The clattering of wheels rolling hastily over tile floods and doctors rushing Raya into emergency care filled the narrow halls. Lights going the opposite way was all Raya could see. The babbling of doctors and nurses telling her she would be fine was distant and the fog from her breath on the air mask declined .

'Why now? I got to finish my match! I need to finish!'

was the words that ran through out her mind as her listless beownish-gold eyes closed. The last thing she heard was a drawn out "beep", as the vivid illustrations of how it all began, projected in her head.

Dark gray clouds piled around the shimmering blue sky. Raya screamed

"It's not fair!"

her red hair wrapped around her pale peach face. She looked down to the bright green grass under her feet trying to hide the tears forming behind her eyes with her bangs.

"Stupid Tezuka!"

She finally muttered leaning against a near by tree. A calm breeze combed through her hair and the skirt of her green and white school uniform. She let out a deep sigh.

"Hey Raya"

A serene voice called out. Raya looked up to see Zyta, her long blue hair in a pony tail blowing in the wind, and purple eyes shining, running and waving at her. Beside Zyta was Juno, brown curly hair to her shoulders and light brown eyes.

"What's up"

Raya asked already knowing the answer. Zyta gave a feeble smile

"Sorry but I have emergency basketball practice."

"and I have to stay late for track, so we can't walk home with you today, again."

Juno finished. Raya got up and walked away, her eyes concealed by shadows, and without uttering a word to her best friends. Zyta and Juno watched their friend gradually disappear from their vision.

"Whats with the sudden mood change lately "

Juno asked Zyta

"How am I suppose to know? I just know her sickness is not the cause."

"Yeah."

Letting out a deep breath Zyta and Juno pulled their bags tighter onto their backs and left for their sport clubs.

Raya stare blown away, through the chain-length fence of the tennis courts as the club practiced. Her eyes chasing the ball while she fantasized about one day having a match but the words

'you can't'

stung her ears. Raya's fingers clasped the fence firmly but she didn't feel it. She was to consumed in the match between a guy named Ryoma Echizen, the youngest member on Seigaku, Vs. Fuji Shusuke/Syuusuke, the genius tennis player on the team. currently both Ryoma and Fuji were tied.

Raya might not be capable to play but it didn't restrain her from researching about the rest of the team members in Seigaku.

Raya was so into the match she didn't recognize Tezuka walking up adjacent to her. All the Seigaku regulars stopped and looked at Tezuka and Raya. Raya shifted to figure out what they were gazing at. A gust blew through Tezuka's light brown hair then Raya's red hair.

"you don't have time to hang around here Rayako."

The regulars step by step made their way up to the two.

"What's wrong Tezuka?"

Oishi request. His green eyes jumping from Tezuka to Raya.

Raya looked at all the regulars, seeing hundreds of eyes peering at her and then back at Tezuka with anger, flames blazed in her eyes. Raya turned her back on Tezuka in a blink of an eye and walked off.

"Fuji can you make sure Rayako gets there OK."

Tezuka said with a hint of melancholy in his voice.

Fuji beamed his familiar smile

"Sure"

Fuji pursued Raya around a corner and up some stairs to a public tennis court. Raya removed a blue tennis racket, and a tennis ball from a bag she had pulled out from a secret spot under some bushes. Raya commenced slapping the ball against a wall. Fuji didn't bother hiding , he just stood behind her and watched.

The ominous gray clouds hung low in the sky as sweat traveled down Raya's face, every breath inhaled became ragged as she repetitively slammed the ball into the same spot on wall, harder each time. On the tenth swing the ball hit the wall and hurled itself back. It was just a few centimeters to high and bounced off the edge of the racket. Hanging her head Raya let the ball fly away. Suddenly she heard a "pop". Her ball came flying back hitting the wall and kept rotating on the wall for a few seconds before falling to the ground. Raya turned around to spot Fuji with his tennis racket in hand. Shadows covered Raya's face as a icy wind made the trees lean and lose some leaves.

"Fuji... that idiot sent you didn't he."

"Yep"

Thunder howl from the sky.

"Well you can just tell him I don't need a baby sitter! I can take care of myself!"

Raya roar her fist so clamped her racket almost snapped.

"You skipped going the doctor to come play tennis, didn't you."

"Your going to tell Tezuka right!"

she cried out.

"Let's play a game. I won't tell him if you won't"

Raya looked at Fuji her eye open with confusion as hep mouth gaped. The shock soon wore off, a smile then climbed up her face.

"sure."

On the court Fuji had the top of his racket on the ground while the tips of his fingers held on to the end.

"Which?"

"Smooth"

Fuji spun his racket as is turn and bounce until it landed level on the ground.

"looks like it's my serve"

Raya voiced walking too the base line. Fuji got near the base line on his side and angled his knees, both hands on his racket. Raya held the ball in her left hand and her racket it her right. Chucking the ball up in the air, "pop" the ball went zooming, landing near the service line. It rebound up at a 90 degree angle, Fuji ran up to it and smacked it back. They ran back and forth across the court return many balls, as what little sun sunk lower in the sky.

Ryoma was walking home with Momo, who was riding his bike. They had just got done getting their after school snack and was on their way to practice. They got closer the repetitive "Pop" got louder.

"Who do think is playing"

Momo said his mouth crammed with half a cheese burger.

"Who knows."

"let's go see."

