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CHAPTER SEVEN written by janie (edits by ashe) first tennis match
It was ninety degrees outside, the sun beating down on the already sunburned shoulders of the girls tennis team. Each girls hair was either in a ponytail or some type of updo, anything to cool them down more. The tennis courts were unbearably hot, absorbing the hot sun with their dark colors.
Nobody was really listening to Mr. Jones as he read the line up out. Most of them knew their places, always one step up from last year. Except Ilana was nervous, her hands awkwardly clasped together as he slowly finished with the doubles starters.
"Now for the singles." Mr. Jones began, and Ilana's felt her heart's speed pick up. This was it. How could she be a singles starter? She was only a sophomore. The doubts creeped into her head faster than she could manage as she gripped her hands tighter. "Singles 3, Ilana."
The team clapped, as they did for everyone else. She felt a smile spread across her face and she looked down at the ground, grinning to herself. Mr. Jones read off the rest of the list, with Stella making singles 1.
The two girls began to walk to their courts after they tapped rackets with the other team. "You nervous?" Stella laughed, taking a sip out of her water bottle.
"Definitely." Ilana nodded. She stopped at her tennis court, suddenly realizing that Stella completely passed hers. "Isn't your court—?"
"Listen, you're gonna do great, okay? You have skill. I mean it." Stella interrupted, pressing a hand on Ilana's shoulder. "Do good. Don't listen to Mr Jones. He doesn't know what the fuck he's doing." She turned and jogged back to her court, her brown hair swaying in its ponytail.
Ilana watched her go, breathing in and out to try and calm her anxiety. She finally walked towards the net where a very impatient looking blonde waited. "Hi... I'm Ilana," She began, slightly stuttering over her words. Her doubles partner usually did the talking for her, but she guessed she was on her own for now.
"Claire." She responded back with a slight edge to her voice. The two sat in uncomfortable silence, with Ilana glancing over to where Stella was laughing with her competitor. It only took Claire to clear her throat for Ilana to finally remember.
"Oh! Up or down?" Ilana asked, holding up the tip of her racket. It's customary in Tennis for the home player to spin their racket. If the opponent guesses correctly, they get to pick a side or choose whether they serve or not. Luckily for Ilana, Claire picked up. Her racket spun down. "I'll take serve."
Ilana was finally pulled aside halfway through the match by Mr. Jones, who placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her further away from the other girl. "Listen. She's catching up to you. Keep your eye on the ball."
Well no shit, this isn't baseball. Ilana thought in her head, yet she didn't dare to say it out loud. She shot him a nod and listened with a plastered smile while her coach continued to ramble about everything that she had been doing wrong. Her serves weren't consistent, she needs to hit to Claire's backhand, every little mistake was recounted.
