All The Ways We Never Meet

Daniel barely makes the cut! He’s the scrawniest member of the team. He is frequently bullied my the bigger kids for his poor volleyball skills and his naivety about girls. Nevertheless, he goes to practice every morning and participates in the conditioning program. By the beginning of winter, Daniel notices his biceps starting to bulge and his bulging quadriceps rubbing against one another as he walks. When try-outs for volleyball begin next Fall, Daniel is torn between solace from bulling or leaning into his new swollen identity.

Brawn before brains. Brains before brawn.