TEACH ME HOW SERIES: #1: Lawn Tennis
Background song: You're not alone (Owl City)
It was a gloomy day and Philippines is at the Lawn Tennis Court practicing how to hit the balls.
The ball launcher is throwing balls at her every 7 seconds. She's already in her 79th ball but she hasn't returned any of it. She's starting to feel disappointed when the ball launcher released another ball but again she missed it.
'One more' she muttered to herself when again she missed the ball again. She felt frustrated so she threw the racket instead and fell into her knees and started to cry.
She has been trying to hit the balls for almost 9 hours for almost a week yet still no progress. Her classmates are starting to mock her being the only one left out in their whole P.E class for their last three meetings and their teacher, Mr. Aquino has been patient enough to repeat all the things he said, guide her and lent her a racket since she can't afford to buy one.
Raindrops started pouring one by one and she can feel the cold touch that the rain gives her. Seconds later, the rain started to pour harder and the ball launcher is still on and is throwing balls at her as if saying 'Hahaha! You're such loser!' but she just ignored it.
Later on, she felt that the ball launcher stopped throwing balls at her and the raindrops stopped falling on her. With so much curiosity, she lifted her head up only to find out a handkerchief in front of her.
"Come on, wipe your tears"
She found Germany squatting in front of her holding an umbrella to keep him and her from getting wet as he hand his handkerchief.
She also noticed the racket lent to her by her teacher which she had thrown earlier resting beside Germany.
'He must've picked it up' Philippines thought when Germany spoke once again. "And Philippines, You don't throw the racket, instead you use it to hit the ball."
Germany said as he hand the umbrella and handkerchief then picked the racket up and stood. He prepared to hit doing the athletic stance and waited for the ball launcher to release a ball.
Moments later Philippines heard a consecutive sound of a ball being hit.
Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!
She wiped her tears and looked at Germany, now, wet and watched him closely as he hit the balls.
"See?" Germany said. "Want me to teach you?" he offered.
Philippines looked at him then smiled as she started to stand up.
"Can you?" Philippines asked. Germany just smiled as response.
"Why not?" Germany said. "How bout I teach you every 5:00 in the afternoon?"
"Sure!" Philippines replied now smiling brightly.
"That's better" Germany commented.
"Huh?" Philippines asked.
"I mean, you smiling. It's better to look at." Germany explained.
"Ah" Philippines replied.
"So let's start?" Germany asked.
"But we are wet." Philippines said a she look at her blue shirt and shorts.
"Nah, its better" Germany replied a he hand the racket to Philippines. "First, let's correct your stance" he started.
Germany guided her on how to do the proper athletic stance and how to hold the racket. Few moments later, Germany asked her to hit a ball but she still misses them.
Germany stood at the side and observed her. The rain stopped now and she has been trying to hit a ball for 15 minutes but not even one was hit.
"I guess, your lacking concentration" Germany said as she approach her. "When you are hitting the ball, you must watch it and concentrate." Germany said as he demonstrated how to do it.
Philippines watched him and noticed that he looked good in his uniform. A white men's blouse and loose red necktie and dark blue slacks and then pointed black leather shoes.
"Here you try it" Germany said as he hand back the racket to Philippines.
Philippines took it and tried what Germany had instructed her yet she still can't.
"Philippines try to think that the ball is the face of the person you hate the most" she heard Germany said and tried to do it.
She thought that the ball is America's head. Seconds later, she heard Germany saying 'you did it!"
She looked at the other side of the court and saw one and the only one green ball that is at the foot of the ball launcher.
'I did it?' she absent mindedly asked. That's when it hit her, she did it.
"I did it!" She exclaimed as she raised both of her hands into the air and ran towards Germany.
"Congratulations!" Germany replied as he pats Philippines' back.
"Thank you! Thank you!" Philippines happily said as she still hugs Germany.