Life changing opportunities

There's a family moving into the house across from hers. She sees two kids running around with rackets and begging their dad to let them play. Beca has long stopped playing with her friend Stacie and now watches the new kids with curiosity, once Stacie notices her friend is not paying attention to her ramble she joins Beca silently observing the scene in front of them. The kids start playing a game Beca's never seen before but there's something about it that captures her attention. A couple of minutes go by and Stacie gets bored with watching the new kids hit the ball against a wall.

"Come on Beca, let's go back to play." she says to her still distracted friend.

The kids from across the street notice the two girls sitting on the porch and approach them.

The taller kid has light brown eyes and a friendly smile. "Hi! My name is Andree and this is my brother Jake"

"Hi Andree and Jake, my name is Stacie and this is my friend Beca."

"Nice to meet you" Beca says mustering a smile. "You were playing with your rackets, how do you call that game?"

"well, we play tennis but hitting the ball against the wall is just a warm up. You need to have a net and a court to play it." says Jake offering Beca his racket "Do you want to try it out? Our dad is taking us to play later"

Beca nods and follows Jake and Andree. Stacie is caught off guard by Beca accepting to play with the new kids since she's not fond of talking to strangers but follows Beca anyway.

"ok Beca, you have to grab your racket like this" Jake explains while showing her what he means. "so when the ball comes to you have to swing it this way. Got it?"

Beca tries to copy what Jake is doing but finds it uncomfortable.

"Ok, try to hit it now"

Andree throws the ball to the wall and expects Beca to hit it with the racket, she fails to do so and grunts in frustration while the rest laughs at her missing shot.

Jake and Andree's father approaches the fuming girl and pats her shoulder "hey it's ok, don't worry! It's harder than it looks like. At least you didn't fall like Jake did the first time he tried to hit it or hit your nose like Andree did"

Now it was Beca's turn to laugh. "You hit your nose?"

Andree just shrugs.

"I'm Daniel. Jake and Andree's father." the man says smiling at the kids. "oh and this beautiful woman you see here" hugging his wife "is my wife, Gail"

"Hi girls!" Gail says waving at the two little girls.

"Hi! I'm Beca, I live across the street and this is my friend Stacie. She lives two houses down from yours."

Gail stays with the kids while Daniel keeps unpacking boxes. They are taking turns to hit the ball against the wall with the rackets, Stacie gets bored soon and decides to take a sit with Gail.

"I don't get it! Why is this so difficult?" A frustrated Beca groans. She doesn't realize Jake was hitting the ball and missed it until the ball is close to make contact with her face. She raises her arms shielding her face from the ball.

"Sorry Beca!" Jake says flashing an apologetic smile.

"It's ok"

After Gail makes sure the girl is ok she asks Andree to pass her a ball.

"what are you doing mom?" the boy asks curiously. Gail ignores her son's question.

She focusses on Beca"I think I know why you are having such a difficult time hitting the ball, honey"

"you do?"

"Try to catch the ball with your hands. Are you ready?" after receiving a nod from Beca she throws the ball at her and Beca catches it. She's confused how catching the ball is going to help her hitting the ball with the racket but she's willing to hear the older woman.

"Just what I thought" Gail says triumphal while the four kids stare at her waiting an explanation.

"Beca, honey. You are left-handed. You've been trying to hit the ball with a right-handed grip. I bet yo felt uncomfortable. All we need to do is change the grip and you'll notice the difference"

"Grip? Sorry I don't get it"

"here, let me show you. The way you grab the racket is called grip. Instead of grabbing it like you were, let's try it like this."

Beca mimics what the woman is doing and can feel a difference.

"ready Beca?"

"yeah"

The moment the ball approached her Beca swung the racket successfully hitting the ball against the wall. The sound the ball when it made contact with the strings of the racket became Beca's favourite sound. Since that day all she wanted to do was playing tennis.

