𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐓𝐘 𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐈𝐍? | challengers x reader

chapter six

TAUBE TENNIS CENTRE, STANFORD UNIVERSITY – FEBRUARY 19, 2007. 12:24PM.

Art dropped to the ground, letting his racket clatter to the floor beside him, and groaned loudly. On the other side of the net, you grinned at your boyfriend's dramatics and shouted, "Get off your ass, Donaldson! This is why Duke wiped the floor with you over the weekend!"

"Fuck off!" Art's response was half-hearted and bookended by giggles. While the Duke men's team destroyed the Stanford men's team two days ago in Chicago, you and Tashi led the women's team to victory at every tournament that season. "It's not my fault you're only serving aces! And then when I'm serving you chase me all around the court, it's insane! What's the point of practising with someone you can't beat?" His complaints were only lighthearted, as he loved that you were good enough to beat him at tennis.

Tashi cackled at that, coming to stand beside you. She had been playing a practice match with a girl on the team for the last two hours and couldn't keep it together after seeing you annihilate Art for forty minutes. "It means you need practice and Y/I doesn't," Tashi yelled across the court at your boyfriend.

"That hurts, Tashi," Art called out. "What if I had self-esteem issues and you just ruined my love of the game?"

"Then I'd say you're not good enough for my best friend," Tashi retorted.

Since you and Art started dating, Tashi enjoyed Art's company more. Without the competition between him and Patrick for your attention, Art was easy to get along with and made you incredibly happy. Seeing her best friend so overjoyed was enough for Tashi to let Art stick around without any complaints.

"Truth hurts," you chimed in, teasing Art.

He scoffed, sitting up and pouting. "I'm feeling very vulnerable right now." His blond curls were sticking to his forehead from the exertion of losing to you. "I only intended to come by to support my precious girlfriend, and then I got roped into a public flagellation. I need my precious girlfriend to comfort me. Immediately."

"I'll be over to wipe your tears in a second, Gollum," you replied, playfully rolling your eyes. You grabbed your water bottle from the side of the court with Tashi. "Men, am I right?"

"They're the worst." Tashi nodded in agreement, grinning. "Your serve has gotten incredible, Y/I! I can hardly believe how consistently you've been hitting those aces since the season started. You've really taken your game to the next level."

You chuckled, taking a sip of water. "Is this your I-told-you-so speech?" you wondered, knowing Tashi had insisted that you would fall back in love with tennis with the distance between you and your mother.

Tashi smirked. "Why state the obvious when I can just enjoy my victory?" she questioned.

You laughed, bumping her hip and approaching Art on the other side of the court. "Hey, are we still getting lunch after this?" you asked.

The three of you had made plans to catch up during lunch because your schedules had been crazy that quarter. Your classes were different, and between having a steady boyfriend and the tennis season starting, you didn't see Tashi as often as you wanted to. Of course, you still studied together in the afternoons and hung out in each other's dorms, but it never felt like you were seeing enough of your best friend. You simultaneously saw Tashi all the time and didn't spend enough time with her.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss my dinner party with the Donaldsons," Tashi teased you, putting on a posh English accent to mock you as you rounded the tennis net with her. 

She always joked that you and Art would be the perfect insufferable rich married couple one day, and you always shuddered at the idea. Even though it was a joke, it reminded you too much of your odious mother.