Everyone has seen her; walking the halls with her shoulders slightly
slumped, eyes fixed on the ground, a small smirk on her lips. Everyone has heard her speak; sharing devotionals,
praying for the school, in an awkward but heartwarming manner. Everyone has heard her name; the well-known name
that all feel the need to shout out rapidly: “KU-MA-SA-KA!”
That day was no different than the others; she drowsily
journeyed from class to class, trying not to let her head droop for too long. She quietly and studiously
scribbled notes on a scratch piece of paper, worried she wouldn't remember anything
the next day. Her eyes lit up suddenly
as she conversed with those she loves.
That’s what gets her through each day.
She laughed and giggled, like many girls do, but then there were moments
when she seemed totally removed from the world, staring off into space, vital
information going in one ear, then out the other. Eyes fixated on the floor, her whole face
seemed downcast and dejected. Yet when a
friend came up and asked “Are you okay?” she brushed it off and says with a
smile, “Oh, yeah! I’m just tired”. Immediately after doing so, she quickly turned
away, mentally kicking herself for lying to the ones who mean the most her,
but she never ends up bringing up the subject again.
At 2:45 she let out a long sigh as the last chime of the bell
sounds in each class. Throngs of
students poured out into the halls as she quickly becomes engulfed within the
masses. She slowly shuffled to her
locker, maneuvering her way through the congested hallways. Snatching her oversized bag, she trotted to
the bathroom with dubstep in her head and a smile on her lips. Game time.
Sitting in the back of the room, she quietly observed her
rowdy teammates while slowly eating her pregame meal. She laughed with them, but always seemed removed
from the whole scene, like an outsider looking in.
She thoughtfully bandaged her fingers and ankles, carefully spreading
ointment to protect her dry, cracked skin through the activity to come. At 4:30, she plopped down on the cold
bleachers, proceeding to shout out encouragements to the JV team, wondering if
anyone really heard her. This continued
through their game, and they came out on top.
Now it was her turn.
Finally, her heart racing, she bursts through the tunnel of
JV players, her face glowing with excitement, followed by her fellow
teammates. The lyrics “can’t hold us”
blast over the speakers as that becomes her knew mindset. Nothing can hold her back. She comes alive in this art of a sport called
volleyball. With nonstop communication
with her teammates, she yells out everything she sees as the team flows together
like one unified unit. Her timidity
during the school day dissolves away as she strategically picks out the weak
link in the line of passers on the opposing team.
She pinpoints the individual, takes a deep breath, and “ACE!” rings
through the whole gym and she repeats the exhilarating process. She serves the ball and the opponents pass it
up and tip it over the two person block.
The passionate player sprawls out and hits the ground hard to pop the
ball up, but misses. She angrily smacks
the ground as she gets up, fire in her eyes.
As the team loses momentum and the game as well, she tries
desperately to fire up her team to fight alongside her. She rallies her teammates by giving a
passionate pep talk and yelling at the top of her lungs as they cheer. Unfortunately, the game was lost and the players,
frustrated. At the end of the night, our
senior setter walks to the end line of the court to check out, leading her teammates,
with her chin held high.
