Matchpoint

Chapter 22:

It doesn't take long for the headlines to come out.

Golden Boy Gone Grey

Nothing Has Changed: A Dominic Dilemma

Have the Dunn's Done Dominic a Deadly Deal?

The list goes on and on and on. My parents have been in panic mode every waking minute since we arrived back in Australia. Mother has been doing one press conference after another, trying desperately to do damage control. On the other hand, Dom's simply disappeared.

Jayce, before disappearing himself, hinted at Dom's retreat back to his home in Western Australia. I remember him getting off our flight, we got back to  the academy, and the next morning, I woke. He was gone.

Stack told me Dom was fined $120,000 for his use of colourful language and argumentative tone with the umpire.

Other than Jayce, Stack has been the only person Dom has been in contact with, I'd assume it's surrounding the statement he'll have to release.

If Dom wants to play in the Madrid Open, he better get his shit together because the tournament begins in just under three weeks.

I'm currently finishing up an assignment. Opposite me, on my bed, is Holly, casually scrolling her phone as if she doesn't have an exam to prepare for.

Holly graduated last year, and she's doing a bachelor of science at QUT. It shouldn't have, but I was surprised when Holly told me she got a 95.5 ATAR. I knew she was calculated, but I didn't know she was intelligent.

I watch her take a long drink from her Stanley, eyes widening slightly as she looks at something on her phone. Then suddenly, she's spluttering, water goes shooting out of her mouth and all over my bedroom floor.

When her eyes meet mine, I stare at her, hoping she sees just how unimpressed I am. But instead of apologising, her eyes just continue to flicker from her screen to me.

"Well, he's been spotted." She doesn't need to elaborate, I know exactly who she's talking about. "He's touched back down. They say he's on his way here. That was posted five minutes ago."

She turns her phone around and I grab it from her. There, in the centre of the screen, is Dom carrying a ruffle bag over his shoulder. His headphones are over his ears. He has a cap and sunglasses on, truly trying to conceal himself as much as possible.

Shit.

"He looks good, rested." Holly offers, and I give her a deadpan stare as I hand her back her phone.

"He's wearing sunglasses." I raise an eyebrow at her, and suddenly we fall into a fit of giggles.

Joking aside, there's a level of panic brewing within me. I'm aware of what Dom's return means and the decisions I'm going to have to make.

It's another hour until we hear another update. This time, Holly doesn't seem so shocked. Instead, she is shaking her head.

"What?" I ask, climbing over my laptop to peer over her shoulder. It's a text exchange between her and Scarlette.

"Scarlette thinks Ladley got sacked by Dom, and your parents condoned it." Holly glances up at me. "Someone saw her leaving your parents' office. She didn't look too happy. And someone else said they saw her with her suitcase getting into a taxi."

Finally, I make eye contact with Holly, who grants me a soft smile. Ladley's likely leaving the academy to take a break after all that has happened. I wonder how my parents went about things. I wonder if Dom said something, if it was his idea.

Before I can even say a thing, my phone begins buzzing on the other side of the room. Holly looks at me, eyes wide, mouth parted. Instantaneously, we jump from the bed. Holly is the first to get to my phone, and she snatches it off the table, eyes wider than ever.