Gabriella suddenly feels nervous, she wanted to come near where Vanessa and that guy are but she doesn't want to interrupt other people around them from playing. Without any choice, she just sat on the bench while looking at the spot where she has seen Vanessa earlier. She could still see her from a distance but couldn't see who she was talking to.
Gabriella flinched when someone suddenly shook her shoulder. She spun around to look who unexpectedly approached her. She was stunned to see Charles standing beside her, she immediately turn her head to where Vanessa is to see that she's already walking towards her with a guy she doesn't know.
"Are you okay?" Charles asked and handed her a cup of coffee and a sandwich. "I thought you haven't eaten your breakfast yet so I bought it for you." Charles added, she smiled and start sipping on the coffee. She then turns her gaze towards where Vanessa is, and there she saw her friend waving her left arm while the other arm was hugging on the guy's biceps. The guy was wearing a white sleeveless t-shirt, black shorts, and a white yonex badminton shoes.
"Gabby!" Vanessa eagerly shouted while waving her hand at them.
"You know her?" Charles asked. Gabriella just nodded while watching her friend, not long after her friend arrived in front of her. She sat beside her while the guy she was with starts talking with Charles about their upcoming match and the qualities their opponents has.
"Oh, you're with someone?" Vanessa asked while looking at Charles's direction because he was just sitting beside Gabriella. "Actually, me too. Aiden come here." Vanessa said while commanding the guy she was with to come along.
"Aiden, this is my friend Gabby. Gabby, this Aiden." Gabriella stands up to shake Aiden's hands while Charles helped her carry her food. "My future boyfie." Vanessa whispered on Gabriella's ears while giggling. After a few greeting, the two girls continue chatting. And in a few minutes, the hustlers finally came so Charles's team decided to start warming up for their game. Charles together with the Aiden left the bench. So Gabriella and Vanessa were left on the bench together. While the players were just getting ready for the game Vanessa started telling her stories to Gabriella.
"I didn't actually join the badminton team. I just come along with their practice so I could flirt with him." Vanessa said while pointing at the guy holding his badminton racket while practicing it through the air. "Isn't he hot?" Vanessa giggles.
"He is but Charles is hotter." they both giggle as they watch the guy they were talking about.
"Speaking of which, what's up with you and Charles?" Vanessa suddenly asked with a sly smile and a strange look as though she wanted to dig something from her. Gabriella's eyes widen and a big smile suddenly flashed on her lips. On that moment, Vanessa knew something is up to them but Gabriella just keep silent and didn't confirm any of her speculations.
"By the way, Chloe mentioned you join the badminton team to flirt with the guy you met at the bar. What happen to the both of you?" Gabriella bought up a new topic so she could avoid answering Vanessa's question.
"Well it was one fine night when my phone rang and when I checked the caller's ID, I saw my sister's name. She got herself drunk because her boyfriend cheated. Her friend asks me if I could fetch her and so I did and there I saw him, working as a part-timer. He was so hot! Gosh! He could still make me blush just remembering that moment. At that moment, I was so glad my sister got drunk."
The both of them continue on talking until the badminton game started. There were four big different sets of nets on the court. Each net has one players each side.
On the first game, Charles was assign on the fourth net while Aiden was at the third net. Each has an opponent from hustlers. Charles' score was ahead of his opponent at the first and he easily won the first game. When their second game starts, he realized that his opponent was scoring more compared to their first game. As if his opponent was just observing his movements at first.
The game is won by the first team to score 21 points. Every rally, regardless of who is serving, can result a point. On the previous scoring system, a point could only be scored by the player who held the serve. If the score reaches 20-20, a two-point advantage is required for victory; however, if no one has achieved this two-point advantage by the time the score reaches 29-29, the winner will be the first player to reach 30 points. Matches are generally played over the best-of0three
The second game immediately ended. The player from the hustler won. Gabriella got dismay on her face as she watch Charles' score against the hustlers player became 1-1. Charles comes toward them for a water break. Gabriella handed a bottle of cold water to him which she bought after the first break.
"You can do it!" Gabriella said, trying to cheer up Charles. Charles laughs softly as he watches her cheer him up. Charles was already soaking wet because of too much sweat he gain from playing but Gabriella could still smell a manly scent from him.
'How can he not stink after sweating too much?' she asked herself in her mind.
"Cute." Charles whispered which Gabriella didn't hear. Gabriella look at him, confused, but she wasn't able to ask further question as he was called for their third game. Gabriella watches Charles as he smashes the shuttle using his badminton racket. She suddenly felt goose bumps and she feel like all her blood rushes to her head. Vanessa didn't involve her on cheering for them when she saw her watching quietly because she thought she was focusing. But the truth is she was filling her eyes up with his presence.
Soon after, Charles games with the guy from hustler ends as well as the other player from the other nets. Charles won with the score of 2-1. Each player from both teams congratulates each other. After their badminton match, they stretch as a practice to cool down.
Gabriella and Vanessa were just talking about school and some stuff while sitting on the same bench, waiting for Charles and Aiden to finish changing. It didn't take them long to change their clothes. A few minutes after, Charles came out wearing a black t-shirt, black shorts and his rubber shoes while he just brushed his hair to the back of his head. Aiden is walking behind him together with their other teammates while chatting.
