It all Comes in Waves: The Solitary Joy of the Ocean

Chapter 6

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Not much later, we finished eating. We paid the check and are now walking out of Crab Shack, back down the boardwalk. I looked out to the beach beside us at all the people roaming the sand and the few in the water. There were two large volleyball nets set up in the middle of the sand. It was pretty much all teenagers and maybe some in college around here.

"This side of the beach is actually more fun, and there's no old people. Also, I'm pretty sure the sand is softer. Why don't we just hang here?" Este suggested.

"Right there with ya." Matt agreed.

Matt and Este both ran the rest of the way down the boardwalk ramp and into the sand. Rowan and I trailed behind them.

At one of the nets, two guys were on opposite sides of the net, right about to start a new game.

"Want a few more?" Matt beamed.

"Sure man, come on over." One of them invited.

The four of us kicked our shoes off, leaving them nearby.

"You ever played volleyball before, Lena?" Este asked me.

"Yeah, with a soccer ball and a creek as a net." I snickered. It was true though.

"You can be on Chris' team then." One guy picked at his friend who threw his arms up at the comment.

"I don't know. She might surprise you." Rowan decided.

"I'm Tom by the way." The other guy added. "You already know Chris now."

"Cool. I'm Matt, there's Este, Eileen, and Rowan." Matt introduced, pointing to us as he said our names.

"Good deal. Let's start." Tom exclaimed.

Matt and Este joined Tom's team, leaving Rowan and I on Chris' team.

Tom tossed the ball in the air, and served it, perfectly in front of Rowan. With his hands folded, he easily hit it back to the other side. Tom attempts to spike the ball at me, but quickly, I'm right at the net successfully blocking it. The ball is back and forth between Este and Chris for a moment, until Este spikes it and Chris fails to stop it.

"One on One." Tom notes.

Matt serves this time, hitting it to Rowan. We passed the ball around a while, Este and I both scored two more points, Rowan and Matt made one, and Chris and Tom actually aren't that good. We kind of corrupted their entire game.

As the game went on, it got more rough and more intense. It was sort of difficult, playing in sand. Eventually we began sliding to hit the harder balls, spiking more, hitting the ball rougher. I take another spike myself, landing it right between Matt and Tom, earning another point.

"Alright!" Rowan beamed, offering me knuckles. Which I returned.

"Heads up!" Este called, serving the ball again.

I noticed last second, and dropped to my knees to hit the ball, which surprisingly made it over the net.

Este hit it back again, but hard this time, landing in the sand between Rowan and Chris.

"We're tied now." Matt voiced. "You get the honors of serving the tie breaker ball, Eileen." He tossed the ball over the net to me so I could serve it.

I held the ball out in front of me, waited a beat, then hit the ball harder than I meant to, but luckily it landed just inside the line we drew in the sand.

Chris, Rowan, and I began to cheer of our victory, as Tom, Matt, and Este groaned in defeat, but also congratulated us.

"That was fun!" Este beamed.