A Queen Among the Jocks (boy x boy)

Part 10

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As I stepped onto the gym floor, I couldn't help but notice how athletic the other team looked. Their toned bodies and towering height made me feel a little intimidated. I watched as they began their court drills, trying to psych myself up for the game ahead.

Suddenly, TJ returned from his jog and noticed my tense body. "Hey Apol, are you nervous?" he asked. "Yeah, a bit. Look how tall they are," I replied, stating the obvious. "They are tough enemies, to be honest, but I'm sure we can beat them," he responded confidently. He went on to explain that they were alumni of the school and that they were their sparring team.

"Show them your move," he added, catching my attention. "What do you mean?" I asked, confused. "Use the digs that you know, and your swag," he replied, demonstrating the butterfly dig. I couldn't help but burst out laughing at how over-the-top he looked. He laughed too, revealing his perfect white teeth. It was a rare sight to see him this happy, and I could feel my cheeks blushing from the heat.

Our teammates joined us as we started doing ball drills. Coach whistled, and we gathered around the bench, ready to start the match with the alumni players. "Now, I know you did not expect this at all, but even so, I want you to give your all to this game. Show them what we've been practicing for, alright?" the coach said, sounding serious. We answered in unison, "Yes Coach!"

As the game began, TJ shouted at us, "Let us show them why we are here!" We all formed our hands as a team and shouted, "LET'S GO!" We sounded incredibly enthusiastic, and I had a feeling that we would be synchronized today.

The other team served first, which meant it was our turn to receive. As the first libero, I positioned myself to receive the ball. The coach whistled, and I lowered myself, ready for the first ball.

The jump serve was coming towards our side with lightning speed and power. Without thinking twice, I immediately positioned myself in front of the ball and used both of my firm arms to deflect it. As I bounced back to recover, Ivan, our setter, received the ball and gave it to Vanjoe, our middle blocker, who approached to do a quick hit. However, the ball was given to TJ, who successfully made our first point of the game. Our team formed a circle and shouted in unison, feeling elated from our first score.

TJ ruffled my hair and smiled at me for no reason, which brought a grin to my face. We continued to play with high spirits for the rest of the first set, making it seem like our opponents were just trying to keep up with us. Elliot showed his strength and lift for every point he made, and I was always there to cover for him.

But during the second set, the opponent tried different combination plays and made it challenging for us to defend the court. They focused on making placement shots most of the time, which caught my teammates, including myself, off guard. We were expecting loaded hits, but they outsmarted us, causing us to lose the second set.

Seth and I were on the edge of our seats, ready to receive drop balls and off-speed placement shots. TJ noticed our dismay and boosted our morale, reminding us that we had witnessed what the other team was capable of. "They were outsmarting us for the rest of the second set," he pointed out. "So what we need to do is to read their movements and try to outsmart them as well. Boys, we need to work faster than we did in the first set. Apol, make sure to give the ball to Ivan faster. Ivan, establish quick plays, but be deceitful too, to open up the path," he commanded.

"I got it," I replied. "Sure," Ivan said before talking to our spikers. As the first ball receiver, I felt a huge responsibility to make sure that the first ball was well at all times. The pressure was mounting.

The final set began, and we started to serve. I was one step ahead of the enemy's spikers, allowing us to deflect more balls than them. Seth, Elliot, and I worked hand in hand to receive their hits and do pancakes. Others did their best to defend our court-side.

What made our team more hyped was the fact that we started to do swag as I received their hard spikes. I posed as if I wasn't bothered at all, smirking and making sure that our opponents saw everything. TJ hugged me often when I was able to deflect heavy spikes from the enemy, and Elliot shook me every time we scored a point. We were all working so hard.

We ended up winning the match, which brought joy to us all. Not only did we prove to the coach that we were ready for the competition, but we were also a threat. We shook hands with the other team and apologized for being jerks while playing against them. They commended us for the performance we showed them and were fascinated by our will to win. We thanked them as well for their efforts.

I walked into the locker room, feeling a bit uneasy as I saw the shirtless bodies of my teammates. Most of them were already in the shower room, getting ready to wash off the sweat and grime from the game. I hesitated, unsure if I should stay or head back to the gym, but before I could make up my mind, TJ approached me.

"Wait, Help me with these tapes," he said, gesturing to the strips of muscle tape that covered his arms and chest. "I can't reach them all by myself."

I nodded, feeling a bit self-conscious as I looked around at the other boys who were starting to take notice of me. I wasn't used to being in the locker room while they were changing, and I could feel their eyes on me as I approached TJ.

As I carefully peeled off the strips of tape, trying not to pull too hard on his skin, TJ made small talk, asking me about my day and how I thought the game had gone. I tried to keep my answers short, feeling awkward and out of place, but he seemed to be genuinely interested in what I had to say.

When we were done, TJ thanked me and patted me on the back, causing a few of the boys to snicker and make lewd comments. I could feel my face turning red as I hurried out of the locker room, feeling embarrassed and exposed.

After a quick shower, I met up with the rest of the team for dinner, feeling relieved that I was no longer the center of attention. Elliot offered to give me a ride to the venue, and I gratefully accepted, hoping to avoid any more awkward encounters with TJ.

Unfortunately, that wasn't meant to be. As we sat down at our table, TJ and Elliot took the seats on either side of me, leaving me feeling a bit trapped and suffocated. TJ seemed to be in a playful mood, teasing me about the game and making suggestive comments about my short-shorts.

I tried to ignore him and focus on the food, but I couldn't shake the image of him naked in the shower room out of my head. It was like a train wreck that I couldn't look away from, and I felt my face turning red again as he leaned in closer and whispered something in my ear.

"When will he ever stop?" I thought to myself, feeling both annoyed and flustered by his attention. I just wanted to finish dinner and go home, but I had a feeling that the rest of the night was going to be a long and uncomfortable one.

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Author's Note: 

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