MAVIS - walker scobell

CH8 "enough"

The school gym was dim, lit only by a row of overhead lights that cast long shadows across the court. Mavis dropped her bag near the bleachers, taking a deep breath and absorbing the quiet, almost reverent stillness. Just as she bent to grab her knee pads, she spotted Octavia and two other teammates gathering their things by the exit.

"Hey, Mav!" Octavia greeted her with a wide grin. "Late practice again, huh?"

"Yeah, have to," Mavis replied with a small smile, pulling her hair back into a messy bun. "Gotta get ready you know."

The two other girls nodded, looking a little exhausted but buzzing with excitement. "I can't believe Nationals are almost here," Maria said, practically bouncing.

"And that it's, like, the end of school soon. Crazy."
"Tell me about it," Octavia agreed. "But hey, Mavis. We're gonna do good." She says, feeling her friends frustration.

"Hopefully." Mavis gave them a quick, appreciative nod. "Take care."
With a final wave, her teammates headed out, leaving Mavis alone with the echo of their footsteps fading down the hall.

She slipped on her knee pads, focused on the task ahead, and began her warm-up, passing the ball back and forth to herself against the wall. She moved through drills she could probably do in her sleep by now, every bounce of the ball steadying her focus.

What she didn't realize was that someone was watching. Walker stood leaning against the gym door, his hands in his pockets, observing her in silence.

He'd figured she'd be here, using the quiet hours to squeeze in a last-minute practice. He also has her Snapchat location...

His gaze softened as he took her in—the fierce focus in her expression, the way she moved across the court, sharp and controlled. He couldn't help but feel a strange, deep admiration.

Mavis was different; she made him feel different too, in ways he couldn't quite explain to anyone else. Finally, he cleared his throat. "You know, I'm starting to think volleyball is just an excuse to avoid me."

Mavis turned, startled, but when she saw him, her initial surprise melted into a knowing smirk. "Walker." She sounded half-exasperated, half-amused. "You stalking me again?"

He raised his hands in mock defense, grinning. "Don't flatter yourself. I just happened to be in around."
She rolled her eyes but her expression softened, a hint of a smile breaking through. "Well, if you're here, make yourself useful. Come play."

A playful spark lit in his eyes. "You sure you can handle it?" He says sarcastically.

"Cmon," she challenged, tossing him the ball. They spent the next few minutes passing the ball back and forth, laughter echoing through the empty gym. Walker was terrible, stumbling over his feet and missing nearly every pass, which only made Mavis laugh harder.

"Fucking terrible," she teased, shaking her head. "You're hopeless."
"Shut up, I'm used to sword-fighting monsters, not volleyballs," Walker shot back, feigning offense.

"Percy never had to do this." Mavis chuckled, leaning on her knees to catch her breath. "Speaking of Percy Jackson," she said, looking up at him, "what's it actually like, being on set? It must be crazy."

He shrugged, but there was a hint of pride in his eyes. "It is, yeah. Intense, in a good way. They put me through a lot of training, more than I expected. And it's flattering having people treat you like, you know, you're someone important."

He paused, glancing at her. "Kind of like Nationals for you, I guess."

"Yeah, sort of," Mavis murmured. "Except I'm still stuck on the same court, same small school."

"But you're so good, Mavis," he said, his tone suddenly serious. "I see how hard you work. And if I can see it, others will too."

They shared a quiet look, the unspoken weight of his words settling in the space between them. For a moment, Mavis felt her walls slip, the ones she'd been so carefully holding up.

"Alright," she said, breaking the silence with a soft smile. "Enough of this serious talk. Let's go, pack up."

He helped her gather her things, and they headed out of the gym together. Outside, the night air was cool, and their footsteps echoed softly in the stillness. They walked without speaking for a bit, letting the comfortable silence settle over them.

As they passed a small bench under a streetlamp, Walker slowed down."Let's sit for a minute," he suggested. Mavis raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. She sank down on the bench, and he took the spot beside her, both of them leaning back and looking up at the stars dotting the sky.

After a pause, Walker looked over at her. "I don't know how you do it," he said quietly. "All this pressure, Nationals coming up, and somehow you just... keep going."

She shrugged, staring at her hands. "Sometimes I wonder too. It's like, no matter how hard I work, it never feels enough."

Walker's gaze softened, and he reached out, placing his hand over hers. "You do just enough." She looked up, meeting his eyes. The world seemed to fade, the usual rush of thoughts falling silent as they sat there, closer than they'd ever been.

She felt his hand tighten around hers, his thumb brushing against her skin.Without thinking, she leaned in, and Walker closed the distance, his lips meeting hers in a soft, tentative kiss.

It was gentle, almost shy, as if they were both afraid to break the moment. But then, as if a switch had flipped, the kiss deepened, a warmth spreading through her that made her feel grounded yet somehow lighter all at once.