Third Strike Rule

Trojan Horse

Viviana nervously paced in front of her locker at the Galen Center. It was the opening game for the Women of Troy and the volleyball team was taking on the current national champions the University of Wisconsin Badgers at USC campus. The game would have been huge regardless of who was playing but adding Viviana Yelich into it made the game a hundred times more exciting.

Christian had made the short trip from Westlake Village to watch their daughter play indoor volleyball for the first time in seven years. Kat had taken the weekend off from coaching the US Women's National Volleyball Team to see her daughter play her alma matter. CJ, Zana and McCoy had flown out for the weekend and would also be attending the celebratory tailgate for USC's first football game the next day. Baker and Kathryn had flown out to see their goddaughter in what would be top five games in her life. To Viv's surprise Cy and Cody had also decided to come. Having all these people here made her anxiety that much more apparent.

Viv hopped up an down a few times before heading out to the court with her teammates. She let the music block out her thoughts as she stretched and took a few practice swings and serves. Play indoor volleyball had been a much needed change. She had been against playing indoor because she hated being compared to her mom. She wanted to be the best in her own sport and after completing that goal it was time to be just as good as her mom.

The Yelich, Baker and Bellinger families sat front row opposite from the benches. She waved at her family and then to everyone else. The smile on her face dropped as she watched Nolan quietly take a seat between Cy and Cody.

Why the fuck was he here?

It had been two weeks since Viv and Nolan had hate filled break up sex that also resulted in Viv cheating on Cy. She hadn't had the capacity to even process what had happened that night and she wasn't sure that she wanted to acknowledge it. As always the sex had been great and satisfied her, but that was just because it was Nolan. In order to avoid telling Cy, which she knew she was going to have to at some point Viv had to tell him the awful thing she had done. She didn't want to talk to Cy because he would break up with her but she was so confused on where her and Nolan stood after their time in the sheets.

A whistle pulled Viv out of her distracting thoughts and back to reality. She had a game to win and then she would deal with her boy issues. Viv took her spot on the back line. Somehow despite the injuries, physical therapy and long days of learning new skills Viv had managed to secure a spot in the starting lineup and as an outside hitter no less.

'You Right' by Doja Cat and The Weeknd came on over the loud speaker. Viv stepped forward and waved as she was announced.

"Starting in the outside standing at 6'2" is number 27, Viviana Yelich-Bledsoe!"

Viv's head shot up hearing Bledsoe added to her named. She was a Yelich and never had her mother's name. She quickly looked at her parents who were either completely unfazed or were really good at hiding it. Judging by Zana and CJ's exciting yelling this was planned by her family to bring more hype to the game. Volleyball just wasn't volleyball without a Bledsoe...

The rest of the time was announced and Viv took her spot as Sydney, the setter, and Carson, the middle, went for the captains meeting and coin toss. USC got the first serve. Sydney went to the line and served the ball over the net. The libero got the float serve up and the Wisconsin setter executed a great back set, but Viviana was all over it and managed to get a solo block. Exactly what she needed to have a great game.

Each point in the first two sets was a battle for USC and they had barely won them. The first set went 27-25 to USC and the second set when 30-28 to USC. It was not easy the girls on the Wisconsin team were really fucking good. Viv had no idea how Zana had ever managed to play let alone start on that team. The good thing was Viv's back had been holding up great despite her moving back to 75% on power.