"So what happened?" T.K asked, eagerly.
"Nothing." Gabe answered, biting down on a bagel.
"Don't give me that." T.K said. "You two were gone for half-an hour. You just made curfew. What happened with you and Max?"
"Okay, okay. You got me." Gabe said, in mock guilt. "She took me to the back court, slammed me into the wall, ripped my shirt off and we made out for the next half hour. What do you think? We walked, we talked. She was helping me deal with the whole Marcus nervousness thing."
"Well, a girl doesn't walk around with a guy for a half-hour just because she wants to be friends."
"Can we drop it please?" Gabe asked, before he drained his glass of orange juice.
They had gotten to eat breakfast in the cafeteria this morning. It turns out, the run in the morning was just a one time thing. They weren't out of running at all but they didn't have to run in the early morning anymore.
"Hey, Dawson." Gabe turned to see who had spoken his name. It was Marcus.
"Marcus." Gabe said, coolly. He wasn't scared anymore. He'd face him down.
"So, I hear from your sister that you're scared to face me." Many people had put their trays onto tables and gathered around. Pretty much everyone knew that Gabe and Marcus were playing each other today. This was obviously the pre-show to them.
Gabe sighed and stood up, facing the self-proclaimed tennis king.
"Well, I'll admit I was a little nervous but, contrary to your belief, you're only human."
"We'll see who's the best after this is done." he sneered.
"Well, I seriously doubt either of us are the best but I'll be right proud to kick your butt in front of all these people."
"Well, why don't we make this interesting?" Marcus said, his eyebrows slowly slanting down. He was easily shorter then Gabe but was still pretty tall.
"Like..?" Gabe asked.
"If you win, my racquet autographed by Andre Agassi is yours."
There was a soft "Oooh" that rang through the crowd.
"And if you win?" Gabe asked, afraid of what he was going to say.
"I get a date with Max."
Anger, loathing and jealousy were only some of the emotions that rang through Gabe's head.
"I don't speak for Max." Gabe said, trying his best to keep his voice level.
"But I do."
Max had strolled into the cafeteria and, watched by the fascinated crowd, strolled over to Gabe's other side.(T.K had risen and was standing at Gabe's side.) Everyone was looking at her, curious about the girl that had come up in the heated conversation between the two competitors.
"Forget the stupid racquet." Max said, staring down Marcus. "If Gabe wins and I'm sure he will, you have to admit to the whole court that Gabe is better then you."
"That's good," Gabe said, beaming at his friend.
"Fine." Marcus said. "So we have your permission for his part of the deal."
"Yes." Max answered.
"Fine." Marcus said, extending his hand. "Deal?"
Gabe was still hesitant. He didn't want to have to put Max through a date with Marcus if he lost. On the other hand, he would love to hear Marcus admit that Gabe was better then him.
With one last look at Max, who nodded, Gabe shook the hand.
"See you out there." Marcus said, releasing his hand in a sharp motion. He then walked away. As soon as he was out of earshot, Gabe turned to Max.
"Are you sure about this?" he asked her, earnestly.
"No." Max answered. "But I believe in you, Gabe. I know you can take him."
"That means a lot." Gabe said sitting back down.
As they ate the rest of their breakfast, Riley and Chase found them. They told them what had happened.
"So you're fighting for your lady's honor?" Chase asked, a hyper bar between his teeth.
"Shut up, Chase!" Gabe said, forcefully.
"I cannot believe how this has escalated." Riley said, rolling her eyes. "You're actually willing to bet Max?"
"Okay. A: I didn't bet her. B: Max is okay with this and C: You are my sister. You should have a little faith in me." Gabe shot back.
"Two titans, clashing on the tennis court for tennis supremacy and the lady in waiting."
"Shut up, Chase." Gabe and Riley said.
"I do have faith in you, Gabe." Riley said. "I just think that maybe a friendly match to determine who goes to Group A is being taken a little too seriously."
"Well, personally," T.K said, trying to end the sibling feud. "I think this is a good idea. Not only is there more motivation for Gabe to win but when Gabe wins, we get to hear Marcus Freeman bow down to someone."
"And when you win," T.K said with the same dreamed expression "you can ride off into the sunset with-"
"SHUT UP, CHASE!" Everyone at the table shouted.
"Look, Gabe. I'm sorry." Riley said. "I know its wrong that people we barely know believe you can do it and I don't. I'm really sorry."
"It's okay." Gabe said. "But still…"
"Look, I'll be your biggest cheerer today, alright?"
Gabe couldn't help smiling.
"Thanks, sis."
He and Riley extended their hands, wiggling their fingers with each other. Their handshake.
"Aww." Chase said.
Gabe punched him slightly on his shoulder.
The friends spent the rest of breakfast joking and talking. But the time finally came when it was time for Gabe's match. The P.A. rang out around 10:30.
"The match between Gabriel Dawson and Marcus Freeman begins in 20 minutes."
Gabe breathed in and out.
"Well, that's me." There were several good lucks given to Gabe and without another word, he left for the locker room.
