There was a certain satisfaction beating guys at sports. Especially when they were a foot taller than I was and worked out.
“Impressive!” Paul said as we walked past him. He’d been at the back of the court, sometimes dodging a stray shot. He held the door for us as we stepped out of the concrete room where our squash games were played. That’s what happened when somebody went first.
Nick glanced at him. “Past the fact I got beat by a girl.”
I flashed him a grin. “If you’d been playing for six years you just might have beaten me.”
Nick glanced at Paul. “Why did I let you convince me to join this club again?”
Paul and I laughed. Nick swiped at us with his racquet, biting his lip to keep from grinning. He’d been playing for a couple months, Paul a year and a half. The coach liked to stick people who knew what they were doing with the new guys, letting the older players teach the younger. I taught Paul, and Paul taught Nick.
I jumped away, laughing more. “You joined cause all your friends were here, me included.”
Nick succeeded in thwacking my hip with his racquet.
“Ow,” I said while chuckling. I began trotting backwards to keep an eye on him yet stay out of reach. “We should get back by now. Warm-up games usually don’t last this long.”
Paul chuckled. “Wanting to escape, are we?”
I stuck my tongue out at him and turned around to jog down the hall.
“How does she have so much energy after playing three matches?” I heard Nick mutter.
I spun around, looking at them long enough to grin and say, “Practice!”
Before they could tackle me, I reached the main court’s door and opened it, letting the coaches know we’d shown up. Sometimes I wondered if matches I played should be held here. The glass-fronted court and bleachers would let people watch, at least. And make it easier to tell us when we were playing for too long.
“Just for that, we’re picking the movie next time we go,” Paul muttered as he walked past me.
“And when is that, again?” I asked as I walked in behind him.
Nick turned to face us. “Watch how you answer, or Alex there might take it as a pass to tease us until then.”
Everybody within hearing range, mostly guys, chuckled. They’d been playing with me for a few years come this point, and knew my sense of humour pretty well by now. I was pretty sure some of them had considered it their advantage to learn it.
I looked to the other side of the bleachers, seeing who I might be paired up with next. People who’d been here anywhere from a week to a day gravitated towards that side. Since I was one of the people to train new people, I liked to see who might be nice to work with. If they weren’t serious they’d never improve. I’d never improve.
There were a lot more people than there had been when I got here. Early morning practice on Saturday, at the start of summer vacation. Latecomers were to be expected. What some called cruel and unusual punishment I called the perfect way to spot who was serious. I just hoped the coaches put me with somebody who had shown up on time.
As per usual, we were the last group back. Either I beat my partners quickly and we played more games than we should, or a match lasted a bit too long. But the coaches figured we were learning so they didn't yell at us. Small blessing. If they were right or not could be left up to debate.
Nick glanced at the group of newcomers. “Hel-lo, who do we have here?”
Paul scanned the bleachers, eyes resting in a similar area. “I’m not sure, but I’d like to find out.”
It took me a while to find who they were looking at. But once I spotted the girl showing as much skin with as much tight clothing as possible, I figured I knew who they were looking at. At least she had the figure to wear it.
I glanced at the two fifteen year olds next to me and shook my head. Boys. I was glad they didn’t look at me like that. It was hard to get their respect normally.
“So!” one of the coaches said loudly, grabbing everybody’s attention. “Since a few people didn’t get the message class started at nine...” He paused to look at the newcomers, who were quickly looking away. “We’re going to change up the groups a bit.”
I leaned against the wall as names got called off and groups went to fill the courts. A few of the lucky veterans got groups without new people; they’d be able to play uninterrupted and to the top of their game. Why I was not among them I wasn’t sure. My age seemed to lump me in with the new people.
Normally it didn’t bother me. However, this week, a few people I had trained got moved into one of the advanced groups. I waved to them quickly as hey walked by. That always stung just a bit. I was just as good as they were— chances are I’d beat them more often than they beat me. I told myself the coaches needed some good people to help the new guys.
Now came the groups with new members. Coaches called out who was with who, then what that group was supposed to be working on. Nick went with an older guy to work on serves. Paul was the leader of a group learning forehand.
