It Starts with Love

Chapter 10 - Yorkshireman

A/N: Thank you for 1k reads guys!!!!! I am overusing the exclamation point, I know, but I'm so grateful to everyone who reads this story. Thanks for everything and don't forget to let me know what you think in the comments below :)

Taliana had her eyes glued to the TV at the players' lounge as she watched Sascha play against Khachanov. It was yet another tough match. They both had a set each but Khachanov looked ready to close out the third set. When he did, Taliana threw her hands up and got on her feet.

"That's it," she said. "I can't take this anymore. I'm going to Suzanne-Lenglen. Do you want to come with me?" She directed her question to Naomi who was watching the match with her. Naomi had been knocked out in the third round but she seemed fairly pleased with being able to go as far as she could.

Naomi raised an eyebrow at her. "What do you think you're going to do there?"

"I'm going to give him a piece of my mind."

"You want to have another viral video? You already have two, remember?"

"But—"

"But nothing. Patricia told you to stay out of the public eye for a while and that's what you're gonna do."

"Sascha's losing!" Taliana reasoned.

"How much help are you going to be there? Last I checked, coaching isn't allowed and you're not his coach," Naomi pointed out.

Taliana sat back down, grumbling. Naomi had a point. She wouldn't really be helpful to him. Sitting around here, though, watching him from a TV screen, she felt so useless. She recalled their last conversation and she couldn't help but cringe. What was she thinking? Had her actions caused him to be distracted? If he lost, would it be because of her?

It turns out she wouldn't have to find out because Sascha was able to win the match. That's three five-setters in a row. That's three times that Taliana's been kept on the edge of her seat for over three hours.

Naomi stood. "I'm going back to the hotel. What about you?"

"I'll stay here for a while."

"You're hopeless."

"I just want to congratulate him!"

"I didn't say anything, Talia. Don't be so defensive."

While Naomi returned to the hotel, Taliana sat around at the players' lounge to wait for Sascha. She had been so unsettled after she kissed Sascha on the cheek. It was probably a wrong move. She shouldn't have done it, especially not before a match.

A flurry of movement caught Taliana's eye. Sascha and his team were walking in. There were a lot of people with them. Everyone seemed to be congratulating him. Sascha took it all humbly, he nodded along and thanked them. Then looked around the lounge and Taliana watched as his eyes found her. Their eyes locked for a moment. Blue to her dark brown ones.

"Wait a minute," he mouthed. Sascha said something to his dad and then extracted himself from the people surrounded him. He headed towards where Taliana was sitting. He stopped when he was standing in front of her.

She looked up at him. "What is with you and five setters? You like playing over three hours or what?"

Sascha shoved his hands into his pockets then laughed. "I don't know. I like giving the audience their money's worth."

Taliana rolled her eyes at him. "I'm glad you won, though."

"Thanks." He gave her a blinding smile. "I have to go do my press conference in a while so I'll see you later?"