1On Clay Courts
I stepped through the gates onto an unfamiliar set of clay courts. I could feel stares from people as I passed them. I stopped for a moment on the white line, adjusting my bag on my shoulder. I looked down and scuffed my foot on the clay, testing it. I looked up and let my gaze wander before I spotted what I had been looking for. I took a deep breath and approached the coach. He was talking to a black haired green eyed player who, I assumed, was the captain. He locked his eyes on me, taking his focus away from the coach who then turned to see what the distraction was.
"Can I help you?" the coach asked me. I let my eyes move from the green eyed boy to the coach. I bowed slightly.
"My name is Shirasu Ayumi, I was told to come here to ask about joining the tennis team." I answered, opting to give my Japanese name rather than my American one. I couldn't help but let a little bit hostility creep into my voice. After all I didn't want to be here in the first place. I had been perfectly happy back home. I already hated this school and I had only been here for a day. I missed my friends and my school and everything else about America. Japan was too unfamiliar but of course since my father was transferred so we had to move. My mother didn't complain a bit. She was more than happy to come home.
"Ah yes, I was told you'd be coming sometime soon. Have you filled out the registration forms?" he asked. I shook my head.
"I wasn't told about any forms I needed to fill out when I asked about the club."
"I see." The coach looked thoughtful for a moment. "Aizawa, take Shirasu to my office and get her the necessary papers kudasai."
"Hai," the green eyed boy answered, bowing to the coach. He hardly spared a glance at me then took off at a rather quick pace back towards the entrance to the courts. He stopped when he was out of sight of the courts and turned around so suddenly that I almost ran into him.
"You don't need to be so hostile. Coach my not have noticed but I can almost feel the hate radiating off you." He warned me. I glared up at him.
"Don't talk like you know me." I spat back at him. "Who are you anyway?"
"Aizawa Kaiji, team captain." I grudgingly had to admit that I was slightly impressed with the calmness he maintained despite my obvious hostility. "You're not going to be welcomed by the other players and being angry won't help in the slightest."
"I could care less if I'm accepted, I've worked hard to get to where I am and I'll be damned if I let what anyone else thinks effect me." Aizawa scoffed.
"You'll have to work twice as hard as anyone on the team simply because you'll have to work harder to prove that you earned your place here, new students aren't normally aloud to join after training has started."
"Humph, whatever," I mumbled crossing my arms over my chest and looking away. His eyes narrowed at me before he turned and continued walking. We walked through the courtyard into the school building. I waited just outside the teacher's doors while he went in and got the papers. He stepped back into the hall and shoved the papers in my direction. I grabbed them before they could spill on the floor.
"Have them back to coach by tomorrow." He turned to leave and I was left standing in the middle of the hall. He stopped and looked back over his shoulder when he was almost at the door. "Make sure you know what you're getting into. I'm not telling you to quit but I'm telling you that there are some players who are going to try to make your life a living hell. This club means a lot and to many it looks like you're getting a free walk on and to those that had to earn their places the hard way, well let's just say they'll be more than a little bit upset."
He walked out of the building, leaving me standing alone. There were no students in the halls since the first day of school was tomorrow. Tennis training, as I'd come to find out, started a good month before classes actually started. I sighed and made my way outside. Figuring I was done here for the day I put the folded papers in my bag and made my way out through the school gates. I stopped for a moment again by the tennis courts and watched the practice. I didn't expect to be able to find the same kind of training I had received at my old school but I was forced to admit this looked slightly more intense. I shook my head and turned to leave. I felt alone in this big city. I got on a train that was heading towards my new house and quietly sat, trying to forget that I was in a completely different country.
I got off the train at my stop and slowly made my way past the office buildings into a small housing area. I opened the front door of the new house and took my shoes off, setting them on the small rack to the left.
"I'm home," I said as I walked through the hall. I didn't hear a response so I figured both my parents would be gone. I walked to the end of the hall but heard music coming from a door to my right. I pushed it open and saw my little brother lying on his bed with his music turned up reading a magazine.
"Hey Charlie," he looked up when I entered. His eyes glanced at the Prince strap on my shoulder then looked back to his magazine.
"How were the courts?" I dropped my bag and sat on his bed with a sigh.
"I hate it here," I mumbled. He laughed and put down his magazine.
"We haven't even been here a week and you're already complaining." I lifted an eyebrow at him as he moved to turn down the music.
"I don't see you getting out and enjoying Japan." I retorted. He sat back down, holding up his hands defensively.
