The Queen of Clay

1 - Rafael

^^rafa^^

A/N

Rafael is single

All these guys are friends

Rafa is in his twenties not thirties

Roger Federer isn't retired

the start of the story is in the Austrailian Open.

Sophia Martinez (one of the main characters of the story) is not real and just a made up character

TRUST ME IT GETS BETTER IN THE LATER CHAPTERS JUST ENDURE PLEASE

Rafael POV:

I adjusted my shorts front and back, I touched my left shoulder, then my right. Then I tucked my hair behind my ears then tweaked my nose right after, and touched my cheeks. I bounced the ball a few times, then I tossed it up. 

A perfect toss to end the game,

I thought, and I extended my arm with my racket to smash the ball down- the start of the end. 

It went in slow motion. The person I was playing, Lorenzo Mussetti, jumped for the ball but couldn't reach it or touch it at all. 

It was an ace! The game was over and I won it!

"Game, set, match, Nadal." The umpire's voice boomed over the center court. 

I ran up to the net to greet Lorenzo, shaking hands and saying good game.

"It was a great time playing you Rafa!" Lorenzo said whilst shaking my hand.

"You too, you play well" I reply, patting his back. 

I put my racket away in my bag and gulp down the my entire water bottle- the results of getting so hot and sweaty. 

The cheers and shouts from the crowd echos in my ear, then I walk over to the center of the court to celebrate a little. I shake my head, sending little sweat droplets out of my hair and look to my player box. 

I see my best friend, Sophia Martinez, also a pro tennis player, laughing at me. 

I run over to her, laughing. 

"You look like a wet dog!" She exclaims while laughing.

"Really?" I say while shaking my hair some more.

"Ahh- stop you'll get sweat on me, you're so gross." 

"I think you're very pretty too, no?" I reply. 

"Go," she says in a half annoyed, half humorous voice, "You need to sign the tennis balls."

"I don't have to?" I start.

"Yes but they want you to, I bet they're wondering why your talking to me so much." 

"Ice cream later?" I ask.

"Yes please!" She says excitedly.

"You only like to see the ice cream not me." I say in a baby voice.

"Maybe- but go already!" and then she pushes me away.

And so, I walk away with a smirk on my face. 

A ball kid hands me a sharpie and three balls for me to sign. When I sign them, I give the sharpie back to the kid and grab my racket.

I turn to the roaring crowd in the gigantic stadium, and start hitting the balls in random places.

Some excited kids catch the first two balls and an eccentric woman catches the third one.