"54,55,56,57,58,59,60."I counted before I placed the dumbbells down and took a breather.
"Okay, ladies listen up. The tournament this weekend is do or die. The opponent lists are up outside coach Lani's door." Thea announced as she walked into the gym.
"You're dismissed."she said which made us all rush to go see the list, I nodded at who I was versing, I looked beside me and noticed Simone, I helped her look for her name and rolled my eyes.
"Oh damn. Helena Davis. She's eh but don't think too much about it."I said as I tapped her on the shoulder.
"She's number one in our conference. She literally made us sweat last season."Thea said which made me kiss my teeth as I watched Thea walk away from us.
"Is she right?"Simone asked as she looked at me.
"She's tough but you're tough too."I said as I held her hand with a smile.
"I need to go finish up an assignment. I'll see you around?"I asked as I hugged her tightly.
"Yeah, yeah."she said as I walked away from her, I grabbed my duffle bag before I left the gym, I plugged in my earphones and walked back into campus.
I made my way into my room and I had flash backs of my match with Helena, she gave me hell for real but I won the match only with the help of Thea though, she tapped into my anxiety and I didn't enjoy that very much.
"Baby? You okay?"I looked up at JR who had his hand on my shoulder, I took my earphone out of my ear and looked up at him.
"Uh. Yeah, yeah I'm good. How is the founders day barbecue going arrangement?"I asked as I gave him a small smile but he placed his hand under my chin.
"I'm nervous about tomorrow I guess."I lied as I shrugged my shoulders.
"You want me to be there?"he asked as he placed his arms around my waist.
"No, no. You need to arrange the KEK event, I'm alright. Okay?"I asked as I held his chin so he could face me before I pecked his lips and left before he could say anything.
---
---
I sighed as I took my pills and quickly put them in my bag before I took my tennis racket out of my bag and began to practice against the wall.
"Miss Queen of the court. Your sister ain't here today."Helena said as she looked at me up and down, I glared at her before I rolled my eyes and began to practice against the wall once again, she giggled as she mocked me.
Whilst I was playing my game was off but that's because Helena and her girls were trying to throw me off.
"Point goes to Mecca. Mecca wins."I nodded my head as I rushed towards my bag but I was stopped by Helina.
"Your foot work is sloppy. Embarrassing."Helina said as she gave me a smirk.
"Get out of my face."I said as I packed my bag and began to feel dizzy.
"Girl, leave her alone."Keisha yelled as she glared at Helina.
"Whatever. You were lucky this time."she said as she rolled her eyes.
"Helena, shut the hell up!"I yelled as I pushed her but then I began to breath in and out and then everything went black.
"Mecca!?"
"It's just her anxiety."I heard Thea say as she played with my hair, I looked up and noticed that I had been sleeping on her lap.
I then sat up and looked around.
"Hey, hey."Thea soothed as she rubbed my arms, I then leaned in for a hug.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there. I'm so happy you won, congratulations, sis."she said as she hugged me tightly.
"I'm sorry you had to see that."I said as I looked up at Keisha, Nathaniel, Keisha's dad and Simone.
"It's okay. I told that Helena girl off."Nathaniel said which made me giggle and hold her hand.
"I was supposed to see JR."I said as I sighed heavily.
"and Damon."I said as I began to stand up but Thea held my hand to prevent me from getting out of my bed.
"Uh, we kinda called him."Keisha said which made me sigh heavily.
"Damn, he'll get all worried."I said as I rubbed my face.
"Get some rest. Alright?"Keisha said as she placed her hand on my thigh, I smiled and nodded before I laid back on my bed as they all left besides Thea.
"I hate that Helena still gets into your head and those bratty girls."she said as she rubbed my thigh and placed a kiss on my forehead.
"Don't blame yourself, T. It was my fault. This always happens."I said as I placed my hand on her hand.
"Go to tennis practice. I can see that you were going to go."
"That can wa-"
"Thea I'm fine."I interrupted as I sat up and hugged her.
"Okay. Before I go. Take your fludrocortisone."she said as she walked towards my night stand and opened my drawer to grab my pills alongside my water bottle that had water, I thanked her before I popped a pill and took a gulp of water.
