Storiesonline.net
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                       Life at Omnicianni Academy
                               by Bingain

Copyright© 2007 by Bingain


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Description: Maxim Khimin is a talented athlete. He trains at Omnicianni Academy for his tennis and goes to Davenport School for his high school curriculum. Besides tennis, Maxim is also gifted in dealing with girls. He's tall, nice looking, sociable, and very persistent. This is a story about how he strives to become a top level junior player in the world, and then turning professional, whilst capturing the hearts and bodies of the many females on his way.

Codes: mf mF Mult slow rom 1st teen sch cons het
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Copyright © 2007, Bingain

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Preface


This story happened in the recent past, but the exact time setting is not explicitly mentioned in the story. Nevertheless, incidents here and there will give clues as to when they happened.

Foreign languages, like Russian and French, that are spoken in the story, usually a word or a short phrase, are results of AltaVista or Google translation. They don't reflect the way these people talk.

The Russian surname system has it's own rules. Mr. Mushtakov's son is also Mushtakov, but his wife and daughter are Mrs. and Miss Mushtakova. (note the extra 'a' at the end.)

The city of Santa Arcata, the Omnicianni Academy, Davenport Private School, and Vincent Costello Academy are all fictitious. However they do resemble some real world places and organizations.

Currently, teen driving in the State of California comes with night-time curfew and limitation on carrying young passengers. These restrictions were introduced after the teen activities described in this story, so Maxim and his friends drove without limitation.

Many thanks to Esu and Dr. Stan for their help in giving comments and editing.



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Chapter 1

Maxim Khimin took a break after his performance analyses at the sports psych department of Omnicianni Academy. The institution was one of the world's most prestigious academies of professional sports. A lot of world-class athletes in related disciplines were alumni of this academy. Maxim was a tennis student here.

He strode across the pristine tennis courts where rays of the sparkling afternoon sun shone through gaps in the clouds, and stopped in front of a building at the side of a golf course.

A little later Lynn Stevens came out of the building. She habitually tilted her head as she smiled at Maxim while approaching him. Her light brown hair glittered in the sunshine as they flowed down her face during the act. "How long have you been here?" she asked.

"A few minutes," Maxim said, as he held her hand and walked toward some benches not far away from the building entrance. "How was the drill?"

"No drill today," she said while rubbing his fingers in her hand. "A pro gave us a workshop. How about yours?"

It was then they saw a tennis court attendant running toward them and waving a hand at Maxim. The couple exchanged a glance, and waited for the guy to get nearer to them.

"Max, Coach Lopez's looking for you," the attendant yelled when he was close enough to them.

"Do you know what it's about?" Maxim also raised his voice. Coach Lopez only trained the very young players. Even though they saw each other nearly every day, they didn't have many interactions.

"Nah."

"Where's she?"

"Court eighteen."

"Thanks. I'll be there in a minute," Maxim told the attendant, then turned to look at his girlfriend.

"Go now," Lynn said, nudging his arm. "I'll see you at dinner."

A few minutes later, Maxim was at Court 18. He didn't see Coach Lopez, but he found Coach Sanchez with a blonde little girl standing to his chest. The coach signaled him over. "Max, you're Russian, aren't you?" asked the coach when Maxim reached them.

"Yeah, why? And where's Coach Lopez?"

"She's got an emergency to attend to," Sanchez said before pointing at the blonde girl beside him. "This is Elena Mushtakova. She's also Russian and she doesn't speak English."

Maxim looked at Elena. He noticed that she was also studying him with her big blue eyes. There were some sweats on her forehead, and her thin dark brown eyebrows were glistening, a result from catching the drips which flowed down from her forehead. She looked about 10 to 11 years old, and a little slim compared to other girls of her age range. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail.

Elena was wearing a tee shirt and brown shorts. Both the Prince racquet and the Prince sneakers she had were brand new. The Academy had a contract with the sports goods manufacturer to sell their attires exclusively at their pro shop, and in return Prince sponsored outfits and equipment to selected students. Maxim's garb and sneakers were free, but instead of accepting their free racquet offer, he had kept his Wilson racquets which he had been using for a few years.

Maxim replied to Sanchez. "I don't speak Russian. I was born and raised here."

Sanchez let out a sigh and thought for a moment. "I'll have to talk to O about this. What's your game plan right now?"

"Practice my service."

"Max, my own session's coming up. I'm not sure if Lopez will be back soon. Can you do me a favor and practice half volley with her, then take her to Mr. Omnicianni?"

"Why don't I take her there now?"

"Because he won't be back for another hour," Sanchez said with a dry chuckle.

Maxim wasn't very keen on this idea, but he knew it wasn't a smart thing to reject a request from his coach. Besides, Sanchez often gave him personal favors, sometimes giving him rides back home during the holidays because they were both from San Francisco. He nodded his head.

He turned to look at the little girl once the coach had left. She was still studying him. He pointed at himself and said, "Maxim Khimin."

Elena Mushtakova started talking in Russian excitedly when she heard his Russian name.

Maxim could barely understand a few words she spoke. Even though both his parents were from Russia, Maxim never communicated with them in Russian at home. His name and blood was essentially his only tie to his ethnic background. He pointed at himself again, and spoke slowly in Russian, "Я... Поговорите... Английско." -- meaning "I speak English."

The excitement on Elena's face quickly turned into disappointment. She thought briefly, and said, "I... English..." She paused, before waving her hands indicating, 'no'.

Maxim knew practice was going to be much easier than talking to her, so he took his racquet out of his bag. "Half volley," he said, and pointed to his own racquet.

Apparently Elena understood those words. She nodded her head repeatedly.

Elena was better at the game than Maxim had expected. When he sent her a wide angled volley, she would return it -- if she could -- with a tough angle as well. She had very good footwork, which Maxim believed was both the result of training and talent. She also never gave up, even when there was no chance of her catching the ball. She seemed to have unlimited energy running from one side of the court to the other.

The little girl eventually showed signs of exhaustion when Maxim motioned her to stop about half an hour later. She started huffing and puffing loudly when she lifted the hem of her tee sleeve to wipe away the sweats off her face.

Maxim walked toward the courtside where he had put his bag, with the little girl following behind him. He took his towel out of his bag and wiped himself, before waving it to Elena. "You got this?" he asked.

Maxim didn't know if the slim girl understood his language, but she nodded, and walked to her bag which wasn't far away. She took out a pale towel and a clear plastic bottle, before wiping her face and arms with her towel while walking back to Maxim. She then raised the bottle, filled apparently with water, at him.

"I got this," Maxim said with a smile, and took his half consumed bottle out of his bag. His bottle contained homemade rehydration drink which he mixed himself using a recipe given to him by the Academy's athletic trainer. He pointed at her bottle and said, "Your's water?"

"Water? Water," she said. Her expression was a little uncertain. Maxim didn't know if she understood him or not. He passed his bottle to her and took her bottle over for a sip. It was water. He gestured to the little girl to try his. She scrunched up her lips after tasting his drink.

The drink Maxim mixed included water, baking soda, table salt, sugar, and salt substitute. It didn't taste nearly as good as the commercial sports drinks such as Gatorade, but it was just as effective. In fact, none of the students at the Academy used commercial sports drinks because of the cost and peer conformity.

Maxim motioned her to keep on drinking from his bottle, while he searched his bag for a piece of paper and wrote down the recipe on it. He gave the paper to her and drank from her water bottle. "How long have you been here?" he asked her a short while later.

Elena looked blankly at him.

Maxim thought for a moment, trying to retrieve a word from his limited Russian vocabulary. Finally he said, "когда?" He then pointed at the ground to indicate 'here', composing the question "When here?"

"Сентябрь..." Elena said instantly, then paused and spoke in English slowly. "September... nine."

That was less than two weeks ago. For such a short period of time, Maxim considered Elena's competency in English very good. He also noticed her pronunciation was very accurate, without the accents he usually heard from his parents and relatives. He raised a thumb toward her to compliment her.

Elena grinned even though Maxim wasn't sure if she knew what he meant. He asked again, "How old?"

Apparently this was a question she had been asked recently, as she didn't hesitate to answer. "Nine." She pointed at Maxim. "You?"

"Fifteen," Maxim said, then raised his right index finger, followed by all five fingers on his left hand, to make sure she understood him. For a nine year-old, Elena was quite tall. She had to be around four-foot-eight.

Elena nodded. She then pointed at her hair, then at him. "Hair," she said, "длинние волосы."

Maxim chuckled. He had long hair that went down to his chin pretty much like the pop singer Eric Clapton had had in his younger days. Before Maxim started playing tennis, his dream was to play in a pop band. However, he couldn't master either the guitar or keyboard when he was given a chance while he was in middle school. "Long hair," he pointed at his hair, then at hers. "Long hair, too."

They finished their incoherent chat, and continued with her half volley practice. Maxim then took Elena to see Mr. Omnicianni, the principal and owner of the Academy. He didn't see Sanchez or Lopez at the office, so he told the old man why he was there.

"Don't worry about it, Max," the principal said, while flipping papers on his desk. "She'll speak fluent English in a couple of months. It happens all the time. It's her first day here, so if you don't mind, show her around a little before dinner."

Before Maxim could reply, Mr. Omnicianni spoke again, looking at the young man this time. "Max, I still haven't seen your sponsorship papers for next year. Have your parents signed them yet?"

"Yeah, they signed it last week. I think it's somewhere at the administration office." All high caliber students at the Academy had their tuition and tournament expenses sponsored by a commercial agency and marketing firm called SAMS. It was among the largest ones in the industry and represented about five percent of the world's top sports and showbiz stars. SAMS sponsored these hopefuls as an investment for acquiring management of them should any go pro.

"Good," Mr. Omnicianni said, and returned his attention to the papers on his desk. "Good day, Max. хороший день, Elena."

Maxim briefly showed Elena around the facility. The Academy's tennis facilities consisted of more than two dozen indoor and outdoor tennis courts of different surfaces, an instructional center fitted with various devices and video capabilities. To the side of the tennis facility were the basketball facilities including a couple of professional standard courts. Baseball, golf, and soccer facilities were to the north of the main campus. There were fences erected across the club house shielding a construction area. The Academy was expanding its recreational and tennis training facilities as well as constructing a new swimming facility.

After the brief tour, Maxim took Elena to the dining hall. He decided to let Elena join him at dinner along with his girlfriend. Lynn was waiting at the entrance, and she was bewildered when she saw a little girl with him. Maxim told her the story. Lynn found it amusing at first, but she soon started teaching Elena the language by pointing at various things and naming them. Her friends who joined their table a while later did the same. Elena spent more time writing down the words in her notebook than eating.

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The couple sent Elena back to her residence after dinner, and then Maxim took Lynn to a trail along the outside perimeter of the golf course. They cuddled together behind a bush before kissing each other. Before long, Maxim's right hand slid inside Lynn's tank top, stroking her soft skin below her bra.

Lynn's breathing became slightly more rapid as she pressed her breasts against his palms, and she ran her fingers down the neck opening of his T-shirt. Maxim slid a hand inside her tank top toward her back, and undid her bra. He then rolled her top above her breasts and began fondling her naked breasts. Lynn moaned into his mouth and started to rub her legs against his.

Lynn slipped a hand into his sweat pants and reached for his manhood. It was Maxim's turn to moan into her mouth when she began stroking his hardness in his pants. She broke the kiss and whispered, "Get your condom out."

"Let's do without it," he said, as he pushed his pants down his legs. "You're on the pill, anyway."

"Max," she demanded, as she also struggled out of her pants. "Get the condom out."

Without further fuss, Maxim reached into his pant pocket and took a wrapping out. He had been waiting for this moment for the entire week since Lynn had been having her period. Lynn took the condom from him and rolled it down his cock as he pulled her panties down her legs. He then spread them carefully before slowly inserting his cock into her warm pussy, letting both of them savor the moment before he started shoveling into her.

Maxim watched as Lynn's eyes turned from displaying longing desire, to amorous lust, and then to ecstatic joy, as he pounded himself into her. Lynn was clenching her teeth together trying to control her groans, even though they believed that nobody was close to their secluded spot -- the regular venue where they enjoyed one another's body. He rocked faster and harder as their breaths became faster and noisier.

Apparently Lynn realized he was just about to come, so she pounded herself hard against him, taking his entire length inside her, as he began blasting. After a brief rest, Lynn wrapped his condom in a few tissues and put the mass into her pocket, which she would dump in a litter bin on their way back.

They retrieved their clothing, and cuddled each other for a while before they started getting ready to return to the academy.

Maxim began dating Lynn about three months ago. Lynn was a virgin when they first met. Her virginity didn't last for long though as Maxim managed to pop her cherry during their second date. Lynn didn't like it at first, but started to enjoy it about half a dozen times later. There were rarely consecutive dates where they didn't have sex, except when she had her period.

At the age of 13, Maxim lost his virginity to a much older distant cousin during a family gathering. He became addicted to the explosive pleasure at once. Sex became a crucial part of his relationship with every girl he had met since then. Shortly after his first sexual encounter, he had been sent to the Omnicianni. He hadn't talked to or heard from that cousin since.

They talked about Maxim's new friend whilst walking along the trail back to the main campus. "She's cute, isn't she?" Lynn said, chuckling. "When she looked at you, it was like you were her savior."

Maxim also chuckled. "She's in a new environment. She can't speak English. I think it's tough for her."

"I think she'll cling on to you for a while."

"I don't think so," Maxim said. "She'll find friends of her own age very fast. I want you to cling on to me more."

Lynn giggled. "Max, you already have me clung on to you everyday."

They finished their walk and returned to their residences a short time later. They checked that nobody was around and kissed each other passionately before they parted. Maxim went back to his apartment for a shower followed by his school work.

Boys and girls boarding at Omnicianni lived in separate residence blocks. Typically they shared a two or three bedroom apartment with five to eight other students. Maxim lived in a three-bedroom flat a couple of minute's walk away from Lynn's block. Maxim and his girlfriend couldn't spend too much together during the weekdays as they both had to study and do their homework for the school. Their typical routine during the week was school in the morning, and then practices and physicals in the afternoon.

The sports students went to Davenport School for their academic curriculum. Davenport was a private boarding school located about fifteen minutes' walk away from Omnicianni, and was affiliated with the sports academy as well as a performing and fine arts academy nearby called the Vincent Costello Academy.

Since many Omnicianni students were often on the road, the school had tailor-made a program for them. They usually took less courses per semester so they could have time to make up for classes they missed when they had tournaments. Often, these sports students wouldn't graduate high school for another one to two years after they left the sports academy. Therefore, many Omnicianni players attended classes with other students one to two years younger.

Davenport didn't require its students to wear uniform, but it did have a dress code. Boys had to wear shirts, ties, and pants. Girls had to be in blouses or turtlenecks and knee-length skirts. Blazers or sport coats were the only allowed outer wears whilst inside the school. Sneakers, flip-flops, and slippers were not permitted.

