I push the books inside my locker and shut it close. I see Jensen and the rest of the team walking towards me. I sigh.
"What's with face?" Jensen asks.
"Yeah what's with the face?" Broodi copies.
"Nothing. Just tired. I spent 5 hours doing my homework." I say.
The others just nods. And begin teasing the other students in the hallway just like they do every single day. I sigh tiredly - again.
"Hey, c'mon. Don't be such a grump. Remember Ollie I told you about?" He says.
"Yeah."
"Okay, he will be in my class today in the second period. Don't worry I will introduce you to him in the class then you can talk to him during lunch period."
My face lits up. And we begin walking to our respective classes. "Thanks, man!"
"I gotchu." he pats my shoulder.
● ● ●
Me and my friends sits at our usual table in the cafeteria. If you pay attention. Everyone have their own respective seats. Others call it labels. The jocks, the nerds, the emos, the mean girls, and lastly the normals if there's even normals in this school.
"Did you see him?" Jensen asks.
"No, I haven't. And I don't even know what he looks like."
He scatter his attention inside the cafeteria and spots the guy he is looking for or I am looking for.
"There he is." he says and wave the guy to come at our table.
"Hey this Rafael I was talking about you earlier in class."
I see the guy he waved over and notice he's shorter than me. I think he's short than the average high schooler. He isn't that small but in the average high schooler. You know what I mean?
"Hi, I'm Rafael." I introduce myself.
He nods his head as a response. I notice too that he's a timid one. I introduce my friends to him. My friends nods their heads at him and went back chattering to each other.
"So I needed your help of something. I mean I need your help." I say with a bit of reluctance.
"Yeah your friend here already told me that you need tutoring." his voice is small but I guess it's because of the noise going on around the cafeteria. I barely heard him.
"Can I just give you my number. And just text me the details later on?" he says.
I fish out my phone in my pocket and give it to him. "Sure, of course."
"Type in your number then I will just save it."
● ● ●
After class. We head to the gym for a quick practice.
"Okay gather up!" our coach yells at us in the gym.
The basketball season already started rolling in so our coach is pressuring us to do a daily basketball practice. Not that we complain. We are eager to win this season so we are doing our best. We do a little warm up and coach divides our group into two so we can start the practice.
Being a point guard is difficult. But they didn't handed me this position if I couldn't handle it. They trusted me this position because they saw my potential. I can run the team with focused mentality.
The game starts a few minute later. We are grunting and shouting during the game. Our team use hand signals and some other communicating technique that the team only understand. And even coach don't understand sometimes. But as long we understand each other during game, we are safe, we can win the game no matter what. The coach gives us some pointers during game to use. Know our opponents weaknesses and use it against them and for our own benefits.
The practice ends exactly at five pm. Everyone goes to the lockers and takes a shower. My coach asks me to stay. And I don't feel this is going to end well. And I know the reason why. I sigh.
"See you later man." my team mates says.
"See you later." I say.
When eveyone is already out my coach sees me in the eye with a serious tone. Oh no. He is really serious this time. I grunt and sigh at the same time.
"I know you are one of the key player on this team." my coach starts lecturing me. I nods in response.
"We can not afford to lose in this coming basketball season tournament if you are bench." I see him in the eye with shock and bored expression.
"I know coach." I say.
"Do you?"
"Miller, get your grade under control or you will be benched this time."
"Yes coach I am working on it." I say.
"Good. Now go."
I left the gym unsatisfied and the coach a little disappointed. I have been neglecting to work on the problem he was referring to. Now that it came to his attention, he is going to bench me this season because I fail at one particular subject - Math. I sigh tiredly.
"Hey man. Did coach lecture you about your failing subject?" Jensen asks.
"Yeah." I say with a long face.
"Don't worry. Ollie will come to the rescue." he smirks.
What's with the stupid smirk?
● ● ●
I text the number Ollie gave me earlier. He respond a moment later.
"How's your day honey?" Mom asks.
"It was tiring because we had a practice at the end of the day" I say.
She nods at me. I walk to the kitchen and sit down at the table.
"Where's Alex?" I ask.
"She said she's coming home late."
I bet she's with this guy called Levi again. I haven't personally met the guy but I've seen him in the school a few times before. If he have an intention to my sister he better man up and visit Alex here in our house and hangout here, instead of her going to his place. It's just that I don't trust Alex but I know boys my age. Some of us aren't responsible enough for the things we do. I care for my sisters more than anything in this world.
● ● ●
"Hi this is Rafael, again, I mean we can meet up at the school for my tutorial lessons if you want." I say.
"Sure if that's what you want." he replies shortly.
"Do you want to do it at the school or at your place instead?"
"You can just text me your address and I will come to you after class." I say.
"No that's fine. You can text me your address and I will come to you." somehow I sense reservation in it.
"Oh okay sure."
I give him my complete address.
"Do you know how to navigate here? I heard you just transfered here a couple months ago" I say with concern.
"No but I have a google map." he says.
"Right." I scratch my temple.
"See you tomorrow after class I guess."
I plop down to my bed.
I dream again tonight.