"Reign? Reign. Open up please."I smiled as I heard JR's voice at the other side of the door, Thea took the pills and water bottles and put them back before she grabbed her tennis bag and opened the door for JR, she greeted him before she left.
"Baby. They said you fainted? Did you lose your match?"he asked as he rushed towards me and held my hands.
"No, no. Baby I'm fine."I said as I placed a kiss on his cheek and pulled him in a hug.
"I'm worried baby."he said as he pulled me into a hug this time it felt longer.
"Don't worry, baby. I-I um I have severe anxiety. I won the match but there's this girl that always takes advantage of my severe anxiety and she gets into my head."I said as I sat down on my bed and looked up at him.
"Baby, I'm sorry. C'mere." JR said as he hugged me tightly, I hugged him closely and nestled my head in his neck.
"How was the barbecue? I'm sorry that I couldn't come."I mumbled as I intertwined our hands.
"No, it's okay baby. I thought about it and want to go back to baseball again."he said which made me look up at him.
"Jesse, that's great. Baby that's amazing."I said as I placed my hand on his cheek and pecked his lips.
"I need to speak to coach though."he said as he sighed heavily.
"That's good. I'm glad you're going back baby. I'm sure coach Marcus will understand."I said as pecked his lips.
"You wanna do something right now? I miss my baby."he said which made me blush and nod my head.
"I am not going to lie, I missed you too."I said as I hugged him closely.
"Nathaniel said that you almost beat up the girl."he said which made me look up at him and roll my eyes.
"They told you everything? I only yelled at her, nothing bad. I also fainted so clearly I lost."I joked which made him chuckle.
"I knew you were a fighter baby."he said which made me roll my eyes at him before pecking his lips once again.
"I feel bad for Simone, she lost her match."
"I forgot that I have to scold you. What did you say to Damon?"I asked as I nudged him
"Nothing. We cool now."he said as he shrugged his shoulders which made me nudge him.
"Jesse.."I said as I playfully glared at him.
"We took a DNA test."he said which made me look up at him in shock.
"Well, did you get the results?"I asked as I looked up at him.
"Not yet. Listen baby. I don't want to talk about it right now. I just need to spend my time with you."he said as he placed his hand under my chin and bought me in for a kiss.
"Okay baby. Tell me about the barbecue."I said as I smiled up at him.
"Coach Shaw was there."he said which made me roll my eyes but I gestured for him to continue.
After JR fell asleep in my arms as we were talking to each other about our day I felt my phone vibrate and I saw that it was a message from Damon.
Damon:
You still up for the interview, slime?
I'll be there just now, stink. Give me a moment.
I sigh as I looked down at JR who was laid down on my chest, i smiled as I tickled his cheek a bit to wake him up but he groaned instead.
"Jesse, I need to go see Damon for his interview. I'll be back in a moment."I said as I placed a kiss on his forehead.
I grabbed my jacket and made my way to Damon's dorm room, I knocked a couple of times until he opened.
"Slime."he said which made me giggle and I hugged him and made my way into his room.
"Hey stink. You ready?"I asked as I shrugged my shoulders, he nodded his head as he set up his camera.
"You can sit?"he said which made me look around his room weirdly.
"Where?"I asked whilst giggling which made him roll his eyes at me before he threw his plushie baseball at me.
"There's a chair right there."he said which made me shrug as I sat on the metallic chair.
"Okay, do you think you get swayed by experiences or genetics?"he asked which made me sit and think for a bit.
"Ready, when you are."he said as he gave me a small smile.
"I feel like I'm swayed by experiences. Thea and I worked our entire lives to get to where we are in tennis, we have reach half of our goals but I'm not sure I have much of an experience outside of tennis. I mean college has helped me experience what I had not experienced as a teenager, first kiss, first boyfriend, first date. I only just experienced those things now. I'll say I'm still a little confused though."I explained which made him nod his head before he stopped the video.
"You asked JR yet?"I asked as I stood up and smiled at him.
"I tried but your boyfriend went off on me."he said as he looked down at his camera.
"He's just conflicted, D. You know JR has a tendency of letting his problems build up. You are best friends. You need to speak to each other."I said as I hugged him and made my way out, once I opened the door I saw JR.
"I'll leave you too."I said as I kissed JR on the cheek and made my way out of the dorm.