I leaped up to throw the ball, and it soared up in the air losing its speed and falling perfectly inside the basket. All the students standing near the court clapped as my team won the match just before the time ended.

Mr. Cruz came clapping with Ms. Wilson as he patted me on the back, the first pat ever from Mr. Cruz, and it felt crazy good. First two days into the camp, he was not present for our lunchtime matches, so I couldn't count on that. But on the third day when he finally came to our match, he had been nitpicking on my every move and every step. Even Ms. Davis who actually is our sports teacher had never nagged me this much in my entire basketball career.

He would criticize my leg positions, my unsteady feet, my horrible passes, and whatnot; all his words, not mine. Because I know I am an average to good player and I have been to an NBA game, I am not saying I am of that level but at least I could get a basket or two there, yes I am that good.

But unfortunately, Mr. Cruz did not think so and for the first time in three days of watching me practice, he had finally patted my back, that stone-hearted, cold man. Sometimes the urge to leave him to deal with his painful crush on Mr. Davis himself got very strong but we are too deep in our plan to go back.

We went back to the place where the food was served and took our places next to the teacher's table, who were discussing of organizing a bonfire.

"It's only the fifth day, what's the hurry?" asked Mr. Cruz.

"There is no hurry. We just want to celebrate our captain's victory," said Ms. Wilson.

"You do realize that the other team playing was also our school team, don't you?" asked Mr. Cruz coldly, but he does have a point.

"You can say whatever you want and be all your party pooper self, but we are going to have the bone fire whether you like it or not. Right, Mr. Davis?" Ms. Wilson asked Mr. Davis cheekily.

"Yes, the kids would like it, we had been giving them a hard time already, waking them so early and they even have to prepare their own food. And this basketball it's such a tiring game. But still, they are so diligently doing it. We should organize a campfire and prepare food for them, they deserve to rest." Mr. Davis said hurriedly, almost ranting in his usual style.

"You do realize that they are here for the basketball camp and it's their duty to do all this," said Mr. Cruz a little sweetly.

"No kid deserves to be treated like this, and you Mr. Cruz should keep your mouth shut on this matter we are doing it and if you wanna oppose so much then don't come and don't help. I surely could do that myself." Mr. David said with no actual bite in his words.

But Mr. Cruz only shook his head with fondness and said "Do whatever you want, I'll help as much as I can. It's not like I can say no to you."

"That's right." Mr. David said happily and started ranting his elaborate plans to the teachers which I am sure every student in the field could hear because of the high volume.

Mr. Brown looked completely uninterested and unbothered and kept eating like before. But Ms. Wilson had a notepad in her hands and was talking animatedly with Mr. Davis.

Mr. Cruz was just sitting gazing at Mr. Davis like he had hung moon and stars in the sky. How could a man be so whipped for someone, and how could that someone not see this man completely, utterly simping on him? It frustrated me at times, but it's not the place to shout at Mr. Davis how he should at least look at that man who is showering him with love with just his eyes. So I kept cool.

"-and we have Peter and his friends too, I heard they cook soo good. Some students even said they cook like chefs, and the meals we are eating are, are half made by them and half others, they cook that fast." came Ms. Wilson's voice which I paid attention to after hearing my name.

I looked sideways to see all of my friends frozen in various stages of eating. Ben, who had food in his mouth nearly choked.

"What is she talking about?" I whisper- asked them.

"More like gossiping about." whisper-answered Nathan.

"She just said we could help with the cooking since apparently she heard we are chefs from students." whispered Luke all serious.

"What are we going to do now?"  I whisper-asked again.

"Oh Peter" Mr. Wilson sing-songed. Her malicious intentions clear in her eyes.

"Guess we are going to cook" whispered Nathan from behind with a sigh.

-----------------------

Such is life, one second we have everything, victory, peace, love; and the next second, nothing. All my victorious glory turned into paste which I am right now applying to this dumb meat to marinate it.

The rest of the students are enjoying, and exploring and their laughter can be heard from miles away when we are here bathing that chicken with spices that aren't even alive. I mean right now it's good it's not alive, I won't admit it to anyone but I in fact am afraid of chicken.

But we still looked a thousand times better than Mr. Cruz who looked like he was having a life and death situation. First, he tried using the knife with its cover on, a dumb move. After when Mr. Davis removed it, he still couldn't cut to save his life.

He was struggling so badly that I almost felt pity. Almost, because I still had the decency to look smug since I am better at cooking than him. And maybe he saw me looking smug that's why he dumped his cutting duty on me and started tailing Mr. Davis looking like a lost puppy. And hate to admit it but he could make a convincing cute puppy face that anyone could feel pity on. 

But maybe Mr. Davis was more hard-hearted than I thought because he did give him a duty to stir the noodles, it is a different case that he had to take it away since Mr. Cruz tried stirring them with a knife, he is a lost case.

"Hey, I have an idea," whispered Ben from behind as we all looked at him gesturing to speak.

"How about we make Mr. Cruz drink and then we'll make him spill all his feelings to Mr. Davis." He stated.

We all looked unconvinced but then Luke said. "It is evident in studies conducted, that alcohol does indeed make you speak the truth, it won't be too bad to at least try." 

"Ya what do we have to lose." said Ben trying to convince the rest of us.

I mean it is not that bad of an idea, I guess we could try. What are the chances that this time maybe they could confess to each other? Even the idea of it made me happy so I gave them a determined nod. 

We are going to do this.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello readers!!!

Hope you like this new chapter, and what do you think of the new plan? Will it work or would it be the cause of some great tragedy? 

Don't forget to COMMENT and VOTE!!!