Rematch

CHAPTER 10

I had been trying to reach Zoey's phone but to no avail. The moment the cab dropped me off the main gates of the BRIS compound, I wanted to march into her dorm and interrogate the hell out of her. But I was running late for practice. Though I was reluctant to be back in the team, I didn't want to jeopardize the opportunity that Coach Lima gave me and disappoint them just because of my personal issues. So I ground my teeth and stormed to my room to change. The interrogation could wait.

However, it turned out I was the one who had a lot of explaining to do to my team for not making it yet again to the initiation. It happened after the drills, right before lunch break.

"She got excited and tried all the drinks that we were supposed to bring to the party. By the time we had to leave, she was good as dead, hahaha," Darla helpfully told them when I couldn't come up with anything in response.

Jackie, our point guard who was an incoming junior, was shaking her head in disappointment. "And here I thought we'd get a chance to see you squeal."

"Was Jarlin there?" Gella suddenly asked, her eyes almost twinkling.

I literally gaped at her. "Excuse me?"

"Jarlin Trance. Zach's flatmate? You didn't meet him?"

Before I could even respond, somebody else beat me to it. "Actually, Jazz met him before we all did." Much to my shock, it was Athena who spoke and we all turned to her. "They were classmates with the Anderson twins in Senior high before Jazz transferred to BRIS early in the second quarter." Then she squared her shoulders and faced me. "But they're not together and never been if that's your next question," she added with a smirk.

I knew that there were a lot more in her statement than she was letting on. But I didn't want to dwell on it as I listened to how the rest of them got acquainted with Jarlin. The fact that they all knew him at a party of some Berkeley boy last year where they became instant fans seeing him do an alley-oop dunk, infuriated me. Why didn't I know any of this?!

"I'll get back to you on that," I said over everyone else's voices, stopping them from their barrage of questions about the Jarlin Trance. I made a beeline out of Shelby Halls while I was furiously dialing Zoey's number on my phone.

I grumbled and almost threw my gadget when she still wouldn't pick up. Then I remembered Zach who was training at the Sports Complex since that's where the Soccer Field was. If I couldn't catch Zoey, I'd start with her twin.

Nevermind the long walk and the fact that I had not changed out of my sweaty jerseys yet. This couldn't wait any longer. I wanted an explanation and I wanted it right then and there. Otherwise, it was going to mess up my focus at the competitions.

"Zachary Paul Anderson!" I called out loudly as I stomped my way towards Zach who was by the shade of the grand stand, ignoring the confused looks that the other soccer players were throwing at me.

He and Geo looked up and smiled at me as I approached.

But I was not in the mood to be cheerful.

I might have caught him off-guard because Zach cursed when I shoved him hard. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"What the fuck, Jazz!"

"Why didn't you tell me?!" I repeated, and shoved him harder.

"Didn't tell you what?!" he shot back with equal intensity as he shielded himself with his arms as if anticipating me to push him again.

"That Jarlin was here all along, you asshole! It was all over your room's photowall, damn it!" I screamed not caring if I was making a scene in front of his team mates.