Hurricane - Ushijima Wakatoshi

Chapter Two

Arianna had never been a morning person, and since moving out, she'd been given another reason to absolutely dread the mornings. She was reminded of this dread when she was woken up by her phone loudly ringing.

She couldn't even see properly yet, her vision was blurry and her eyelids were still heavy, but she reached around on her bedside table for the stupid ringing device, and answered.

"Arianna" The voice greeted, there was a cold undertone.

"Mother." Ari replied, attempting to force the same cold undertone, only her voice was laced with sleep.

"Your brother was asking me about you yesterday." Ari knew this was just a segue into a lecture or a scolding of some kind, but regardless made a mental note to message her brother to ask her questions, and not their mother.

"Was he?"

"Yes, and it reminded me that your cast is being changed this weekend. So I'll be picking you up on Friday at 5 sharp."

"Yes mom," Ari said reluctantly. She honestly just wanted the damn thing off of her already, but at least she could get off this phone call. "Bye-"

"Hold on, one more thing." Ari exhaled slightly but stayed on the line "I don't care if Akinai is on the team, You're not going to be on it, in any capacity. I heard that there were some questions about you being allowed as a manager for that ridiculous team, and I won't be hearing it, Are we clear?"

"I wasn't even the one who asked."

"I said; are we clear Arianna?"

Another mental note, make Mei stop asking questions on her behalf, even if they're well intended.

"Yes, we're clear." Ari was gritting her teeth. With her mother breathing down her neck, Ari felt like she couldn't do anything, and she knew this wouldn't be limited solely to while she wore a cast. If her mother had her way even when Ari was completely healed, she wouldn't ever be allowed onto the court. "Anything else?" Ari asked bitterly

"No, I love you." Ari held in a sigh. Her thoughts screamed that if her mother really loved her, she would be able to do what she loved.

"I love you too. I've got to get ready now." Ari hung up, and her heart felt like it was shattering as she realized when she was on the court last night it was probably for the last time. But she found herself unwilling to truly abandon the feeling she had when she was on that court again.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The morning classes were hell, even despite Ari having been able to get her morning coffee, because even coffee couldn't improve the boredom that sunk in when Mei was asleep in the one class that they shared. Arianna was grateful that it was finally time for lunch. Normally, she would sit with Mei, but today she had been caught up in club activities. The girl's team was considering making Mei the official setter. 

To Ari, Mei seemed super excited; Ari wanted to just be happy for her, but she couldn't help the slight bitter pang of jealousy, not of Mei, but of the girls who got to play by her side. Ari knew no one could ever really take her place, the place of gold in the silver and gold duo, no one could hit Mei's famous sets; no one but Ari. The golden eyed girl found peace in that, so even though she was sitting alone now, she wasn't lonely, even though it was such a stark change from having her team sitting around her.

Then she looked up, and in front of her, settling into a seat, was the red headed first year student from the boy's team practice yesterday.

"Tendou!" an emotionless voice called.