Please Mind The Gap #1

15: Please mind the tennis party thing (part 2)

15: Please mind the tennis party thing (part 2)

--- Larry in the media section ---

They entered the sleek set of doors that led into a fancy party event with tall circular tables and dim lights. Tennis players milled around in exquisite dresses or suits, talking over the music.

"Larry!" A heavily-accented voice boomed out of nowhere. Nathan and Teddy turned around to see a muscular man in a white polo and black pants and dress shoes.

"Hey, Arvon!" Larry said, putting on a wide smile. The two men clapped each other on the back and grinned. It looked rather odd, Nathan thought. A short stout man and a tall muscular one standing together.

"Oh and this is Teddy Errol, my trainee," Larry said, glowing with pride. "Never lost a match. And this is Nathan Wren." He turned to Teddy and Nathan. "This is Arvon Dubrov, a famous coach of a very famous player..."

A figure appeared behind the hulk of Arvon. Blond hair and light blue eyes appeared along with a smiling face. The person was dressed in a sleek tuxedo, pale hands digging into the pockets of his pants.

"Ivan Tsakorov," Arvon pronounced happily, his muscles bulging from his polo shirt.

"Hi," Tsakorov said, smiling. He had an English accent, and was extending his hand out to all of them. "I'm Ivan."

"Hi," Teddy said in a half-strangled voice. "I'm Teddy."

Nathan mentally snorted at Teddy. "I'm Nathan," he said. "And I thought you were Russian."

"Oh, yeah, I am," Ivan replied. "Grew up in London, though, hence the accent. Nice meeting you all."

Who says 'hence' these days? Nathan pondered silently. Although, aloud he blurted, "Can I have your autograph?"

Ivan laughed and nodded. He whipped out a pen from his pocket and signed a piece of paper for  Nathan. He turned to Teddy. "How about you, miss?"

Teddy shook her head quickly, blushing. "No thanks. And my name's Teddy."

He winked at her. "I know that."

Teddy's face went from from a nice pink flush to a tomato red explosion on her cheeks. "Yes, well..."

"You've never lost any match? Really?" Tsakorov said, grinning. "I'm impressed."

"Thanks," Teddy said in the same strangled tone. Nathan was starting to get annoyed with him, even though he had his autograph in the pocket of his pants.

"You want to walk around with me?" Ivan offered, extending his arm out to Teddy.

Teddy glanced hesitantly at Nathan who gave a noncommittal shrug, although his hands were digging deep into his pockets. He bit his lip.

"Why not?" she agreed, taking Ivan's arm, and together they disappeared into the crowd of people enjoying the party.

"I guess I'll be paying Teddy her hundred pounds after all," Larry said sadly, glancing at Nathan.

Nathan's insides burned. "Mate. Dude. You know what's the best thing to do after shaving all your facial hair and after saying that to me?"

Larry looked curiously at him, touching his chin protectively. "What?"

"To shut up," said Nathan with relish. He turned around expectantly. "Right. Where are the drinks here?"

---

"Isn't it a bit sudden," said Teddy, "that you pull me around a party the second that I met you? Come to think of it, very teen fiction material, don't you think?"

Ivan gave her a small smile, his blue eyes reflecting the multicolored lights of the party.

"You know those really cliche fan fictions?" Teddy plowed on slightly breathless as Ivan led her onto the small dance floor. "Where the girl stares into the guy's sapphire orbs and melts into his arms after Edward Cullen comes in and rips his shirt off..." She stopped abruptly, feeling her face turn warm. "Am I driveling?"

Ivan laughed. "I don't mind." He paused. "You're not driveling."

He had a nice laugh, Teddy decided. Like Nathan, when his green eyes twinkled, and his skin crinkled around them; the way his lips curved into an enthusiastic grin, and the way he let out a breathless sort of laughter when she actually managed to make him happy...

"Is Nathan your boyfriend?" Ivan asked cautiously as he twirled her through an upbeat song. He turned pink, looking uncertain. "I'm sorry, it's not really my business."

"Well..." she hesitated. He never really made it official... but were they together already? "That," she answered dryly, "does not have an official answer yet. I mean, I don't know." She moved her feet to the music as they whirled across the dance floor. "And frankly, Mr. Tsakorov, you're a near stranger."

"I don't want to be a stranger," he said, looking at her. "I'd like to get to know you more."

"My life is so messed up, I don't even understand anymore," Teddy said aloud. "Well if you want to get to know me the first thing you should know is that I'm Teddy Errol."

"I'm Ivan Tsakorov," he replied, his blond hair sticking out in random directions. He paused his dancing and looked over Teddy's shoulder. "Is that Nathan?"

"Is that who?" Teddy whirled to see a boy moon walking across the floor, downing a shot as he did so. "That can't be Nathan," she said dubiously, as people cheered him on. Even Nikka Edwards, the girl who beat Anadova, had come to the front in her red dress looking interestingly at the boy. Just then the boy stopped moon walking and proclaimed something to the party in a loud voice.

"I'M NATHAN WREN EVERYBODY!" he announced. He reached out and grabbed Nikka's hand, and pulled her to him in a swirl of crimson skirts. Teddy saw that Nikka was giggling, turning as red as her dress. "AND THIS IS NIKKA EDWARDS!"

"Holy God," Teddy said, commending her soul to the heavens. "This can't be real."

"He's a real joker though," Ivan commented, grinning. "Cool."

After releasing Nikka, the drunken Nathan turned back to the laughing crowd. "AND ONE MORE THING BEFORE I SAY GOOD NIGHT!" Teddy cringed. It was still one in the afternoon.

"I LOVE YOU TEDDY ERROL!"

The crowd burst into a hearty applause as all the blood drained from Teddy's face. "Jesus Christ," she whispered. "Brownie, you idiot."

---

And so yes. I love you too.

What.

So anyway, thank you for patiently waiting for this chapter to come out. I love ya all danke for reading PMTG:) Many revelations will come to light in the coming chapters so keep reading!

Team Nathan or Team Ivan? (mwahaha)