In a world where the lines between love, rivalry, and friendship blur, Marissa stands as a pivotal figure among her peers. Tashi Duncan, her cousin, is both a rival and a source of inspiration on the tennis court. Their relationship is a complex dan...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The soft glow of the vanity mirror cast a warm light on Marissa's face as she sat in front of it, her fingers trembling slightly as she applied the final touches of makeup. Tonight was the Adidas party, an event she had been dreading ever since she found out that Tashi would be there. Tashi, with her effortless grace and charm, had always been a thorn in Marissa's side, and the thought of facing her again filled Marissa with a sense of unease.
"Marissa, hurry up!" her dad's voice echoed from the hallway, breaking through her thoughts.
Marissa sighed, her frustration mounting as she glanced at herself in the mirror one last time. She and her dad had never really gotten along, and their relationship had only worsened when he had become her coach. But tonight, she knew she had no choice but to put on a brave face and endure the evening ahead.
As they made their way to the party, Marissa couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension that gnawed at her stomach. But as soon as they arrived, she was relieved to see Patrick and Art waiting for her by the entrance, their faces lighting up with genuine excitement at the sight of her.
"Marissa, you made it!" Patrick exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug.
Marissa couldn't help but smile at the warmth of his embrace, grateful for the familiarity of his presence. But as she looked around, she noticed that both Patrick and Art's attention seemed to be elsewhere, their eyes fixed on something—or rather, someone—across the room.
Following their gaze, Marissa's heart sank as she saw Tashi, her radiant smile and infectious energy drawing the attention of everyone around her. Marissa felt a pang of jealousy gnaw at her insides, knowing that Tashi's effortless charm had always been a source of insecurity for her.
But then, as Marissa slipped her hand into Patrick's, she noticed something unexpected in his gaze—a flicker of something she couldn't quite place. And as she met his eyes, she realized with a start that it wasn't Tashi he was staring at—it was her.
In that moment, as the music swirled around them and the laughter of the partygoers filled the air, Marissa felt a spark of something new—a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, tonight would be the beginning of something different.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅ ⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅ ⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
Patrick and Art stood off to the side, casually chatting, when they noticed Tashi approaching. Marissa, who had been standing with them, subtly moved behind Patrick, trying to avoid eye contact with her cousin.
"Hey, I'm Patrick Zweig," Patrick said, extending his hand as Tashi reached them.
Art added, "Art Donaldson."
"I know who you are," Tashi replied, her eyes flicking briefly to Marissa before returning to Patrick and Art. "You're Fire and Ice, right?"
"Oh, my God," Patrick said, exchanging a glance with Art. "In the flesh."
"Which one's which?" Tashi asked, a playful glint in her eye.
"What do you think?" Patrick retorted, a smirk forming on his lips.
Art jumped in enthusiastically, "You were fucking incredible today."
"Thank you," Tashi responded with a modest smile.
"No, really. I mean," Art continued, "it wasn't even, like, tennis. It was an entirely different game. I felt bad for Anna."
"Oh, uh, don't," Tashi said dismissively. "She's a sore loser and a racist bitch."
Patrick chuckled. "She'll be okay."
"You're going to Stanford, right?" Tashi asked, turning her attention back to Patrick.
"Yeah, how'd you know that?" Patrick replied, slightly taken aback.
Tashi chuckled. "Um... I just accepted my offer and they mentioned you."
"Really?" Patrick said, clearly impressed.
"Yeah," Tashi confirmed.
Art looked puzzled. "You're not going pro?"
"No, not yet," Tashi replied with a shake of her head.
"Why do you waste your time playing college tennis?" Art questioned, genuinely curious.
Before Tashi could respond, her father approached. "Baby, I need to steal you for a second. Over at the trophies."
"Uh, okay," Tashi said, glancing apologetically at Patrick and Art. "I have to go take pictures. So, um, it was nice meeting you both."
As Tashi turned to leave with her father, he finally noticed Marissa. "Marissa! It's been a while," he said warmly, giving her a hug.
"Hi, Uncle," Marissa replied, her voice a bit stiff.
Tashi and Marissa exchanged awkward smiles, a silent acknowledgment of their complicated history. Then, with a final wave, Tashi and her father walked away, leaving Marissa standing with Patrick and Art, her relief palpable.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅ ⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅ ⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟿
Marissa stepped into her hotel room, the familiar scent of freshly laundered linens washing over her as she dropped her bags onto the plush carpet. The room was spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a sweeping view of the city below, but Marissa couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of her stomach.
The Challengers event was in a couple of days, and as much as Marissa had tried to push aside her nerves, they continued to gnaw at her insides. She had spent the past few hours pouring over notes and preparing for her coverage of the event, but now that she was here, the reality of the situation was beginning to sink in.
Taking a deep breath, Marissa made her way down to the lobby, her heart pounding in her chest as she braced herself for what lay ahead. But as she rounded the corner and stepped into the bustling lobby, she froze in her tracks at the sight that greeted her.
There, standing in the center of the room, was Tashi, her sleek black hair cascading over her shoulders as she chatted with Patrick. Marissa felt a pang of resentment rise within her at the sight of her cousin, her old rival, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as she watched the easy rapport between Tashi and Patrick.
But then, as Patrick's gaze swept across the room and landed on Marissa, his eyes widened in surprise, a flicker of recognition passing over his features. And in that moment, Marissa saw something else—a glimmer of something she couldn't quite place.
Tashi followed Patrick's gaze and saw what—or rather, who—he was staring at. With a roll of her eyes, she said something to Patrick before turning on her heel and walking away, leaving Marissa standing there feeling like she had been punched in the gut.
But then, as Patrick made his way over to her, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips, Marissa felt a surge of something familiar—a spark of electricity that had always been there between them, even when they had been worlds apart.
"Marissa," Patrick said, his voice low and husky as he stopped in front of her, his eyes roaming over her face as if trying to memorize every inch of her.
"Patrick," Marissa replied, her voice barely above a whisper as she met his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest.
They hadn't seen each other since that fateful day in 2014, the day Marissa had told Patrick she was engaged. And now, as Patrick looked at her ring finger and saw that there was no longer a ring there, Marissa couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, fate had brought them back together for a reason.