As there were quite a number of young kids from Omnicianne attending Davenport, the school arranged a school bus to transport them to and from the Academy. Older students didn't like traveling on the bus with the younger kids, and they preferred to walk. Maxim usually walked with Lynn, except when she was on the road, then he would find some of his female Academy friends and walk with them.

The next day, Maxim saw Elena waiting for him when he went for lunch at the Academy's cafeteria. He then knew he was wrong about the young girl clinging on to him.

For the following few weeks, Elena found every opportunity she could manage to cling onto Maxim. The little girl couldn't get along very well with her older roommates at the residence. She was constantly being picked on and forced to do most of the cleaning and tidying jobs which were supposed to be shared between them. She didn't have any friends at all -— apart from Maxim. She told him he was her best friend and a de facto older brother there.

Maxim blew up when Elena told him of the bullying. "Who are the girls sharing the room with you?" he growled.

It took a little while for Elena to fully understand his question. She looked scared and wouldn't tell him the names. She also indicated she would have no problem and could handle the situation by herself.

Maxim later found Lynn and asked if she knew of the girls living with Elena. After finding out about what had happened, Lynn suggested to Maxim that he should stay out of it. "You'll make it worse, Max," she said. "Beating them up won't make an easier life for Elena."

"Then how?"

Lynn took some deep breaths. "Actually I do know a girl in her apartment, but I don't think she's involved. I'll talk with her. I think that'll do it. Max, freshmen do get picked on. It's a part of the life here. It'll be fine as long as they don't go too far."

Maxim took a few deep breaths as he considered Lynn's suggestion. "Alright. Thanks, Lynn," he said. "So are we going out tonight?"

Lynn also took a few breaths. "Why don't we go out on Saturday? Like a movie, then a dance? You're only taking me to the trail on the weekdays."

He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Don't you like it?"

Lynn chuckled. "Did I say that?" she said, smiling. "But I don't want to just do that. I want to also watch a movie with you, dance with you, go shopping with you. Don't you also like to do these things with me?"

"Of course. Alright. Saturday, then."

A couple of days later Elena told Maxim that her situation at the residence had improved, but she wouldn't tell him all the details. They began talking about their backgrounds.

Maxim was rather surprised how simple communication could succeed through limited words aided by gestures, a notebook, and a pocket dictionary which Elena always carried. The little girl's family was made up of four members: her parents, Elena and a sister Olga who was two years younger than herself. Elena's father had bought her to the United States seeking an opportunity for her to receive professional tennis training, after she had displayed talent in the sport in her home country and following suggestions made by some professionals.

Elena's father couldn't afford the exclusive fees charged by Omnicianni, but he still took his daughter to the Academy. He managed to persuade the person in charge to let Elena try out. A couple of days later her father got a message from Mr. Omnicianni that a commercial talent agency SAMS would provide full scholarship for his daughter.

Elena's father, who spoke very little English, had been staying in San Jose, which was about an hour's drive away, struggling to make a living working as a daily laborer at the construction sites. Her mother and her younger sister stayed at home in Russia. The mother had to take up an additional job to support their standard of living. The entire family sacrificed a great deal of their own lives for the prosperity of Elena.

Weeks went by, and Maxim knew Elena had started getting along with more people at the Academy. Her English had improved dramatically. The little girl didn't cling onto him as often, but she still talked to him everyday, even if it was just a brief greeting chat. Maxim had also given his kid friend the phone number of his father, who ran a restaurant in San Francisco, which she could pass on to her own father.

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Maxim had just returned from Wilson Junior Championships where he had been defeated in the Boys' 16 final. He found Elena waiting for him in front of the cafeteria during lunch time. "What's up, Elena?" he said.

"Where is Lynn?"

"She's on a JGA tour."

"Oh," Elena said. "Can I eat with you?"

While eating, the little girl told Maxim his dad had hired her father. "He moves to San Francisco today," she said.

"What will he be doing there?"

"Busman."

"Busman?" he said, and chuckled. "It's called busboy, Elena, no matter how old he is."

"Oh," she said, snickering. "He shares a flat with another bus... boy."

"Cheaper?"

She nodded. "Thanks, Max," She said, smiling happily at him. "Daddy also said thank you."

Maxim smiled at his kid friend. He then waved when he saw Daniela Gussoni coming over to their table. Maxim and Daniela were both trained under Coach Sanchez, but he didn't know her very well. Although the American born Argentine joined the Academy about the same time as Maxim, they didn't have a lot of interaction until she also became Sanchez's student a few months ago.

Maxim had probably been in the Age 16 and below division for longer than anyone he knew. He was 13 years old when he first came to the Academy, and shortly later he was playing up in the 16 division. His progress experienced a setback when he injured himself during an unbalanced fall and suffered a Type-3 right shoulder separation. He was lucky as diagnosis showed that surgery was not needed, but the recovery took him off the courts for two months.

Not only was Maxim out of shape physically when he resumed training, but he had a hard time picking up the pace mentally as well. He hadn't won a title for over a year. In fact, he had been having problems achieving decent results. His ranking had been so discouraging he didn't get to play in many international events.

Daniela was a few months older than Maxim and a year ahead in school. She had very lively black eyes which made her look very attractive, especially when she rolled them whilst chuckling. However, she disliked people calling her 'Dan' and would glare at them whenever they used the masculine short form on her.

"Can we have a talk?" Daniela said after their greeting.

"Sure," Maxim replied. "Are you asking me out?"

Daniela chuckled as she shook her head. "Coach asked me if I minded playing mixed doubles with you."

"He didn't ask me," Maxim said. He already had a steady boys' doubles partner from another tennis school, but he hadn't played mixed doubles for several months.

"He said you wouldn't have a problem."

"Are you interested? I mean are you interested in me?"

"No," she made a face. "Not at all. Honestly, I'm not very keen on the mixed doubles thing either. It's not about you. I'm just keener on Singles. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah, we all do."

"But I haven't been able to make it to the final rounds for quite a while, not even the semi's."

"You've been having bad luck in the draws?"

"Well," she said. "It's more about myself really. Anyway, I was about to tell him yes because that means more matches. But I'd like to check with you first."

"I don't have any problem. Are we going out tonight?"

"Stop it, silly," she chuckled as she faked a slap on his cheek. "Okay, I'll tell him."

"Aren't you eating with us? Oh, Daniela, have you met Elena?"

Daniela and Elena greeted each other, then the Argentine turned to Maxim. "I've seen her with you a few times. Have you seen Marlene?"

"No, not yet. Damn it, go get your food and come and join us."

"Okay," Daniela chuckled, and went to get her food.



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Chapter 2


When Maxim went to meet Daniela for their mixed doubles practice after his physicals, he saw Daniela talking with Marlene Granville and Andy Taylor at the courtside.

Maxim and Andy were long time rivals. They competed in everything they both participated in, including Marlene, whom Andy had won. They'd beaten each other in different tennis matches, but Maxim held the edge in the overall statistics. Maxim couldn't remember the last time he'd had a conversation with Andy in which they didn't exchange the 'F' word at least once.

Marlene was the same age as Maxim, but she had a baby face which made her look much younger. She wasn't particularly beautiful, but she looked very sweet when she smiled. She also blushed very easily. Maxim loved seeing the contrast of her dark brown hair and brows against a slightly reddish face. Unfortunately, because of Marlene's relationship with Andy, Maxim didn't get many opportunities to make her blush.

Maxim walked over and whispered in Daniela's ear, "Don't tell me we're practicing with them."

Daniela chuckled and winked at him. Even though Marlene and Andy couldn't have heard him, Marlene had an extremely embarrassed expression on her face, and Andy glared at him. Fortunately Sanchez came along shortly afterwards, so the embarrassment didn't last for long.

Andy had been pairing with Marlene since they became an item nearly a year ago. However, Maxim found it amusing how they could possibly succeed. Typically, in a mixed doubles duel, the players would concentrate on attacking the weaker opponent -- in most cases the girl. That was not what Andy was doing in their practice match. He always hit the ball at Maxim, which wasn't a very bright idea. Maxim was a serve-and-volley player, and his volley skill was among the best at the Academy, even better than many of the older students.

Sanchez shook his head when he called a break. He had been coaching these players for quite some time and knew them pretty well. "That's it for today," he told them. "We'll do it again on Saturday morning."

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Maxim went to the court on Saturday half an hour earlier than the appointed time as he didn't have a schedule before that. He started practicing his serve. When Daniela arrived, she saw a funny sight. Elena was standing at the receiving end, swinging her racquet as the powerfully served balls bounced past her, or dodging them when they came too close to her. Daniela laughed briefly before she pulled the little girl off the spot. Maxim also stopped as his supply of balls had run out.

"You shouldn't have asked her to stand there like that," Daniela shouted at him. "You could've hurt her."

"I didn't ask her to," Maxim chuckled. "She wanted to. She wanted to see if she could hit one."

"Did you?" Daniela turned to Elena. "And could you?"

Elena nodded, and raised a finger. "First one. He made it easy for me." She then shook her head. "Then none. Too fast, too hard, too sharp."

Daniela chuckled. "Don't feel bad," she told Elena. "I can rarely hit them either unless he makes it easy for me."

Elena smiled at her, then started picking up the balls scattered around by her racquet while Maxim did the same at the other end of the court.

Soon the other pair of the mixed doubles arrived. Maxim stifled a laugh when he saw them. They weren't Marlene and Andy. They were Rudy Pecor and Joanna Herring; both belonged to the 14 division. Apparently Sanchez had split the problematic pairing.

Both Rudy and Joanna were slim, almost skinny, and they were both entering the 16 division after their birthdays in a few months' time. It was probably why the coach had decided to put them together for practice. They had some warm-ups until the coach showed up. Elena had already left for her own scheduled practice.

Interestingly, the girl at the other end of the net did a better job in her returned serves than her male partner, even though Maxim had toned down his serves. They repeated the tactical moves and listened to the coach about his plans which he drew up for both pairs alternately.

During a break, Maxim asked his partner, "Are they also practicing with the fourteens?"

"Yeah."

Maxim chuckled, then sighed.

"Yeah," Daniela also sighed. "It would be better if we could all practice with opponents of our divisions. I think they'll benefit more." She pointed at the other pair who were still talking with the coach.

"Rudy has to improve on his returns," he said.

"Yeah," Daniela said, and then tapped his arm as the coach waved at them. "Get up. Break's over."

They practiced for another hour before the coach finally called a halt to it. The two pairs went to lunch together. During lunch, Rudy asked them, "Want to go to movie together in the evening?"

"I can't," Daniela said. "I've got plans already for this evening."

Rudy looked at Maxim while his partner was silent. His eyes looked pleadingly. "What about you, Max? Are you going out with Lynn?"

Maxim knew he was trying to ask his partner out but she hesitated. "Well," he said. "Lynn's on tour. But I'm actually going to a movie. You guys can join me. We can watch different ones."

"Why different ones?" Joanna asked.

"Jo, are you interested in watching 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'?"

Joanna chuckled. "I thought you were going to watch an adult movie," she said. "Who's going with you?"

"Apparently his little sis," Daniela said, smiling.

"You have a little sis here?" Joanna said. "Oh! You mean Elena?"

Maxim chuckled. "Who else?"

A mischievous smile appeared on Joanna's face. "I think I might like watching a family animation," she said while glancing at Rudy.

"I think I may, too," Rudy said, half-relieved and half-reluctantly. "What time are we going?"

"Five-twenty matinée," Maxim said. "The next show is at seven-fifteen and a little too late for her."

Maxim laughed in his heart when he noticed that Joanna spent more time playing with the little girl than allowing moments for Rudy. He wondered how long it would take for Rudy to get into her pants, and if he ever would.

A couple of weeks later when Maxim talked with his mother over the phone, he mentioned Elena.

"Yeah," his mother said. "I know. She's Ivan's daughter and she's also at Omni." His mother always used her own abbreviation to indicate the Academy.

"Do you think she and her dad can join us for Thanksgiving dinner? She has never been to a real one."

His mother chuckled. "I'll talk it over with your dad."

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Sanchez gave Maxim and Elena a ride home for their Thanksgiving break. When they left the coach's car, Maxim's mother was already at the front door to welcome her only child and the little girl she had only heard about.

Maxim hugged and kissed her mother, introduced the kid, dropped his bag, and went into the kitchen for a drink as the older and younger Russians began talking in their native language. The two fathers would be joining them in a couple of hours.

Mr. Mushtakov looked more like a scholar than a busboy. Elena told Maxim her father used to be a laboratory supervisor back in Russia. On the other hand, Maxim's father looked more like a bouncer than a restaurant owner. This again was deceiving because the only occupation his father had ever been engaged in was cooking. Both the fathers were tall men -- well over six feet tall. This obviously ran in the family as even at the age of 15 years old, Maxim himself was already six-foot-one.

Also joining them for the dinner was his uncle's family. The uncle lived at the other side of the city, and the two families only met a few times a year, Thanksgiving being one of these occasions. Even though his twin cousins were of similar age to Maxim, they were born in Russia and they spoke Russian well. Maxim was the only one who couldn't speak the language; therefore he never really enjoyed this kind of gathering.

Maxim went up to his room after the dinner. He called up Lynn while the others were talking in the family room. She had gone back to her home in Denver following her week tour in South Carolina. Lynn couldn't talk for long as she was just about to have her dinner. Maxim then began calling his local friends. Alan Richardson, his best friend from a few years back, told him they were having a party on Saturday evening, and invited him to it.

Maxim wouldn't be able to make it though. Since Elena's father worked more than twelve hours a day at the restaurant, Maxim was supposed to look after his kid friend during her stay in San Francisco. It was an arrangement he had agreed on when they made the decision to bring the little girl to their Thanksgiving dinner. He tried working out some alternatives but to no avail. They eventually settled for a movie the following day as Elena's father had a half day and was taking her shopping.

The next morning Maxim told his mother how he was going to spend his day. His mother gave him some pocket money before she went to work at her husband's restaurant. Maxim then called up Alan, telling him he was coming over to his house.

"We've moved," his buddy said over the phone. There were female voices in the background. "I forgot to tell you. We're now on the other side of the park. Why don't we meet at McDonald's?"

Alan was with two girls when Maxim found them at the fast food restaurant. At the time they first befriended at grade school, Alan was taller and bigger than Maxim, but it was the opposite way now. Alan still looked very healthy, but the intensive physical trainings Maxim had been receiving made him outgrow his buddy in this department.

Maxim recognized the face of the brunette with very curvy hair. She had been at the same school as the duo. From her behavior, she now was apparently Alan's girlfriend. Maxim didn't know the other girl, who was also a brunette with long hair but had more freckles on her face. She also looked a little younger.

"Have you met Lacey before?" Alan asked Maxim, as his girlfriend smiled at him.

