Vonnie laughs. “I’ll record it so we can relive the moment forever.”
Chapter 18
Sebastian
When we’re on the court and done with some light stretching, I get ready to pull my weight and Luce’s as well. The last time I played with Preston he was just average, but Mom says he got some lessons to improve his backhand. And I don’t know how good Vonnie is.
Luce sounded self-assured back home, but that doesn’t mean anything. Noah was confident too, until he pulled his hamstring. Hopefully, she isn’t the type to cry over a broken nail or cracked fingernail polish. If I lose to Preston because she’s overwrought about some stupid shit, I’m going to put her over my knee.
Preston put me in a bad situation, and Vonnie was part of the problem. Nothing less than a total annihilation of this duo will satisfy me.
“Let’s get going,” Preston shouts from the other side of the net, full of self-importance. “I got things to do.”
Things. I can only laugh.
“No-ad scoring!” he says impatiently.
I look at Luce, who shrugs and says, “It’ll speed up the game.”
“That’s fine.” It doesn’t matter what he chooses, because he and his skanky ho are going to lose.
We begin. Preston serves, hitting the ball hard. Luce leaps forward and returns it in a screaming shot that lands about an inch inside the line.Well, well, well. Look at that.
She’s hyper-focused and moves with an amazing economy of motion. Her long limbs give her a great reach. Her muscles tense, sweat beading on her taut skin.
I have to admit she’s good.Reallygood. She must’ve trained for years to get to that level.
But I can still beat her if we ever play one on one.
Preston and Vonnie try, but they’re simply no match for us. Although my half-brother isn’t a complete disaster, Luce’s half-sister is. Her swings are wild, and she struggles to return even easy shots.
Every time she fails to hit the ball, she lets out a loud shriek. Eventually, other members start gathering around the court to watch us play. A couple recognize me and shoot pitying glances at Preston and Vonnie.
“You’re cheating!” Vonnie whines, pointing at Luce. “There’s no way you’re this good.”
Luce merely taps her racket. A confident smirk twists her lips. “Vonnie, the only player you could beat is a half-blind toddler who hasn’t been toilet trained.”
“You’re using an illegal racket!” Preston says.
An illegal racket.“Winners win. Losers blame the equipment,” I say.
Fuming, Preston serves. He mishits the ball, which arcs in the air and then falls like a dick going limp without clearing the net.
“That ball went down faster than Vonnie on a first date,” Luce calls out.
“Hey, Preston. Having trouble keeping it up?” I say.
Our audience chortles. “Just give up,” someone says. “You aren’t going to beat Sebastian.”
“Shut your pie holes!” Vonnie screams, before turning back to the match.
Luce serves; the ball comes off her racket so fast it looks like a tiny yellow bullet. Preston tries to return it, but ends up tripping and losing his balance instead. He grabs his leg and whines like a melodramatic soccer player.
What an embarrassment.“Get up,” I say.
He moans like a wounded hyena.
Luce cups her hand around her ear. “What’s that? Did you say you forfeit?”
