The sun was higher now, casting sharp shadows on the gym floor as the Intramurals officially began. Bright banners strung across the bleachers flapped in the breeze, each color-coded to represent a team: Blue Sharks, Red Falcons, Green Panthers, and Yellow Cobras. Someone had spray-painted "WAG MAGPA-KUPAL, GO HARD!" on a tarpaulin hanging over the entrance.
Alona was in the middle of tying her shoelaces when Coach Cely clapped twice, calling the badminton team to attention.
"Let's not embarrass our ancestors. Bracket draw's posted. Reyes, you're playing second match. Warm up."
Alona nodded, slipping on her headphones and selecting her "angry playlist"—which ironically started with K-pop.
"FIGHTING," said Nina beside her, bouncing excitedly and holding up a peace sign.
"You're not even playing until tomorrow," Alona said.
"True, but your loss is my entertainment."
Alona gave her a withering look.
"Joke lang!" Nina cackled and skipped off toward the stands.
On the far end of the gym, the basketball court had transformed into chaos.
The Red Falcons—Dane's team—were huddled, arguing over rotations. Coach Dan Samonte sat on a monobloc chair courtside, sipping coffee like he was watching a soap opera.
"Toto, you're center. You're tall, act like it!" barked Z, the team's loudest player and Dane's direct competition for point guard.
Toto blinked. "I'm literally 5'10."
"Exactly. That's a skyscraper here."
Dane, quiet as usual, just bounced the ball slowly, watching.
Z turned on him. "You ready or not, transfer boy?"
Dane looked up, meeting Z's glare. "Ready."
The gym bell rang, signaling match start. Students began to fill the stands, buzzing with excitement and snacks from the sari-sari store across the street. Pandesal wrappers littered the corners of the court. The Gubat heat wrapped everything in a sheen of sweat and nerves.
Alona's Match
Alona stepped onto the court, her racket glinting like a blade. Her opponent, a second-year named Clarisse, wore a nervous smile and pink wristbands.
"Let's have fun," Clarisse said.
Alona nodded once. "Sure."
But the moment the whistle blew, "fun" evaporated.
Thwack. Thwack. Drop. Smash.
It was a surgical dissection. Alona danced across the court like a storm, ending the match 21–5.
From the bleachers, Dane—done warming up—clapped slowly, again. This time, Alona saw him.
She rolled her eyes. "Do you follow me around, or is this fate being annoying?"
"I just admire good footwork," Dane said, walking past. "You move like you're mad at the floor."
"I am. It's cracked."
He grinned. "I'll fix it after I win my game."
Basketball Match – Red Falcons vs Green Panthers
The game started fast. Z took the opening possession and drove hard, only to brick a layup. Dane recovered it smoothly, dribbled behind his back, and fired a laser pass to Toto under the hoop.
"Finish!" Dane called.
Swish. 2–0.
The crowd roared.
"Transfer boy has vision!" someone shouted.
Dane's movements were clean, calm—he wasn't flashy, but everything he did had intention. Even Z started giving him the ball.
On the sideline, Coach Dan sipped his coffee and muttered, "I'll be damned."
Alona was watching. She told herself she wasn't impressed.
Maybe just a little.
Later That Day
The matches continued. Volleyball teams dove across dusty courts. The tennis girls shrieked in victory. The chess corner was weirdly intense—someone had already flipped a table.
At lunch, the badminton team gathered under the mango tree behind the gym. Nina lay on the grass, poking Alona with a twig.
"You're not smiling. Why?"
"I won."
"But you didn't destroy her. You usually smile when you destroy people."
Alona glanced at her. "She was okay."
"Oh no," Nina gasped. "Respect? Is this growth?"
"Shut up."
"Or… is it him?"
Alona scowled. "If you're talking about Dane—"
"Ohhhh! You know his name now!"
Alona grabbed the twig and threw it.
Nina laughed until she choked on her gulaman.
Dane and the Locker Room
Z slapped Dane on the back as they changed shirts in the boys' locker room.
"Not bad, bro. For a guy who looks like he reads poetry."
"I do read poetry," Dane replied, deadpan.
Z blinked. "Oh."
Toto raised his brow. "No wonder he's calm. Basketball's just part of his haiku."
They laughed. Dane just smiled and texted his sister:
Won first game. Feels weird but good.
Also, met someone. Might be dangerous.
Evening – Under the Lights
That night, the gym was lit up for exhibition matches—coaches vs students, crowd games, and mixed sport relays.
Dane and Alona found themselves standing side by side, watching a volleyball serve fly into the crowd.
"I don't like crowds," Alona said.
"Same," Dane said.
"But I do like competition."
"Same."
They looked at each other.
"Truce?" Dane said, offering a hand this time.
She took it.
"Truce."