October Challenge, Day 5

“Are you going to stand there and look beautiful, or are you going to serve?”

He regretted those words immediately, knew they would draw ridicule and ire from players and observers alike. He didn’t know where the question came from: It was so unlike him.

Micah was a teenager, two weeks short of celebrating his 16th birthday. He was only at the campgrounds because his parents thought it would be good for him to get out of the house, stop reading and writing, to breathe fresh air. He thought it was a punishment: Both his mother and father had told him it was foolish for him to believe he could be a writer. Now, as he looked across the volleyball net at her, Micah knew they were correct: Being outside was much better than cooped up in the house.

His heart raced when he looked at her, the girl he knew as Toni, and only because one of her teammates called her that. He was afraid, fearful that his dumb remark would end any chance of him getting to know her better.

“Oh my God, that was lame,” a female fellow player whispered in his right ear.

“That was bad,” another added in the other.

He felt his face grow warm, a sign that he was blushing. Micah felt a sudden urge to flee, to run away, to leave the campgrounds’ sand volleyball court before the laughter began, to run away before Toni becomes angry. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

“No, stay and face the consequences,” his inner voice told him. He opened his eyes and looked at her. What he saw stunned him.

Micah expected the short Italian teenager to have her fists balled up and on her hips, thought he would see anger in her dark brown, almond-shaped eyes. He did not think to see her mouth gape, a shocked look on her face.

Toni stood there, on the backline of the court, looking at him. Micah wondered if she was planning her words carefully, wondered when she would spew venomous vulgarities at him. His heart raced faster, his breath coming in short spurts. She took a step towards the ball, a few feet outside the playing area. Toni looked back at him, shook her head and smiled sheepishly.

“Wow Micah, I think she likes you,” a teammate said.

“How do you know?”

She leaned in closer. “If someone said that to me and I didn’t think he was cute, I’d call him out on the sheer lameness of the line.” She patted him softly on his back before returning to her position behind him.

Toni shook her head again and tossed the ball into the air, ready to serve. Micah readied himself. He watched as the ball fell to the sand. She didn’t attempt to serve.

“Sorry about that.” Her voice was soft, almost lyrical. He sighed and smiled. Her voice was that of a goddess to him.

“Let me try that again.” The ball was tossed and she made contact. The game was back on.



“Next two teams,” the ranger said from the picnic table. Micah’s team won, though he didn’t care much. He was still thinking about the girl in the white bikini, the one with brown eyes that smiled at him more as the game progressed. He walked to his blanket, to finish the can of soda and maybe do some more reading while waiting to play again. He leaned down and grabbed his glasses. He sat and opened his book.

“Hello.” That voice again, the one that he believed was from a goddess, said something to him. He closed the paperback and looked at her, looked into her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he began; ready to apologize for his comment to her.

“Don’t be.” She cut him off with a smile. “I’m Antoinette,” she added, her hand extended. He stood and accepted it. Her skin was so smooth. Micah tried to, but couldn’t in the end, withhold a sigh.

“I’m Micah.”

“That’s a lovely name.” He thought he heard her sigh, too.