Chapter two

Addys POV

Just above the net and...smash. Ugh, still needs a bit of tweaking.

"Another smash from Addison! Let's go!" Brook says with a backflip. Does she have to do this? We're just practicing and it's not even the finals yet. But here she is in her cheering outfit.

"Browne, take five! Solace, practice with the freshmen, yeah?"

"Aye aye, teach!" Jaiden and I say as she went to our juniors with me tagging along.

"So.. found any potential guys?"

"Nope." Cause, I found a potential girl- no, a woman for infact and she's my teacher. Okay, what?

"Oh c'mon, I heard there are cuties in your classes. Brook says you were out of it in English, did a guy finally get your attention?! Oh don't you dare lie!" Jaiden jumps around like an excited pup. She stopped but she shook me none stop. Seriously? Do I look like some juice in need of shaking?

"Calm ya tits, it was just hot." Blaming it on the weather. That's my excuse until I get my own feelings sorted out. I'd owe it big time if it were to talk.

"Yeah, hot because of the radiance of some flaming hot dude!" What in hell is she saying?

"Ugh. There aren't any hot dudes. I was slightly under the weather because of her classroom. Not some random dude!" Lies. Well, aren't I a big fat liar-

"Whatever you say~ " I can tell she's not dropping this yet. "Okay, rookies! Let's practice some recieves. Put your hands in this position..."

The freshmen this year is a bit much. Some experienced and some well.. are noobs. Quite rude aren't I. Anyways, it's quite important to know what and where their strengths are at. Like how to know where to hit, their blocks and how strong their attacks.

I happen to see a child running by the sidelines of the court. Why is a fucking kid here?

"Hey, who's kid is that?!" I snapped, getting my emotions get the best of me. Jaiden immediately left her group.

"Uhm. That's my younger brother, senior sisters. Is it okay if he stays here?" Say what now? A kid on the court? Really? Do you want him to get flung into the hospital? "N-"

"Rookie! It's in the rules. A kid isn't aloud to be here whether it be a practice or a game." Jaiden scolds before I could. I stormed off before I could make an even bigger scene. I found myself walking along the halls wherever my feet would take me.

After 3 sets of doing nothing but enduring pain and hardwork, it has come to a match point. I felt like giving up but no, I simply can't. One more point then we'll win. It was my turn to serve. "Go Addy! Go!" I hear soft voice behind me. Elizabeth. Eli for short. She was someone I babysat all the time when her parents went away. Her mom was also cheering for me. She's like my little sister. I gave them a grin. I can't turn those cheers into waste, can't I?

An underserve. I'll aim for the weakest. Positioning my right hand and the ball came flying to their weakling. Their libero managed to cover it up and the ball directly went to their setter. She tossed the ball and their ace- The ace?! The ace were going to attack. Our blockers jump high as they could. The direction of the hit, how strong this gal is, and it looks like her aiming wasn't good at knowing where to hit.

"Eli! Wait! You can't go there!" I couldn't hear this of course. I was too engrossed in the game.

Their ace had finally hit and the ball came rushing in. Idiot! Just why did you have to aim there? My teammates were almost out of stamina and I can't just watch. As fast as I could, I rushed to other side of my court as I flung myself to return a receive. I rejoiced in my head as I quickly got up, ignoring the burning sensation in my ribs. A staggered breath came from the ground as I snapped out of my trance. Eli?!

Inaudible cries is only I could hear. What the fuck did I just do?! I fucking slammed myself into a child! Not some child, it was Elizabeth of all people! How dumbass blind could I even more be?

The game- Oh fuck the game. I couldn't care less about it. What did happen next? All I could hear was her cries haunting me for who knows how long.

Her small figure was laid out in the ground. There were a lot of bruises. Some even bleeding. The paramedics quickly came over and had put her into a stretcher.

"Addy, I hate you."

I found myself sitting in a deserted classroom as I completely let myself go. Ugh, pathetic. Crying like this in school. Fuck, calm down already.

