Chasing Sin

17

"Got it!" Taylor shouts, loud enough for the entire team to hear.

She throws her arms out, meeting the ball with her forearms so that Marqueta can spike it. The ball smacks the court loudly, signaling the last point of the game.

Our entire team cheers, high-giving and hugging as we celebrate our first win of the year.

"Nice assist, Tall Girl," I say to Taylor as she hugs me.

"That was nothing compared to your ace, New Girl," she returns the compliment.

My ace, which is a serve that doesn't even give the other team an opportunity to pass and forces us to get a point, was one of the last things to happen in the game, giving us the final edge we needed to win. Taylor pulled more than her weight in the game, though, and it was a lot of fun to play with her.

She pulls me over to our friends, who are sitting in the stands on the side of the gym. Peyton, Beckett, Kace, and Skylar all came to watch us. Beckett even brought a date, who I haven't gotten to talk to yet at all.

"You guys did great," Kace compliments, putting an arm around his girlfriend. Skylar high-fives Taylor and Peyton gives me a hug, adding their compliments in.

"Thanks! You guys still want to go get smoothies?" Taylor asks, and I nod vigorously. I'm starving after that game.

"Yeah, for sure," Peyton agrees.

After Taylor and I change into normal clothes and get a good douse of deodorant, we go out to meet our friends.

"Who's riding with who?" I ask, and we discuss the arrangements. Skylar came with Taylor, but Taylor wants to ride with Kace, who drove Peyton.

We decide that Peyton and Skylar will ride with me, Taylor will ride with Kace, and Beckett and his date, Aubrey, will ride together.

"Seems ridiculous that we need three cars just to get us all to one place," I remark whenever we arrive at Bluesberry, getting out of our cars and congregating in the parking lot before going in.

"Especially since we all rode in Kace's truck to the hospital," Peyton adds. That's true. I remember Peyton and Beckett hopping in the bed of the truck to come with us.

"Why were guys at the hospital?" Aubrey asks, and I turn to look at her.

She's got gorgeous long black hair, with a light tan and and bright eyes adding to her looks. She seems confident, as well, which I like. I'm usually good at reading people, and she's giving off good vibes so far.

"This dumbass over here, Peyton Evans," I say, whacking his shoulder, making him grab his arm from reflex. "He sprayed me in the face with pepper spray."

"Oh my god!" Aubrey says, cracking a smile but still seeming concerned. "Why did you do that?"

"I thought it was silly string!" he shouts, exasperated as if it's not a ludicrous explanation.

"You know, I'm getting really tired of having to explain myself. It was just a few hours of excruciating pain and the loss of your vision, Haven. Don't be so dramatic."

I roll my eyes, thankful I have the ability to do that again. Dr. Kyzler washed my eyes out with some sort of baby shampoo, which I told my friends was an intense and expensive cleanser to save my pride a little. He also gave me something to drink to help coat my throat to stop the coughing. After that, I started to get my vision back and could even see my friends as they took me home.

"Remind me to stay at least six feet away from you at all times," Aubrey tells Peyton.

"I second that," Beckett jokes. Aubrey smiles and wraps an arm around him happily.