She of the Sea

13 of 53 - A Volleyball Game

Five Years Later

Cassie scrutinized exactly where she wanted to put her serve. The two boys on the other side of the volleyball net were decent players, tall, and muscular, but she had an advantage. They were focused more on her, in her bikini, than on the game. She tossed the ball into the air and walloped it. The ball rocketed between the two defenders untouched and landed just inside the back line in a spray of beach sand.

"Woo hoo," she shouted, jumping in triumph, and giving her partner a high five. "That's fourteen to twelve. One more point and we win."

"Losers," her partner taunted his opponents.

The three boys were on spring break from some northeastern college. She couldn't remember which one. Her partner was Connell. His friends on the other side of the net were Louis and Henry.

Cassie loved this time of year when thousands of new faces invaded her beach for a few weeks bringing with them the energy of youth and joy at just being alive. The college kids were older, late teens, early twenties. At sixteen, Cassie had matured enough to where she was being noticed. And she delighted in being noticed and the invitations by boys to participate in their activities like beach volleyball.

Connell retrieved the ball and handed it off to her. He winked. "Serve it up, babe."

She took her position at the back line, dug her toes into the sand, and considered where to place the serve. This time, Louis intercepted her serve mid-court and set it for his partner, Henry. Louis charged the net just as Henry setup the perfect shot for him. Louis punched it between her and Connell.

Connell dove into the sand and got under it for the save.

"Nice dig," Cassie shouted. She watched the ball as it arced in the air toward the net. She ran to get under it and waited.

Connell sprang up from the sand and got into position. He yelled, "Set me."

At five foot two, Cassie was nearly a foot shorter than the guys, and due to her diminutive height, she wasn't a very effective spiker. But she was an awesome setter. "Coming your way."

She deftly tipped the ball straight up in the air toward Connell, placing it perfectly just inches from the edge of the net.

"Aw crap," Henry said from the other side.

Connell blasted his shot into the corner. Their opponents never had a chance.

A large crowd had gathered around watching the game. They erupted into cheers and applause.

"We win!" Cassie squealed with delight and launched herself at Connell wrapping her arms and legs around him.

"Whoa, this is nice." He kissed her.

Cassie unwrapped herself and stood in the sand. She touched her lips where Connell had kissed her. "Why did you do that?"

"Because we won, and I wanted to reward you with a kiss."

Before Cassie could figure out how she felt about it, he said, "Some of my friends are throwing a bonfire party up the beach tonight. You should come."

"Up the beach? Where?"

"A condo near Baywood Village. You know where it's at?"

It was the next town over from where she and her momma had lived. "Yeah, sure."

"Great. Give me your number, and I'll text you the address."

The boys her age she encountered on the beach were immature dorks. The idea of attending a party with college kids appealed to her. She'd never been asked to hang out at a college party, but there was a problem. She looked at her feet and dragged her toes through the sand. "I don't know how I'll get there. I just turned sixteen and don't have my license yet."