"I never said that I wanted to be here I was just making an observation."
"Well so was I." I leaned my head back against the wall.
"Did you meet anybody interesting?" he inquired.
"I met the coach and the boy's captain." He waited for a moment before motioning for me to continue. "What?" I asked.
"Well you could tell me a little bit about him, I'm sure he did something to piss you off already seeing as how you're in such a great mood."
"I was in a bad mood this morning," I mumbled, resting my chin on my knees.
"Alright well you're in a worse mood now. What'd he do?" I paused for a moment.
"He told me not to be mad at everyone else since it's not their fault I have to be here." My brother burst into laughter. My face turned red and I threw a pillow at him. "Shut up its not funny!"
"Yes it is! What's his name?" he managed to gasp through his laughter.
"Aizawa Kaiji," I recited. My brother looked thoughtful, still grinning at me.
"I think I like him already."
"Oh you would," I said, getting up to leave. "Jerk," I mumbled as I walked out of the room.
"Love you too sis" he shouted back at me. My brother and I were about the same age I was older only by a couple of months so we were pretty close for siblings. He was my best friend. That was the only positive thing about this move: my best friend had to move with me which made it only the slightest bit easier. I glanced at the clock when I walked into my room and judged I had enough time to take a bath before it was time for dinner.
One thing I will say I loved about our new house is that the bathtub was a lot bigger than the one we used to have. I sunk down into the steaming water and sighed as I felt my muscles relax. I laid my head back and took a deep breath. I grabbed a washcloth off the rack next to the bath and got it soaking wet before putting it over my face. About 10 minutes later I heard voices coming from the hall.
"Ayumi?" I heard my mother call.
"I'm in the bath Okaasan!" I said back.
"Ok. Have you had dinner yet?"
"Iie."
"Alright your father and I are going to take you and your brother out to eat. We'll leave in about 20 minutes so be ready."
"Hai." I slowly stood and wrapped a dry towel around me as I stepped onto the cold tile. I felt so much more relaxed and definitely cleaner than I had all day. Once in my room I picked up a clean pair of jeans and a simple top to wear. Grabbing a brush I ran it through my blonde hair as I made my way to my brother's room. His door was open and he was in the process of looking for something.
"We've been here barely a week and you've already lost something?" I teased him. He looked up, frowning slightly.
"I didn't lose it persay, I just don't know where I put it."
"Well what is 'it'?"
"My wallet." I glanced around the room while he pulled the covers off his bed. I looked at his desk and had to fight a smile when I saw it peeping out from under his pile of school books.
"Did you check your desk?" I asked innocently.
"Of course." He said immediately. I grinned and walked over to his desk, pushing the books aside.
"Charlie." He turned around and I threw the wallet at him. "Way to go."
"Where was it?"
"On your desk, but I'm sure it just slid up there after you checked it right?" he rolled is eyes.
"Fine you win, let's go." I followed him to the kitchen were our parents sat. My mother clapped her hands as we walked in, a huge smile on her face.
"We're all ready yes? Good then we're off." She led us through the house to the front door where we all paused to put our shoes on. It was almost cloudless out as we walked down the street.
"It's a nice change walking everywhere." My father said to me. My mother and brother were a few feet in front of us.
"I guess," I responded grudgingly. My father sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I am sorry this move was so sudden. I know you miss your school and your friends."
"It's not your fault," I mumbled, sticking my hands in the pockets of my jeans.
"You can't be so hostile all the time though. You have an opportunity to make new friends. If your open to the idea I think you'll like it here."
"Otoosan I appreciate your optimistic speech but save it for later yeah? I'm not ready to hear it quite yet." He nodded his head but didn't say another word. We didn't get back to the house till about two hours later. It was dark when I went in my room and I didn't bother even changing as I feel on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. I sighed and put an arm over my face.
Tomorrow is the first day of school, was the last thought that ran through my mind before I drifted off to sleep.
Author's Note:
Domo arigato gozaimasu for reading this! (Thank you very much) It's just a little idea I had. I've gotten to the point that when I'm not working if its light out I find myself out on the tennis courts most of the time so I figured why not write a story about tennis. There's some Japanese thrown in here and there and I hope its not too complicated or doesn't disrupt the story. For future reference the main language they speak is Japanese but its all translated to make for much easier reading Since the story takes place in Japan that would make sense but I just wanted to clarify. Once again thank you for reading and I hope you go check out my other stories!
Mini dictionary:
Kudasai – please
Hai – yes
Okaasan - mother
Iie – no
Otoosan - father