Matchpoint

Chapter 20:

Holly was right. Dom smashed his first round, winning two sets straight and leaving nothing on the court. I've watched the highlights ten times and the full match five times, writing down notes and watching for mistakes. Dom's gotten better at being less predictable, but he still lacks a level of maturity on the court. During his second match, he got way too close to smashing his racquet, but after being given a warning by the umpire, he eased off the firey temper we know he has. Thankfully, he managed to win that match by taking out the last two sets out of three.

His third match, the quarter finals, is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. His opponent, Ben Shelton. In his history, Dom has only won against Ben once, and though that was on a clay court, it was in Dom's early days when he was more unpredictable than he was now.

Over the last couple of days, Dom and I have done a lot of training. This morning, whilst we waited to find out who he'd be playing in the quarter finals, I ran him through his potential opponents' strengths. Shelton has a mean serve. It's rather unique in the world of tennis and quite fast. Most players are known for something, and for Ben Shelton, it's that lightning fast serve.

If Dom's going to win this quarter final, he's going to have to be on his best game.

"Drinks on me!" As I twist in and out of the crowd on the rooftop bar, I hear that voice calling out over the music and immediately feel a great sense of frustration.

Standing at the bar is Jayce, shirt off, hair tossed, smirk blissfully brushing over his lips. And when Jayce is here, I'm certain Dom won't be too far behind him.

"Jayce." I seethe, grabbing his arm and twisting him towards me.

"Clove!" Jayce hoots, putting his arm around my shoulder and pulling me on close. He smells of whisky and cigarettes. "What are you doing here, darl?"

It's a good question, I was going to have a night in, but moments before I arrived here, Ladley and I got into another argument in our room.

She found my notebook with notes on Dom's game play. She told me I needed to stop getting involved. I had been trying to, I'd gone as far as not even discussing things with Dom, I was simply writing down ideas and keeping to myself. It wasn't like Dom and I were on talking terms anyway. Dom doesn't ask me for tips anymore, and I don't offer them.

"Jayce, you and Dom shouldn't be here. Stack thinks you're back in your hotel room." I explain softly, and Jayce bops me on the nose.

"It's cute you're so concerned, but Dom and I are great, we're having fun. See." Jayce points through the crowd to the far side of the bar. Sitting on the seating surrounded by groupies is Jayce's firey friend.

Dom's wearing jeans and a cream button-up, but he may as well be shirtless given so many of his buttons are undone. Dom has a cigarette in hand, a girl on his arm and another sitting behind him on the head rest.

Dom takes a long drag of the cigarette as one of the girls in a short black dress laughs at whatever he says to her.

The smoke drifts from Dom's lips up into the night sky, and as he does so, his eyes flutter closed in serenity.

"You're eye fucking him." Jayce snaps me back into reality and I pull away from him, noticing the smirk that's plastered on his lips.

"He shouldn't be doing that. It's bad press. If anyone photographs him like this, we'll be in deep shit." I shove Jayce, and he stumbles slightly, but all that does is make him chuckle.

"Why don't you go get him then." That's all Jayce has to say.

I don't know what makes me listen to Jayce, but one moment I'm standing I  the crowd with Jayce, and now I'm in front of Dom and his groupies.