Chapter Thirteen
A mass of the new second years are stacking in front of the board.
"Misaki!" Ame runs to her friend who is casually leaning against a metal pole.
"You're almost late for the first day of the school year. Neat."
Ame straightens her uniform as she catches her breath.
"Sorry" she laughs it off. "But I can't believe we're second years now! How weird."
They make their way to board where the class' lists are hung, ready to battle in the crowd.
"Yeah, who would have thought you'd pass your exams?" The setter adds with a smirk.
"Oh shut up!"
Ame glances at the dozens of names, looking for her own.
"I'm in class 2-3" she finally finds out.
"It's 2-1 for me" Misaki answers.
"Isn't it the one for smart kids? Congrats! How bad, we're no longer in the same class."
"Don't get lost without me."
Ame sticks her tongue.
"I'm perfectly fine on my own, thank you very much, Kaa-san. Let's go to the entrance ceremony."
The second years' ceremony is as boring as it sounds. They sit for an hour on uncomfortable chairs while not trying to fall asleep to the principal's speech on stage. Finally it ends and Ame stretches like a cat.
"I texted Nao-chan and Reika-chan. We'll meet beside the lockers then we'll show them the gym. For now, we just have to get the club papers and recruit newbies."
"How are we supposed to recruit? The volleyball club is not the worse but it's not popular either," Misaki frowns. "Shouldn't we have prepared cake or something to attract them?"
She curses herself for not thinking about it earlier. It's basic strategy, having something of interest to trade.
"Don't worry, I'm a charming person. They'll come with us," Ame puts her hand on her hips.
"I'm afraid whoever said this to you was lying."
"Mean!"
"Here are my favourite teammates!" Ame walks quickly to Reika and Nao.
The former greets her heartedly, the former shyly. She's so adorable, Ame thinks about the petite girl.
"How do you like the school?" She asks as Misaki joins them.
"It's not that different from middle school" Reika nods. "Just bigger. How did the club recruiting go?"
"Quite well. We gave a few forms. There were some girls who were interested. Right, Ame?"
"Yeah, I'm so excited to begin! Let's go see the gym."
They push the double doors open and switch on the lights. It takes a few seconds for everything to be lit up. Ame gazes the court with nostalgia. Her last real practice there was when the third years left after the Interhigh, when they were understaffed. After the second years left, there was no point keeping the entire gym for two girls, so it was given to another club. Thankfully Misaki and Ame could practice with Amano, and now the gym is theirs again. Ame will have to thank Sadao of the student concil later, as he gave her club a second chance.
"Nice" Reika grins. "That's not bad at all."
Ame beams. "I know right? What do you think, Nao-chan?"
"It's" she coughs "it's great..."
She's a shy girl, Misaki makes a mental note. We'll have to make her comfortable and not push too much. She read a few books during the holidays about group dynamics to prepare. They'll need a good team cohesion once practice starts. I hope we won't traumatize her too much.
"Okay! Practice starts at the end of the week." Ame explains. "You'll meet coach Amano then. Let's exchange numbers! I'll create a group chat and I'll add the others later, so we can always keep in touch."
Here's someone who gets easily comfortable, Misaki thinks.
Once Reika and Nao take their leave, the girls drop by the teachers' room to give the club papers. As the students in charge of the club, they have to take care of that until maybe they find someone like a manager.
Beside her locker, Ame stares at her phone absently, her outdoor shoes still in hand.
"Snap out of it."
She jumps and knocks her head on the open locker.
"What the hell" she looks at Misaki accusingly.
"Nothing. You spaced out again. Is it because of him again?"
Memories of the spring tournament come to her mind, still fresh despite the fact that it's been three weeks already.
Oikawa wipes the sweat off his forehead. A point. They have to find something, anything, to get a point. So far, all their tricks and techniques have been crushed by Ushiwaka, no matter how subtle they are, and that only makes it more frustrating. Oikawa knows he is better than Ushijima. His fingers are more skilled, his tosses perfectly precise and his serves lethal. As a player, he is so much better than this brute.
