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Her opponent Olivia Sidorov walks in a few minutes behind her. She looks nervous, rightfully so. Olivia is about to take on the powerhouse that has been number one in the world for the last two years.
I take a breath for her; I know what it’s like to be psyched out by Letty’s image.
“Calm down, Vio. You’re not the one playing.” Xavier’s hand goes to my knee that’s moving up and down anxiously.
“Sorry, I’m just nervous for Olivia.”
“Do you know her?”
“No, I just know what it’s like to be up against the empress of tennis,” I tell him, using the name that was rightfully placed on Letty by a journalist.
“I won’t lie, she’s good. But one day someone is going to beat her and maybe that day is today.” He’s trying to comfort me.
It’s not working.
“Olivia is ranked number eighty in the ranks if Letty loses to her.” I pause. “That’s an embarrassment for Letty and glory for Olivia. In all, very unlikely.”
He quirks an eyebrow. “Well, I’m just here to see the green ball move back and forth.”
I push him playfully on the arm. “This is an intense game, even if it’s the first one for both of them. If I was placed against Letty in my first match, I would wish my dreams of moving forward goodbye.”
“You seem to be scared of this woman.” His smile annoys me as the words leave his mouth. It’s the first time they’ve ever made me want to wipe that grin off his face.
“She’s a trailblazer, that’s for sure,” I mumble in reply.
“Look, if you give someone a godlike existence in your mind, that thought will consume you alive with the idea that you’ll never meet the prestige they’ve received. It’s one thing to respect someone’s achievements, but it’s another to wipe away your own because they don’t belong to you yet.” He pauses. “You’re still young, and as someone who’s been in Formula One since I was twenty-two, I know what it’s like to compete against your idols. The day you wipe that image out of your brain will be the time you finally reach your full potential. Vio, you have so much in front of you. I know you’re probably thinking I’m not one to give advice with my world championships under my belt.” He winks at me as he says those words. I push him on the arm again, this time a little harder but still with the intention of being playful. He laughs, then continues.
“But I see the drive and passion you have for this sport. It reminds me a lot of when I started off in Formula One. I was given the name of the next world champion when I was twenty-three. But then everything fell apart at its seams because I thought I was untouchable. When you start off from the bottom and work your way up like you have, with no ego or glorious nicknames attached, that’s when you know that you’ve grown. Being an underdog is an advantage when used in the right way. Let them underestimate you until they regret it. Appreciate that you get the chance to beat the best in the world purely based on the adrenaline and butterflies. Enjoy them because one day they’ll go away, and you’ll have to find a new addiction.”
In the few weeks I’ve known Xavier, it’s not until this moment that I truly recognize how astute he is. When people refer to him, they only see the golden retriever exterior. I’m not saying that he isn’t that. Xavier is exactly how people would picture him as. But what they don’t know is his story and how many intricate layers he possesses.
“I didn’t realize you were that old until now,” I tease, trying to lighten up the conversation.
“Out of all the words I just said, you took the fact that we’re twelve years apart to heart.” He shakes his head, his smile back on his face.
“What? I never really noticed it until now.” My cheeks feel increasingly hotter. Most likely a rosy hue will reach them in a matter of seconds.
But I can always blame it on the sun.
“Well, the age gap is there,” he tells me with a shrug.
I like that he’s older, even if he doesn’t act like he’s in his thirties.
“You can’t tell me you’ve thought about it before.” I raise my eyebrows in interest.
“I would be lying if I said I haven’t. I met you when you were nineteen. Now that you’re twenty-one, it’s not as apparent. But it’s not something I pay attention to all that much.”
I’m content with his words. We see each other in a way that isn’t focused on our ages. I just see him as Xavier, and he simply perceives me as Violetta.
The clapping around us starts getting louder as the two opponents go to their adjacent sides of the court. The lines define where to serve and where to stand when starting off a match. The first to serve is decided with the coin toss. Having been distracted by Xavier, I differentiate who is serving based on who is bouncing the ball in preparation.
Letty has the serve.
Yikes.
Olivia is going to be in for some work.
“Letty Davis, to serve.” The empire pauses. “Both players are ready.” Pausing again, he takes a breath. “Ready, play.”
