It Starts with Love

Chapter 6 - Partly

A/N: Shout out to my new friend @Dragonskater123 for being such a great help! :)

It was early morning on the first day of the French Open. Taliana was on her balcony sipping coffee. She took in the sunrise and the beautiful city. Here in Paris, thinking about the days before Madrid seemed like a different life. Three weeks ago, she had no title, she wasn't in the top 10, and Sascha Zverev was merely a bittersweet memory from Miami, a reminder of something she had lost. No matter how many times she denied it, she did enjoy his company, in Miami and in the recent days. It was just a matter of trying to deny, at least to herself, what had sprung from their time together.

Three weeks was a short time for her life to have turned around so completely. She had been quietly making her way up the rankings but no one really paid her any attention but the whirlwind that was Madrid and Rome caught the attention of the tennis world. A young player from Asia, the Philippines nonetheless, was storming into women's tennis. It had to be one of the most rapid ascents into the top 10.

Taliana's attention was caught by a stirring in her bed. Karla was waking up. The younger de Guia had wanted to sleep with her instead of their parents. Thankfully, she didn't keep them up all night.

"What are you doing out there?" Karla yawned.

"Just taking in the view. Come out here. It's nice."

Karla obliged and sat next to her sister. "I can't believe I'm actually in Paris. And to watch you play at a Grand Slam as a top 10 player."

"I know. It's surreal, isn't it?" Taliana took a sip of her coffee with her hands wrapped tightly around the cup, absorbing its warmth.

"How do you feel?"

"I feel great. Like I'm on top of the world and I can do anything." Taliana had a small smile on her face. It was true. At this point, she felt like she could actually go on to win a Slam. It wouldn't be easy, but it was possible, especially with the level she was playing at now.

"I'm so proud of you," Karla said in a quiet voice. "I know I don't say it a lot but I am. I know how much you had to sacrifice a lot to be where you are now. You never got to be a kid and you missed out on mundane, school stuff. You were also never home to the point that I almost convinced myself I was an only child. Sometimes, I hated you for being away all the time but at the same time, I admired you because you knew what you wanted in life and you're going for it. Now, you're here at the biggest stage there is and you're doing so well."

There were tears threatening to spill from Taliana's eyes. It was the first time she's ever heard her sister talk so seriously. It always seemed as if everything was all fine and dandy with her. "Karla, I never knew—" Taliana choked on her words.

"I'm not angry, ate Talia. I'm just saying that I wish you were around more but I totally understand why you weren't." Karla's hand lifted to swipe at her tears.

It was barely 8 in the morning but there were already too many tears being shed. Taliana pulled her sister close into an embrace. She always regretted going away too much. The cost of playing professional tennis. The only way she could think to repay her sister is to succeed in this career. All the sacrifices should amount to something.

Suffice to say, it was a wet morning. It was also very quiet. The sisters headed to their parents' room to have breakfast together. It was a simple affair but it was something they didn't get to do much. As they were having their breakfast, Taliana looked around at her family. Their support was undying. Even if it was hard for them to let her travel the world as a young girl, they still did. All in the name of achieving her dream of playing tennis.