Aubrey's Game | GXG

CHAPTER 1: MATCH POINT

Jean knows that she's a good tennis player.

No, really. She's that good.

Despite her young age of 23, she found herself pitted against formidable opponents who consistently outmatched her, yet she emerged triumphant every single time. It came as no surprise to her, as it was quite evident. At the tender age of 9, she began her tennis journey under the guidance of her father, Joseph Aubrey, a renowned male player from the 90s. Everyone adored him, but Jean yearned for the same level of admiration her father was receiving. Despite her talent, she still lacked the validation she sought.

Perhaps she had grown desperate, who can say? All she knows is that she must emerge triumphant, she is determined to seize the ball and strike it straight towards the opponent. She was aware of her aggressiveness, yet she was still seeking an argument.

Jean looked at Mikaela once more and hit the ball, jumping to the other court to strike the object that approached her. Fuck, she's good, Jean thought. Mikaela was one of her good friends back in high school, and it was relieving to be playing against her. Because she knew that, deep down, she was better than her. If the shoe fits.

As Jean looked at the side briefly, the crowd was leaning forward. She had to make this score, so that her father would be proud of her—that was her first priority.

Make Daddy proud.

Mikaela retrieves the ball from her pocket and serves it, causing Jean to take a deep breath. If she fails, they would be nearly in the same position. 30-20, I cannot let her beat me. I need to seize the moment and make the most of it. Jean swings the bat with fierce determination, and time seems to slow down around her. She observes the ball with great focus and effortlessly moves past Mikaela. Victory was hers. Mikaela made no effort to strike the ball, instead she remained motionless, her face contorted in a pained expression as she gazed at Jean.

The crowd applauds, and Jean senses her father's pride from a distance. She let go of her racket and extended her hand towards Mikaela's, giving it a firm shake. "Nice game," she says to her adversary. "But why didn't you hit the ball?"

"I've come to terms with the fact that I will lose," Mikaela replied with a warm tone. "Besides, they were all rooting for you."

"You shouldn't do that next time, it would make you a weak player."

"I don't plan on pursuing this forever," she sighs as they stroll back to the bench. "I'm exhausted, Jean. I need to do something else in life."

Jean's eyebrows were knit together. "What do you mean? Don't you want to be a tennis player all your life?" The woman simply shrugged. "Mikaela, do you really want to do this?"

"I've been having some thoughts lately, and I realized that I want to do something else. Maybe golf, for that matter, I don't know. I'm just sick and tired of doing this all the time, I'm drained."

Mikaela made a valid argument, and Jean found herself in agreement with her. She was aware that her friend had been engaged in this activity since they were both young, making it difficult to persuade her to consider anything else. The young woman gently places her hand on Mikaela's shoulder, conveying her understanding without saying a word.

"Alright, if you insist."

"I'll still watch your match," Mikaela says, gently touching Jean's arm. "You'll be alright on your own."

Just as Jean was about to leave the court, a woman unexpectedly enters her field of vision. There is a hint of familiarity about her, as if Jean has caught a glimpse of her on the screen before. As the woman approaches, Jean's recognition dawns.

That was Lauren Cheung, who was a standout in the world of tennis back in 2014. There were rumors that she left due to her family commitments, but those rumors were proven false. It seemed that the woman was unattached and had no spouse—or partner, for that matter. Jean's throat grew parched as Lauren removed her sunglasses and greeted her with a warm smile, exuding an air of sophistication.

Her beauty was even more captivating in real life.

"I must say, that was quite an impressive match," the woman remarks, extending her hand. "My name is Lauren Cheung."

"I know you," Jean responded with a polite tone, her knees growing weak as she firmly shook the woman's hand. "I'm a huge fan of yours."

Lauren grinned, thoroughly entertained. "Oh? Well, I'm truly flattered. You're Joseph's daughter, correct?" Jean nodded enthusiastically. "Ah, I didn't know that he had a daughter. We used to have friendly competitions back in the day, just for fun."

"I thought you gave up tennis," Mikaela interrupts, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she spots the woman standing before her. "You're incredibly skilled, one of the most talented players ever."

Lauren Cheung was renowned for her dominance on the court. Her strength and physicality captivated everyone, including Jean. It's impressive how consistently she hits the target, making it nearly impossible for anyone to surpass her. She was a pioneer in the world of tennis, and Jean found her to be incredibly inspiring. Although she couldn't admit it directly, she would feel quite embarrassed to do so.

Surprisingly, Jean found her to be both stunning and statuesque.

"I have something to offer you, but let's discuss it over dinner," Lauren says to Jean, handing her a card she retrieves from her purse. "Here's my card. I would appreciate it if you could give me a call tonight to discuss it. I can't stick around for much longer, I really need to head back to the clubhouse."

"Oh," Jean sighed, her fingers lightly brushing against the card. "A proposition?"

Lauren gave a silent agreement. "Yes. If I must admit, I am thoroughly impressed with your talents. And I had a conversation with your father earlier, and he expressed his agreement with my proposition. Anyway, I'd love to chat about this over dinner later. If you have some free time, which I hope you do."

"I-I'm not," Jean stammered, feeling the urge to give herself a good shake. What could be the reason behind her sudden stutter? This is just Lauren Cheung, for goodness' sake. "Sure, that sounds good to me."

"Great, I'd appreciate it if you could reach out to me before 7 so I have enough time to make the necessary adjustments to the reservations," Lauren says, putting her sunglasses back on and offering another friendly smile to the two women. "Congratulations on your triumph, Ms. Aubrey."

Lauren strolled off, leaving Jean overwhelmed with joy at the incredible encounter she had just experienced. She pursed her lips and neatly pulled her hair back into a bun, turning around to face Mikaela with a slightly flushed complexion. "I can hardly fathom the events that transpired."

"I really hope you won't reject her," Mikaela pleaded. "It appeared as though she had taken an interest in you."

"I suppose," Jean remarked, hastily grabbing her gym bag and donning her tennis hat to shield them from the scorching sun. "Anyway, I'll catch you later."

Jean strolled towards the changing room, her entire day transforming into a fresh landscape. Despite her father's friendship with Lauren Cheung, meeting her seemed like an unimaginable possibility. According to some, she had a rough demeanor, but Lauren didn't perceive that when she first met Jean. She grinned inwardly, sensing that today would be a great day.

Having a conversation with Lauren Cheung was far more enjoyable than the thrill of winning the match, regardless.

NOTE: i hope you like this chapter! this is truly interesting to me and i'd love to continue this x