It's been a year today, on November 2nd, that I've had my accident. The regretful and unfortunate accident that got me bound to the not playing volleyball life for an unknown amount of time and that could last until my death. Yeah, the idea that I might never play volleyball ever again broke my heart and my whole soul back then. But today, I have an appointment to the doctor. I really hope it will bring good news, because I feel like I can't stay like this forever. And if ever, luck is on my side, as I thought it was this year, I might have a chance to get my life back to normal and live to see my dream come true.
"You ready?" my uncle calls out to me.
I come back to reality, standing up from the couch, nervous about what's going to happen today and how I'm going to end up at the end of the day : either broken, or as happy as I have never been.
"Yep"
We put on our shoes and light little coats, making the cold of autumn pretty much obvious. We get in the car, after telling Julio we would be back when he's gone to school. I heard him wish me luck and I had enough time to thank him before the door closed on my face, but I still wondered if he heard me. In the last few months, we hadn't been as close as we once were, mostly because I was busy and I guess he was, too. I guess the fact that it was both our last year at the school we were at had an effect on how much we were talking to each other. It had a lot on our shoulders. He's going to be 15 very soon and I'm going to be... 18 and away. I didn't think much of what I was going to do after High School. Since my accident, I didn't have any chance of joining my mother's team. I needed to find something that interested me and it was what I was going to study in University and I was going to become what I learned. But now, today, I have hope, and I hope that that hope will give me the chance to accomplish my long awaited dream. After all, we have to send University applications before the end of the month if we want to get in for the spring term. I'm glad I have an appointment today.
When we finally arrive in front of the hospital, I have to take deep breaths, or I'm pretty sure my heart's gonna willingly disconnect its arteries and veins. I get out of the car after my uncle helped me calm down. We enter the hospital and give our name. We sit in the waiting room not for long, until the doctor who announced me the really bad news last year arrives in the room and greets us with a smile. My uncle politely smiles back, but my nervousness only gives me permission to smile weakly.
"So, Irihata, we're gonna take some exams, first. If you will, please, follow me"
I followed him. I wanted to know the result, but I was scared. The exams were done fast and my uncle and I waited in a room, because I swear, I could pass out any minute.
From Tooru : How is it going? Did you receive the results?
To Tooru : No, not yet, but I'm so nervous, I could faint. I'm really scared.
From Tooru : Don't worry. Whatever happens, I'll be there for you and we're all gonna be there for you.
To Tooru : Thank you. I'll tell you the results when I get to school.
From Tooru : You better! See you later.
I closed my phone and started taking deep breaths to try to calm down my heart. Tooru was the only one I told about my appointment. We had school, today, so I wanted to surprise them by coming back and telling them the good news... if ever there are any. At least, I hope that it's going to go this way. Anyway, I only told Tooru because I needed someone to support me or calm me down or reassure me and the best person to do that was Tooru, so I had no choice.
When, finally, the doctor arrived in the room, he had a professional smile on his face, that didn't give away the results.
"I have good news, Irihata. Your ankle is starting to heal, rapidly as I realized thanks to the results, and you'll be able to start playing volleyball again, but I suggest that you go slowly, to not worsen your case again. That's the only thing that I needed to tell you. You're healing!"
Those words reversed the whole throwing up effect I had last year when I heard the bad news. I felt so happy I wanted to jump everywhere and scream until my happiness had devoured all my energy. I almost hugged the doctor and I'm pretty sure he felt happy that he put back in place the fate of one of his patients. I thank him really much for this. My luck was on my side, this time.
We got to school and homeroom was almost over. Yes, my appointment was really early, because I hate to miss school. At least, I only missed Homeroom. When I enter the school, the students are coming out of every door. I make my way to where our Homeroom class is and exactly when I arrived in front of it, Tooru, Hajime, Sao, Irana and Ena come out of the room. Ena is the first to react.
