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[2006]
Quinn Haley had always lived in the shadow of her best friend. And for the record, her best friend was Tashi Duncan, one of the best tennis players around. Their friendship began when their parents met, a seemingly perfect match from the start.
From the outside, their friendship appeared healthy and genuine. But Quinn often wrestled with doubts. Sometimes, she couldn't shake the feeling that Tashi saw her as nothing more than a fan, rather than a true friend.
For Quinn, however, Tashi was irreplaceable, someone she cared about and trusted completely. It was a bond Quinn cherished deeply, even if she sometimes wondered whether Tashi felt the same way.
Now, they were in Tashi's room, getting ready to go watch Tashi's boyfriend play. And her boyfriend's best friend.
The story of how they met had always been a bit of a mystery to Quinn. It was something about chatting after a party, one of them winning a match, and then getting Tashi's number—blah blah blah. The details never seemed important to Tashi, and she never bothered to share much more.
"Aren't you excited? I'm sure you'll like them", Tashi's voice rang straight into Quinn's ears. Quinn was standing in front of the mirror, tying her curly hair into a messy bun.
"Absolutely thrilled," she replied with a hint of sarcasm, glancing at Tashi through the mirror as she slipped into a pair of shorts.
"Come on! They're really good, you'll have fun," Tashi said insistently. She then grabbed Quinn's arm and practically dragged her out of the house.
When the girls arrived, they sat down in one of the front rows. Tashi waved to the two guys on the court. "Patrick, my boyfriend," she explained to Quinn, pointing to the brown and curly haired guy. "And Art, his best friend," she added, gesturing towards the blond guy standing next to him.
Patrick smiled and returned the wave, but his eyes weren't on Tashi. His gaze had been fixed on the girl beside her since they arrived.
The way she looked around with curiosity, her hands on her knees that were bouncing with excitement. Patrick's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a nudge from Art. "Are you ready?" he asked. Patrick just nodded, then positioned himself to start the game.
***
"Wow," was all Quinn could say once the match ended. "Told you they're good," Tashi replied, shrugging with a proud look on her face.
She wasn't wrong; it was true. The boys were incredibly good. Their chemistry was undeniable, it was evident to anyone watching. 'Tennis is a relationship,' Tashi always said. Well, this is one of the few times it's clear that it is. And Quinn has seen a lot of tennis matches.
"Good job boys!" Tashi exclaimed as the two girls approached the court. "Thanks, darling," Patrick replied, wiping away the sweat on his forehead. Art raised an eyebrow and stepped forward.
"Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend?" he asked, turning towards Quinn, whose cheeks immediately flushed. "That's exactly what I want to do. This is Quinn, my best friend."
"Quinn." Patrick repeated her name quietly, as if studying it in his mind. The girl in question turned towards him, meeting his bright blue eyes. "I'm Patrick," he said after a moment of silence that felt much longer. "I'm Art," the blonde then said, drawing attention back to himself. In truth, Art had already figured everything out. He had noticed the moment Patrick looked at her as soon as she arrived. He knew it wasn't Tashi he was looking at; his eyes had a different light.
"I know," Quinn replied with a slight chuckle. His eyes flitted from one boy to another, as they talked with Tashi. About tennis, of course. What else would they be talking about? It seemed that was the only thing that could captivate their attention so completely.
But both boys seemed interested in more than just the conversation. Every so often, they would glance over at Quinn, who stood there quietly, listening intently. She was playing with the hem of her shirt, her fingers tracing the fabric gently. Despite her silence, Quinn's presence clearly captured their attention. Especially Patrick's. And Quinn felt that.
"Quinn, let's go." Tashi's voice snapped her back to reality. Quinn shook her head slightly, clearing her thoughts, and nodded. "Alright." Turning to Patrick and Art, she offered a warm smile. "It was nice meeting you," she said, her voice sincere. The boys returned her smile.
As she and Tashi walked away, she couldn't help but feel the weight of their gazes following them.
"She's hot," was the first thing that came out of Art's mouth as the girls walked away. Patrick turned to the boy beside him and he bit lip. 'You're right,' he wanted to say, but the words caught in his throat. Instead, he remained silent, his thoughts swirling in his head.
"So? What do you think?" Quinn looked up and met Tashi's expectant gaze. "They seem like nice guys," she said simply, shrugging her shoulders. "Mm-hmm," Tashi murmured, a playful smile spreading across her lips.
"I saw those looks, you know." Quinn's eyes widened in surprise. "Looks? What? What are you talking about?" she stammered, her response coming out quickly. "With Art. Right?" Tashi said, raising an eyebrow, her smile widening.
Quinn felt a wave of relief wash over her. She had initially thought Tashi was referring to Patrick, her boyfriend, which would have made the situation awkward. "Oh! Well, yeah," she replied, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. "I mean... he's cute," she confessed. She wasn't head over heels for Art, but she couldn't deny his appeal.
Quinn knew she was screwed. Those blue eyes were imprinted into her mind, along with those brown curls and that smirk. She hated herself for this, hated how that boy wouldn't leave her thoughts. She hated the fact that she was falling for someone she never expected to.
And the worst part? He was her best friend's boyfriend.
***
[author's note]
first chapter!! i'm so excited for this story, i have a lot of ideas in mind. as you can see, the story starts after patrick gets tashi's number, when they start their relationship. i hope you're liking the story so far, love y'all ღ
