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An arm collided with mine, tipping me forward and spilling my bag on the floor.
“I’m so sorry.” A petite brunette danced in front of me and picked up my bag for me, holding it up. “I swear I’m not always that clumsy.” She looked around the class. “It’s just freaking huge in here.”
“You’re good. I’m pretty sure I should be saying sorry to you. I stalled out midstep walking in here.” I grabbed my backpack and slung it over my shoulder. “I’m Piper.”
She tucked her deep brown hair over her shoulder, revealing a near white layer underneath. “Sidney. Want to sit with me?”
I followed her to a spot a few rows from the front, and we took our time taking out our things. I’d just set up my laptop when a guy stood beside me. The strong smell of citrus made me blink a few times before I noticed him smiling at me.
“Hey, I’m Eric. Mind if I sit here?” He was tall with messy, light brown hair that curled at the ends, and he wore thin metal glasses.
Sidney glanced between Eric and me, then shrugged.
He took the seat beside me and meticulously peeled an orange, separating each piece before sliding one between his teeth.
“I’m Piper. This is Sidney.” I swallowed hard, suddenly thirsty.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” This whole thing should be a turn-off, right? Like, he was suave as shit, and we all knew it was an act, but there was something about the glasses and the slightly curled hair that was just making this guy more attractive than he should be. Or maybe it was because I’d spent most of my life surrounded by jocks, and having someone who looked put together interested in me felt new. And by the way his gaze dipped to my lips, he was definitely interested.
If I was going up against the boys in their stupid game, then I was going to have to act fast, and Eric looked like the perfect guy to get started with.I slid my tongue over my bottom lip and watched his pupils dilate.
I turned my attention toward the front of the class, where the teacher entered. She had her hair pulled back in a severe bun and was looking at us all with a scowl. Well, I hoped she just had a bad case of RBF, or this class was going to suck.
Eric dipped his mouth to my ear. “You free Friday night?”
I kept my voice down, not wanting to get on the professor’s bad side on the first day. “Yes.”
* * *
“Bitch, you’re finally here!” Shana squealed and wrapped her arms around me the second I walked into the locker room.
“It feels weird being back. It’s been a long time since I played.” I rolled my lips between my teeth. “What if I suck?”
“I’m not even going to justify that with an answer. There’s a reason you’re still on a full-ride scholarship.”
“Yeah, as an alternate.” I changed from my joggers and white T-shirt into my spandex shorts and tank top that was opened at the sides, revealing my bright green sports bra.
“That just means you’ve got to show Coach Keller you’re better than Amber, and trust me, you’re better than her,” Shana said while she walked backward toward the gym entrance. “Come on, she wants to meet you.”
Tension pulled my shoulder blades together, and I tightened my ponytail before following her out into the large cavernous space. My eyes widened, taking in the space. We were the first on the court, and our footsteps echoed against the white-painted walls, and the ceiling was lined with provincial tournament banners.
“So you’re the star athlete Shana’s always telling me about.” An athletic woman stepped out of her office, dressed in a gray pantsuit and white blouse, and a whistle hung from a beaded lanyard. She was the epitome of badass.
I plastered a smile on my face, giving Shana a quick side-eye glance before holding out my hand. “Piper Adams. Nice to meet you.”
“I’ve watched your film, and you look pretty good out there. That year off affect your game?”
“No, ma’am.” Starting off lying to my coach.
Her hand tightened on mine. “Alright, nice to hear it. You’re going to start as an alternate, but you’ll have the opportunity to show me what you’ve got. I’ll be watching.”
I swallowed hard, and my palms became wet with sweat. “I’ve got this.”
Shana gave me the thumbs-up from behind Coach Keller, and I had to fight back a smile. Players filled the gym slowly as they set up for practice. I recognized most of the girls stretching, having played them over the last several years. Volleyball was a small community, which meant I knew exactly who I had to beat. I could only hope that the year off didn’t leave me too rusty and I’d bounce back quickly.
Coach ran us through several intense drills. As with most teams, the first few practices were all about endurance to get yourself together after having the summer off. I noticeably lagged behind the others in almost all activities, but I still owned my position on the court. I was able to spike the ball into any target set out for me. Grateful that my muscle memory didn’t let me down, I collapsed to the floor the second Coach whistled to end the practice.
Shana sat beside me, handing me my water. “You’re pretty red there, sunshine.”
