HEAVEN AND BACK ; Y. CHISHIYA

CHAPTER 11

HEAVEN AND BACK.

You helped your coach unload all the baskets of brand new balls. While doing so, you could lightly smell the pleasant scent of newly opened tennis balls. It was strange, you never quite understood why the smell was so addicting and refreshing. What was funny was that most other tennis players thought the same. You haven't been able to find out why, and the internet hasn't helped you figure it out either.

"We have court 17. They aren't allowing fed drills on these courts either, only live practice play or something similar." Your manager told you, putting back one of the baskets of balls that you took out. "There happens to be someone else who didn't have someone to hit with, he's also playing the Australian Open. One of the top seeds I believe, Vince Caspian. I'm sure that you've heard about him from time to time, you know, one of tennis's hottest guys or something."

You shrugged and followed the manager onto the court. "I think, but I've heard he plays really well. Why would he want to hit with me though? I doubt it would be beneficial to him."

"It'll be good for you, doesn't matter why." Your coach barged into the conversation, pushing you onto the practice courts.

As you stumbled forward through the gates of the practice courts, you never realized the small stair step that led onto the court grounds. You fell forward with your tennis bag on your back.

You never felt the impact that you'd expected to feel after falling onto the floor never happened. Instead, you felt yourself land in someone's arms. Definitely not a random somebody either, they had large arms, muscular for sure.

"This is a rather interesting way to greet each other, isn't it Y/n?" The person helped you up. "There's no need for introductions, I'm sure we know each other's names. Is there anything that you would like to do about me though?"

The height difference between the two of you was able to give you a sense of awkwardness as you asked him a few questions. "I'll list a few. Who's your favorite player? How long have you been playing? Who's your first opponent?"

He somehow slipped the tennis bag that you had on your bag onto his own shoulder. Then he proceeded to walk up right beside you.

You could hear the sounds of the cameras clicking, and you knew that there were several other people who definitely had their phones out to take photos of what was going on between the two of you.

'Well fuck, I can't even do anything or else there will be many witnesses and it'll upset the press. I'll lose support too, and even if I do anything, this guy's got nearly all of the female tennis fans supporting him.'

"My favorite player is you, Y/n." His voice was louder than necessary, it was loud enough for all of the people at the bleachers watching to hear. "I've been playing since I was a toddler, around 3 or 4. My first opponent doesn't matter.."

Vince never took his eyes off of you, you didn't even have to be looking the whole time to be able to tell that his eyes were basically glued onto you. He put a hand on your shoulder and helped onto it tightly, hard enough to make you wince slightly.

Then he leaned down right by your ear and whispered. "I'll be beating my first opponent anyways, you're going to be going whether you like it or not, okay? We'll be practicing together until then of course."

His honeyed voice sent shivers down your spine. The amount of uncomfort that you felt was masked by a facade for the press.

As he pulled away, he planted a kiss on the top of your head before giving you a few light pats on the head.

You stood still, frozen as he walked towards the benches that were located alongside the bleachers. However, he was only able to take a few steps before he walked back towards you with a sickening smile on his face. Latching his hand onto yours, he gave you a light pull, signaling you to follow beside him, and you begrudgingly did.

'This fucking bitch better give me a fucking Grammy after this act.'

He put your stuff onto the green plastic bench and walked over to his bag to unzip one of the pockets and take out his racquet. This left you with no other option but to take your racquet out as well.

Vince threw you a few balls to keep in your pocket and the two of you headed to opposite sides of the court.

Even now, the cameras still kept shuttering. A lot of people still have their phone out as well.

"Alright, come on. Let's start with some easy rallies." The ATP player yelled to you across the court.

You jogged to the baseline and kept your racquet in hand. And since you haven't quite warmed up, you did a few short warm up movements.

After the minute or two warm up, you could feel yourself sweating already. Australia in the summer really wasn't a joke.

"You ready Y/n?" Vince bounced the ball on his Head racquet.

You nodded and then he fed the ball. The ball bounced on your side of the court and you hit it back to him. He did the same when the ball made it to him. Most of the shots that you two exchanged were forehands, and since neither of you were trying to blast a winner, the rally was able to go on for quite a while.

He was the first to miss. "Well, you do really live up to your name."

The ball stayed in the net. Since he didn't make an effort to get it, you took the ball from your pocket and fed it to his backhand. It was the start of almost another equally long rally. The only reason that it ended was because he smashed a ball out of the blue. It blasted through the court and into the corner. You barely got there, and even when you did, you barely returned the ball and got it back over. He took advantage of the short ball you gave him and slapped the ball down the line. You were only a foot away from reaching the ball.

"You sure are fast, maybe even faster than some of the ATP players." The tall male in front of you smirked.

Awkwardly, you went to pick up the ball that ricocheted off the backboard and muttered a quick thanks.
_______________________________BALONIES  BALONEYS
THERES NO WAY BALONEYS IS THE PLURAL OF BALONEY WTH
ANYWAYS THX FOR READING AS ALWAYS