I love weekends. I love them more than anything in the world. I get to sleep in whatever time I want to. And don't even get me started on Saturdays.
The only downside is mornings like today where I have to use the bathroom during one of the best dreams I've ever had. Me and Hailee Steinfeld just had our second kid and we were on our way to Bali.
I check my phone right before I use the bathroom and see its 6:50. That's like another good 4 hours of sleep I get before my dad yells at me and wakes me up. Wait-what did I just read?!
"Holy shit I'm late!"
I'm now realizing I am extremely late for Volleyball tryouts this morning. It's not my fault though. What psycho would put a tryout at 7AM in the morning on a fucking Saturday?!
I'm currently multi-tasking as I am brushing my hair and putting my shorts on at the same time. Fuck. I literally said I wasn't going to be late for this.
Ms. Bodacious is going to fucking murder me.
Despite me trying to go as fast as I could to get dressed, I ended up leaving the house at 6:57. You know it's early when my dad is still asleep.
I have no time for breakfast. Who eats breakfast anyways?
I'm checking my phone right before I get on my bike and I see that Maisie has texted me countless times. This isn't fair. I'm just a teenage girl. Can you blame me?
It is now 7:07 when I arrive at school. I think that's a new record for the fastest I made it to school. There were barely any cars on the road because most people don't have work today. The only proof of civilization I saw this morning were the people going on runs.
Who would do that just for fun?
I try opening up the doors to the gym but they are locked. The windows on the door are also blocked off so I couldn't see anyone either.
"Why the fuck is nobody coming to the fucking door?!"
Seriously. Who has the time to waste all their scrumptious bicep energy on knocking on a door that nobody was going to open?
I'm one to give up easily on almost everything in the world. I have a below-average percent of patience. I'm seriously not patient. I've never been.
Just before I gave up on my fate, the doors finally opened. And you'll never guess who was there.
"You're late. Just as I expected."
I look up slightly at the girl who I assume is not taller than 6'2 to let me in the gymnasium. If I have to get on my knees and beg, then I will.
"I'm sorry I accidentally slept in late. Just please let me in." I put my hands into prayer mode as I give Ms. Reed my puppy eyes.
"No." Not even a split second after, Ms. Reed shuts the door. Fuck this psycho bitch teacher man.
However, that turns on a light inside of me and now I am more motivated than ever to get inside that gym and play some motherfucking volleyball.
"Just let me in and play please. I promise I won't be late ever again. Just please give me one more chance to try out. Pleaseeeeeeee." Somehow my pleading works because Ms. Reed opens up the door again. I can tell she's annoyed and only did this so she doesn't have to deal with my whining anymore.
"Fine." She rolls her eyes and 'welcomes' me into the gym.
Everybody is already panting even though it's just the first few minutes of practice.
But Ms. Bodacious likes to play hard I guess.
And I always like a challenge.
"You're running back and forth across the gym on the sidelines. Don't complain or waste anymore of my time Oliver."
Yes ma'am.
I am not going to argue with her, nor am I going to ask how long I need to run for. It could be for one minute, it could be for five. Who knows.
I ran for what seemed like forever but turned out to only be three minutes. I decide to try and distance myself from Maisie and my other friends. I am trying to be a good girl for Ms. Reed. I am not taking any chances and risking anything.
"Alright everyone. We're going to have multiple teams because there are so many of you but only two teams playing just so I can make sure I get a good description of everyone and their playing."
Damn. Does she not even want us to practice serving or anything? We're getting straight into it I guess.
"Alright team one and the first team going up will be..."
I'd say I'm staring into space but that would be a lie. I'm just examining her lips and the way she's so focused on the paper on her clipboard. Why am I like this?
I didn't hear my name called for the first team so I'm paying attention to the names she calls this time because I really want to play and impress her and set the scene up for all the idiots who have to try and top me.
"Alright team two and who will be versing team one will be Jasmine, Brooklyn, Sheila, Lily, Sky, and...Jules."
She looks at me with a mischievous smirk when she says that. Her eyes were glued to her clipboard and she didn't look at anyone else when she called their names out except mine. This must mean something right? Right?!
I don't really care much because this is exactly what I wanted. I just couldn't blow it.
There were 6 teams total. Some had six players on it, some had eight. Thankfully my team had only six so I didn't need my chances to be at risk of substitution. There are two freshmen on my team but I don't care. They might be good and if they're not, I'll just carry them.
I am starting front and center just like I have been years prior. I am a 5'11 girl. Some of the girls are taller who are trying out but for right now, I have the advantage. Plus I doubt any of the girls here have the vertical I have. Sorry sorry I don't mean to sound cocky but it's just the truth. Plus how can I be cocky when I don't even like cock?
The opposing team was serving first. After a few back and forths, my one teammate sets the ball up for me and I spike it on the opposing team's side of the court.
I look at Ms. Bodacious who doesn't seem impressed at all. When she looks at me I wink at her and she rolls her eyes.
Jules: 1, Ms. Reed: 0
I feel myself activate into a different person when I step on a court of any kind. But I do have some remorse for once because I feel very bad for the opposing team. My team, or well I am crushing them. Its 17-4 on the first and only set. I've managed to bag 11 of our points from everywhere on the floor.
Finally our game ended with my team obviously taking the dub.
I went straight to Ms. Bodacious and assertively looked her up and down.
"Impressed?"
Ms. Reed calls out teams 3 and 4 to go out on to the court.
"I wasn't just paying attention to you Oliver. There were 11 other people I was looking at. Don't be so full of yourself. I don't waste my time on people who just do the same play over and over again." Ms. Reed says without looking at me.
Ouch.
"But you have to admit I'm not terrible right?"
Ms. Reed sighs. Got you now bitch.
"You have some talent. Some."
I don't care, that was enough to make me smile.
I'm watching the rest of the other teams play while also looking at Ms. Bodacious a few times and it was very obvious who were the better players. But the more terrible players so-to-speak, shouldn't fear because there's still Junior Varsity.
Tryouts lasted for another 2 hours and I honestly think I killed it. I excelled in every single category of what we did. Even cardio. And I fucking hate cardio.
"Alright everyone. We will have one more tryout tomorrow at 3PM so there is no reason for any of you guys to be late." As soon as Ms. Reed says that, she looks directly at me.
"You guys will then come to my office on Monday at any time you can and I will tell you directly if you made any teams or if you're getting cut. If you don't show up, you don't play for me."
Just when you think Ms. Bodacious couldn't get ruder, she does.
Everyone was now leaving and now it was just me and Ms. Reed in the gym.
"What do you want, Oliver?"
You.
No, I didn't actually say that. In my head I did though.
"You're a good coach."
"I don't pick and choose favorites Oliver so you can let that thought go to rest."
I roll my eyes while she isn't looking.
"You said I have some talent. Well, some isn't satisfying to me. I want to improve that so will you give me lessons?"
"No way in hell am I going to do that. That's extremely unfair to the others. You're a senior come on. You know better than to ask stupid, ignorant, questions like that."
She groans as I put my hands up in defense.
"Okay okay. Sorry I asked."
I turned around, leaving the gym without sparing her one look.
I don't like when I don't meet other people's standards. I need to be better.
But what I didn't know was she thought I was one of the best players she's ever seen.