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HABITS - GENEVIEVE STOKES "On again, off again. Love you like oxygen You don't know what I'd do for you."
:･✧ *:･ﾟ✧ *:･ﾟ✧
ONE COULD ONLY IMAGINE Art's bitterness when he lost to Patrick Zweig that fateful day. Tennis was Art's whole life and everything he had ever trained for. It's what he's always been genuinely good at.
To Patrick, it seemed like it was just another one of his things.
Art lays with his eyes closed and his head in Willow's lap as he lets her run her hands through his blond hair.
"Don't beat yourself up too much." She whispers while biting the inside of her cheek. As of recently, Art had been being extremely hard on himself.
And Willow has been playing tennis less and less.
The two of them found joy within each other without tennis being a prominent aspect of their lives.
"If you were in my position, you'd be acting the same way. Maybe even worse." He mumbled nuzzling his face farther into her leg as he hugged it and ran his fingers along her warm, soft skin.
"But that's me. You're you. And that was one match out of a million others." She removes her hands from his head making him groan in annoyance, "And it was Patrick. Of all people."
He finally sits up with a deep frown.
"Keep pouting your lip and it's gonna get stuck like that." She grasped his cheeks between her fingers and squeezed, making his face contort in a silly way. It made her laugh. So it made him laugh. She lets out a dramatic gasp, "You're smiling!"
He takes her hand from her face and gently takes it between his own. He twisted one of the many rings she had around her finger.
She seemed eager yet nervous to admit something she was keeping from him. She didn't know how he'd react.
"Art..." She begins with a deep breath through her nose.
He hums looking up at her with a grin and eyes full of admiration.
"I have to tell you something."
"Okay..." he sits up fully now, sensing the fully serious aura radiating off of her.
"I don't know how you're going to take it. I mean I hope you're happy. I'm definitely happy. But who knows what you're-"
"Just tell me, Star Girl." He leans down and kisses her shoulder, "If you're happy about it, then I'll be enthusiastic."
"Okay..." she fiddles her fingers with his, "I got a scholarship to Stanford." His eyes light up, "I just didn't know if you'd want me following after you. Besides, Stanford was for you and Tash. And I understand if you don't want me to accept it but-"
"Shut the hell up, Willow." He launched himself onto her in excitement. They rolled on the bed intertwined. A jovial laugh escaped Willow's mouth. She wrapped her arms around him. He was clearly very pleased with this news.
He rolls her over so he can hover over her, "Willow." His breathing was heavy and his heart was beating fast. He's never smiled so hard in his life, "Willow, this is amazing."
"So you're happy?" She giggles, brushing the hair out of his face.
"Happy!? I'm ecstatic!" He jumped up with a huge smile, "This calls for some drinks, don't you think?"
"Whatever you say." She shrugs, leaning back and letting her head fall with her eyes closed.
He stands back for a moment, "God, you're beautiful." She opens one eye and squints at him, "Right, I'm getting the drinks." He bursts through the closed door to snatch some beer from Willow's kitchen. He just hoped he wouldn't get caught by Trenton. That would be horrid and terrifying.
:･✧ *:･ﾟ✧ *:･ﾟ✧
"So tell me right now if something is going on." Patrick bites his lip in a certain eagerness to know the answer to his question, "It won't be weird. Hey, I might have to third wheel but I practically do anyway."
Art shakes his head, "She's coming to Stanford. Maybe that'll be my chance." The two boys stretch together, preparing for their practice.
"Just fuck her." Patrick shrugs, "You guys already had a pretty steamy, hot make-out sesh."
"Dude, stop." Art shakes his head yet again but with a small scrunch to his nose this time.
He didn't see Willow as just someone to hook up with. She meant way more to him. He was going to be stuck on her forever, there's no getting over Willow Barlowe. And he settled on the fact that he'll wait for her.
"I saw you getting handsy. If Tash and I weren't there you would've fucked."
"Speaking of Tash, what about you guys?" Art smoothly changes the topic of conversation. He didn't want to talk about him and his personal relationships anymore.
"Well..."
Author's Note: Short and sweet :) I have officially associated Good Luck, Babe by Chappell Roan with Challengers. ESPECIALLY THE BRIDGE.
