Chapter 21
Dive lines: A grueling ball-less conditioning drill run at indoor volleyball practices, often as a punishment for lackluster performance, involving sprinting and diving over and over again, until your lungs are burning and your muscles are begging for mercy.
Outside, the cameras were rolling. The crowd hummed. Jess listened to the buzz, a small bit of that old panic rising in her chest. She took a deep breath and stepped back into the locker room.
The trainer was taping up Tania’s shoulder, a neat black crisscross.
“What did they say at PT?” Jess asked once they were alone in the locker room.
Tania shrugged and avoided eye contact, digging in her bag. “Oh, you know. Just getting older. Overuse. I’ll be fine with a bit of rest.”
“Okay … Just don’t do anything stupid. Winning a match is not worth wrecking your shoulder.”
“It’s fine.” Tania looked up and tossed Jess a protein bar. “Here, try this one. New flavor.”
“Thanks.” Jess pretended to read the label while she chewed her lip. She really hoped Tania wasn’t in more pain than she was letting on, but at this point all she could do was trust her partner and get through this match.
Every seat in the stands was packed, their VL friends all hollering when they stepped onto the court.
Jess took a deep breath and looked across the net at Vivienne.
Vivienne’s nails, gold again, sparkled against the black-and-white volleyball in her hands. But Jess quickly forgot about fingernails when Vivienne’s jump serve came screaming at them.
Tied at ten, in the fifth and deciding set of the league championship match, Jess and Tania were playing lights out, but, as expected, so were Vivienne and Lee. The crowd was on their feet, roaring after every play, a sound that lifted Jess and carried her from point to agonizing point.
Tania’s shoulder was clearly hurting, but when Jess had tried to bring it up after the third set, Tania just shrugged her off and took some more ibuprofen. And now, only a few points to go.
Jess dove to get to Vivienne’s serve, sand flying, then scrambled to her feet as Tania chased down the pass and popped it up. Jess jumped, took a look, and decided to go for a wipe off Lee’s imposing block.
In a blur, Vivienne dove and got a knuckle on it, but the ball continued on its way into the stands.
Lee took a step like she was going to go after it, then grimaced and bent over, out of breath.
Vivienne huddled with her for a second, a stripe of sand up one side of her body, before she called a time-out.
Tania dumped a water bottle over her head at their bench. “Four more fucking points, Jess.”
Jess nodded and bit back a repeat of “How’s your shoulder?” “We’ve got this,” she said instead, cracking open another Gatorade.
They high-fived and returned to the court. Vivienne and Lee were still talking, hidden by the umbrella pulled low over their bench. They didn’t get back out until the ref blew her whistle, then they settled in for Tania’s serve, faces hard and focused.
Tania served to Vivienne. Jess readied her block, studying Vivienne’s approach.
They jumped together. Jess squeezed her abs and pushed her hands over the net into Vivienne’s space as hard as she could.
Vivienne rolled it over her block, deep to the corner.
Tania chased it and dug it up high in the air over the end line.
Jess ran to lob the ball back into the court.
With a grunt, Tania jumped and hit it over.
Lee’s hands came out of nowhere and blocked the ball.
Both of them were too far away to get to it before it hit the sand.
Jess wiped the sweat from her brow. Tied at eleven.
Jess waited while Lee got set for her serve, hands on her hips, lifting her head in search of a breeze. The crowd rumbled around her.
Lee’s serve was a weak float, drifting gently over the net. Maybe nerves were getting to her, or maybe she was tired. Jess passed it, eager for Tania’s set, then crushed a hit. 12–11. Her pulse thrummed in her ears.
Jess’s turn to serve. She walked slowly to the end line, trying to calm her heart rate, and, with a deep breath, sent it over to Lee. Lee’s subsequent hit just clipped the tape and trickled over, impossible to get to. Twelve-all.
“Fuck.” Tania massaged her shoulder.
“Three more.” Jess low-fived her. A feeling buzzed in her chest, like everything she had ever learned got her to this moment.
Every drill, every set of dive lines, every workout, every win …
and every loss. It had all made her who she was, a fucking superstar, who was going to win this game.
She wanted the fucking ball. Wanted it like her lungs wanted air.
Vivienne’s serve again. Her face was as focused and in-the-zone as Jess had ever seen it.
They made eye contact, but Vivienne’s expression didn’t waver.
She served tough, right down the middle of the court.
