EMMA SPARRED AGAINST HER FRIENDS—TWO TO ONE. Larisa and Declan on one side, while she was on the other. They were both pretty good players, but they enjoyed tennis for how fun it was, and that it kept them athletic. They didn't breathe the sport like she did. Emma fully intended to make it her career after graduating—which is why she didn't mind the challenge of taking on two players at a time. It would never happen competitively, but it worked on her reaction time.
In the few months that she's been at Stanford, Emma has grown in obsession with being better. She was no longer the only great player on her team anymore—she had an internal competitor. Tashi Duncan. And as cool and friendly as she was, it was beginning to get to her. She's won practice matches against her a number of times, but it was the same vice versa. Every time Tashi won against her, she wanted to peel her skin off—Emma was jealous of her. It wouldn't take much else for it to evolve into glorious, green envy.
Emma landing a final blow, smashing the the ball onto their side of the court. They both missed, calling their short match complete. She tiredly did a winning dance on her side, snickering to herself. "You're incredible..." Declan muttered, shaking his head, adjusting the headband holding his thick hair back from his face. Larisa narrowed her eyes at him, before jogging to the other side of the court. She leaped into her arms, tackling her to the ground.
"Larisa!" She laugh aloud, falling onto the ground.
"You just took on two tennis players, and won!" Larisa grabbed her face, positioning her face very close to hers—straddling her. "You've got spunk, kid." The brown girl stood to her feet, with a hop. Offering her hand to the deep blonde. Emma took it with a smile, dusting off her light blue shorts. "When you're big and famous— I'm gonna be your publicist." Larisa commented, walking toward to side for her water bottle.
Toward the entrance of the courts, a familiar blonde entered with a creak of the fence. Declan greeted him with a boyish handshake. Emma peered over, chuckling at her friends comment. "You love me enough to be my publicist?"
"Of course, I love you, but you know I'm a woman of ambition— I also love money. And you have dollar signs all over you, baby." She pointed her index finger down her body, with a teasing smile.
Emma snickered, shaking her head. She squirted water from her water bottle down her throat. Glancing back at the boys, she realized that the blonde was approaching her, waving his hand. Declan behind him, with a slightly clenched jaw. The blonde wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. Grinning prettily, she waved back, placing her hands on her hips. "Art Donaldson." Emma greeted, kicking out one of her legs, sassily. Ever since she met him at that party her freshman year, he's been appearing around her a lot. They've met in the cafeteria a few times, unexpectedly. But, something told her it wasn't that unexpected on his part.
