CHAPTER 8 - SOCCER FOR YOU
Not wanting to be alone with Mariel and Jen during the break, I texted Clarence. Pretty sure they'd shut their mouth cause his presence could intimidate them. Not that I didn't want them to talk, I just knew they would stop asking me about it when he's here.
How come I never see you every lunch break? |
"Miss me already?" A familiar voice behind me asked. I turned to look at him and saw his smug smile. He then turned to look at my friends, who were squealing at his sudden appearance, and greeted them "Hi."
They both giggled at his response, and I literally wanna face-palm.
"Of course not." I just answered his question to get his attention back.
He raised a brow at me as if saying 'Humor-me' before raising his phone at me, showing my text. "But your text says otherwise."
I could see my friends leaning their heads towards his phone to read the text so I pressed the home button of his phone to hide it. "You guys order, I'll buy mine once you return." I coaxed them while 'smiling', so they would know my patience was wearing thin.
"So you were looking for me every break?" Clarence asked, sitting on a chair beside me while watching my friends leave the table to go to the counter.
I shrugged. "Nope. Just today and I realized that you weren't here as well on the first day. I wonder that's the reason you easily catch a fever. You don't eat."
"I was soaking wet, of course, I'm gonna catch fever." He blabbed all of a sudden, so I just gave him an apologetic smile in return. "Sorry. Forget about it." He added, sensing my discomfort. "Anyway, I wasn't eating cause I've been talking to my coach about my decision, and lunch break was his only free time. Luckily we got it finalized yesterday so.. Here I am!"
"What did he say about you quitting?"
"Well.." He took a deep breath before continuing, "He said it was kinda disappointing losing a great player." I could tell by the look on his face that he really didn't wanna leave soccer. But he has no choice. His parents made him choose between soccer and studies.
I felt the want to comfort him, so I put a hand over his and squeezed it. I didn't bother speaking cause, honestly, I didn't know what to say. But I was glad I didn't have to say anything to comfort him cause I could see his mood somehow lighten up.
I felt his hand closed around mine and started rubbing his thumb on my knuckles. He smiled at me as if assuring me he was fine, so I smiled back at him.
I didn't know how long we've been smiling like a fool while looking at each other when someone hollered my name. "Alex!"
We both turned to look at the culprit and found Harry running towards us. Then I felt Clarence removing his hands from mine. Was he ashamed of me?
"Hey." I greeted Harry as soon as he reached our table.
He flashed his oh-so-dazzling smile before greeting me back, "Hey." Then he turned to the guy beside me. "Man, sorry didn't notice you. What're you doing here?" He asked Clarence.
"Same as everyone's reason for going to the cafeteria." He jested.
"Oh." he said, dismissing Clarence, then turned to me. "Anyway, I'm here to give Alex this." My eyes automatically landed on the thing he was carrying.
"What's this?" I asked.
He placed the Tupperware on the table before sitting beside me. "I baked some creme brulee for you." He opened the Tupperware, and man, it looked so mouthwatering.
"Since when did you start cooking?" Clarence asked.
"I don't. It's called baking.." He paused then looked in the air as if he was a poet, "--and I found out that a way to a woman's heart is through her stomach." Then he turned back to me and gave me a spoon he brought.
I chuckled. "Wasn't it the other way around?"
He just shrugged his shoulders. "But it works either way."
"Point taken." I agreed as I took some in my mouth, and I couldn't help but moan. "Hmm. This is good." Then I took another spoonful and directed it at Clarence. "Have some."
He just looked at me with his brows furrowed, but I raised an eyebrow at him like we just had a nonverbal argument, but in the end, he still let me feed him.
"Here!" Harry cut off, "Take this one, man. I'd just ask the guys to buy me lunch." He then handed another Tupperware to Clarence before turning to me. "So, how was it?" He asked me again after seeing me shoving another spoonful in my mouth.
"It's good. Really good. Wanna have some?" I asked him and was about to feed him when Clarence slid the other Tupperware back to Harry.
"It's okay, man. Go eat your lunch. I'll buy mine when her friends come back." He interjected, smiling at Harry.
"You sure, man?" He asked Clarence and took the Tupperware when the guy nodded. "Anyway, haven't seen you lately in training. What happened?".
I looked at Clarence as soon as I heard the newfound topic. I could feel him became uncomfortable with the topic but still trying to pull off a good fight against his emotions. We both waited for his answer, but honestly, I wanna change the subject.
"I uh.. I quit soccer." He croaked, looking away from Harry.
Harry was shocked to hear Clarence's answer. "What?! Why?" He spat but later on realized he overreacted, so he apologized. "Sorry.. Why?"
"Parents.. You know." Then he just shrugged his shoulders. I could feel him wanting to change the subject, but we knew Harry wouldn't let it slide, especially since he's part of the team.
"Why didn't you tell us?" He asked.
"I wanna deal with Coach first before I tell you guys." He gave him a tight smile.
Harry scoffed, licking the inside walls of his cheek. "Man, that's bad. I heard you were the top pick for Captain's once the seniors graduated."
Not knowing what to say, Clarence just nodded his head while looking down while smiling. "Right." He croaked before standing up from his seat. "Anyway, I uh.. Have some errands to do. See you around, guys."
He didn't wait for our response; he just suddenly walked away. As much as I wanted to go after him, Harry tapped my shoulder, saying "He needed some time alone." as if sensing what I wanted to do. I wanted to go after him, I really did, but I didn't know him that much. I wasn't sure if he needed anyone at the moment, or some time alone, so I just listened to Harry since he knew Clarence more than I did.
As if on cue, the two came back together with other jocks. I wasn't dating a jock, but I think I should be comfortable with this setup cause these big guys weren't going anywhere, especially since my besties were trying to prolong the interview or whatever process they needed for the article. It was for the school magazine, so they put so much time and effort into it—their words, not mine.
The bell rang, signaling the end of my last class. I looked out the window before going out and saw Clarence playing soccer on his own. I suddenly felt a pang on my heart. I knew he was sad but didn't wanna show it, and I wanted to do something to make him feel better, but I didn't know how.
I ran as fast as I could to meet Mariel and Jen in the lockers. We always meet there before going to the parking together, but I couldn't go with them today cause I was riding with Clarence. I just hoped he was still playing when I come after meeting Mariel and Jen.
Luckily, he was still there when I arrived. His back was on me so he didn't notice me watching him. I dropped my bag on the field as I ran and hollered, "Yreneo, taking his time dribbling aaand.." I paused, watching his next action.
I found him laughing at my epic fail commentating on his moves. "Continue!" I demanded.
As if understanding what I wanted to do, he did some moves I didn't know what they call. "Hey, I only know the basics!" I growled, earning a laugh from him.
I was shocked when he kicked the ball on my way. I chuckled before kicking it at the net, but it lacked force, so it just stopped mid-way, but Clarence took over and back-heeled it towards the net.
"Goaal!" I hollered. "Yreneo, made the goal and I have to give it to him.. It was magnificent." I commentated before I became our school cheerleader and started doing our school cheer.
He acted like he was really in the game and shouted like 'fck! I made it' and ran wild around the field. I watched him happily screaming like a boy who did his first-ever goal. I wanted to cry at the sight. I knew he wouldn't be able to do it again unless he decided not to quit.
I got suddenly pulled away from reality when I felt someone slammed to me and a pair of arms around me. I wanted to protest cause it was kinda tight, but then I felt his shoulders started shaking.
He was crying..