She's back ~ L. Hamilton

47. | One Month

End of April
One month until the French Open

We meet Liam on the court at eight in the morning. He's wearing a white T-shirt and black shorts, slowly tapping his racket against his shoe, knocking the bright orange clay off his shoes.

"All right kids, shall we?" My uncle says

Liam shakes my hand, smiling slightly as he did "May the best player win"

"I will"

"Best out of three or five?" My uncle asks

I really want to earn it. I really want to run myself into the ground and see what I'm made of "five" I say

I serve first, and it's a stunner. Sharp, fast and beautiful

"Fuck" Liam says after he misses it

"Get used to it"

"Don't worry, I'm sure I will" Liam says and I can't help but smile

But Liam quickly gets the jump on me and wins the first set.

I need to find balance in my game, an ability to go hard and keep going. I look over at my uncle for guidance but he's writing quickly in his notebook.

I take the second set

"Uh oh" my uncle coos from the sidelines "she's coming for ya"

"I'm not worried" Liam says, but I can see him fidgeting with the bottom of his shirt.

I take the next set.

"Ohh" I say, teasing him as we stand by the net "now it's starting to sting right? Starting to feel a little pinch"

"It's out of five Ricciardo" he says "I know you're used to two sets giving you the match, but you're playing a men's game now"

"How about go fuck yourself" matching his sarcastic tone.

Liam takes the forth. I'm getting tired.

"Oh shit" Liam says, smirking "it's anybody's game now Destroyer"

"You're both terrible in the fifth set of any match" my uncle calls "the only difference is that she doesn't play five sets usually, what's your excuse Black?"

Liam let out a low laugh, waving Marco off as he crouched down on the baseline.

Our fifth set goes to a tiebreaker. Liam serves the ball low and fast, I return it with a backhand down the line, it bounces high and he can't reach it.

"Yes!" I say, pumping my fist into the air

Liam shakes his head, visibly pissed at himself for handing me that serve.

"You win" he says "this one"

Liam grabs the tennis balls on his side of the net and meets me over by the bench. I take a long sip of my water just as he takes one himself. But we catch eachothers gaze.

"How are you?" Liam asks

"What do you mean?" I say

"Li"

I sit down on the bench "I feel like I set out to prove that I'm a better player than her. And I got a bit of a break in Melbourne, but you know, I did plan on playing her eventually. I want the challenge"

That's what I'm telling myself anyway

"So it's good then, her coming back"

I laugh "yes, no. I don't know. Yes, it's good.....if I'm as great as I say I am"

"You are" he says "you'll do it. I'm the one that needs a miracle"

"Maybe" I say, smiling

Suddenly my uncle is back "Del, go to the baseline. We need to work on your serve. Black, I assume you're staying? I have notes for you, if you want them. You could benefit from my expertise"

Liam lets out a laugh "the two of you man" he said, motioning to my uncle and me with his racket "bulls in a china shop"

"Let's not pretend you're such a prize" my uncle says, his eyebrows raised

"Fine" Liam says "I want your notes. I'm here to win, so....anything you've got, I'm listening"

My uncles face lights up. And I'm happy for him, to be back here doing this job that he does so well, this job has defined him for as long as I can remember

This is not just my comeback.