There's No Enemy Like an Old Friend

The water poured from the metal head of the shower; rushing downwards in a gentle torrent which subsumed her body. It felt warm against her sweaty skin and for a moment, Liliana Knite closed her and simply enjoyed the sensation.

Practice had been good today. The Cavaliers were always in fighting form but for the last few weeks they'd been particularly good. A smile curled across her blond face as she remembered last week's game. A close call, but they'd won out in the end just as she knew they would. It was without too much arrogance that Liliana knew her place in the latest string of victories. As if she could possibly have missed it! Half of the stadium had chanted her name at the end of the game when she'd snatched the win.

''Liliana! Liliana!''

It still gave her goosebumps to think about. Before she'd started volleyball, she'd been a shy girl but she barely even remembered what that had been like. She was a star now. She'd worked hard, earned her place. Faced her fears and emerged stronger for it.

It was sometimes hard to remember what she'd even been like before. Like a different person in a different world.

She opened her eyes, running her hands through the soaking mass of her blond hair. Lilian's body was slender, lithe. There wasn't an inch of fat on her anywhere and though she was a bit slimmer than she would personally have liked, on the field of play she could move.

A silly grin played across her face as she remembered the final call of the match, the explosion of screams from the crowd, the thrilling moment when she realised that they had won again, as the excitement and disbelief travelled across the stadium in a wave. It was like nothing else she had ever experienced.

"Happy with yourself, are you?"

Lilian swung, the water poured down across her chest and shoulders, and for a moment she thought to cover herself. But that instinct died as she locked eyes with the woman who was standing on the other side of the shower room.

She had deep, black hair and pale skin. Her eyes were emerald green. and she was wearing a dark dress. A nasty look twisted her face, and her eyes played over Liliana's body. It wasn't the first time that she'd seen Lilliana naked. They'd used to be on the same team in fact. But that had been almost a year ago now, before Liliana's rise to the top.

"Susan," Lilians said. "I didn't think you'd be here."

"You don't think other people have to practice?"

"You have another place to practice now, don't you?"

"I suppose that's true," Susan Stolit agreed. Her voice was low but not soft. It had an edge to it, as did everything about her. "I'm with the Valkyries now. I just thought I'd come to congratulate you for your victory last week. it was very well earned."

"Really?" Lilian said, she reached for the towel which sat on a rack beside the showers. She didn't mind being naked. At least not around people she'd known for so long like the rest of her team, but the way that Susan looked at her always sent tingles racing up her spine. The other woman didn't move, allowing Liliana to wrap herself in the safety of the towel. its rough fabric pressed close to her damp skin.

"Really." Susan agreed. "I was also going to wish you luck. You'll need it once you go against us next week."

Liliana smiled. Susan was the star player of the Valkyries, a rival team that they had had trouble with before. But the Cavaliers were performing so well this season Liliana honestly didn't see how they could be matched.

"I've seen your team play," she said. "There's no doubt that you're good. It'll be a fun match."

She smiled and reached for her clothes, hoping to politely drive Susan from the changing area. But the other woman scowled.

"I hate it when you do that."

"Do what?"

"Try to be nice about how much better you think you are than us. You said that we're good and that it'll be fun but you didn't say that it would be hard or you'd have to fight for it. You think you've already won, don't you?"

"Of course not," Liliana said. "The Valkyries are a good team. Really good. Your current line up is amazing and you're a great player."

"Not a good enough player to be chosen over you," Susan said. "But that's in the past now. I think you've made a mistake. We're much better than you give us credit for and I'm willing to prove it."

"Prove it?" Lilian quirked an eyebrow. "I have no idea what you could possibly mean."

"How about a challenge?" Susan asked. "If you're so good, then making things a bit harder for you shouldn't be that bad, right?"

"A challenge?" Liliana gave her former friend a look. "Why would I accept something like that? My team relies on me. I'd never hurt them by giving anything less than my everything."

