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TWO YEARS LATER
Chapter1
Violetta
“Porfis, Ale!” I tell my best friend on the phone.
“Tu sabes que Mauricio es súper exigente con quién deja entrar esa casa,” she responds to me as our conversation continues in Spanish.
“I get it. He’s being extra careful now that his son is the head ofLos Reyes De La Muerte. But it was my house before it was yours and I’m your best friend. I know you’ve disowned the man, which I’ve supported from the very beginning, but please do this for me,” I beg.
My father sold our house in Acapulco to the man he aspires to be, Ale’s father. He bought it a year ago, after Ale’s first championship. Mauricio Castillo wanted to get his daughter a present even though she doesn’t talk to him anymore.
The moral of the story: Ale didn’t accept his gift. At the time, I was just as mad at him and supported her decision. Now they are on better terms.
Even though she still dislikes her father.
“You know the season is coming, and my prep always involves that house.” I convince, trying to solidify my argument.
“I understand, Vio, but you know how careful I am with my father. I don’t like to ask for things because that means I have an obligation to him,” she explains.
“And I completely understand. If you’re uncomfortable, don’t ask. But if you do this for me, I would definitely appreciate it,” I plead.
She sighs. “Okay, I’ll try. But only because you’re my best friend and it’s December, which means the season of giving.”
I squeal in response.
“Ragazza, come back to bed,” her fiancé, Luca, says distantly in the background.
“I have to go, Vio, but I’ll text you tomorrow to give you an update.”
“Thank you! Thank you!” I squeal into the phone one last time before she hangs up.
Setting my phone down on my bed, I take in Mexico City through my apartment window. It’s seven in the morning, which is an ungodly hour to some, but I’ve always been a morning person.
When I decided to call Ale, I had already finished my workout for the day. I have practice later in the day with my trainer, Sofia.
Having been a professional tennis player, Sofia has put me in a league of my own. I remember watching her last game on TV when I was about seventeen. She tore her ACL during a match. As disturbing as it was to see, it eventually brought her here as my coach.
Since my father isn’t very supportive of any of his daughters’ careers, I had to find her myself. She was hesitant, but I think in a way her training me has helped her live her own dream vicariously through me.
She is an absolute animal when it comes to training. I train on the court four to five hours daily, at least four days a week. Then the rest of the days, I focus on stamina, speed, agility, and strength training.
Her training style is focused on a core three, which is the basis of how she coaches.
Training, Heart, and Head.
Trainingis everything that has to do with the sport, the things that I do when I work on the court four to five hours a day, including my separate workout sessions.
Heartis my drive, the desire to win, and playing like my life depends on it.
The most important,head. Tennis is a taxing sport and since you play primarily individually, most tennis players are self-centered. It’s the building block of matches and players within themselves. But fundamentally, it’s not letting that self-centered nature play games with your brain. Anything can happen within those three matches. One point matters. If a player loses a set, they can recuperate by winning the second, thus tying in the process. But every tennis player wants to dominate their opponent. The mind is tricky, and the strategy is letting plays process without it getting to your head.
My season schedule is planned in a manner that only requires me to play specific tournaments in order to test the waters before competing in all four grand slams. This leads to my summers spanning over December as I prepare for the only few tournaments I participate in during the year.
Tennis is my life and after my breakthrough into the sport a few years ago, I feel even more confident that this season I’ll win at least one major title.
Playing tennis has been my lifelong goal, one that I used to draw on my dream board when I was eight. While my dad fed me his future CEO spiel, I was already planning my tennis career.
