In between- Spoke x oc!Fem

XIV

The third day of the tournament dawned with a sense of calm. Unlike the previous day, where the stakes had been high and the tension even higher, today felt almost relaxed. We had only one game on the schedule, an early match at 9 AM, and it was against a team that, while respectable, wasn't nearly as tough as our previous opponents.

I woke up feeling refreshed, the excitement from yesterday's victory still coursing through me. As I got ready, I couldn't help but replay the events of the day before in my mind—the intense matches, the thrill of coming back from a two-set deficit, and the satisfaction of clinching the win with that final quick attack. And, of course, the time I'd spent with James afterward. The thought of him made me smile as I pulled on my jersey and laced up my sneakers.

The team met downstairs for breakfast, and the atmosphere was noticeably lighter. We were in high spirits, our confidence bolstered by our recent victories. Even though today's game was important—every game in a tournament was—we were all aware that the real challenge lay ahead in the semifinals tomorrow.

As we walked to the gym, I popped in my AirPods and turned on my playlist, letting the rhythmic beats of Brazilian funk energize me. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a warm glow over the city, and I felt a sense of peace. It was one of those perfect moments where everything seemed to align, and I was grateful for it.

We arrived at the gym and went through our usual warm-up routine, but the intensity was dialled back a notch. The team we were up against played well, but it was clear from the start that we were the stronger side. We won the first set 25-15, the second 25-12, and the third 25-14. It was a clean sweep, and the game was over in just under an hour.

We huddled together for a quick team cheer, but the celebration was muted. We knew we had a bigger challenge ahead, and our minds were already drifting toward the semifinals. After a brief pep talk from Coach, we gathered our things and headed back to the hotel. I was looking forward to the rest of the day—Coach had promised us some free time after the game, and I had plans that I was excited about.

As we made our way back to the hotel, Coach gathered us in the lobby. "Great job today, ladies. You played well and stayed focused. Now, I know you're all eager to relax and enjoy the day, so I'm giving you the afternoon off. You're free to explore the city, but remember, I expect everyone back at the hotel by 11 PM sharp. We've got a big game tomorrow, so rest up and be ready."

Cheers went up from the team, and I felt a surge of excitement. I immediately thought of James—no, Spoke—and our conversation from yesterday. He had mentioned that our mutual friend, Mapicc, was flying in today, and they were planning to stream together at James's place. He'd invited me to join them, and now that I had the time, I was definitely interested.

As soon as we were dismissed, I pulled out my phone and shot him a text.

Avery:

Hey!

So we're done with our game, and Coach just gave us the rest of the day off. I'm free to hang out if the offer's still open!

It didn't take long for my phone to buzz with his reply.

Spoke:

That's awesome!

Yeah, the offer's still on.

Mapicc just landed, and we're heading to my place now.

You can come over whenever you're ready.

I'll send you the address.

I felt a flutter of excitement as I read his message. This was going to be fun, and I was curious to see what James's life was like outside of school and volleyball. Plus, meeting Mapicc in person was a big deal. We'd all been friends online for a while now, but this was the first time we were all going to be in the same room.