"Yeah," Maxim said, and smiled back at her. He didn't mention that he had no idea what her name was.

Alan pointed at the other girl. "Her sis Katy."

While Katy smiled at Maxim, Lacey added, "She also plays a little tennis."

"Nice," Maxim said to Katy. "Are you on the school team?"

Katy shook her head. "Couldn't make it," she said. "Hopefully next year. Do you go to many tournaments?"

"Yeah," Maxim said. "Well, not many in October and November, but December's gonna be busy. Eddie Herr, Orange Bowl, and then the Fiesta Bowl after Christmas." He omitted the fact that he had very little chance of being accepted into the Orange Bowl.

There was an admiring look on Katy's face. "I wish I could go to one of them, even just to watch." She chuckled along with the rest of them. "How's life at the Academy?"

"No life at all," Maxim said with a grimace. "It's more like hell." He laughed with them before going on, "We get up at six. We go to school in the morning. We have drills and physicals in the afternoon. We study in the evening. If they find lights on in your room after ten, you and your roommates will clean the halls for a week."

His audience burst into laughter again. "I surely don't want to go there," Alan said, still laughing.

As they walked to the cinema, Katy said to Maxim with another admiring look, "I like your tan. Looks so healthy."

"You've got a healthy tan, too."

She shook her head. "I get too many freckles from the sun. I have to wear sunscreen and stay away from exposing myself too much."

"Nah, Katy, you're very pretty," Maxim said with a smile. "And your freckles are the beauty spots on your face, do you know that?"

It seemed that Katy didn't get very many compliments about her freckles. She gave him a flattering smile. "Thanks," she said. "Hmm, how old are you, Max?"

"Fifteen. You?"

"I'm fourteen. Well, Max, do you think we can play together? Maybe you can teach me something."

"I'm going back on Sunday, and I'm kind of tied up tomorrow."

There was a brief flash of disappointment on her face. "Oh. Okay. Girlfriend?"

"Nah," Maxim said. "She's only nine. She's my schoolmate." He gave her a teasing smile and went on, "Do I look like I have a girlfriend?"

Katy chuckled. "Oh, yeah. You're so cute, you can't be without a girlfriend."

"Well, Katy, you're so pretty, you can't be without a boyfriend either."

"Why would I be here following you guys if I had a boyfriend?"

"Well," he chuckled. "If you can find a court early enough for tomorrow morning, I can make it. Otherwise we'll have to play when I'm home next time."

She gave a slight smile. "I don't think I can find a court tomorrow morning. Are you coming back for Christmas?"

"Yeah," he said. "Let's make it before Christmas then. I'll call you about the dates. What's your phone number?"

While exchanging phone numbers, Katy asked when she saw him writing with his left hand, "You're a lefty?"

"Yeah."

"A guy I used to play with was also a lefty. I found it quite hard to return his hits. Are you at an advantage? I mean, do they have problems with your serve?"

"I have a slight advantage with my serve," Maxim said. "Especially against those who don't play against lefties much. But when it comes to hits, it's even, because most players have a better forehand, and I'll be dealing with that with my backhand. In the end, it's all about who's the most adaptive and who's the better player."

"Oh, I see. I'm longing to see your lefty in action," she said, smiling at him.

While they were in the cinema lounge, Alan pointed towards the video game corner and asked Maxim, "Wanna bet again?" He had a proud smile on his face.

"Sure. Why not?"

Before going to the Academy, Maxim had always beaten Alan in the shooting games. He hadn't won once since then and it was no exception this time either.

Katy nudged Maxim when she noticed Alan smiling his winning look. "Let me try," she whispered.

Maxim gave her his coins, and a new duel began. She was marginally beaten. "That doesn't count," she pouted. "Let's have another one."

Alan shook his head. "Of course it counts," he said. "And I don't need a third lot of popcorn. So not unless you're betting your clothes."

Lacey giggled and poked Alan as Katy blushed. Maxim created a mental image of the siblings without their clothes and knew he would prefer Lacey as she had bigger breasts. Nevertheless, he wouldn't mind seeing the little sister naked in front of him either. He chuckled and got a pinch in the waist from Katy.

Originally they had planned to watch Steven Spielberg's 'Schindler's List' but later decided it would be too boring. They settled for 'The Fugitive' starring Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones.

When the movie began, Maxim sat on one side of Alan and the sisters on the other. A little later he heard a faint cut and thrust from the other end, and then Katy moved to the seat next to him. "She wants some space," Katy whispered to Maxim. He knew what she meant, as he noticed Alan was shifting closer towards his girlfriend.

Maxim enjoyed the movie very much. He didn't attempt his usual intimate cinema conducts with Katy. However, near the end of the movie, he found his arm resting on her shoulder. She was holding his hand when they filed out of the cinema.

"Hey," Alan said to Maxim when they were outside. "I got some good gungeon at home. Wanna try it?"

Maxim hadn't smoked pot for quite a long time. Anyone caught using drugs at the Academy would be instantly expelled. He was a little hesitant even though he wasn't on the Academy's property. He looked up at Alan's face and saw another challenging smile. "Sure," he said. "Folks not at home?"

"Nah. Not until the evening."

Alan showed his guests to the covered patio outside the kitchen when they got to his home. "I'll go and get them," he said, and gestured for Maxim to follow him.

Alan took out a small can from behind some books on the shelf in his room. He then went over to his bed and pulled something out from underneath the mattress. He threw a small package to Maxim. "I don't know if she'll do it with you," he said with a devious smile. "But just in case you need it."

Maxim chuckled as he pocketed the condom.

"Actually, I think she may," Alan said as his smile grew bigger. "I've taken her out with other guys before. She's never hit it off so well with them."

Maxim chuckled again as he followed his buddy down. "Use the basement if you need a place," Alan whispered to him when they walked past the staircases leading down. They grabbed some soft drinks from the kitchen and went to the patio.

The boys rolled the weeds into a joint and started enjoying it in turn. Maxim saw hesitation in Katy's eyes when he passed her the nail. "You've never tried?" he asked her.

"Yeah," she said, as Lacey took the nail from Maxim. "But I didn't like it much."

When the joint came around to Maxim again just a little later, Katy changed her mind. "Okay. I think I'll give it another try."

Maxim passed her the joint. She took a deep breath, then took a drag of the joint, and began coughing straight away. Maxim started patting her on her back as Alan laughed and Lacey took the nail from her sister's hand.

It was indeed good stuff, and Maxim started getting high pretty quickly. The foursome also began talking and laughing louder. Katy didn't have more than a few draws, but she was -- or acted like -- as high as Maxim. She had also snuggled up against his chest as her sister was being fondled in front of her.

When Lacey started stroking her boyfriend's crotch, Maxim hoped the little sister would follow. Katy didn't, but didn't protest about his hand either. His hand had slid inside her tank top through the neck opening and had been brushing her breast for a while.

Alan gave Maxim a wink as he got up from his seat, took Lacey's hand, and went inside.

When Maxim turned back to the girl he had been groping, Katy was looking at his eyes. He leaned forward, and she lifted her face. Their lips met. Katy wasn't a proficient kisser, but it seemed that she needed a good passionate kiss very badly. She wouldn't let his lips go.

When their lips finally parted, her face was flushed red and her breaths were very rapid. "Wanna go inside?" he asked.

A sign of hesitation once again showed up in her eyes. "I don't know," she said softly. She paused, then asked, "Do you?"

"Yeah," he said with a dry mouth.

"Okay," she said in a meagerly audible voice.

The front part of the basement was a loosely furnished family room, with a couch as well as a few beanbags and stools around. A TV set was placed against the wall the couch was facing, and a soccer table on which Alan and Maxim had spent a lot of time was at the far side. The wall was packed with family photos. It was rather dim, and Maxim didn't have any intention to turn on the light. He led Katy to the couch.

Once on the couch, they started kissing and stroking each other again. Katy wasn't very keen when Maxim removed her tank top, but she didn't oppose him either. She however covered her breasts with her hands when he tossed away her loosened bra. Maxim was too horny to find it amusing. He half-forcefully lifted her arms and started kissing her breasts.

Very soon Katy was running her fingers over his naked shoulder and moaned as his lips alternated over her nipples. He also began stroking her thighs through her jeans, until she parted her legs enough for his hand to slip in between them. He started stroking her groin through the thick fabric, feeling her legs part even further.

Katy didn't resist at all when Maxim finally unbuckled her jeans. But when he started rolling down her panties, she closed her legs in an apparent attempt to hide her womanhood from his eyes, which wasn't a necessary act at all because of the dimness in the basement. Instead of finding a way to enjoy the view in front of him, Maxim quickly struggled out of his final confinements.

He was reaching for the condom in his jean pocket when he suddenly thought of something, and turned to look at the naked girl lying on the couch with noticeable tenseness. "Are you, uh, a virgin?" he asked slowly.

She shook her head.

He took the wrapping out, and paused. "It wasn't a good experience?" he asked again.

She shook her head, with an embarrassing smile, and then finally spit out a word, "Hurt."

It was a familiar situation he had been into when he first had sex with Lynn. And he remembered how they finally got though it. He dropped the wrapping on the floor, and slid down against her. He stroked her arm as he kissed her cheek. Katy raised a hand to caress his neck.

Maxim then directed her other hand toward his hard cock. She giggled softly as she touched him, then slowly ran her fingers up and down his shaft, eventually engulfing his cock in her hand while sliding up and down. He also moved a hand toward her groin and began rubbing her moist womanhood. She gripped his cock and moaned as her sensitive spots were touched, and returned to the feathery glides when his fingers were temporarily off these spots. Both their breaths were getting nosier.

Finally she uttered softly, "I think I want it."

Maxim would have forced himself on her in a few more seconds. He quickly reached for the wrapping, tore it apart, and rolled the condom over his near-exploding cock. He lay on top of Katy, who had already spread her legs for him.

He swallowed his saliva, forcing himself to take her slowly, as he guided himself toward her wetness, and carefully inserted himself into her. Her warm and tight internal muscles immediately engulfed him firmly. He fought his instincts to thrust crazily as he inched his way to her bottom, and repeating the pace as he pulled out.

It seemed like an eternity, but eventually he felt her muscles loosening, and he picked up his pace. Very soon he was pumping in and out of her in a frenzy. Katy closed her eyes, moaning intermittently, and occasionally raising her hips to meet his thrusts. She alternated this by pressing her palms into his supporting arms and stroking them.

Maxim felt his urge become stronger. He gave her a few more final thrusts, and shot inside her. He waited until his explosions subsided, then leaned down to kiss her. Katy returned his kiss with a great passion, while sticking nearly every inch of her body against his.

When they got dressed and returned to the patio, the other pair were already there. Alan gave him a quick wink while Lacey smiled slyly at them. Katy had some blushes on her face, but she still didn't hide her passion. She snuggled with Maxim the entire time they were sitting together.

Maxim talked with Katy on the phone on Saturday evening in his bedroom for almost an hour while Elena was watching TV in the family room. He then remembered he hadn't called Lynn yet, and had another intimating phone chat with her before going down to the family room to take care of his kid friend. They went back to the Academy with Sanchez the following day.

-------

Maxim didn't see Lynn until after their classes the next day. He met her outside the school entrance and walked back with her to the Academy for lunch. Lynn, however, had another suggestion. "Let's go to the park instead," she said.

Maxim was slightly bewildered by this, but he followed her. They went to the small park and sat on the bench. "You know," she said, while watching some leaves fall from their branches. "You've never told me that you loved me."

"Of course I love you."

"You have never said it," she turned to look at his eyes. "In fact you don't say a lot to me. We don't talk a lot. We have sex a lot. This isn't how I want it." She turned away from his face as she sighed.

"Actually," she went on before he could respond. "I don't think you really love me. I think it's my body that you love."

"I do love you," he said and cupped her cheeks in his hands. "We can talk more. We don't have to do that if you don't like it." He leaned forward to kiss her.

Lynn pushed him in the chest. "I have thought about it," she said, turning to look at the tree again. "Actually, I've always been thinking, and the more I think, the more I don't like it."

She turned to look at him. Her eyes were wet and red. "Yes, I love it when you have sex with me, but I feel very lonely afterwards, every time. We're supposed to be soul mates, but you're never near my soul."

"Well..."

"I think we should stop," she said, standing up. "Good bye, Max."

"Have you met someone else?" he said when she was a few feet away.

She turned around with a stern look at his face. "I meet a lot of people all of the time, guys and girls. I've never cheated on you. I don't even eat or drink with guys alone. You're the only guy I've ever slept with."

She took another couple steps, then turned around again. "But yes, I talk with many people. And worst is that when I found out I could talk more with them, guys or girls. I go to bed with a less lonely heart. Goody bye." She turned away and walked out of the park.

Maxim stared at the path that Lynn walked out on for a long while before he strolled back to the Academy. He knew that, like the other girlfriends he'd had in the past, Lynn had walked out of his life. When he returned to the Academy, he saw Elena waiting for him in front of the cafeteria. "Lynn's not coming?" she asked when he started walking inside after their greeting.

"We just split."

"Split... split. Oh. I'm sorry."

"Nah, don't worry. What's up?"

"I need help. Homework. But it's okay. Don't worry."

Maxim chuckled, "Let's find a table." They ate lunch together and then Maxim went through her academic problems with her.



-------

Chapter 3


The Eddie Herr International Junior Championships held in Lauderhill, Florida, in early December consisted of two events: an International Tennis Foundation, or ITF, tournament, as well as tournaments for various age groups sanctioned by the US Tennis Association. The ITF tournament was a high level tournament that attracted many overseas top junior players.

This event was also the first of four major juniors events held in December each year. The other three were the Orange Cup which was widely considered the most prestigious tournament after the junior Grand Slams, as well as two national team events -- the Sunshine Cup for boys and the Maureen Connolly-Brinker Continental Cup for girls. Since all of these events were held in Florida, the sunshine state was flooded with junior players from all over the world during this time.

The ITF juniors tournaments are open to all teen players between the ages of 13 to 18. However, the younger players are always at a huge deficit in skill, power, and experience. Therefore these tournaments are usually dominated by the slightly older players.

The only Omnicianna players accepted into the ITF events were Nick Sohaili and Irene Parker. Nick was 18 years old and was the Academy's star player as well as the current top US junior player. He had been planning to turn professional in a few months' time, depending on his tournament results. Irene would reach the age of 18 in January and she was still undecided between going professional or going to college.

Going professional is pretty much a one-way street. While it is possible to restore amateur status after an unsuccessful professional career, it will take a lot of time off the eligibility of playing for colleges at NCAA tournaments, and therefore greatly hinders the chances of getting sports scholarships from these academic institutions. On the other hand, even with lucrative offers, colleges seldom can attract the best juniors to play for them, because a successful professional career generates much better fame and rewards.

