AEAO

three

The tennis courts at UCLA were quiet in the early morning light, the air still cool before the California sun fully warmed the campus. Shi stood at the baseline, nervously adjusting her grip on the tennis racket Luca had lent her.

"This is going to be a disaster," she muttered, eyeing the net as if it were an enemy to conquer.

Luca, already bouncing a ball on his racket with practiced ease, grinned from the other side of the court. "Relax, Shi. It's just for fun. Besides, you're athletic enough—you've got this."

"I do yoga, Luca," Shi said, rolling her eyes. "That's not exactly the same as running around chasing a ball."

"You'll be fine," he said, tossing the ball into the air and serving it with effortless precision. The ball zipped over the net and landed neatly inside the service box on her side.

Shi barely had time to react before the ball bounced past her.

Luca laughed. "Okay, so step one: Move toward the ball. That's kind of important."

"Wow, thanks for the pro tip," Shi said, narrowing her eyes playfully.

Luca walked over, standing beside her as he adjusted her grip on the racket. "Hold it like this," he said, his hands lightly guiding hers.

Shi glanced at him, trying not to notice how close he was. "Like this?"

"Perfect," Luca said, stepping back. "Now, let's work on your swing. Just take it slow."

Shi followed his instructions, practicing her forehand and backhand as Luca gave her tips. It was awkward at first—she missed more balls than she hit—but Luca was patient, and his encouragement made her laugh instead of getting frustrated.

By the end of their session, she was actually returning some of his volleys.

"See? You're a natural," Luca said, wiping his forehead with a towel.

Shi laughed, collapsing onto the bench at the side of the court. "If by 'natural,' you mean I only hit the ball half the time, then sure."

"Hey, progress is progress," Luca said, sitting beside her. "And you looked pretty good out there by the end."

Shi shook her head, smiling. "Thanks for teaching me. I had fun."

"Anytime," Luca said, his grin softening into something more genuine. "You've got potential, Shi. I mean it."

She felt her cheeks flush under his gaze. "Well, don't get used to me running around out here. I think I'll stick to cheering you on from the stands."

"Fair enough," Luca said, leaning back and stretching his legs. "But now you know how to hold your own. That's important."

As they packed up their gear, Luca glanced over at her. "Hey, Shi?"

"Yeah?" she said, slinging the racket over her shoulder.

"Thanks for humoring me today. It was fun teaching you," he said, his tone unusually sincere.

Shi smiled. "It was fun learning. And hey, now I can say I've been coached by a D1 tennis player. That's got to count for something, right?"

Luca chuckled. "Definitely. You're officially part of the team now."

Shi laughed, shaking her head. "Let's not go that far."

As they walked off the court together, the sun climbing higher in the sky, Shi couldn't help but feel a new kind of energy. She wasn't sure what was happening between her and Luca, but whatever it was, it felt... good.