"Where do you want to eat?" Charles asked as soon as he approached Gabriella. He took his bag from the bench and placed it to his shoulder.
"Anywhere will do." Gabriella answered while watching him intently as though she wanted to watch any movement he would do, not wanting to take her eyes off him any minute as she was cherishing this moment. She was filling up the corner of her eyes with his appearance.
"My curious ass wants to know what's up with you guys." Vanessa said with a mischievous smile on her lips. Charles looks at her direction and then took Gabriella's hand and intertwined it with his.
"She's my girlfriend." Charles said that made Gabriella blushed so much and an uncontrollable smile suddenly flashed on her lips and she felt a really huge butterfly on her stomach. She wanted to run down the street and shout 'OMG HE'S HOLDING MY HAND!' and punch the air in triumph. And yet, she act as though she's not affected, like it wasn't a big deal.
Vanessa's eyes widen as she turn her eyes from Gabriella and Charles, and into their intertwined hands. She was too stunned to speak when Aiden suddenly came to her side. She slaps Aiden's biceps several times before she finally found the right words to say. Aiden was just there, receiving all her slaps and not complaining.
"OMG! Gabby, you're so secretive. You should've told me earlier so I could've ask you more!" Vanessa said with enthusiasm. Gabriella just laughs while trying to calm her mind.
They soon left the court and was separated along their way. Vanessa with Aiden has planned to have a movie date that time so they go the opposite way while Gabriella and Charles was still planning on to where they should eat. Charles was not good at planning things and wasn't ready for today even though he has been up all night searching for a good spot to have a date. He just suggested some restaurant he loves so Gabriella can choose. But Gabriella thought it was all too fancy so she suggested that they should just eat somewhere near and somewhere cheaper. And they ended up eating on a small restaurant that Gabriella is familiar with since she has been eating here since she was still in her junior year.
"I think we should just go at Lili's Diner. It's my all-time favourite, they sell the best adobo and sisig in town." Gabriella suggested while Charles just agreed. They didn't notice they were still holding each other's hands because of how they were thinking thoroughly about where they should eat. So when Gabriella realized they were still holding hands she felt her heart jumps. She doesn't want to let go of Charles' rough and huge hand so she acted as if she haven't realize that their hand was still intertwined. But her fun moments were interrupted when they arrived at Lili's Diner because Charles let go of her hand to get his wallet from his bag.
The restaurant has a cozy look, it's not that large but it's also not crowded. There are two tables with two chairs each outside, and when you enter you will immediately see their counter where they take orders. The inside of the restaurant has a combination of white, beige, and brown color that denotes cleanliness and warm environment. The company's slogan is also written on their walls. They also got a graphic painting of food with appetizing colors that compromise the interior design of the restaurant.
They immediately give their orders to the counter and then sat on one of the vacant chair there. There a lot of vacant chairs so they got more freedom to choose where they want to eat. Once they were seated they just wait for their number to be called. Gabriella ordered a cup of rice with pork adobo, a Filipino dish of meat marinated in a sauce containing vinegar and garlic, browned in fat, and simmered in the marinade. While Charles just copied her orders.
"About the girl you were talking about, is she also in the match earlier?" Gabriella asked out of curiosity. She didn't saw any girl earlier aside from her and her friend. She only saw four men from Charles' team with their coach and other four men from the hustles also with their coach too.
"I don't know, maybe she skipped." Charles coolly answered. A few minutes past and their table number were called so Charles got to pick their orders up. He puts their orders down from the tray he was holding. They immediately started eating silently.
Charles finished his meal first, possibly due to a combination of tiredness and hunger, and when he doesn't feel full yet, he ordered again. Gabriella suddenly became self-conscious, she feel shy eating because Charles was watching her while patiently waiting for his orders. She feel embarrassed swallowing her food but she still acts calmly so Charles wouldn't notice anything from her but a small part of her still tries to act cute. She continues eating even though she feels like she's going to choke.
"How's the food?" Gabriella asked with a smile on her lips, eyes were looking at Charles, waiting for his answer.
"It's good, everything you suggest is always perfect." They both laugh. The shyness Gabriella was feeling earlier subsided a little. She could now eat her food without feeling like she'd going to choke.
"Next week is your cousin's birthday party, right?" Charles asked all of a sudden so Gabriella just nodded as an answer because her mouth was still full. She chews on her food while looking at Charles face, wondering why he asks such question all of a sudden. "The entire soccer team will be there for sure. As promised, I'll introduce to Jonas." Charles added before standing up to get his orders.
Gabriella suddenly stopped eating, she was left there, and regretting why she didn't cleared up the misunderstanding at first. She felt a little bitterness in her chest. She was always happy by just looking at him but now it's different. She felt a bit pain as she realize that no matter how close she gets to him, he wouldn't be hers, her feelings wouldn't be reciprocated. She realizes that no matter what happens to the two of them, for him it's only for the deal. "If only you know." She said while looking at Charles from afar.