Agnes knew it. That’s why she had come here while being afraid of it at the same time. After giving Elise a big hint last year with the Tennis Nurse novel the older player once again had reached out her hand and Elise only had to take it. She just needed a second to gather herself and grasp this moment.
It was the first time Elise was asked this simple question. How many times had she been asked about a boyfriend? How many times had she circumvented the question with an awkward smile and a lame excuse? Being asked about a girl felt so peculiar and so right at the same time, it made her smile. She looked at her older friend in relief, then shook her head.
“No,” she finally said. Elise laughed even though it was a bit sad and embarrassing. After all, she was already twenty years old. But then it didn’t matter at the moment. The sun was warming her face and she felt grateful and calm for the first time in months.
***
What is she doing? This was all Gabriella could think for a couple of games now. Luella was about to serve. Holding tight to her racquet, Gabriella took a deep breath and waited for the ball, but Lulu’s first serve pitifully crashed into the net. For a change, Gaga thought ironically. The other three previous attempts had gone wide. Gabriella got ready again, but Lulu’s second ball never hit the court. Instead, the ball flew high into the air before landing somewhere among the crowd. What a shameful, embarrassing effort!
Trying to hide her disbelief, Gaga made it to the other side to now hopefully get a first serve from her sister. Perhaps they could even play a little. Perhaps hit the ball once or twice. They needed to play at least a little bit of tennis so Gabriella could lose the match. What was going on with Lulu? She was supposed to win and yet she seemed to have switched off her brain. The thought conjured a little smirk on Gabriella’s lips. It looked like the Enrique Martinez overdose had finally gotten to Lulu’s head. Even the crowd seemed to wonder what was happening. This match was a complete mess.
Against their agreement, Gabriella broke her sister after Lulu served a second double fault. But what was Gaga supposed to do? How could she play worse than what her sister produced for the last three games? It was impossible. She wasn’t even given the chance to hit the ball wide. She glanced over the net to catch Lulu’s eye. But her sister had turned away.
For a semifinal, this was just a big joke and a big waste of money for the people who had come here. It was also a big waste of tennis, Gaga suddenly thought. The spectators had to be very disappointed after watching a great match before. Earlier in the afternoon, Sasha had won her match against Angela, which hadn’t been surprising. Even though the German player had had a very good week so far at the tournament, Sasha was on a roll now and it seemed like nobody could stop her anymore.
Anger arose in Gabriella. Enough with the Galloway strategy! She was a tennis player first and if Lulu didn’t want to play then she’d give the crowd her best – serving an ace down the T. And prove to the whole world that she was the one – by smacking the ball back after Lulu finally managed to return one of her serves. She was the one with the impeccable forehand, the reliable serve and a rather dangerous backhand. She hit another relentless shot down the line and after another break the set was over.
“Game and first set, Gabriella Galloway,” Lynn Pebblestone announced.
Numbed by what she had done, Gabriella walked to her seat. She had just won the first set. And in a brilliant way, she should add. No, it wasn’t the match of her life since her sister seemed to be completely missing in action but still good enough to feel the excitement she loved so much, playing her game and going for her shots. Unhindered by a Galloway plot she could play like she always dreamed of playing. At the changeover she met Lulu’s
It was the first time Elise was asked this simple question. How many times had she been asked about a boyfriend? How many times had she circumvented the question with an awkward smile and a lame excuse? Being asked about a girl felt so peculiar and so right at the same time, it made her smile. She looked at her older friend in relief, then shook her head.
“No,” she finally said. Elise laughed even though it was a bit sad and embarrassing. After all, she was already twenty years old. But then it didn’t matter at the moment. The sun was warming her face and she felt grateful and calm for the first time in months.
***
What is she doing? This was all Gabriella could think for a couple of games now. Luella was about to serve. Holding tight to her racquet, Gabriella took a deep breath and waited for the ball, but Lulu’s first serve pitifully crashed into the net. For a change, Gaga thought ironically. The other three previous attempts had gone wide. Gabriella got ready again, but Lulu’s second ball never hit the court. Instead, the ball flew high into the air before landing somewhere among the crowd. What a shameful, embarrassing effort!
Trying to hide her disbelief, Gaga made it to the other side to now hopefully get a first serve from her sister. Perhaps they could even play a little. Perhaps hit the ball once or twice. They needed to play at least a little bit of tennis so Gabriella could lose the match. What was going on with Lulu? She was supposed to win and yet she seemed to have switched off her brain. The thought conjured a little smirk on Gabriella’s lips. It looked like the Enrique Martinez overdose had finally gotten to Lulu’s head. Even the crowd seemed to wonder what was happening. This match was a complete mess.
Against their agreement, Gabriella broke her sister after Lulu served a second double fault. But what was Gaga supposed to do? How could she play worse than what her sister produced for the last three games? It was impossible. She wasn’t even given the chance to hit the ball wide. She glanced over the net to catch Lulu’s eye. But her sister had turned away.
For a semifinal, this was just a big joke and a big waste of money for the people who had come here. It was also a big waste of tennis, Gaga suddenly thought. The spectators had to be very disappointed after watching a great match before. Earlier in the afternoon, Sasha had won her match against Angela, which hadn’t been surprising. Even though the German player had had a very good week so far at the tournament, Sasha was on a roll now and it seemed like nobody could stop her anymore.
Anger arose in Gabriella. Enough with the Galloway strategy! She was a tennis player first and if Lulu didn’t want to play then she’d give the crowd her best – serving an ace down the T. And prove to the whole world that she was the one – by smacking the ball back after Lulu finally managed to return one of her serves. She was the one with the impeccable forehand, the reliable serve and a rather dangerous backhand. She hit another relentless shot down the line and after another break the set was over.
“Game and first set, Gabriella Galloway,” Lynn Pebblestone announced.
Numbed by what she had done, Gabriella walked to her seat. She had just won the first set. And in a brilliant way, she should add. No, it wasn’t the match of her life since her sister seemed to be completely missing in action but still good enough to feel the excitement she loved so much, playing her game and going for her shots. Unhindered by a Galloway plot she could play like she always dreamed of playing. At the changeover she met Lulu’s
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