She turned started to move, but before she could go far, Susan started to speak.

"How are you helping by carrying them? Every game, it's ''Liliana, please score for us. Liliana, please win for us. Liliana, prove that you're the only one of us who has value.'' I don't know how you can stick it."

Liliana said nothing to that. She could feel her heart beating faster now. Though Susan had been unkind about it, there was an echo to what she said that had come up in Liliana's own thoughts. She was happy to play and happy to support her team. But why was it that she always had to be the one who won? The player who had to give one hundred and ten percent every game? She pushed herself again and again just to meet the expectations of her teammates, and all the while none of them did even half the training or the work!

It wasn't that they didn't work hard; it wasn't that they didn't push themselves. It was just that...well, everyone seemed to expect her to be the best. No one ever tried to surpass her, to equal her. No one seemed to think they could.

"Struck a nerve, huh?" Susan said. "I can see that I did. Maybe the Cavaliers are better than the Valkyries. But is that because of the whole team or is that just Liliana Knite? If they're really that good, they should be able to win without you doing everything yourself."

Liliana said nothing. Her hands clenched into fists by her side. Her head was down and for a long moment, she didn't know how to respond.

"What kind of challenge are you thinking about?"

"Just something that will make the match harder for you," Susan said. "If your teams win anyway in spite of that, I'll stop bothering you. I'll forget the whole damn thing. If my team wins though... if the Cavaliers are nothing without their heroic Knite, then you have to anything I tell you for a week. Anything at all."

Liliana felt her face colour. The way that Susan said ''anything at all'' left little to the imagination. Any punishment was going to be something sexual and she knew it. The blush was crimson, vivid against her skin.

"What are you, a schoolgirl?" Susan asked. "Have you never even had a boyfriend before?"

"That's not important," Liliana said, but Susan caught the look in her eyes.

"Oh my god, you really haven't have you? Fuck! I thought someone like you'd be crawling in guys and girls. But you really haven't done anything?"

"Well..." Liliana looked to the ground. She was surprised she was being so honest but really was there any reason to lie? "I spend so much time practising, I don't really have much else. The only friends I have are on the team, and..."

"And you wouldn't want to date those losers," Susan finished. Liliana flashed her a glare.

"That's not what I was going to say! But dating inside of the team can be bad for cohesion. So I've never dated anyone."

"Not even touched yourself when you were alone? Masturbated with a toy? Even used your own fingers?"

Liliana said nothing but that was answer enough.

"Holy shit," Susan laughed. "I didn't think that it would turn out this way even for a moment. Okay, okay, I need a moment to gather myself. Who'd have thought that Liliana Knite, the cutest and most athletic upcoming volleyball star would be so innocent?"

Liliana scowled, her nudity - which had up until now been a background thought - was becoming more and more pressing in her mind. She shifted slightly to better hide herself.

"If I lose to you, you can do anything you want to me," Liliana could believe that was a thing she had just said. Her heart was hammering faster and faster. "But if I win, you have to stop this silly rivalry thing. And also..."

"Yes?"

"You have to do what I want for a week."

Susan raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, you have some sting in you? I'm surprised. I thought you'd be too nervous for something spicy like that. Not that I'm worried. You'd probably have me wash your clothes or cook your food. I doubt you have the nerve to go much further. Agreed."

"Not so fast," Liliana raised one hand. "I have one more thing. A condition. You have to meet it if you want me to agree to the challenge."

"What is it, a chance to turn back later if you don't win?"

"No," Liliana shook her head. Her voice trembled a little, her pulse was racing. "It's for the sake of equality. If the Cavaliers are going to have to win without their best player, the Valkyries should do the same. Whatever challenge you're giving me? You have to do it too."

Susan crossed her arms.

"Well, I'm almost impressed. But if you're trying to scare me, that's not going to work. I have faith in my team. Unlike you, they don't rely on me solely to win. I'll trade myself for you and my team will still have the advantage. I accept."