Reyna didn't know what to make of Calypso. The girl seemed to appear at the most unexpected times.
First it was in an empty classroom.
Reyna had forgotten her binder in her last class, a rare event. She put all of her class subjects within this one binder, effective, but deadly if she forgot it, otherwise she would waste time in getting it for her next class.
Reyna wasn’t normally this forgetful, if anything she was the opposite, she was usually quite diligent if she could help it. But it seemed on this particular day she couldn’t: she was almost late to school after missing her alarm, and was thus completely disoriented for the pop quiz her first period class had given her. She could not wait for when those results came out.
After excusing herself from class, she made her way down the hall to find the room of her last class. She peeked inside, finding it seemingly empty. She tried the door handle.
Unlocked.
Perfect, Reyna thought. Maybe today was looking up after all.
She went effortlessly to her seat, finding her binder quickly. Now she just had to leave.
“Um, excuse me?”
Reyna jumped and turned to face the owner of the voice. How had she not noticed someone else was in the room?
The other person was a girl, and Reyna swore she glowed. The rational part of Reyna kicked in, saying that it was simply the sunlight that came through the windows. But still, her caramel hair seemed set ablaze in her braid, and her almond eyes were soft, and Reyna found herself lost within them. The girl was still looking at her, with expectation in her eyes. Reyna realized she was staring.
“Er, yes?” Reyna wanted to kick herself for getting tongue tied. Why was she getting nervous?
“I’m new, and I think I'm in the wrong classroom? I’ve been waiting for a while, so I guess the class got moved?” the girl responded with a small voice.
The girl looked so nervous Reyna raced to find the words that would calm her down. “Oh, the teacher said they were going to the computer lab today, it's room 348, it's just down the hall. Though it has been a while since class started...” Reyna continued, and saw the girl’s eyes widen in panic. “But it's fine! If you explain the situation everything will be fine, Mr. Brunner is really understanding.”
The girl-Reyna really needed a name by now- visibly relaxed, and they both made their way to the hall.
“Thank you so much for your help…”
“Reyna,” she was quick to answer.
“Well then thank you, Reyna,” she repeated. “I probably would have been there the whole period if it wasn’t for you.”
Reyna dismissed the thanks, saying that it was no problem. The two said their goodbyes, the girl flashing a warm smile to Reyna and she found herself smiling back.
It wasn’t until Reyna thought of the warm smile in passing did she realize that she never asked for her name.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Then there was an introduction.
“Guys,” Leo started as he ran towards their table, out of breath. “I just met the love of my life, so I’m gonna need you guys to play it cool, let me do my thing.”
“Oh but Leo,” Piper started, looking sympathetic. “If we let you do that you’ll just scare her away.”
Leo made a face, about to respond back, when a strangely familiar girl came up behind him. Leo took note of her presence.
“Okay guys, this is Calypso, she’s new, but super cool!” Leo introduced. “She actually laughs at my jokes!”
As if on cue, the girl next to him giggled, and as she smiled something clicked in Reyna’s head.
It was the same girl from this morning.
Leo went around the table, introducing each of the people in their group. As he got to her, her heart skipped as she and the girl- Calypso- made eye contact.
“And that’s-”
“Reyna,” Calypso finished, her smile becoming even wider, if that was possible.
“Yeah, or as I like to call her RARA, captain of the volleyball team. You two know each other?”
Calypso nodded. “She helped me… I guess it's kind of a long story.”
“I love long stories,” Leo responded, sitting at the table. Calypso’s eyes seemed to linger on Reyna before sitting down next to Leo across the table, starting the proposed 'long' story.
Reyna heard the conversation around her, but she hardly paid attention. Her attention was focused on the girl, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, hands moving and smile wide as she told her story.
Calypso.
It was a beautiful name.
Reyna couldn’t help but think it suited her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“So… you and Calypso,” Piper said, wiggling her eyebrows.
They had just finished practice, making their way out of the building. Reyna was the captain, but Piper was on the team too, quickly becoming co-captain as she was able to break up disputes that Reyna couldn't deal with. They worked closely, and quickly became close friends despite Reyna’s first impressions of Piper.
Reyna gave her a confused look. “Me and Calypso… what?”
“She was flirting with you!” Piper exclaimed, shocked that she had to even point it out.
“She wasn’t! Why would she do that?”
Piper rolled her eyes. “She was! She couldn’t take her eyes off you the whole time!”
