I never thought I'd have fun at a school dance.
Yesterday night was incredible. Getting to know more about Theo and his interests was far more interesting than planning to rewatch Harry Potter.
He's interesting; like an opponent in tennis who's the same level as you, but has all these hidden compartments and tricks waiting to unfurl.
Speaking of tennis, I think back to our conversation about planning a game anytime. Maybe tomorrow? It's the summer, but perhaps he was just being polite... but, no, he seemed genuinely interested. Right? Worst case, I text him, and he says no. Or doesn't reply.
I drum my fingers on the steering wheel before realizing I've been sitting at a green light for the past ten seconds, oblivious to the honks and yells behind me. Raising an apologetic hand to the drivers most likely flipping me off, I take a turn into our community.
After stripping from my previous, more glamorous clothes, I switch into my black shorts and oversized t-shirt. Ugh, I swear the best feeling in the world is taking your bra off after a long day.
I remove my makeup with some cleaner and cotton pads before stepping into my bedroom, catching a glimpse of my phone sitting squarely in the middle.
Biting my lip, I pick up the phone gingerly and open his number.
I type, delete, and then retype questions without actually sending any of them.
You wanna play a few matches tmrw?
No, too scared.
How bout a game of tennis after breakfast?
Too eager.
Meet me at the courts tmrw at 9:00 am.
Agressive much?
After formulating a million responses, I settle on something short and sweet.
So... about that tennis match. You down for tomorrow? :)
I hesitate for a moment before hitting send. I've never texted a boy before, and I'm 17, for Christ's sake.
Oh, whatever.
The message sends, a blue bubble hovering on my screen before three gray dots appear on my dark screen.
Theo: Sure! I'll try not to embarrass myself too badly ;)
I sigh, genuine relief plastered on my face for not making a fool of myself as I flop onto my bed, getting ready to sleep when a small knock on my door causes me to sit up straight once more. I don't need to ask twice to know who it is; the tip-tap is enough for me to know it's Cadence.
"Come in!"
The door creaks before Candence bursts through, strutting towards me before also flopping herself on my bed next to me.
"Spill the beans," She says with an eyebrow raise, pointing an accusatory finger at me.
"What beans?"
"The boy you're texting, silly!"
"How'd you-"
"As your younger sister, it's my job to know everything," She catches a glimpse of my unimpressed face. "...or maybe I glanced at your lock screen, but point is, who is Theo?" Her voice rises at the last few words, and I clap a hand over her mouth.
"Shh!"
I feel her smirk growing on my hand, so I remove it.
"He's your boyfriend, isn't he?"
"No."
"Your crush?"
"N-no. No, he isn't."
She leaps off my bed, thrusting her finger into my ribcage.
"You hesitated! Ari likes Theo! Ari likes Theo!" She sings in a high-pitched voice, twirling around and making kissy-faces as I clap my hands over my face, running them into my hair afterward.
After she's done spinning, she sits back down next to me, hair ruffled. "Are you going on a date?"
I bite my lip. The tennis match isn't a date, right? Just a game.
"No, we aren't."
Cadence's shoulders sag slightly, and I can tell she's disappointed.
"You two would be cute together," She pouts, sticking out her lower lip. I laugh airly at her mood shift before patting her shoulder and lying back down.
"You're too young to be talking about this type of stuff," I say, eyebrows narrowed.
"I'm 9, that's perfectly fine."
"Whatever. Point is, this is our little secret," I stick out my pinky, "Promise me."
Pinky promises are like a solid pact between us. Others think it's childish; to us it's tradition. A stone-cold lock.
She interlaces her pinky with mine before lying down on my shoulder, mumbling a few words. "I promise, Ari. Enjoy your date tomorrow. "
We both fall asleep.
After falling asleep next to Cadence, I wake up early the next morning, feeling that nervous-excited energy coursing through me. I carefully slip out of bed without waking her and glance at my phone. No new messages from Theo, but that's fine.
I guess it's game time.
I toss my bedsheet over Cadence and brush a few stray curls off her face before grabbing my racket, throwing on some tennis clothes, and heading out the door. The morning sun is barely peeking over the horizon, and I feel this weird mix of anticipation and dread. What if it's awkward? What if he's way better than I am?
Oh well, gotta learn from the best.
I pull up to the courts near our community, munching on a banana thoughtfully before catching Theo's eye.
I wave to him, throwing away the remains of my banana before jogging onto the court, fresh morning air swirling around my skirt.
"Hey," He greets lazily, stretching his arms above his head, and, unintentionally, I catch a glimpse of his incredibly toned core. Jesus.
"Hi," I say back, slightly breathlessly from the sudden sight I was met with.
Pulling out his racket from his bag, he spins it on the court before landing on its side with a dull thunk.
"Up or down?"
"Down."
"It's up. I'll return."
I jog to the other side of the court, breathing in slowly.
All right, Kiara. You got this.
I toss the ball over my head and hit it onto the other side where Theo is.
A/n: How would you feel about a tennis date?
I think its adorable like ahhhhhhhhhhhh
What do you think so far? :)
