Chapter Five
"Took you long enough" Misaki teases when her friend takes her seat next to her. She sees the goofy smile and the tainted cheeks on Ame's face.
"Sh- shut up!" The girl protests half-heartedly.
Misaki sneers and leaves her alone with her messy thoughts.
Ame still can't believe what just happened. Everything was so perfect, she got caught in the moment. And the last thing she told him… oh no was it too cheesy? She practically confessed to him! She slaps her face internally. She had known him for only two months! He's going to think she's a desperate girl, falling for him just because he made a few moves. Really Ame, you're such an idiot!
Sometimes she should really think before she speaks.
But Oikawa had been so captivating. It was the first time she saw him that way. To her he isn't Oikawa the setter anymore, nor Oikawa the player, he is just a boy with dreams and questions. She remembers his face under the orange light, the way his steady voice lingered next to her ear. He had looked ethereal. But worst, or even better, depends on the perspective, it's that he made her feel funny things she never felt before. Something exciting yet soothing.
The next day, at lunch time Ame succeeds in pulling Misaki outside to eat under a tree in the courtyard. The weather is particularly good that day. They eat their bento in a comfortable silence. Ame hums.
"You seem delighted today" her friend states.
"Ah, yeah, don't you think it's a beautiful world we live in?"
Misaki scrunches her nose at the other girl's dripping cheerfulness. She decides to tease her a bit.
"Is that because of the romantic date you got with the Seijo princess yesterday?"
Ame coughs and laughs weakly.
"What? Come on Misaki, it wasn't a date!"
Then she drops her empty bento box and crawls towards Misaki.
"Wait, do you think it was one?" She puts her hand on her mouth. "Of course! How could I not notice it earlier! It was a date! I went on a date!" She blushes. "It was my first one."
Misaki sighs. What a strange, noisy girl.
"Calm down, meat head."
Ame ignores the stupid nickname. Misaki shakes her head. She's excited about her date the day after it happened? Something must be wrong with her.
"Is this what they call being lovestruck? Looks like there are stars in your eyes and your brain has been replaced by marshmallow."
While Ame stares at the distance dreamily, Misaki chews on her rice before she adds, "I just hope you don't get hurt in the end."
The wing-spiker snaps back to reality.
"What do you mean?"
"You said it was your first date. I suppose you never had those kind of experience before, but just keep in mind that people can say sweet things to you and the next second stab you in the chest. Even those you thought would never hurt you."
She shrugs then adds.
"Of course it doesn't happen all the time. But sometimes they break you into pieces, even though they love you. Especially when they love you."
That is such a contradictory thought. Ame can't understand very well how things like that could happen, but she knows Misaki knows a lot and even though she's a bit pessimistic, she's always right. However she knows Oikawa is a good person, he would never cause harm to her. Well, he must be a good person, right? After all he has always been nice to her.
"Thank you Misaki" she smiles. "It makes me so happy that you care about me, but don't worry. I'm strong. I'll never let anyone break me."
She hugs her tightly, while Misaki clumsily pats her back, deep in thought. She isn't blind nor deaf. She has seen Oikawa, his sly eyes and the effect he has on girls. They are willing to chase him and he knows that. It will only get worse as time goes by. Sure, she has also noticed the fondness he seems to nourish towards Ame. But Misaki knows that those sort of boys like to play and they get easily bored. Nothing is more fickle than feelings. It could become extremely dangerous for her friend, if in the end things get painful. Unfortunately Ame doesn't listen to her warning, too excited to focus. She supposes she'll have to keep an eye on her, and be there for her if this affair takes a wrong turn.
"Nice kill Ame-chan!" The older girl congratulates her.
"Thanks captain!"
She calls Misaki and Ame to the side of the court while the others keep practicing. She puts her hands on their shoulders.
"You're very promising girls. You've improved so fast, I'm impressed."
Ame chuckles and rubs the back of her head. That's true, the interhigh preliminaries are approaching and she almost masters her serve. Misaki is close to the regular setter's level. Her tosses are precise and as someone who has to choose which spiker will hit, her choices are always wise, regarding the opponents' position.
"I know you're disappointed of not being regulars for the interhigh" the captain adds with a sorry face, "but keep practicing with all your will. When you'll take the helm of this team, you two are going to be incredible models for your teammates, and dangerous opponents for other teams."
Ame and Misaki share a look then, "yes!" they shout loudly.
After practice, the girls decide they deserve a treat and the team head to a cute café near the school. They laugh and talk about volleyball and gossip loudly (especially the eldest girls), like always when teenage girls are gathered together.
As she giggles at a funny story one of the girls share, Ame feels her phone buzz on her pocket. It's a text from Oikawa, he sends her a photo of him with a silly quote underneath. She answers with a tiny grin but unfortunately the others see her.
"Ah, seems like someone's in love. You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend, Ame-chan" the libero teases her.
They all turn they eyes to her with wolfish grins and she feels like a little rabbit in the middle. Ame lets out an embarrassed chortle.
"No, Oikawa is not my…"
"Heh, you mean that princess from Aoba Josai?" A second-year exclaims.
She almost wants to hit her face on the table. She should really think before she opens her mouth.
"Now that we talk about it, I remember I saw you leaving with him after practice."
Ame's cheeks turn red.
"He's cute though" the captain notes. "Well done Ame-chan!"
That conversation is so embarrassing! She just wants to bury herself in a hole. She looks at Misaki for reinforcement. The treacherous smirk on her face just adds to her despair. Kindly, the girls laugh at her reactions while she, in vain, does her best to become invisible.
Once their stomach is filled with chocolate cake and strawberry milkshake, the group stroll to the mall where they do some window shopping, still joking around all the time. Ame feels delighted to be part of such a team.
It's one of these joyful moments of rest before trouble kicks in and turns everything upside down. Everything goes well for Ame, so much that she forgets that peace doesn't last long and soon she'll have to fight and bite to get what she wants the most and keep the things dear to her.
But for now, she's only thinking of enjoying her good time with her teammates.