Reyna played the encounter back in her head, the secret glances, the quick look aways when she would find the other looking at her. But they were just taking each other in. That’s what new friends do right? Besides…
“Aren’t they dating though?”
Piper looked at her, now looking confused. “Who?”
Reyna started to feel heat rise up to her cheeks. “You know… Leo and Calypso.”
Piper’s eyes widened, and she started to chuckle, trying to holding herself back before erupting into full blown laughter. This went on for a bit, Reyna shocked at getting such a reaction and Piper tumbling over with tears in her eyes. Was it that appalling? Maybe Leo wasn’t the likeliest of choices, but they seemed close, and it was him who introduced Calypso to the group. Reyna didn’t think it was that far off.
Piper stopped laughing long enough to answer her. “If Leo and Calypso are dating, Will and Nico are ‘just friends’.”
“Wait… so they’re not dating?”
“No! Why would you even think that?” Piper replied, still holding back laughter.
Reyna was about to give her perfectly reasonable reasons as to why she thought that, but before she could, Piper’s face turned serious.
“Hold on…” Piper’s eyes widened further and she gasped. Reyna held her breath. She knew what was coming.
“You like her!”
Now Reyna really started to feel the heat. “No I don’t,” she denied too quickly even for her own taste, looking away.
“Oh my god you do you’re blushing!” Piper cried. “So you were looking at her! I have to tell Hazel!”
“Piper stop! I was just looking at her since she’s new! I just wanted to…” Reyna continued, unable to find a good reason.
“Wanted to what? Analyze her? She isn’t some map just say you thought she was pretty and move on.”
“SHUT UP.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next couple of days, Reyna found herself gravitating toward Calypso. She found they didn’t have any classes together, despite being in the same year. The only time they were together was during their lunch period, along with all of her other friends.
“They’re all coupled up, huh” Calypso observed, surveying the crowd before them.
Reyna hummed. It wasn’t as if she didn’t notice, it was more that she got used to it, the couples surrounding her, completing each other. Whatever that meant.
“Yep. They all have their pair. It’s bearable until its game night and I have to team up with Leo. Trust me, it is not fun.”
Calypso chuckled. “You guys have game nights?”
“We’re a fun bunch.”
“Yeah, I see that.”
Calypso turned to face her. “What about you? Do you have your ‘pair'?” she asked expectedly.
Reyna almost laughed. “Me? No. I guess I’ve ‘tried’, but it doesn’t really seem to work out.” Reyna couldn’t help it if her gaze fell over to Jason with an arm tossed around Piper, the two laughing together. “I’ve pretty much given up on that front.”
If Calypso noticed, she didn’t say so. “If it makes you feel any better, love doesn’t really work out for me either,” she responded instead.
Reyna raised her eyebrows. She hadn’t really met anyone who understood where she came from, being surrounded by couples, and Leo who was… enthusiastic about ‘love’ to say the least.
“But I wouldn’t say I’ve ‘given up’ on love, like you said.” Calypso continued.
Reyna spoke too soon. “What do you mean?”
“I still think that love is an amazing thing, even if it hasn’t worked out for me,” Calypso responded thoughtfully. “I still want those dates, still want someone to talk to about anything, still want late nights under the stars as we stay up too late doing nothing but still feeling like you wouldn’t rather do anything else. Call me cliché but that’s what I think of when it comes to love, and I still want to experience it.”
Reyna nodded, not finding the right words to say. She had decided to not focus on finding love, but somehow as Calypso spoke, she found herself longing for love, or for Calypso's version of it anyways.
“But how do you know who’s the one? How do you know you won’t get your heart broken?”
Calypso took a moment to respond, seemingly lost in thought. She then turned to Reyna, smile blinding and eyes fond. Reyna doesn’t think anyone has ever looked at her like that before, and she wants to look away from the intensity of it all. But she can’t bring herself to do it.
“I don’t know. But it might just be the person you would least expect.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Somehow, Reyna and Calypso got closer.
Sometimes they talked about their past relationships, Calypso having a lot more mishaps in the area than her, with people who ultimately chose other people over her all the time. Reyna related, giving stories of her own. Calypso seemed shocked that she and Piper were such good friends when they spoke about Reyna’s past relationship with Jason. She said that she would often “lose her chill” with the other girls, but Reyna couldn’t see that.
