Stay With You (Anthony Rizzo)

49

Maliyah

I walk into a empty high school gym in the outskirts of Chicago. It was a few blocks away from Wrigleyville where Anthony was hanging out with some of his athlete friends while I tried out my hand on volleyball training. Like with a actual volleyball and a net.

I get into the gym and turn on all the lights so I could see what I was working with. I called in a favor with a old friend to get some private court time to see if I still got it or not. Because I was pretty much back into shape at this point, these new lungs are great and I had some muscle for the first time since I got sick. Now I gotta see if it amounted to anything or not.

I set my things down in the bleachers before putting on some music. It was the same playlist from when my team and I would warm up for games or practice to. I put on my knee pads and tie up my old volleyball shoes before hoping off the bleachers. I go to the bin of volleyballs sitting in the backcourt before taking one from the bottom, I liked those balls better for some reason.

I dribble the ball for a second to make sure there was the right amount of pressure in it, and it was perfect. I take the bin of volleyballs and walk over to the other side of the backcourt to work on serving because it was honestly my favorite part. Although I was pretty even in my skill set, because I made sure I was a five tool player, I was exceptionally good at serving. So I hold the ball in my right hand out in front of me and get ready to toss it. I throw the ball in the air before cocking my left arm back and hitting the ball really hard. Apparently it had been too long since I last served because I sent the ball into the bleachers on the other side of the gym. Here's a loud thud as the ball crashes against the back of the wood and jumps all the way back to where I was standing.

"You got a license for that cannon" someone says and I stop. I look around but couldn't seem to find anyone. Finally I look up and see Julie sitting in the stand and I smile big. She makes her way down to the court before pulling me into a huge hug.

"What in the world are you doing here" I wonder.

"Anthony told me you would be here and I figured you could use someone to remind you that you're the best volleyball player ever" she claims and I laugh.

"I'm not" I argue.

"Sure" she teases.

"Wanna run some drills with me" I wonder and she smiles.

"I thought you would never ask" she admits.

I have her help me out with contact drills and I feel like I never left the court. I work on digging and try to focus on my pancakes. I do some blocks and a few crazy plays I've always loved making. The whole time I had this big smile on my face. I for sure was going to be covered in bruises tomorrow but it was so worth it. I missed this so much.

"My god, did you get better" Julie wonders.

"When people step back into the game they always do a little better when they return. Everything is just new again and it all feels like first nature" I explain.

"There's nothing natural about what's going on here. You had cancer a few months ago and you've put on tons of muscle and you're back to where you are before, if not even better. That's crazy" she claims.

"I missed the game. I feel like I belong out there, I feel like I was meant to play this game. I really want everything to work out so I can compete again. So I can be a part of a team, and a important part of it" I insist.

"Anyone would be lucky to have you" she insists and I smile.

"Thanks girl, that means a lot coming from you" I reply.

We work out for a little while longer before she stops hitting the balls to me.

"Oh come on! I was ready" I insist.

"Well you have a visitor" she claims pointing to the door. I turn and see Anthony there in his cute little outfit he wore to go hang out with his friends. He comes over to where I was and I smile big as he gets to me.

"Hey you" he starts.

"Hey you. What brings you by" I wonder.

"You forgot... your inhaler" he claims. 

"I don't have a inhaler" I laugh.

"Okay, you caught me. I just missed you" he admits and I start to blush.

"Well aren't you the cutest" I say.

"I try to be" he admits.

"Well I only have like 30 minutes left. How about we finish up here and see if Julie and her boyfriend want to go on a double date for dinner" I suggest.

"That sounds amazing" he admits.

"Awesome" I smile.

"Do you mind if I watch the rest of your practice" he wonders and I shake my head.

"Not at all" I insist.

He sits down next to my stuff in the bleachers and Julie texts her boyfriend before returning to the task at hand. I work on setting accuracy and spiking in the back court for the last thirty minutes before doing a cool down. I stretch and drink my weight in water before sitting next to Anthony. He starts to rub my leg as I let out a sigh.

"I know next to nothing about volleyball, but you looked great out there" he claims and I smile big.

"Thanks. I felt good. I'm pretty far ahead of the schedule I had for myself which is good because now I actually might be ready for this tournament. There's still a lot of time left before then but I feel like I could be ready" I admit.

"Baby that's awesome. I'm so freaking proud of you. I can't wait until all this hard work pays off" he insists.

"Thanks, that means the world to me coming from you" I admit.

"Hey, you support me and my sport, the least I can do is support you and yours. But I really do like to watch you play, and not just because your butt looks really good in that spandex" he winks and I shake my head. This boy is something else entirely... I swear it.