Eighteen year old Daisy Phillips is the volleyball captain of Greenville High School in Bettendorf Iowa. Daisy isn't the most attractive girl at Greenville High, most of the boys at her school go for the girls with skinny figures, painted on skinny...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I had sweat dripping down my back and forehead, I swear they never turn on the AC in the gym. The whistle blew and I pushed off my back foot. I launched myself and touched the first line on the gym floor before making a sharp one eighty and launching myself back to the baseline. No one liked suicides but we all knew that they would help strengthen our ability to move quick. My heart was hammering inside my rib cage as I pushed myself to finish the last stretch. The rest of Greenville High's volleyball team behind me. The sounds of heavy breathing and squeaking tennis shoes filled the gym.
I ran from one baseline to the other as quick as I could. I held my hands out as I came into contact with the cold wall. I used the wall as support, my legs felt like Jell-O. I was exhausted and needed water desperately. Coach's whistle blew again.
"Looking good ladies! You'll be in perfect shape for the game on Friday. Take five and get some water." Our coach, Coach Jules, smiled as she walked over to the bench and looked over her clipboard. The team and I made our way to the several water jugs on the other side of the gym and chugged our water bottles.
"Can anyone else feel their legs?" Ava asked slightly out of breath. The response was a bunch of heads shaking side to side. "It doesn't matter how much we do those, I will never get used to running suicides."
"Is coach trying to kill us?" Isabel thought out loud before take another sip from her water. She unscrewed the cap and used the water jug to fill it back up.
"As believable as that is, the answer would be no." I replied as I sat on the ground and extended one leg out while crossing my other leg over. With my knee sticking up I pressed my elbow on the backside of my knee and pushed it away from my body. "We're still slightly rusty since last season, she just wants us the be prepared before Friday."
"Look at Daisy already fulfilling her captain position!" Lynn shouted for everyone to hear. I felt heat in my cheeks as I rolled my eyes and laughed it off with the rest of the team. When the whistle sounded we made our way back onto the court. Ava came over and bumped my shoulder with hers.
"Hey, how are you feeling with the whole captain thing?"
I shrugged. "It's going to take some getting used to. I've watch Rory for the past four years as captain and I still don't get how good he is at it. I just hope I don't mess up in the middle of a game." Flashbacks started to flash through my mind, I shivered. Ava snorted next to me.
"D, don't stress about it. You're going to be a great captain." I let out a sigh and nodded. We got into our positions as our coaches stood on the other side of the net. Her whistle screamed and that's when the ball flew over the net.
***
After practice had ended and saying goodbye to the team I headed to the ice rink. Even though my brother is older by three minutes, our parents trust me more than him. They got me a car two years ago for my sixteenth birthday and I've loved the freedom that comes with it. But sadly that means I'm the one who has to pick him up from hockey practice.
