Brute.

Nine

"We have two hours until the next game. Rest, eat some food, let's keep up the streak," Coach Perry cheered at all of us, "our next game starts bracket play.

Tournaments can be intense. Sixteen to thirty-two different schools are come to the same place and battle it out all day. The size of the gym the tournament being hosted in that week determines how many schools compete.. Each team plays each other before bracket play, so each team has plenty of opportunity to play. After each team plays each other, the bracket play begins and once you lose the set you're out. We have a pretty impressive collection of tournament trophies at the school, and I always enjoyed getting to add another trophy to the collection.

I sat down on the ground, leaning against my duffle bag which was leaning against the wall. Most of the girls were snacking on the food we all brought for the day or were goofing off. I grabbed my headphones out of my bag and turned on my Spotify. I want to nap before our next game. I didn't sleep much last night and I felt exhausted. With my headphones in, I couldn't hear much with my headphones in, but that was the idea.

Hannah sat next to me and I pull out one of my headphones.

"You okay?" Hannah asked.

"I'm exhausted, and my back is killing me," I laughed.

"Chandler might come by to watch the bracket play. Do you want him to bring you anything?"

"No, I'm good," I laughed, "what are you going to do until our next game?"

"Probably goof off. Haylie and Mia want to make a tik tok," Hannah rolled her eyes, "I really don't understand the whole tik tok thing."

"No one does. It's the new thing. Every year or so there's a new app that comes out and everyone freaks out about it. I have never understood the hype," I laughed.

I put my headphone back into my ear as Hannah got up to go hang out with Mia and Haylie. I grabbed a hoodie out of my bag and draped it over me like a blanket, covering my face to block out the light. I tried to nap, but the adrenaline of competition, even though I couldn't feel it at the moment, prevented me from sleeping. I sat up and hung my head down; trying to rub the knots out of my neck.

The sitting around was the worst part of tournaments. You get warmed up and in the zone for a game and then you just go back to sitting around and waiting. I got up to use the bathroom, finding the closest bathroom to the cafeteria in this school.

I was washing my hands when I head a familiar voice that I loathed.

"Well look who it is, basket case Marx," Maggie Prince smirked from behind me.

I was going to ignore her, but she just kept going.

"Do you really think you're going to get into Duke? No college would recruit you if you paid them too. And lord knows your mommy isn't going to give a shit about what happens to you. But what about your daddy? Oh wait, he's not around. What did you do, run him off?"

I couldn't stop myself. I turned around, punching her square in the nose. It was a solid punch, but I hated myself for it. I am no better than my mom.

"What the fuck!" Maggie yelled at me, holding her hand to her face that was pouring blood.

I stood there, unable to respond. I can't believe I just did that. I just punched a girl in the face. Maggie ran out of the bathroom and I continued to stand there before I slowly made my way back to my team. I sat against the wall and pulled my knees against my chest and tried not to let myself dwell on all of the fact that I was exactly like my mom. I needed to push the thought out of my mind, but I don't think I have ever felt worse.