Nellie and the Dodgeball Game

Author's Note:

This is a stand-alone story that is part of a larger series about the titular character, Nellie. Each story that follows can be read on its own or together, in any particular order, though they will be posted in chronological order. The stories may fall under different categories, but all will tell tales of Nellie's various adventures.

In this adventure, Nellie plays dodgeball against Jake, but things get complicated when team captain Veronica gets a little jealous of Nellie and Jake's relationship. This story follows the events of Nellie & The Unicorn Onesie.

Special thank you to OneAuthor and norafares for editing.

**

"Please, Nellie? It's exactly like volleyball."

"It is nothing like volleyball!"

"Okay, it's much cooler than volleyball. Come on. Please?"

Wearily, I sighed and closed my textbook. "You know how competitive I get. I just don't think it's a good idea."

Kara folded her arms on the table in front of her. "Jake will be there. We're playing his team tonight."

"That's even worse."

"Uh oh. Trouble in paradise?"

"There is no paradise." I rolled my eyes. "We've hooked up a few times, that's it."

"Mm-hmm."

"Don't start with me on this. Neither of us wants something serious."

"Mm-hmm."

"I especially do not want a boyfriend."

"Mm-hmm."

"Really, Kara?"

She burst out laughing. "I'm just teasing, Nell. I've heard your 'commitment is for suckers' thing a million times."

I couldn't help but laugh with her. "Yes, you have, and it's still true. Things are fine. Jake's a great friend."

"And a great fuck."

"And a great fuck. What I meant was that I don't really want to have to play against him. I told you, I get way too competitive."

"It's so much fun, though." Kara pouted. "Come on. I'll keep you from getting too competitive. And I'll buy your beers after the game."

"That's a tempting offer."

"The whole point of intramural dodgeball is to get drunk afterward. The only reason it's part of the intramural program is so we can use the gym and get a discount at Lou's Pub after the games."

"You really can't think of anyone else who could sub?"

Kara shook her head. "The game is in an hour. If we don't have enough players, we forfeit. If we forfeit, we lose our chance at playoffs."

"I thought you just said it wasn't that competitive."

"Yeah, but if we win playoffs, our team gets an open tab at Lou's at the end-of-season celebration. And a cool T-shirt that says we're the winners. And bragging rights."

"Well, if there's a cool T-shirt involved..."

"And you'd certainly be considered part of the team..."

Forty-five minutes later, Kara and I were walking into the gym. She led me to a group of people wearing the same uniform as her: a horrendous orange T-shirt that served as a jersey.

"I found a sub!" she exclaimed as we approached. "This is my friend Nellie."

The group cheered.

"I'm Veronica," said a girl with intense eyes and a "C" ironed on the front of her shirt. "I grabbed an extra jersey for you."

I was taller than average, and Veronica was even taller than me. My first impression of her was that she looked like a goddess or a princess warrior or something. She had thick, dark hair pulled back into a long ponytail, and even managed to make that orange T-shirt look irresistible.

That was saying something, as the orange T-shirt was truly awful. The piece of fabric she handed me was about three sizes larger than I was. I tried not to grimace as I pulled it on over my tank top, the hem trailing the edge of my shorts.

"Sorry," Veronica said, clearly not sorry. "It's the only spare I could find."

"I can fix it." Kara reached forward and tied a knot in the shirt just above my hips. I rolled the T-shirt sleeves into the armhole, tucking it into my tank top. "That's a bit better."

"It's fine." I grinned and did a few stretches to ensure my alterations would hold.

"You know the rules?" Veronica asked.

"Umm... dodge the ball?"

Veronica looked at Kara, exasperated. "Really?" Kara started to respond, but Veronica waved a hand at her. "I don't have time to explain all the rules to you. If you have time before we start, you can read them on the website."

"The website?"

"Official international rules are posted on the team website." Veronica looked at Kara again. "Did you explain anything to her?"

"I heard there's beer after," I interrupted.

I'd never seen someone's face turn the shade of red that Veronica's did. "Right," she said icily. "Okay. The basics. Each team has six players. There's six balls in the centre of the court." She pointed out the boundaries. "Don't cross any of those lines. If a ball crosses any of those lines, someone else will retrieve it. At the start of the game, the referee will call '3, 2, 1, Dodgeball!'"

"And we all run to the centre to get the balls," I said.

