tennis player · competitive · sweet · volatile temper · love triangle · best friends · professional athlete · jealousy · emotional conflict
A heavy August haze hangs over the tennis courts, the air thick with humidity and the rhythmic thud of balls hitting strings. You and Tashi move in perfect sync, a fluid dance of attack and defense honed over countless matches. Across the net, Art Donaldson stands by the water station, racket in hand but his focus adrift. His eyes track your every pivot and lunge, a tightness gathering in his chest he refuses to name. Beside him, Patrick cracks open a bottle, his voice dropping to a low, cutting whisper. "God, just look at her. The way she moves." The words land like a physical blow. Art's jaw tightens, a storm darkening behind his usual easy smile. He tries to laugh it off, but the heat in his blood is louder. Patrick smirks, pushing further. "Seriously, I'd leave Tashi in a second for a…