One Shot of Chance

Chapter 3 - The bad boy

The place was packed when Rowie and her friends arrived, but they managed to find a good seat for the four of them. It was noisy as usual. But unlike the gymnasium, it was not that hot and the air outside was entering through the small gaps from the wooden walls, making the whole place cooler.

Amelito's was a cafeteria with at least five small huts with plenty of wooden tables and chairs. There were no air conditioners but it was not really hot inside because of the wooden walls and thatched roofing that stretched at least seven meters high. The floor was also elevated with bamboo as its main material so that cool air was entering through its gap. It was inspired by Filipino Architecture, particularly the Bahay-Kubo.

The food was served boiling and steaming, and it was also cheaper than the other fast-food chains. That was why many students chose to eat here. Another thing that made this popular with students was the unlimited rice.

Comfortably sitting, they ordered the usual: Pork Barbecue for Jennica and Rowie, a Beefsteak for Charlotte, and a Beef Broccoli for Larry. It took them half an hour to wait because of the customers. They did not mind, though. They were busy talking to each other like they hadn't seen each other for years, when, in fact, they had been together since that morning.

The air was immediately filled with the smell of cooked pork and beef that made their stomachs growl wildly. Silence filled their table when the food arrived. They were too hungry to even care for each other. They were so attached to their food that no one could disturb them anymore. They were like soldiers after an intense war.

Because of hunger, they did not notice that Sinharley State University's varsity players and coach had entered the same hut they were in.

Shin's attention immediately caught Rowie, who was fanning herself because of the spicy food. A slight smile appeared on his face before placing both of his hands inside his pockets. His heartbeat was there again, ramming inside like it wanted to get out.

Kazu called out to him, snapping him back to reality. "Over here, daydreamer!" he called when Shin suddenly stopped walking. "Luckily, there is still an empty table for us."

Walking towards his teammates, Shin could not help but steal glances from Rowie. She was like a magnet to him, and he was the hopeless metal wanting to stick his gaze at her forever. He did not know when it started but he always saw himself smiling like an i***t whenever she was around.

Rowie's gang asked for extra rice at the same time. When the plate was filled up, they continued eating like hungry pigs again. On the other hand, Shin was still watching Rowie eat when he chuckled to himself.

Kazu punched his best friend's shoulder and scoffed. "Stop staring and eat first, dude. I know you like her, but do not be too obvious."

"Shut up, Kazu," he said, slightly annoyed. He would really appreciate it if Kazu would let him be.

"If I were you, I would just confess to her. You do not know how popular she is, especially after their game last time. You have seen how awesome she is when she plays basketball."

"Oh really?" He shot him a glare. "Are you, perhaps, one of them?" Shin asked with a glint of playfulness in his eyes. He also could not hide his annoyance as he asked that.

Kazu scoffed. "Of course not, dude! I like Jennica more if you ask," he said while glancing a little at the girl beside Rowie. Like her friend, Jennica was also stuffing her food inside her mouth non-stop.

"Hey," Peter interrupted. "I just heard my little marshmallow's name. Care to tell me what it is?" He smirked, circling his arms around Kazu's neck until he choked.

"No one is talking about her! You psycho, get off me!"

Shintaro let out a quiet sneer and ignored the two of them. They were just being themselves, that was all. It was the usual scenario for him. In his opinion, he was the most normal in the team, next to no one.

His pork barbecue arrived. He ate it in silence while listening to their coach — and little glances at Rowie. He could not help but chuckle every time Rowie stuffed a spoonful of rice inside her mouth. She was so adorable he could not help but smile. She looked like a squirrel.

"Shintaro, are you alright?" Sander, their coach asked. He was sitting at the far end of the long table while Shin and Kazu were at the other end.

Shin looked at his coach. He suddenly panicked, not really knowing what to say. "Huh? Yeah!"

"You were smiling—" His coach stopped for a bit. "Ah! I know that you are happy about our win but do not celebrate on your own, okay?"

Everyone laughed when Shin's cheeks started to turn red.

He was known as the most awkward and quiet among the group. He almost never smiles and only speaks a little. But only Kazu knew the real reason why he was smiling and chuckling at himself. He could feel it because they were just inches away from each other.

Kazuhiko shook his head and chose to ignore it. It was not as if he was new to him. He would always see his best friend looking at the same girl at school every time. It started when they entered high school and that was four years ago. His best friend was already caught by Cupid's arrow.

WHEN THE VARSITY team finished eating, they went their separate ways. They set a new date to celebrate again, bigger this time. It was just that, Sander had plans set after the championship, and they could not celebrate without their coach to who contributed a lot to this game.

"I need to go, Shin-chan," Kazu said, teasing him with his nickname for Shintaro. "My mother called and she wanted to eat out. Do you want to join? My little sister also misses you so much."

"Nah. I will pass. I need to go somewhere. Tell them I will come next time. And do not call me Shin-chan." He tried to point out his last sentence to him.

"Okay, next time then. And you will forever be my Shin-chan, so you can't stop me." Shin just glared at him while Kazu poked out his lips and made a kissing sound. "Love you, Shin-chan. Bye! Do not drink too much."

"Yeah. Yeah. Whatever. Get lost."

Kazu walked away, laughing at his best friend's remark. He really enjoyed himself whenever he teased his best friend. It would forever give him joy.

Instead of going home, Shin rode his motorcycle to his favorite spot, The Midnight Bar. As his own way of celebrating, he drank alone while watching the dancefloor grow wilder and wilder as the night fell deeper. But no matter how many bottles he drank, he was still sober. He wanted to get drunk but he just could not. It was starting to ruin his night.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath.

He went outside the bar and leaned on his motorcycle. He needed to divert his attention to something else so he could make himself feel better. He badly wanted to feel comfortable, but the circumstances did not help.

He was busy lighting up his cigarettes when he felt someone staring. At first, he did not really want to look and know who it was, but because something was telling him to, he lifted his chin.

His hands were left hanging in the air when he saw Rowie looking at his hands with the cigarette. She was standing meters away from her as she stopped walking just to look at him.

What is she doing here? It is past midnight and it is dangerous around here, he asked himself.

Shin suddenly had the urge to throw the cigarette away as if nothing happened, but he was just standing there, frozen like ice. His heart started to hummer inside his chest so that he felt like vomiting. This time, he knew it was because of nervousness, not just because it was Rowie who was in front of him. She just caught him puffing a cigarette, or was about to.

"Aren't you an athlete?" Rowie asked.

Shin blinked multiple times, not expecting Rowie to talk to him like they were friends. This was their first conversation, yet here she was, ready to lecture him.

"Well, yeah," was the only thing Shin could mutter. He started fidgeting on his cigarette and his eyes wander around like a lost kid.

"And you are aware that cigarettes are not good for your health?"

Shin licked his lower lip. He lowered his cigarette but did not throw it away. "I am well aware of it. But old habits die hard." He chuckled.

"You should stop that while it is early. It is hard to stop when it's too late. You are still young."

Before leaving, Rowie looked at the bar and then at Shin like she knew what happened even without witnessing it. She really did not like athletes drinking, smoking, and ruining their health. Well, she disliked people who ruin their health in general, not only athletes. Whenever she saw someone smoking or drinking or any other dangerous stuff, she could not help but show her disgust.

Shin cursed when Rowie was out of sight. He threw the cigarette on the ground and stepped on it, wishing it would sink and be buried underneath the ground where no one could find it.

"f**k this!"

His motorcycle roared to life. He went for a ride without wearing his helmet and let his instinct take him somewhere, somewhere far from his thoughts.