Chapter 14: The First Day

I guess it's me being the one with the early morning jitters now. Sure we still have about 20 minutes before we technically have to start riding to school. But here I am, standing outside of Bokuto's house, sending yet another unanswered text message. What is he doing?

Finally I gather the bravery to knock. I know his dad is out of town so it's safe for me to come over. His mom opened the door, smiling wide, "Oh Zara. Bokuto's still goofing off in his room, maybe you can get him out." She walked away from the doorframe asking, "Breakfast?"

"No thank you," I said, stepping into the house, closing the door behind me.

"Fine," she said cheerfully, "Then you're staying for dinner."

"Yes ma'am," I agreed as I made my way towards Bokuto's room. His door was cracked, so I figured it was safe for me to enter.

I pushed the door open, but stood in the doorway just watching. Music played from his phone that he had propped up on his bookbag. His front camera was on and was dancing. Grinding the air with his hand on his belt buckle. His hand slipped up, lifting his shirt slightly showing off his abs as his tongue hung from his mouth.

The music stopped and he quickly grabbed it, and watched the video he just made. He looked closely at the phone, then looked up to the doorway where I stood.

I leaned against the doorframe asking, "Were you making a tiktok?"

"Yeah, sexy right," he said pridefully. More pridefully than anyone should be when getting busted dancing in their room.

I rolled my eyes saying, "Is this like a morning routine of yours?"

"Nah, just had a little extra time, thought I'd give my fans a little something to help get them through the day."

"Yeah, because we all like to start our days off with Bokuto grinding the air and flashing his 8 pack."

He grinned, shoving his phone into his pocket, "Well if that's the case, I can do this for you every morning if you'd like." He grabbed his school bag and his volleyball bag. And stepped towards the doorway.

He stepped to me, looking behind me first through the doorway, before placing his hand beneath my chin, lifting my face to leave a soft kiss on my lips. Though he grinned as though that was not enough. He leaned in again, but I turned away from him.

"Thought we agreed not to do that once school starts." I said, reflecting back on yesterday. It was a bit of a miracle that we actually finished our work. Even more of a miracle that we weren't caught by Mr. Or Mrs. Ito. It seemed that every few moments we would just look at each other, and the next thing we'd know it was happening again. Again, our lips would meet and everything would just feel right. Then reality would sink back in. That for now, Bokuto and I are friends. Just friends. And we decided, despite our weaknesses, that friends probably shouldn't makeout with eachother.

"School hasn't started yet," he said, kissing my cheek instead. He stood up tall saying, "You look cute by the way," before walking out of his room and towards the kitchen.

I followed behind him, muttering, "Thanks." I felt a little exposed here. The shirt sleeve button down fit just find. I tied the blue ribbon around my neck in a bow, the same blue as Bokuto's tie. The problem was the skirt, it was a black pleated skirt. Similar to Bokuto's black pants. Pants I wish I could wear. Not that I have a problem with skirts. Its fine, except. They design these things with the standard size of the average Japanese woman. Here's the problem. I am a whole foot taller than the average Japanese woman. Not to mention that I have actual thighs and a little bit of junk in my trunk. Genetic that these school uniforms didn't account for. So, my long legs are too long for this skirt, and my body is filling this out a little too much. I'm about 2 inches away from having much butt cheeks hanging out the bottom of this thing. And I'm not big at all. My waist is still small and tight, I'm just built athletically. And there are not enough pleats in this skirt for athletic thighs. But, if I got a size up, it would be falling off my waist, so. Here I am, a small breeze away from flashing the world.

I sat beside Bokuto at the table, and yup, my underwear is touching the chair. Great. Not enough skirt back here for me to sit on.

Bokuto's mom came in, placing a plate of eggs and toast in front of Bokuto. And placing two lunch boxes on the table.

Mrs. Ito packed me two lunches as well. Longer days and hard practices. She almost packed me three because I still will be practicing with the boys team, but I told her that I couldn't possibly eat that much and still have room for dinner.

"So Zara, how are you feeling. Nervous, excited?" His mom asked me. She had such kind warm eye, a soft brown. I guess Bokuto got his eyes from his father.

"A little nervous," I admitted, "But at least I have one friend in class."

I looked to Bokuto, who was stuffing his face with crumbs all over. He began choking on his toast and frantically grabbed his oj chugging half of the glass.

I should my head smiling slightly, trying not to laugh. But I couldn't hold it in when his mom said, "You might want to reconsider your friend choice."

I started to crack up, as Bokuto cleared his throat before saying, "Hey, I'm a great friend."

"Of course you are Kōtarō," his mom said, "Now please don't choke to death on Zara's first day of school because that would not make you a good friend."

