Black & White [Jeremiah Fisher]

twenty-five

ROWAN

The tournament is today and I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. Though I have touched a volleyball only a few times this summer, I know I'm nearly not as confident as I would be if I had practiced all summer.

The thing is, I'm not sure if I'm nervous more about the game or if I'm nervous about the thought of making a fool out of myself in front of Jeremiah. Elena has been hyping up my playing skills to him any chance she has gotten which makes this day ten times more nerve-racking.

Sometimes I wish I was more like her in the aspect of going into each game feeling confident. She never appears nervous and is always ready for any game.

Thank gosh she's on my team, because I don't know what I'd do without her. I can wholeheartedly say she makes me a better player.

Plus, I'm happy I'm not playing with Belly because she is fucking feisty today. She is all game because of the charity she picked to raise money for.

Susannah's charity.

As badly as I want Elena and I to win, I want the money to go to Susannah's charity the most.

Last night, I fell asleep in Jeremiah's room. It really wasn't by choice either. I didn't realize how exhausted I was until my eyelids felt like bricks halfway through the movie. Jeremiah didn't wake me up though and this morning he claimed he fell asleep shortly after I did.

He said I looked too peaceful to wake up and let me say, that pulled on my heartstrings.

I don't think I'll ever get used to this feeling. The feeling of pure happiness.

But today I need to shake away all my happy jitters and put on my game face as well because damn, I'm playing volleyball this summer and I can't fucking wait.

****

Elena and I tag behind Belly and Taylor to check in. Though Belly meant complete business, Taylor was chirpier than ever.

"We are totally going to whoop your asses." She says seriously but with a bright smile on her face. The three of us have been 'jokingly' smack-talking each other this entire time while Belly continually told us to shut up and be serious.

As bad as I want to call her a buzz kill, I don't. I understand that this tournament means so much to her.

"I'm totally going to drill the ball into your head, Taylor." Elena snaps back, glaring at Taylor for a total of three seconds before losing it.

I start giggling as well and Taylor joins in, slapping Elena's arm gently.

Just as Taylor is about to open her mouth once more, Belly turns around with a pen in her hands, giving us a deadly stare.

"Will you guys, please, just shut up for one second?" Her nostrils flare before turning back around to the check-in sheet.

Taylor, Elena, and I all give each other a look, trying our best to hold in our laughs.

Once Belly is done checking her and Taylor in, I take the pen from her and check Elena and me in. As I'm writing down our names, I feel my sides being jabbed into, causing me to screech and accidentally extend the 'a' in Elena's name halfway across the page.

I don't even need to turn around because I hear a familiar laugh.

"Jeremiah!" I say his name with a whine, turning around to just see him grinning ear to ear.

"Jeez, I didn't think you'd freak out that bad," he glances over my shoulder looking at the check-in sheet. "Wow, I didn't know you wrote your 'A's' like that." He jokes and I push him slightly.