Aila met with Reese at school the next day to tell her personally about her relationship with Yhuan.
"Girlfriend! You're finally here!"
Aila immediately hugged Reese as soon as she saw her.
"Okay, what did you do this time that made you meet me today?" Reese was skeptical at Aila's awkward gesture.
"Hmmp! Do I need to be in trouble to meet you? I just want to share with you a very important milestone in my life."
"Go ahead, I'm listening." Reese's response was short and direct like she's already expecting news she does not want to hear.
"I am now in a relationship with Yhuan."
"Oh, okay, I am happy for you as long as you're happy princess." Reese was genuinely happy for her best friend, it's just that she still can't shrug her doubts on Yhuan.
"Wait, I have something for you to make you happier!" Reese was waving a flyer in front of Aila.
Aila grabbed the flyer out of curiosity
"Basketball tryouts to be held tomorrow!" Aila exclaimed, and felt dizzy with excitement; it has been a long time since she last played basketball.
"Do your best girlfriend! I'll surely watch your games." Reese was a very supportive friend, she knows how much Aila wanted to play basketball.
After her classes, she went directly at home, Yhuan was not able to fetch her at school because he had a part-time job.
Aila was extremely excited for tomorrow; she barely can sleep thinking of the tryouts. "I have to call Yhuan and share him this great news with."
"Love, I know you are at work, I just want to share with you great news, I will be trying out tomorrow for the school's varsity team."
There was no reply from Yhuan who was still on a graveyard shift in his part-time job.
The next day, Aila woke up early for a healthy breakfast and a short yoga session. As soon as she reached the school's gymnasium, she thought of calling Yhuan for some luck to be sent her way.
"Hello Love, I'm here in the gymnasium for my tryouts, I'll see you later".
"Okay Love, be careful. You can do it good luck!".
She drew in a long breath as she went straight to the varsity desk to fill out the form for the drills. She wore black basketball jersey shorts which were quite short, that's why she made sure to wear knee pads to protect her knees. She also wore a red basketball jersey on top of a black tank top.
All eyes on her when she entered the gym, most of them were expecting her to sign up for the volleyball team so they were taken aback that she lined up on the basketball team.
"Miss, are you sure that you want to sign up for the basketball team?"
Aila smiled at the tryout committee and answered sparingly. Aila was annoyed with people like that asking questions, looking down on women.
"Is basketball only for men?" Aila is cold, but she can only think that way, she can never blurt it out in the open. Instead, with a sweet smile, she answered.
"Yes, sir, I am sure."
After filling out the form, she saw Lyn running towards her.
"Aila, Yhuan asked me to bring this to you."
Lyn said breathlessly, Aila accepted the present Lyn was bringing with her while she was trying to look around for Yhuan.
"Is he there? What is this?"
Aila asked in succession.
"I met him outside, he's waiting. He can't enter the campus anymore, you know the guards have tightened on the security to outsiders now because of the brawl outside last time."
Aila remembered the scene in the canteen; she smiled, thinking that her boyfriend saved her in that incident.
"Yes, I remember, anyway, thanks for bringing this"
"Not a problem!" Lyn waved goodbye and smiled at Aila. She sat down on the bleachers, hesitating to open Yhuan's gift.
"I will open it later when I am with him so he can see my reaction, he will definitely be happy."
Aila's tryout has already begun. With her height of 5'5," she is a point guard, she is about to do some dribbling and passing drills. These are Aila's strength playing and training when she was younger.
Aila's speed and stamina are also remarkable; her fragile beauty is definitely deceiving. She made the most of her continuous home workouts to sustain her speed and stamina.
Everyone was impressed by the unexpected ability of the woman in front of them.
Next, she was up for the shooting drills and Aila did everything in her first try; she started with a layup second was a mid-range jump shot third in the free-throw line and last in the three-point line.
"Swoosh" All her long shots were all net, her accuracy is impeccable.
"Okay girls, great job, I am impressed with the new ones, looks like we have a great chance in the upcoming inter-university tournament, please check the list of passers I will post them tomorrow".
Coach Beng said she is the coach of the women's basketball team at the university.
Aila showered and dressed in the women's locker. Aila is wearing a simple fitted white shirt and high waist faded jeans and flats since she still plans on meeting up with Yhuan after the tryouts.
She just let her long newly blow-dried hair down; she applied moisturizer on her face and her signature perfume, the one her mom designed for her, it was based on vanilla scent.
When she was about to leave the gymnasium, she was greeted by Bryan, the team captain of the men's basketball team.
"Hi Aila, I'm Bryan, I watched you earlier and you're actually really good, you got game!"
"Thank you".
Aila bowed down and smiled. Her heart throbbed with happiness with what she heard. It was the first time after a long while that someone praised her for her ability not because of her looks or body.
"Are you on your way home?"
Bryan asked her politely, other members of the basketball team are near her, but surprisingly; they were all polite like Bryan. What a breath of fresh air; Aila can't help but mumble in her mind.
"Not yet, I will be meeting my boyfriend first before going home"
Aila waved to them and smiled as she walked away.
"Okay, I'll see you around, you passed the tryouts for sure"
Bryan smiled and gave a thumb up to cheer her.