She got up from the table as Bokuto said, "I'll try my best." Bokuto was done with his eggs and held his bite of toast in his hand. His mom grabbed his plate and before heading back to the kitchen said, "Alright Zara, I hope you have a great first day. Kōtarō, honey, please try to pay attention to the teacher. Don't go getting distracted by this lovely lady in the room." She winked at me before leaving.

Bokuto shoved his last piece of toast in his mouth and washed it down with the rest of his oj. "She likes you."

"Of course she does," I said confidently.

He got up grabbing his lunches and slid them into his school bag. I got up too, following him to the door as he said, "Says the girl who's whole team hates her."

"True," I shrugged, as we pulled our shoes on. I grabbed my bags and followed Bokuto out of the house.

We weren't towards the back of his house where our bikes were kept in his shed. Ge unlocked it and rolled my bike to me first saying, "You know what every great spiker has?"

I looked to his arms as he pulled out his bike. "Great muscles?" I guessed.

"Nope," he chuckled, locking the shed back, "A great relationship with their setter." We rolled the bikes to the street before getting on them, "You don't have to win over everyone. If you can get in good with your setter, you got this." He stopped talking, looking me up and down as I mounted my bike, "You really are cute Baby Bird. You're actually wearing your hair down?"

My hair was in its naturally curly state, curled up to about chin length as usual and I had a blue headband the same color and my neck ribbon. "It's just my uniform Bokuto." I said, "Same as all the other girls."

I took off riding ahead of him and heard him huff a little before saying, "Other girls don't have an ass like that."

I rolled my eyes, "Shut up and come on."

I heard him laughing as he caught up. He slowed down, rolling steadily with me saying, "okay seriously. How's your relationship with your setter?"

"She sets to me, she kinda does the bare minimum when it comes to giving me a set I can actually hit but I don't think she hates me. She actually talks to me sometimes." I thought about the few times we actually did talk and realized, "she actually brings you up a lot. I think she likes you."

"Sweet," Bokuto smiled wide. It kinda hurt to see him so excited about someone crushing on him, but then he went on saying, "You could get her to like you more by telling her you could get her a date with me."

"What?"

"Yeah, it's perfect. Tell her you can get her a date with me. I'll take her to the summer festival Friday night."

"Do you want to go on this date?"

He shrugged, "Well I wanted to take you, but your high school volleyball career is more important than one date, right?"

"You're right, but what am I supposed to do? Sit at home? You know you're kinda my only friend. And I'm not third wheeling. That will be Hella awkward."

He smiled confidently saying, "Someone's gonna ask you to go with them. I give it two days."

"And what if I say no?"

He shrugged, "Just say yes. Or or go by yourself or sit at home by yourself. You got options. If you're really worried about it, and can ask Akaashi to hang out with you that night."

"Oh get Akaashi to take pity on me?" I laughed.

Bokuto laughed, saying, "He does actually like you. He just has a weird way of showing it." He paused for a moment before saying, "Likes you as a friend. He doesn't like you like I like you."

"Got it," I nodded as we rode up to the front of the school.

We locked our bikes to the bike rack and started funnel into the school with the rest of the student body. Eyes were on me as we walked the halls, but this was nothing new to me.

Bokuto led me to our classroom, and turned to me asking, "Where do you want to sit?"

There was a wall full of windows with sunlight that called to me. "By the windows."

There were a few open seats, one in front of the other, in the second and third row. Right in the middle. Perfect. I didn't like sitting in the front of the class or the back. The middle was always my zone.

Bokuto led the way over to the desks, then paused, waving any arm over the two desks, inviting me to pick my seat. I picked the one in the second row, and Bokuto plopped down behind me. Students sat on desks, gathered around talking to one another. But everyone's eyes glanced my way at some point or another.

This is pretty normal. Things tend to die down after a week or so. I mean if a purple person walked into the room I'd probably stare a little. So I don't really mind. As long as they're not gocking over me like some zoo animal. Like the way Hina looked at me as she entered the room.

Her white was still pulled into her tight ponytail and her eyes locked on me the moment saw me. They never left me as she seated herself in the back of the classroom, on the opposite side of me. Trying to distance herself from me as much as possible. That's when I forced my attention forward. Being sure to not look at her. Giving her no satisfaction. As if she hadn't crossed my mind, as if she had no effect on me. But of course she did. I couldn't be happy in her presence, and that's what she wanted.

While Bokuto, wanted nothing but to see me happy. He leaned forward in his seat, saying to me, "Told you. They all got they're eyes on you."

I leaned back more, getting closer to Bokuto and said softly, "I don't know if you noticed. But I'm brown."

He paused for a moment, before dropping his head to the desk laughing. I laughed as well saying, "Of course people are going to look when someone a whole different color walks in the room."

Bokuto laughed harder, which made me laugh more. Until someone came over saying, "Bokuto?"

