Hello, my peeps! Tis another update! Bit of a note before you read on; I have recently found out that a typical volleyball team has 6 players, although me, my siblings, and friends always played with five people a team, so that's how I wrote it here. Plus the rules/points I used were the rules/points I play by. And can I just say, I hate writing sport's scenes. Hate it.

Will, Alyss, and George walked into Larry's Diner at exactly 6:05. Spotting Horace and Jenny sitting at a booth Alyss led the boys to them. "Hi, guys," she said as her, Will, and George slid into spots. "I have convinced Will to join our team."

"Oh, Will, that's great," Jenny said.

Horace snorted. "Can he even reach the net?"

Will rolled his eyes and muttered, "Don't worry, I probably won't be here for long."

Jenny stared at him, her eyes wide. "What do you mean, Will?" she asked.

"I just mean that I move around a lot."

"Well, hopefully this time you'll be able to stay in Redmont," Alyss said.

The waiter arrived and took everyone's orders, returning in a couple of minutes with five plates filled with burgers and fries.

"So which park do you guys play at?" Will asked, a fry hanging from his mouth.

"It's called Redmont Park, not very imaginative," Alyss said. "But it's a nice park, in the center of the city. It's huge, and it has pathways, a river with ducks, lots of trees, a campground, and, of course, a volleyball net."

"And the great thing is is that the volleyball court is covered in sand," Jenny said. "Have you played much, Will?"

"Not really, played on a team in one of my schools for a couple of weeks before I moved again. Haven't really gotten much into sports since." That foster home had been one of Will's absolute favorites. He had been thirteen at the time and had two foster siblings, an older brother and a younger sister. They had been adopted and the parents were looking to adopt a third child, and Will had been sure it was going to be him. So he made an effort to get along with the family and get involved with his school. But the family ended up sending him away because they wanted to adopt a younger child. After that, Will just stopped trying.

"Hey, Will! Earth to Will." Will glanced up to see Jenny waving her hand in his face. "What were you thinking about?"

"Uh, just wishing that I could make a burger that tasted this good," Will lied, and saw George taking notes out of the corner of his eye.

"Jenny can make wonderful hamburgers," Alyss said.

Jenny blushed at the praise while Horace said, "It's true, we've all gone there several times for barbecue."

"I learned from my mom," Jenny said. "She's the best cook."

After they quickly chewed down the remainder of their burgers and fries they walked to the park. Will had to admit that it was beautiful. It was closed in by trees, the sun barely peeking through. It reminded Will of a forest, even with the gravel pathway and the campers to one side. They soon came to a clearing with a baseball diamond, and right beside it was the volleyball court where the opposing team was waiting.

"Bout time you guys got here," Dwayne said. "I see you found a fifth member."

"Yes," Alyss said. "Dwayne, I'm sure you remember Will."

"Yes I do." He stepped forward so him and Will could shake hands. "Let's get this game started, eh?"

Everyone took their shoes and socks off, then Alyss, Horace, Jenny, and George automatically went to each corner of their side. "You can stand in the center, Will."

Will went to his assigned spot, enjoying the feel of the cool sand under his feet. "Rally!" the scorekeeper, a slim dark haired girl from Will's English class, yelled.

A girl that Will didn't recognize from Dwayne's team was serving first. She held the volleyball in her left hand, letting it go a millisecond before her right fist came up and smacked the ball in a strong underhand. The ball sped over the net, where Horace easily countered it. When it came back to Will's side and headed towards Will he got himself ready. His arms were outstretched, he could feel the anticipation rising in him, the ball was getting closer, Will swung... and he missed, the ball landing right in front of him.

Will's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as Horace laughed. "I knew bringing him on the team was a mistake," Horace said.

"Oh and who gave me a black eye that caused my vision to be impaired?" Will asked, raising an eyebrow to Horace before kicking the ball to the other side.

"Zero zero!" the scorekeeper yelled. "Let the game begin!"

The same girl as before served, and the game began. When Will's team scored a point, they rotated and it was Alyss's turn to serve. "Zero serving two!" yelled the scorekeeper.