"That's called the opening rush, and no." Veronica's jaw clenched. "You don't run. Just wait on the court. No one can throw until the balls have touched the back wall of the court. So just stay out of the way of the runners."

"Runners get the balls, balls to the walls. Got it."

"People holding a ball have ten seconds to throw it. You eliminate other players by hitting them with balls or by catching a ball thrown at you. And if you catch a ball, someone whose already been eliminated can come back to your team. You can deflect a ball thrown at you using a ball that you're holding, but that's it. You can't just slap it away."

"No ball slapping. Got it."

"You can pass the ball to other people on your team by rolling it towards them. We don't do that much, but you might need to. It doesn't start a new ten-second count though."

"I know how to handle balls. I played volleyball for six years."

"Sure." Veronica looked unconvinced. "When you get hit—"

"You mean if I get hit."

She paused, incredulous. "When you get hit, raise your arms and leave the court immediately. Don't touch any of the balls that might roll out of bounds." Veronica shot another look at Kara. "That's all I have time for. Just try not to fuck it up."

As Veronica stormed away, I looked at Kara. "I thought you said the whole point of this was getting drunk afterward."

Kara looked stunned. "I mean, most of us are just here for that. Veronica can be intense, but I've never seen her like that."

"So I'm just lucky, then."

"Sorry, Nell." Kara tried to smile, but her embarrassment was obvious. "Just try to have fun, I guess."

"She didn't laugh at any of my ball jokes, Kara. How am I supposed to have fun?"

"Nellie? Since when do you play dodgeball?"

I turned as a deep, familiar voice interrupted us. Jake was there, wearing a green jersey with his last name on it and a bewildered look on his face.

"Oh, just here as a favour to my good friend Kara and her teammates since they were short a person," I replied loudly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Veronica turn back towards us.

"Hey Hunter," she called.

The tone of voice was lighter, friendlier than anything I'd heard from her. She said his last name like it was some kind of inside joke. I'm no genius, but the sudden change in demeanour as she looked at Jake led to a very obvious conclusion.

He smiled in response. At least, he tried to. I knew Jake's face and I knew what he looked like in all sorts of compromising positions, and that smile was definitely forced.

"Hi," he said politely before turning back to me. "That's cool of you. I didn't know you played."

"Oh, all the time. I'm a dodgeball champ back home."

Jake snorted. "Is that so?"

"Don't underestimate me." I grinned, partially because I enjoyed joking around with Jake and mostly because Veronica's face was getting colder and angrier each second I talked to him. "Now shoo, Hunter. I have super-secret dodgeball stuff to discuss with my team."

"Good thinking. I don't want to be caught fraternising with the enemy."

"I'll fraternise with you later, if you want," I teased.

He laughed again and jogged across the gym to join his teammates. Veronica watched him as well.

"That's why she doesn't like me," I whispered to Kara.

"What?"

"Veronica has a thing for Jake. I'm fucking Jake. That's why she doesn't like me."

Kara's eyes lit up at the scandal. "How do you figure that?"

"How do you not?" I jerked my head towards her. "She can't take her eyes off him."

"Are you two done your little chat yet? You need to warm up."

Veronica had a hand on her hip as she waited for us on the court. Despite being a world-class bitch, the haughty look she was giving us was incredibly attractive. Kara and I joined her begrudgingly and did some stretching while she went to speak with the referee.

I was introduced to the other three players while we stretched. Sydney, Tyler, and Brandon were all much more welcoming than Veronica was.

"So Veronica gave you the basic rules, right?" Brandon asked me.

He was a burly guy with a thick beard, slightly shorter than me. Height aside, his broadness and booming voice made him seem larger than life. He was like a giant teddy bear, and I liked him immediately.

"Well, sort of. I'm supposed to try not to get hit and just stay out of everyone's way." I tried to bury my cynicism underneath a perky voice as we all settled on the floor, stretching our legs.

Brandon chuckled. "It's pretty simple. And the ref over there talking to Veronica, that's my friend Calvin. He's cool. He'll explain anything you might need, but no one really worries about the more obscure rules."

"There's obscure dodgeball rules?"

"Oh yeah," Sydney said.

She was insanely flexible, her torso practically pressed to the floor beside her legs as she stretched her hamstrings. "Like showdown. Kinda like the dodgeball version of a hockey shoot-out."

