Rematch

CHAPTER 7

From what I knew, Zoey was given a herculean task that will be showcased at the Sports Fest as her punishment. I might be useless when it came to anything media, but cheering her up might be helpful. She seemed to be in control of everything though and my presence was a welcomed distraction for a few minutes. So I decided to tell her about the pre-initiation party that I had to attend prior to the actual event. That's when she confirmed about 'kind of' dating Matt again, whatever the hell that meant. I was actually hoping she'd date Geo instead. He didn't have it in his system to hurt a girl, especially the one he'd been secretly liking. I knew this yet it was not for me to tell but for Geo to confess, and Zoey to know.

After bidding my best friend goodbye, Darla, I and two other freshman girls rode the taxi to the venue. True to what she mentioned, I found new faces the moment we got to the pool area of One Regency Tower, one of the highest condominium buildings in the area. Zach was of course, keeping everyone's energy up. Unlike most of the new members who looked like they were going to shit themselves even before the 'ritual' began, he looked confident as always. His face lit up when he saw me.

"You came!" He surprised me with a bear hug. That's when I got a whiff of liquor from him.

"Are you drunk?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him, suspicious.

He threw his head backwards and laughed. "Of course not. We're not allowed to get drunk two weeks before the Sports Fest."

"Riiiggght," I sarcastically agreed knowing how mischievous he could be. "Make sure you drink some coffee later to help you sober up."

He pinched my nose and I swatted his hand away. "You're such a goody-two-shoes, Jazz. Loosen up a bit, will ya?"

"If Zoey knew you're violating the rules, she's gonna be really mad at you."

I might have stepped on a sensitive topic then because his disposition changed from happy to plainly annoyed. "She's been breaking the rules ever since, why can't I?" he scoffed before leaving me so he could attend to the other newbies who had just arrived.

For a while now, I've been noticing the rift between the twins. It was probably their usual fight: Zach being over protective of Zoey who wanted to be independent. I wasn't the type to meddle in their arguments because I was sure they'd eventually make-up.

Darla introduced me to the new Berkeley and Reagan athletes and we exchanged polite greetings. I could see how anxious they were as most of them were silent and stiff, apart from Zach, Athena and our fellow incoming sophomores who were killing the karaoke machine.

Somehow, I could understand their mixed emotions. It was how I felt back when I was applying to be part of the SJHS Sparrows. It was indeed an honor to belong to a group especially for us who were mostly away from home. The BRIS Athletics Club would be like a family away from family. Moreover, it was treated as an elite club strictly for players of both schools. Even the party was purely invitational especially for non-players. Unless you were invited by a member, you couldn't attend the party. No wonder these newbies were so nervous.

Socializing with people my age wasn't a big deal for me unlike Zoey who preferred to keep to herself. But it wasn't my strong suit either. More so when I couldn't relate to what they were all talking about. Today, the topics revolved around new movies, new gimmick spots and gaming consoles. I wasn't a gamer. And I hid in a hole for a year which technically made this my first out-of-the-campus experience. So while they were bonding, loosening up, I grabbed myself some chips and a can of soda.

I sat on a stone bench and munched thoughtfully on Lays, observing my clubmates. Zach had announced that they should play Suck and Blow and everyone agreed. I was grateful to have slipped out of the circle because I didn't want to suck on a card and blow it so I could pass it to a boy's lips and subject myself to an accidental kiss. I've witnessed a lot of that in high school. It's a ploy of those who are going to participate to score with the opposite sex. Since it was 'just' a game, everyone was told to be a sport if anything 'unplanned' happens.