Maxim and a few of his Academy friends were playing in the Age 16 group. He advanced into the third round and then ran into his most criticized problem again. He won some service games without giving his opponent any chances at all, and then committed enough faults in other games to let his opponent break his service games easily. He suffered another dejected defeat, and knew he was going to get some harsh sports performance and mental conditioning analyses at the Academy afterwards.

On the other hand, his doubles matches had been doing very well. Both his boys' doubles with his regular partner Lawrence Robinson and his mixed doubles with Daniela advanced into the quarter-finals. Lawrence was from Texas but he and his younger sister trained at Wesley Chapel, Florida.

Maxim watched a doubles match between Irene and her long time Floridian friend against a pair from Peru. Irene was out of her singles competitions after her first round loss, but the pair had also been going strong, and won the match in straight sets. Spectators, journalists, scouts, and college recruiters started spreading to watch the other matches.

He was wandering from court to court when he saw a girl smiling pleasantly and waving at him. She was Janice Robinson, his doubles partner's little sister. He went over to greet her.

Maxim had seen Janice a number of times before but they hadn't really talked much and he didn't know much about her. Even though Maxim had known Lawrence for over two years, his partner seldom talked with Maxim about himself, his family, or his school. They were more like business partners. This event was going to be one of their last partnerships though because Lawrence was entering the 18 division in a few weeks' time, and Maxim would still be in the 16 division for more than a year yet. They wouldn't be playing doubles together unless they both could get into an international event.

"Have you gotten into the semi?" Maxim asked Janice. "I watched you beat Daniela, but I didn't watch your match yesterday." Janice had beaten Daniela a couple of days ago in the girls' singles.

"Well," Janice said with a bright smile. She had the same strawberry hair color as her brother, but her smiley face was a big contrast to Laurence's stiff upper lip. She was wearing a baggy t-shirt and sweat pants. "I was lucky with Daniela. She missed a few break points. Luck doesn't follow you too long though, so I'm out of the contest."

"Too bad, Janice. So what're you doing? Are you playing doubles?"

"Yeah," Janice said. "But we're also out of that as well. I'm staying behind to watch Lawrence, and of course watch you, too. Oh, here's my partner." She waved at a redhead who was walking toward them.

Maxim had also seen the hot redhead playing mixed doubles with Lawrence before, but he had never been properly introduced to her. "Sharon, meet Max," Janice said. "Max, meet Sharon."

"Are you playing mixed doubles with Lawrence?" Maxim asked, while uncontrollably eyeing her up. Sharon was wearing a track jacket and a low v-neck camisole inside. Maxim could see her eye-catching cleavage clearly without having to peek. "And how's your singles, Sharon?"

"I lost my singles in the first round," Sharon said, smiling at him. She paused briefly before she went on, "We're not playing mixed."

"Why?"

Sharon had a slightly distressful expression. "You weren't at Carmel Valley, were you?"

"No, what happened there?"

Sharon turned to Janice. "Should I tell him about our shameful loss there?"

Janice chuckled. "I've told you a million times. It happens all the time."

Maxim looked at Sharon, then at Janice. Apparently the Sharon-Lawrence pair had lost that event, but he didn't understand why it was so shameful.

Janice smiled at Maxim. "They were the top seeds there, but lost in the first round."

"And to a qualified pair," Sharon added. She seemed to be still very upset about that loss.

"Oh, sorry to hear that," Maxim said. "I guess they were ranked, weren't they."

"Yeah," Sharon said. "Why?"

"I lost to a guy in Elk Grove who had no ranking at all," Maxim said. "I guess mine was worse."

Both girls laughed. "Okay," Sharon said. "Yours' worse. Wait. No, no, no, no. Mine's worse. You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because the fag..." Sharon said, paused, and turned to Janice. "Sorry, forgot you're his sis."

"Don't worry," Janice said, again chuckling. "I think he acted like a fag that time."

Sharon also chuckled. "Okay," she went on. "The fag played like a rat in our losing match, but a couple of hours later he played like Stefan Edberg in his fag's doubles."

It took a while for Maxim to stop laughing. Janice was also bending down laughing, even though she should have heard of this complaint a number of times before.

When Janice straightened up herself, she apparently saw someone. "Hey, guys," she said. "I gotta go now. Max, give me a call sometime and we can talk, will you? Sharon, will you give him my number? I'll see you guys later." She rushed toward a middle-aged couple.

"That's her parents," Sharon said to Maxim. "They're going for a harbor cruise at Miami. It's the first time they've visited here."

"Oh. I see. So that's why you guys aren't playing mixed here?"

"Well, kind of. We had a fight," she chuckled. "I tore the form, and he didn't ask the coach for a new one. So, oh, well, no biggie."

"Well," Maxim said, smiling. "Maybe you dressed too sexy in that match?"

"Yeah," Sharon said with a scornful tone. "Like he'd care." She paused to study him a bit and went on in a catchy tone. "Okay, I'll show you what I wore in that match sometime. Promise me you won't turn into a fag."

"That would be impossible," Maxim said, staring at her chest as she turned a little sideway to let him have a better view through her half opened jacket. "I'm too manly to turn into a fag."

Sharon smiled at him slyly. "Well," she said. "Do you like what you see?"

"Of course," Maxim chuckled. "I don't suppose you wear this to the match, do you?"

"A little more," she said, and batted at him a couple times. "Or was it a little less?"

He chuckled again. "So you're staying till the..."

"The fag!"

"Yeah," he said as he held his laugh. "The fag's match is over?"

"I don't have a choice," Sharon said, making up a face. "Would you be pissed off if I told you I wished that your pair would lose badly?"

"Depends what made me lose the match," he said teasingly. "Are you staying at the resort or a hotel?"

"The resort. Why, are you offering to show me around?"

"Come on, Sharon. You're from here, you know this place much better than I do."

"Such a denial," she said with a teasing smile. "Not even a coffee? Not even offering to walk me back?"

"I'd be honored to do that," he said, feeling his adrenaline rising.

-------

The moment they were in her room, they were kissing like a couple on honeymoon. Within seconds, Maxim's hands were inside her camisole, rubbing the soft skin on her back. She also glided her fingers up and down inside his t-shirt. They parted their lips briefly as their tops were removed in turn. Max undid her bra when they resumed their kiss, then rubbed his chest against her soft mounds, enjoying both the softness and the tiny hardness prodding into his chest.

They moved towards her bed as Maxim pulled her pants down and pressed his confined hardness against her flank. Still maintaining their tongue duel, he lowered her onto the bed. Soon Maxim felt her soft hand slipping through the waist band into his pants, and began stroking his buttocks through his cotton briefs.

When Maxim raised his hip a little to create some space between them, Sharon moved her hand from his back to his front, and stroked his hard cock ardently. He also began rubbing her thighs, inching toward her crotch. After a while, Maxim knew he would shoot in his pants if they carried on like this. He reached for the waistband of her panties and started rolling them down.

"No," she breathed as their lips separated, looking at his lustful eyes. "I like doing this. Take your pants off."

Maxim chuckled, and followed her will. Sharon turned to look at his cock as she stroked it, while he played with her breasts. "Nice cock," she breathed.

He smiled as he kept fondling her breasts and enjoyed the sensational massage he was receiving. He knew it wasn't going to take him long to release his desire. A while later he started feeling convulsions rising from his balls. Sharon smiled at him as she adjusted the angle of her grip, turning his pulsating cock away from her body. Maxim laid back a little as he came. He saw his semen shooting into the air, then landing on his stomach.

Sharon gave him a jolly smile before she went for some tissues to wipe him clean. She then stripped her panties off in front of him. She did it so slowly, posing and smiling at him. After wiggling out of her rolled down panties, she went onto the bed and straddled him, spreading her legs wide apart, allowing him a clear vision of her womanhood.

Maxim impulsively glided his hands up and down her thighs, inching towards her swollen and moist labia. "Yeah, I like this," she whispered as she bent down to lick his lips. Maxim began rubbing along the edge of her labia as she moaned into his mouth. He then slipped his index finger into her slit, exploring the silky warmth inside, as an emission of heat passed through his soaking finger toward the opening. He then added another finger to give her a firmer internal massage.

Sharon started pumping her groin into his hands as he finger-fucked her, moaning into his mouth when their lips were joined together, and on his face when they parted. Her hip movements became more irregular, making it quite difficult for Maxim to maintain a good stroke inside her. It was an even harder endeavor to rub her clit with his thumb as her hips bounced.

Sharon froze, staring blankly at Maxim, gnashing her teeth, as she plumped her hips down his stomach, cutting loose his fingers from her pussy on the way. She took a few deep breaths once her eyes regained their sparkle, and smiled at him. "Boy, was that great?"

"Of course," he chuckled, as he ran his still soaked fingers over her thighs.

"Well," she said with a sly smile. "Let's see if you're ready again." She reached a hand behind her, and felt his cock come alive again.

"Oops," she said while sliding her hips backward. "Almost forgot." She snickered as she left the bed, and went to her bag for a condom. She returned to the bed and put it on him, rolling it down his penis seductively.

She halted whilst climbing back into the bed. "Have you ever tried doggie?" she asked

"Yeah. You like that?"

"Yeah. It's the best position for me."

Maxim smiled as he got off the bed. Sharon spread her legs as she leaned forward, supporting herself with her arms on the mattress. "All the way, Max. All the way," she gasped.

Maxim positioned himself between her legs, then rubbed his sheathed cock against her wetness, and began pushing inside her silky tunnel. "Oh! Yeah," she sighed delightedly as he bottomed out.

He pressed his hands on her ass cheeks, and started pumping. "Faster, harder," she moaned. "Fuck me hard!"

He began slamming his groin against her ass as he thrust. "Oh, yeah!" she bellowed. "Harder!"

He became fanatical, slamming and banging as he shoveled in and out of her pussy, pushing her hips toward the mattress in the act. He switched to support himself on the mattress for a better angle, and kept thrusting faster and faster.

It was an unusual explosion when he came. It was like an endless stream of seeds shooting out of his tip, over and over. He began panting even before it was over. He stepped out of her legs when he finished, and laid himself on the bed beside her.

"Good, huh?" she said, giggling as she raised her head to look at him.

"Yeah," he chuckled weakly. "Did you come?"

She shook her head. "Never from a cock," she said, smiling. "It's unfair, isn't it?"

He chuckled again. "But you still love it, don't you?"

"Oh, yeah," she giggled. "Especially when it's a nice cock, like yours."

Sharon gave Maxim Janice's phone number before he left her room. "What about yours?" he said.

Sharon smiled at him, but didn't give him her number or say anything. She kissed him once more before going down to the lounge to have a cup of coffee with him.

-------

Because of his joyful trip to Sharon's hotel room, Maxim missed Marlene's mixed doubles match. He chuckled at Daniela when he realized that he and Daniela were facing Marlene and Andy in the mixed doubles quarter-final. "Are we going out if we can beat your best friend and her jerk?" he said to her.

"You're the jerk," Daniela glared at him. "The worst one. I have no problem playing against them. I wouldn't feel bad if we did lose to them, either. Let's find the coach to talk about the strategy."

Coach Sanchez came up with an unusual tactical plan for them. "I think Muller will tell them to use a lot of lobs as our natural strategy is poaching when you serve." He pointed at Daniela. "So we're not going to poach. We'll play it safe when you serve, and get them anxious while Max holds his service games. Do it right, and they can't beat us."

Maxim knew they had won the match when they broke one of Andy's service games. Andy started playing very aggressively, leaving Marlene uncertain whether to follow or stick to their game plan. Maxim's partnership held all their own service games. Halfway into the second set, the Marlene-Andy pair acted like they were giving up.

"No kiss?" Maxim asked Daniela after the match.

Daniela chuckled. "Sorry, I already have a boyfriend."

Their victorious mixed doubles journey ended the next day when they were beaten in the semi-final in straight sets. After some other losses suffered by Irene and Nick, the Academy's only chance for a title rested with from Maxim who was playing for the boys' doubles championship on the final day.

The tournament didn't favor Maxim, and his pairing with Lawrence was defeated in the final. Nick and Irene stayed in Florida to play at the other events while the younger players went back to California the next day.

-------

A few days before Christmas, Maxim found his kid pal outside the cafeteria. He sat with her at a table and then gave her a small package.

"What's it?" Elena said.

"Your birthday present," he said. "I got a tight schedule tomorrow and I may not be able to see you."

She grinned at him. "Thank you, Max," she said, then started opening the packet. It was a New World Children's Dictionary.

"I think you've outgrown your pocket dictionary," he said.

"I still need it," she said, smiling. "But this will help a lot, too. Thank you again."

"What did you dad sent you?"

"A puzzle book," she said as she dug into her bag. She took out the present her father sent her and showed it to him.

"Nice," he said as he flipped through it. "Miss him?"

Elena nodded repeatedly. "It'd be very tough if I didn't have you here."

Maxim chuckled. "Nah. You've been doing very well."

"Nah. Besides daddy, mommy, Olga, you're the closest I ever have. I love you, Max."

"I love you, too, Elena," he said, smiling and patting her little hand. "You're like my real sis."

Elena smiled joyfully at him. "You're more than my brother. I'll do anything for you."

"Me, too, Elena. By the way, does Olga also play tennis?"

"No," Elena said. "We went skating together before I started playing tennis. She fell in love with it and didn't want to try tennis."

"Okay. Anyway, if I don't see you tomorrow, remember we're leaving on Wednesday."

"I remember that," Elena said, while nodding.

-------

On Wednesday, Sanchez drove Maxim and Elena back to San Francisco for their brief Christmas break. Since it was a day off for Elena's father, the coach dropped them off at their respective homes.

Maxim knew Katy and Lacey were going to a cousin's wedding that day, so he and Alan went out with some of their old friends. Katy had also told him that she already booked a tennis court on the next morning. The night seemed to be a very long one for Maxim as he struggled in bed thinking about Katy's soft skin.

When Maxim was about to leave his house the next morning for his tennis date, his mother called him over. "Are you going out?" asked his mother.

"Yeah. Playing tennis with friends."

"What about Elena?"

"What about her?"

"She's coming over for the day. Ivan needs to start work early today. I thought you knew."

"Damn. No. When's she coming?"

"Anytime."

Maxim had to wait for Elena to arrive. He couldn't leave her behind at the empty house, so he took her along. Maxim's mother gave them a ride to the park on her way to the restaurant.

Katy had been looking at the little girl accompanying Maxim from the moment they got out of his mother's car. "Your sister?" she asked when they got close enough.

"Well," he said, after a peck on her lips. "Kind of. She's Elena. Elena, this is Katy."

While Katy shook hand with the kid, he added, "I hope you don't mind. I'm her babysitter while we're home."

Katy chuckled. "You a babysitter?" she looked him up and down. "I wouldn't trust you with my daughter."

"Wait until you have one with me," he said teasingly. "You want to start playing?"