"Yeah, and high throws," added Tyler.

"Basically, try not to hit anyone in the head is all with that one," Brandon continued. "But it's just dodgeball. We're mainly here for the beer afterward."

I wanted to hug Brandon, but as we were sitting on the floor, I settled for wrapping an arm over his wide shoulders. "I have found my people," I declared.

"Okay, let's get ready to play." Veronica ushered us towards the starting line, and as we got into position, she turned to me. "So can you actually handle this, Nellie?"

I tried not to let her attitude get to me, but a small pit of anger seethed in my chest. "I told you, I'm great at handling balls." I glanced across the court, where Jake's team was mirroring our line-up. "Just ask 'Hunter' if you don't believe me."

Was the comment necessary? Definitely not.

Did I get a surge of vindictive joy at the expression of stunned hurt on Veronica's pretty face? Absolutely.

She marched away without comment to line up in the centre of the court, opposite the other team's captain. I caught Jake's eye from across the court and grinned at him. His eyebrow arched at me, a silent challenge marked by a coy smirk.

"It's on," I mouthed at him.

"Okie dokie, everyone," Calvin said. "Here we go! Three, two, one, DODGEBALL!"

As directed, I didn't rush for the balls in the centre. Veronica, Sydney, and Tyler made the run as Kara, Brandon, and myself held back. Veronica was the first to reach the back wall and touch her ball to it, and she rushed forward and immediately hurled the red object at the other team.

In the meantime, Sydney and Tyler tossed their balls at the same player. Sydney's missed, but Tyler hit him on the arm. I cheered as the first player of the game raised his arms and dashed to the sidelines.

A blur of red rubber was suddenly rushing at my head. Instinctively, I reached forward, the ball clapping against my skin loudly as I caught it.

"Fuck yeah, that's how you do it!" Brandon pumped a fist in the air.

They had two players out now, and I waited for the perfect moment to throw the ball in my hands. I almost hit the other player, but the ball zipped past her as she contorted out of the way like something out of The Matrix. No one caught it, but just a few seconds later, Tyler was the first person on our team to get hit.

"Don't waste a throw like that!" Veronica hissed at me.

I ducked out of the way as a ball flew towards me. "Oh, fuck off," I spat back.

Our side of the court was a blur of red balls and orange shirts. I managed a few more throws before finally hitting someone. By then, Tyler had come back onto the court after a catch, but Kara and Sydney were both out. With just four people on our side, it should have been fairly easy to avoid getting in each other's way. Unfortunately for me, Veronica was just as much of a vindictive bitch as I was.

I had just dove out of the way of a ball whistling past me, my feet hitting the gym floor with a squeal as I tried to change directions and avoid a ball flying at me from the other direction. Suddenly, I was crushed against Veronica and went flying back in the other direction. The ball hit me square in the chest as I stumbled.

"God fucking damn it." I threw my arms in the air and whirled around.

If metaphors ever became real, I'm sure actual daggers would have shot from my eyes at Veronica.

"Oops. Sorry," she said in a sing-song voice.

I stormed off the court as she threw again.

I was still angry as I joined Kara and Sydney, wiping sweat from my forehead. "Did you see her push me?" I whispered, furious.

"I don't know if that was on purpose," Sydney said.

"Let it go," Kara urged as I opened my mouth to respond.

I seethed as I watched the game progress. The teams were evenly matched and I had to begrudgingly admit that Veronica was quite good. Her long ponytail whipped through the air as she jumped around the court. Despite her height, Veronica's movements were catlike: graceful, quick, and always with purpose. Just a few moments later, she caught a throw from the other team and Sydney rushed back on the court. She picked up a ball almost immediately and catapulted it at the other team.

"Good throw!" Veronica cheered.

Unfortunately, the ball was caught just before it hit the ground and Sydney was back on the sidelines again.

Tyler deflected a ball and knocked one of the other players out, leaving them with two players. It didn't last long, though, as just a few seconds later Brandon threw a ball that was caught. I hadn't even noticed Jake wasn't on the court, but he ran out and started dodging balls from Veronica almost immediately.

And on it went. The throws came faster and harder as the teams dwindled down, and Tyler made a catch at one point that allowed Kara back on the court. Jake was on his side with just one other player.

Veronica let a ball fly towards Jake. I inhaled sharply as it propelled towards him, directly in line with his head. Jake's teammate shouted, and Jake turned just in time to get his hands up and catch the ball before it smashed into his face.

