Volleyball

Chapter Twenty One

I love Valerie. I had never felt this kind of love to a girl before. It felt real, not fake. It felt so perfect. I love calling her my girlfriend. I love telling her that she's beautiful and I love the way she blushes after I told her this. I love telling her that I love her every minute. I love pulling her into a hug when she's down. I love the fact that we are officially together. I love everything about her.

   I did sound so damn cheesy, but what about that? I was being grateful for what I had right now. But it was the truth, and I didn’t mind sounding so cheesy for telling what I was grateful for. I'm glad I got to call her my girlfriend.

   Valerie was my first real girlfriend. But for her, I was not her first?

  I shook my head, trying to wash the thoughts away from my head. I saw Mr. Jo walking up to me. "Ben. I need you to focus. I know last days you didn't focus were because of that girl. But now, she's here. I want you to focus. Got it, Captain?"

  "Yes, Sir," I said as I stood up, taking the ball from his hand and then ran inside the court.

  I did the service with the ball while Collins was waiting at the opponent side. He hit my serve finely and George took the next before hitting it onto my side. I threw myself on the floor to get the ball which almost hit the floor and I did it! Philip hit the next ball up high. Gladly, I smashed it.

  "Awesome, Captain!" shouted Mr. Jo excitedly. "That's what I'm talking about. What we need is a strategy and a good teamwork. We need to work on that. Now, let's gather 'round here."

  We gathered around Mr. Jo in the middle, listening to his explanation about a new strategy.

  "Ben. I want you to hit the serve ball and make it spin and float and possibly change directions in the air erratically. Work on that. It's going to fool them. Got it?" I nodded. "We have a bad blocking. So, just like, the players in front of the net, whoever they are, prepare to be ready for the coming ball. Everytime you see a ball coming, you jump with your hands up high and the ball will be coming back to them with no expectations. Any questions?" 

  We stayed quiet. And then, George raised his hand. "The formation, Sir?"

  "We're going with the beginner formation. Four attackers and two setters," he said and we all nodded in understanding. "All right. Let's get some drills." We stood up and we did a physical training for about an hour. I was totally focused on the training and didn't even glance at Valerie because I knew she was going to okay there with Kim.

  The training finished at four. We ended it with an announcement from George, our student body president.

  "All right. Sit down, please," he said as we sat down on the gym floor around him. "It's November, and almost Thanksgiving day. Like all times, our school will hold the Thanksgiving party here in this gym. It's open up for public. So everyone is welcome. It's going to be epic." The boys cheered at his word 'epic' because we know it was never an epic Thanksgiving party. "Seriously. Formal party. Three days later, then three days later is our game. Invitations will be in your hands by tomorrow. Questions?"

  "What day is tomorrow?" asked Jake and we all laughed. It was meant to be a trick and joking question because George was smart and we all forgot what day was today.

  "Friday, boo," he answered sarcastically. We laughed again.

  "Thank you," Jake replied, laughing. George couldn't help but to laugh too.

  "Other questions?" George asked again. "No? All right. We're done here. Oh, Captain!" He turned to me. "Anything to say?"

  "Um, no." I shook my head.