Momo choked down the last bite, jolted off his bike and wrenched Ryoma up the stairs to the public court. They found themselves hiding in near by bushes watching a match between Fuji and a girl the same height as him.

"Wow she's cutie."

Momo said his jaw hanging. Ryoma just pulled his white hat with an "R" on it over his eyes whispering."

"She's Mada mada dane(still got a long ways to go)."

The outcome now was Fuji 2 games to 1. A smiled ascended up Raya's cheeks.

"So this is the best you can do?"

Raya mocked as she stepped back returning the ball.

"She has a habit of stepping back on a back swing."

Fuji raised his racket preparing to swing. The smile on Ray's face got larger.

"so sad."

With a flimsy hit the ball went a few inches passed the net and hit the ground.Fuji eyes were now wide open, the aqua blue seem to stand out from his face.

'Drop shot. 0-15'

"Can't spot my habits that easy. Fuji your so predictable"

'She read my move. The back step was a fake. She's good.'

Fuji severed the next ball then ran toward the net.

"Jeez."

the ball landed in the center on Raya's racket and went soaring toward Fuji's feet. At the last moment Fuji caught it in the middle of the racket and threw it in the air. Raya slammed the ball down on Fuji's left side.

'0-30'

Fuji severed again and again with Raya retuning ever one.

'Game to Raya 3 games to 2'

Every breath Raya inhaled became shallow and felt as it tiny knifes where stabbing her lungs.

'I got to see the "Higuma Otoshi (Bear Drop)". No matter what, I won't give up until I see it. Even if it kills me.'

Raya's eyes became enraged with fire, they continued their endless match.

Ryoma and Momo were engulfed in the match but the way they were sitting with branches rammed up every part of them. Their legs had long became numb but they still continued to watch only moving every so often.

Rain came down hard like bowling balls, lightening illuminated the sky, and thunder overflowed everybody's ears. Raya served the ball high. Wind danced around Fuji as the balls land in the heart of his racket. Fuji posed with his back toward Raya and his arms out. In a flash the ball was racing to Raya's side. She bolted, her lungs felt similar to ten trillion weights securing her down. The ball hit her racket like a pile of bricks. Sweat oozed down her face, her muscles tensed up, and her hallow breath became wheeze as she fought the strength of the ball, to rebound it. It was to much and the racket was removed from her hands. Raya tumbled to her knees, holding her chest as if she was having a heart attack taking in sluggish piercing breaths. Raya's racket sailed in to the bushes.

"Ouch."

Raya and Fuji looked to see Momo and Ryoma crawling out Momo holding his head and Raya's racket.

"Sorry"

Raya said in a wheeze. Fuji walked over and helped Raya up putting her left arm over his shoulder and one of his arms around her waist.

"We need get my medicine it's in my bag."

Raya continued to wheeze. Fuji walked her over and sat her down on the bench and handed her a towel. Raya cover her face while the guys looked for her medicine.

"that was a good game."

Raya heard Momo say

"yes."

Fuji replied. Fuji felt a cold metal tube and pulled it out. It was an inhaler.

"Is this is?"

Raya snatched it out of his hand with out looking and took 4 deep inhaled breaths before throwing it back into the bag.

"Hand me my racket."

"your not thinking of playing again?"

Momo shouted.

"Just hand it to me."

Momo looked at Fuji. Fuji just nodded OK. Momo extend his arm and Raya took it and before anyone could think and lightly smack it on Ryoma's forehead.

"ouch. what was that for"

Ryoma pouted rubbing his head. Raya looked up from under her towel with a bright smile.

"You for got to say "mada mada dane(you still got a long ways to go)" to me."

Ryoma covered his eyes.

"I said it in the bushes."

"I want you to say to my face."

Fuji and Momo just watched as Ryoma looked at Raya her red hair clinging to her body dripping with a mix of rain and sweat.

"Mada mada dane( you still got a long ways to go)."

He said finally.

"Thank you."

Raya got up and started to walk. she was seeing double , her legs wobbled like gelatin, and her center of balance was off. Raya started falling lucky Fuji and Momo caught her, one on each side.

"Sorry."

she said

"We'll help you home."

Fuji said.

"NO!"

Raya pushes both of them away falling faced first in the rain soaked ground.

"I can do it myself!"

Raya sat up on her knees her hands clutching her lungs. Slowly she got back her feet moving slower than a slug. Her feet barley leaving the ground. Fuji placed his right hand on Raya's shoulder.

"Please."

Raya looked into Fuji's eyes seeing concern. she thought it was because he might be scared of what Tezuka might do to him. Raya let out a sad sigh

"OK"

Fuji put her right arm over his shoulder and one of his arms around her waist as Ryoma put Raya's bag back in the secret spot. Momo held a umbrella over Fuji and Raya. Ryoma and Momo shared one and began to walk home. Ryoma walking Momo's bike.

"By the way I'm Rayako Sakashi but you can call me Raya."

"Please to meet you I'm-"

" your Momo, shorty's Ryoma,.."

Ryoma grunt at being called short

"And this guys..."

Raya tugged on Fuji's shirt.

"is Fuji."

"You should play Seigaku some time."

Momo joked. Raya exhaled.

"Whatever."

The rest of the way was silent, ideas forming in the regular's heads. Ryoma and Momo went their separate ways and Fuji continued walking Raya home.

To Be Continued...