Everyday Beca, Jake and Andree would spend two hours playing tennis at the local club under Gail's supervision, Beca's parents could see how interested their daughter was in the sport. That christmas Beca received two new rackets, a tennis bag, new visors and three cute dress uniforms, it was Beca's favorite gift. She hugged her parents and kept smiling all day showing her friends her new equipment.

It was January when Beca and Jake were having a match and they were spotted by a man in his mid thirties. "Wow! your daughter has an impressive forehand" the man said to Gail. She smiled at him and turn to the match unfolding in front of them.

"I know, she's amazing. She's not my daughter though, the boy she's beating is my son" she chuckled.

"I'm Nigel Simons, I coach professional players. Well, used to. I'm starting my academy for kids and I'm scouting new talent. Do you know where can I find that girl's parents?"

"Nice to meet you mr. Simons. I'm Gail Smith. Actually Beca's my neighbor's daughter, I bring her and my sons to play here every afternoon. I'm going to ask them if they are interested in meeting you, I'll bring you an answer tomorrow. Is that good?"

"I guess.." he smiled politely. "Oh and by the way, your kid is good as well." he left Gail staring at the match.

Beca's mother tagged along with Gail and the kids next day after Beca pleaded her parents to give her a chance to be at "tennis school" as she called it.

Nigel saw the group approaching the court. Beca's mother and Nigel introduced themselves while the kids started their warm up exercises.

"Your girl is really talented Mrs. Mitchell. I'm starting my tennis academy and I would love to have her in it."

"Beca really likes to play but she's just six years old. I just want her to have fun"

"I understand where you come from, I have a daughter too. The thing is, Beca has the potential to be a champion. Trust me, I've been around enough time to know that. With the right guidance she could be a professional player when she grows up, she's just natural. She's good but she could be the best if you let me coach her."

"I don't know Mr. Simons. Beca is just a kid and kids shouldn't be pushed so hard. You are talking about championships and becoming professional. I'm not sure I want that for my little girl"

"Look, why don't you just give it a shot? Let's try it out if she doesn't like it then she can quit. How about that?"

"so, how much would it costs to have my daughter in your academy?"

"You wouldn't be paying anything. I want to give a full scholarship to her. I have a sponsor who is covering all costs for one talented child. I've been looking for the right kid and I think your girl deserves a shot."

"What's the catch?"

"Excuse me?"

"You mean to tell me you will give my daughter a full scholarship to play at your academy and she can walk out at any minute if she doesn't like it? There must be a catch somewhere."

Nigel laughs and takes a picture out of his wallet "You see this girl?" Angie nods realizing she's seen that girl before in one of the posters Beca has around her room. "this girl is my daughter. She's a professional tennis player now. She's the sponsor who is willing to give a talented child a full scholarship. She was lucky enough to get one when she was a little girl just like your daughter and it changed her life. She wants to change someone's life too. When I saw your daughter playing yesterday it reminded me of my daughter. The look of determination, the natural talent and most of all the satisfaction on her face when she nails a difficult shot. I know it's hard to believe Mrs. Mitchell but there's no catch at all. I'm offering you the chance to change your daughter's life just like someone helped me change mine years ago."

"Let me talk to Beca and my husband first. We need to think what's best for her"

"Sure. Here's my number." he says handing his card to Angie. "one more thing Mrs. Mitchell. My daughter is coming to town tomorrow. I talked to her about Beca. Despite the decision you and your husband take, my daughter would love to meet Beca. Do you think she can join my daughter's practice tomorrow?"

"sure, I'll bring her."

"Thanks Mrs. Mitchell. Have a good day"

"Bye Mr. Simons. You too"

Angie and Robert discuss their daughter's future that night and whether it's a good idea to let her play tennis at Simon's academy. They agree to let their daughter decide, after all the girl seems to be in love with the sport and she's been talking non stop about wanting to play at the "tennis school"

Beca runs around the livingroom and starts jumping up and down when she receive the news she can play at the "tennis school" under the condition that she keeps her good grades at school as well. She agrees and runs looking for Stacie, Jake and Andree to tell them the news. Angie and Robert call Nigel to let him know about their decision.