She faked a kick, then said, "Sure." She picked up her racquet and they started playing a friendly match, which pretty soon turned into a coaching session. They took a break about half an hour later.

"Can you play?" Katy asked Elena after the little girl gave her a bottle of water.

Maxim chuckled as the little girl grinned. "She'll beat you anytime."

Katy looked at the still grinning kid. "That good?"

"Wanna bet?"

Katy chuckled. "Do you have your racquet with you, Elena?"

Elena shook her head. "I'll watch."

"You can use mine," Maxim said.

"Grip's too big. I'll watch."

Katy wasn't even a decent player. If she wasn't going out with Maxim, he probably wouldn't play with her at all. It was the reward afterward that kept him interested, and at last the time was up and they packed their stuff.

Katy finished her bottle of water, then asked Maxim, "What's my biggest weakest?"

"Backhand," he said. "Your first coach sucks."

"Because I play double-handed backhand?"

"No," Maxim said. "Everyone who starts playing as a small kid will learn double-handed backhand because of strength. She plays double-handed, too." He pointed at Elena. "I first learned to play double-handed as well, but the coaches at the Academy suggested me to change to one-handed backhand because I was going all out serve-and-volley. It took me a couple years to adjust. Your problem is your footwork doesn't get in sync with your strokes, so you have a problem hitting hard and accurate. You need to practice more on this."

"Okay," Katy said. "I'll pay more attention to this. Are you ready to go?"

"Sure."

As they walked away from the playground, Katy whispered to Maxim, "Where're we going?"

"You don't have to go home right now, do you?"

"No, but where?"

"My home?"

"How about her?"

"She'll be downstairs."

Katy lowered her voice even more. "You think that's okay?"

He spoke closer to her ear, "You got a better idea?"

Katy chuckled. She turned around and saw Elena also chuckling. "What're you laughing at?" she asked the kid, as Maxim reached his hand out to the little girl.

Elena shook her head as she smiled. "Nothing." She then went forward to hold Maxim's hand.

After their passionate kiss in his bed, Katy chuckled, "I still can't get rid of the picture of her hearing to what we're doing out of my head."

"She can't hear anything from down there," he said, and sealed her mouth with his. He continued shutting her mouth except when it was necessary for her sweats to be removed.

Katy's breathing got heavier and she seemed to began ignoring the little girl downstairs. She eagerly stripped his sweats and then her own sports pants. Maxim also pulled his own pants and underwear down, showing her his hard manhood in the daylight.

She smiled as she reached for his cock, then brushed it with her fingers. "Did I tell you it was my first time?" she said softly while studying the cock in her hand.

"First time?" he said, looking at her eyes. "I though you said you weren't a virgin."

She giggled. "I wasn't," she said. "But it was the first time I had it in my hand. I like feeling it."

He chuckled, then said teasingly. "With?"

"My fingers," she giggled. "Well, that too."

"And your lips, too?"

"No," she mock a face. "Yuck!"

"I think you'll like it."

She had a brief thought as she continued playing with his cock. "Okay. I'll give it a try. But don't force me. Okay?"

She saw a nodded from him, and lowered her head to his crotch. She gave the tip of his cock a peck, and then studied it for a moment before she stuck her tongue out to lick him. She did it briefly before engulfing his glans with her lips as he let out a joyful sigh. She took him into her mouth slowly as he moaned, until his tip hit the back of her mouth. She swung her head back at once and began choking.

"No," she said after her choke and Maxim patting her. "Can't make it. Sorry."

"Don't worry," he said. "But are you still horny?"

She giggled. "That you'll have to find out yourself."

He ran his fingers on her thighs toward her pussy as she slowly spread herself. He looked at her eyes as he brushed her wet labia. "Some wetness," he said, smiling and continued stroking her outer sex as she started breathing heavily again.

He slowly slipped a finger inside. "Very wet," he said as she started moaning. He played with her pussy for a while, watching her gripping his bed sheets while spreading wider. He couldn't hold back anymore, and went atop her. She immediately got hold of his cock, and guided him toward her pussy. He started pushing, but she pulled her hips away at once, and then chuckled in embarrassment, "I'm not on the pill."

Maxim also chuckled as he had also forgotten about it. He found his condom and put it on, then resumed his position. Very soon he was shoveling for his joyful ride. Katy was more active than last time they did it in a dim basement. She was also making a louder noise both from her throat and from her groin meeting his thrusts.

Katy was still wrapping her legs around him a couple minutes after he blasted off inside her. "Something must be wrong about me," she whispered. "I feel horny whenever I think about you, and I think about you all the time." She giggled.

Maxim smiled at her. "I think about you all the time, too."

"When are your folks coming home?"

"Very late," he said. "We can do it a few more times."

She giggled again. "She'll be watching TV all day?"

"Oh, shit! I forgot. I have to take her to buy a Christmas gift for her dad."

"Told you," she snickered. "A babysitter!"

When they went down to the family room, the TV was turned off. Elena was working on her puzzle book, and grinned at the pair when she saw them. The trio went for a fast food lunch and then a speedy shopping before they returned home. Maxim took Katy up to his room again while Elena played with a new video game he just bought her.

Maxim spent most of his Christmas break with Katy in bed. They had their last one in the afternoon on Christmas eve as she was having a family party that evening and he was returning to the Academy the next morning. Maxim gave her his Christmas gift before they left his house. "I like it," Katy said after she picked a necklace out of the box. "Thanks, Max. Can you put it on for me?"

He put it on for her, then had another long passionate kiss with her before walking her home with Elena. She also gave him a small gift before she went inside. Maxim had another boring evening when his uncle and cousins came over for a holiday family reunion. He gave Elena a big Melissa and Doug plush pug before she left for the night.

Elena chuckled. "Why bought me this pug?"

"Because I like it, Elena," he said, smiling. "Isn't it cute? Hug it. Isn't it soft and cozy, like hugging me?"

She chuckled again, while hugging her new toy. "Yeah, it is. Thank you, Max. This is for you." She gave him a towel with his name sewed on it. "I sewed your name on it, so you won't get it mixed up with other people's."

Maxim thanked her and gave her a peck on the forehead. She returned a peck on his cheek. "Good luck at Arizona," she said before she left.

The next morning, Maxim's mother drove him to the airport, where he met the rest of the team heading for Phoenix, Arizona, for the Fiesta Bowl.



-------

Chapter 4


The Fiesta Bowl was a national event, but the Academy didn't send any player for the Age 18 tournaments. Irene and Jerome Crouch -- another older student at the Academy -- had gone to New York for a mid level ITF tournament. Irene would then go to Australia with Nick.

Maxim was only playing singles and boys' doubles, as there was no mixed doubles competition in this event. This was Lawrence's last boys' 16 event and their last doubles partnership for a while. It wasn't a good last opportunity, as they were knocked out in the second round in which both Maxim and Lawrence played poorly. However, Maxim himself cruised into the round of 16 before he was met with challenge. He won the first set easily, but his opponent managed to take the second set into a tiebreaker. Maxim won at the end, but it was a hard fight.

After changing his clothes and dealing with the post-match formalities, Maxim found Marlene weeping in a corner outside the changing room. "What's the matter?" he asked her.

Marlene kept on weeping momentarily before she said, "Nine game points, five set points, and I missed them all."

Maxim patted her on the shoulder. "Yeah," he said softly. "That sucks."

She sniffled for another while. "I hate myself," she said softly.

"You forget I lost in straight sets in San Diego," he said. "All games I lost went to deuce, and I lost every deuce after I had the advantage. I think it was a classic."

Marlene burst into a chuckle. "Yeah," she said. "It was the only time I saw you so depressed."

"Yeah," he said, smiling. "But I got over with it. So will you."

She smiled back at him. "Yeah, I will. Thanks again. Did you win?"

"Yeah, but it was a hard fight."

"Congratulations."

"Thanks. How's he doing?"

"Andy?" Marlene said. "He's still playing. He should've just started when mine was over."

"You're going to watch? Or a drink first?"

"Are you going for refreshments?"

"Yeah."

"Give me a minute," she said. "I need to change first."

Maxim saw Janice Robinson at the refreshment area. She had apparently just finished talking with some people there and was about to leave. Janice also saw them and waved at them while they went over to her.

"I'm also out," Janice told Marlene after her whining.

"So are you leaving?" Maxim said to her.

"No," Janice said. "A friend's still playing. Why, Max, are you offering something?"

"Sure, Janice," Maxim said, eyeing her. "Why don't we have spa together?"

Janice chuckled. "Actually, I'm having spa this evening with Lawrence, Sharon, and some friends. You can join in."

"Of course I will," Maxim said with a grin. "What time, and tell me your friends are all girls, please."

Janice chuckled with Marlene, who also made up a scornful look at him. "You'll know, Max," Janice said. "Marlene, are you coming?"

"I don't think so," Marlene said. "Anyway, I think it's time now. I'm going to watch my boyfriend's match. I'll see you around, Janice."

Maxim talked with Janice for another little while and then went for his practice. After hitting some ground-strokes with his fellow players for about an hour, he took a break and sat on the courtside watching another pair of Omnicianni players practice. A while later he saw Andy and Sanchez talking as they approached him, with Marlene following behind them.

"I don't need him," Andy spoke rather loudly to Sanchez.

The coach stopped abruptly and stared at Andy. He then took a few breaths and turned to Maxim. "Max, do you have problem practicing serves with him?"

Maxim didn't like the assignment, but he spread his hands. "Not at all," he said.

Sanchez turned to Andy. "You hear it?" he said. "Max doesn't have a problem. So it's up to you. I've done my job." He turned away and walked toward the practicing players for their game plan discussion.

Andy also immediately turned away and walked toward the refreshment area, leaving Marlene still standing there with a slightly embarrassed expression, looking at the backs of the coach and her boyfriend in turn.

"What's the matter?" Maxim asked her.

"He's advanced, and will be facing Glenn Ross," Marlene said. "Coach said his returns weren't at par."

"Oh," Maxim said. Glenn Ross was an excellent serve-and-volley player. Maxim himself had won and lost to that player before, and all their previous matches finished very quickly because their serves were both rather deadly.

"I, um, I'm going to check him out," Marlene told Maxim, and went for the refreshment area.

As Marlene disappeared around the corner, Maxim saw Daniela showing up. She had a pleasant smile on her face as she walked toward him.

"Advanced?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said, then sat beside him. "But Lilia Anderson will be my opponent." She let out a sigh.

"Good luck," he said, and chuckled.

She mocked a face at him, then asked, "You advanced, too?"

"Yeah. My next round opponent is Little John."

"Good luck, too," she chuckled.

"He's in pretty bad shape," Maxim said. "I watched part of his match. He advanced because his opponent retired."

"That's good news for you," Daniela said, smiling. "Well, I'm still a little sore, but if you don't mind, I'd love to take a few of your serves later or tomorrow morning."

"No problem," he said. "But will you join me for spa tonight?"

She chuckled but didn't respond to his invitation. "Well, I'm going for some snacks. You coming?"

He hesitated briefly, as he didn't quite want to see Andy with the behavior he had just displayed. But Andy wasn't supposed to be his concern. "Well," he said. "What the heck. Let's go."

That evening Maxim saw Sharon in the elevator lobby when he was going for the spa gathering. He studied Sharon, who didn't seem to be dressed for a spa session. "I didn't know you're also on this floor, Sharon," he said. "Aren't you going for spa?"

"No," Sharon said. "I got a little headache."

"Then where are you going?"

"Too boring lying in my bed," she chuckled. "I was going to see if anyone's in the lounge for a chat." She checked around, and lowered her voice. "Or something better."

Maxim didn't get to see Janice in swimsuit. Instead, he followed Sharon to her room. Once in her room, Sharon acted like she had missed sex for a decade. She didn't bother to play with Maxim's cock when she had it in her hand, but pulled it toward her pussy at once. They were still kissing when he began shoveling inside her. Sharon wouldn't let him get up after he finished. He had to recover and regain his strength while his cock was still inside her. They tried doggie position the second time, and Maxim managed to get her off by leaning down and rubbing her clit while thrusting inside her pussy.

Maxim didn't have to play his quarter-final match the next day as Little John decided on a walkover due to a bad knee. He watched Daniela lost to Lilia Anderson. Marlene and he consoled her, and then the trio went to watch Andy's Match. He didn't know what had happened to Andy, but his service returns were really bad -- far from what he normally could do. Maxim knew he could have beaten Andy easily in his current state. Andy lost his match by a wide margin.

He quickly left the scene after the match so he didn't have to see the agitated loser. He saw Lawrence a bit later. "How's your match?" he asked.

"Lost in three," Lawrence said. "I'm going to watch Jan and Sharon play now. You coming?"

"I can't," Maxim said. "I got a match planning session coming up in ten minutes. Where're you going this evening, spa or out?"

"Spa. See you there this evening."

After his match planning and practice, Maxim saw Janice talking with some players he didn't know. It looked like Janice knew a lot of people. The smiley girl waved at Maxim when she saw him. She had him wait until her chat with others was finished.

"Where the hell were you last night?" Janice said, making up a pout.

"I'm sorry, Janice. I got tied up last night with a fellow player. I'll rub your neck this evening at the spa. Oh, did you win??"

"No," Janice said, chuckling. "And it's your fault. You should have come rub my neck last evening."

"I'm sorry," Maxim said. "I'll compensate for it tonight. I'll rub you all over."

Janice chuckled. "My goodness. Did I mean that? Max, you're the biggest flirt I've ever seen."

"Don't you like it, Jan? I think you're also a big flirt. And you should also ditch your baggy tee and baggy pants. Why don't we go buy you a sexy skirt?"

Janice shook her head. "Max, I'm just sugar and spice. I'm not a flirt like you. I'm also not Sharon. I can't wear a sexy skirt. My legs are too chubby."

"I don't believe it. Drop your pants and show me your legs."

Janice laughed and shook her head again. "My goodness. I can't imagine what you and Sharon will talk about if you guys are alone together."

Maxim let out a dry chuckle to hide his slight embarrassment.

Janice suddenly went silent as she seemed to be contemplating about something. She then took Maxim's hand and pulled him aside. "Max," she said in a low voice. "You didn't sleep with her, did you?"

"Jan, We're talking about the spa and your legs."

"My goodness," Janice gasped. "You did, Max."

"What makes you think so?"

Janice gave him a sly smile. "She's pretty, you're cute. She's sexy, you're hot. She's a tease, you're a flirt. I stupidly left the two of you behind, and alone. Shall I go on?"

He smiled embarrassingly. "Well, um. She did give me your number."

"You never called me," she pouted, and then went silent again briefly before she continued with a much more serious expression. "Did she tell you about her relationship?"

"Relationship?" he said, staring at her.

"Damn," Janice said. "She's always like this. Never thinks about consequences. Always needs me to do the dirty works for her."

