Aoba Johsai High School
"That was a great practice today ladies!" Mei cheered as the girl's team entered the club room finishing their after school practice.
It was now seven days before the Inter High preliminaries.
"I can't believe it's next week-"
"I'm getting a bit anxious..."
"I-I know-"
Putting her towel down Leila glanced over to the panicking first years.
"You guys have nothing to worry about-" Mei jumped in
"I know how you guys feel, it'll be your first official match into the big leagues..."
"But we can do it!"
"Let's get through the preliminaries and aim for nationals!"
"Yeah!"
.
.
.
"Leila, I don't know what else to do... to lift their spirits-"
The best friends were in the middle of locking up the club room door before leaving for the night.
"Your doing great Mei-" The blonde shuffled her bag on her back pulling her long wavy hair out of her ponytail
"I just d-don't think I'm the right person for this..."
"Suzuki-senpai made a mistake choosing me as captain-"
"It should be you..."
"But I don't want to be captain-" Leila shrugged nonchalantly
"Don't say that!" Mei spazzed frowning looking over to her best friend
"Don't say what Mei Mei?"
The girl turned around to come face to face with Tooru and Iwa, walking their way over. They must've just finished practice too.
"Oh hey you guys..." The setter narrowed her saddened eyes to the ground
The boys looked over to the blonde in question wondering what's got the beautiful brunette so upset.
Leila sighed looking over to the two.
"Mei doesn't think she's fit to be captain, can you guys talk some sense into her?" She put a hand on her hip making Mei turn the other way in embarrassment
Mei went to Kitigawa first alongside Tooru and Iwa, so she's known them a lot longer than Leila. That's actually how the blonde met Tooru, through Mei.
"I just don't think I have what it takes..." The brunette admitted locking her eyes on the ground
"Yes you do Miyazaki!" Leila snapped using the girl's surname as Tooru put a hand on the blonde's shoulder making her relax.
"You're a great captain Mei Mei, don't let doubt cause you to stumble-" Tooru began as Iwa went on
"You bring out the best in people Miyazaki, and that's a great quality to have-"
The brunette's cheeks tinted pink as she looked over to the ace.
"See, this is the reason you're captain and i'm not-" Leila nodded
"I get too pent up into the game while you keep everyone focused-"
"That's what a captain does, you may not realize it but your more of a captain then you think you are-" Iwaizumi said calmly
"You...think...so...Iwa-chan?" Tooru teased his best friend
"Shut it Shittykawa-" The ace blushed in embarrassment as he punched the boy on the back of his head
"Ouch! Why does everyone keep hitting me?" The setter cried making the girls laugh
"Thank you guys..."
A Few Days Later
"Is it me, or have those two been hanging out a lot lately?" Iwa questioned making Leila look over to her best friend and boyfriend chatting down the hallway.
Mei and Tooru were in-fact both the setter's and the team captain's of Aoba Johsai. Not to mention that they both had the same college prep class 3-5 as Leila and Iwa were in regular class of 3-2.
"Well, that's good-"
"Good?" Iwa questioned
"Tooru could be a great influence on her" She nodded
"Influence?"
"Leila, are you feeling alright?" The boy put a hand on her forehead seemingly checking if she had a fever
"Cut it out Iwa, I'm serious-" She laughed swatting his hand away
"She's been to a lot of our practice's this week-" Iwa watched as they walked by too occupied into their conversation
"The more time she spends around Tooru the better-" Leila nodded
"Why?"
She looked up to the ace in surprise.
'He really didn't get it?'
"Tooru is the epitome of confidence Iwa, you should know that by now~" She teased making the boy scowl
"Come on dummy let's go get some lunch-" The girl chuckled striking a nerve within the boy
"Me Dummy? You're the one dating a real dummy Leila!" Iwaizumi spazzed
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay Iwa..." She swatted her hand back and forth
There was a lot of pressure and Leila got that. I mean the blonde herself was nervous about everything too, but all they could do is look up, not down.
For one, the second years on the girls team... they're gone. All except Ami. Number 3. One moved to Tokyo, another got accepted into Shirotorizawa and lastly their beloved ace broke her arm and isn't allowed to play this year.
It was rough, but as long as the girls had each other then everything would fall into place... hopefully.
.
.
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Now finished with their evening practice, the team calmed down in the club room. Changing back into their school uniforms, all the first years began to chatter about the preliminaries.
Their anxieties were growing and now it was making the blonde on edge.
Leila sighed and stood up on a chair grabbing everyone's attention.
"Listen up!" She pointed
"We have a reputation to hold as teams of Aoba Johsai-"
The girl looked around to see their worried faces.
"Everything's going to be fine-"
"Once you get out there... on the court, the rush of nervousness disappears and a wave of competitiveness is formed" The blonde evilly smiled excited to crush the other teams as Mei pushed her off the chair
"Ouch Mei that really hurt!" Leila rubbed her side making the girls laugh
"What she's trying to say is that, we get it. It's nerve wracking, but were not the only team competing this thing-" Mei went on
"Imagine all the other first years who are competing too, even the boys!" Mei shouted
Leila didn't want to pull the Tooru card, but on this one... it looks like they need it.
"The boys are obviously going to make it, you don't want to let them down do you?"
"No ma'am!"
"We can do it!"
"Right!"
"We'll win for Oikawa!" Two of the girls clasped hands with sparkles in their eyes
"Yeah!"
"You see Mei, they got this" Leila nodded standing up
"Y-Yeah..." The brunette sweat dropped watching all this excited first years
30 Minutes later
"Yoo hoo~"
"Lei Lei, Mei Mei~~"
"Hi Toorii" The blonde smiled as she pecked the boy on the cheek
"You done locking up Mei?"
"Y-Yeah! I just forgot my bag! I'm coming!" She shouted as she came out of the club room holding her things
"Come on you guys-"
"Where are we going?" Mei questioned as they saw Iwa in the distance
"Iwa?" Leila questioned now catching the boys attention as he started walking over
He rose up an arm holding four popsicles
"Oh wow thanks!" The blonde smiled taking the blue icy treat
"Our last practice before the prelims. You guys ready?" Leila began softly looking up to the sky as the others followed her gaze
These could be the last games they ever played...
Together...
For Aoba Johsai...
"Definitely"
"Yeah-"
"..."
"Mei?" The trio looked over to the quiet girl
"Let's do it you guys." She glowed with a big grin plastered on her face as Tooru, Leila, and Iwa's expressions lit up
"Yeah!"
Next Chapter Title: Tooru Oikawa is a genius