Reyna was also confused. How could anyone not choose Calypso. She seemed like an ideal girlfriend, caring, sweet, she even seemed like the type who would give you flowers for no reason, but then tell you the meaning of the flowers she was giving you.
Reyna felt like she would always choose Calypso.
What?
“Reyna?”
Reyna jumped, knocking over the rack of volleyballs she was putting away. She turned and saw the owner of her thoughts, Calypso, in front of her, rushing to help her with the fallen volleyballs.
“I’m always scaring you, huh,” Calypso chuckled, putting the last ball on the rack.
Reyna hummed. She had no idea. “So, what’s up? You want to join the team?”
Calypso shook her head. “No, I’m waiting for Piper. She said she wanted to come to the shop to see what kind of flowers she could give Jason for their anniversary. Besides, I’m more of the cheering type.”
“You’re a cheerleader?”
“No, I meant from the stands.”
Reyna laughed and took one of the balls from the rack. “Here, I’ll teach you how to bump.”
First, Reyna demonstrated, showing her to close her hands together, using her forearms to bump the ball, shrugging her shoulders to follow through. After a few hits, Reyna started to throw the ball to Calypso, who stated she understood.
She did not understand.
More often than not, she caught the ball, but Reyna understood that it was more of a fear thing than anything. But whenever she did hit the ball, she flicked her wrists, hitting the ball with her hands rather than her forearm.
“Um, can you show me again?”
Reyna hummed, but instead went over to Calypso. She went behind her, arms around her, hands covering Calypso’s.
“Um,” she heard Calypso stammer.
“Keep your arms and wrist straight like this,” Reyna said, finding her voice loud. Was the gym always so quiet? “Then you shrug your shoulders forward through your arms.”
Calypso did what she said. Calypso turned to face her, and Reyna caught her breath.
“Was that right?” Calypso whispered, not looking at Reyna in the eyes.
Reyna hummed. “Perfect,” she whispered back. Calypso’s eyes flicker up to meet Reyna’s.
For a moment, it was all that mattered, Reyna’s dark eyes looking into Calypso’s almond ones. She’s hyper aware of all things Calypso: the way that she’s biting her lower lip, the way her cheeks are dusted by a cute pink, most importantly the way that she’s looking back at Reyna, almost seeming… eager? Calypso parted her lips, wanting to say something, but a voice surprised them both, the two girls jumping from each other.
“Calypso?”
They turn to see Piper, bag and all ready to go, with wide eyes but a knowing smile on her face. She was about to say something when Calypso jumped at her, acting excited to see her.
“Piper! Wow, you take long! Come on my Mom’s waiting!” She all but dragged Piper toward the exit.
“Calypso slow down! You’re so red you probably have headrush! You’re gonna pass out!” Piper responded a bit too loud as they went through the door, out of sight.
Reyna couldn’t help but smile to herself, finding herself cold without Calypso’s warmth. What was this girl doing to her…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It got to the point where Reyna didn't know what to do with herself.
She and Calypso had been hanging out more. A lot. But Reyna couldn’t complain about it, how could she? It was fun. More fun than she had ever had with someone else. She never had someone who could just get her so easily before. Never had someone who she could talk about almost anything with and not get bored. Never had someone who she would enjoy arguing with, listening to their side and finding reason to it. She never thought of someone as almost perfect before.
Huh.
But it wasn’t until she saw Calypso laugh along to Leo’s joke, causing everyone else to laugh along as well did she realize something.
She and Calypso couldn’t be more different.
Reyna was a leader. She understood what needed to be done and how it needed to be done. She would congratulate you if you did something right, criticize you if you did something wrong. But it wasn’t because she wanted to make fun of you, she just always wanted what was best for the person, best for the team as a whole.
Calypso on the other hand, she was a supporter. She understood where people came from, and she supported them nonetheless. If you told a lame joke, she would laugh at it anyways. If you disagreed with her she would hear you out, but still tell you her side as well. She wanted the best for that person, but so that they could be the best they could be for themselves.
It might just be the person you would least expect.
You can say that again.
But instead of worrying about the difference, Reyna found comfort.
Looking back, she realized that the idea of her and Jason in a relationship was more of a convenience than for the idea of being in a relationship. They were similar, they were both leaders: it would make sense that they would work well together.
But with Calypso, she didn’t mind if they clashed. She didn’t mind if she found herself wrong in an argument. She instead found herself wanting to make Calypso smile with jokes she never thought she would tell. She found herself wanting to learn how to braid hair in the most amazing ways that Calypso did. She found herself wanting the late nights under the stars mentioned only a week ago.