No matter how much I say it, I couldn't seem to be better. A hand was already on my mouth as it kept my sobbing in a minimum. I swear the walls in this school are too thin.

I stood up still trying to muffle the noises I was making. The opening of the door was not helping.

Shit. I froze in my tracks, desperately wiping my tears away. Calm down, Addy. I had repeated once again and sure enough made my breathing almost back to normal.

"Addison? What are you doing here?" I know that voice like the back of my head. Ms. Evans. Why did I choose this classroom again? Oh wait, I came here to 'wherever my feet could take me.'

"Oh uhm." I was once again speechless under her presence, not because of my feelings earlier but it was because I struggled to make an excuse to why a student was inside of a teachers classroom after class hours.

"Its nothing. I thought I forgot something." Like that's believable. "It's not here. So it must be in the other classrooms, ahaha. I'll go check." I quickly walked passed her, not wanting her to see my possibly red and puffy face.

"Addison? Are you- Have you been crying?" Well, fuck.

"No? What makes you say that, Ms. Evans?" My voice was suddenly hoarse. I have to get out of here. She probably think I'm a cry baby if she knows.

"Its just-"

"I'm fine." I say all too quickly. I didn't want to be rude especially to a teacher but I couldn't take it anymore. I left her in the middle of her reasoning. How fucked could I even more be. Now, I was running into the restroom, splashing water on my irritated and red skin. I'm such an idiot.

My phone suddenly rang, interrupting my thoughts. "Hello?"

"Where are you? Are you okay? You left all of sudden. We still-" Jaiden panicks.

"Dude, chill. I'm in the washroom." I tried to keep my voice normal. I hate it when it suddenly cracks and my throat feels like shit after a breakdown.

"Yeah, uhm get back. Coach's gonna give you a detention slip if you don't get your ass back here."

"Why? Since when does he give detention slips? Isn't he like chill?"

"New recruits are obviously here so he's stepping up his game and sadly, we aren't an exemption."

"I'm coming, jeez."

"Ya sure you're alright? You could be excused y'know... if ya aren't feeling like yourself."

"I'm fine." What is this? Word of the day? I felt like I've said this for a millionth time. "You asked for me to come back there and now you want me gone? Ouch, Jaiden. It hurts right here in my meow-meow." I soothed as I laid a hand on my chest. I'm such a great actress.

A chuckle from her arose."I was worried, Di but I don't know.. You seem okay, I guess." Yeah, I'm fucking okay- heh. Another lie. Let's add that to the pile.

"Anyways, hang up and talk here. I need my bestie."

"Aye aye, madame." I did what I was told and finally dried off my face. I looked back at mirror again if I atleast looked decent and not some sick human who looked like they came from a hurricane.

I finally walked out of the washroom. I felt myself look back at Ms. Evans' classroom as I felt guilt built me up. Surely, she is still there. I have to apologize. Didn't want to sound that I wasn't raised without manners. The bipolar in me had to shake things up.

"Miss Browne?" I tensed as I found her not only in her classroom but standing at the door.

"Ms. Evans, hey! I'm terribly sorry for leaving you earlier. I needed to- "

"Addison Macey Browne! Coach needs you! C'mon!" Brook immediately spotted me and dragged me out before I could say another word. I shot her an apologetic smile. She shot me a compassionate one. Again, her smile made me forget a lot of things, a lot of bad memories. I'm blinded by this woman.

I shot out from my gaze and averted my attention to Brook, noticing she was dragging me by the armpit which is very close to my chest, might I add. I instantly got out of her touch.

"I can walk by myself, Brook." I whipped up a smile, hoping she won't see my uncomfortable-ness. Brook is a sweetheart and all but I'm not the type of person who gets touchy-touchy. I went ahead and opened up the gym doors.

"Browne!" Couch instantly spotted me. The rest got his attention so all eyes were on me.

"Yes, teach?" I casually, say. He handed me a detention slip... but why?

