AllFreeNovel
Share Us
THWACK!
Sarah rubbed her forearms. Why on earth had she agreed to play this stupid game? That’s right—the tease in Dan’s eyes, coupled with Georgia’s murmured desire to play, had led her here. She readied to serve.God, please let it go in, if only for Georgia’s sake.She couldn’t let her team captain down, especially when she was Georgia’s prized first pick. First pick! She’d never been that before, thanks to her lifelong reputation for clumsiness. She lined up the ball, closed her eyes, and hit. “Ow!”
“It’s in!” her team shouted delightedly.
“Practice makes perfect.” An hour must’ve passed since they’d finished a hot dog lunch and started playing. In that time she’d hadplentyof practice. It made a nice change to actually score a point rather than be the chief cause of the other team’s points.
“Sar, it helps to open your eyes.”
Dan’s comment from the other side of the net required a glare as she took the ball again. Her sunglasses had kept falling off as she’d floundered around, and the bright afternoon sun only enhanced Dan’s tanned torso. Major distraction. Opening her eyes didn’t help.
Thwack. The ball went in again! Sarah high-fived her team and celebrated another rare point. She sent Dan a smug look and went back for the ball. Maybe she’d finally found her sporting niche: volleyball server extraordinaire. She smiled at herself. The fact the ball had a mind of its own and landed wherever it wanted—thus confusing the opposition—had nothing to do with it. She lined up again, hit, and prayed. Another ace!
“Sarah! You’re a rock star!”
She couldn’t stop the grin. Sothiswas how it felt to play team sports.
“Come on! She’s on a roll.” Boyd and Dan finally strategized their team into position.
She laughed, picked up the ball as Patrik cheered, “Go Sarah!”
Again it went over, but this time the opposition returned the ball. Georgia jumped up, pivoting the ball down at Dan’s feet. He dived to return the shot, sending it straight to Sarah.
“I’ve got it!” Travis rushed into the space before her, knocking her to the ground, yet somehow angling the ball back to Georgia, who neatly plopped it over the net for another point.
“You okay?” Patrik jogged over from the net.
“I’m fine.” If only her clumsiness didn’t bring so much attention. Enough already.
“Sorry, Sarah.” Travis’s ears reddened.
“No worries.”
Patrik extended a hand to help her up. But as she reached to grasp his hand, something wasn’t right. Her mouth dried. “Where’s my ring?”
* * *
She was so funny,flailing around the court, playing with her eyes shut, wincing whenever she actually touched the ball. Despite possessing little hand-eye coordination, Sarah kept giving things a go. But something wasn’t right. She still sat on the sand. Surely she wasn’t hurt?
Dan jogged to the other side of the net where Sarah and the rest of her team carefully studied the ground. “What’s up?”
“Don’t move!” Travis warned.
“Sarah’s lost her ring.” Patrik’s voice came from below.
“Not—?”
Sarah looked up with agonized eyes. “I have to find it.”
“We will.” He hunkered down nearby, even as the sand shifting beneath him told him this was a fruitless exercise.
* * *
Why?Why had she worn the ring here? Why hadn’t she left it at home? Sarah glanced around with unbelieving eyes. How could it just vanish?Oh God, help me find it!She re-checked her clothes in case the ring had bounced off and gotten snagged somewhere. Still nothing.
Maybe one of the boys had taken it.
No. She shook off the unease, glancing over to where Boyd and Patrik had taken the boys canoeing. Everyone had happily abandoned the game to play archeologist for a while, until they’d gotten restless and needed distraction. But what if someone had found it and not said anything? Nobody would have stolen it. Would they?
