A Volleyball Story

Chapter 35

"There is no glory in practice, but without practice, there is no glory.."

-Unkown

Noah. 

"Mom?" I questioned. I think I saw her mop of curly brown hair, freckles on her face and a wide smile on her face. Though when I looked more at her, her hand was holding another person's hand. That must be Mark. 

"Noah!" I finally heard mom yell as she gave me a huge, tight hug. 

"I've missed you mom." I told her, and truthfully, I really did miss her. 

"I missed you too sweetie. Oh! Noah, this is Mark, the guy I've been seeing, Mark honey, this is my son Noah." she said introducing us. I took a good look at him. He had dark brown hair, blue eyes, was pretty tall and built as if he still worked out. 

He smiled at me, "Noah, you're mom won't stop talking about you. But I'm finally glad to meet you." he smiled taking my hand and then took me in a hug.

"You too Mark."

"Where's that sweet Jessica of yours?" Mom asked smiling. 

"Mooooom." I groaned. 

"Oh don't tease the poor boy." Mark said. 

"Well I have to put the lovely voice with her face. I bet she's a darling." she kept on going on. 

"Mom." I groaned once more. 

"Okay, okay, sorry." she still smiled. As much as she was embarassing me talking about Jess, I could never be mad at her, I've missed her too much to do so. 

After awhile of talking, it was time to go to the gym and start warming up before we play coach Tim's team. 

"Alright guys! I want you to pair up, and do your warm ups, to get your muscles all stretched out." coach said as I see Corey making his way to me. 

"Your my partner." he told me. Wow, he actually wanted to be my partner, that was kinda a surprise to me. 

"Alright." I told him as we made our way on the court to start peppering.

"Oh I told my parents that Jess had a thing with a guy here at camp, so be ready when they hound you down." he said passing the ball to me. 

"Great." I said looking terrified. I can't handle if her parents yell and hate me for liking their daughter. I'm too afraid for that. 

"Don't worry, I got your back." he smiled at me. With his new attitude towards everyone, I'm still not used to it, but I like this side of him better than the jerk he was. 

"I'm not used to being nice to me." I truthfully told him. 

"I know, sorry about being an ass, still trying to be nicer."

"Well you sure are making a difference." 

"Thanks." 

And with that we peppered for ten more minutes before parents started to spew in. 

"No pressure or anything, but Jess is going to watch us play." Corey finally spoke up. After looking in the direction he was looking at, I saw Jess and she smiled, waving at me so I waved back. But after waving I could see her dad saying a few words to her with a scowl on his face. Shit, I really hope I'm not getting her in trouble, or me let alone! 

"I'm going to die, you sure your dad won't kill me?" I asked him. 

"You just have to relax." he said putting an arm around me as coach called for us to huddle in. 

 "Alright, all I want you guys to do today is to be a family, be brothers. I don't care if we win or lose, but how you all act together. That's what I'm paying attention to the most. But since your families are here, I'm sure you want to play great as well."

"Team on three!" Keith said. 

"Team!" we all yelled as we all went to the back line, lining up before the reff told us to say good luck to the other team. 

Once the reff blew the whistle, we shook hands with the other team and then huddled in the middle of our side of the court.

We ended up winning that game which meant we were still on the pool. I really wanted us to win this tournament, especially when all our parents were here watching us. I had to make mom proud, and show Mark that even though people say that volleyball is a "women's sport", I was still pretty athletic. 

"Noah sweetie!" mom yelled once I got to her and Mark. "You played so well and improved so much! I'm proud of you!" she hugged me. 

"Thanks mom, means a lot to me."

"You played great kid." Mark said patting my back, as if I was his real son, proud of me for playing so great. 

"Thanks Mark." I smiled at him. 

"You had a few great hits in, espcially that one dive you took towards the end. Pretty good." he said as if he knew more of the sport. "I played when I was your age." he said as if he knew I was questioning why he knew so much. 

"Really?" He played volleyball? 

"Yeah. I even played in college, but senior year, I got in a bad car accident and messed up my knee real bad, haven't really been able to play since, but I still try to stay involved with it." he smiled at me. 

After he said that, I knew that Mark and I would get along great. I mean, we volleyballers have to stick together, right? 

A few minutes of random talk, I feel hands cover my eyes and hear, "Guess who?" in a voice that tried to sound like a man but I knew it was Jess. 

"Hey Jess." I smiled uncovering her hands while still holding one of them. 

"So you're Jessica!?" mom said overly excited. 

"Yes!" she smiled. "You must be Gina, and you Mark." she said remembering the call the other day about mom telling us about him. 

"So you're the Jessica that our Noah's been talking about." Mark smiled. But I couldn't help but smile when he said our Noah. Our. 

"All good things I hope." she laughed. 

"All good sweetie." mom said smiling. 

I couldn't help but feel content, happy, and so excited. Never before have I seen my mom so happy as she is now, with Mark. And already I can tell that he loves mom so much, and I can't help but ready to call him a part of our little family. Then there is Jessica. Oh sweet, sweet Jess. It's as if even though my life hasn't been the best before or the brightest, but everything is led up to this moment in time; this moment which I wish I could live in forever...

Here's the next chapter in Noah's POV! How was that? Did I do a good job? And what do you think of Mark? 

The more I think about it, this story is going to be realllllllllllllllllly  lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnng by the time I finish it, that is almost should have a sequal....Hmmm....what do you think about that? 

Well I have to get everyone's POV of meeting their parents before I start writing more volleyball, but I hope you are enjoying it so far. 

Please, please, PLEASE, comment any suggestions or ideas, or simply just your thoughts on the story. Your positive feedback is what keeps me going and writing! 

You guys are ALL so amazing! Love you!!!

VOTE. COMMENT. FAN. 

<3 Always,  LostFindingMyself