The gym was bustling with excitement as the students filled the bleachers while waiting for the Volleyball Tournament that served half of their grades in PE class. Each class hung their own flags with their section names, and practiced their cheers. The PE teacher stood at the center of the court with a clipboard in hand, calling all of the class presidents to gather around him.
"Alright, everyone, listen up!" The teacher shouted, silencing all the chatter. "The volleyball tournament will be divided into male and female categories. All of you will be playing against other classes in a single-elimination format. Since this activity is half of your grades, I expect all of you to pour your hearts into the game. I want to see good sportsmanship out there!"
The classes then divided into two lines, one for the boys and one for the girls. Hanaria stood among her female classmates, fidgeting nervously. She's been looking forward to this tournament since it was announced, hoping that she'd be able to have fun with the other girls for once.
"Hanaria!" The teacher called out to her, cutting her train of thought. After seeing the boy's line up, she had a good guess where that conversation was going.
"Yes, sir?" She asked,
"I'm moving you to the male category for this tournament." The teacher said as Hanaria let out an audible groan.
"But why? I'm a girl, can't I stay with the girls just this once?" She pleaded.
The teacher looked at her with an apologetic smile, "Of course you are Hanaria. But the girls in the other class requested the change. They think it'd be.. a better match for everyone."
The other girls looked at her with guilty expressions. "Dang it, we could've gotten a sure win with this one!" Sheila sighed, as the other girls shared the same sentiments, walking towards Hanaria.
The class president then patted her in the back, "Don't worry about us Hanaria, we'll beat the other classes with or without you." She chuckled, "The boys would need your help more, show them who's boss!"
"The other girls were probably just too scared to get served." One of her classmates teased lightly.
"We'll be cheering you on from the sidelines, Hanaria!" Another classmate said encouragingly.
Hanaria's face lit up, she looked at the other girls, then their class president, "Thanks Judy, thank you everyone for your support. I'll do my best and win for our class." She smiled.
The class then cheered, exchanging encouraging words for Hanaria. Though she wasn't part of their team, she felt like she was still one of the girls.
Sheila gave her a reassuring smile, because even she couldn't deny the fact that Hanaria's skills and strength was beyond that of an average female player.
Hanaria then grabbed her jacket and headed to the boy's team. Even through the encouraging smiles, she still wished to have played with the other girls. Furthermore, her heart sank when she noticed Alexis on the other side, stretching with his teammates..
"Great... just great.." she muttered to herself.
After a few quick warm-up exercises, the tournament had begun. The first games passed so quickly in a blur or blocks, spikes, and dives. Despite her initial irritation, Hanaria's competitive side took over, feeling the adrenaline rush of the match.
That was until her class was matched against Alexis's.
Her stomach churned as their teams lined up on opposite sides of the net. She avoided looking at him, and yet she could still feel his presence. There was something about Alexis's cold and calm demeanor that never fails to unnerve her. She didn't know why exactly–maybe it's because they seem to have been crossing paths a lot recently, or maybe their consistent clashes. Whatever the reason, there would always be a strange tension between them.
