Game Set and Match Pt. 03

"Why would you do such a thing?" Lynne fumed.

"Because I can see a potential in her, and I'd like to help her develop that," she said, more calmly than I would have believed possible, considering the way Lynne was ranting at her. "I want to see her improve," she went on. "She's already feeling the benefit of my guidance after little more than an hour," Julie told her, with a satisfied air.

"Well... what am I supposed to do for a partner now?" Lynne asked. There was now a definite whine in her voice, like that of a spoiled child who has been deprived of her favourite toy, and she was clearly on the defensive.

"My old doubles partner Daphne, is looking for someone to get together with," Julie told her, smirking. "She was out on court 3 when we came by earlier. Why don't you ask her if she'd like to play with you today? I'm sure she would love to give you a nice game."

Lynne was lost for words, and with a "Huh!" she turned away to storm off in a silent rage. On seeing me she stopped and confronted me. "Why didn't you tell me you were dumping me for her?" she almost yelled. She was seething, and I'll be honest, her manner scared me a little.

"I'm sorry," I told her, shaking my head, "I hurt my ankle on Wednesday and..."

"Yet you're out here playing today I see!" she interrupted, accusingly.

"I didn't know if it would be better in time," I replied in my defence.

"Well, clearly its better enough to play with someone else," she barked angrily.

"We're not playing a match," Julie called out, coming to my rescue. "We're just coaching. Katie isn't doing any running at all today. You can stay and watch if you like," she suggested.

"Huh!" Lynne replied with a scowl to Julie and then another to me, before marching off.

"What was the problem there?" I asked, genuinely concerned.

"I have no idea," Julie said innocently, but her eyes told a whole different story.

"She was a lot more angry than I would have expected," I remarked.

"Yes, she was, wasn't she," Julie giggled.

"Do you two have some history that I don't know about?" I asked, pointedly.

"Whatever gives you that idea?" she smirked.

"Oh... I don't know. Just a feeling," I said.

"Maybe she's a bit jealous that I get on so well with Sarah..." she hinted, "or maybe she's worried that I'll help you to beat her," she added, more candidly.

"Youdo have some history, don't you!"

"She challenged me to a match when I first joined. She thought she'd have an easy win."

"And?"

"It doesn't matter," she told me, "but she never challenged me again."

"You beat her didn't you!"

"Like I said, it doesn't matter."

"You did. I know you did. What was the score?"

"Really Katie. It doesn't matter."

"I'll check the match records."

"It isn't on record. It was just a friendly."

"You thrashed her didn't you!"

"Julie didn't reply."

"You did. I know you did. Oh my goodness. I wish I could have seen it." I thought for a moment. "No wonder she was so pissed," I laughed.

"Don't be unkind now. Remember. We have work to do. I want to see you have a win against her."

I let it slide for the moment, thankful at least that I had avoided a confrontation with Lynne on my own. "I do hope she's OK," I said thoughtfully. "Do you think she will go and find Daphne for a game?"

"Either Daphne or Sarah," Julie replied, "or maybe they'll find her?" she added with a mischievous giggle.

"What's funny?" I asked innocently.

"You don't know?" she asked.

"No? Know what?"

"You remember Wednesday?"

"Yes..."

"In the shower room?"

"Yeees? Oh!" I suddenly interrupted. "I was going to ask you about that."

"What about it?" Julie asked. She was smirking again.

"Well... I had a look in there and..." I stopped short of finishing the sentence. "Oh my... Oh my goodness!" I exclaimed.

"Yes?" Julie prompted me to elucidate. She had that look on her face. The one that says 'Think about it'.

"There are only two cubicles..." I said quietly as the implications of what I had recalled began to sink in.

"And?" Julie pushed me to continue.

"... and there were three of them coming out of... Ohhh..."

Julie gave me a knowing smile, adding, "And if you had gone in to check..." she paused for effect, "you may well have found that only one of them had been used," she grinned.

"Oh my goodness!" I exclaimed again. I stood for a moment, considering the impact of what I had just learned, then gasped in shock, wide eyed and covering my mouth as another, more immediate realisation hit me.

"Oh! Oh no! What have you done?" I asked, in a sort of amused horror.

"What indeed?" Julie replied, with a naughty grin.

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed, as I finally realised what all the excited, knowing looks and innuendo had meant.

"Well... that's a change," she sniggered. "First time I've heard you say that," she smiled.

