Chapter Six
Finally, the interhigh is here. At six a.m in the morning, Ame jumps from her bed, winces at the horrible noise when her feet pound on the wooden floor and quickly throws on her burgundy uniform. She picks up her already prepared bag then storms out of her room. Today's going to be a good day. Humming she greets her parents, her mother smiles, still sleepy before her morning lessons and her father raises a mocking eyebrow ("you look more excited to go to this competition than when you have to go to school" he states dryly) and she grabs a fruit before she runs to the gym where the school bus awaits.
When she arrives, she shouts loudly each and every of her teammates names' one by one. They laugh at her good mood that lights up the amostphere at this early hour of the morning. Except Misaki who puts on her hoodie not to be harrassed by the hyperactive kid who plays as wing-spiker - that doesn't prevent Ame from babbling during the entirety of the ride though.
Forty minutes later they climb off the bus and Ame can barely contain her effervescence. She's hopping up and down, earning a few curious glances from other school's students.
She almost screams like a hysteric child on Christmas when they enter the huge sports hall. Everything is so bright and big and shiny, even better than in her dreams. For a second she regrets not being a regular for those matches, but then she chides herself. She's already extremely lucky to be here, able to stand besides her teammates and she'll do all she can to support them. Today Ishihara is going to win it all, she's certain of that.
The first match is in the morning and if they win, they'll have a second one in the afternoon.
Without much trouble, Ishihara's girls win their first match in two sets. It is an incredible feeling to know that the team's training pays off.
They have two hours of rest for lunch time. Ame and Misaki separate from the team when Ame decides she wants to explore the vast gymnasium and its different corners. Misaki knows her friend will get lost or in trouble the moment she's left without surveillance so she tags along without enthousiasm. Really, ever since she met Ame she feels like a mama bear keeping an eye on her infant.
They pass by a hallway and Ame stops when she recognizes familiar figures outside the window. She runs to it and slides it open. Outside, a few boys in white and turquoise are chatting heartily.
"Iwaizumi! Oikawa!" She waves at the group.
They turn to see and aknowledge her.
"Kozuki" Iwaizumi nods.
"Ame-chan!" Oikawa steps closer to the window.
He smiles at Misaki who joins her friend.
"How's it been going?"
"Perfectly" he replies with a grin. "We won our first match. Iwa-chan even got to score the match point."
"What? Really?" Ame screeches. "That's so cool!"
Iwaizumi shows her a thumb's up with one of his rare smiles.
"Our team also passed. You guys are so lucky to be regulars" she pouts.
"Stop complaining," Misaki scolds her.
"But I really want to play!"
"Given the erratic control you have on your spikes, that would be a crime to let you play" Misaki ironizes. Or at least Ame hopes she does.
"You're so mean, don't you have a heart?"
Seeing the way she smirks at her Ame assumes she doesn't.
"She sounds prickly, but that's because she loves me" she explains to the boys.
"Not really" Misaki snorts.
Oikawa watches their bicker with amusement. It reminds him of two other people.
"We should all hang out someday. Oh, and have you seen the text I sent you last night?"
Ame blinks. Then she understands what he's talking about.
"No, sorry, it was too late and I was already sleeping. Just saw it this morning."
He pouts and crosses his arms like a child.
"How rude! Here I thought I was your priority. That's so disappointing of you."
Ame giggles softly and stops when she senses the dark aura erupting from Iwaizumi.
"You! Are you saying you stayed up late texting last night?"
The setter gulps.
"Of course not! And it wasn't that late Iwa-chan!"
The boys from behind interrupt them. Iwaizumi nods at his teammates.
"Sorry, Kozuki, we got to gather with our team. See you later."
"Wait, already?" Oikawa whines.
He drags Oikawa by the collar as the boys step away. The latter turns around for a last glance.
"Wait for me later, Ame-chan. And don't worry, you're an amazing wing-spiker! Just a little brute" Oikawa winks.
Ame grins at his last words.
"Are you going to stay here like an idiot?" Misaki asks five minutes after the boys left.
"Sh-shut up! I was just admiring the view."
The taller girl shakes her head. Again, she notes how love has a devastating effect on people's mind, such as brain damage in Ame's case that results in an increase of her silliness level.
"It's time for lunch."
"Oh, you're right, I'm so hungry!"
"Fine, then let's join the others."
Before she can finish her sentence Ame hops from the window and jumps outside like a monkey. Misaki sighs at her bad manners.
True to her words, Ame waits outside the gym while hier teammates are busy stretching inside. They won the second match after three tough sets and Ame's voice is a little bit hoarse, thanks to her furious cheers.
"Ame-chan!" She hears a whiny voice from behind.
She turns around and dodges Oikawa at the last second. He almost trips and she chuckles.
"Ame-chan, I won all my games. Won't you hug me?"
He leans in with a boyish grin and she stops him by putting a hand on his face. He is even more flirty when they're alone and for now this game is very funny to play.
"But Oikawa," she pauses and smiles like she's about to reveal an important secret, and pushes him back, "you're sweating!"
He blinks then sends her a charming look that makes her heart skip a beat. He takes her hand on his cheek and kisses her knuckles.
"I love it when you're playing hard to get."
She coughs, her face burns red. How come he always says such embarrassing things like it's nothing?
"Is that a pick-up line you learned from your favorite book?"
"I don't need a book to teach me how to do."
She chuckles and it only makes him want to step closer.
"Right. I forgot you were an expert in this field."
Before he can answer he hears some giggles. Ame glances behind her shoulder. It turns out it's a group a girls, Oikawa's fans and they're coming towards them. He waves at them. They greet him and start to chatter, like she isn't there. Ame stands awkwardly to the side while Oikawa welcomes them with his usual cheerfulness. He gives them the same charming smiles he often gives her and somehow it strikes her harder than it should. After a while they leave and finally Oikawa turns his attention to her. She frowns.
"Hey, is something wrong?" His fingers gently tug at her elbow.
She gives him a carefree smile, even though it is more uptight than usual.
"No, it's fine."
"Good, because I wanted to bring you somewhere…"
"Ah let's talk about this another time, right? I think I should return to my teammates now."
Oikawa is confused. Why is she trying to escape from him? A moment before everything was going well, so why the sudden change? He decides he doesn't want to insist so he grins.
"I'll see you tomorrow then, but you can call me anytime, even in the middle of the night. If it's for you, I don't mind losing hours of sleep."
She laughs for good measure and bids him goodbye.
To be honest, Ame isn't even sure why she reacts that way, or why she feels an uncomfortable tingle in her chest. She just feels like a splash of cold water just woke her up after a long phase of daydreaming. You're not as special to him as you thought, a cruel voice whispers inside her head.
Oikawa watches her back as she draws away, feeling like a tiny crack has just been found on a new and perfect mirror, a little crack that announces the ones that are to come until the glass shatters to pieces.