Tennis Friends

four

Lu Xia was walking back from his game with Kui Jian when it next happened. Yuan Chi was once again just sitting there, looking sad and not bothering to ask him for a game.

This is what you wanted, a voice in his mind says. You wanted him to leave you alone. But he looked so sad.

Yuan Chi tore his eyes away from Lu Xia and decided to play a game on his phone to distract himself. He did want to play a game with him, but...

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Lu Xia looked at his ringing phone, picking up the call from one of his childhood friends. He held the phone to his ear.

"Hey, Shi Fen. Yeah," Lu Xia turned around and started walking again, "I'll be there for her birthday, I wouldn't miss it. What is she into now?"

He had been stressed since he got home. His father was pestering him to try a dish, the tv was too loud, his homework made absolutely no sense, and he had a match tomorrow. To top it off, Lu Xia's phone had been going off for the past five minutes and he wasn't getting any of his homework done. He sighed and picked it up, accepting that he would have to do it later.

Fifteen unopened messages, one missed call.

I got a call? Who would call me? He checked the call (a telemarketer) and opened his messaging app, seeing two messages from his father, three memes from Shi Fen, five messages from Zhuo Yu, a message from Siyang (reminding him of the match the next day), three messages on the tennis team group chat, and one message from Kui Jian.

He opened his dad's and then the ones from his teammates. He sent back the appropriate emojis to Shi Fen and Zhuo Yu and opened Kui Jian's message.

New episode of the anime, you in?

Lu Xia sighed, if he watched the new episode now he wouldn't get back to his work (and there was a lot).

Xia Xia: can't, swamped with homework

Anime Buddy Jian: that's okay. Need some help?

Xia Xia: yes please

Incoming call from Anime Buddy Jian: Accept or Decline?

Connecting...

Tennis Hoes: Tang Jiale, Qiao Chen, Chi Dayong, Zhang Baiyang, He Xinglong, Zhuo Zhi, Mu Siyang

Tang Jiale: good job today!!!!
Qiao Chen: yeah, good job everybody! :D

Qiao Chen: we should do something today!

Qiao Chen: do you want to go to xinglong's??

Zhang Baiyang: shut up

Qiao Chen: make me

Zhuo Zhi: boys, zinglong's or not?

Lu Xia: sure

Tang Jiale: he speaks!
Lu Xia: dont be rude 😠😠😠😠

Tang Jiale: what?

Lu Xia: sorry wrong chat

Qiao Chen: who was it for?

Lu Xia: a friend

Tang Jiale: proof or it didn't happen

Lu Xia: i have other friends, too

Lu Xia: Attached: One Image

Qiao Chen: so you do have friends

Lu Xia: no shit

Lu Xia: oops, wrong chat again 😲😲😲

Tang Jiale: liar!!!
Mu Siyang: stop spamming

Lu Xia: sorry

Tang Jiale: sorry

Qiao Chen: sorry

Zhuo Zhi: wait, were you arguing with my brother?

Lu Xia: no???

Private Message: Friend from Abroad and Zhuo YU

Zhuo YU: why is my brother banging on my door asking about you????

Tennis Hoes

Lu Xia: are you yelling at him for something?

Zhuo Zhi: so you are chatting him

Lu Xia: yeah

Zhuo Zhi: then why did you say you weren't?

Lu Xia: i wasn't arguing tho

"Song Ci! Are you home?" Yuan Chi had been knocking on the door for over five minutes now. He decided to just use his spare key to get in to check on him, since he hadn't been answering his texts.

He opened the door and checked the living room and Song Ci's bedroom, not finding him at either place. He checked the bathroom and Song Ci's parents' room, not finding him there either. He was getting a little panicky, wondering if his friend had forgotten to tell him about a meeting again.

He dashed into the kitchen and exhaled a breath. There he was, laying on the uncomfortable tile floors, sleeping. He stood there for a second, regulating his breath and calming down.

He picked Song Ci up, walking him back to his bedroom. He laid him down and threw a blanket over him, knowing that he'll probably kick it off in his sleep anyway. He took the phone out of his friend's pocket and put it on the charger (it was dead). Then he left a note on his bedside table: Please charge your phone next time. Get some rest, Yuan Chi.