Write It Down

Chapter 3 - Why Are You Avoiding the Question?

"Her name is Hailey Eden," Jamie continued, "She probably practiced with a bunch of professionals with some of Colette's connections. I practiced hitting her sets earlier." Jamie paused looking Nat in the eye, "Her sets are better than your's, Anya's, Broke's, Sarah's, and Syd's combined. Do you understand? In reality, unless one of you two can beat Sarah, there is only one spot open on varsity team for a new setter."

"I won't go easy on you Nat," Sydney said. "Honestly, even if our skills are equal this year, your technique is years better than mine. But Coach Etna likes me more. She may only be the coach for the JV team, but I've heard some of the things that she said about you. It's a stretch of the truth, and it isn't pretty."

"So it leaves it down to Coach Sylvie's decision. Will she look at my technique or my attitude?" Nat said, understanding how much of a disadvantage she was at. If she didn't make it to Varsity, her only choice would be the Freshman/Sophomore team since Coach Etna would never allow Nat back onto the Junior Varsity. And the embarrassment from being on JV to be demoted to Frosh would be too much for anyone to accept.

"Is Hailey the only freshman we need to look out for?" I asked Jamie, making sure that there wasn't anything else to worry about.

Jamie shook her head no, "It's rare enough for a freshman to get onto the Varsity team anyway. Hailey is just too talented. And she has a good background. There are a couple of freshman good enough to be on JV easily enough, but none are Varsity material from what I see."

I nodded, relieved. "C'mon Nat. Let's start with some setting exercises. I don't remember them well, but let's see what we can do."

~

"So? How was it?" Xulian asked us as I opened the door to his car.

"It was 3 hours of hell," Nat groaned climbing into the back seat with me.

"Lydia seems fine," Xulian noted meeting my gaze in the review mirror.

"The passer just have to transition to get to the ball." I told him, "While the setter has to be the one to touch every second ball."

"I see." Xulian responded, leaving the car in a couple moments of tense silence.

"Here's some strawberries." Xulian said, awkwardly handing them to me. "They'll help prevent muscle fatigue and they contain minerals you guys lost through sweat."

"I thought you said that it was better the eat blackberries after exercising?" Nat questioned while munching on a couple of them.

"Blackberries aren't in season in the middle of August Nat." Xulian reminded her, rolling his eyes.

"Oh," She responded as we fell back into silence.

"So," Nat started.

Xulian shifted in his seat, seeming to be nervous. "What?"

"Why did you offer to pick us up today?" Nat asked.

"Mom was too busy today to do it."

"Then what about offering for the rest of the week?"

"I just felt like it okay?" 

I smiled, looking out the window. It might sound weird, but I liked it when the two of them fought. Out of her entire family, Nat was closest with Xulian, even if she would argue otherwise. Their siblings fights were always something that I had wanted myself.

"Why don't you drive Lyd and me to school then?"

"Doesn't Lydia take the bus with Finn?"

"So?"

"Wouldn't he be lonely if his companion didn't sit with him anymore?"

"No, he has Lauritz now."

"Lauritz?"

"Yeah, Finn's cousin from Ohio."

Xulian seemed to consider things for a moment before shaking his head again. "There won't be enough room in the car if she joins us anyways."

"Yes there will be. Only Anthony and Ryan are in the car with us, the middle seat is still open."

"Lydia would feel uncomfortable being stuck in the middle like that."

"What if I sat in the middle?"

"And next to Ryan? No way."

"But we only use the middle seat to put our backpacks there."

"And that's the perfect place for them."

"Why?"

"None of your business."

"Why are you avoiding the question?"

"Why are you asking so many of them?"

Nat narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion. "I give up," she huffed sitting back in her seat with her arms crossed over her chest.

I smiled to myself. He probably noticed how he treated his sisters. It was too bad that they didn't notice it themselves.

"Do you remember how to get to my place?" I asked Xulian.

"Don't worry Lydia," he smiled, "I won't forget that easily."

Nat straightened up, curious. "Why won't you forget where she lives?"

Xulian groaned, "Just drop it Nat!"

I think that this chapter was a little short, but it was a lot of fun. I was kinda going through a lot as I wrote this so I'm pretty satisfied to see it's completed form. Of course, I'm also planning on coming back and rewriting this entire chapter in about 10 years but I'll cross that bridge when it arrives. 

The song above is "Two Player Game" from the Musical Be More Chill cover by George Salazar and Will Roland and The 8-Bit Big Band. Personally, I prefer this song sped up a little. I just think it sounds cool. Honestly, it doesn't fit the mood I was aiming for, but any recommendations?

Also, there were a lot of confusing volleyball facts in here, are there any questions you'd like me to answer? Or did everyone just skip over it or look it up themselves?

Now, as much as I love the current characters, just out of curiosity, who are the current favorites? Lydia? Finn? Xulian? We are still missing about two semi-important characters in the book, I'm still wondering how I'll introduce them.

Anyways, today's beautiful quote has revealed itself as:

"There is only a thin line between hate and love."

This is a fairly common saying, mostly used in romantic relationships, but I think it suits how Xulian treats his family. It's a little off, but some of you guys get what I mean. 

See you next chapter, 

Cazz4ndr4