𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎, 𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚗//𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧 𝙋𝙖𝙮𝙩𝙤𝙣²

𝙏𝙮𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙤? 𝙒𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧 𝙋𝙖𝙮𝙩𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚

Lauren flipped her racket, catching it swiftly in her hands. Game point. It had been a flip flop, back and forth game, and Laurie wanted to win. It was her serve. She gripped her racket in her clammy hand tightly as she bounced the green tennis ball onto the court up and down.

Laurie got ready for the serve. she could feel the thick deafening silence as the people in the crowd, watched, waiting in anticipation for who was to win the match. Laurie had the singles Tennis championship in sight, just in reach and she was determined not to let it slip away. She knew this was a make it or break it.

Laurie gave the ball one last quick squeeze and brough her racket up. Her racket made contact with the airborne ball, giving it a satisfying vibrate through her racket. It landed right on the edge of the service box, a clear "in" serve.

Her opponent hit it back with a nice forehand, launching the ball back. Laurie sent it right back, letting it bounce once and hitting a nice backhand. Back and forth her opponent and she hit it, making quick work of the plays. Until finally, Laurie chipped it over the net, her opponent ran up to hit it back, but it was too late. She'd won the final point. She'd won the match.

Later, the small tennis stadium was ringing with light talking, Laurie was packing up her tennis bag, feeling happy and successful, she was going to the tennis championship. Laurie zipped up her racket bag and looked up when she heard a voice.

"Good game, you're by far my best opponent." Laurie glanced up to see a boy her own age. It was her opponent. She hadn't gotten a real look at him, or a proper introduction, but now coming face to face with him, she got a real look at the boy she'd just played (and won) against.

"Yeah, good game. You almost had me there." Laurie smiled, standing up. The boy was about Connor's height, he had brown hair and was quite attractive with his light eyes and his sharp jaw, and light caramel skin.

"Tyler Crest." The boy introduced himself, holding out a hand. Laurie smiled and returned the handshake.

"I'm Lauren. Davis." She spoke. Tyler smiled.

"I know, I've heard about you. You're somewhat of a sports legend in Texas, huh?" said Tyler with a small smile.

"Oh. No, definitely not." Laurie chuckled. "But I'm flattered you'd say that I guess."

"Ah, you're being modest. You're a more than fine tennis player, it was uh, my pleasure to lose against you." Tyler smiled, glancing her up and down slightly.

"Thank you, you too, it was a good game." Laurie said simply.

"It was. Makes it easier that my opponent was easy on the eyes too." Tyler winked. Laurie didn't even have time to process this.

"Well, I'll get out of your hair now, but before I go, I was just wondering if maybe since we're both in the same hotel until the tournament is over, you'd want to get some practice in together, after all, you're going to the championship, and I could use some pointers from the best." Tyler suggested.

"Uh, maybe." Laurie said, unsure if he was flirting or being nice. Laurie hoped he was just being nice.

"Well, no pressure or anything, here's my number, if you feel like you want a practice partner, it usually helps me. I'm just a call away. Even if you just wanna... talk." Tyler said knowingly. He handed the Davis girl a small piece of paper with his number scrawled on it. "Nice meeting you, Lauren. Good game today." Tyler smiled.

"Yeah, good game." Laurie said back. Laurie finished packing up her gear and walked off the side of the court. She smiled when she saw her brother standing with a big grin on his face, holding two drinks, seemingly refreshers from Starbucks, a guilty pleasure of Lauren's.