"What's the matter?"

Janice sighed. "She's Lawrence's girlfriend."

Maxim was stunned. Not that he felt guilty sleeping with Lawrence's girlfriend, because he didn't know about their relationship. After all, it was the hot redhead who seduced him, at least in his opinion. However, he agreed it would be wiser that he knew about this, so he wouldn't do stupid things in front of him. "Are you telling him?" he said weakly.

"Like I can tell it every time?" she said with a weary smile. "Honestly I really hope they'll split sooner so I don't have to do this over and over. I love them both. We've been together for quite a while."

"I, um. I'm sorry about this."

"Nah," she said. "Not your fault. Well, maybe it's your fault, too. I think you'd have done it even if you had known about it."

All Maxim could do was to chuckle in embarrassment.

"Just be careful when you're in front of both of them."

"I will."

She sighed again. "Well, I think it's time to go. I don't know if I'll go to the spa this evening. I'm having a super big headache. I'll see you around."

"Okay. I'll see you around."

"Wait," she said, pouting again. "If you don't call me up again, I'll tell the whole world about it."

"Of course I'll call you," he chuckled. "And the neck rub, too."

-------

Maxim found the atmosphere aberrantly tensed and silent when they had dinner that evening. He pulled Daniela aside afterward and asked, "What happened?"

"Andy got into a crash with Coach Sanchez," she whispered.

"About his returns?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, well," Maxim said, "Better stay away from both for a while. Damn. I can't."

Daniela glanced around and then snickered. "Yeah, I think you're going to have some hard time. And it got worse."

"How?"

"Andy wanted to switch room. The coaches rejected."

"Damn," he sighed. "Why would they reject? I don't want to stay with him either."

"They were talking about maintaining discipline," she chuckled. "Poor boy."

Maxim had already gotten used to sharing room with a frosty schoolmate. But Andy was behaving like Maxim had beaten him in all matches, stolen his sociology essay, and got caught sleeping with his girlfriend. He was really hostile against Maxim. They only said the 'F' word to each other during their remaining stay there.

Maxim won his semi-final match after another hard-fought battle. He and Lawrence were having a drink at the refreshment area when they talked about his upcoming opponent.

"It's gonna be tough, Max," Lawrence said. "Mike Jackson's getting better every time I see him."

"Yeah," Maxim said. "I've played him a few times before. He just won't go away, never. He's like a moving bouncing wall, and a freaking fast one."

"Good luck, Max," Lawrence said. "And watch out for his inside-out forehands. They're so deadly."

"Yeah," Maxim said, and closed his eyes to rerun his upcoming opponent's previous actions in his mind. "Hey, Lawrence. I've never seen him use down-the-line running forehand. Have you?"

Lawrence stared at his face, then also closed his eyes. "Probably not many. Damn, I should've beaten him at the US Open qualifying. I guessed wrong nearly every time."

During the championship match, Maxim knew his opponent was getting frustrated when he knew he was trapped with his weakness. The baseline specialist started altering his tactics, but his down-the-line hits while he was sprinting were too weak and inaccurate to turn the tide. Maxim finally won his first championship in a major event following a drought of over a year.

"Nice job, Max," Mike Jackson whispered in his ear while waiting for the presenter. "You ain't gonna see this again. I promise."

"Yeah," Maxim whispered back. "Everyone knows it now, so you'll have to work on it. I'm going to beat you on your backhand next time."

The runners-up chuckled. "Let's see who'll beat who."

When Maxim went outside, he got hugs from his team, except Andy who had stayed far behind.

They went to the airport very early the next morning for their flight. After using the restroom, Maxim heard someone calling him as he walked past a souvenir shop. He saw Daniela waving at him from the cashier counter and went over.

"Can I borrow ten dollars from you?" asked Daniela.

"I don't have cash. I've also bought some souvenirs for my mom and Elena."

Daniela sighed, then started picking up the key chains she had bought one by one to decide which ones she should give up. She sighed again.

"Use your credit card," Maxim told her.

"I don't have a credit card. Do you?"

"How much are you buying?"

"Twenty six," she said, and gave him the twenty dollar bill she had. "Come on!" she said, and nudged him when she saw him still hesitating.

Maxim paid her purchase with the credit card his mother gave him. "For your boyfriend?" he asked as they walked back to the waiting area.

"No. For my brother. He collects key chains."

"So nothing for boyfriend?"

"I don't have..." she said, then halted. "Oops!" She covered her mouth as she sniggered.

Maxim chuckled. "Damn. You lied to me."

"Well," she giggled as she glanced at him. "It worked, didn't it? You haven't bugged me since."

"Bugged?" he chuckled again, and made up a glare at her. "Who do you think you are, a goddess?"

She was still giggling. "Am I not?"

He shook his head, then looked her up and down. "Wanna go out with me tonight?"

"Sorry," she said with some difficulty as she began laughing. "I have a boyfriend."

Maxim was again sitting with Daniela on the plane back to California. As Maxim turned off his video game and prepared for a nap, Daniela dropped her novel in her lap. "Am I really that bad in volley?" she said, looking at the back of the seat in front of her.

"Not really."

"What does that mean?"

Maxim turned to look at Daniela, who was looking attentively at him. "Well," he said. "Not really bad, but I think it's your weakness." He paused before going on, "But girls' matches are usually played from the baselines."

She sighed. "I have to improve on that. I need more practices on that." She sighed again. "But I need deeper ground strokes, especially when returning serves. I wish I could return yours."

Maxim chuckled again. "You can't."

Daniela gave him a challenging look, but her expression turned into a snicker very quickly. "Yeah. I guess you're right. You're one of the best. But your ground strokes sucks." She gave him a smirk.

"Wanna bet?"

"Bet?"

"Yeah, bet on your clothes?" he said jokingly.

She chuckled. "When they said you're a jerk, I didn't quite believe it."

He laughed. "So what do you want to bet on?"

"Nothing. But I think I have a pretty good chance against you with ground strokes."

"I don't think you've seen me a lot."

"Well, if Marlene can beat you with ground strokes, I think I can, too."

Maxim chuckled in slight embarrassment. "I let her win," he said. He did let Marlene win in their match-up, an attempt to win her favor, which didn't work.

"Oh," she said, rolling her eyes. "But you still lost in the end." She smiled slyly at him.

He switched topic. "What about we bet on a hamburger?"

"Nah," Daniela said, shaking her head as she grinned mischievously at him. "Momma used to say never to bet with a guy unless..." She paused. "I can buy you a hamburger if you practice serves with me."

"Why don't we make it a movie?"

She chuckled again. "Max, have I already told you I got a boyfriend?"

"I don't mind."

Daniela shook her head. "My goodness. No, Max, you don't even get a hamburger now."

"Will you still play doubles with Marlene?"

"Of course," she said. "Too bad she can't practice with you on returns. It's still her biggest weakness."

"Well," he whispered. "Tell her to ditch him."

She chuckled again. "Don't get me involved."



-------

Chapter 5


Elena was in front of the boy's residence waiting when Maxim returned. She congratulated him on his championship. Apparently the news had already spread throughout the Academy.

"Thanks," Maxim said after the hug. "And how's your first tournament?" He knew Elena had gone for a local age 10 tournament at San Jose.

Elena grinned, and pulled a small plastic trophy out of her bag. "Runners up," she said proudly. "I'm sending it to mammy."

"Amazing!" Maxim said with exaggerated admiration. "First time and already runners up." He then gave the little girl another hug.

"If I get a second trophy," she said. "It'll go to daddy. The third will be yours."

"What about your sis Olga?" he said, chuckling.

"Hmm," she thought it over. "Third is yours, fourth is hers."

Maxim was taken aback while touched by her ranking choice. "Nah," he said. "Olga will get the third. I'll get the fourth."

When Maxim went to his first Spring semester class, he found the seat he used to occupy had been taken by a new face. It was a girl with long raven hair flowing down to the middle of her back. Maxim liked to fight for his seat in the past, but not anymore, and not with a girl which usually meant big troubles when the teachers intervened. He took the empty seat behind her.

After the teacher had dismissed the class, the girl turned around to Maxim. She had a mesmerizing face, dreamy blue eyes, as well as thick and long eyelashes. "Sorry," she said. "Are you also taking Latin III?"

"Nope," Maxim said as he studied her delicate features. "I'm not taking Foreign Language." He didn't mention he likely wouldn't have another class with her because of his special curriculum.

"Oh, okay," she said, then turned back and got packed. She turned around again before she started walking out. "Sorry."

"Nice chick, huh?" another guy said to Maxim as they went out of the classroom.

"Yeah," Maxim said. "Must be a new Costello girl."

Maxim saw the girl after school again. She came out of the classroom opposite to his, and they happened to be filing out the corridor together, so they started talking.

"Celine Gasquet," she introduced herself.

"Max," he said. "Max Khimin. You go to Costello?"

"Yeah. Painting."

"Oh. I thought you were a drama student."

"Why?"

"Because you're so beautiful."

She chuckled. "Thank you. You look like an athlete. Omnicianni?"

"Yeah. Tennis."

She glanced at him again. "You're tall. Serve-and-volley?"

"Yeah," he said, and studied her again. She was about five-foot-six and had a very nice figure. "You play tennis, too?"

"My ex-boyfriend did. Not like any Omnicianni students, though. Just as a hobby."

"So what do you do beside painting?"

"Reading," she said. "Painting, sculpture, painting." She chuckled again. "Did I mention painting?"

Maxim chuckled. "Where are you going now?"

"Costello, where else?" she said. "Oh, I forgot. You're going back to Omnicianni. You're also exempted from the afternoon activities, aren't you?"

"Yeah. But it's more hellish over there in the afternoon."

Celine smiled at him. "Take care, Max. See you tomorrow."

For the week that followed, they always had a little chat after their morning school. Celine would split with him and went to the parking lot while Maxim headed for the pedestrian entrance. He didn't know if she was old enough to drive or was she riding with someone. Maxim still knew very little about her.

-------

A couple weeks later, Celine asked Maxim on their way out of the school, "What're you doing this Saturday?"

Maxim swung to look at her. He had a mixed feeling of excitement and mischance. "What time?" he said.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah," he said, reluctantly. "I'll be going in the afternoon to Arizona for the Copper Bowl."

"I wish you good luck," she said, smiling. "Got to go now. I'll see you tomorrow." She soon disappeared behind the corner.

Maxim was still standing there hitting his chest when Celine showed up again. "Got some time after your training session on Friday?" she asked. "Like for a coffee or tea?"

"Sure!"

"See you tomorrow," she flashed him another smile, and went away.

Maxim saw Daniela practicing with Marlene the next day on his way to the Sports Training Center. Since coming back from Phoenix, every time he saw Marlene, she was with Daniela. Maxim believed she was in some cold war with Andy. Daniela refused to tell or speculate about her friend's relationship.

When Maxim came back from his performance analysis, the girls were still at the same court, but were sitting and talking without their coach. Daniela waved him over. She wanted to have a little drill on service returns. Maxim gave her some hard time.

"Lilia can't deliver those serves," she reminded him as they picked up the balls from the court.

"I thought she could do ninety five miles."

"No way. I think eighty six, at the most. I think you were doing at least a hundred."

"Go out with me tonight and I'll give you some eighty-six-mile serves."

Daniela smiled. "All right. Meet me in front of Days Inn at seven."

"How do I get there and come back? I don't have a car."

She laughed. "You're giving up your chances. Don't bug me again."

Marlene was also laughing. Maxim wasn't sure if they jointly came up with the response. Daniela finished laughing, then asked Marlene, "Do you want some hard time?"

Marlene got on her feet, then paused. "No. You do it. I'll do it with coach later." She sat down again.

Daniela sighed, then turned to Maxim. "Okay, another round, please. Remember, eighty six."

After his drills on Friday, Maxim went back to his residence for a quick shower and clothes change. He then went to the Academy's front gate to wait for Celine who was coming to pick him up. Maxim had a feeling this wasn't a really a date. Celine had yet to exhibit attraction to him. Nevertheless, Maxim was eager to know about her agenda.

Maxim saw a white BMW convertible pulled over in front of him. Celine was in the passenger seat and a brunette was behind the wheel. Celine got out of the car and went into the rear seat for Maxim to take the front seat. "The rear seat is pretty cramped," Celine said. "Too small for you."

When Maxim was inside the car, Celine introduced them. "Max, this is Severine."

Maxim shook Severine's hand as they greeted. He knew he had seen her at school before but also knew they had never really met. She was chunkier than Celine and rather average on appearance, quite an opposite to her attractive friend. She also looked a little older.

"Is that a French name?" Maxim asked.

"Both are," Severine said. "We're both French descendants. As a matter of fact, we're distant relatives. We also used to be neighbors."

"I see. So where are we going?" Maxim turned around to ask Celine.

"Unless you insist otherwise," Severine said. "We'll have a cup of afternoon tea. What do you say?"

Maxim didn't object. During the drive, he thought about the situation, and was inclined to think Celine was setting him up with her friend. Severine was probably not a girl he would be attracted to, but not someone he would have problem spending time with either. He just didn't feel comfortable about the idea. Besides, it was an intriguing thought to have some romantic moments with Celine alone.

"How old are you, Severine?"

"Seventeen, you?"

"Sixteen, in a few weeks," Maxim said. He turned around. "You, Celine?"

"Sixteen," she said, smiling. "A few weeks ago."

The girls took Maxim to a café in downtown. Their conversation was more like an interview exploring backgrounds of the others. Severine was graduating in June and she was going to Colby College in Maine. Celine was still considering between Colby and the New York Academy of Fine Arts. They were both from New York City. Severine's father operated a multi-national import and export business. Celine's father was a partner of a fine art auctioneer and appraiser firm with offices in New York, London, and Paris.

After Maxim paid the check, Severine suggested dinner together. "Or do you have to eat at the dining hall?" Celine asked him.

"Well," Maxim said slowly. "I don't think anyone cares. But don't you? I thought Costello's rather straight."

"We don't stay there," Celine said, again smiling. "We share a house near Beach Road."

"Oh. I thought all their students were boarding."

"Not really," Severine said. "A few do live outside. Very few."

"Well," Maxim said, then a question crossed his mind in a flash. "How few?"

Celine chuckled. "Two."

Maxim also chuckled. "I think I sense some relationship between your families and Vincent Costello."

Severine gave him a sly smile. "You might as well sense something nice to eat."

They went for a steak dinner. Severine paid the check this time, before driving him back afterward. Maxim used the secret Nick Sohaili route to get back to his residence.

-------

Maxim had a pretty good beginning at the Copper Bowl Junior Championships held in Tucson, Arizona. Both his singles and mixed doubles with Daniela breezed into the quarter-final without much resistance. But he knew a tough challenge lay ahead. He was going to face Mike Jackson whom he beat a month ago in Phoenix. His mixed doubles with Daniela would met a new pair -- Janice Robinson and Glenn Ross. He knew Lawrence and Sharon had chosen to skip this tournament.

