Falsetto | T. Drake ✔

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It was the Final match of the Under 19 Annual Tennis Championship and tension was building up among the crowd as clearly evident from their cheers and enthusiasm. 

Reece Parker from Gotham Academy was up against Marcus Hoult of Princeton Academy.

It was the first time in six years for Gotham Academy to reach the finals, all thanks to its young Tennis player Reece Parker. He had joined just a few months before the Championship was announced and had applied immediately to get selected for it.

Every year, the cup for the Tennis Championship went to Princeton whereas Gotham Academy usually got eliminated in the semi final rounds or before that. But that year when the Coach had selected Reece Parker, he knew they had a shot at winning the championship at last.

Reece had joined from Senior Year; he had completed sophomore and junior year from a high school in Star City but with their shift to Gotham, he had been enrolled at Gotham Academy. 

His father Dave Parker was a renowned architect and needless to say, Reece had seen a life of privilege. He was good at tennis and had taken part in many small scale championships back in former high school as well.

But at Gotham Academy, he saw the chance to score a place in the upcoming championship and made a beeline for it. The Coach had trained him and the other players to their very best and for the first time in six years, in the Final match one of the qualified players was wearing the GA shirt with the name Parker printed on the back.

The collective cheers of Parker and Hoult were resonating within the tennis court as both the players took their positions. Reece could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins as his grip tightened on the racket, dark brown eyes focused on the opponent.

Hoult was to make the first serve and Reece had trained his eyes on the green tennis ball. He was under pressure though because naturally all of his Academy wanted him to win the cup and even though he had scored great on his previous matches, coming to the top two players at last, still the pressure for that match was far more intense.

"Reece, you got this!" He heard his best friend Stephanie's voice encourage him and despite the pressure a slight smile broke out on his features. Normally, it would have been difficult for a single voice to stand out among a whole crowd of cheers, but Stephanie Brown held the ability to yell louder than a banshee when she wanted to.

The commentator was still announcing the total scores of Gotham and Princeton, elaborating on how important the final match was for either Academy to covet the Cup.

At last, the match began. Hoult made the first serve but the ball struck the net. It was quite expected, usually players used the first serve to check their opponent. Reece didn't flinch and at the second serve, he kept track of the ball, going for a forehand shot.

The commentary was running in the background but he was focused only on the small green ball bouncing back and forth between the two rackets and the floor of the court.

There were very few net strikes and faults because Hoult too was a very capable player, having reached the Finals level proved that.

It seemed as if the game would go on for a really long time and with each recurring Deuce and Advantage, the crowd would go wild hoping the next shot would be the final one. But both players were giving each other a hard time.

The commentators were also on their tenterhooks, their voices fluctuating into enthusiasm each time an Advantage was taken and dropping when the score returned to Deuce again.

"And Parker going for a clear shot again, Ad-in!"

Reece had observed that Hoult was slightly weak in backhand so he was trying his best to give him backhand shots because then the return shot would be less swift and easy for him to tackle. 

Two Deuces later, Reece finally scored the winning shot.

"We have ourselves the winner; Reece Parker from Gotham Academy! First time in six years for Gotham Academy to take the Cup from Princeton. What an exhilarating performance!"

Both the players were standing together for the prize to be given. Marcus had received a medal for being the Finalist for the championship while Reece took the cup and held it high among the noisy cheers from the students of Gotham Academy.

As they were leaving the court, Reece shook hands with Marcus and remarked, "you played really well."

"You too," Marcus smiled and patted him on the back, "your shots used to catch me off guard, you're good."

He smiled as well, noticing that even though Marcus had lost the game, he had enough sportsman spirit to not make a scene out of it and actually accept it, "man, you're the one with the shocking Aces." 

"Your Academy is going wild with excitement right now."

"Six years... Can you imagine the pressure on me?"

"Of course, it would have been crazy."

And sure enough, the people from Gotham Academy were going crazy from the thrill of finally winning the Championship after six years. The second Reece stepped into the stands, he gave the Coach the cup and right next moment he was hoisted up on the shoulders of the students crowding to see him.

The cheers of his name still echoed as the crowd put him down, people patting his back appreciatively and ruffling his head.

Reece wasn't new to that sort of attention but it sure felt weird as he was the new student in school and didn't know even quarter of the population. When the crowd cleared finally, he was once again taken aback as Stephanie Brown tackled him into a hug.

So far, she was his only good friend at the Academy and it was no surprise since she was quite a bubbly personality, befriending him just on his first day and had helped him to adjust there as well. She was also the most popular student of the GA and on good terms with almost everyone.

"You did it, I'm so proud of you!" She squeezed him tightly, "you did us all proud."

He smiled as he pulled back, "wouldn't have been possible without all your motivation."

"Congrats, Reece," the familiar voice of Malia Simmonds reached him and he turned to see her beside Steph. The two were close friends and with Reece joining Gotham, they had become quite a trio.

"Thanks, Malia," he replied, "oh and I remember, dinner's on me tonight."

Steph's smile widened as she remarked playfully, "good thing you remembered yourself or else I would have been a real pain for you to endure."

***