BLUE COUP D’ETAT

Her gray shorts hugged her thighs. It was early fall and the sun still warmed but the detached smoothness of her features held no warmth, only a vague triumph. For a moment she had won an emotional battle. It was almost like beating someone up, she thought as she hit the volleyball again.
She felt his eyes upon her but refused to look. Instead she hit the ball harder, forcing herself to jump to keep the ball from going over her head. “Ow!” she pulled her finger to her mouth instinctively. She hated it when she jammed her finger, especially at that moment is seemed to belittle her victory. It made her feel like a clumsy little girl. “Are you alright?” a concerned and sickeningly familiar voice asked.
“‘I’m fine,” she quipped trying to cover her embarrassment. Her finger did hurt and she could feel it swelling and tightening up the skin around her ring finger. Ordinarily she would run inside and get an ice pack immediately but not today. Nothing would keep her from playing today.