There were only two girls left to be put into groups. Me, and the girl with the skin-tight top. Even from here I could tell she was cold. Once she got moving, she should warm up just fine. And considering the coaches liked to put new girls with me, I’d make sure to work her. I just hoped she was willing to work.
Although, from the way she still looked half-asleep and was running her fingers through her hair, I figured that would not be easy. Hopefully she would buckle down once we got moving.
“Julia,” the coach said. “You’re with Alex on backhand. Court five.”
The girl looked up, eyes dancing around the crowd of boys left. The downsides of having this nickname… I lifted one hand and gave a quick wave. Julia’s shoulders dropped when she realized she wasn’t paired with a guy. Hopefully we wouldn’t be paired with a guy. I didn’t want to think what would happen then.
I opened the door for her and gestured out into the hall. “After you.”
Julia glanced at me with a raised eyebrow before stepping out. I followed her, letting the door close behind me. So much for an attempt at being polite.
“So what got you into squash?” I asked to start a conversation.
She ran her fingers through her dark-blonde hair as we walked past a group of guys, causing their eyes to linger on her. “My mom wanted something for me to do over the summer. And I didn’t want to play a team sport.”
I thought of every team sport league in the city. None of them were co-ed. And it was becoming obvious she wasn’t here just for the challenge of playing against guys.
I glanced at her wrists. “Do you have a hair elastic?”
She reached into her almost-nonexistent back pocket and pulled one out. A hair elastic must be the only thing that could fit in there. “I’ll need one?”
“Well, if we play a game.” I tightened my ponytail to make a point. “And your hair might get in the way while practicing.”
“I thought the coach said we were only learning backhand…”
I chuckled. “Nope.”
“Why learn more?”
I paused before opening the door to court five. “Why not?”
She just stared at me. I stifled a sigh and opened the door. Getting her to learn shots was going to be more difficult than I first thought.
“If you pick up fast enough, then we can move onto other shots. They’re pretty easy to learn, though.”
“Good,” she muttered.
I smiled crookedly, not being able to resist messing with her. “However, doing them well is another thing completely.”
She groaned softly. “How long will that take?”
This was going to be fun. “Well, I’ve been playing for about five years and the coaches still correct me.” So she wasn’t completely scared away, I added, “But come the end of summer you should be able to keep up with most people here.”
Hopefully the possibility of picking things up quickly would get her to focus.
Julia tied her hair into a low ponytail, back arched to show off her chest. As if there’d be anybody in view of the court. “How long have the guys been playing?”
I rubbed the ball under my foot, warming it up so it would bounce better. So that hadn't changed her priorities. “Anywhere from seven years to having just joined today.”
She rolled her eyes, playful smile crossing her face. “I meant, how long have the guys you walked in with been playing?”
Now it was my turn to pause. Was her attention going to my friends? At the same time, I had no reason not to answer. “Two months and a year and a half.”
“Do they beat you often?”
I blinked. That was one of the most absurd questions I had ever heard. “I’ve been playing at least twice as long they have. What do you think?”
Julia rolled her eyes. “Letting guys win can be fun.”
I couldn’t help but glance at my loose, mid-thigh length shorts and t-shirt that hung at least an inch away from my waist. “More fun beating them.”
“But then you’re, well…”
I raised an eyebrow, bouncing the ball between the floor and my racquet to make sure it bounced well. Curiosity killed the cat. And she made me curious. “Yes?”
“Do you hang out with them?”
I laughed. Hopefully she wouldn't realize it was at how silly that question had sounded to me. “They’re my neighbours.”
Julia ran her bottom lip between her teeth. “Oh…” She adjusted her ponytail. “How about the other guys?”
“Naw,” I said. “I’m just here to play.” Realizing I’d probably eaten up more time than I should have talking, I changed the topic. “Now, your grip.”
*
Comments on characters, especially the secondary ones (For now, Julia), much appreciated!
Spoiler
Self-Insert: Alex(a) (Full name to be revealed later)
Opposite: Julia
Opposite: Julia
I'm sorry if I have a lot of comments but I felt like I should do a good job with this since it is for a contest! As such... I do have a lot of comments.
