forty-four

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I pull into the school parking lot and park in my usual spot. Tobias and I get out and grab our bags. I give him a quick kiss and head to the girls locker room while he goes to the boys.

I'm the first one in the locker room, so I put my bag in a locker that is only used by girl athletes, and change into my volleyball clothes. I change into spandex, a black Nike sports bra, and a white tank top that says "Nike" with a pink swoosh. I slip on my knee pads, and put my black nike tennis shoes on after. I pull my hair into a pony and I grab my pink and white Molten volleyball and head to the gym.

I see Coach Cooper talking with Coach Lucas and Coach Merickel in the middle of the gymnasium. Coach Cooper sees me and waves me over.

"Hey, Tris! How was your summer?" she asks once I get over to them.

"It was good, Coach."

"I heard that you got to go to Paris to model for your mom's new clothing line."

"Yes, that was fabulous. Unfortunately though, I had to be away for two months so that was tough."

"Well it's good to have you back, Captain."

"It's good to be back, Coa- wait. Did you just say 'captain?'"

"Of course, you were co-captain last year, and Vanessa graduated last year, so why wouldn't you be?"

"I don't know, I guess I just wasn't completely expecting this. I mean, I know Vanessa graduated and someone would have to take her place, but I wasn't really expecting that it would be me."

"Well, you are captain, so I'm going to need you to carry the team on your shoulders."

"Uh, don't you think that that would be a bit hard with my small frame?"

She laughs. "I mean that hypothetically, or in that sense, or whatever, Tris."

I laugh and face-palm myself. "Obviously. Gosh, I am having lots of brain farts today."

By now, most of the varsity and JV teams from last year and the people trying out for varsity are in the gym talking and laughing in their little groups, waiting for practice/tryouts to start.

I notice one girl, standing all by herself, chewing her fingernails. She has her short light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, and her bangs hanging in her face.

I walk away from the coaches and over to the girl.

"Hi, I'm Tris. What's your name?"

"Alexis."

"Well Alexis, what grade are you in?"

"I'm a sophomore."

"Ahh, probably trying out for varsity?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna try to be at least a swinger."

"Good plan. I was a swinger my sophomore year, and look where I am now! Captain of the varsity team! I'm sure if you work your butt off, then you can be where I am in a few years."

"Thanks. That was a compliment, right?"

"Yes." I look at where my friends are and see them a waving at me and telling me to go over there. "Well, gotta go, friends need me. Good luck, I don't think you'll need it though. Nice to meet you Alexis!" I turn on my heels and walk over to the girls.

"Nice to meet you too, Tris!"

"Hey Tris!"

"Hey guys! Guess what."

"What?!"

"Coach Cooper made me captain!"

"That's awesome!"

Our conversation is interrupted by Coach Cooper.

"Ladies! Welcome to Divergent High varsity, JV, and freshman volleyball! Returning varsity on the right side of the gym, tryouts are on the left side! Freshmen, you'll go with Coach Merickel to the other gym. Tris, would you like to lead stretches and let everybody know a little about you?"

"Of course, Coach! Ok, everybody get into a circle! Make sure you have enough room to stretch!" They all form a large circle and I go into the middle. "Alright, I'm Tris. I'm a senior, and captain of the varsity team. I'm 17, and I moved to Chicago a year ago, so this is only my second year at Divergent High. Is that enough, Coach?" She nods her head and I start leading stretches.

After stretches, Coach Cooper tells us returning varsity to bump and set to each other so that's what we do for an hour and a half, getting water breaks every now and then.

Once practice ends, we all head into the locker rooms to change. I change into black sweatpants, an Oregon Duck t-shirt, and moccasins. I love my Ducks. I grab my bag and go outside with the girls to watch the boys finish practice.

"So," Marlene says once we sit down on the bleachers.

"So, what?" I say.

"So, you and Four got back together!"

"Yes Mar, we did."

"YES! I knew it! Hand it over, sucka!" Marlene sticks her hand out to Lynn, who hastily puts a five dollar bill in it.

"Lynn, you didn't think that Four and I would get back together?"

"Well, if you think about it logically, Fo-"

"Hold up, since when do you ever think about anything logically?" Shauna says, cutting Lynn off.

"I have no idea, SHAUNA WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?!" she says, grabbing her sister by the shoulders and shaking her.

"I HAVE NO IDEA, BUT STOP SHAKING ME!"

Lynn lets go of Shauna and continues her thoughts behind why she thought that Tobias and I wouldn't get back together. "I didn't think that you would get back together, because after he cheated on you, I didn't think that you'd be able to trust him again."

I nod. "That's actually a pretty good explanation."

The five of us turn our attention back to the boys' practice. They're all in a huddle now, Probably getting ready to go into the locker rooms to change.

As I guessed, they break from their huddle and run to the locker room. The girls and I get up and move so we're standing outside the boys' locker room. Someone comes up behind me and wraps their arms around me. I look up and see Tobias. I turn around to face him and kiss him.

"Hey! No P-" Uriah yells before Tobias cuts him off.

"Shut up, Uri," Tobias says, and kisses me again. Everybody cracks up after that. We all say our goodbyes and then Tobias and I go home.


A/N:

Hey guys! You know what I've noticed? I update, then after a day or two I'll have another chapter up, and then it'll take me about a week to update again.😂

Thank you guys for the really nice comments.😊

Love you guys.💋❤️
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