Prologue

"Kyle!" Coach Adams yelled. "In."

I ran to the substitution zone. The scorekeepers once more noted the number eight on my back. The referee's whistle blew when North Valley High scored. We, Carlson High, were only ahead 23 to 22 now. It was 22 to 18 a few minutes ago.

I raced in. I patted Micah on the butt as I again replaced him. Micah was a starter, but Coach substituted me into the game regularly.

I readied my body into position. I was in the back right corner. My eyes focused on the server. He was the biggest reason the score had closed so quickly. The referee blew the whistle and signaled the server.

The ball came in fast, just making it over the net, and sinking quickly just like his two previous serves.

"I got it!" I shouted.

Nick gave way on my left. I stepped in and with a forearm pass popped the ball up to Nathan our best setter. He popped the ball to the left front corner. Travis leapt high. Two opposing players leapt to defend. Travis spiked the ball. It went between the raised arms of the two North Valley players and struck the floor in front of a desperately diving player.

24 to 22! We only needed one more!

It was quick congratulations to each other before we took our new positions. I rotated to the back middle.

The whistle blew and Nathan served. The ball split the left and middle back defenders perfectly. It caused them to hesitate and by the time the middle player reacted it was too late.

"Out!" the referee called.

I was stunned and so were my teammates. It looked so right but the serve barely went long. There was no time to focus on what might have been. We were only up by one on North Valley again.

The serve came in. I slid to the right and popped it up. Josh in the front right corner did the set to Travis. It was slightly offline so Travis couldn't get as much down force on his hit. The ball travelled off the blockers hands and a back court defender was able to get it. The ball was set by the next player and North Valley's top hitter slammed the ball.

I dove to the floor. Somehow I was able to get under the ball and pop it up. Travis leapt ready to kill the ball with his hammer hand. The wall of defenders rose up. Travis did a simple push over the outstretched hands. The ball landed in the court near the sideline.

Yes! We won three games to two! We were city champs!

It was the most euphoric feeling in my fifteen years of life.

"Great dig, Kyle!" said Travis.

"Great hit. You fooled them!" I congratulated back.

Damn! I was only a sophomore and I was on the championship team. With Micah, Nathan, Travis, and a reserve player graduating, there was a very good chance I would be starting next year when we defended our championship. Winning would be even better then!

"Kyle," said Travis while in the celebratory locker room. "A lot of us are going up to The Point. Why don't you and your girl join us?"

"I'm between girls," I lied. The truth was I was too scared to ask a girl out. I couldn't even do it in front of the mirror without getting tongue-tied.

"You're a hero, so you can have any girl you want. I'm sure some girls are still hanging around."

"Yeah!" I nodded. Travis was right. Some girls would be excited about me because I did the dig at the end of the game.

"Cool! We'll see you there. We like to park on the right side under the trees."

"Uh..." I said, seeing my evening plans disappearing. "I don't have a car."

"You don't?"

"I'm only fifteen."

"You are? Oh ... well ... um ... I'd give you a ride but I like to use everywhere inside the car with my girl. I plan to get extra wild tonight."

"I understand," I said, hiding my disappointment. I shouldn't have been disappointed. Travis was physically talented but he was supremely stupid. I told him I was a 15-year old sophomore three or four times before.

Chapter 1 »