"Congrats Beca!" says Stacie while squeezing her into a hug. Soon followed by Jake and Andree.

The next day as promised, Angie takes her daughter to meet Nigel's daughter. Angie knows Beca is a huge fan of the girl she's about to meet and decides to leave the meeting as a surprise. The look on her daughter's face when Maria Simons greets her is priceless. She stares at the tall blonde girl for a couple of minutes. Maria introduces herself and her father to the little girl and they start talking about tennis.

Nigel chuckles at the sight of her daughter immerse in a very intense talk about drop shots with the brunette girl who seems really interested in what her idol says.

"Thank you for trusting us Mrs. Mitchell. I assure you, I will take care of your daughter as if she was my own."

Angie smiled "Thanks Mr. Simons."

A week after meeting Maria Simons, Beca started at the Simons Tennis Academy, she caused great comments around all the coaches, the brunette learned fast and worked harder than the rest of the kids, she was definitely a champion in the making.

At the age of eight Beca started to play against other academies, she was Simons Tennis Academy secret weapon, the little girl was their best player and after a couple of tournaments everyone knew Beca Mitchell's name. Coaches of other academies wanted to have her playing for them but Beca loved the Simons, they became family when her own started to crumble. Her parents divorced after her mom caught her father cheating on her. She asked the man to leave the house. Beca felt devastated when her dad left, she hated to feel like she wasn't worth staying. She hated to see her mother crying herself to sleep. Beca tried to stay strong for her mom, she knew her mom needed to know she was fine.

Stacie was the only person she could let herself be vulnerable with, they were practically sisters.

On the day her father was supposed to cheer for her at a very important tournament he never showed up. Beca kept glancing at the stands between points only to find her father's spot empty. She felt tears starting to cloud her vision. Her head was far away from what was going on in the match. She lost the match after her opponent returned her lob with a smash. She stayed at her chair after the people at the stands left. Her coach, friends, Gail and Stacie's mom where the only ones left.

Nigel kneeled in front of the girl. "Hey Beca, it's ok. We'll work on it on monday" he patted her back. The little girl seemed lost in her own thoughts, she only whispered "he didn't show up"

Nigel's heart broke at the sight of his favourite student sad over her father never showing up at her match. "Beca I promise you.."

"NO! Don't say that. He promised too and was he here?"

"I know, maybe something came up.."

"I'm his daughter, I should be important to him. Shouldn't I?"

"Beca, of course you are important to him. Look at the stands, your friends were here supporting you, I was here too. I'm going to call your mom ok?"

"leave me alone."

"Bec.."

she ran and Nigel went after her. Wrapping her in a hug, he knew she was about to break down.

Beca started sobbing and crying. "leave me, why won't you? My own father doesn't want to stay."

Nigel held Beca until she was calm enough.

"I know this is difficult, divorces suck. I hate to see you in the middle of it all but you have to know that both of your parents love you. Your mom would have been here if she wasn't working and you know that. I know I'm not your father, but I love you like you were my daughter. No matter what happens, I promise you this, I will never miss any of your matches."

Beca smiles at the man, she really loved him. He was beyond patient with her and always knew what to say to make her feel better. From that moment on she swore she wouldn't let her father ruin another match. If he didn't want to be there then she was fine with it, she had Nigel, her mom, Stacie, Andree, Jake, Gail, Daniel and even Maria sometimes came to her matches too. She had a family that loved her and supported her.

Present (18 years old)

The alarm goes off at 5 a.m. Beca silences it and makes her way to the bathroom after stretching. Quickly changing into her morning workout clothes she grabs her ipod and bag heading out to practice.

"good morning Beca!" her coach Nigel greets her once she makes it to the practice courts. "before we start our practice there's something I wanted to talk to you about"

Beca freezes "You are not quitting right?" Nigel laughs at her "No kid, I wouldn't leave my champ" he reassures her. "It's about your dad"

She hasn't speak to the man ever since he ditched her match when she was eight years old. Now she really is terrified.