when worlds collide [george russell]

Chapter 4

„Are you stalking me?" George asked, effortlessly leaning against a wall looking at the door Willow just entered through.

„I...I was going to the bathroom before the matches start" Willow started off stuttering but managed to gain more confidence as she continued. „Feels more like you're stalking me" she said in the best flirtatious tone she could.

„You're Willow right?" he asked her while holding strong eye contact which made her stomach do flips which she tried not to show on the outside.

„That's me. And you are?" she asked with her coolest sounding voice to seem like she didn't even really care which she obviously did, she would have loved to keep talking to him.

„George Ru..., just George" he corrected himself. „Well I won't keep you any longer, you said you wanted to use the bathroom, right?"
Willow nodded.

„Good luck out there!" George said with a small smile before heading past her and out through the door without giving her another look.

Willow never had to use the toilet and she still didn't have to but what she needed was some cold water in her face as she realized her cheeks were hot and hat gotten red caused by George's presence.

She hurried into the women's restroom, turned the faucet on until the water was really cold and splashed it into her face with both hands.

„Willow, where are you?" she heard her trainer yell from the hallway.

"I''m here" she said as she exited the toilets.

"No need to be nervous, you're literally going to beat all of them. Maybe this one young dude will be a challenge, but the rest of them... they got nothing on you" - by young dude Alex obviously meant George.

Willow wasn't nervous but she must have looked like it. She just shrugged her shoulders and made her way out to the courts besides Alex.

She looked at plan to see who she would be playing against first.

Margret was her first opponent - a kind lady, Willow had talked to a few times while getting a drink after playing. She had had children at a very young age which made it possible for her grandkids to be around the same age as Willow but still made Margret able to play tennis twice a week.

"Morning Margret!" Willow said to her from across the court. Of course she would go easy on her but she wouldn't let her win.

Willow told herself she wanted to win this competition, but what she really wanted was to get far enough to play against George.

When she obsessively imagined their life together after the first time they bumped into each other, she imagined them playing tennis together as a weekly couples activity.
She wanted to see if she could win against him, the one time she had seen him play, he was quite decent.

Willow made her way up the ranks, winning one math after another. It didn't take long for her to get to the Semifinals since not many people took part in the competition to begin with.

In the semifinals she played against Robert, a retired Professor from Oxford. Willow actually knew every person that went to this club surprisingly well, she just casually talked to them from time to time, but she realize just then and there that she knew a short version of their life story of almost every member.

Shortly, she thought about how much space in her brain all of this must take up, until she shook all of her thoughts off and got her head back in the game.
George was also in the semifinals, which meant if the my both won now, they would finally play against each other.

Finally, Willow won against Robert and George won agains Rosie.

It was announced on a big speaker who would play in the finals, "Willow Thompson and George Russell will play against each other in the finals starting at 16:25"

Willow went oder to Alec who had a water ready for her. He waited for her to finish drinking to start talking "This George guy, he seems kinda cocky, anyway, you can easily beat him, just give a tiny bit more effort than before and you should be good."

They this time, Willow was already extremely tired from all the past matches under the pressing heat of the sun.

She chugged another water and continued to pour a whole other bottle over her head to cool her down.

Annoyingly enough, George still looked like he hadn't played for a second today. Not a single drop of sweat could be seen on his forehead. He even waited in the sun for the match to begin. What a prick Willow though to herself.

A tiny bit refreshed, she got onto the court for the final time today.
George was better than expected, but Willow fought through. She couldn't let him win.
Loosing wasn't an option for her, so she gave it all she could and eventually... she won.

„Yes!!! You did it, Déntro! Great job!" Alex said while hugging the sweaty young girl.

George came over to her as well. He moved his racket from his right hand to his left and put out his hand for her to shake it.
With a deep stare into her eyes he said, „Congrats! You play really good, I had no chance."

„Thanks" was all Willow could bring out with her being out of breath

„I'll let you celebrate now!" George said before heading off.

„Here is your trophy" the owner of the club said as he handed it to her.
Willow look out at the crow watching the ceremony. George was nowhere to be found. She wouldn't admit it but she was sad he wasn't watching.

After chatting with a few more people, Willow excused herself and decided it was really time for her to head home and get under the shower.

She walked into the building to ultimately head out after saying goodbye to everyone.

With her trophy on her arms she walked along the hallway towards to exit, when she spotted George sitting on the stairs with his phone in his hands.

She waited to get a little closer and proceeded to say, „I thought you had left already."

„Nope, still here." he said as he put his phone in his pocket, got up and looked Willow up and down and studied the trophy for a minute.

„Hey,... wanna go out for a drink? You know, to celebrate? Unless you'be got something else planned" his initial confidence left so quickly as he looked down to the floor waiting for her answer.

„Like this?" Willow pointed at herself, still in her tennis skirt and athletic shirt, drenched in sweat.

„Yeah, why not" he smiled at her when his eyes finally found hers again.

„Alright"