Luckily the gym teacher didn't care I was new and had no introduction of me. I was rather grateful.

"After much practice today we begin our tennis tournament. There will only be one match, between two students. Whoever wins, will move on to the next. We'll keep going like that until one of you is left. I'll decide opponents on the spot. Don't take anything personal guys."

"Mosen, you're up"

I froze in shock.

"Who is he?"

"He's the new kid, just transferred today"

"He's pretty cute"

Girls chatted of him. Along with curious boys.

I was handed the racket by the teacher and asked to be the first to serve.

"You can't be serious" I huffed under my breath. My opponent was a curly haired brunetted male. I didn't catch his name, nonetheless I'll try to be friendly. "Let's have a good game" I half smiled. He didn't reply. In fact he looked serious, ugh he's probably one of those try hards.

Okay Mo, eye on the ball. Eye on the prize.

Effortlessly he threw the ball up doing a slight jump serve instantly connecting racket and ball with all his force. It landed on the other side with swift precision. Directly on the left corner of the court too fast for the brunette to even think of moving. 

"15 LOVE" 

Hell yeah I still got it. I was an advid player growing up. Sometimes I still practiced too, when I lived with my mom.

"Woah did he just make the first score??"

"Against Will?"

"Just a fluke, I mean its Will"

I heard the people around me gossip. I'm guessing he's a popular kid. I scratched the back of my neck thinking maybe I should let him win. I don't want to make anyone mad on my first day.

The boy, uh well, Will smirked at me. "Not half bad, but I'm winning this match beansprout" taunting eyes peered down at me.

I slightly glared back. What did he just call me? I rolled my eyes, unprovocked jerk seriously . "Oh really now?" I smiled lightly keeping my annoyance to a minimum.

Oh yeah he's gonna regret that. It was my serve again. Bouncing the ball with my left hand I repeated my mauntra. Eye on the prize, eye on the ball. It's something my coach used to say to me when in competitive sporting.

I finally decided to serve, this time to the right corner of the court. In one leap Will was there. Returning it to me with a single back hand.

They threw the ball back and forth. Mosen waiting for the perfect opportunity to turn offense. And it came to him. With a weak and slow hit on Wills end. 

Hehe what a dummy. He's even holding the racket all wrong. Why he's swinging with both hands and aiming all wrong, I wouldn't know.

This needs to be perfect. "Aim it well" I muttered to myself. Both hands on the racket I backhanded the ball, bulleting it to the opposite side of the court. Will leaped, and flung his racket as far as he could reach.

"30 - LOVE"

I guess he didn't make it in time, huh?

I winked folding my thumb and index finger to make a small heart. 

"what was that about winning again?" I let out a small smile digging my hands in my knees, panting. Tennis was pretty easy, aside from stamina. My legs started to feel heavy. I sighed straightning my back, I need to focus.

"This new kid is going to get what's coming to him"

"Woooah! That was so cool!!"

Other kids mumbled on.

Small huffs escaped from my chest as I tried surpressing them with calm deep breathes.

"I was only going easy on you for being new. But now you've got it coming" he seemed to grip the racket with both hands doing some kind of weird wrist circling.

Uh yeah okay, I lightly rolled my eyes again grumbling, its just a game. Two more serves, and I'm done. With that in mind I shot the ball over again. Ball darting off to the left. This was taking a lot longer than before. 

Running back and forth was starting to get to Mosen. 

Its been a while since I'd actually had a match, but I had to beat him. There's something about him that was annoying to look at. Will seemed overconfident. Cocky. He just moves back and forth with so much dramatic posing. I just want to see him lose. I mean he deserved it for being such a jerk to begin with.

Getting lost in my thoughts I hadn't realized my swings lost power. I was getting slower, I was getting tired. I saw Will position again, both hands on the racket. Thats just such a weird way to hold it?? I didn't even have time for another thought. He slammed the ball forward, no bouncing before or after reaching the net. A straight shot. I flinched and then there was ringing in my ears, and killer throbbing pain growing on my cheek. 

D-did he really just? He's going to play dirty?

"You fuc-" I seethed, but trailed off when he suddenly appeared in front of my face and grabbing my chin. 

I looked in his emerald eyes. 

Sort of feeling confused right now...

"I didn't mean to"

"I- you see.. um-" he stumbled with his words, hands waving.

"Are you okay?" he said peering into me. His grubby hands touching my face.

"You should be fine, if it landed anywhere else on your face it would have been trouble"

SMACK. 

I flinched startled as Will got hit in the head.

"You always get carried away! Take him to the infirmary and apologize!" coach demanded.

"Your game will be postponed in the mean time. James! Grace! You're both up" he ordered leaving the scene to supervise the next game.

"Can you walk? I'm so sorry about this. I just get really competitive. I swear it was an accident. I don't ever play dirty. It genuinely was just a slip up. First lets go get you to the nurses office" he put his hand on my back.

"Leave me alone. I'll go by myself." I glared shrugging his arm off.

"Do you even know where it is?"

"I will find the way."

"No way. Let's get going before it gets swollen" He grabbed my hand leading me down the hallway and down the stairs.

I sat in the infirmary with my head low. It really did ache, I still felt my face throb.

"Who did this to you!?"

"How'd it happen?!"

We spoke to the nurse barely catching her before heading out on a meeting. 

"Ice it for as long as you can okay? You can stay here and rest up until you feel a little better. I'm sorry to say but this will definitely leave a bruise. Its so swollen you're lucky it didn't rip any skin or land any higher. I'll give you some general pain medicine. Take these and go eat something at the cafeteria, I'll tell them I sent you over" she handed me a plastic cup with 2 white pills.

"I'm sorry boys but I have to go. I'll be back within the hour. If you feel worse or have any trouble come back and I'll take care of you" she patted my back and left running out her heels clanking in the hall.

"Here" I looked up at Will who had an ice pack in hand.

I took it reluctantly and mumbled a thanks. He sat next to me in a chair.

"I'm the baseball team caption here. We've never lost a game since I took leadership, pretty cool right?! Its something I'm proud of, it's serious to me. Maybe too serious sometimes...

Aaah I have a bad habit of getting caught up in sports. I really am sorry." he spoke the last part softly. In fact he looked guilty.

In that instant I forgave him. But I still don't like him. I furrowed my brows together.

"It's alright. You've already made amends by taking me here and doing this for me. Let's just leave it at that" I addressed rather coldly. With that I stood from the chair and walked out the office going down the stairs out of the building. I sat on a bench outside and continued to ice my face in silence.

"I hope we have little to no contact ever again" 

It's irritating, the thought of him just looking in my direction. I flinched slightly as I pressed the pack too hard against my check.

"ouch"