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Flashback: Carrie
It’smyfirstdayon the Varsity volleyball team in this new town. All the teams are together for three days and two nights of team building.
In Seattle, we didn’t do overnighter events, so I’m out of my element here. Well, more out of my element than usual considering I’m the new girl and I have no friends. If I’m lucky, I might come out of this weekend with a new friend or two so that I don't wander around aimlessly during school, or eat alone at lunch.
As we’re warming up in the gym, the girl next to me–I think her name is JaNae–says, “Did you hear? The football team is having a teambuilding weekend here too.”
JaNae’s friend, a blonde named Sheryl, gapes. “No way! They’re doing a sleepover too?”
JaNae’s brown curls bob up and down. “My brother’s on the team. They’re only staying one night though. Maybe we’ll get to see them today.” She wags her brows.
Curiosity burns through me. Who’s on the team? Will Ryan be there? Will some of the other guys I met at that boating party be there?
Behind us, the doors to the gym open, and male voices erupt through the entrance, footfalls sounding like thunder on the gleaming tile floors.
Every girl in the gym swivels to gaze at the interruption.My heart skips a couple of beats.
Ryan is at the head of the hoard of sweaty male bodies. He’s leading the pack, wearing a pair of shorts that hang low on his hips and a white tank top that’s drenched in sweat. His muscular arms glisten. The tips of his blond bangs and the rest of his hair are dark as if they were dipped in water.
He calls over his should to the rest of the guys, “Ten stair laps! Let’s go!”
Ryan’s gaze sweeps over the gym full of girls and stops on me. We lock eyes and his widen. Ryan’s face brightens, then almost immediately shutters, shutting down any emotion. He jerks his head forward and he picks up speed until they’ve passed our gym and are climbing the cement stairs leading to the second level of the gym above us.
Whatever excitement I'm feeling, evaporates. I'd hoped that he wouldn't be offended at me turning down his offer for a ride. I know it's wishful thinking. It was obvious it wasn't just about the ride. But what was I supposed to do? I'd known Ryan a day. I've known Freddie my whole life and I know what he's capable of. Was it too much to hope that Ryan and I could've at least been friendly at school?
Our volleyball coach blows her whistle and divides the girls, putting each of us at a net to do drills.
My group is positioned near the hallway where the guys continue to run past. Each lap, the football team seems to spread out more and more until, rather than being in one massive hoard of bodies, there are several small groups of two or three guys trickling through the hallway in varying levels of exhaustion.
Each time a guy appears in the hallway, my eyes gravitate toward him. Is it Ryan? Will he smile at me? Acknowledge my existence? Or was the boat activity a one-time thing? Now that he’s back at school will he ignore me?
Ryan appears in the hall, and my stomach does backflips. I track his every movement with my eyes, but he doesn’t look in my direction. He keeps his eyes on the floor ahead of him and passes by me.
My stomach drops further. I close my eyes. Nothing. Not even a ‘hi’.
Lucy, a girl the same age as me with platinum blonde hair braided down her back, nudges me. “Hey, it’s your turn.”
I jerk my head up and realize I’m in the front of the line and they’re waiting for me to engage.
“Sorry,” I mumble.
“Show me what you’ve got,” the coach says, before throwing a ball high into the air.
I crouch low, do my approach, and take out all my angst on that ball, whacking it as hard as I can over the net and into the other court.
Chapter 9
Extended Vacation
Carrie
Myphonepingsateight Sunday morning with a text from an unknown number. I look at the message and break into a grin.
Ryan: Good morning! I hope I didn’t wake you. I got an early start and thought I’d look at your car. Looks like we’ll need to replace your alternator and your timing belt.
Me: Is that bad?
Ryan: It’s definitely not good.
