ADRENALINE PUMPED THROUGH me as I shifted my weight from one foot to the other on the sidelines of the court, waiting for Coach to announce the starting lineup for the home game at our gym. We’d played this team before and beat them, so I figured we’d look pretty good tonight. If Coach picked Vicki to start, the scouts in the stands would attribute the win to her. Including the one from the university I wanted to attend.
I scanned the crowd on the bleachers. Sure enough. U of D Blue Hens hats and school colors caught my eye up in the top section to my left.
“Huddle up!” Coach shouted.
We all threw our warm-up balls to the team manager. She placed them in the mesh bag.
In the huddle Coach called out the other starting players. I twirled my fingers around the hair of my ponytail, awaiting the lineup. Finally he said, “Olivia, you’re starting setter.”
I stood up, cracking my knuckles half from nerves, half out of victory. Vicki shot me an icy stare. I’d pay for this somehow.
As we stood in a circle we put our hands into the middle and shouted, “One, two, three. Go, set, kill!” We jogged onto the court and got into our positions. I took my place by the net. Vicki plunked herself down on the bench beside Coach.
The game soon settled into a comfortable pace. I landed some great sets, resulting in great spikes that accumulated point after point, putting us far in the lead early in the game. I made some awesome saves that sent me flying onto the floor. The cheers from the crowd added to my sense of security about my impression on the scouts.
One of my teammates rolled the ball to me, and I waited for the whistle to serve. Just then Andy walked into the gym. From where I stood I could see he had my uniform number painted in white on his cheek. Vicki’s eyes snapped in his direction. Then she turned and glared at me, nostrils flared. I’m toast. Someone kill me now.
The whistle blew. I bounced the ball three times, as was my routine. I hated knowing Andy was staring at me. I feared I’d lose concentration and blow my serve. I tossed the ball up and smacked it. It flew right into the net. Just as I feared.
My teammates gasped. I never missed a serve. Well, hardly ever.
Stinkin’ Andy.
After a few high-fives from my teammates, I recovered my focus. One missed serve wouldn’t ruin me.
Just then the ref blew his whistle, and Vicki rotated in. As we stood at the sideline, awaiting the scorekeeper to record our numbers, Vicki avoided my eyes. And instead of the friendly high-five we displayed as one player replaced another, she walked right by me, leaving my hand in the air. I jogged to the bench and sat down.
After Vicki fumbled two sets, Coach put me back in the game.
In the end we managed to win the match easily and maintain our undefeated status.
I lingered after the game to see what interaction may occur between Coach and the scouts.
A middle-aged gentleman in khaki pants and a blue shirt approached Coach. My heart leapt as I watched the man I’d spotted right before the game started. After shaking Coach’s hand he glanced in my direction and nodded at me. Our eyes met.
Andy came up to me and gave me a hug. I recoiled. I was so engulfed in watching the body language of Coach and U of D guy that his interruption annoyed me.
Andy gave me an offended look. He then followed my eyes, realizing what I was absorbed in.
“Hey, sorry—”
I held my hand up. He got the message. But then he leaned over and whispered, “Sweet thing, they’re negotiating your acquisition. How sexy . . . you being sought after by one of the best college teams in the country. That’s hot.”
As my heart hammered against my ribcage, I realized we had a date coming up. As always, Andy’s voice dripped with seduction that made me lose concentration.
He placed a quick kiss on my cheek and headed in the direction of the exit.
I quickly scanned the room, looking for anyone who had observed that intimate interaction. I lucked out. Nobody seemed to notice. Most importantly, Vicki had huffed off to the locker room early, so she was nowhere in sight.
I didn’t want Coach to see me lurking, so I slung my gym bag over my shoulder and walked toward the door leading to the parking lot.
I lunged into the door, the chill of late fall hitting me in the face as I breathed in the refreshing air. My exhilaration was cut short as my body was slammed against the cold cement building. I gasped from the air being knocked out of my lungs. My eyes focused slowly, finding green eyes framed by blonde hair staring at me nose to nose.
Vicki. The chilled night air flared from her nostrils like a bull prepared to spear me with his horns.
“You watch your back, you—”
I hunched, ducked, and ran toward my car. Thankfully she didn’t follow. She mumbled a few curse words, but my heavy breathing muted them. I rammed my keys into the lock, opened my car door and slung my bag into the backseat, and slammed the driver’s side door, hitting the lock button immediately. I headed for home.
I felt like I’d just stomped on a hornet’s nest. Someone was going to get stung. Guess who?