Chapter 11: Cats vs Owls vs Me

"Yes Aunty, I invited all of them."

"Even the captain?"

"Yes, even the captain. They're all coming, the boys too."

I stood beside Bokuto, leaning on the wall of the boys gym before practice. Well their practice. I have a match today, with Nekuma. I finally get to play with a team that actually practices, against a team that is known for being good. And I can't wait! Even if I've all said a handful of words to my team this week. Aunt Bri told me that Kyoya has arranged for the volleyball clubs to use his tropical retreat center. We get a whole day to ourselves there. And Aunt Bri said to invite everyone, including the boys volleyball club. So, I invited them, hoping that some of the girls would say no. But these girls found out the boys were coming, and they're all in for shirtless volleyball stars.

"Good, I'll send the limos out around 11?"

"Aunt Bri, not the limos," I whined. Bokuto's eyes seemed to light up though at the sound of limos. "They already see me as some spoiled rich brat."

"Well you know, I was just thinking. If they won't even give you a chance, then maybe we could get them to suck up to you enough to not be crappy, casually racist teammates. But if you prefer for me to send a bus instead, I can have that arranged."

"A bus will be fine Aunt Bri. Thank you."

"Alright, I got to go now. I'll be back in town next weekend for Hana's and Kaour's birthday. Be sure to call me after your first day of school, and tell Bokuto to watch out for you. Don't want that white haired heffer getting any ideas."

"Oh my goodness," I sighed, "Bye Aunt Bri, love you!"

"You too my Love, good luck today!"

"Thanks," I muttered with a smile before hanging up the phone.

"You owe me a limo ride," Bokuto said immediately after.

I shrugged, saying, "Fine, I'm just not giving one to Hina."

"Good," he laughed, "Let me get all the special treatment."

I looked over to him, grinning so confidently. I couldn't help but smile back. Due to his excitement, we're here extra early again. Just like when they played Nekuma. I should have prepared for this and gone to bed 20 minutes early. Though Bokuto was still hanging out in my room last night, reading the stats out for every Nekuma player on the girls team. No one was taller than me, but that doesn't mean anything. Yeah it's nice to be tall, to get your hands on the ball in the sky. But the thing about volleyball is, you gotta keep it off the floor. And standing 5 inches above anyone else on the court doesn't make me better at that.You need a team for that.

Hopefully today, we can be enough of a team to get a win in.

Bokuto grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the court smiling, "Come on. Help me lower the net so you can practice your serves."

I practiced with Bokuto giving last minute tips as his team began to trickle in. I kept going until the setter from my team came in calling for me. I had just landed the perfect jump serve, towards the back of the court with enough power to make it bounce to the back wall. "Yes!" I cheered, giving Bokuto a high ten, jumping up to reach his hands as he reached them above his head. "That's what I'm talking about Baby Bird!"

I grinned, looking back at the ball I hit. I just stopped rolling. "Again," I said to Bokuto, with my hand out for another ball, but before he could hand it to me, she called me.

"Um... Zara?" She seemed so quiet, "Coach said we should start warming up. You know, together."

I looked to the clock on the wall, it was 5 past seven. "Crap," I said, then turned back to Bokuto waving, "See you later." I was ready to take off in a run but he grabbed the hand I was waving, pulling me back saying, "Wait a second."

He pulled me into a hug, wrapping his large arms around me and resting his chin gently on my head. His chest rose and fell against my cheek, filling my senses with his scent of peppermint. "Good luck Baby Bird," he said softly, intimately. That was only for me to hear, then he let go, waving saying loud, "Go get 'em!"

I gave a thumbs up, still smiling as I turned running towards the open door.

"Come on Aimi," I said excitedly running past her.

The brief moment I saw her face, she looked confused, but she was soon chasing after me, running into the gym. But once through the door I froze. She stopped beside me as well, I could see her watching me from the corner of my eye. She saw the shift. The sudden change brought about with the loss of my smile. Everything stiffened a bit. Hardening, as if I were adding a lair of armer to myself.

"Zara," Aimi said softly. I looked over to her, she was looking down as if she were scared herself, scared to even talk to me, "Hina might be the captain, but I call the shots on the court. I'll set to who I need to to win. So be ready."

She ran off joining the group I've been exiled from. But as she joined them, she glanced back at me. Hina's trying to keep me from the room where it happens. But Aimi is starting to look like a cracked window. This I can work with.

...

These girls adapt, quickly. The first set, they could barely get a ball past my blocks. Now they're faking out the receivers like Bokuto does, just tipping the ball over my block, or trying to find gaps, but it doesn't matter if the ball gets past me. There's five other people on this court who don't want this ball to hit the floor. They don't have to like me right now. We all have a common goal. Win!

