The In-Between

✎ Chapter 4

I buried my knees into the sand, knocking the volleyball up and over the net, effortlessly. Beating yet another counselor. From the sidelines, the Blue Birds and Maeve's group clapped and cheered, their excitement palpable. I high-fived my teammate Maeve as we executed our signature handshake, a series of quick slaps and silly moves that always drew laughter from the crowd.

"Four-time volleyball counselor competition winner," I declared, puffing my chest out. "About to be five. No big deal."

The cheering grew louder, and I felt a rush of adrenaline as Mr. Jones picked up the megaphone, his voice booming across the court. "Was that all the counselors?" He scanned the field, searching for challengers. "Well, then you all know that means—"

"I'll play." Callix stood up from his spot against a tree, casually brushing sand off his arms as he stepped onto the court. The way he carried himself radiated confidence, and I couldn't help but feel a flicker of excitement and nervousness at the same time.

"Whose your teammate?" Mr. Jones asked, glancing around for volunteers.

"Kace." Callix turned his head slightly, catching Kace's eye. Kace hesitated for a moment, then nodded, getting up from where he had been sitting and joining Callix on the court.

I could feel the tension building in the crowd; the Blue Birds were buzzing with excitement. Maeve clapped her hands, whispering to me, "We've got this, Riri. Just treat it like any other game."

"Right" I shot back with a grin, nodding toward Callix and Kace, who were warming up, exchanging quick volleys, although I was half expecting one of them to knock it into the other's face.

As the game began, I positioned myself at the net, with Maeve behind me, ready to defend against serves. The first serve came flying at me, but I handled it easily, sending it back with precision. We rallied back and forth, the ball soaring high and low, with each hit echoing across the sandy court.

But then Callix stepped up. His posture shifted as he prepared for his serve, a determined glint in his eyes. He launched the ball with impressive speed, and I scrambled to intercept it. It came at me fast, but I miscalculated and missed the ball entirely.

"Nice try!" Callix called out, a smirk creeping across his face. The crowd erupted in laughter, and I could feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"That's alright." Maeve assured me, tapping my shoulder as I tried to shake off the blunder. "I should've got that."

The game continued, and we managed to score a few points. But Callix and Kace were in sync as they did plays that left me scrambling. Kace set Callix up perfectly for a spike, and he launched the ball over the net with such power that it slammed into the sand on my side, sending up a shower of grains.

"Game point!" Mr. Jones shouted, and I felt the pressure growing.

"Focus!" Maeve encouraged mes, and I took a deep breath, trying to shake off my nerves. I nodded, determined to turn the tide.

The serve came again, and this time I anticipated it better, managing to send the ball back with more force. But Kace, quick on his feet, intercepted and sent it soaring to Callix. He struck it down hard, and despite our best efforts, we couldn't reach it in time.

"Point for the counselors!" Mr. Jones announced, the crowd erupting in cheers for Callix and Kace.

As the game ended, I fell to my knees in the sand, laughing despite my defeat. "Alright, you suprised me" I shook my head, taking a swig out of my waterbottle. "Didn't think you'd know how to play."

Callix shrugged, grabbing my arm and pulling me off the sand. "I dabble in a couple sports."

Maeve came running over, her energy infectious. "Good game, guys!" she exclaimed, offering a playful salute to Callix and Kace.