"Uhm, coach? A detention slip? What- why?" This is the meaning of confusion right now. Brook, Jaiden and the rest of my team were also shookt.

"I said to take five, not to skip the rest of practice." First of all, I was NOT skipping. I was taking my shit elsewhere. Second of all, since when does coach take this so seriously? Does these kids really make an impact on him? How and why-

I sighed and grabbed the slip. I guess it's back to all 'excuse letter'.

"It doesn't mean that you're the ace, you could skip." What's gotten into him? Did I do something wrong? What in the world is happening?

Jaiden slams her hand right at the back of my head.

"Bitch, that hurt!" I snarled under my breath, knowing there are alot of ears around. She giggled before pulling me under her arm.

"I told you shouldn't have taken that long or to get an excuse letter. Now you're going to detention."

"What? Like right now? Doesn't like detention starts at free period? It's practice right now though." Chloe speaks up behind me, squeezing my cheeks. What's up with everyone being a pain today- "Junior, get off me."

"Don't call me that! I'm only a grade lower than you."

"That still makes you a junior."

"Well, I don't call you guys, 'seniors'. That would make you guys sound like old women, now ain't it?"

"Yeah, whatever." I guess I have detention tomorrow. What does one even do in detention? Sit still and think about life? I'd rather not. Come to think of it, I think it's actually my first time to get one.

The whistle rang signaling us to get back to practice. Coach was focusing more on these children rather than on us. Still, I get the feeling he'll somehow get me into more trouble than I already am. I'll do a few spikes just to be sure.

"Felicia, wanna practice your sets with me?" I say. She's a setter and a year younger than I am. She's quite the quiet type but she does the job done. Her sets are spot on.

Our team is mainly handled by Jaiden. Since she is captain. Chloe is our libero. A few girls would pitch in and be our blockers. Usually, those consists of tall girls.

"Yow! Can I join too? I can receive your attacks if you want?" Chloe asks, now poking the sides of Felicia.

"Chloe, get off me." I chuckled. See? I can't be the only one who thinks that girl is annoying.

"You guys are literally the same person. Felicia gets to be the number one grumpy-pants when Addy graduates. Boohoo." Felicia smacks her with the ball. Heh, this girl gets me.

"Aye! I wasn't ready for that one!"

"Just go into position already, jeez."

-

"Addy! Look, look! I drew a picture of you, mama, papa, aunty and uncle! " A giggling munchkin hands me a drawing. I chuckled.

"Oh? But where is Eli?"

"I'm here! I'm next to you." She points at a small stickman that resembles her. Her hair being short with cute bangs here and there. Next to her was me, holding a volleyball.

"When I grow up, I want to be just like you. I'm going to be the team's ace!" She jumps around, spiking nothing in thin air. "And I'm going to beat you!" Her eyes sparkled, getting too pumped up.

"Well, I'll be waiting then!" I scooped her in my arms, tickling her. "No one can beat the ace!" Our laughter surrounds the room. "I can! and I will! I just have to practice." She says in between laughs. The rest of the afternoon was filled with fun and laughter.

"Addy?"

"Yes, munchkin?"

"You're the best!"

"Hello?? Earth to Maceyyy." Jaiden decided to flick my forehead.

"Ew. Don't call me that. Also could you stop? I swear you and Chloe are like long lost sisters or something." I mumbled, wanting to forget that memory. Practice was already over and Jaiden insisted to come over.

"Oh, maybe we are! Anyways, you've been stairing at the ceiling for way too long. C'mon, I'ma give my bestie a hug."

"Nah, you're sweaty." She scooches over me and wraps her arms around me anyway.

She knows... She knows everything. She was with me since the beginning. She doesn't say anything about it but she knows what to do and for that, I'm grateful.

I felt myself sheding tears. "I'll be fine." I gasped out, getting out her embrace. She gives me one last concerning look before dashing downstairs, leaving me to my own thoughts again. She quickly got up with a bunch of snacks and drinks in hands. "Sleepover?"

"Sure."