This is my final rotation in the front row, if we get this ball back I'm up to serve. The serve was up, going straight to our libro, who sent it beautifully right above the setters head. This is going to be great. I had to get my hand on this ball, so I shouted, "Center!"

And she sent the ball up, center, high with a nice arch. It's obvious that it's going to me. I'll have at least two blockers on me, but that's fine. This set let's me get away with anything. I smiled, making my approach. These girls have gotten used to my short hits, they've been creeping up lately everytime I go to a ball, but this time, I'm not going for the floor.

I saw the hands of the blockers above the net, saw the weak fingers of one of the girls and hit the ball straight at those weak fingers, giving it my all.

I heard her grunt with pain as the ball went flying off the tips of her fingers. It went shooting for the back of the court, past the serveline. All the girls who were creeping up on me, now ran for dear life towards the back of the court, none of them making it in time. I've seen Bokuto do this a few times, and I didn't think I could pull it off. But I jumped and I saw everything so clearly, I had time to think before I made my move and it paid off. Bokuto would be proud. I smiled to myself but I swear I could hear his, "Hey, Hey, Hey!"

I swear I had imagined it. But the confused face of the blocker as she looked towards the door, made me rethink that. I turned towards the door, seeing not only Bokuto, but the whole boys team and the coach. They were making their way to the bleachers to watch, but Bokuto just stood there, grinning like a fool with his arms high in the air, celebrating as if he had just made that hit.

"Zara," Aimi called, pulling me back onto the court, "Your serve."

"Right," I said. I jogged out to the back of the court, taking a few extra steps out. Someone rolled the ball my way. Not being complete dicks today, I see.

I bounced the ball a little, making sure my team was ready. They were all down, some a little more down than before, backs arched in with their butts poked out more. They definitely weren't like this last time I served.

I couldn't help but mutter, "Hoes," under my breath. One heard. I went in for my jump serve, remember everything Bokuto told me. The serve was coming in fast and powerful and deep. No one went for it, the libro turned calling out, only it wasn't. It hit the line on the inside of the court and bounced off quickly.

I did a small fist pump, but Bokuto still stood at the side of the court shouting, "Serve act! Nice! One more!"

I smiled, shaking my head as the ball came back to me. I know I'm not on the court with him, but having him here makes it feel like I am. Makes me feel like everything is scaled up, and I have to reach new heights. So, one more.

One point at a time. Until we win.

Together.

...

At the end of the match we circled around the coach and the only thing she had to say was, "Can we please communicate more? I saw a lot of good things happening out there on that court and Mr. Bokuto over here seemed to be the only one acknowledging them."

"Coach, we won," Hina said.

"Yeah, and you looked miserable doing it." The coach chuckled, "Now clean up and go have some fun. I'll see you all on Monday after school."

"Yes coach," we all said, breaking to clean the gym. I got a few steps in before being scooped up into a big hug. Scaring me at first until I heard his voice come in saying, "You were great Baby Bird!"

"Bokuto, let go," I muttered looking around at the girls, all watching. The boys weren't much to deal with. They know that Bokuto is a little loud, dramatic and touchy. These girls don't know him like we do. They don't see this as we do. And they won't leave it alone.

He let go and I asked, "Can you go see if that bus is here that Aunt Bri sent?"

He nodded, turning towards the door and I went to help take down the net. Aimi was helping me roll fold the net and quietly she said, "You did good today."

"Thanks," I smiled, "So did you."

"Thanks," she was looking down again, "Um, are you and Bokuto like a thing?"

I laughed a little, looking over my shoulder at Bokuto who was giving me a thumbs up. The bus must be here. I looked back at Aimi, "No. Not at all. Why?"

"Well, I was just thinking -"

"Zara, Aimi, we don't have all day let's go!" Hina shouted, standing in the doorway beside Bokuto.

My smile faded. We quickly put the net away and I rushed to the grab my things and rushed to the door. I ran out to the bus with Bokuto just a step behind me. The driver opened the door and I asked, "Brianna Hitachiin sent you?"

"Yeah kid," he grunted.

I turned back to the group of excited teams, and nudged my head towards the bus before going to take my set in the front. Bokuto sat down next to me and the girls and boys team shuffled on, mixing as they sat. Hina muttered, "Little miss Rosa Parks I see," as she passed me sitting in the front.

Bokuto looked as though he were ready to say something but I grabbed his hand, placing it in my lap, "Please. Let it go."

He huffed, leaning back in his seat, spreading his leg into the aisle since everyone had already passed. He didn't pull his hand away and I didn't mind. Everyone was behind us, no one could see his hand in my lap.

Now on to the Jungle Pool.