"Say what?"

"Oh my... 'God'!" she repeated.

I ignored her observation. "How many of the women here are..." I hesitated.

"Are?" she pressed me, smiling expectantly, but I couldn't answer. "Are lesbian?" she finished the question for me.

"Well... Yes... I suppose."

"Well, certainly Daphne, and 'definitely' Sarah," she told me, with a wicked smile. "Those two will have their fun with any girl, given half the chance," she laughed. "And there's me of course," she added, almost as an aside. She just looked at me, waiting patiently for me to reveal my own thoughts or tendencies one way or the other, and to see if I was comfortable with knowing what I had just discovered. "Perhaps even Lynne too? ... by now..." she added, a wry smile spreading across her lips.

"And... possibly..." she went on, but she never finished. She was waiting to hear my contribution.

"Me?" I asked.

"I didn't say that," she smiled. There was a long, awkward silence. "Does it bother you?" she asked at last.

"Does what bother me?"

"The fact that I have a preference for other women?"

"No," I smiled, shaking my head. "Not bother. Not that exactly."

"What then?" she asked.

"It intrigues me, I would say," I smiled, then suddenly stopped. "Oh! Wait a minute!"

"Yes?" she asked.

"Were you... You suggested..." I stared at her and she just smiled. "You just..." I stumbled over the idea.

"Yes?"

"You sent Lynne to play tennis with..."

"With Daphne..." she sniggered.

"And Daphne is..."

"A sex crazy raving lesbian. Yes!" she affirmed, grinning.

"Oh my God!" I whispered.

"There it is again," she sniggered.

"You just sent Lynne off to partner up with a sex mad lesbian."

She laughed softly. "Yes," she admitted. "Am I a naughty girl?" she giggled.

"Oh my..." I said softly. I couldn't help but giggle, but immediately stopped again as I realised what might happen to poor unsuspecting Lynne.

"Don't worry sweetie. They won't harm her."

"They?" I queried in surprise.

"Like I said, Daphne will have any girl she can get her wicked little hands on... and Sarah will usually find a way to get in on it too," she smirked. "Don't worry about her. She'll be having the time of her life if I know those two," she laughed. "Come on. Let's get on shall we?"

I tried to concentrate on what Julie was trying to teach me but my mind kept wandering to what those two might soon be doing with poor Lynne. "We should go and warn her," I suggested.

"Why?" she asked, grinning. "Did she warn you about me?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Lynne knows all about me," Julie revealed.

"Really? How?"

"She caught me in the showers with Sarah the first week I joined," she admitted.

"What?"

"That's right," she laughed. "I was hanging on to the sides of the shower cubicle gasping and panting and crying out while Sarah was on her knees giving me the Kiss Of Life. She stood watching us for probably half a minute or more, and all I could do was stare at her across the top of the door." She laughed softly, shaking her head. "Even to this day, I don't think Sarah knows Lynne was there."

"Oh my... Does Lynne know about Daphne too?" I asked.

Julie laughed. "If she didn't know before she probably will soon."

"Oh my God." You are so wicked, I laughed.

She turned toward me and walked up really close, and I looked up into those lovely warm eyes. "Aren't I just," she said softly. She looked as if she was about to kiss me, as I had thought several times before, but at the last moment she turned away, as if disturbed from the act by some unwanted voyeur.

"What are you doing at Uni, by the way?" she asked, changing the subject as she turned away.

"Human biology," I told her with a wry smile. "At the moment I'm supposed to be studying the female reproductive system, but I need some practical experience," I joked.

Julie turned and gaped at me.

"I'm joking. I'm studying English Language," I laughed.

"Why... You little minx," she said, shoving me roughly and laughing.

Julie got me to practice my serving, telling me how important it is to toss the ball up in exactly the same way each time. "That goes for everything," she told me. "Whatever you're doing, find a way that's comfortable and do it the same every time, that way your body learns the motion and you do it almost habitually. You don't have to think."

She showed me how to toss up, how to swing the racquet back and generate a smooth service action. "If you can manage to strike the ball on the way up," she told me, "and still serve well, it gives your opponent less time to analyse your position, so they can't easily judge which side you're going to serve, or how hard, or if you put any spin on it.

"There's also the grip on the racquet. You'll find what's most comfortable for you, but if you can grip the handle in the same way for every point, you'll find it easier to perfect your control of the racquet head and that will help you to place the ball more accurately.

