Color Volleyball practice

  “Hey, aren’t you coming?” Daniel said, waving me over.

“Nah, go on ahead.” I said from the front door of the school.

“Hah! Bet you’re gonna watch her play again, right?” Daniel said walking away. “Someday, you’ll have to tell her!”

I dropped my shoulders with a heavy sigh and walked to the gym where the girls’ volleyball team was practicing. I was there to see one girl, a mutant girl who sits beside me in class, a mutant girl whose pictures I look at longingly on my phone… because I’d never have the courage to talk to her. 

I mean… what are the chances that someone like her would be interested in me. She’s the only mutant in our class! People are either infatuated with her or scared of her. The demon horns don’t do her any favors, though her personality is nothing like a demons.

I sat down on the bleachers to enjoy the practice games. She always shines on the court. She would use her back hands to heft the ball while her front hands smacked it down with almost supernatural force. She was a volleyball star.

I remember when we had just entered school. She seemed so fragile and innocent. Bullies would make fun of her horns but she would never defend herself. She just kept her head down and tried to wait until it all went away.

That day was the only day I was brave enough to talk with her. I said “Your horns are very pretty.” She looked up at me with tears in her eyes and smiles. I blushed so hard and ran back to my seat before she could say anything else.

THUMP! THUMP THUMP! The sound of a ball hitting the ground broke me out of my reminiscence. I picked it up and there she was, standing with her four hand extended waiting to receive the ball. She took it without saying a word, her fingers gently brushing against mine.

“F…Freya I…” I said her name quietly under my breath as she walked away. I still wasn’t brave enough to talk to her directly. I sat down, but I saw her pause before she headed back to the court. On no! Did she hear me!? Crap did I make a fool out of myself?

She turned to look at me with a deep flush to her cheeks, using one of her hands to pull her hair behind her here. “Uhm…. Thanks for coming to see me every day!” she said, breaking the same smile she gave me all those years ago. Then, before I had a chance to respond she headed back to the court.

I sat back down, my heart pounding in my chest louder than the ball on the court. “She talked to me. She actually talked to me.” I thought. It was gonna be hard, but if she could do that, the least I could do was return the favor.