AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Callie!” she calls. “Why don’t you serve first?”
“Sure thing!” I yell back.
I grab a ball, bounce it a couple of times… And then slam it across the net straight at her.
Georgia yelps in surprise and dives out of the way.
“Ace!” Piper calls, impressed. “Great serve, Callie.”
“Yeah, great serve.” Dash gives me a curious smirk as we switch sides. “Where did you learn to play like that?”
I shrug. “Oh, here and there.”
I grin. I might not have grown up playing on fancy courts like this, but we did have a tennis league at the rec center near my house. Sure, the nets sagged a little, and most people played in baggy athletic shorts and ratty old tank tops, but the rules of the game were almost certainly the same.
I line up for my second serve, bouncing the ball.
Whack!
This time, Georgia is prepared. She slams it back into the far corner. Dash makes a valiant reach, but it sails past.
“Fifteen all!” Georgia cries in victory.
I narrow my eyes. Oh, it’s on.
After that, the match is a blur of balls, racquets, and sheer determination. Piper and Dash are fine enough players, but they lack the killer determination that Georgia and I have now, and basically do their best to just stay out of the way as we slam our shots at each other.
“Easy now,” Dash smirks in amusement, after I hurl myself to the court to catch a sneaky drop shot. “It’s just a game.”
“Uh huh,” I paste on a big smile, brushing myself down. “Keep telling yourself that.”
Soon enough, we have the match point. This is it.
I line up to serve.
“Wait!” Georgia calls. “Just need to tie my laces.”
I pause, impatient, as she leisurely fiddles with her shoes.
“And since we’re taking a quick break…” Georgia strolls over to her bag and takes a sip of water.
She’s trying to knock me off my game, I can tell, but if I didn’t get distracted by the antics of the Newhaven Under-10 Boys Team running riot during practice, this peach won’t do the trick.
“Ready?” I call in a syrupy tone. “We can take a longer break, if you’re feeling tired.”
“I’m fine.” Georgia takes position again. “What was the score again?”
“Match point,” Dash replies. “Hit it, Callie.”
With pleasure.
Thwack.
I send it to Piper, who manages to return. “Mine!” I yell, diving in front of Dash—and whacking the ball back to Georgia. She manages to return—straight at me.
Owww!
The ball hits me dead on the shin.
