Tennis practice turned out to be pretty easy for Gabe.
After some initial practicing, a tournament had begun to determine which person would join which Group.
All 4 of his friends and Gabe had done pretty well in their first matches, all of them winning.
The bad news was that Gabe had a chance to witness Marcus's matches. He was even better in real life then on T.V.
"So, you still think you can take him?" T.K asked.
Gabe, T.K and Chase were watching on the edge of the stands, arms folded on the bar. Riley and Max were over in Blue Court doing their matches.
"Hell, yes." Gabe said as Marcus aced another serve past another unwary opponent.
Okay, maybe he wasn't as confident as before, but everyone had weaknesses and he aimed to find Marcus's.
"Perfect serves, perfect backhand." Chase listed off. "Perfect forehand, perfect footwork."
"Okay, okay. So he's good. But nobody is unbeatable. Remember that saying: No matter how good you get, there will always be someone better then you. Maybe I'm that person for Marcus."
"Maybe." His friends answered, though not sounding very enthusiastic.
"Game, set, match, Maxine West."
Max wiped sweat from her face and shook her opponent's hand.
That had been a hard match but she had won in the end. She turned to Riley who sat in the stand. She gave her thumbs up and Max returned it.
"Nice match." Riley said as they walked out of Blue Court.
"I nearly lost. She never should have let her get that one on me in the second set. It was the easiest shot. Anyone could have got it."
"You did fine Max." Riley said, shouldering her own racquet. "And we're both in Group A, so stop complaining.
"Those are mistakes I can't afford to make in the future." Max snapped back.
"Okay, okay. Sorry." Riley said, trying to calm her down.
As they walked out the court exit, a smooth voice spoke up.
"Nice match."
Riley and Max turned and saw who the speaker was.
It turned out to be none other then Marcus Freeman.
"Thanks." Max said, pushing back her hair without even realizing it. He stepped forward.
"Marcus Freeman." He extended his hand.
"Max." Max said, not taking the hand.
"Is there a problem?" he asked. "You do know who I am, don't you?"
"We know." Max said, glaring at him. "We also know that you were extremely rude to Riley's brother."
For the first time, his eyes flickered to Riley.
"You're Dawson's sister." Riley nodded.
"Yeah and you're lucky I've lost the habit of beating up my brother's tormentors."
"Dawson." Marcus said with a smirk. "He's pretty good. I can't wait till tomorrow."
"You're playing him?" Riley asked looking a little worried.
"That's right, hun." He turned back to Max.
"You should come out, Max. Give you a chance to see a real player in action."
He turned around and walked away with a arrogant strut.
"What a jerk." Riley said.
"Seriously!" Max said added as they walked into the locker room.
"God, I hope Gabe trounces him tomorrow. Wipe that arrogant smirk off of his face!" Max said.
After changing into a fresh pair of clothes, Riley slammed her locker a little harder then necessary.
"Why does he have to be so cute?"
Max smiled slightly. She privately agreed. Marcus, although a jerk, was moderately cute.
"So we are Group A." T.K said, slapping Chase high-five. They were in the Open, playing cards with Gabe and the girls.
"We are too." Max said, throwing down a 7.
"And Marcus says I play him tomorrow?" Gabe asked Riley.
"According to him." Riley answered. "You're not worried are you?"
"No." Gabe said, putting a 3 down. But he was. If he lost then he was in Group B. He would be the one in their group not in Group A.
"Come on, Gabe." T.K said, shaking his shoulder slightly. "I saw you play. You're better suited then anyone here to beat Marcus."
Everyone nodded.
"Thanks, guys." He really did appreciate them trying to cheer him up but the nervousness was beginning to feel like a stomach ache. He threw his cards onto the table and stood up.
"Look, I'll catch you guys later, alright?" he said, walking away before they could ask where he was going.
"He's probably gone to practice." Riley said, putting down another card.
"Shouldn't someone go talk to him?" Max asked. "I mean, he didn't look very reassured."
"I'll go." Chase said, folding his cards. Max shot out her arm.
"I'll go. I know what he's feeling."
"Have fun." T.K said, slamming his cards down as Max left. "And I win!"
Gabe served the ball into the wall again. He had found this old court after winning his last match. It was pretty old but he hadn't really seen anybody back here. It seemed like a good place to practice. He hit the ball several more times before he missed.
Gabe turned around to fetch it and saw that Max was standing there holding it.
"Nice catch." He commented. She threw it back to him.
"I've learned from my experiences that practicing after dark is a sure sign that, the next day, your hands will sweat."
"Thanks." Gabe said, bouncing the ball against the racquet and ground.
He was about to serve again when the racquet was taken from his hand.
"Max, I need to practice." He said, holding out his hand for the racquet.
"No, All-Star. You need to sleep." She answered, swinging the racquet a couple times.
"I can't sleep." Gabe said.
"Well, at least let's take a walk around the grounds. We have like half an hour until curfew."
"I'd really rather practice."
"Well, too bad."
Max grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the court.
"I honestly think that you can beat him." Max said as they walked past Green Court.
"Thanks." Gabe said, hands in his pockets. "The others don't seem to think so."
"Well, we've seen Marcus play on T.V so it's only natural that he gets a little recognition." Max reassured. When he remained silent, she spoke again
"You seem to take tennis a little too serious, Gabe." She said.
"And you don't?" Gabe answered back, grinning slightly.
"What do you mean?" Max asked innocently.
"Oh, come on, Max." Gabe said. "Riley told me that you were complaining about all your faults in your last match."
"I just don't want to make mistakes that will affect my game in the future." She said, a little more calmly then when she had answered Riley.
"It's just…" Gabe said, struggling. "My whole life, Riley's always been better then me. Better at school, more popular. Tennis was always what I was better at. I just want to be able to keep that praise. Back home, it was always ""Riley this" and "Riley that". I never blamed her for that. It's not her fault. I just want to make my mark the way I can."
"I know how you feel." Max said. "My mom was an upcoming star. Winning tournament after tournament. Then, one day, right in the middle of a game, she drops."
"She didn't…"
"No. Turns out she developed a blood clot in her leg but spent so much time on the courts, she never got the doctor appointments she should've gotten. She's been walking with a cane ever since."
"So her whole career was over?"
"Just like that. If she had gone to the appointments, the clot could've been treated. Ever since, she's been pressuring me to "be all I can be."
"So do you even like tennis?"
Max looked like she'd been insulted.
"Of course I do. I always have. It's just… She trailed off.
"What?" Gabe asked.
"I used to have so much fun playing it. But since I've gotten old enough to play tournaments, my mom has been pressuring me to do better. She gave me private coaches until I could come here."
"So she's, like, living through you?" Gabe said.
"Pretty much."
Gabe was surprised that Max was telling him so much. They had only known each other for like a day but he felt closer to her then any of his friends back home. She understood him.
Before they knew it, they had arrived back at the girl's dorms.
"Well, its nearly 10." Gabe said checking his watch.
"Yeah." Max said.
They were silent for a few moments. Then Gabe thought of something he needed to say.
"Thanks, Max."
"For what?"
"For cheering me up and believing in me. I'm pretty confident I can beat Marcus tomorrow. And thanks for telling me about your mom and you. I can tell you haven't told many people that."
Max reached to Gabe's side and took his hand. There were those warm, soft hands again.
"Your welcome."
She stood up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"If tennis doesn't work out for you, you'd make an excellent shrink."
Gabe laughed.
"Good-night, All-Star." She said opening the door.
"Night, Freckles."
She turned and, with one last flirty smirk, she closed the door.