How To Say "I Love You"

Chapter 13: One Day Turns Into I Play For Them- Indi.

Over the last six months, my one and only season in the A grade with the Towners paid off. Here I was, at home, waiting anxiously for the call. The call to say a Suncorp club wanted to sign me. Sienna had been signed to the Vixens not even three days ago. I was waiting for my call to action. My time to realise I'd hit the big time. I was shooting nets in the backyard when the deck door opened and Tanner came out from where he'd been playing COD with Zane in the lounge room. 'Bri, your phone's ringing. It's an unknown number but it says it's from Melbourne so it could be the Vixens recruiters,' he said. I ran inside and picked up the phone, shutting the door to the office behind me. 'Hey, this is Indi Duursma,' I said. The voice on the other end was a familiar one. Lizzie MacCormack, the Vixens Head of Club. 'Hello, Indi. It's Lizzie MacCormack. How're you?' she asked. I could barely breath.

'Good, yourself?' I replied.

'I'm good, thank you. I was just letting you know that the club has discussed it, and we'd like to offer you a three-year contract with the usual salary cap. You can discuss it with family if you wish, or you can come into the club right now and sign the papers.' she said. I wanted to scream.

'Oh my lord, thank you so much! Yes, of course! I'll be there as soon as I can!' I replied.

'Great. See you soon. Bye,' Lizzie hung up. I sat there for a moment, contemplating what just happened. Then I stood up and walked back into the lounge. 'Where're you goin'?' Zane asked. I grinned at him.

'Into Melbourne. Gotta sign some important papers,' I winked. Zane and Tanner looked at each other. I kid you not, Tanner jumped over the back of the couch and ran to me. 'You didn't?' he asked. I nodded.

'Guess you'll be going to Vixens games now,' I replied. He grinned, picking me up and spinning me round in a circle. Zane ran around the couch, flying into me and wrapping his arms around me. 'Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Melbourne Vixens' newest player, Indiana Duursma!' he said in a voice no different to Brian Taylor. Tanner cracked up. 'Righto, BT, step back,' he laughed, hugging me, pushing Zane out of the way. I couldn't stop smiling. 10-year-old Indi would be proud.

I was eighteen. Officially. I was laying in bed, staring up at my ceiling. Sienna or Tanner, or both, would be here any second. I was about to open Snapchat to see what embarrassing photo of me they'd posted on their stories, when my phone was plucked from my grasp. 'You don't wanna see that,' Tanner said, flopping down on the bed beside me. 'If you don't want me to then I definitely want to,' I replied. He grinned. 'Happy Birthday, Bri,' he said, pressing his lips to mine. I smiled back.

'Thanks. What's better is it's a Friday, so we don't have Vixens training,' I said, watching the window, which was currently being opened, before Sienna climbed through, grinning. 'Happy Birthday,-Damn it, he got here before me!' she said. I laughed.

'He stayed over last night with Zane, remember? You went home after training and when Tanner came to get his stuff you were asleep,' I told her, and she shrugged, remembering.

'Anyway, Happy Birthday,' she said, giving me a hug. She was hopeful about something.

'Yes, we'll go downstairs and get waffles,' I promised her, grabbing my phone from where it laid next to Tanner and opened the door, sliding down the hallway on my socks; no matter how old you are you gotta do it- and sliding the stair rail. The kitchen was quiet, but the waffle maker was on. I opened the fridge and pulled out the iced coffee. I felt a hand on my back. 'You can't scare me, Zay,' I turned around. He grinned.

'Happy 18th, bubs,' he said, giving me a hug. I grinned.

'Me being 18 means you're officially old,' I joked. He play punched my arm.

'Shut up.' He said. I grinned.

'Tann, Cee, you reckon we should let the old man party tonight or let him sleep?' I asked. Zane picked me up before they had time to reply, carrying me to the couch and dumping me there. 'I'M NOT AN OLD MAN!' he stated loudly. Mum emerged from her bedroom. 'Four kids in my kitchen. No wonder its so bloody loud,' she said, grinning. 'Happy Birthday, beautiful,' she hugged me. I smiled.

'Thanks. Where's Dad?' I asked. She winked at the three behind me.

'Outside,' she said as a car pulled up in the driveway, a new Everest I hadn't seen before, stamped with green P-plates in the windscreen. It was a charcoal grey. Dad opened the front door, holding Ford keys with an assortment of AFL team logo keychains, mixed with netball chains and a sparkling navy-blue IB. 'Happy 18th, Indi B,' he said, using the nickname he'd called me since I was 2. I covered my mouth with my hand. The Evy was mine. 'No fucking way,' I said, taking the keys when he held them out to me. When I got closer, I recognized the number plate. DUURSMA003, to match Tanner's BRUHN004. The car matched Tanner's nearly perfectly- his Ranger was charcoal too. That's when I realized I hadn't seen Yas. I was about to ask when she walked out from behind the car, holding a letter. She held it out to me with a, 'Happy Birthday from me and the Vixens,'. The letter read,

Dear Indiana,

We are proud to inform you that over your first debuting games for the Melbourne Vixens, you have been offered, along with Sienna Bruhn from your respective team, to play for the Australian Diamonds. Details have been forwarded by email.

Regards,

Amanda Corcoran- CEO Netball Australia.

I felt my jaw drop. My dream had just come true. Then, right then and there, I cried.

A/N- btw indi balances year 12 (senior year in america) with vixens training and games