But he can't win.
Because Ushijima is a monster, invulnerable and powerful. So many hours of practice, and none of Oikawa's tricks works. Is everything bound to be outmatched by sheer strength?
"Don't mind, we'll have this set!" Iwaizumi says beside him.
"How?" Oikawa seethes. "Nothing works against him!"
"Oi don't lose it! Keep your head cool, you're the setter!"
Oikawa grits his teeth.
After all this time, losing still hurts. It especially hurts against the left-handed monster, just as much as being stabbed in the same wound everytime.
Oikawa kicks a trash can and its garbage spill on the ground.
"Oikawa."
He turns around towards the voice. Ame stands here, her hands behind her back, unsure.
"What do you want?" He asks sharply.
She's taken aback.
"I just wanted to make sure you're alright."
Iwaizumi was right, she thinks, he's a complete mess.
"I'm fine, just leave me alone."
Oikawa doesn't want her to see him like that. He wants her to know the charming, happy going Oikawa, not the one that crawls in despair after a defeat. Shiratorizawa has crushed his pride minutes ago, he doesn't need her to stomp her feet on whatever remains.
"No, you're not. Listen, you did the same for me last time, there's no way I'll let a friend, you, by himself in a moment like this!"
She walks closer to him and lifts her hand to take his, but he steps back. He swallows the guilt and spit out his anger.
"I don't need you. Go away." He says coldly.
Her eyes widen. She doesn't understand the rejection.
It's something in her eyes that makes him lash out.
Pity.
She pities him like she is so much better than him. Oikawa always thought a loser was defined by their stance, by the way their back slumped down and their head is turned to the ground, and as such, he has always thought he would never lose because he hold his head high. He was wrong. A loser is defined by the way they are looked at.
And today Oikawa is a loser.
He doesn't say anything more. Ame looks like she is torn between punching him, yelling at him or leaving. She stares at his face and he can see the hurt.
It makes him feel a bit better, to know that other people aren't happy when he isn't.
She turns around and walks away. He listens to her hurried footsteps as they get quieter.
This is the first time Ame finds something in Oikawa she hates. She doesn't hate his pride, she doesn't hate the sneaky kind of player he is. She just hates this side of him that wants to crush everything when he feels like it. A horrible, devastating personnality, for himself and those close to him.
It won't be the last time he makes her hate him.
Ame groans at the headache that comes back at the mention of He-who-must-not-be-named and puts on her shoes.
"Don't talk about this idiot."
The bell rings and the students of the class 2-3 begin to throw their notebooks and pens in their bags, trading them for bentos of delicious meal for some, dry rice for others. Ame hesitates to join the girls in the back of the class, it'll be awkward because she doesn't really know them but it's the first day so she might as well make new friends. When she spots a girl eating on her own near the window, she decides it'll be easier to start with one person.
"Hey, can I join?"
The girl looks up and her eyes travel to her face then to the bento she's already putting on the table. Ame is already looking for a chair.
"Of course."
She beams and picks a chair that Kazuo, a boy who's part of the volleyball club, uses to rest his feet.
"Hey!" He protests.
"Sorry" she chuckles. "But I need it more than you do!"
"There are plenty of other chairs!"
"Then I just want to mess with you I guess. Just sit with your back straight, you'll have a better figure" she recites what her mother has always told her as a ballet teacher.
Kazuo sticks his tongue and she snickers.
"You seem to know him well enough" the girl notes once she sits down.
"Yeah, we practice the same sport. I'm Kozuki Ame by the way."
"Ryuzaki Miu" she says.
"That's a pretty name. Can I call you Miu-chan?" She asks between two mouthful of rice.
"If you want to?" Miu shrugs.
"Cool. You know, that's a bit odd that I never saw you at school last year."
"Ah, that's not odd at all, I'm a transfert student. I just arrived here."
