Eric: OH MY GOD
Bowen: FUCK SHIT OMG
Aaron: Details NOW.
Atticus: I feel like a prophet :D:D:D
Kieran: What? Why?
Atticus: Oh no reason!
Atticus: Whatcha need from us, captain?
Coach Rodriguez: You’ve all tainted McCullough with your misuse of this WORK chat.
Coach Rodriguez: I give up.
Kieran: Sorry coach.
Kieran: Okay. I know we have a plan for when we’re back in Chi-town.
Atticus: Dude no one calls it that
Eric: i mean, some people do
Aaron: No they don’t.
Kieran: But I think we have to move up the timeline.
Kieran: So, after we win…
Bowen: BECAUSE THE WIN IS A DONE DEAL BABYYYYYY
Coach Rodriguez: Love the positive attitude.
Ivy: OH MY GOD WHY THE ACTUAL FUCK IS MY PHONE BUZZING THIS MUCH AT 5:15 IN THE MORNING I HATE YOU ALL
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
“KAI’S IN,” ATTICUS said, bumping Kieran with his shoulder as they switched court sides.
“Did you just check your phone while you were at the bench?” Kieran glanced between the setter and their coach. “You know the rules, Coach will kill you if he catches you with your phone out.”
Atticus waved him off. “Extenuating circumstances. Besides,you’rethe one who needs our help, don’t complain about how we give it!”
He had a point. “Kai will get her on the court?”
Atticus nodded, falling into place in the back row, readying for a serve from the Comets. “Between him and Ivy, they’ll make sure she’s down here. The guys will handle the rest, then it’s up to you, Cap.” Atticus pointed at him. “Don’t screw this up, or no amount of trophies will keep me from haunting you. I’ll be in your walls. In your fucking pipes.”
There was a lot Kieran was trying hard not to screw up. His plan was in place, and he had the whole team backing him up. But they still had a game to win, and the score had been too close for comfort over the last four sets. They’d been trading off with Los Angeles, the Cats taking one set, the Comets taking the next. The game was tied up now, going the full five sets, and it was still anyone’s win to steal.
The serve came fast, giving the Cats no extra time to breathe. Eric was there, diving into the floorboards, barely managing to get a fist under the ball. They’d scored off a similar receive earlier in the game, at the expense of their libero’s face. He was bandaged up now, the gash in his chin covered. Kieran wouldn’t be surprised if a second exam would result in stitches, but Carpenter had been adamant that he was fine to keep playing once the bleeding had been staunched, and Coach had allowed it.
Atticus was there, crouching under Eric’s low save, just getting his hands beneath the ball as he surged forward, sending it flying parallel to the net. Bowen was ready, arm arcing to slam the ball down, but a blocker for the Comets shifted just in time to receive, putting the ball high into the air. It gave Julian Tate, Kieran’sleastfavorite setter now, the chance to put the ball up in just the right spot. One of their spikers sent it careening down along the sideline, and it smacked against the floorboards just inside the back corner before Kieran or any of his teammates had a chance to react.
He clenched his jaw. Tate had been a thorn in their sides—particularly Atticus’—for the entire game. The guy hardly seemed to break a sweat, his sets were a work of art, and his serves? Kieran had gotten under one in the first set, andfuck. He could still feel a phantom of the pain, the horrendous sting of the ball smacking off his forearms.
Another serve, another point to the Comets, this time from a joust between Atticus and Julian. Kieran knew they werefriendsoff the court, sort of, but when the ball bounced off the floor at Atticus’ feet and enough expletives left his mouth to earn a warning from a ref, Kieran wondered if that friendship would make it through the day. Especially when Julian threw a wink in their direction that had Kieran holding Atticus back.
