She's back ~ L. Hamilton

14. | The Bitch

To say my head was pounding was an understatement to say the least. It felt like a million little knives were being thrown at my head.

Who the fuck invented alcohol cause who ever the fuck it was is about to get a tennis ball hit at their head at 130 miles an hour.

I didn't get out of bed until 11 oclock, which for me is a new record by about four hours. When I did, I found a note from my uncle on the table.

'Today is a forced rest day, you are not to train, take the time off and enjoy, the tennis courts are locked upstairs before you even think about it'

"Oh for gods sake" I mumbled , dropping the note onto the table and heading towards the kitchen.

****

Multiple hours later and multiple Advils later, it was seven o'clock at night and I was settling in for the night. Cuddling up on an armchair with a bowl of ice cream and a glass of milk.

I didn't have any ideas of what to watch, so I was just flicking through the channels in hopes to find something

"A hurricane has hit the-"

"But dumbledore, how can-"

"Kadie Kardashian is back at it-"

"You see the green makes everything-"

"Good day my fellow chipper-"

"Tennis Star, Delaney Riccardo-"

"But Monica, how could you-"

Wait - hold on. I heard my name somewhere in there. Flicking back I landed on good night America.

News anchor Phil Diseal was speaking directly into the camera with an image of me at Wimbledon over his shoulder. I cannot stand him. He's interviewed me a dozen times throughout my career and without doubt will always make some comment about my body, more specifically my breasts, but in a subtle way so he can't actually get into too much trouble.

We got into a spat once or twice. The final time was when he said I had the most grand slam titles for any women's tennis player, I corrected him while we were live that I had the most grand slam titles for any tennis player.

He didn't like that

"You thought she was gone!" Phil says "but Australian tennis champion, Delaney Riccardo is returning to women's tennis in order to defend her Grand Slam Titles. Delaney have been retired for 5 years and at the age of 37, will be the oldest tennis player on the tour. Yet still, she makes the bold claim that she will win atleast one tournament this year. A challenge that, should she do it, would make her the first person ever to win a Grand Slam title in their late thirties. Regardless of how things go for her, it should prove for a wild year in women's tennis now that the destroyer is back!"

I move to turn the tv off as Phil announces a commercial break and the camera slowly zooms out but just as my hand touches the remote, I hear Phil's voice, plain as day, saying to someone. 
"Cmon, 'the destroyer is back?' We should just say 'the bitch is back' that's what she is"

Then comes the sound of a women gasping, some muffled words and then dead air as the station goes dark. Two seconds later a commercial starts playing for some pharmacy company.

I feel myself freeze

Did Phil Diseal just call me a bitch on national television, not just live tv but one of the biggest channels in America.

I feel rage take over my entire body, my hand begin to shake.

He did didn't he. He just called me a Bitch

I mean

I knew they thought it

I just

I didn't think they'd say it out loud

It shouldn't surprise me

But

It does

Why does it feel different than anything else they've called me

After all I've done. I've dedicated my life to this sport, this stupid sport, these stupid people, and this is how I'm repaid?

Fuck em

I'm going to go out and win every goddam match and I'm going to show them I don't care what they have to say about me.

I'm not going anywhere.

****

20 minutes later I hear a knock at my hotel room door.

I climbed out of my chair, dropping the blanket onto the ground.

I'd say it's Daniel, or even my uncle.

"Coming" I yelled

Upon opening the door, I let out a little gasp.

"What the hell, what on earth are you doing here?"

"I saw the Phil Diseal segment" Lewis spoke, leaning on the doorframe

"You and millions of other people, it's already all over twitter and TikTok" I mumbled,

"Want to make a song with me?" He said with a smile, as he looked down at me

I didn't answer straight away, but when I did. I already knew it was a stupid idea

"I'll grab my coat"