Jess passed it, then rolled one short past Lee’s block.
Vivienne made an impossible dive and dug it up, then scrambled to her feet.
Lee bump set her and Vivienne rolled her own short one.
Jess dove and popped it up. Another hit, another dig.
The rally went on, crossing the net four more times.
Jess was winded, her quads twitching. She gathered what she had left and jumped for a block.
Lee hit an awkward off-speed ball, looping it just over Jess’s hands.
She tried to turn and play it as she landed but couldn’t make it.
Tania didn’t have enough gas in the tank to get there either.
Down 12–13.
They were out of time-outs, so they took their time getting into position. Tania made a show of cleaning her sunglasses, giving them a chance to catch their breath.
Vivienne went back for another serve. Jess made eye contact for a half second as Vivienne turned.
And right there, in the middle of one of the biggest, most important moments of her life, the only thought in her stupid head was God, she’s breathtaking.
A goddess, really. Eyes dark and flashing, body strong and golden.
Sweaty, covered in sand, ready to strike down her enemies. Jess couldn’t help it. She smiled.
Vivienne’s eyes met hers again, right as she raised the ball to toss it. Her arm hitched and she gave herself a terrible toss, way too low, and she cranked her serve into the top of the net. Her curse made it to Jess’s ears.
Tania tried not to smile too broadly when they slapped hands. Thirteen-all.
The crowd in the bleachers seethed and bounced, stomping their feet and waving signs, a fever pitch of anticipation for the champion being crowned in a matter of minutes.
Tania’s serve. She put in an easy ball and Jess didn’t blame her.
They had to get that one in, and Tania’s shoulder was shit, if they were both being honest. Vivienne passed it and fucking smoked her hit so hard around Jess’s block that Tania didn’t have a chance.
Clearly, the goddess was still pissed about her missed serve.
They were down 13–14. Match point. The rumble of the crowd climbed, waiting for what could be the last serve.
Lee went back to serve, expression deadly serious.
“This is our kill, Jess,” Tania murmured.
Jess nodded and wiped her brow, then rested her hands on her knees, waiting for the serve.
Lee served to Tania. She hit a decent ball over but Vivienne got to it and dug it up no problem and doinked a short one back. Jess lobbed it up, then jumped hard for a hit. Lee got a touch on the block, sending the ball straight up high and close to the net. Vivienne went for the attack.
The crowd disappeared. There was nothing but Vivienne and the ball.
Jess jumped, straining to push her hands over the net. Vivienne slammed it straight into her block. It spun off Jess’s fingers, falling toward the line in slow motion … Jess held her breath … and it landed … out.
They lost.
Vivienne and Lee jumped into each other’s arms, screaming and laughing, the cheer from the crowd like the roar of an ocean wave crashing over her head.
It was over.
Jess’s eyes stung as the disappointment flooded her lungs and stole whatever air was remaining. They hadn’t made it. They had failed. So close, but not enough. But then she looked at Vivienne and was able to suck in a breath again. Vivienne’s perfect face, alight with joy, eyes dancing.
Tania hugged her. “I’m so proud of you, Jess.”
“I’m proud of you, too,” Jess said into Tania’s bad shoulder.
Tania sniffled as they pulled apart, eyes wet.
Jess rubbed her arm. “Aw, T. Don’t cry.”
“I’m not crying ’cause we lost. I’m just crying because I love you.”
Jess laughed and hugged her again. “It’s okay. Next season is going to be amazing. We’re going to come out so strong.”
Tania smiled and nodded, wiping her eyes, lips pressed together.
They went to shake hands under the net. Lee’s face was drenched in sweat, and Vivienne’s ponytail was the messiest Jess had ever seen it, stray pieces hanging out everywhere.
“Congratulations,” Jess said to Vivienne. “You guys deserved to win. You played amazing.”
Vivienne squeezed her hand. “Thanks, Jess. You could have won just as easily. That was an incredible match.”
Jess shook Lee’s hand, then watched as Vivienne and Lee hugged again and waved at the cheering crowd.
There was a brief ceremony where Winston, the league manager, and a representative of the VL board congratulated both teams on the match and recognized Jess and Tania’s second-place finish with silver medals.
Jess looked down at the silver on her chest and felt a swell of pride.
They’d fought uphill the last half of the season and played the volleyball of their lives to make it to the final.
They fell short of the championship, but getting here was an accomplishment to be proud of.
Tania held her hand and squeezed.