Special Someones

Chapter 26 Rally

Summer Camp, day 11

After school, volleyball court.

Jennifer took a deep breath. What she was going to do was very difficult for her.

Before her was the volleyball club members, seated at the court. Xue Ge was absent. Rahman was there, and Wati was standing near Jenn, holding up a notebook.

"I'd like to apologise for my absence in the past week," Jennifer addressed the members, "I know you've all been training hard and could have used my help. You have every right to be angry with me."

A club member put up her hand. "We're not angry. We know what happened."

"We know you have your hands full."

"It's okay. We support you."

Jenn's heart wrenched. You're making this harder and harder to say. "Thank you, everyone. But I'm afraid that I'm going to have to disappoint you even further."

She took another deep breath. "Due to the current circumstances, I can no longer participate in the volleyball club activities."

The volleyball club gasped and immediately started to protest. "What about the upcoming tournament?"

"If you can't play, can you at least help us train?"

"How can you abandon us? You love volleyball more than any of us!"

Jennifer put up her hands. "I know you're upset. I'm very very sorry. I don't like this either."

"Why? At least tell us why you must leave!"

Jenn figured she had to tell them something. "I need the money."

Silence descended upon everyone as the ramifications of what she said sunk in.

"Isn't finding part-time work against school rules?"

Jennifer nodded.

"You need the money that badly? To support Matthias?"

Jennifer nodded again.

In actual fact, she didn't strictly need to do this much. She and Bolin had worked out a schedule where the four of them took part-time work and could meet the monthly rental. One where she could still play the sport she loved. (Matt himself could not work as it was too dangerous)

But that would also mean there would be no time left for Xue Ge to receive tutoring as he would be too busy. Without tutoring, his grades would plummet back to utter failure again. Matthias wasn't even present in class to help him during lessons anymore.

Each additional hour Jennifer could put in was an extra hour Xue Ge could spend being tutored. Between the sport she loved, and the academic success of the boy she loved, the choice was rather clear.

It was just fortunate that Xue Ge was not present and thus not privy to this information. Only Bolin knew what she was up to. He was not happy about it, but begrudgingly saw her point of view. He cared more about his childhood friend's future than her love of a sport, after all.

The volleyball team gathered round Jennifer to give her moral support, and cried together with her.

Wati looked on, silently. Not daring to do the same, but desperately wishing she could.

#

Wati was waiting for her parents when she saw the local news headlines flash across the TV screen in the milk tea shop she was in.