The training for the volleyball team started with four groups of six. Emily and Ann were sitting on one of the benches as the first two teams started their game. They sat next to each other, watching the game unfold.
"How come the change of heart?" Ann asked.
"I thought it could be fun to spend some more time together, you know? It's been a while."
Ann nodded. "Yeah, I mean, it's normal. When we hang out, it's always with the group, not just the two of us. But still."
They continued watching the game, commenting on tactics and what the players could do to win. At that moment, four other girls came and sat on the same bench as them. The girls started talking about what position each of them would play, as the bouncing of the ball could be heard through the stands, along with the heavy breathing of the players on the volleyball court.
"Does anyone know how many players they'll pick?" Girl 1 asked.
"Around 12 to 15," said Ann. "Since six will be on the field, six will be substitutes, and maybe three people just in case of injury."
"How about the points for our finals? How much will we get?" Girl 2 asked.
"That depends on our placement. From what I know, at least 200 to maybe 600. Now, depending on the placements in the sports festival, I can't say for sure," said Girl 3.
"I thought they only got that bonus if they wanted to do something physical," Ann said.
Girl 3 shrugged. "I don't know. I asked our teacher, and she said that anybody who participates in the sports festival will get points, so..."
Ann nodded. Girl 4 mentioned, "I heard from one of the teachers that students who participate in the festival will get exactly 1,200 points, unless their school is, say, the winner of that respective sport."
"Who knows, we should just wait and see," said Girl 3.
"Okay, everybody shush for a moment. I want to see the game. We'll talk about this again after," Ann said.
The rest of the girls nodded and started spectating the game alongside Ann. They joked about how some of the players had no idea what they were doing and laughed. However, Emily stayed quiet for the most part, not speaking much unless she was specifically asked something. She tried to overcome her anxiety and the pressure weighing on her; she could feel her heart beating like crazy. Although terrified, she knew she couldn't quit now. She had already crossed a line that shouldn't have been crossed — the only thing she could do now was get up and continue her quest to learn more about these secrets.
"How many more tribes like this one exist around the world? How many more magical things exist in this world that no ordinary person knows of?" Thoughts like these ran all over her mind.
"Maybe George was right… what can I do to save the people on that island when I can barely handle my friends and family being in danger?"
Ann noticed that Emily was much quieter than usual, but she didn't question her.
"Poor Em," Ann thought. "Even if you fail on your quest, it's okay. Maybe normal people like us shouldn't seek knowledge of this level. Maybe knowledge is sometimes a curse."
She wrapped her left arm around Emily. Emily turned her gaze toward her, and seeing Ann's comfortable smile made her feel more at ease. She told herself that she would win — it would only take some time for this to become a memory of the past.
Despite Team 2's best effort, they didn't manage to secure a single set, making Team 1 victorious.
"Very well, girls," the female physical education teacher called out. "In two minutes, the bell will ring. You can go and grab something to eat, but you should come back here and stay in the stands or on the benches. Is that clear?"
The girls yelled out a "yes" and went ahead to the cafeteria, talking and giggling on their way out.
"Will you girls be coming?" Girl 2 asked Emily and Ann.
Ann looked at Emily, who was still sitting on the bench.
"It's okay, you can go. It won't take long anyway," Emily said with a smile.
Ann stood up and handed Girl 2 three euros. "Could you get me a sandwich, please?"
Girl 2 nodded. "Yes, of course."
She followed the other girls outside, while Ann sat back down next to Emily.
"Why didn't you go?" Emily asked.
"Ehh, not really in the mood. It's pretty boring to go down there and back up again, you know?"
Emily just nodded.
Ann narrowed her eyes. "You know, you've been a little off today. What's the matter?"
Emily remained silent.
"Did what George told you on Friday affect you a bit?"
She sighed. "You could say that. He's right if all of this is real, then what could I possibly do? On top of that, none of us know how many more secrets like this one are out there. It was a big mistake. Not only did I give false hope to those people, but also to myself."
Ann looked at the floor, scratching the back of her head. "Listen, he might've had a point, sure. However, you know the rest of us are beside you. Sure, Piter and George need a bit more convincing, but we'll help you."
Emily smiled at her.
"Plus, the fact that curiosity is getting the better of us," Ann said, laughing.
Emily laughed too. "Yeah, sorry about that."
"It's okay. I'll always forgive you. After all, you're my best friend."
Emily blushed. "Thanks, I appreciate it a lot."
Ann raised her shoulders. "Hey, that's what friends are for, no?"
Emily nodded as the rest of the girls approached them.
"Ooh, here comes my sandwich!" Ann raised her hands and quickly put them down. "Where's the sandwich?"
"They were all sold out," Girl 2 said, handing Ann her three euros back.
"Already? Those damn pigs!"
The rest started laughing at her comment.
"Oh, come on, this is a clear tragedy."
Meanwhile, the rest of the gang sat around their usual hangout spot. Niko, Mario, and Piter started talking about the football games from the weekend.
"We aren't that good, BUT we will win the league title. That's something."
"Yeah, you play in a farmers' league, man. That doesn't mean much."
"For real."
"Look who's talking. Y'all won't even be playing in Europe next year."
"Woah, woah, hold your dig, brother. We might win the Europa League. It isn't over yet."
"I guess the possibility is there," Piter said, scratching his head. "So, Emily entered the volleyball qualifiers?"
"Yeah, dude, for the eleventh time," Mario said.