Ame puts down her chopsticks.
"Really? Where were you before that?"
Miu looks amused at her excitement.
"I was at Shiratorizawa Academy."
"Wow, you must be a genius."
"Not really" she chuckles warily.
"I'm sure you are" Ame grins. "But why did you leave?"
"I just had a few, hum, complications." She glances to the side.
Ame tilts her head and refrains herself from asking more, Misaki once told her that it's a common gesture for humans to look elsewhere and fidget when they want to avoid a subject, and that's exactly what Miu is doing right now.
"Did you join a club?" she asks instead.
The girl in front of her looks relieved at the change of subject.
"No, not yet. I used to be in the maths club last year, but I don't think there's one in this school."
"You're right, there isn't." Ame wonders how people can willingly choose something that gives so much headaches as a club, when it's already painful enough in class.
"But you can join the volleyball club if you want. We're super nice and cool." She beams.
Ame ignores the snorts that comes from Kazuo in her back.
She looks exactly like a soup vendor, Miu thinks.
"Sorry, I'm not very good at sports. But I hope you'll find good members."
"Oh, it's alright. Thanks!"
She grabs a ruler on the side and turns around to slap the boy's shoulder.
"Hey, rude!"
"Eavesdropping is rude!"
There are still two hours left. Although it started fairly well, this day seems to draw longer and longer. Ame sighs. She'll definitely never get used to sitting all day.
She looks outside the window, ignoring whatever it is her teacher talks about. To her ears, his unceasing voice sounds just like a Sims'. Outside, first years are stretching to get ready for PE class. Ah, the first PE class on the first day of high school, a classic at Ishihara. She remembers hers clearly, when they had to run six kilometers in circles around the school. When Misaki hid behind a tree after the first five minutes and stayed there for an hour. Ame suppresses a laugh at the memory.
Then suddenly, a stroke of genius hits her. She stands up, causing everyone to turn to her.
"Sensei, I need to go the infirmary!"
"You're not going to the infirmary, aren't you?" Miu asks once they make it to the hallway.
"No, sorry. You can come back in class in five minutes, you'll just have to say you brought me there as you were told."
Miu shruggs and ties her curly long hair.
"That's fine. I already studied this subject last year anyway. Where are we going?"
Ame thinks quickly.
"I need to get a friend. She's in 2-1."
"How do we do that?"
"Don't worry" Ame smirks. "Our friendship is strong, we have a perfect connection."
Misaki takes a few notes thoughtlessly. To her, lessons are not really hard to understand as long as you vaguely listen. Her phone buzzes in her pocket, once, then twice, then several times before she picks it out to reads the texts when the teacher has his back turned. What the?
She stands up.
"Sensei, I need to go to the infirmary."
"Ame, what the hell?"
"Oh you're here! Miu-chan and I have been waiting."
Misaki shakes her head.
"Aren't you supposed to be in class? It's only the first day and you're doing whoever knows what. You know you have to be serious, after your suspension last year..."
"Let's not talk about the painful past." Ame interrupts gravely.
Miu looks between the two girls in amusement.
"Fine. What's up then?"
"First years. PE class. Let's recruit."
Misaki groans.
"Do we have to do it now?"
"Let's go or we'll be late!"
She grabs Misaki and Miu in each hand and runs towards the school yard.
"I can't believe we're doing this" the setter sighs.
"Won't we look like creeps though?" Miu asks with concern.
"Well, one of us really is a creep."
"I'm not listening to your nagging sarcasm" Ame says. "Hey look, they're going to play volleyball, it's perfect!"
Misaki looks up in interest. Even though she's against skipping classes, now that she's here she might as well make the most of it. Ame's idea isn't completely stupid after all.
The three girls seat on the grass at the side of the open court.
The PE teacher blows her whistle and two teams of girls start to play. Receives are clumsy and there are no real spikes, which is normal for first years who have barely ever played.
A few girls are doing pretty well, probably because they practice other sports and have acquired some reflexes.