"Dear! Y/n, you're there! Where were you? I was scared as hell, I thought you had caught a cold or something"
I had a huge smile on my face and I was waiting for my time to announce the reason of my absence, but Ena was too worried.
"Please, tell us why you weren't there. Why aren't you explaining yourself?!"
I chuckled.
"Calm down a little, Ena. I had an appointment to the doctor this morning." At those words, I saw Hajime's eyes widened in excitement, probably guessing everything that had happened in the last hour.
"You're healing? You're healed? What is it? You can finally play volleyball again?" Hajime asked, a big smile slowly appearing on his face.
I nodded, smiling so hard my eyes were closing.
"Oh my god!" Hajime and Tooru screamed, hugging me, tears probably falling down their cheeks. Tears of happiness. I cried with them.
Ena, Irana and Sao participated in the hug, turning a few heads. People were really asking themselves what was happening. When everyone gave me some space, I was still smiling.
They kept telling me how happy they were for me and I guess these news did not only made my day, but it made theirs, too.
Since we were Friday, I was with the volleyball team for practice. When I arrived fully clothed in my usual practice clothes, the team's heads turned to me.
"Guys, guess what?" I shouted.
"Y/n, does this mean...?" Makki half asked.
"What do you think?" I ask. "I'm healing. I can finally play volleyball again."
They all shouted, running toward me, hugging me. They almost lifted me up. Their favorite volleyball girl was finally back into service, what could I expect from them? And it's their words, not mine. This was one of the best practices I had in a while. I went easy on my ankle, but dear life did I miss this feeling. I'm glad I will finally be able to feel it more and more as I go through my professional years playing volleyball. I was finally free...
*-*--*-*
The next day, we were all at my house, talking about our futures. They all decided, from a common agreement, that we needed to share what we would be doing after High School, so they decided to come to my house on Saturday, which is today and I'm receiving them one after the other, welcoming them to some cookies, muffins and water, tea or coffee. When, finally, we were all around the table, I started the conversation.
"So, you all decided that we should share what we would do after High School. Who starts?"
"I will" Sao goes on. "I decided I will become a psychologist. I've always been interested in helping other people understand themselves and help them get through the difficult part of their lives. I love to help and I'm open-minded and ready to be there, so I decided I would study to become a psychologist. I've already sent my application letter to the University of Tokyo"
I guess I shouldn't be surprised, he always got good grades, as good as mine. He was always the one helping me in my first year of High School. I don't doubt he will be able to get in. But becoming a psychologist... I admire him. I'm sure he will become a good help.
"Next?" Tooru asks.
"Wait, I have an idea!" I say, as no one's answering.
I get up and go take a sheet of paper with a pencil. I cut the sheet in five and wrote our names on it. I took a bowl and put the folded pieces of paper in it. I made sure to mix them up and then I gave the bowl to Sao, who picked one.
"Hajime" he read.
He sighed, rubbing his hands together. "I decided I would become an athletic trainer and I will study in the United States. My demand to study abroad as an exchange student as been made and I should get an answer today"
We all clapped our hands once again and I smiled, happy that my friends found something they would love to do. Sao gave the bowl to Hajime, who picked a folded piece of paper.
"Ena" he said.
She smiled. "I will become a model. I already sent the letter to the model agency and I received an answer not long ago. I'm accepted."
Our mouths went wide. Ena always had this body you craved for. The girls, at least. But I'm pretty sure the boys would have wanted the same if they became a girl. She was tall, had such a beautiful face. No doubt she got accepted.
Sao gave the bowl to Ena and she put her hand in it.
"Irana" she read.
Irana let out a laugh and straightened her back. "I will become an actress. Ren, a boy in drama club, Y/n and Ena you know him, started his career sooner, but I wanted to be sure and done with High School before. I will have my first audition tomorrow and I hope I get the lead, honestly. I've been acting all my life and I've dreamed of becoming an actress. I have hope and I believe in myself"
We clapped our hands once again. The smiles we had on our faces weren't fading. I was happy for each one of them.
