After Steph, Dana felt more and more alone. Tennis was her life, her future The only thing -maybe- that was hundred percent loyal to her. The more she invested in tennis, the more tennis brought her. Courts were the only places she could breathe. Only at courts she could make use of her anger, her anger to all those old minds hiding behind religions or nature of humanity.

Tennis did paid her back by bringing success and considerable fortune. But she needed to pay a price in return. She needed to stay closeted. Because ***** sold. A great deal. Nobody would sponsor some ***** tennis player instead of hot, steaming, “guys come and watch me play” kind of goddess.

When Dana met Alice, she was stupefied by her charm. Alice was beautiful, warm and natural. Dana instantly fell for this woman hard. After so called relationship with Melanie she was ready to risk her heart again. Deep inside she knew she wouldn’t regret it. Not with Alice.

She felt devastated when she found out that Alice has a boyfriend. Accepting this, she was ready to walk away. Only, Alice did the opposite: she behaved more friendly. They usually had coffee together, talked and laughed. Alice sometimes talked about her boyfriend and asked Dana’s opinion. Those days were tough when Dana had to make up stories about unexisted boyfriends and how they dealed the never-happened problems.

After hearing Alice‘s message once again, she remembered the day when she finally confided Alice about her sexual preference. Alice was laughing so hard that day, she almost choked herself to death while drinking coffee. Turning every shades of red, Dana felt more and more humiliated and wanted to leave the table they were sitting. With a sharp sudden movement, Alice grabbed her hand and the laughter turned into a huge smile. “I knew it all along Dana. It’s so obvious.”

“What? How?” Dana panicked. If it was that obvious then she was totally doomed.

“I am bisexual Dana. Besides my best friends are *****. Couldn’t you tell the brunette I talked yesterday was *****? Shane? She’s pretty popular in this community actually.”

Dana tried to deal with so much information at once. The woman she had a crush on was bi. She also knew Dana was ***** all along and she happened to be a reporter. This blonde could possibly destroy her tennis career and her relationship with her family.

“Dana, it’s OK” Alice assured. “I know what you’re afraid of. Don’t be. I’m your friend.” And she really was.

It was hard some days, when they were hugging, sitting next to each other, sharing loud laughters Simply when they were only a breath away But Dana made her choice:  she had to settle for the next best thing. Treasuring Alice as a friend. Her best friend.

Mr Piddles slowly came close to Dana and jumped in a sudden movement over her lap. Dana welcomed him, positioned him near to her heart.

What happened at the court that night was casual for Dana. She felt electrified every time Alice touched her, brushed lightly against her or even held her hand. The problem was for the first time Dana almost lost control of herself.

Holding Mr P tighter, she remembered how the court lights went off, how she almost threw the racket somewhere far and turned Alice to face her then pushed her to court’s fences How she almost looked into those big brown eyes filled with shock for a second and started kissing her putting every bit of longing into that hungry kiss. 

The journalist with the smoothest gaydar, definitely had the weakest love-dar. But tonight, judging from the awkward message on the machine, Dana’s fear grew: Alice might be onto her. What if the Pandora’s box opened this time, for good?

TBC