when worlds collide [george russell]

Chapter 3

The train ride home on Sunday was filled with thoughts about the nameless boy.

First of all, what were the odds that she would meet him again in a tiny town 100km outside of London. Second, why was he acting how he did?
His cockiness about his car already ruined the charming personality Willow had made up for him but she was still extremely curious about him, although she couldn't figure out why.

This Wednesday she would be at the tennis club again and she hoped for nothing more than for him to be there again.

"I hope you play better than last time today. I want you to compete at the clubs competition next weekend, and not just play, win." Alex said while they walked side by side to the court they had been advised to.

Court No.5. Willow played perfectly agains Alex for an hour, this time without any distractions.

"Good job, Déntro!" her trainer said while walking up to her to high-five her. He always called her déntro - the first time they met he got the idea to do so, from her name being the name of a tree and déntro being the word for tree in his mother tongue, greek.

They left the court to head inside, where Alex nudged Willow to add her name to the others on the sheet of paper handing on the information wall to take part in the clubs tennis match next Sunday.

"I don't even know if I'll be here in London, you know I'm in Brackley most weekends." Willow tried talking herself out of it. Not only did she alway underestimate her tennis skills but having a decent amount of people watching her play was for sure not her thing.

They walked along the hallway to eventually reach the information wall on the far end of said hallway, when Willow spotted a familiar tall figure standing in front of the board. She immediately noticed who it was. Was this going to be their next encounter? With her trainer beside her?

They still had a few meters ahead of them before they would reach the board and just as they got there, the tanned legs started moving towards the exit without looking back.

Willow guessed the universe just didn't want it to happen. She could have said something, but what could she have said? "Stay here, nameless boy!"  No, it was better like this anyway and Willow realized this was her chance to find out his name, as he had just written it down on the board to sign u for the match.

Alex and Willow stood in front of the board while she scanned the list downwards to read the last name. George Russell. His name was George. This name fit the version of him she had made up in her head but not the cockiness he displayed the Saturday before.

The first thing that came to her mind was to look him up on social media until Alex disrupted her line of thought, "So are you going to put your name on there or do I have to do it for you? Because if you want it or not, you're playing I'm forcing you!"

Willow couldn't say anything against it anymore. Now she actually wanted to go if it meant a possible interaction with the mystery boy she now knew the name of. She didn't know what it was but something about him had captured her interest and she couldn't shake it off.

"Ok, ok. I will sign up, but I make no promises." Willow gave in.

"I don't know if you have noticed this, but the people attending this tennis club are mostly no younger than 50. If you ask me, your chances for a win are pretty good. You're young and athletic and I know you're having a hard time believing it but you're actually a pretty fricking good tennis player!" Alex said, patting her shoulder and giving her and encouraging smile.

"I guess we'll see..." Willow said smiling back insecurely.

The people here being on the older side was one of the reasons she chose this club when she first moved to London, which was also the reason why she was so confused about this George guy coming here. In no means was this club fancy and now that she had seen him getting into that very fancy car, him being at this specific tennis club, made less than zero sense to her.

Sunday came and as Willow had to get up before nine on a weekend especially after going out with her girlfriends the night before, she cursed the day she signed up to take part in this competition.

Even though she now knew his name, she had decided not to look him up on any social media. If there was one thing she wanted to get rid of, it was her habit to get way to obsessed with any male she felt an attraction towards. Fighting this urge and habit was just as hard as fighting her addition to nicotine, which she had done the previous year. But with the mindset that she could stop smoking without any substitute nicotine, she could also fight the urge to stalk this boy on social media. She was already going to this tennis match just because of him, that was definitely enough obsessive behavior.

After splashing water into her face to wake herself up and wash away the tiny but still present hangover, she put her hair up in a tight ponytail, searched half an hour to find her tennis skirt and put it on as well as her sport tank and headed out of her flat with only a water bottle and her tennis racket in her hands. Although the stare on the tube were never appreciated, she just really didn't want to waste any time getting changed at the club.

She arrived to be greeted by Alex's arms wrapped around her. "Wow,  you really came. I'm impressed."

With the look on her face still formed by tiredness she looked around at all the people attending the match until she spotted George. He was wearing the yale-blue shorts again, this time paired with a white shirt from Nike, slightly tight around his chest area, allowing her to get an idea of his pectorals. On his head a light blue cap to keep the sun out of his eyes.

He was speaking to the owner of the club. Willow knew who he was because after playing tennis there for two week, the owner walked up to her asking the name of her dad. Turns out they went to school together. 

Right now, as Willow watched George from an angle where only she could see him and not the other way around he seemed just like she imagined him. He was laughing and smiling while talking to the owner, making him laugh as well. He seemed kind, shaking the hand of an older lady, the owner introduced to him. He made her laugh as well before kindly excusing himself from the conversation, folding his hands in a thanks and heading inside.

"I'm going to the bathroom before the craziness starts." Willow informed Alex and discreetly followed George inside.