Aiden ached all over, but somehow he also felt really good.
He peppered the ball back and forth with Jill. His movements felt strong, his form good. He bumped, set, and hit with more confidence tonight. He felt more anticipation to play than in previous weeks, because of the Stanford Volleyball Camp he’d been taking on Saturdays.
“Where’s Lex?” This was late, even for her.
Jill caught the ball instead of bumping it. “She called and said she’s working late. She’s not coming tonight.”
His arms didn’t feel as strong as a second ago. He jogged in place a little, but the energy didn’t come back.
She’s only one person. Stop caring so much about -
He didn’t. He didn’t care at all. He barely knew her. She was just a cute girl, on and off the court. That was it. He was noticing a cute girl.
Wonder if she’ ll come by later tonight?
He did great on the hitting line. More accurate hits, better contact between his hand and the ball, better control over his upward momentum. No one else noticed.
Lex would have.
Yeah, but Lex noticed every flubbed hit too.
Stop thinking about her. Don’t even think her name.
The game started. Aiden shanked the first pass, but he remained impassive – he didn’t cuss or react like most players. Rather, he felt his face had been chipped out of marble, made up of stiff and hard edges.
He could do this.
“Oh, look, there’s Lex.” Carol pointed at a figure still in work clothes and heels clicking across the back of the court.
“Hey guys!” She waved and sat down on the bleachers.
“You aren’t playing?” Jill ignored the ref’s glare and turned to her.
“No.” Her mouth screwed up in a disappointed grimace. “I forgot my clothes and shoes at home, and it’ll take too long for me to go all the way there and come back.”
“Come on, guys!” The impatient ref blew her whistle.
Yeah, come on, guys. Aiden moved away from Carol and got back into position. Since when had he become so competitive? Lex must be rubbing off on him.
Then he saw them – two Caucasian guys, strangers to the league.
They stood by themselves, not watching the play.
Watching Lex.
The whistle blew. Aiden tried to focus back on the game, but he almost missed the shanked pass sailing his direction.
“Aiden, get it!” his teammates yelled.
He set the hitter too tight to the net, and the other team’s blocker pounded the ball back over.
One of the two Caucasian guys gestured at Lex. The other answered.
Lex had noticed them. She had that angry but wary look darkening her face, as if she were torn between going over and throwing a punch, or calling the psych ward to come with straitjackets.
Strange, the two men didn’t look like stalkers. They had the build of athletes. If not for their business casual dress, they’d have fit right into the crowd of volleyball players.
“Aiden, that’s you!” his team yelled again.
Get your head back in the game! He thrust his arms out to pass the serve, but it sailed too close to the net and Jill had to leap and try to punch it up. It caught in the net and dropped.
The two guys walked toward the exit doors. Aiden hadn’t realized the tension across his shoulders until the muscles loosened.
The whistle blew. Ball served. The back row sent a sweet pass. Jill set it curving toward him. Aiden leaped…
He knew the guy on the other team who would be blocking. Tall, with long arms. He couldn’t hope to slam the ball through him.
Aiden swung, but then cocked his wrist and rolled the ball over the blocker’s fingers. The spinning momentum sent the ball dropping fast into the center of the court. The two girls on wing dove from both directions to try and get it.
Point, side-out.
“Good shot.” The blocker slapped hands with him under the net.
“Thanks.”
They served. The other team set the same player. Aiden couldn’t hope to stuff him, but he posted his block the way they’d taught him at camp. Just protect your section of the court.
Bam! The ball glanced off his hands in a high arc, easy to pass. Jill set to him again. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other team’s second front-row player sprint in a little late to the double block. Aiden cut the ball at a sharp angle and hit the sideline.
The down-ref stood by the pole. “Nice cut.”
“Thanks.”
He heard Lex hooting. He turned, and she clapped and beamed at him.
Beamed at him.
His legs twitched with energy. He could jump higher than the rafters. He was in the zone, his groove was on, and he was on fire.
On the next serve, the other team shanked the ball and they had to bump it back over. Carol set him, high and arcing.
Aiden saw a window – the blocker had left the line shot open.
He cranked.
Blammo! On the other team, a girl dropped to the ground.
His heart stopped. Dread spiraled across his chest. He gagged and sucked in a heaving breath. What have I done?
He ducked under the net and raced to her side. “I’m so sorry.”
She stared dazedly at the ceiling, but she didn’t seem too injured.
Well, except for the “Tachikara” emblazoned across her nose and over her left eye.
“How can I not worry about it?” Aiden banged the back of his head against the folded up bleachers.
Lex adjusted her seat and stretched her legs. She hated wearing heels to work – even the short ones made her calves and hamstrings tighten. “Everyone who plays understands these things.”
“I should have left the game.” His gesturing arm glanced off her.
She shifted sideways on the wooden bleacher seat.
“No, if you left, that would be the coward’s way out. You finished out the game. You shouldn’t have let it hurt your play like it did.”
“That girl I hit left the game – ”
“Camy? She’s a ball magnet. She gets brained just walking across the back of the courts during warm-ups.”
“I hit it right at her – ”
“You hit it exactly where you should have, the only place you could – on line, which the blocker gave you. She should have been back further to dig it.”
Aiden stared morosely at the second game being played. “I should sit out the other two games too.”
“Oh, shut up.”
Her abrasive tone seemed to amuse him. Well, anything to snap him out of this funk. Lex clapped when their hitter gave a great deep corner shot that had the other team’s middle back diving at the ball.
“You know, you’ve been playing better lately.”
His expressionless face warmed a bit. She could almost swear a glimmer of a smile appeared. “You think?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ve been taking the Stanford Volleyball Camp the past few weeks.”
“Oh, hey! That’s a great clinic. It’s showing – ”
“Hey, Lex.”
Kin-Mun had appeared in front of her. She hadn’t even noticed. “Hi.”
He gave that familiar smile, the one that turned her stomach into a toasty mug of chocolate. “I heard you got a new job.”
She nodded. “Alumni Association Liaison at SPZ.”
“Awesome. Do you like it?”
“It’s terrific. I get paid to research about schools’ sports teams and then talk shop with their alumni association reps.”
Kin-Mun laughed. “You must be in heaven. One of my cousins used to be an alumni association rep. They made a lot of money off of sports.”
His words had a weird catch, an odd hesitation. She shrugged it off. “Yeah, they like using SPZ’s web presence to promote their school sports.”
“Ever talk to UW?”
“Yeah, I have to call them next week. Why?”
“Oh, no reason.” Kin-Mun glanced at the game being played. “I’ll be in Seattle next weekend. I’d love to catch the football game but don’t know if I’ll be able to get tickets.”
Lex wondered if she could. Other AAs had offered her free tickets when she talked to them, but not all. And next week would be the first time she spoke to the University of Washington Alumni Association.
“Ah, well.” Kin-Mun smiled down at her, and her cup of chocolate reheated. “I’m glad your job is going so well. Going out to eat with everyone tonight?”
“Yeah. We’re going to Chili’s.”
“Great. Save me a seat.”
“Sure.”
Kin-Mun sauntered away.
“He’s a good friend?”
Lex had completely forgotten about Aiden sitting beside her. “Yeah, he and I go way back.”
Except Kin-Mun had seemed almost interested in her tonight. Weird. No, exciting. Well, weird and exciting.
Lex needed to get those tickets.