Reyna was falling.
Hard.
And Piper started to notice.
“Ok what is up with you?” Piper questioned as Coach finished practice early, mainly her fault. She kept catching the ball instead of bumping it, letting it hit the floor when she “so had that”, or letting it hit her in the head. She blamed it on a headache that the Coach seemed to buy. If his ace wasn’t at his best, then it must be bad. But she couldn’t convince Piper that easily.
“Nothing, like I told Coach, it’s just a headache.” If a headache meant having a caramel haired angel with a blinding smile on her mind then she had a major headache.
Piper looked at her with a puzzled expression, but then quickly her lips curved into a smile as as if she were reading her thoughts. “And can I guess that headache is named Calypso?”
Reyna quickly tried to wipe a smile that she suddenly realized was on her face. She just as quickly failed. She decided she couldn’t fight it, Piper had a sixth sense when it came to love anyways.
“Remember when you asked if I liked Calypso?”
“I never asked, I stated, but I’m glad you finally joined the party.”
Reyna groaned. “Yes, yes, I get it you were right. So what do I do now?”
“Ask her out? Confess? I don’t know what you want me to say here Reyna.”
When Reyna stayed quiet, Piper seemed to realize something. “Or… are you scared?”
Reyna nodded, recognizing what was holding her back. “What if… what if I’m not the one? Both of us have had relationship trouble in the past. I really like her Piper, but what if we just end up hurting each other?”
Piper thought for a moment, and then responded with confidence. “Then you hurt each other. Nothing is perfect Reyna. You have to take chances, accept the possibility of getting hurt, because if you don’t then you might miss the same possibility of having something great. And if you miss it, you'll regret it, because wondering 'what could have been' is so much worse than getting your heart broken by finding out.”
Reyna nodded and smiled, finding new strength through Piper’s words. She made up her mind. “You’re right Piper. I think… I think I'll tell her how I feel.”
Piper wrapped an arm around Reyna’s shoulders. “There you go! Now let’s go get your girl!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reyna was nervous.
She would never admit it later, but she was never this anxious even before a big game. Despite the constant reassurance and encouragement from all the girls (Piper had decided it was a mandatory meeting), she still had her doubts. And sitting there waiting alone in the café booth didn’t help at all. She needed to calm her bouncing knees more than a few times.
When she saw Calypso walk through the door, it didn't stop. If anything it got worse. Was it her imagination, but did Calypso look… even more radiant than usual?
“I’m so sorry I’m late! Mom wanted me to stay a bit longer in the shop. Did you wait long?” Calypso said as she took the seat across Reyna.
Reyna just shook her head. She couldn’t find the right words to say.
“So… you said you had something to tell me?”
Reyna’s heartbeat picks up at the words. Reyna almost regretted sending that text. Why didn’t she just say she wanted to hang out? Why did she have to make it such a big deal? She needed to buy time.
“Do you want something? You’re probably tired from working right?” Reyna managed to get out, stumbling out of her seat. Calypso hesitated before nodding. Reyna quickly made her way to the register line, shaking her hands, trying to calm herself down. You can do this. Reyna thought, though even the words in her mind seemed to be shaking. It’s just Calypso.
By the time she got the drinks she was still nervous, but shaking less, hopefully Calypso didn’t notice in the first place.
As she went back to their table, a guy is there who she thinks she recognizes from class, talking to Calypso. As she got closer, she made out the conversation.
“So I was just wondering, you’re so nice and sweet, so could we possibly go out together sometime? We aren’t that close, but maybe we can get closer?”
Reyna halted, neither one of the two aware of her presence.
Now she’ll say something like ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t do relationships’, Reyna thought, having went over the details about her own proposal a million times. There, if Calypso were to say that, she would say that they could just try it out, they were good friends after all, and if it didn’t work out they could still be good friends.
What she didn’t expect were Calypso's next words.
Calypso looked down, smiling, but shook her head. “I’m sorry, there’s just someone else who I really like. I’m hoping to tell them soon, I’m actually kind of worried about how it will turn out,” she chuckled, but Reyna couldn't find anything amusing about the situation.
She likes someone else.
She barely registered anything else after that, making her way to the table through blurry eyes. She put Calypso’s drink in front of her, and quickly packed her things. Calypso seemed alarmed.
