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Back The Fake Save as PDF
Chapters (44)
  1. Cover
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. EPILOGUE
  39. PLAYLIST
  40. THE PASS SNEAK PEEK
  41. TANNER
  42. SYDNEY
  43. TANNER
  44. ALSO BY REBECCA JENSHAK

Me: Smartass, it’s general admission.

The rest of the week is busy. Classes are starting to get more intense, so keeping up with homework and assigned reading on top of the long practices and extra workouts is a bit grueling. I see Nathan in class, but we both have to blow off our project.

The tournament is a small fall exhibition with only a few other schools. Even so, I’m so nervous I can’t eat breakfast.

Coach pairs me with Emily and moves Bri with Sydney. It’s a switch from last year and from how we’ve been practicing. Emily and Bri have been partners most of their collegiate careers. I expect all the progress we’ve made being civilized to one another to come to a screeching halt, but Bri just nods and goes about her warmups.

I think she feels a little victorious when Coach dubs them the number one pairing. During the fall season, it doesn’t mean much. I know that and she knows that, but if it keeps the truce going, she can keep it… for now, anyway.

We warm up as a team first. Coach calls out the exercises from the sideline. Side lunges, shuffles, crossover, lateral bear crawl. Then we do ball drills—serving, passing, and hitting.

Finally, we break off into our pairs, and Emily and I jog to the fieldhouse. Once we’re there, we do some light stretches and then turn around and head back. We’re on court two so we head there for the official warmup. We work on peppering and serving warmups until I’ve blocked everything out.

“Work together. Quick transitions.” Coach Carter gives us a last-minute pep talk. She claps her hands and Emily and I walk to our starting side.

We’re up against Monte State first. I’ve played them before. They’re tough, but I’m confident in Emily and I working together. Her height and my athleticism is a good combo.

Before I take the first serve, I look to the side where a few spectators have crowded under a blue awning. Nathan smiles and lifts his chin in acknowledgment. Shaw is here, too, but I barely afford him a second glance. My stomach flutters at Nathan showing up for me.

My parents, who used to make every game, won’t be able to make as many now that I’m farther away, but it feels decidedly awesome to know I’m going to have Nathan here for me instead.

24

CHLOE

“If you tell Sydney that I watched the season two final episode without her, she’ll kill me.”

“I won’t say a word,” Nathan promises from his seat next to me in the theater room. I hate to move from my big leather chair.