The rest of the girls and I jogged over and sat in a semicircle under the net facing Coach and Tasha Wilkens, the assistant coach. For the first ten minutes, Coach took roll and asked us which positions we would like to try out for, jotting notes on a clipboard.
When she called my name, I tried to sound confident. “Libero.”
I didn’t dare check Shelby’s expression. The other girls’ poorly hidden looks of surprise said all I needed to know.
Shelby’d already said she wanted the position at lunch, and since she was a senior, I was supposed to back down and say “defensive specialist” or “outside hitter” and wait for next year to have my turn.
I just couldn’t do it. If Coach thought Shelby was better than me, I’d take a different spot, but I knew what I wanted, and I wanted to be varsity libero.
Coach nodded like nothing potentially disruptive to the accepted social order had happened and called on the last of the girls. After that, she had us do some warm-ups and then ran us through several drills. The practice wasn’t overly difficult and wasn’t anything compared to what regular season practices would be like, but I still worked up a sweat.
Being back on the court felt like heaven. On the court was the only place I could let my mind go and let the rhythm of the game take over. Volleyball made sense in a way the rest of life never did, and I liked the way I fit into the game.
I wasn’t sure where I stood compared to Shelby, but I out-hustled her every chance I got, and I was sure Coach would notice that.
In the locker room after practice, the atmosphere was different than other year’s post-tryouts scene. Usually a couple of girls were frustrated with their performances and complained, best friends reassured each other, and most of the upperclassmen, like me, just smiled and changed. This time, when I walked into the locker room, everything got quiet.
Continue reading Skye’s story today at books2read.com/skye-1!
Also by Kelsie Stelting
The Texas High Series
Chasing Skye: Book One
Becoming Skye: Book Two
Loving Skye: Book Three
Anika Writes Her Soldier
Abi and the Boy Next Door: Book One
Abi and the Boy Who Lied: Book Two
Abi and the Boy She Loves: Book Three
The Warr Acres High Series
Sincerely Enemies
Sincerely Unrequited
Sincerely Cinderella
The Sweet Water High Series: A Multi-Author Collaboration
Road Trip with the Enemy: A Sweet Standalone Romance
YA Contemporary Romance Anthology
The Art of Taking Chances
The Texas Sun Series
All the Things He Left Behind
Unfair Catch: Savannah’s Story 1
Anything But Yes: Savannah’s Story 2
Nonfiction
Raising the West
Author’s Note
Writing the final book of Abi’s story was completely surreal. Part of me wanted to continue her saga and watch her and Jon grow their family, see them become successful professionals, and even face future challenges with her parents as they complete their prison sentences. But ending it here just feels right.
This entire series has been about Abi finding her identity outside of trauma and coming to form healthy relationships when all she’s ever known is hurt, manipulation, and disappointment. A question I frequently get from readers is how much of myself goes into my stories. The short answer is all of it. The long answer is that I weave my hopes, dreams, and hurts into other worlds where I can mold them, shape them, and understand them.
When you’ve had trauma in your past, you are forced to take a look at yourself and ask how much of my current pain is my own doing? How many of my decisions are being made by my wounds and not by my wishes? It’s hard to do, and I think Abi realizes that in this story.
Jon’s proposal threw her for a complete loop. There she was, getting everything she’d ever dreamt of, but it wasn’t right. If she was going to be true to herself and the type of life she wanted to live, she had to say no. I believe saying no was the best thing she could have said—for both of them.
They learned how to heal, and were forced to look at the kind of life they wanted to live. I’ve stayed in Abi’s head most of this series, but I imagine that was a dark time for Jon. I’m proud of him for growing and becoming the man Abi deserved!
We all have some chips around the edges and some pain we haven’t let go of. At least, I know I do. As you’re reading this, I challenge you to ask yourself—what wound has been making decisions for you, and how can you heal it?
My prayer is that you’ll come to love yourself in your beautifully broken form as you take the pieces of your hurt and put them back together into the new image of you.
Acknowledgments
As always, thank you to my readers who have been the most supporting, loving crew of people I (or Abi) could have asked for! I love talking with you as Abi grows and hearing your reactions to each story! Special thanks to Laurie, Shelia, Abbey, Dixie, Wanda, Texas, and other readers who have beta read each book and looked deep into the heart of the story! I appreciate you!
Sally Henson, thank you for being a fabulous friend and sounding board.
Tricia Harden, this is our sixth book together! Skye two and three, Road Trip with the Enemy, and Abi’s entire series would not be the same without you. I love working with you and hope to do so for years to come!
Anne-Marie Meyer, thank you for advising me on book descriptions and covers! Your tenacity and eye for details is inspiring.
Everyone owes my mother a massive thank you for always asking me if I’m writing. (I suppose I do too.)
I’ve had many people comment on my characters getting married young. I think you have my husband/high school sweetheart to blame for that. Ty, thank you for your sunshine smile and loving me through all the brokenness. You are great inspiration for a loving man who knows how to grow and support someone no matter what. It hasn’t been easy, but it has always been worth it.
Thank you to my family, who may not be able to keep up with each story but never miss a chance to support me or spread the word. I love each of you more than you know.
To everyone who’s been with Abi since release day of book one or recent readers, I appreciate the time you spend with Abi more than words can say. I pray you have loved every second.
About the Author
Kelsie Stelting sealed her fate as a hopeless romantic when she met her husband as a broken, searching 17-year-old girl. A lot has changed since she fell for his sunshine smile, but her love for heartfelt, inspiring, and thought-provoking stories has remained constant. Her passion is writing stories with strong characters, deep feelings, and happy endings.
Kelsie currently lives in Oklahoma with her husband, foster children, and two precious papillons you'll see photos of if you join her readers' group. You can often find her writing, spending time with family, and soaking up too much sun wherever she can find it.
Visit www.kelsiestelting.com to get a free story and sign up for her readers' group!
Abi and the Boy She Loves Page 19