No, stop that. You can’t tighten up now.

She finally approached a threesome warming up – apparently three women who knew each other well. “Anyone want to warm up with me?”

The girls stopped laughing at each other. “We’re done.” A stick-straight blonde with ice-blue eyes grabbed the ball and motioned for her entourage to follow her off the court.

Lex’s hands started shaking as her chest cavity became a furnace.

Forget Nebuchadnezzar – she’d have fried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego if she got any hotter. The other women warming up in pairs avoided looking at her.

Her vision expanded as it did whenever she got ready-to-slam-a-ball-in-somebody’s-face livid. The lights became brighter, the gym larger. She caught every movement – the miniscule swaying of the net, the dangling of the cords at each end, the tiniest shifting of weight from one woman as she prepared to pass.

Lex marched to the wall and threw the ball to warm up her shoulder. She had ceased to feel – all her energy focused on that ball. She was a raging fire, a nuclear star.

She moved to her most technically challenging bumping exercises, then shifted to setting. Lex hadn’t warmed up solo in a long time – usually she peppered with a teammate, having fun, loosening up. Now, her muscles flowed like water, each movement precise with the higher level of challenge. She ought to do this more often.

A group of men and women entered the gym, one of them blowing a whistle to get everyone’s attention. Lex joined the circle of women around them.

“I’m Darren, coach for both the coed and women’s teams here at Wassamattayu. You all are trying out for a single position that will play on both teams.” He paused to glance at his clipboard. “Was-samattayu is part of a larger network of elite sports clubs. You should have received a schedule of tournaments for both the coed and women’s teams.”

He gestured to the others with them, rattling off names. “These are members of the coed and women’s team, and Krista here is my assistant coach.”

Krista stepped forward. “Okay, let’s start with some drills.”

The drills were easy compared to the stuff Lex put her junior high school girls through. She also learned a few new ball control exercises she could add. The drills tired her but didn’t wipe her out.

She stood mopping her sweaty face while several of the other women bent double, gasping for air.

Hehehe.

She knew most of them would be better at blocking – their height alone made them more effective at the net. Lex got touches during the blocking drills, but no stuffs like some of the women. However, she performed well on the setting drills.

Lex was among the last group on the hitting line, after watching her six-foot-tall nemeses pound the balls inside the ten-foot line. She’d learned to hit smarter.

Lex sent a few good hits into the center of the court for her first two. Before she started her third hit, Darren stepped up to the other side of the net to block her. He nodded to her.

He hadn’t blocked any of the other women during their drills.

She grinned. For him, she’d need a high set. “Five, please.”

The setter sent a beautiful arcing ball that seemed to float in midair. Lex started her approach, planted, and lifted off.

Darren set up a good block, taking away the easy shot in the middle of the court. Last-minute, she torqued and sent the ball down the line. It landed squarely on the strip of white. Excellent.

Darren continued blocking for the other two girls in her hitting group. One got stuffed, the other hit it high and out.

Lex’s turn again. This time he inched in to make the line shot harder. Lex cut the shot, a sweet short angle, right under his left armpit.

He grinned at her as they both landed.

Energy zoomed through her veins like liquid caffeine. Her lungs felt twice as large, her muscles twice as fast.

For the defensive drills, they paired her with two other girls at the back of the court. Lex subtly adjusted position, further from the brunette – who was a ball hog – but closer to the blonde – who was slow. She picked up a few hard, short shots near the net and got under the other balls so she made perfect, soft passes to the setter.

And then it ended. Lex felt like she’d hardly broken a sweat. She’d had more tiring sand workouts with Kin-Mun than the four hours from today.

The other women had left by the time Lex finished changing her shoes. Darren stood near the door, waiting for her.

As she passed, he gave her a high five. Looking around quickly, he leaned in toward her. “You nailed it.”

Her insides glowed – she felt as if she were made of light.

“Thanks.”

“I talked briefly with Krista. It’s pretty clear who we’re going to pick.” He lowered his voice even more, but his smile was like ethanol, making her burn brighter. “Lex, I’m looking forward to playing with you.”

Where else to celebrate besides Hot Pot Town Restaurant with her three cousins?

Unless one of them brought a guy who wasn’t a brother, a cousin, or even a close acquaintance.

Venus nudged Lex as Jennifer approached the restaurant from the parking lot with Mr. Gecko in tow – pale, buggy eyes, constantly licking his lips. “Who’s that?”

“Her boyfriend?”

“Jennifer looks like even she can’t stand him.” Trish stared hard at the two of them. “Look, she keeps moving away from him whenever he gets close.” Her phone rang. “Oh, it’s Kazuo. Hey, babe…” She wandered a few feet away.

Venus leaned close to Lex. “Did Trish explain why she ran away from you at church?”

“She said she never heard me call her.”

Venus eyed her with a How stupid do you think I am? look.

“Yeah, I don’t know if I believe her either.” Lex shook her head.

“That boyfriend is bad news.”

“Well then, you try talking to her. She avoids being alone with me.”

“Fine.” Venus was raring to go.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. I found housing. I called one of the ladies from church. I heard her niece wanted to rent the extra room in her town house. Bedroom on the second floor, carport in the back. I’ll go look at it tomorrow.”

“That’s great.”

“Things are totally looking up for me.”

Jennifer joined them. “H-hey, guys.”

Gecko had sidled up to Venus, trying to give her a discreet look down. Venus backed up a step and unleashed her famous organ-shrinking glare. His eyes popped open, and he scurried closer to Jennifer like a Chihuahua.

“Who’s your friend, Jenn?” Lex didn’t want to call him Gecko all night, although Venus probably wouldn’t mind.

“Um… this is Hector.”

“Perfect.” Venus sneered at him.

“How’d you guys meet?” Lex planted a cool smile on her face.

“Oh… Actually, we just met tonight.”

Lex raised her eyebrows at Jenn.

“Well Lex, when you called, Grandma was at our house.”

Oh, no.

“And she asked me to invite Hector along.” Jenn cast a desperate glance at the restaurant doors. “Should we go in?”

Lex hooked her talons into Jennifer’s arm to hold her back as Hector followed Venus to the restaurant, trying to ogle her backside. Creep.

“Jenn, what’s the deal? Why didn’t you just tell Grandma no?”

“You try telling Grandma no.”

“Why’d you tell her you were going out with me? You know what she’s been up to.”

“Grandma’s been over at our house a lot lately. It’s wearing on me.”

Jenn snatched her arm away and marched into the restaurant.

Lex stood a moment, too surprised to move. Jenn never snapped at people.

She gestured to Trish, who went inside without her.

“Lex! Wait up!” She heard another voice.

Lex turned and saw her brother. “Richard, what are you doing here?” With yet another male friend?

He hustled up to her, while a dark-skinned guy followed at a slower pace. “Grandma told me you’d be here.”