"Watch the high throws, Veronica!" Calvin shouted from the sidelines as she threw her hands up and stomped off the court.

I tried not to look at Veronica as she joined us. I tried not to notice the glowing sheen of sweat on her forehead and I tried not to think of how gorgeous she was. Reminding myself that she was a complete bitch, I refused to even look in her direction. Instead, I watched the game intently, desperately wishing Kara or Tyler would catch the ball so I could go back on. Something heard my prayers because just moments later Kara made a catch. She hooted in celebration and I rushed back on the court, picking up a ball just as she got hit by Jake.

Veronica was swearing on the sidelines and screaming instructions at me. I steadfastly ignored her as I lobbed a ball across the court, managing to hit one of Jake's teammates. Down to two people per side, things started moving a bit more slowly and with certain calculation.

Tyler was an excellent person to be on the court with. We communicated easily, nailing balls across the court in unison to try to maximise our impact. He managed to knock the other teammate out, so it was just Jake versus the two of us. I cheered and ducked as Jake nailed a ball at me.

My dodgeball skills were certainly nowhere near as strong as Tyler's. For that reason, when he made the mistake of turning to grab a ball just as Jake let one fly, I leapt in front of Tyler. My knees bent to balance my weight as I landed, meaning I was crouched at just the right moment for the ball to smash against my face.

There was a collective inhale by everyone in the gym at the slapping sound of my face meeting the ball. For what it's worth, it stung a bit, but certainly sounded a lot worse than it felt. There was no blood, nothing was broken, and I doubted it would even bruise. Throwing my hands up as the ball bounced away, I started towards the sidelines.

"Holy shit, Nellie, I'm so sorry!" Jake cried.

"It's okay, I'm okay!" I replied, but it was drowned out by the sound of a ball thudding against Jake's chest.

Tyler grinned, having taken advantage of his distraction.

"That's set done, I guess." Calvin blew his whistle and I burst out laughing as our team cheered.

Jake rushed towards me. "Seriously, Nellie, I'm so sorry. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I promise." I touched my face gingerly. My skin felt warm, but there was no pain. "Need to work on your throw, Hunter, I barely noticed it!"

He chuckled awkwardly. "Oh no, are you going to start calling me Hunter too?"

"Why, don't like it?"

"It's fine, just..." His voice trailed off as he glanced behind me, and I knew Veronica was approaching.

"Good game, Hunter," she said brightly. Turning to me, the brightness dropped. "Are you hurt, Nellie?"

"Nope." I smiled, baring my teeth more than was necessary.

"Makes sense." That fake, sing-song voice returned. "I heard you were used to having balls on your face."

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time Jake's hit me in the face with his balls," I replied, my voice sickeningly sweet.

"I... what?!" Jake's eyes widened as he processed what I said.

"You're disgusting." Veronica flung her ponytail over her shoulder as she turned to walk away.

"What was that about?" Jake finally managed to ask.

"She's been a bitch to me all night."

"That doesn't explain anything."

I shrugged. "She knows you and I have hooked up, and she doesn't like me because of that."

"Why would that cause her to dislike you?"

I stared for a moment. "Jake, man. She has a crush on you. I pegged it the second you walked in the room."

Jake was not stupid. He was a graduate student, who had done most of his high school work himself while being home-schooled and had maintained a high GPA all through his undergrad. He was one of the smartest people I knew, in fact.

However, sometimes Jake was a naive, unobservant idiot.

"No she doesn't," he finally responded, though the gears were still turning in his head. "Wait, but... oh."

"There it is."

"How could you even tell?"

"The flirting, the high-pitched voice, the hair toss, the way she calls you 'Hunter' like it's some kind of cutesy nickname. Shall I go on?"

I would have, but Calvin called for us to switch ends to start the second set of the night.

When all was said and done, Jake's team only beat us twice, and our team took every other set. I didn't get a chance to talk to him again during the game, but I did spend a good portion of time admiring him as he played. Jake was obviously very athletic, and he had amazing reflexes. Watching his body twist and muscles flex as he threw, I understood why Veronica was smitten. I'd always had a thing for watching men play sports. There was just something incredibly erotic about watching the power, the strategy, the way people got so intense. It might have just been dodgeball, but it still had all those elements.