Ame and Misaki comment their moves as Miu listens in silence. She doesn't understand their language but it's still interesting to follow.
Volleyball sure is another thing, she muses. She wonders if her classmate and her friend are as passionate about it as another boy back at Shiratorizawa. Miu shakes her head. It's over now, it all is behind her. She can't keep looking back if she wants to move on.
"Wouah" Ame stares in awe.
The girl that catches her attention is over 1,80 meters, and it shows between all the other short girls. She spreads her long arms over the net, and although she looks like she isn't sure about what she's doing, her silhouette is efficient enough to make anyone think twice before a spike.
"We need her!" Ame cries. "She'll be a fantastic middle blocker!"
"Hold your horses" Misaki says. "She's tall, but she needs a lot of practice. She's way too clumsy for now."
Ame doesn't answer but she keeps her gaze on the girl. There's a glint in her eyes and Misaki instantly knows the poor first year who didn't ask for anything will become a part of the team at the end of the week.
Once the class is over Ame stands up and makes her way towards the girl. Miu and Misaki follow suit.
"Hey you!" She beams to the girl. "Want to join Ishihara's volleyball club?"
Misaki almost slaps her hand on her face. That's the most absurd thing she's ever heard as a bait line.
"Ah, uh, sure."
And it works at that! She looks between the first year and the second year.
"Great! Then come at our gym on Friday afternoon!"
The tall girl nods, and satisfied, Ame steps away.
"So that was it?" Misaki sighs.
"Yeah? Anything wrong?" Ame blinks.
"No, you just recruited a girl with a single sentence. It's impressive."
She chuckles. "I told you I was a charming person." Then she turns to Miu. "Are you sure you don't want to join as well? It'll be fun."
"No, sports is really not my thing." Well, that and other reasons why I don't want to be part of a club like that. Miu doesn't feel like getting super close to people and play with them. That's too soon, after what happened. "But thank you for the offer. I'm sorry to decline."
"Don't worry" Misaki says. "I'm sure she's been giving those to everyone all day long. You won't be the first to reject her."
"That's not a very nice way to speak about your best friend you love so much Misaki."
"Shut up, you-"
She's interrupted by a cry coming from above their heads.
"Hey thugs! The teacher is gone, come back to take your bags so I can clean the classroom!"
They look up to see Kazuo at a window at the second floor.
Ame chuckles.
"Just throw my bag out and I'll catch it!"
"That's a bad idea." Misaki and Miu say at the same time.
"Gotcha!" Kazuo shouts.
Miu looks at Ame with worry. She doesn't want to be mean, but that's a really stupid idea. Misaki is already stepping away towards the lockers. She follows her.
"Is it alright to leave her like that?"
"Trust me, you don't want to be around her when she's playing with windows." Misaki smirks at her own joke. "We're going to get ice cream now, do you want to come?"
Miu blinks. She has only known those two girls for less than three hours and still, they are that friendly. She didn't expect to meet girls like this here. It's so different from her former school. That must be because they're not focused on being elites. There isn't the pressure that comes with being a Shiratorizawa student.
"Maybe another time," she says politely. She promised herself not to get too close to people in order to stay out of trouble, as last year she learned the hard way how friends in high school don't last.
Misaki just nods, "see you tomorrow then, I guess."
Miu sighs once the volleyball player leaves and takes the stairs to grab her bag in the classroom. She hopes her school year at Ishihara goes well and peaceful. It can't be worse than last year anyway.
A/N
Soooo, it's been a while uh? Sorry about the slow updates, but at least chapters are longer haha. I don't know if you prefer this length or the short chapters, so feel free to tell me about it. I'm not quite sure about this chapter, it's like a transition to the second year of our protagonist, so not much happens. I hesitated to put the thing with Oikawa in it and to be honest I still don't know. Ah, it's done now anyway. Next chapters: introduction of new characters and the team slowly takes shape, along with other things. With the new school year comes new problems, right?