Alyss had a different technique to serving, one that was never used in an actual match. She clasped her hands together in a typical underhand position and held the volleyball between her arms. "Set up!" Alyss called, then she flung the volleyball into the air, hitting it with her thumbs as it came down. The ball flew high, then Horace, in the middle at this point, ran forward and spiked it. over the net.

"Ace!" the scorekeeper said.

When it finally came Will's turn to serve (twenty-three serving twenty-three) he made a perfect serve, almost. It was powerful, it was high, and it was fast. But it was just a little too powerful, for it had passed Dwayne's team and hit just outside the line. "Out!"

"Great," Horace said. "Now they just need one more point to win."

"Take it easy, Horace," Jenny said. "Will has scored quite a few points already, and you've given the other team a point or two as well."

"Twenty-four serving twenty-three!"

In order for a team to win, they had to have at least two points more than the other team. Somehow, miraculously, Will's team managed to climb to a score of twenty-five, with the other team still at twenty-four. Will figured it was mostly due to George, who didn't bother sticking to his one spot and instead darted around the court, hitting the ball more than anyone else had. At one point, he jumped and slid across the court on his front, managing to hit the ball right before it would have touched the sand. He had gotten sand in his eyes and a serious rug burn (sand burn?) on his forearm. But, he claimed it was worth it.

"Game point!"

Will was in the middle again, with Horace serving. Horace's serve was powerful, although a bit low so it brushed the top of the net. The ball flew back and forth between the teams, until someone in the back of the court on Dwayne's team hit the ball. "Mine!" Will shouted and rushed forward, having to jump, and spiked the ball so hard that it bounced off the sand.

"Game!"

"Wow, Will, that was amazing." Jenny said.

"Not really," Will said, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the praise. "It was just a simple spike."

"No, it wasn't. You were so fast and that leap? Absolutely incredible! Right, Horace?"

"It was okay," he answered.

"You did good, Will," Alyss said.

"Thanks," Will smiled.

"Great game, guys," Dwayne said as him and his team to congratulate them. "Bit of a close call, eh?"

"It wasn't close, we won easily," Will said, repeating Dwayne's words from before with a smirk.

"Right. Well, we'll see you guys here next Wednesday then?"

Him and his team turned and left. "I think I'm going to need some ointment for this," George said and pointed to his right forearm. It was pink, turning red, and looked like it stung like hell.

"Maybe we should all go home," Alyss suggested.

"Good idea," Horace said. "It's starting to get dark."

They all left the park together before splitting to go to their separate homes.

"Hello, Will," Pauline said when Will got home. "I didn't expect you to be home so late." She and Halt were sitting on the couch together, watching TV.

"I was playing volleyball with some friends," Will said.

"Who won?" Pauline seemed to be genuinely pleased that Will had been hanging out with some friends.

"We did, it was a bit of a close call though." Will internally laughed at the inside joke. "Anyway, I'm going to have a shower."

Will was about to go upstairs but Halt said, "Wait. What's that smell?"

Will's heart thumped in his chest but he remained calm on the outside. "What smell?" he asked, deciding to play it dumb.

"Smells like smoke."

Oh shit, Will thought. He had smoked a couple of cigarettes on the way home but he didn't think the smell would stick on him that much. "Maybe someone's having a barbecue."

Halt looked him dead in the eye. "Have you been smoking?"

"What? Why would I be smoking?" Will knew that his response was weak and Halt was bound to find out the truth.

"Because I know the smell of smoke from cigarettes. So, I'll ask you again, have you been smoking?"

Will's panicking suddenly turned to anger and he said, "Yes, I have been. So what?"

"Will, it's not good for you," Pauline said, remaining calm as ever.

"Who cares? I don't even do it that often, and when I do I only do a couple."

"I don't care," Halt said gruffly. "There's no smoking allowed."

"Why should it bother you? I don't do it in or around the house. It's my life and if want to live while smoking I'm going to fucking do that."

Halt stood from his spot on the couch and glared at Will. "You live here, and while you do, you aren't allowed to smoke."

Will's fists clenched and his heart was beating faster. "Well I probable won't live here much longer, will I?" Then he ran up the stairs, to his bedroom, and slammed the door shut.

Wasn't originally going to have Halt find out about Will smoking so early but then I was like, "this chapter is too happy, it needs angst." So that happened...