Volleyball

Chapter Thirty

I dropped Valerie at her home and Kim wanted to play in Claire's house so Valerie and I went with Kim to check if Claire was home and she was. Claire let Kim play in her house while I visited Valerie's parents.

   "I think I'm going to tell your parents, Val," I said in the doorstep of her house.

   "What?" She sounded surprised.

   "They have rights to know," I said, stressing in each word like Valerie wouldn't understand. "They have to know after all. I'm your boyfriend. They need to know the background of their daughter's boyfriend. If I don't and they are the ones who find out, I'm dead. We're dead. They're going to think I'm a bad person just like my dad was."

   She bowed her head down to think. I let her have a few minutes to clear her mind. She'd been with me everywhere and she must have had a lot in her mind. A sigh escaped her mouth.

   "All right," she said. "I'm with you wherever you go." My girl, Valerie.

   I smiled widely, kissed her soft lips, and grabbed her hand. She walked inside her house and called out for her parents. There were so much to do before the big final event. I was sure after all of this ended, I would breathe satisfyingly. Damn it. No. What about final tests? It didn't end. By it, I meant my pain.

   Her parents were both here, her mom and dad, they came down and had me and Valerie sat on the couch in the living room with the TV on. Spongebob. Her dad wished me luck for the game and her mom said they would come to watch and support me. Then, they asked if my dad or mom was going to come or not.

   "Um," I said. "Actually, right now my dad is behind the bars."

   Patrick's laughter filled the room and quickly Valerie snatched the remote from the table and turned it off, leaving a silent filling the room. I saw her dad's expression changed, from happy to shocked.

   "B- Behind the bars? In jail?" Mrs. Matthews said.

   "Yeah," I said. "He's arrested because of illegal drugs. Two months ago, I ran away from house with Kim and rented my own house. Yesterday when I was training, a few cops came to me and told me that. I broke down. I couldn't handle it well. So, I asked Valerie to stay over and she helped a lot. This morning, I visited him."

   "Oh, my God. Ben," her mom said. "You should've told us sooner."

   "I know but I don't think it's important because he was just fine," I said.

   "How long, son?" her dad asked.

   "Four years."

   "Are you going to be okay?" he asked again.

   "Yeah, I am," I said. "I'm okay and I will be okay."

I went home and had dinner with Kim before heading to school. I bet on my volleyball's uniform, my school would be so crowded and there would be no parking area left for anyone who came late. Crowded with all the decorations, colorful banners with my name and my teammates' on it. It was wonderful and it really helped to boost my energy. 

   Valerie and her family would come earlier than any other supporters. It started at 7 and I surely got there at 6. So, after having dinner, I relaxed myself and my body by reading Looking For Alaska. I hadn't given it back to Valerie. But I couldn't keep myself together and the nervous feelings kept haunting me and the book didn't really help out. So I called Kim and we went straight to my school.

   "How are you feeling?" asked Kim in the car.

   "Completely nervous."

   "You will win this," she said. Her tone was convincing but I know it was only meant to be as an assuring line. "Just like Dad said. You will win everything because you can. And you are able to do it."