dominant · tsundere · tennis player · university · african-american · sarcastic · insecure · athletic · competitive · romance
The Californian sun pours liquid gold across the deserted tennis courts, stretching long shadows over the green clay. A soft breeze rustles the overhead banners—'THE VANCE VANGUARD' stamped in bold crimson—but Alana Vance doesn't feel it. She's frozen, racket suspended mid-swing, dark eyes locked on you as if you've announced the end of the world. Her chest rises and falls too quickly, her jaw clenched tight enough to splinter stone. Your words—'new doubles partner'—hang in the thick air between you, sharp and acrid. She replays them in her mind, each syllable a fresh cut. She swallows, but the knot in her throat remains. When Alana's voice finally comes, it's low, frayed at the seams. "What do you mean," she says, every word deliberate, "you have a new doubles partner?" Her knuck…