Volleyball

Saturday was flawless. The sun was blazing hot, but a gentle sea breeze provided relief from the stifling heat, dispelling the scorching air with the scent of salt and sweet sunscreen. It was a perfect weekend, and one your entire group simply had to spend at the beach.
While life bustled around you, you settled into the shade of a huge umbrella, completely immersed in the world of your new story. You habitually sought inspiration in the lines of the book, periodically jotting notes in the margins, but the shouts, laughter, and dull thuds of the ball coming from the net kept bringing you back to reality.
The fourth round of a fierce volleyball match was already underway. The teams were divided as follows:
*First team: Ian, Jean, Adam, Emma and Cassie.

• Second team: Chase, Theo, Lina, Leo, Rita and Leah.
  And judging by another disappointed groan from the court, the first team had lost miserably again. Chase and Theo exchanged victorious glances and gave each other a "two" as the ball rolled lazily across the hot sand.
  "That's not fair!" Cassie threw up her hands in indignation, almost crying with frustration, and angrily kicked a shell rock that had gotten under her foot.
  Leah, standing on the other side of the net and triumphantly wiping sweat from her forehead, only grinned:

• Why, Cass? The score is on the scoreboard, everything is according to the rules.
  Cassie shot a scathing, indignant glare at Theo and Chase, who looked like they'd barely even worked up the nerve the entire game.
  — Oh, come on, because you have a professional basketball player and a professional football player on your team! Have you seen their height? And their jumping ability?
  "Hey!" Chase raised his palms in a placating gesture, though his green eyes were dancing with laughter. "What about us? We're just playing for fun."
  "Well, yeah, of course," Ian sighed, wearily resting his hands on his knees to catch his breath. "Your reflexes are better, and you're in control of the court. With this setup, we're doomed to lose anyway. We just don't have enough defensive punch."
  A cheerful voice came from the support group sitting nearby on deck chairs.