Shattered Ice

Anger issue

*Caleb*

I stand on the sand, feeling the thrill of competition coursing through my veins as we are about to kick off the first game. I have always been kinda competitive, I guess because sports was the only thing I ever felt I was winning at.

Virginia is by my side, her focus sharp, ready to take on this tournament with all the energy we can muster. I have a feeling she has the same competitive drive as me, that she has felt a need to show someone she is a winner too.

“Caleb! Get your head in the game!” Connor yells, snapping me out of my thoughts. He’s bouncing on his toes, eager for the first match to start. I give him a nod, forcing my attention back to the task at hand. The teams are warming up, and I can already see the excitement building in the crowd.

We have decided to make teams be up to 4 People, with 2 playing at a time, so People can change around. After all it is supposed to be fun and is for charity.

I glance at Virginia, who’s adjusting her hair in the breeze, her determination shining through. She catches me looking and throws me a confident smile that makes my heart race.

“Ready to crush this?” she asks, and I can’t help but grin back.

“Absolutely. Just remember, if I trip and fall, you have to promise to laugh, okay?” I tease, flexing my arms again, trying to lighten the mood. “My balance is know to be better on razor sharp blades.”

“Deal,” she replies with a wink, and I can feel the weight of the world lifting off my shoulders.

As the whistle blows to signal the start of our first match, I step onto the court, adrenaline pumping. Quinn and I take our positions, while Virginia and Connor stand back, ready to rotate in. The opposing team looks fierce, but I’m not worried. We’ve got this.

The game starts strong, with the ball flying back and forth, our team working like a well-oiled machine. I can hear the crowd cheering, the energy electrifying as we score the first point. Virginia is a powerhouse on the sidelines, as well as on the court, shouting encouragement, and the sight of her cheering me on makes me feel invincible.

But just as the game reaches a fever pitch, everything shifts in an instant. The opposing team serves, and as I leap to spike the ball over the net, I see Virginia moving into switch with Connor. My heart sinks when I realize she’s in the wrong position, and before I can shout a warning, the ball connects with her face with a sickening thud.

Time freezes. I watch in horror as she stumbles back, shock etched across her features. My instincts kick in, and I rush toward her, my heart racing. “Ginnie!” I call out, panic flooding my voice.

The laughter of the opposing team echoes around me, and a wave of anger surges through me. I can’t believe they would serve that hard, especially when she wasn’t ready. I shoot a glare at the guy who hit the ball, my fists clenching. “What the hell, man?!” I growl, my anger boiling over. “You think that’s funny?”

Virginia waves a hand dismissively, trying to brush off the situation. “Caleb, it’s fine! I’m okay!” But I can see the pain in her eyes, and it infuriates me even more.

“Fine? You just got hit in the face! You need to…” I glare at the guy. “And this fucker needs to apologise right now…”

“Calm down!” she interrupts, her voice sharp. “I said I’m fine. I do not need you to White knight me.”

I look from her, to the guy, smirking, honestly wanting to hit him. “But he really should apologise..”

“Just… give me a second.” She turns and walks away from the court, leaving me standing there, anger, confusion and concern swirling inside me, battling for dominance.

I feel like I’ve just been punched in the gut. Part pf me wants to run after her, but she clearly wanted space. Also I would feel bad bailing on my team, now we are already one player down.

The match continues, but my focus is shattered. I can’t shake the image of her stunned expression from my mind, the way she stumbled back. I need to find her. I have to make sure she’s really okay.

As the game wraps up and we manage to pull off a win, I barely celebrate. Connor and Quinn are high-fiving and cheering, but I can’t join in. I excuse myself and start searching the beach, scanning the crowd for her familiar figure.

Finally, I spot her sitting on a bench near the water’s edge, her shoulders hunched, her head bowed. My heart sinks. She looks vulnerable, and the sight pierces through me like a knife.

I approach slowly, not wanting to startle her. The gentle sound of the waves crashing against the shore fills the air, but it’s drowned out by the pounding in my chest. I can see her wipe at her eyes, and my stomach twists.

Virginia is crying.

I stop a few feet away, the words I want to say stuck in my throat. I feel a deep, gnawing regret for letting my anger get the best of me. I wanted to protect her, to keep her safe, and instead, I’ve just made everything worse.

“Does it hurt? Should I run get the doctor?” I ask, worried maybe her nose is broken, even though I do not see any blood.

She looks up, and that is when I notice the phone clutched in her hand.