Secrets, Socials, and Seigaku

Chapter 16

I’m pretty sure everybody’s mouth dropped open. I looked up slowly fearing her reaction. She seemed to follow along with everyone else, shock was smeared across her face. But then she thought about it more and started to smile. “It’s not up to me.” She said looking at someone behind me. 

I turned around to come face-to-face with honey brown eyes. Tezuka stood there looking as stoic as ever. “Tezuka…” I said quietly. Surely he would say no, but I can’t back down now. “Tezuka I explained it to you remember, I told you how the spot works.” I said making him recall what I had told him. I looked up at him with determined eyes. “ I promise that I will beat his spot so please!” I said bowing. “Please let me play for this team!” I begged. They’ve worked so hard. I want to help them to their goal.

“Fine then.” He said.

“Huh?” I said disbelief coloring my tone. I looked up at him.

“We have no other substitutes but you, so we either forfeit the game or you can win.” He said staring down at me.

“Now go and keep your promise.” He said handing me a tennis ball.

I looked down at the tennis ball before smiling. “You got it Captain!” I replied with a smile.

Everyone else smiled too. I walked out on the court. “Clair!” Echizen said before throwing something at me.

I caught his white hat that he always wore. “I want part of me to beat him too.” He mumbled.

I looked down at the hat. “Ew! It’s all sweaty!” I whined pinching the hat with only two fingers.

A vein showed up on his head at this. “Just wear the hat!” He shouted.

I smiled before turning around and putting on the hat. I weaved my ponytail through the back part of the hat. As I walked out on the court I could see everyone’s eyes on me. I heard ‘oooh’s and ‘ahhh’s’ from the crowd. “Hey the match is continuing?”

“Are they really sending a girl out there?”

“Wow, they must be really desperate.”

I really do hate people who underestimate me. I looked over at Shinji to see him frowning. I smiled. “Sorry, Shinji, but your going to have to deal with me now.” I said trying to intimidate him.

He frowned. “Can Seigaku really not stand to forfeit? They’re only making themselves look weaker. If you were any good at tennis you would’ve been on the team. My fight is with Echizen not you, you don’t stand a chance against me.” He said mumbling here and there over parts. 

My face became stoic before answering him. The crowd went silent at the sudden tense atmosphere. “Let me be very clear Shinji.” I said in a low intimidating voice. “I hate being underestimated. It really rubs me the wrong way when people do that; especially, guys who underestimate girls. So if you don’t want to piss me off then I suggest you take this game seriously. ‘Kay?” I said finishing off with a child like expression.

I turned around and made my way to the base line before he could talk back. I took a few deep breaths before the referee announced the game from where it left off. It went silent as our game began. I looked over at Echizen before getting ready to serve. “ Echizen!” I called out. He looked up accordingly. I smiled at him. “You haven’t seen me play tennis in a while right?” I said repeating our conversation from earlier. I bounced the ball, as I got ready to serve. Finally I caught it and looked at him. “Let me show you how much farther I’ve gotten ahead of you!” I challenged.

I threw the ball up in the air and went to serve my swirly serve. As I had planned, the ball had sped right past him and had landed on the service line. After it bounced it began to spin and create a swirl mark in the clay of the court. The crowd was silent before I heard cheers from everyone in the bleachers. I smiled to myself. It had been awhile since I had felt this way. Truth be told, there were butterflies in my stomach and I was having an adrenaline rush right now. But I could worry about that later because right now I had to beat Shinji for the tennis team.