Chapter 83 - 83: Eight Ball I

(Third POV)

As Andy and Michelle walked side by side, Anthony could not help but follow them with his eyes. The seat he was sitting on was facing directly to the billiards table, so he has a clear view to whatever it was they were doing. 

Seeing Andy standing a bit too close to Michelle and Michelle smiling and nodding to whatever it was Andy was saying, Anthony felt strangely annoyed. He decided that perhaps it was because he knew that Andy was only being his flirtatious playboy self while Michelle was being too gullible because she liked him. It was truly unfortunate that she was falling to his ploy like a fish biting the god damn bait. He took a deep breath, tore his eyes away and drank some water. 

Then, he heard Vince ask him if he was not a bit least jealous. For a moment, he considered the question. Was he being jealous that's why he felt a bit irritated? Nah. Why would he be? He's just feeling some concern for Michelle as he doesn't want her to be another notch on Andy's bed. Also, he's already getting quite annoyed with Vince's teasing. That's all.

Anthony tried to smile as he shook his head, "Vince, Michelle and I are just friends. I don't know where you're getting the idea that there's more to us, but I suggest you stop." 

Vince made a face, his lips both tilted down, his left brow raised as he said "Oh."

Meanwhile, Jeff who was observing Kate fiddling with her cellphone her lips tilted up felt quite unhappy. He knew they were over since last year and he's also had his fair share of flings, but… ugh. Anyhow, as projection he said, "Vince, how could Anthony be jealous? What happened between them was just a one-time thing."

Anthony tired of repeatedly denying what happened just shook his head and turned away from the two. It's not like they will believe him anyway. Even he himself if he were a third person would not believe him.

Vince wanting to bait and irritate Anthony just because said, "Well, I guess it should be just that. Anthony here most probably needs more practice to impress a girl."

Anthony scowled. Still, he decided against biting that stupid bait Vince laid out.

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(Michelle POV)

Reaching the billiards table, Andy suggested that since there were 4 of us, we should play in teams. Lara and Steven vs him and me. I tried to protest, what with me being completely clueless how the game goes, but Andy just shook his head and said, 'trust me.'

Lara gave an eyeroll hearing Andy's words. Still, she accepted the challenge and even suggested that losers have to crawl under the table at the end of the game. 

Andy agreed and told me not to worry as Lara was only big with words. She's also just a beginner. Aside from that he and steven were also just amateurs. He encourage that perhaps I even have some hidden talent to help him win. 

I smiled and nodded my head. Besides, the consequence wasn't that difficult.

Steven started arranging the balls in the triangular rack while Andy began explaining to me how we're going to play. He said that the game we're playing was called eight ball. 

Eight Ball was a call shot game played with a cue ball and fifteen object balls, numbered 1 through 15. One player must pocket balls of the group numbered 1 through 7 (solid colors), while the other player has 9 thru 15 (stripes). Each player must pocket all the balls from his group regardless of sequencing before attempting to pocket the 8-ball. The group which pockets the 8-ball first wins. 

Now, as we're playing in teams, we would take turns in playing. Andy and Steven took a ball each and placed it somewhere on the billiard table and both of them hit each with their cue stick. I don't know how it worked but it was decided that our team would go for the break, which was the first shot for the game.

Steven placed the ball he used back on the triangular rack before taking the rack off, leaving the fifteen balls in a triangular shape while Andy placed the white cue ball somewhere behind a certain dot.

Before taking the first shot, he smiled at me and winked. Then, he hit the ball.

The balls scattered and out of the 15, the ball number 6 fell in one of the 6 pockets. "Alright! So Mich, our team will be hitting the solids from this point on." 

I smiled and nodded my head in understanding. I observed how Andy positioned himself to take the next shot as he also explained to me that I should not hit the ball with stripes with the white ball first because that would be a foul. If a foul were to be committed, the opponent who would have his turn after him would have the chance to place the white ball anywhere making it easier for him/ her to pocket his group of balls.

I saw that the white ball was surrounded with stripes and wondered how Andy would hit a solid-colored ball without hitting the stiped ones with the arrangement.

Andy hit the white ball with his stick at the bottom and the ball jumped and hit a solid-colored ball behind the striped one. I clapped a bit amazed and because we were teammates. He smiled, approached me, and gave me a high five.

Then, it was Steven's turn. As he positioned himself to take a shot, I saw his eyes narrow at the ball in concentration, he hit the striped ball with the white one (cue ball) and it went in. His lips tilted up ever so slightly. 

Suddenly, my heart started drumming in my chest. He was still handsome as ever and that slight smile reminded me of the time when I first went out on a date with him. For a moment, I was entranced. Thankfully, I heard Lara started cheering loudly for him, and I was able to shake myself out of it. The spell was broken. I slightly reprimanded myself for falling into the feelings of nostalgia. 

Anyhow, Steven continued to take the next shot, and another striped ball was pocketed. 

"That's two down!" Lara cheered.

When he was concentrating to make the next shot, Lara shouted, "Come on babe! You can do it!" 

I think Steven's concentration was broken and his cue stick went up and only hit the white ball slightly not moving much. 

Andy laughed, "Lara, don't overdo it, look what happened. Haha! Come on Mich, it's now your turn. Since Steven did not hit a striped ball, he has committed a foul so you can place the white ball anywhere." He explained as he took the white ball. "Now, which do you think would be the easiest to pocket?"

I looked at the balls on the table and saw that the ball number 2 was at the edge of the pocket and just a little push from the white ball would make it fall. Andy followed my eyes and smiled broadly in approval.

"Number 2 it is. Here, let me help you place it on a good spot." Andy said as he placed the white ball a few inches away from ball number 2.

I felt some adrenaline in my system, this is pretty exciting now that it's my turn. I tried to imitate how Andy and Steven did it. I held the cue stick with my right hand while I placed my left hand on the table to provide support. I bent over and pushed the cue stick. 

UGH!!!! Ok, so it was more difficult than I thought! I could not balance the stick and in my attempt, it went sideways hitting nothing! Hearing Lara started laughing, I blushed in embarrassment. Was that a foul? I stood straight again and smiled awkwardly. 

"don't worry Mich, you did not hit any of the ball yet so there's no foul and you can try again. Mind if I help you?" he asked.

Welcoming some form of tutelage, I nodded my head. 

Andy smiled then approached me. He held my left hand to teach me how I should position it, and, ok, if I were still the presumptuous me of 2 days ago before entering the ship, I would think he was doing this because he liked me. But because my eyes have already been opened to the reality that this super star was in no way liking me that way, I did not think much of it. 

That did not mean though that I was totally unaffected by what he was doing. Like he was standing so close, holding my hand and giving instructions. It was a little intimate and it's not like I was totally immune to his charms. Come on, if you were in my position, the nation's husband doing this service to you, well, would you not feel your heartbeat accelerating and feel yourself turning warm all over? 

I'm not putting any meaning behind his action, but my body response was automatic. Anyway, I did not put much thought to it anymore.

"Ok, now, you try it again." Andy instructed.

I nodded and took position to take a shot again. I placed my left hand on the table and leaned my body forward. I held the handle of the long cue stick on my right hand, while the other end of the stick I placed on top of my left again. The stick was shaky with my handling as I was still not used to it as a beginner. Oh well.

I was still concentrating when suddenly, I felt Andy's body covering mine from behind. He held my right hand and my left as he whispered in my ear, "you do it like this." 

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TBC