Matchpoint

Part 2: A Compilation

Hello lovelies,
Here is a compilation of initial ideas I had for Matchpoint. It's kind of like the bare bones of the storyline and process I was hoping to follow whilst writing. Though many things changed, I tried to keep as much to my original ideas as  I could. I wonder if you can notice the one liners I chose to keep or small scenarios 😉.

Original date: 01/03/2024

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I watch their eyes shift from me, to somewhere off in the distance. It makes my blood boil that I come here day after day to help them train and they always end up getting distracted. Ladley, the main coach, whistles at the players to grab back their attention, but by the way they seem frozen in motion indicates that there is no objective to move. Ladley and I glance at each other before turning and spotting exactly what they are all looking at.

Fire like hair, limbs that stretch on forever and a smile so familiar it's like staring into the face of a picture. Dominic Fraser, he's the golden boy of tennis, recently dropped from his tennis coach who was charged by police for reasons unknown to the rest of the world. There he is, standing with my dad and the head coach of the academy, watching us train.

"What the hell is he doing here?" I grumble and Ladley shakes her head in disbelief, her mouth partly open.

"I don't know but he is so much hotter in person." She sighs dreamly. It disgusts me instantly.

"Not you too Ladley." I groan turning back and facing the dumbfounded crowd. "Oi, stop staring at the tennis pro, that's not going to win you a title."

Their eyes finally fall back on me and they file into one neat line. I grab Ladely and she turns around as well.

"Let's do backhands." Ladely yells and we begin the drill. I'm hitting the ball back to the players, forcing them to run further each time to hit the ball, I push them so close to the line without even thinking, but if they're going to be distracted by a big wig like Dominic, then I'll give them a lesson.

By the end of practice, one boy has thrown up, another cried and one girl called me a bitch because I didn't go easy on her. But, it's not my job to do that, I test them, I push them, I'm not their coach, I'm just to keep them in shape.

"Clove!" My name is called out from across the court, and I turn to face my father, dressed in his suit, that smug orange haired boy beside him.

"Hello." I stroll up to them, my tennis bag in hand.

"This is Dominic Fraser, Dom, this is Clove, my daughter." Dom's eyes meet mine and they sparkle with a blue blaze that I only ever seem to see in his eyes when he plays tennis. He holds out his large hand and I shake it.

"Nice to meet you, Clove." He grins, fixing the hat atop his head.

"And you." I reply.

"Dominic will be starting his training with us for the Australian Open." My father explains and Dom nods slowly, his eyes drifting arpund the court until they meet mine once more.

"Fun, we have many hopeful Australian Open competitors, I'm sure you'll fit right in." I smile sweetly, but in the depth of my heart, this boy makes me feel mad, as he is the golden boy, he loves the press, the drama, the action. He's uncontrollable in all kinds of ways.

"Will we be seeing you out on the court?" Dom looks at me earnestly. "I haven't seen you at any tournaments before."

"I don't play competitively." I reply, not giving him much of a response.

"That's a shame, you have a mean backhand." He comments as if I don't know it already. But I can just tell he's fishing for a compliment in return, he's so smug.