It was the first time Maxim saw Janice in tennis apparel. In the past when he saw Janice, she was always dressed conservatively in baggy clothes. Not this time. Her top showed her ample breasts very well. Maxim also remembered about her complaining her legs being chubby, which was obviously a big lie. She didn't have any excess fat or flesh on her legs, and even though they were not as beauteous and long as Sharon's, they were still very nice looking.

Janice was carrying her jacket instead of wearing it, apparently to let Maxim have a better look. Maxim stared at her chest and swallowed his saliva as he greeted his opponents. "Janice," he said. "Do you know you're a big liar about your legs? And don't you think a racquet is enough as weapon?"

Janice chuckled, then turned to Glenn Ross. "Have I won the bet?"

Glenn also chuckled while glancing at Maxim and Daniela, who was glaring scornfully at her partner. "I think we've won the match, too."

Even though this was the first tournament Glenn paired with Janice, they had pretty good chemistry. Maxim believed Janice was a very good natural doubles player, like Glenn. They beat the Daniela-Maxim pair easily.

While walking out of the court, Maxim whispered to Daniela, "They're tough, aren't they?"

"Told you not to stare at her chest!" she whispered back, making up a glare at him.

-------

Later that day, Maxim saw Marlene outside weeping in a corner again. He went over to her. "You lost again?"

She shook her head after wiping tears off her face. "Hasn't started yet."

"What's the matter?"

"He's decided on a walkover, said he'd a stomach flu."

"But he already lost in the third round."

"Mixed doubles."

Maxim let out a deep sigh. There were a lot he would want to say to Marlene, but nothing appropriate. He began patting her shoulder. A little later he saw Daniela approaching. It seemed she had already learned about it, because she had an irritated look on her face. However, as she came closer, her expression changed to a caring one. She held Marlene in her arms, and Marlene wept again, on her shoulder this time.

"I think I'm walking over on mine," Marlene said after her weeping. "I can't win any game now."

"No!" Daniela said, almost in a screaming tone. "Show the world what you can do, without him."

"No, there's nothing I can show." Marlene breathed like she was a deflating balloon.

"Marlene," Maxim said slowly. "Go do it. Losing it is no big deal. I lose all the time. It's still better than not doing anything."

Marlene thought it over. "Okay," she said to Maxim. "I'll go take the beats. Thanks." She turned to Daniela. "Thanks."

Daniela gave Marlene another hug. "I've to play mine now," she said. "I'll see you later." She turned to Maxim. "Please stay with her."

Nearly one and a half hour later, Maxim felt a tap on his shoulder as he was watching Marlene's match. "How's she doing?" Daniela whispered. "Oh, no!" She cracked as she heard the game call from the umpire after Marlene missed a shot. Marlene was down 3-5 in the third and final set. A few minutes later Marlene lost her match.

"She lost," Coach Sanchez's voice came from behind them. "But she's also won."

"Yeah," Maxim said. "It's amazing how she can put up such a fight with..."

"With all that's going on around her," Daniela continued. "I adore her."

"Did you advance?" Maxim asked.

"Yeah. Lilia's next again," she chuckled.

Maxim laughed as the coach led them out of the court to wait for Marlene. They hugged her in turn. Marlene was surprisingly calm and content.

"Thanks, Daniela and Max," she said as they walked toward their practicing area. "I almost lost myself."

"I thought you did when you lost your first set in bagel," Maxim said. "It's so relieving to see you come back in the second set."

Marlene chuckled. "Yeah, me, too," she said. "I was about to give it up, and then I remembered what you said. I got to do something even if I was going to lose."

"That's how you get stronger," Sanchez said. "That's how you get better. Not just as a player, but also as a person."

"Thanks, coach," Marlene said with a grateful smile. She then laid her head on Daniela's shoulder. "I haven't felt so good for a while. Wanna have some ice cream?"

Daniela smiled at her. "Let's get changed and go get some." She turned to Maxim. "You coming?"

"Of course," Maxim said, and followed the girls as the coach went back to his work area.

Maxim lost in his match against Mike Jackson the next day. As they walked out of the court together, Maxim whispered to Mike, "Watch your ass next time, Mike. You're not going to be hitting perfect lobs every time."

Mike chuckled, "Let's see."

Maxim got a surprisingly warm and big hug from Daniela when he got out of the court. He knew he didn't earn it. "You beat Lilia Anderson?" he asked.

"Yeah!" she said with an exciting smile. "First time in my life."

"Congratulations," he said, then spread out his arms. "Another hug?"

Daniela laughed and then threw him her bag. "Hug it. You'll love it."

Marline was chuckling. "Daniela, I think you'll have a hard time getting your bag back."

"He will," Daniela said, still laughing. "When coach tells him to. Oops!" She covered her mouth snickering when she found out the coach was behind her. Sanchez shook his head as he chuckled, before walking away.

"Where's Andy?" Maxim asked Daniela while they were walking back to the practice area. "I haven't seen him all day."

"In your room resting," Daniela said. "Mrs. Weiss took him to see a doc and then sent him back to the hotel. She said he's fine."

When Maxim returned to his room later that evening, he smelled scent of sex despite air was blowing out at maximum setting from the ventilation duct. He knew the windows in the room were sealed and that might be the reason why the scent remained. He went into the bathroom for his shower, and the scent was even stronger there. He made a mental note not to do it in a room he would share with anyone he couldn't trust.

The next day, Daniela lost in the semi-final to an elastic-girl kind of player who wore her out. They took the flight back to California the next morning.

Maxim left his team at San Francisco airport and went away with Sanchez. Since they returned on Saturday morning, both the coach and Maxim had arranged to spend the weekend at home while the rest of the team rode back to the Academy.

The first thing Maxim did after getting home was to call Katy to let her know he was home, and then rushed to pick her up. His libido had already risen to a dangerous level. He had sex with Katy virtually the entire afternoon before they joined Alan and Lacey for a movie in the evening. He did it another couple times with Katy on Sunday before riding back to Santa Arcata with his coach in the afternoon.

Maxim saw Nick when he returned to the Academy. The Omnicianni star player had just come back from Australian Open Junior where he was defeated in the final. "I've announced that I was turning pro," Nick told him.

"Cool, congratulations," Maxim said, shaking his hand. "From now on you're paying whenever we go out together. How are your sponsorship deals?"

"SAMS' still working on them," Nick said. "They don't quite like the timing I picked, but I'm already up to my neck in debts, I need to start making money."

Maxim chuckled, and also told Nick about his two encounters with Mike Jackson.

"I'm surprised you hadn't expect it," Nick said. "You know, tennis is a game involving physical strength, tactics, skills, concentration, and determination."

"Everyone knows."

"Very few can do it well, putting them all together," Nick continued.

"Everyone knows."

"Mike couldn't fix his problem in just a month's time, so he'd have to come up with some temporary solutions, something tactical."

"I know," Maxim said slowly. "I knew he was going to use offensive lobs. He just executed it perfectly."

"Because you didn't make it hard for him to hit his lobs."

Maxim thought for a while. "Damn, Nick, why weren't you there? And why didn't Coach told me this."

Nick chuckled. "Max, the coaches are looking after too many players. They got too much to handle."

"You know, Nick," Maxim said. "I think you'll be a great pro player, and when you retire, you'll be a great coach."

Nick smiled at him. "Thanks," he said. "But know what? Next time you face him, I'll still bet on him."

Maxim started laughing as Nick chuckled. "You know what, Nick?" he said after his laugh. "Sometimes you talk like a teacher or a coach."

"Most of you guys come from well-off families," Nick said slowly. "I come from a broken family. Everyone there has to work hard and grab every chance to survive."

"Yeah. I think you see a lot more."

"I do," Nick said, then paused. "Actually you do, too, Max. I talked with Marlene. She told me what you said to her before her match. You did a great job."

"You teach me a lot."

Nick gave him another quick smile before parting with him.



-------

Chapter 6


Maxim went with Celine and Severine for another afternoon tea date that Friday. They started talking more casually and the atmosphere was more relaxing than they had the previous meeting, but Maxim still didn't know why he was there. He knew he was interested in Celine, but she seemed to be keeping a distance, even though she didn't display any sign of rejection either.

The strange part was that Severine didn't display perceptible interest in him as well. Maxim had discharged his original idea that Celine was setting him up with Severine. They didn't have dinner together this time. Maxim had his dinner at the Academy and then went back to his residence.

A week later, Maxim saw Daniela limping out of the Medical and Therapy Center at the Academy. Her right foot was wrapped in layers of bandage. Maxim rushed over. "What happened?" he said and stared at her taped foot.

"Bad landing," she said with a bitter smile. "Sprained my ankle."

"That sucks," Maxim said, and reached over to take over the bag she was carrying. "How bad? Can you walk?"

"Of course I can walk," she said, chuckling but still wearing her bitter smile. "X-Ray is negative. Doc says it's only Grade Two. I'm on compression bandage, don't you see?"

Maxim breathed in slight relief. "That means one to three weeks. Not too bad. Are you going back to residence now?"

"For Christ sake, I haven't had any food all day yet."

Maxim chuckled. "I'll take you to the cafeteria." He reached out again to lend her an arm and a shoulder.

Daniela sighed. "Thanks, Max. I hate it that I can't go to Fullerton next week."

"Yeah, that sucks," he said. "But without you, I'll have more time with hot chicks."

She chuckled as she hit him in the chest. "Not asking me out anymore?"

"Will you?"

"No," she said, and laughed.

"You know, Daniela," he said after laughing. "Sometimes I wonder if you're gay."

"I'm not," she said, smiling. "You're not my type, and I don't fool around."

"Damn, you bust my dreams."

She laughed again. "Poor baby," she glanced at him. "But honestly I do like you a lot, as a friend."

"I have no problem sleeping with friends," he said, and then laughed as she hit him again in a slightly pink face.

About 20 minutes later Marlene joined them at the cafeteria. "How bad is it?" she asked as she took her seat. Apparently she knew her friend was hurt. She was probably there when the accident happened.

"Grade Two," Daniela repeated her condition. "One to three weeks."

"Gee," Marlene said. "That stinks. You'll miss Fullerton."

"Yeah," Daniela sighed. "Sorry, Marlene, you'll have to drop out of doubles."

"Don't worry about it," Marlene said, then turned to Maxim. "Have you found a new doubles partner yet?"

"No. I think I'll stay out of doubles for a bit. Is, um, is he going?"

Marlene shook her head. "I don't know."

Daniela also shook her head. "I don't know either." She then waved as she saw Jerome walking in, and asked him when he had come over.

"No," Jerome said. "Andy's not going. I've overheard the coaches discussing to recommend Chuck for the sponsorship."

"Does that mean Andy's not going to other tournaments?" Maxim said.

"Obviously," Jerome said as he took over Maxim's apple cider. "Mind if I have it?" He finished the glass in a gulp before Maxim responded.

Maxim chuckled. "You must have just taken some beatings from Byrnes. Want some more?" He went for the counter after Jerome nodded appreciatively.

The next day, Maxim had a practice with Chuck Kim. The reticent Korean could go an entire day without saying a word, and Maxim knew nearly nothing about his background. Marlene and Joanna were also practicing on the court next to theirs. Rudy came over a while later after his workout. When the practices were over, Marlene seemed to have questions to ask the coach but she pulled back. The players went to the dining hall for dinner after the practice.

"Are you still worried about him?" Maxim asked Marlene on the way.

She nodded but said nothing.

Maxim hesitated, but eventually asked, "How long have you not talked with him?"

It took Marlene quite a while to answer. "Since Tucson."

"Want me to find out?" Maxim said.

"Nah," she said softly. "I'm fine. Thanks."

Before they entered the dining hall, Maxim stayed behind and grabbed Rudy. "Nate's you bud, right?"

"Yeah. What about him?"

"He's Andy's roommate, isn't he?"

"Oh," Rudy grinned at him. "You want to hear the Andy story."

"Story?"

"He left," Rudy whispered. "Yesterday."

"Left? What do you mean?"

"Quits the Academy," Rudy went on. "Looks like he's going to Brookinson, but nobody's sure about it."

Maxim took a deep breath. "Thanks, Rudy."

Before he could take a step, Rudy grabbed him. "Are you going to movie with Elena this Saturday?"

Maxim chuckled. "She won't go out with you alone?"

Rudy also chuckled. "Not really. But she's got a lot of excuses."

"I'm not going anywhere on Saturday," Maxim said with a sly smile. "But if you're paying, I can ask Marlene out."

Rudy chuckled once again. "Why don't we have a bet? I don't think you'll be able to."

Marlene had a dozen reasons not to go, and Maxim lost his bet. Rudy then tried to use Chuck, but the Korean already had plans for his weekend. Nevertheless, when Daniela joined them after her physiotherapy session, the gang made a deal that all five would go. But then another issue arose. Since Daniela couldn't walk well, they needed a car, and none of them had one. They eventually made arrangement to ride in Nick's 12-year-old Civic and pay for his expenses as well. While Nick's car couldn't legally carry that many passengers and it would be very cramped, it was the best deal they could come up with.

Maxim believed both Rudy and he had made a stupid decision. During the movie and dinner trip, he found himself talking with Rudy most of the time. The three girls were either talking among themselves, or listening to Nick talking about sports philosophies. He considered the tea date he had with Celine and Severine the previous day -- which had now become a routine -- a much more enjoyable engagement. At least he didn't have to share the duo with anyone.

-------

The US Tennis Association Junior National Open series were held quarterly each year at various locations for different age divisions and domicile sections. This resulted in a lot of tournaments, matches, participants, and champions. It also made easier and more affordable for players from all over the country to take part even without sponsorships.

This year, the February Pacific division 16 tournaments were held at Fullerton, California. Since nearly all eligible Omnicianni players were participating in these events, the school bus carrying them were fairly packed. Daniela had stayed behind at the Academy for her daily treatments. Sanchez was the coach leading the team.

Maxim and Glenn Ross were the top seeds in this tournament. Since most of Maxim's usual and tough opponents were playing at other locations, he didn't have much problems during the early rounds. He helped his other inexperienced teammates practice and get ready. He spent the most time with Chuck as he was the closest to Maxim in level.

Chuck didn't have a lot of experience in high level competitions until lately, and he lost in the third round. Both Marlene and Maxim cruised through the first three rounds, where the duo were the only two Omnicianni players left in the event. In the quarter-final, Marlene had to squeeze the last bit of her exertion to defeat the elastic girl who beat Daniela a month ago. She still looked very frail when Maxim bought her an ice cream for celebration while Chuck was hanging around with some Korean friends.

"I don't think I can do anything tomorrow," she said, while rubbing her leg with a hand. "I'm already dying."