“Wait, you’re leaving?”
Reyna nodded, not daring to say a word. Her throat burned. She couldn't look at Calypso either, not wanting the other girl to see the hot tears forming in her eyes, and fearing what she would find in Calypso’s face as well.
“But,” Calypso seemed desperate. “You had something to tell me?” Was that hope Reyna heard?
Reyna shook her head. “It was nothing,” Reyna said back, a little harsh even to her own ears. “I have to practice with Piper, last minute things before the game next week.” The lie was weak, but Reyna couldn’t think of anything else.
She likes someone else.
Reyna practically ran to the door as she fought back tears, only letting them drop once she’s a few blocks away.
What she didn’t know was that she felt behind other girl that equally crushed, wondering what it was she did wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reyna basically shut herself out after that.
Piper tried to talk to her, but Reyna kept shutting her down. She did it to everyone. She skipped lunch because she knew what was waiting for her there. And she wasn’t ready for it.
So instead she focused on volleyball, like she was supposed to. She couldn’t worry about a rejection she forced upon herself when her team needed her.
So she tried to forget about the sweet smiles, the laugh that seemed to bright up her whole day, the almond eyes, caramel hair, pink lips…
She tried.
And she tried especially today, the first game of the season. It was the most important one to her, it was the game that would let her know where the rest of her teammates were, what they needed to work on whether they won or lost.
She turned to her teammates, ignoring the worried look on Piper’s face. She gave them a pep talk where she sounded confident at least in her own ears.
She and the team started to go out of the locker room when Piper held her back.
“You’re going to yell at me later but,” she looked behind Reyna, making her turn around, and she tried to calm her suddenly beating heart at the sight. “You really need this.”
Behind her stood Calypso, nervous smile on her lips, but eyes determined. She held a bouquet of flowers blue and purple, and Reyna couldn't help but think she was right. She would give you flowers.
She looked back at Piper, wanting to look mad, angry, annoyed at least. But seeing Calypso again after ignoring her for so long only made old feelings, both good and bad, resurface. She probably looked like a kicked puppy.
“I’ll tell Coach you’ll be right out,” Piper said looking at Reyna with intent. “Make this right,” she whispered to Reyna before going out of the locker room, leaving the two girls with broken hearts in the room.
Reyna turned in the direction of the other girl, but can’t find it within her to look back. She only did when she heard Calypso clear her throat.
“Can I braid your hair?”
Reyna nodded weakly, unable to say no. They sit on one of the benches, and Calypso started to braid her hair in silence. Reyna somehow found herself relaxing under Calypso’s touch. Was she that tense?
Reyna saw Calypso take a blue flower and weaved it into her hair as well. She felt she was done, and she managed to turn and face Calypso.
Calypso looked at Reyna, trying to find the right words to say. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind Reyna’s ear, and laid her hand on Reyna’s cheek. Reyna leaned into her touch involuntarily.
“Isn’t it exhausting,” she started, “having to be so strong all the time?”
“I have to be,” Reyna responded almost immediately. It wasn’t even a choice for Reyna. If she wasn’t, who would be?
Calypso sighed, and removed her hand. She got up, Reyna following. “You need to get out there. I need to tell you something, but I think it should wait. You just need to go out there and win,” she said. “I’ll be cheering for you,” she added with a smile.
Reyna found herself smiling as well, warmth finding its way back to her heart. Maybe everything would be okay between them. She made her way out of the gym, suddenly determined to win.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And win she did.
It was probably the most effort she put into a beginning season game, but as she looked to the stands finding a girl who made her heart race cheering her name, she suddenly felt as if she could do anything.
And when said girl jumped into her arms in celebration as they won, she knew she could do anything. So when they pulled away Reyna didn’t hesitate to bring their lips together in a kiss. She quickly pulled back, not knowing how the other girl would take it. But just as quickly the other pulled her back into the kiss, not wanting to let go. They could hear the cheering around them but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that Calypso was finally, finally in Reyna’s arms.
As they pulled back, Calypso had the biggest smile Reyna had seen yet. “It was you. I liked you, Reyna. And I need to tell you before you run away again, so you better listen-”
But she was interrupted by Reyna yet again putting their lips together. Everyone could yell at her later. Right now she just wanted what she had been longing for since she met the girl, and no one was going to take it away from her now.
And even though it was just the first game of the season, Reyna still felt as if she had won the championship.