The Boy in Blue

Chapter 11

From where they came from, nobody knew.

The boys ran closer and closer, recruiting new members to the squad as more of the grade joined in on trying to tackle the ball. Eventually, the sport evolved into some form of a hybrid, foreign balls joining in on being kicked around or pegged at other kids.

Eden swore she saw a tennis ball somewhere along the mass of bodies and grass.

The teachers were attempting to calm them down, the noise from blowing whistles barely creating a dent on the packed atmosphere.

The ball bounded towards them at an alarming pace.

"Umm. Lei? Might wanna watch out-"

Warnings were too late to be heeded. The ball headed straight for Lei, who sent it flying as it made contact with her foot.

Only it went flying the wrong way.

The next thing Lucas knew, he was down on the ground.

"Man down."

Nikita stood with her hands on her hips.

Lei stepped back into shock. "Oh my God i'm so sorry-" Lei stumbled back, merging lanes with Eden's before crashing into the other girl.

Next thing she knew, Eden was on the ground.

Lei stood with her hand clasped around her mouth, eyes wide at the chaos settling.

Nikita laughed as Eden tried to prop herself up but failed miserably. "And another one bites the dust. Truly soulmates, I'm telling you."

The volleyballs were flying in bulk as the three girls entered the courts. Lei and Eden walked in first, a volleyball meekly clutched in Lei's hands, and Nikita entered behind them. She screeched as a ball came her way and ducked.

"Why am I here again?"

"To learn how to play Volleyball."

The trio chose the furthest corner of the court, with the big net blocking the courts from the main road a few metres away from it.

Lei glanced at the ball, then at Eden. "Girl, I swear to God. If you hit the ball over the net-"

Eden waved off her friends' worries. "My coordination might not be the best, and I might not have the best aim ever, but I ain't THAT bad."

They also chose the court furthest away from all the boys playing basketball on the other end. Or at least, most of the boys.

"Ooo, pass to me Lei!" Hong threw the basketball he had come to collect back towards his group and stood eagerly a fair distance away from the girls, arms poised to dig the volleyball.

Lei set the ball to Hong, who dug it backwards towards Lucas. This time, instead of succumbing to the ball and ending up face down on the ground, Lucas hit the low flying ball with his foot, kicking it to Lei.

"That's what I call character development", Eden tells Lei.

Lei stood staring at Lucas, obviously imagining him kicking the volleyball. "That's what I call a war-crime. He did not just kick a volleyball."

Lei orders everybody to stand in a circle, making sure to tell specific people that they were to use hands when handling the ball. After much pushing and urging from all parties, Nik finally joined the circle.

"If I get concussed, I'm suing you all." She pointed her finger threateningly at everyone, before adjusting her formal hat so that it sat properly on her head.

The ball went through everybody, starting off easy so that most could hit it to another.

Nikita dodged the ball every single time, until Lei taught her how to position her arms. After that, she managed to hit a few yet still kept dodging, this time her arms remaining in position.

After about 30 minutes of playing, the game became more and more rowdy. The ball went higher and higher and the boys eventually turned it into a competition to see who could hit it hardest and not miss. Lei ran around, hitting it with them.

Lucas eventually received the ball, finding someone to hit it too. The ball flew up, up before coming down, down.

Straight at Eden.

She saw the ball coming, arms poised to hit the ball. Lei was in front of her, getting ready to receive from what would be Eden's dig.

"Oo, all yours Eden," she shouts. "Looks good."

It was a good dig. If the ball went the right way.

It bounced off her arm and flew backwards, up, up and over the tall wired fence. It landed in the middle of the road, where thankfully few cars were going.

Eden turned around and looked at Lei, who's shocked face matched her own.