"Right, sorry. Just didn't have much to talk about. Oh yeah, Nik, Johnny — when are the football qualifiers starting?"
John looked at the floor without saying a word, while Niko coughed.
"Well, some other dudes already picked the team. Apparently, there was no teacher who wanted to 'waste' their time on this or who already had something planned. So they left it to us, anddd you can guess what happened."
"I see. So none of you were picked?"
"No, I was. John, however…"
"It's okay. To be honest, I wanted to skip a lesson or two without getting an absence."
The group giggled.
"To each their own, man," Piter said.
Quickly, the group fell silent. Piter started thinking of a topic to kill some time.
"Oh, I got it. Attention, peers," he called out. "If you could pick two superpowers, what would they be?"
The rest started thinking, but Mario already had his answer ready.
"I got it — invisibility and untraceable DNA," Mario said proudly, striking a Superman pose.
The group looked at each other suspiciously.
"What? You don't like a little resistance?"
Silence fell again. The quiet was becoming deafening until a car drove by.
"Somebody should call the police," George said in a casual tone.
The bell rang, and the students started heading back to class while the girls got ready for the second game of the tryouts.
"Shit!" Ann mumbled.
"What is it?" Girl 2 asked.
"That bitch showed up to the game!"
"Who are you talking about?"
Ann pointed her finger at a girl. The rest of the girls sighed.
"Oh yeah, I remember that 'prank' she pulled on you back in the second year of junior high," said Emily.
"We do NOT talk about that!"
"Why? What—"
"Nothing happened!"
The girl noticed them and started approaching. Ann sighed. "Act indifferent."
The girl was 1.92 meters tall, with long orange hair and a very athletic build.
"Well, well, well. I barely see you nowadays, Ann. How have you been?"
"Perfect, until I saw your face, that is."
Helen laughed. "Glad to hear it. Can't wait to beat you again."
Ann tried to keep her cool. "How nice of you," she said sarcastically.
"Well, get ready. The game begins now."
The teacher called the two teams to come forward to start the game. She explained the rules, while the rest of the girls sat on the benches of the gym, eager to find out who would be picked for the team. The teacher handed them the volleyball and wished them good luck.
In the front row were Girls 2 and 3 alongside Ann in the middle, since she was the tallest. Behind them were Girls 1 and 4, and Emily, who would take the first serve. On the other side of the net stood Helen, right in front of Ann.
"Good luck, peeps," Helen said smugly.
"Only if I could get away with murder," Ann thought to herself. "Thank you, you too," she said cheerfully.
Emily stood outside the court, ready to serve. She took a deep breath and started the game on the right track, securing the first point.
"GOOD JOB, EM!" Ann yelled to Emily, who smiled.
The other team gave Emily the ball back to continue. On her second serve, she didn't manage to score, which led to her team conceding a point and resetting the score to zero.
"You should stay a little more humble, Anny," Helen said playfully.
Her comment triggered Ann. "We shall see," she mumbled under her breath.
The girls started playing quick ball; the ball bounced from one side of the court to the other. The more they played, the louder their breaths echoed through the gym. The audience cheered throughout, while the two physical education teachers took notes on every student. The teams changed positions now and then like clockwork. Eventually, the first round ended with Team 4 (Emily and Ann's team) losing 15–10. A break was called for the girls to relax for a couple of minutes.
"Okay, you guys," Ann said as she sat down on a bench, "it wasn't that big of a gap. We could've lost by many more points."
"Yeah, yeah, but damn, they're good," said Girl 4.
"They wouldn't be here for no reason," added Girl 2.
Ann started discussing tactics with the group while Emily excused herself and went to the bathroom. She opened the sink and splashed cold water on her face, the only thought in her mind being that she had to win no matter what. She returned and sat next to her team. After a while, she started stretching. The teams went back to the court, holding their stances, ready for the second round.
The opposition made the first serve of the round; the ball flew past everyone on Team 4 to score the first point. Team 4 quickly retaliated, equalizing in seconds, as their main blocker struck the ball onto the other side of the net, giving Team 4 a 4–2 lead. The squeaking of shoes echoed throughout the gym, along with the drops of sweat hitting the floor, as the cheering grew louder. At the end of the second round, thanks to a perfect strike from Ann, Team 4 won 15–13. There was another short break, the last one before the end of the match. The teams swapped sides and discussed tactics.
The third round started with Emily serving first. Unlike before, her serve was blocked, leading to several quick exchanges between both teams until Team 3 scored. The two teams kept a steady rhythm gained from the previous rounds. Nobody seemed too stressed, apart from Emily, who started pushing harder after her team fell behind 12–8. Her intensity helped her team gain momentum, leading to a thrilling final rally with the score tied at 14–14. Girl 4 stepped up to serve. She took a deep breath while both teams held position. She struck, and the ball landed perfectly on the other side of the net. The girls of Team 4 ran up to her, celebrating their victory, while Ann teased Helen, who simply smiled and didn't give it much thought, leaving Ann to her victory.
The girls from all teams gathered for the teachers' final picks. The two teachers went into the gym office to discuss their selections. When they returned, they announced the final roster, among the players were Ann, Emily, and Helen, plus twelve more girls, three of whom were from Team 4. The teachers congratulated the players and gave credit to those who tried their best despite not making it. The girls were excused to return to their classrooms, with Emily feeling relieved yet emotionally drained.