Page 24 of Game Point
‘Insanity?’ she laughed. ‘And a certain bet I’m supposed to not mention anymore.’ I watched a smile grow on her lips. ‘I think it’s because as much as defeat is hard, I still love the sport. The struggle isn’t anything new, but exhaustion is, and while I know what might be good for my mental health, stopping feels like stopping a boulder from rolling down a hill.’
‘Impossible,’ I summarized. ‘Until the boulder hits the ground.’
She sighed. ‘Exactly.’
Dylan set her phone down as she stood, shoving her racket away. ‘I’m heading back in. You’re too much of a distraction.’
I smirked, her movement striking me into action, putting my own equipment away. ‘You’re the one who texted me.’
‘And you started this call.’ She shouldered her bag, still holding her phone so I could see her as she made her way back towards her hotel.
‘Like it isn’t the highlight of your entire day,’ I replied, making sure everything around the court was tidied away before turning off the floodlights.
‘Given it’s twenty past midnight, there’s not much to compare it to.’ Shadows covered her face as she walked back to the hotel. I paid extra attention, almost tripping up myself as I watched, making sure she made it back to a better-lit area.
‘Shit,’ I swore, wincing at the reminder of the time. ‘I might actually have been too cocky about the match tomorrow.’
‘You’ll be fine,’ she waved my concerns away. ‘It’s in the afternoon, right?’
My eyebrows pushed up. ‘Been stalking me again, have you?’
She reached the inside of the hotel. ‘I pay attention to all the tournaments.’
‘Likely story,’ I teased as I reached my own hotel, heading straight for the lift. As I waited, my eyes were on the screen, making sure Dylan was safe as she got inside herown lift. It made me smile a little, seeing how in sync we were, no matter the miles.
‘We should do something about that ego of yours, Anderson. Over-inflated doesn’t begin to cover it.’
‘Says the great Dylan Elizabeth Bailey.’
My lift arrived, and I got in, pressing the button to my own room. Dylan was walking down another corridor, I assumed, heading to her room.
‘Okay, I’m the stalker but you know my middle name.’
‘I was doing research for my police report. They need your full name for the restraining order,’ I joked, the lift doors closing behind me. Silently, I prayed the internet didn’t cut out as the machinery jolted into action. I watched the screen, noticed she had paused, the phone at a weird angle. She moved again, going from light to dark, and I realized she had reached her room.
‘Jesus, I chased one man down the street …’ She trailed off, lights turning on around her.
‘Yelling my name, might I add,’ I joked as the lift arrived at my floor.
‘I was trying to get your attention.’ Her voice rang out in the empty hallway. I pulled my key card from my pocket, reaching my bedroom.
‘By alerting every single one of my numerous and rabid fans?’ I dumped my tennis bag by the door before pushing my trainers off my feet. I considered a shower for a brief moment before relenting to the call of the bed.
‘Oh, there’s that ego again.’ When I looked back, she too was lying on her bed, her hair now free from her bun, spiralling out across her white duvet.
I reminded myself I was not interested in anyone, no matter how beautiful they were.
‘You know, nobody has ever accused me of having a massive ego,’ I pointed out. ‘Maybe it’s a personal thing with you.’
‘Maybe I can bring out your competitive side.’ She yawned then, eyes softly closing.
‘You should sleep,’ I reminded her, fighting off my own yawn.
‘We shouldbothsleep.’ Her eyes looked heavy but her words were true, nonetheless. That didn’t mean I fought the need to end the call any less.
I told myself it was because the friendship was new, like a fresh start where there’s no pretence of pretending everything was fine. But really, I felt like more than anyone else I knew, she could understand how I felt.
‘If we don’t talk before your match tomorrow, then good luck!’ she said. ‘Although I’m sure you don’t need it.’