"Also, some players, the professionals mostly, like to use a slightly different grip for the service and for playing the points and..."

"Oh my..." I interrupted. "There's such a lot to remember."

"Don't fret sweetie. We'll be going over this again and again. I'm really enjoying this. Are you?"

"Of course I am," I told her honestly.

"There is 'one' thing you could change that might help your serve though."

"What's that?"

"Well..." she said, almost hesitantly, "it's the pigtails sweetie."

"Don't you like them?"

"I think they look sexy... in a juvenile sort of way," she said with a kindly smile.

I felt slightly shocked. Was she insulting me I wondered? I didn't think so - but it didn't sound much like a compliment. "Youdon't like them!" I exclaimed, feeling a little hurt.

"I love them Katie..." she said kindly, "but they will distract you from your game."

"How?"

"They hang too close to your arms. As you raise your arm to serve, or sometimes if you're running for a ball and you reach out, the braids will brush against your arm... it has to distract you. Why not try a pony tail? It's very similar and it's right behind your head, out of the way."

"Oh. That hadn't occurred to me," I replied thoughtfully.

"Have a look at a few videos of professionals playing. I can't remember ever seeing anyone with their hair in pigtails.

I must have looked so dejected; she came over and put an arm around me. "I think they look lovely Katie... honestly I do," she said, giving me a hug, "but so do evening gowns and high heels, and you wouldn't dream of playing tennis in those, would you?" she laughed.

I looked up into those lovely hazel eyes and this time I felt sure she wanted to kiss me, but there were people on the other practice court now, so she neatly changed the subject again.

"You're not ambidextrous I suppose?"

"I am with my right hand, but not so much with my left," I sniggered.

"Grrr," she put her hands around my throat and gave me a playful shake.

"Why do you ask?" I queried when she'd stopped strangling me.

"If you can learn to serve with either hand it really messes up your opponent's return. If you serve with the racquet head flat the ball flies straight. If a right-hander puts a spin on the ball as they serve, with the head turned slightly inwards, slicing the ball," she demonstrated, "the ball curves around to the right as it flies, making it more difficult for the receiver to judge where it will land. But a good player can anticipate that, and come to expect it. If a leftie served the same way, the ball spins the other way and it really throws the receiver. They can't get used to where the ball is coming from," she said.

"Not many players can do it, but it's worth giving it a try. Practice on your own for a week or so. Give it... maybe, half an hour a day. If you can't get the ball in after a week, it's probably not going to come."

I must have looked lost. "Had enough for today?" she asked.

"I think so," I said, but knowing what was next on the agenda I felt really apprehensive. It had been over three years since I had stripped in front of anyone and even then, in the communal school showers, I had hated it. I wasn't looking forward to this at all and Julie could tell.

We packed our things into our bags, and each time I glanced toward her she was looking at me; watching me and smiling. It wasn't a lewd or lustful smile, more like a kindly, loving sort of smile, and if anything it should have comforted me. I wanted to do this. I wanted her, and I knew she would be gentle - I just knew it, but I was so scared.

It was as if she knew what I was thinking. "Don't look so worried. Everything will be fine," she said softly, as we picked up our bags.

We walked back to the clubhouse in almost complete silence, and looking around on the way there was no sign of Daphne or Lynne. I wondered if Lynne might have gone home after she went off in such a huff, but I didn't say anything. I had other things on my mind.

As we reached the changing room and put our bags down, Julie looked at me again. There was a sympathetic understanding in her eyes. "Look," she began. "You've not been running have you. You hardly had a chance to work up a sweat. Why not sit this one out. I'll only be five or ten minutes," she smiled kindly.

"No," I replied, gulping and taking a deep breath. "I have to do this," I insisted. Anyone would have thought I was about to take my first sky-dive or something, but for me it was easily as big a deal. 'My first muff dive', I thought.

"It's not supposed to be an ordeal my love," she said softly, as she smiled and put a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm OK," I replied, nodding.

"I'll just check to see if the showers are free," she said softly. She was about to open the door when someone opened it from the other side. It was Sarah and she had a towel wrapped around her, tied around her bust, and another around her head, turban style.

"Hello Sarah. I didn't know you had a match today?"

"I didn't," she said excitedly, biting her lip, her face bright and alive.

"Sarah doesn't play many games," Julie said, turning to me, "well... not out on court anyway," she giggled.

