Isabelle Aizawa, third year student in Shumizen Academy, captain of the most known girl's volleyball team in all Japan and also known under the nickname "The Dragon" thanks to her athletic skills.
Bright, funny, caring and determinate, Isabelle is...
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Ushimi Middle School - Last Year
Graduation day is closer and closer and me and my team mates can't accept that from now on our path will be divided. We played together for the last three years, we won together, we cried together and we have become stronger together.
As a captain I don't know how to say goodbye to the girls in front of me: today is the last day of practice with the Ushimi volleyball team and it's already over.
Everyone is busy doing something while I am looking at their movement, at their pretty faces and some teary eyes. I don't want this to end but I have to say something out loud.
«Girls, can I have your attention for a moment?» I say loud enough to make them stop doing their jobs and turn their head to me. Ana, our splendid setter and one of my best friend together with Mina, our libero, seem to know what I am trying to do and low her face, ready to cry. In the corner of my eyes I see Mina doing the same thing.
«I just want to say thank you. Thanks for all the winning, the training camp, the laughs and the arguments. I will never, and I say never,forget you and what you did for me and the team»
I am now sobbing like all the girls in the room. Mostly the third year like me: we are a mess.
Our coach is trying to calm us down, giving us water and tissues but she is crying too. She knows better than anyone else how much we have loved each other and how we gave advice and help to whoever need it to become better player.
«Thank to you, dragon! »
I turn my head to the voice of the little first year that had just called me with the nickname that they assigned me last year. At the beginning was just a joke, my team start calling me like that because they say that when I step into the court, I can fly so high and spit fire against everyone on the other side of the net that I resemble an angry dragon. I eventually started to like it and also a lot of people around us so in a short amount of time everywhere I go the people around me recognize me as "The Dragon".
Now dragon is a part of me and something I want to keep for a long time. I smile to Kyra who quickly blush and bow in front of me.
I take a step towards her, stopping the useless "bow thing" but around me a choir of scream make me stop.
«THANK YOU, CAPTAIN!» follow by twelve girl bowing for me. I'm speechless and totally shocked. Yes, we are friends, but I'll never imagined all this.
I take a deep breath and clap my hand «C'mon, stop the crying and go change. Your captain will offer you ice-cream. It's an order!»
And with that they drop mops and balls they were putting in the storage room and run outside the gym to clean up from the sweaty clothes.
That wasn't what I meant, I think, ready to set up everything all alone.
«What are you doing, Isabelle?» coach Ashido asks me with a smirk «You can go, I will do the job! Have fun, it's your last day all together»
I run to hug my amazing coach «Thanks for everything you teach me!» I say to her, taking my things and running to the changing room, in my mind only the idea of fresh clothes and ice-cream, ready to spend our last afternoons as team mates.
While we're walking through the schools entrance the male volleyball team approach us. They are lovely and energetic boys, always ready to support our team and hang out with us from time to time.
«Hey, hey, hey, girls! What are those sad faces? Let's go grab a bite together!» Bokuto Kōtarō, one of my closest friend and my big fat crush. His bright smile and loud voice makes everyone laugh and we decide to go to the nearest ice-cream shop.
We don't need to talk too much about our future, we already know. I know that Bokuto will go to the Fukurodani Academy and me, Ana and Mina will attempt the Shumizen Academy while everyone else try to enter to Nekoma or even Shiratorizawa Academy.
Fukurodani and Shumizen are very close so I can still see Bokuto while other girls and boys are going to transfer outside Tokyo. I look forward to beat my team mates when we will be against each other on the court (for the one who will keep playing volleyball).
«What are you thinking, Belle-chan?» Bokuto asks me, putting a lot of effort in the silly name he gave me when we were children. I look at his face.
How much can someone be stupid?, I ask myself seeing the strawberry ice-cream all over is mouth.
«Nothing important, Kōtarō» I answer him, laughing «You're all dirty!»
Bokuto takes a look at his face in the shop's window and starts to laugh too, attracting the attention of our friends and also some stranger.
I wish this could never end, I think, taking a look to everyone happy faces, but this is the end of this book and it's time to start another one, I smile.
Next week we will graduating and my new start is just around the corner.
