Just wear it. I'll drop you off, I can't just leave you here." I felt how cold her tiny hand was as I hold it to lead her into my car, she seemed to like having a lot of things to say, but maybe it was that hurt that she just let me drive her home. She looked so much in pain as I saw her tired eyes hardly closed and heard her silently hissing in pain.

"Is it that hurt?" I took a glance at her as I started the engine. She reluctantly looked at me before shaking her head as no.

"Liar!" I mumbled before hissing.

"Why are you keep on asking! Just make haste, Zac, it's almost killing me!" She was uttering in pain while hardly pressing somewhere on the lower part of her tummy. I speed up as if we owned the road. I decided to take a shortcut as I remembered that there was a construction of road next to our village on our way home. There were some lamp posts on the road since it was already 7:00 and there were fewer commuters going on there since there were many reported accidents that happened in that zone. So, Xincere did not like the idea of making our way there after hearing some scary stories made up by Nate. But, I guess, I had no choice. I tried to call her brother to ask if Mrs. Monroe was already there, but I could not contact him for some reason.

"Zac, why did you turn here?" She asked and took a glance outside.

"Just take a nap, I'll just wake you up when we got home." I can't see any car here, but it seemed like, we would arrive at their home earlier than usual.

"You're always like that Zac, hard-headed!" She said in a very low tone of voice, but I could still hear her irritation. I immediately stepped on the brake and stopped as a big branch of an Acacia tree suddenly fell and blocked our way. She automatically wrapped her hand on my right arm.

"Zac, let's just turn back there." I chuckled a bit while looking at her, who was now holding my arm tightly. She even puts her legs up on her seat.

"We're too closed to get home now just to go back there, just give me a sec, I'll just take that branch off the road, so we can go home." I simply patted her head, but she abruptly shook her head.

"Let's just go back to the other way, Zac. I can still bear the pain." I could not force myself not to laugh at her reaction.

"Are you serious? Looked at the lamppost there..." She turned her eyes on the lamppost I pointed to, which was now on.

"...that would be the last street before our village. I will be quick. I promised." I tried to sound serious this time in order to convince her.

"I'll come with you." I smiled and nodded.

"So stubborn! Never talked to Nate, okay? So easy to be fooled." I saw how her eyeballs rolled out of irritation, which made me smile, and just let her come outside with me.

"Zac, could you walk a bit faster?" I burst into laughter as I heard her complaining as if I was the one who asked her to come outside when she can just wait there for me. She was actually hugging me from my back.

"How can I take that off, if we don't want to let off me? Don't you know how many girls tried to hug me like what you are doing? And now you keep on complaining? How ungrateful!" I hissed and shook my head to tease her.

"Too confident!"