"Only Y/n and Oikawa left. Who's gonna be the first one to share?" Hajime teased as Irana was mixing the papers and taking one after a few seconds of making us wait.
"Oikawa"
"Well, it's easy. I learned recently that my childhood hero, José Blanco, a veteran Argentine setter was currently in Japan for an unknown period of time. I wish to train under him for the time that he has to stay and after, I plan to get my citizenship from Argentine and move there and be part of their Professional Volleyball team"
I smiled. I smiled through it, because I knew it was the one thing that could get him happy. I hope it will. He then took the bowl away from Irana and took the last folded paper in the bowl. He looked at me with a smile and unfolded the piece of paper slowly, before reading my name.
"Y/n"
I sighed. "Until yesterday, I had no idea what I was going to do with my life. I thought I would just take anything that gave me a good salary and study it in High School, but I guess I can't go with that anymore, because I have the chance to accomplish my dream right under my eyes, so I'm taking it. I will be joining Japan's women volleyball team, my mother's team, as a Libero"
They all looked at me, with smiles on their faces. They clapped their hands a few seconds later. I was so happy we got to share with each other our plans for the future, but it also made me realize that we're all gonna fall apart. We might not talk to each other next year. Before I could realize it, I was crying.
"I guess we're all going our separate ways" I whispered.
They all turned their heads toward me and worry came over their faces when they realized.
"I'm pretty sure we'll still talk" Ena tried to comfort me.
"Okay then, I propose something" Sao interrupted the sad aura. "I give a date and we find ourselves again in a restaurant at a certain hour. What if I say : "May 10th 2018 at 11 a.m.. What do you say?"
We all laughed.
"No really, guys, I'm serious. It's six years from now. Less, since we're soon in 2013. But, write it somewhere, because we're gonna find each other again at that date. We'll have grown. We'll have much to talk about. Come on, accept"
I only nodded. "Let's!"
They all screamed, accepting this rendez-vous in the future. I love this. We laughed, talked and shared what we hoped to be talking about in six years and less. And when, finally, it was time for them to go, I let them go down the stairs and I stayed up. Ena and Irana went a way and Hajime the other. Sao followed Hajime. And there was only Tooru left. He seemed to be hesitating.
"You good, Tooru?"
He turned his head toward me, his face pretty serious, which told me that the next words that are gonna come out of his mouth are deadly serious and that I should not ignore them.
"I'm gonna marry you, Y/n."
That fact took me by surprise. My expression surely betrayed me. From where I was, I could see him blushing. And I'm pretty sure my cheeks were heating up as well.
"I know it will be complicated, but I love you, Y/n. I will marry you and we better go together to that rendez-vous in six years, rings connecting us together" And he went out of the house, leaving me speechless.
*-*--*-*
The next rehearsal we had, the Monday that followed the weekend, I had only one idea in mind, telling everyone about the good news I have been waiting to tell them for three days. When I arrived in the drama club room with Ena and Irana, everyone was already there.
"Hey, everyone! Y/n has good news" Ena introduced the subject.
"What is it?" Ren asked, suddenly interested, approaching us.
I put down my bag on the floor, near the door.
"My ankle is healing. I will be able to play volleyball again"
"Oh my god!" Ren exclaimed as everyone did, hugging me. "I'm so happy for you, I hope you are, too. It's such good news"
When he realized what he did, he stepped away from me, and apologized.
"I-I'm sorry. I- I didn't mean to hug you without your consent"
I laughed it off. "No, it's okay, I don't mind. They all had this reaction"
"I don't doubt it"
"Congratulations, Y/n" Zali said, approaching me.
They all congratulated me, my proud friends at each side of me.
*-*--*-*
In the end, Hajime's demand to study abroad was accepted. Irana's audition went well, according to her. In a few days, she will receive the results. Everyone was happy in a world I once thought would never give me the life I deserved. I made new friends, new experiences. I can finally live and I'm finally free...