As Bokuto lifted his head, I felt his hair brush against the back of my neck. He still chuckled as he said, "Aito, hey."

Some other people called Bokuto saying hi and he waved big saying, "Hey, hey, hey." I turned my attention back forward as Aito sat at the desk next to Bokuto.

"Aito, how's soccer club this year," Bokuto asked.

"We doing good enough."

"No such thing as good enough, that just means you could be doing better."

"Well we can't all be top players of the nation." The boy named Aito laughed.

"And you can't keep depending on the Volleyball club to keep the school's title as a powerhouse school."

"There's more than just high school sports Bokuto."

Bokuto's laugh boomed before saying, "I honestly have no idea what you mean."

"Bokuto?" Aito said in a questioning tone, but nothing else came after that. My eyes slid to the side to take a look at the boy, he was nudging his head towards me. Bokuto stared for a moment before saying, "Oh, oh, hey Zara." He tapped my shoulder, and I turned in my desk, to look back at both of the boys, "Yeah Bokuto?"

"Zara, this is my man Aito, captain of the soccer club. Aito, this is my new neighbor Zara Mac, middle blocker for the girls volleyball club."

He put his hand out first and I took it, shaking it smiling, "Nice to meet you Aito."

"You too Zara." I let go of my hand, pointing a thumb at Bokuto saying, "I hope this fool hasn't been bugging you too much."

"Hey! Watch it Aito!" Bokuto snarled, but I just laughed saying, "I can take it."

"If the day comes that you can't, let me know. I'm pretty sure I can beat his ass."

"Ha! Keep dreaming," Bokuto laughed, flexing his muscles.

"Hey I did before."

"It was fourth grade, get over it," Bokuto laughed.

I laughed as well. Completely forgetting that Hina was in the room. I'll just try to keep forgetting that she's there. The bell rang and everyone funneled to their seats as the teacher came in.

He didn't even look at the class, he came in looking down at a book. "You all know each other, you've been here for years now. No point in the name game. But there is a transfer. Ms. Mac stand up."

I stood.

"First and last name."

"Zara Mac," I said, everyone looked to me. For a moment at least.

Some eyes shot to the back of the class as Hina sang, "Bada dadada."

A few giggles lifted in the room but the teacher ignored it saying, "Very well, have a seat. Everyone take out your summer work."

I sat down and Bokuto leaned forward again whispering to me, "You should have let me hit her."

"Shut up, Bokuto," I whispered back, but smiled a bit. It's nice to know someone has my back.

...

"So, our teacher is intense," I said as Bokuto walked back to our bikes. We were going to ride around the school to the gyms.

"That's what they say about him," Bokuto laughed, "The upperclassmen last year just said turn your work in on time and everything will be alright."

I can deal with alright. I'm not a scholarship kid like my aunt Bri was. I can get by with being average in the classroom. Just not on the court.

We rode to the gyms and as everyone filed into their separate gyms, Bokuto and I stood between the two of ours. Bokuto leaned against a post saying, "Remember, talk to Aimi, let her know you can get her a date with me."

"What if she doesn't want to go on a date with you?"

"Look at me," He smiled, "How can she say no to this. Then he said in a lower voice, he leaned in closer saying, "You can't even say no to me."

Bokuto's eyes trailed away from me, and fell to a slight gaze. I looked up to see what Bokuto was looking at and Aimi. A slick smile slipped to the side of his lips, as he stood up tall, rolling his shoulder back. "See ya later Z," he said to me, but his eyes stayed on Aimi. He walked backwards for a few steps, then turned to walk into his gym.

"Flirt," I muttered under my breath, before turning into my gym, entering just as Aimi did. "Hey Aimi," I greeted.

"Hey," she said, still looking over her shoulder at where Bokuto once stood.

Seemed like a good enough time to dive in. As we walked towards the locker room I asked, "Do you like Bokuto?"

"What?" She snapped back to me quickly, "No. Not at all, why?"

I took a deep breath saying, "I'm going to take that as a yes."

She smiled shyly as she said, "Maybe, a little." She shrugged.

"You know, he's thinking about someone to take to the summer festival." I said as we walked down into the locker room, "I can say something . I mean, he has had an eye on you lately."

She seemed almost surprised as she said, "Really?"

"Oh yeah," I nodded confidently, with a smile.

Then that smile wiped away again as it always does, when Hina's eyes landed on me. "Skyscraper, you little attention whore, could you get a smaller skirt?"

All the girls laughed, all but Aimi.

Perhaps Bokuto can get me a friend on this team.

Then Bokuto's deal came to mind again. He said if I didn't fall for someone by fall tournaments, then it would be me and him. I looked over to Aimi, now wondering, what would happen if he fell for someone instead.