𝐔𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃

46 | bloody knuckles

Nox

Three years ago...

I dread going to Coldwater High for the same reasons I love it.

"I am terribly sorry to announce to you that our school won't be able to continue renting out the facility in Carwell because of the gas leak at the basketball studio." Coach Ashby says to us. The entire girls' volleyball team is currently gathered around her in a circle as we listen to the unfortunate news.

I nervously bite on my nails while the rest of the girls react in a chorus of distressed sighs and surprised gasps.

"What? You can't be serious." Beatrix, our captain fumes.

"But the principal has signed a contract as soon as the season began in August and we're supposed to train there until the State Tournament." Paris says. "This isn't fair!"

"I understand completely why you girls are upset right now, but," Coach begins to coax us, but the girls aren't having it.

"Where the hell are we supposed to train now?" Carson booms. "All of the renting volleyball facilities are booked for the season and the only one left is the one at Crawford District and it has closed down."

Carwell was a pretty decent volleyball studio if you take out the cracked walls, the missing floor panels, the leaking ceilings in the restrooms. Our school is impoverished and impecunious enough as it is and Carwell Studio was considered a golden opportunity at the time. It was certainly better than training out in the open gymnasium where the sun would blind us and the boys from the football team would come lurking.

However, what infuriated me the most is that despite the fact that our schools' economy is left to shambles, it prioritizes the male sport teams above all; always putting the male basketball team first or the football team or even the volleyball team.

Admittedly enough the male sports teams have brought home a number of victories that maintains our school's pride, but our team is a force to be reckoned with and I know we can win at the State Tournament.

That is if a certain someone in our team takes the hint.

"Can you at least tell us the reason why you're cutting off the rope for us?" Beatrix asks. "Because this is completely irrational to just drop us like this."

"It wasn't my choice Beatrix to break off the contract with the Carwell Studio, but the school made the decision to cut you off in order to save more money to invest in the basketball team." Coach explains. "The boys in the basketball team could have died in that studio and we're suing the facility. We were lucky the leak was small and it confined in a smaller room otherwise... I don't even want to imagine what would have happened."

Chills rain down my spine when I hear Coach's words. The team could have died in that explosion. My boyfriend could have died in that explosion.

"Besides, your team has faced two major losses at the District and the Regional Tournament ever since your previous setter left for Montreal." She adds and my stomach churns at the memory.

"But this isn't fair!" Beatrix booms. "Why is it that you always prioritize the male teams instead of putting us both on the same level? That's sexist."

"She's right." A voice suddenly says.

"What?"

"We have faced two humiliating losses ever since the Sectional Tournament. And that's when Ardyn left for Montreal. Coldwater High is as poor as a church mouse and they don't have the luxury to invest in both teams when there's only one studio available for the basketball team." Rika explains in a calm and collected manner. "And for argument's sake let's assume that the school is indeed playing favorites. Let's assume that they are indeed putting the male sports teams above the female ones. What else is there to do about it? We lost two important matches while the guys won fair and square. It's simple really. There are two teams. One winning and one losing. One studio. One investment. It's our fault we couldn't prove ourselves worthy of a renting facility. We can't complain because we haven't exceeded their expectations ever since Ardyn left and you took her place."