Alex stood by an indoor volleyball court of the Red Panda Hotel. She laced her fingers behind her and stretched. It had been a while since she played. She didn’t want to shock her body with the intensity of the game.

Next to her, Emily did her best to shake off her nerves. She could do physical activity just fine and she had good coordination. Yet, volleyball wasn’t one of her strong points. She glanced at her cousin, mimicking her stretches. Somehow she thought it could help her be more prepared.

Jae and Logan kept to themselves, casually talking. They had decent skills in volleyball due to their sophomore year gym class, their basketball being still their superior sport.

All four teenagers waited for the grownups to join them.

Seeing Emily’s state, Alex invited her to the court.

“We need to see how this will go,” she explained, grabbing a volleyball from a basket near the net. She positioned herself a few meters from her cousin.

Emily inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth. She needed to focus. A warm up sounded like a good idea.

The two boys stopped their conversation to watch.

Alex raised the ball at Emily’s direction, silently asking her if she was ready.

Emily shook her hands and steel-ed her nerves. She bent her knees slightly. Her eyes concentrated on the ball in her cousin’s hands, her brows creasing. Alex tossed the ball. Emily cupped her hands together and received it. The ball hit her forearms, lifting them up in the process. It went back flying in the air then, it landed on the bleachers behind Alex.

In a standard game setup, the ball would have landed outside the court.

Alex squeezed the bridge of her nose. It seemed like there were hardly any improvements since they last played.

“I did too much again, huh?” Emily groaned. Why didn’t she inherit the Greenwood gene for volleyball?

Her cousin sighed and went to get the ball back.

“Remind me not to get on your bad side” Jae yelled from their spot.

Emily glared at him over her shoulder, “You’re already on it.”

“I don’t see a volleyball flying towards my face.”

“That can be arranged,” Emily taunted him.

“You sure you’d be able to hit me?”

“Why you—”

“Focus, Em.”

Alex hit the ball once towards the floor. She meant it to catch her cousin’s attention. Emily reluctantly peeled off her glare from Jae’s smirking face. She crouched one more, ready to give it another go.

The rest of their warm up pretty much went the same way. The ball went flying in different directions in the same power. The only area it didn’t go to was behind Emily—as tempting as it was to do so.

“Are you youngsters ready to be annihilated?”

“Mom, you’re not 12. Please don’t act like that” Lilly exhaled heavily.

“Are you really my daughter? Why do you kill fun?”

The 4 ladies entered the sports center. They’d changed into the appropriate athletic wear. They headed for the side of the court nearest to them, already taking positions. Emily’s knees began to tremble.

“Aw, Emily. Don’t worry. We’ll take it easy on you” her mother smiled, reassuring her daughter.

Emily winced at the sight, “Yeah, take it easy on killing me.”

“You’re family. We’d never kill you.”

“Tell that to Chinese translated web novels, telenovelas and soap operas” Emily muttered.

Alex came to her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She briefly peeked over her shoulder to call the two boys over.

“We’ll be fine, Em” Alex comforted her cousin, “We won’t die.”

“Puh-lease. Those women never take it easy.”

“True, but it’ll be okay. Jae will cover for you.”

“Say what now?”

Alex shifted her attention towards the older Parker twin, “You’d do that right, Jae?”

“Oh, yeah, definitely” he replied with a knowing smile.

Emily huffed silently. At this game, she’d be the one to drag them down. She didn’t have anything to offer so she could only rely on them—including a big blonde oaf.

Alex let her go and told them to get into position. The girls took the front while the boys went to the back. It seemed like the best was to keep an eye on Emily.

Jaime Greenwood stood outside of their court’s baseline. The ball in one outstretched hand, she tossed it about a meter high. Then, she hit with her other hand.

It was a perfect spike. The ball went flying towards the other court. Its speed and motion, whizzling sharply against the air. It passed over the net lowly which made it harder to catch.

Jae moved into a crouch and received the ball with his forearms. It went back to their opponent’s court.

Angie had been ready to hit it. The ball hit her forearms and barely soared over the net. Hachi tossed it up and Lilly jumped, spiking it over to the other side.

This combination aimed for a one hit kill. The ball’s trajectory pointed straight for the ground, slicing the air.

Alex lunged to her side. She bent her ankles and knees just in time to receive the ball on her wrists. It went straight back up in the air. The moment she moved, Logan dashed towards her. With the ball still in the air, he leaped and spiked it back to their opponents.

All four ladies froze in place.

Logan’s spike had been unexpected. Oh, they knew their combination wouldn’t always work—they’ve done it a lot that Alex became an expert at receiving it. What made Logan’s spike unique was he directed it towards the sideline near the net. It landed smack in the middle of it, perfectly placed between the inner and the outer court.

“I like you, young man” Jaime complimented. She shook her head, a disbelieving smile on her face. It seemed like the interesting part of the game was just getting started.

“I am starting to like you too, Jaime,” Logan grinned. He walked backwards to his starting spot. Emily rolled the ball in his direction.

Logan tossed it lightly with his fingers.

“Bring it on, seaweed brain” Jaime taunted. She and her girls crouched, ready for the game to intensify.

If Emily once had a nervous look on her face, it became a terrified one right about now. Their opponents had squinted eyes. She could almost imagine a dark thunderous cloud over them, ready to strike lightning.

Unlike her, the rest of the team had more relaxed stances but they didn’t stand any less firm. Alex glimpsed at her aunts and her mother. They were the ones who taught her how to play. She knew all their tricks. Jae craned his neck to the side. He may not be that crafty at the game but his competitive spirit did make up for it.

Logan’s eyes stared right into Jaime’s. A lopsided smile appeared on his face which the grandmother smirked at.

He tossed the ball like she did when she served. Then, he hit it straight towards the baseline of the other court.

===

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