Two seconds later, Daphne followed her out, looking very pleased with herself, closely followed by Lynne, who looked tired and drained.

"Oh, hello. Did you have a nice game?" Julie asked her, and Lynne coloured up quickly, then glared at me.

"Come on Katie," Julie said, taking me by the hand and leading me in to the showers. Just before the door closed behind us, I turned to look back at Lynne, expecting to see her still looking angry, but already both Sarah and Daphne were sitting on either side of her and appeared to be 'helping' her with her towel. It occurred to me that, with no other women at the club that day, while I'm in the shower with Julie, learning some extra moves that she couldn't teach me on court, they would be out in the changing room with Lynne, probably taking her somewhere she'd never been before.

Julie began to undress and for a few minutes I just stood and watched her. She sat on the bench and untied her tennis shoes, slipping them off, quickly followed by her socks which she poked in the tops. Then she stood and unfastened the clasp on her skirt, letting it fall to one side to reveal that gorgeous pert bottom, clad in her delightful white frilly panties. I stared at those heavenly, long slender legs from behind as she raised her arms to reach behind her, to undo the short zip at the back of her neck, hoisting the top up, and over her head.

I began to feel that familiar, exciting little tingle in my groin as she dropped the garment on the bench in front of her and stood with her back to me, and it occurred to me that, considering she had said earlier that she would only be about five to ten minutes with her shower, she was taking a surprisingly long time just to undress. For the first time I noticed that she had a slight freckling on the tops of her shoulders. Some might consider it an imperfection, but I felt it enhanced her appearance, making her look more comely; more like the 'Girl Next Door' that she seemed to be.

She knew I was watching her of course. She turned slowly to face me and I felt the flush in my face. She looked absolutely gorgeous, those beautiful firm breasts filling her sports bra to almost overflowing, the gentle curves of her waist, the smooth flat tummy, and a small mark just above her navel where she had clearly worn a ring or ornament of some kind at one time, but no sign of it there today. Her hips were nicely rounded, and there was the beautiful 'vee' shape of her groin, and the long slender legs that looked so pale and creamy, seeming to draw my gaze back to the tops of her thighs.

I could feel my heart skipping, my pulse racing as she took the few steps toward me. She was a good eight or nine inches taller than me, even in her bare feet.

"What's wrong Katie?" she asked softly.

"I... I..." I faltered.

"Don't worry my love," she said softly, stroking my cheek.

"I... I'm not sure about this." I told her nervously.

"Help me with my bra would you sweetie?" she asked softly. She placed her hands gently on my shoulders and I reached up behind her, feeling for the clasp, but there wasn't one.

"How does it work?" I asked. I could feel myself trembling.

"It's at the front baby," she whispered, kissing my forehead softly.

"Oh... Oh..." I sighed as I reached up for the clasp, thinking 'Why does she need me to help with it then?' then realising, 'Oh. Ohhh...' I fumbled with it, my hands shaking as I slipped the clasp loose, and her beautiful full breasts at last pushed their way free from the heavy fabric that had restrained them, the small, perky nipples slightly extended and standing proud from the firm mound of warm flesh, seeming to point directly at me, almost inviting me to take them between my lips and suck them gently.

She moved her arms back and as she did so, her breasts pushed up toward me and the garment slipped from her shoulders, sliding down her arms to fall silently to the floor.

She looked down at me, those beautiful full breasts so close to my face, and she smiled lovingly. "Kiss me Katie," she whispered softly.

I hesitated. "What if someone comes in?"

"No one will come in," she breathed, stroking my hair as she teased my head back, placing one finger under my chin to turn my face up to hers. "Kiss me baby."

"What about the video recording?"

"In here? In the ladies showers?" She looked at me sideways, shaking her head slowly as she smiled reassuringly. "Kiss me," she whispered, stroking my face gently.

"I... I..."

"Kiss me Katie," she repeated softly, slowly lowering her lips to mine.

I could almost taste her minty breath as her lips touched mine, and I whimpered slightly. Her kiss was so tender, her lips so soft and inviting, and I felt myself relax. For the first time since we had left the court I began to relax. Her arms slid around my shoulders and I felt her breasts, those beautiful firm, full breasts pressing against my body at the front of my shoulders. I moaned softly as her arms enfolded me, gathering me to her in a firm but gentle grip, then her hand slid down from my cheek, over my shoulder, coming to rest against my body, close to my breast.