Gabe didn't think it was possible to dress as slowly as he did but it took almost 15 minutes to put on all his tennis clothes: his green t-shirt, white shorts, Reebok sneakers, wristband and headband. After spending a few minutes lightly banging his head against the locker door, the P.A said: "Gabriel Dawson. Please report immediately to Blue Court."
Gabe gripped his racquet and walked out of the locker room. As he walked through the hall, he came across Max who was leaning against the wall.
"Hey, All-Star." She said. "You ready."
"Yup." Gabe answered, confidently.
"Great because I wanted to give you something for good luck."
Gabe turned his head, expecting a kiss on the cheek. Instead, Max turned his head so it was facing her and kissed him lightly on the lips. It didn't last very long and it felt like purely a friend kiss but Gabe appreciated it.
"Uh, thanks." He said. "I got to go like right now."
"Go ahead."
Gabe nodded and took off down the hall towards his match.
As he stepped onto Blue Court, he was surprised at how many people were watching him.
The stands were all filled up. He walked over to the edge of the net where Marcus already stood. He had the same swagger on the court as he did off the court.
Gabe shook Marcus's hand. As he did, Marcus looked over to the stands where Max sat.
"Pretty, isn't she?" he said. "I can't wait till tonight."
"Not going to happen, Marcus." Gabe said, releasing his hand from Marcus's grasp.
Gabe walked over to the line and brought a ball out of his pocket. He bounced it a couple times and prepared to serve. He breathed out, threw the ball into the air and slammed it as hard as he could. It bounced right past Marcus before he could react.
"15/Love." The referee said. Riley, T.K, Max and Chase were among those cheering.
The match had gone on for about twenty minutes. Their rallies were so long, both players were becoming tired but neither let the other gain the upper hand.
After many deuces and tie games, both Gabe and Marcus had won a set each.
Gabe was leading by a point in the final game of the third set. It had been hard earned and he felt like dropping onto the floor for a nap.
Gabe wiped the sweat from his head and waited for the serve. Marcus wound up and served. Gabe swung back and returned it. Marcus swung a backhand sending it back to Gabe. Gabe ran for it but tripped and fell to the ground. He felt a pain go through his ankle. He watched the ball fly by.
"40 all." The referee said. Gabe stood up and felt the pain go through his ankle again.
"Ah." Gabe groaned, limping back to where he would be serving.
"Mr. Dawson, are you able to continue?" The referee asked.
"Yeah." Gabe said, putting his weight on his good leg. He knew he'd have to ace this serve. He couldn't win this by rallying.
He reached inside his pocket and brought out a ball. He bounced it a couple times but hesitated in serving. This was it. He could do this. He could.
"You can do it Gabe!" Riley shouted.
"Quiet in the stands." The ref said.
Gabe smirked at this.
"Okay." He muttered. He tossed the ball into the air and hit the ball harder then he ever hit it.
The ball bounced inside the line and flew right by Marcus before he had time to even move his racquet.
The crowd cheered and Gabe's friends erupted so loud that Gabe barely heard the ref say
"Game, set, match, Gabriel Dawson."
Riley, Max, T.K and Chase climbed down from the stands and ran over to him.
"Awesome!" T.K shouted, clapping him on the back. He and Chase grabbed him by the waist and raised him above their heads.
"Thanks, guys." He said, smiling.
"I knew you could do it!" Riley said, smiling as well. They did their handshake as Gabe twirled his racquet in his fingers. Max then grabbed his hand.
"I knew all along." She said.
"Thanks, Max."
He looked over at Marcus who had climbed the ref pedestal, grabbed the mic and said very quickly "Gabriel Dawson is better at tennis then me."
"Well, that can't count." T.K said, frowning at Marcus as he walked off back to his posse.
"Like I care." Gabe said.
"Let's go." Chase said. "We can chill by the lake and celebrate Gabe's victory."
"Sounds good." Gabe said.
"So by beating Marcus," Chase said. "Does that mean you're the teen champ of Canada?"
"No, Chase." Gabe said. "I won a match and I'm in Group A. That's it."
They all sat on the sand by the lake, their sneakers and socks off, wiggling their feet in the water. It felt especially good to Gabe whose feet had felt like they were going to fall off after the match.
"Its too bad that that cliché where the two competitors shake hands and congratulate each other on a match well played." T.K said. "And they end up being friends."
"Well, maybe when his head has deflated." Riley said, flipping some water into T.K's face.
"Hey!" he said, flipping some into Riley's face.
"This has been one long two days." Max said, lying back onto her back.
"Guys." Gabe said, picking up his bottle of Storm-Burst. "I'd like to propose a toast."
Everyone else picked up their drinks as well.
"To our first days at Cascadia. No one said it would be easy, but damn it. That's half the fun."
"Cheers." and "Here, here." Rang through the air.
A/N: Well, that's my first story in the Game, Set, Match series. I hope I'll have the inspiration to write more. I hoped you enjoyed Welcome to Cascadia. Please review!