"I can rub them for you," Maxim said, as his eyes followed her hand on her thigh. She was still in her tennis skirt and hadn't changed yet. "You'll feel brisk right after."

"Gee," Marlene chuckled. "You just won't stop hitting on us on any chance, huh?"

"No," Maxim said, smiling. "Not hitting on you. Just offering a service."

She smiled as she shook her head. "Whatever you say, Max," she said. "I think I know you quite well. How long have we known each other, over two years?"

"Yeah, I think so," he said. "You're probably the first girl I talked to when I first went to the Academy."

"And you started hitting on me the first time we spoke," she chuckled. "And..." Her voice trailed away as her motions slowed down. "Well," she went on after a while. "Let's talk about something else."

"You still think about him?"

She nodded slowly, then sighed. "Not even a good-bye."

He was a little regretted for bringing up this topic. "Is, um, is Jerome asking you out?"

She turned to look at him with a surprised expression. "No," she said. "Why?"

"I saw you practice serves and returns with him a couple times before we came here."

"Yeah, he offered it. That's my biggest problem. Something wrong with that?"

"I thought you'd have asked me to do that."

She smiled at him. "You jealous?"

"No, of course no. Just curious."

"I think you do," she gave him a sly smile. "Guy thing. Anyway, he offered it, so I accepted his kind gesture. And also, I think he does it better. He's not as good a server as you are, but he knows how to adjust it for us, and he does a better job explaining what's wrong with my returns."

"Oh. Okay."

She gave him another smile. "But you'll still offer it to me if I need it, won't you?"

"Of course I will."

"No rewards, no going out, no hamburger?"

He chuckled. "Of course."

Maxim lost in the singles final to Glenn Ross. Both of them played the same style, and both had a powerful serve. It was always a quick match for them and rarely would there be baseline rallies in their matches. Maxim held an edge in their head-to-head statistics, but Glenn was in a better form today, while Maxim was very inconsistent. Marlene also lost in the girls' singles finals, playing at nearly half of her usual level. It seemed like she had overdrawn herself during the previous excruciating matches.

-------

When Maxim returned to the Academy, he started planning for his Spring break. It didn't go very well as he had problem getting hold of Katy on the phone. Finally, he called his buddy Alan a couple days before the break. "Is there something wrong with Katy?" he asked.

"What did Lacey tell you?"

"She said Katy's wasn't able to talk."

Maxim heard a deep sigh from Alan. "Damn, I've told her to tell the truth," said his buddy over the phone.

"What's the matter?"

"Max, this ain't gonna work," Alan said. "You can't just fuck her and do nothing else. She has a feeling she's your whore."

"She told you that?"

"Hell, no!" Alan said, laughing. "She whined to Lacey."

"I don't just fuck her. I call her up a lot."

There was another sigh from Alan. "Then how the fuck could you've missed her birthday?"

"Her birthday? She didn't tell me."

"Max, that's what your fucking mouth is for, not just for kissing and eating her."

Maxim nearly fell to the floor. "So what do I do now?"

"Nothing," Alan said. "She won't talk to you or see you anymore. You ain't seeing Lacey either."

Maxim remained sitting in his bed for a long time before he went for his shower. He knew he wasn't going to see Alan for a while as well, not until he was done with Lacey.

His mood had been down during the entire Spring break. He didn't return home but stayed at the Academy practicing and working out. After all, he would have nothing to do at home.

Maxim knew his friends were buying him a cake on the last day of the break to celebrate his 16th birthday. He was a little late going to the dining hall, and was surprised to see Chuck at the table when he got there. He was even more surprised when he carried his food to the table and heard Chuck describing his family to the girls. Chuck halted and looked at Maxim when he noticed maxim was staring at him.

"I thought you'd be reading," Maxim said. "And not talking."

Marlene chuckled. "He was," she said, waving a book in her hand. "Until I grabbed it. He's now paying his ransom by telling us about his family."

"If I were you," Maxim told Chuck. "I'd have thrown her onto the floor, get on top of her, and use force to get the book back."

Chuck laughed with the girls, and then Daniela said to Maxim, "Yeah, you'd use force to get the book back, or something else?"

"I'm not sure. Let's try it," Maxim said, glancing at Marlene who had some redness on her face. "Chuck, you got another book I can borrow?"

To his surprise again, Chuck showed him another book. He also slapped a 20-dollar bill on the table, and gave Maxim a challenging smile.

Maxim wasn't sure if this was another gang conspiracy. "Ice cream at Palm Springs is on me," he said, as Chuck put back his stuff with a composed smile while the girls burst into laughter.

"Okay," Daniela said after her laugh. "Let's continue. So, Chuck, you were born here but you can speak Korean?"

Chuck showed them the book he had just put back. There were some big characters and signs on the cover that Maxim had no clue about. Daniela took the book and flipped it a little, and Maxim could see tiny characters totally alien to him. "So you can also read?" Daniela said.

Chuck nodded as he put back his book once again. He then reached a hand out to Marlene demanding his book in her possession. Marlene gave him back his book, then stuck her tongue at Maxim.

"Well, Marlene," Maxim said. "We can still try it. Are we going out tonight?"

"Days Inn?" Marlene said, then started laughing with Daniela.

"Of course," Maxim said. "I'll be getting my driver's license soon, and then we'll have some good time there."

Marlene's face turned pink. "Gee," she said, shaking her head. "You're hopeless, Max."

-------

On the first day after Spring break, Celine met with Maxim after their morning classes and suggested a little talk. They walked out of the main entrance toward a street-side park. Maxim's heart had been beating rapidly all the way.

"I'm not sure if you mind doing me a favor," she said when they were entering the park.

"What's it?" he said, while his heart sank a little. It couldn't be something intriguing, or she wouldn't have called it a favor.

"I'm working on portraits at the moment, specifically the Freud style. I'm having a private contest with Severine. I need a model."

"Model? Naked? For you?"

Celine smiled at him as she nodded. "For us."

Maxim didn't know if he would like it. He would love to go naked in front of Celine and would love it even more if she would do the same. But he didn't know if he would enjoy standing naked in front of two painters and he believed he wasn't supposed to show signs of horniness while posing.

"It's, um, it's all right if you don't feel comfortable," Celine said. "I think you'll look very nice in my portrait, but I can ask someone else if you don't like it."

The worst Maxim believed he could get into was no reward at all. He didn't like the idea of Celine asking someone else, and then the result turned out to be fruitful for the substitute. He quickly agreed, and they settled for the coming Saturday afternoon. The image of what Celine would wear while painting came up very often in his mind for the following few days.

Both Celine and Severine wore knee-length casual dresses when they picked up Maxim. Celine had on a satin one with wide yoke at the bottom. Severine was in a geometric-print jersey dress.

When they arrived at their house, Maxim noticed their living room had already been turned into a studio. On top of a large piece of denim drop cloth were stretched canvas mounted on two easels and two small tables cramped with various caddies, trays and supplies. A couple adjustable stools were placed on the edge of the drop cloth. At both sides of the room stood floor lamps with extensible arms. The drapes at the windows had been bunched up and fastened to the hooks, but the sheer curtains were still in place, giving the room an ample but rather soft illumination.

"Are you ready?" Celine said, smiling at him. "Or do you need a drink first?"

"I think I'm ready," Maxim said, as uneasiness began to surface.

Severine pointed to his right. "The bathroom is yours all day," she said, smiling. She then led him to a vacated area about ten feet in front of the easels and then turned around. "See that picture?" she pointed at a picture hanging at the back of an easel. It looked like a Michelangelo's Statue of David.

"That's how you will pose," Severine explained. "I don't suppose you will have any problem, am I right?"

Maxim nodded, and when Severine gave him another gesture, he went into the bathroom to strip.

As he went out of the bathroom a little later, he realized he was covering his groin with his hands. He found his instinctive behavior funny. He took a couple deep breaths, and walked into the living room as naturally as he could, preparing to give the girls a good look.

There were no applause or cheer from the girls. Severine was adjusting a floor lamp to give the model area a better illumination, and Celine was fine-tuning the angles of the easels. They both smiled at him as he appeared, but didn't show intent to study his otherwise hidden features.

Severine then guided Maxim to pose in the form as illustrated in the David Statue picture before returning to her stool. Their easels were placed to each face outward of Maxim, and they looked at their model through the wide gap between the frames. Maxim was relieved he wasn't showing signs of irregularities, which was the first time for him while naked in front of females.

"I'll take a Polaroid first," Severine said. "As you'll have to maintain a pretty consistent pose and the job may take a while." She took out a Polaroid camera and took a photo, then pinned the photo next to the David Statue picture before returning to her seat in front of her canvas. They started by drawing a sketch of him and then work on their palettes and mixing trays before Maxim finally saw them picking up their brushes.

About twenty minutes later, Maxim started feeling itchy pain from his left arm he had been raising. "Let's take a short break," Severine said to him. "Do you prefer beer, soft drink, or coffee?"

"Anything's fine," Maxim said, as he started swaying his arm to loosen the stretched muscles.

Celine went outside the living room, and came back a little later with soft drinks in her hands. She distributed them, and said to Maxim, "Take a seat on the couch. Do you need a towel?" She glanced at his crotch with a nearly imperceptible smile.

Maxim started feeling blood gathering at his crotch for no reason. He didn't know if he should use a towel.

"Don't worry," Severine said, smiling slyly at him as he sat on the couch and put his free hand over his lap. "That is natural. You can think about tennis or other things if you don't feel comfortable."

They resumed their session a little later, and repeated the brief breaks at around twenty minute intervals a couple times. During a break, Maxim asked, "How long will it usually take? I forgot to ask."

"It depends," Severine said. "I hope we can get it done before dinner. Do you want to take a look?" She went around to her easel. "Come over, Max."

Maxim went over and saw a fractional art. The outlines were finished, but obviously Severine had just finished the details on his face. He turned to look at Celine's. Hers was even more fragmentary. He doubted if they could get it done before the day was over. He was also quite certain, based on what he saw, that Celine would likely be the winner of the contest.

He felt warm air blown onto the rear of his neck, and heard a near cooing voice from Celine. "Do you think I'll win?" Maxim instinctively turned around, but stopped when he met a small smile from Severine. "I don't know," he said. "I think it's still a little early, isn't it?"

The girls chuckled while sandwiching him, both blowing breaths at him, but not touching him. Maxim knew he was developing nascent bulge. However, instead of grabbing both or one of the girls, he began thinking about lost tennis matches. "I think we should get back to work," Severine said, smiling. "Shouldn't we?"

Another few breaks later, Maxim saw that Severine was almost to his hips, although the details on the finished parts were still pretty vague. He wasn't sure if that was her style, or she would return to the touch ups later. He turned to look at Celine's painting. Hers was just down to his chest, but with better details.

"We do it slightly differently," Severine explained, and then glanced at his crotch. "You'd better think about more tennis when we resume."

Maxim knew what she meant. Every time when the break was over, he had a small bulge, either from them standing too close to him, or half-teasing tones they presented. He swallowed his saliva and nodded.

A while after the session had resumed, Maxim saw Celine pausing her job. She began mixing her palette over and over, and then stared at her painting, as if she had made some big mistakes. A little later Celine dropped a hand on her thigh, and began running it from her knee to mid thigh. She kept on stroking her thigh, occasionally lifting the hem of her dress up a little in the process.

Maxim didn't know if this was a show for him, or was that what Celine did when she was in deep thoughts. He knew he was beginning to have a bulge. Thinking about lost tennis matches didn't help at all and he couldn't move his eyes away from Celine's hand over her lap. Her hem had been lifted farther and farther away from her knees, exposing more and more of her thighs to him.

By the time more than half of Celine's thighs were in his view, Maxim was certain that was a show for him. As she began caressing herself in slow and very long strokes, he knew he had a full bulge. He didn't know if Severine was doing the same, or had protested but he couldn't hear it. He still couldn't move his eyes away from Celine.

Maxim literally jumped when he heard Severine whispering in his ear. "Lost tennis matches don't work?"

He swung his head to look at her. Severine had a mysterious smile on her face. Maxim knew his face was red. He also instinctively glanced at Celine. She was still staring at her painting while stroking her thigh, as if she was alone in her own world, even though Maxim believed she was aware of everything.

"Apparently you need a little help," Severine whispered again.

Maxim then felt soft fingers gliding along his hard cock, and he intuitively turned to look at Severine. She was also looking at his eyes, smiling, while running her fingers along his hardness. Naturally, Maxim wouldn't refuse a helping hand. In fact he had no idea what his best deed would be. He also couldn't resist glancing at Celine who was still stoking herself in her own world.

Severine didn't protest about him eyeing Celine as she played with his hot rod, and she also began caressing his chest with her other hand. Severine was very proficient with what she was doing. Maxim began breathing very rapid and pumping his cock into her hand. A little later he started feeling his urge coming as Celine's hand began moving faster on her thigh.

To his surprise, Severine didn't help him finish. She gripped his cock just under his glans and squeezed. Maxim turned to look at her. Severine also smiled at him, but said nothing while still squeezing his cock forcefully. Maxim's urge subsided, but not his hardness.

Severine resumed stroking his cock, and leaned closer to him. Maxim also leaned forward instinctively, and began kissing her. Very soon he was rubbing her back earnestly, while she was still jacking his cock between their bodies.

After the kiss, Maxim unthinkingly glanced at Celine. She was smiling at him, and had stopped her show with her thighs covered by her dress again. She also turned her chin slightly toward the couch at the same time Severine started pushing him toward that direction.

Maxim went over to the couch as if hypnotized. Severine sat in his lap and continued stroking him. He also resumed running his hands all over her, and began unzipping her dress. The moment he had pushed her dress down to her waist and undid her bra, Severine pressed her chest to his face, and Maxim began caressing and kissing her breasts. He had no idea where Celine was and what she was doing.

Severine began moaning at his ear when he began sucking her turgid nipples. She lifted her hips up from his laps and Maxim started pulling her dress down and then rolled her panties down her legs. Their actions become more vigorous and they started making loud noises.

The couch had become too cramped, and soon Maxim found them rolling on the carpet. He wanted to get atop her, but she pressed in his chest. She gave him a smile and got on top, straddling him. She then reached into the pocket of her dress a couple feet from them and retrieved a condom to put it on for him.

Severine positioned herself above his cock and slowly sank down his shaft, and Maxim felt his cock sucked forcefully into her pussy. Her pussy wasn't tight like a few virgins he had fucked in the past, but she seemed to be able to manipulate her internal muscles very well. It was a new and extremely pleasant experience for Maxim.

Very soon Severine was rocking him, delivering intense joyful friction to every cell in his cock. Maxim moaned loudly as he raised his hips to meet her groin, pounding harder each time. Not long later he felt the delightful urge again.

Again, Severine didn't want him to finish. She lifted her hips up a little, and gripped his cock forcefully again, despite him struggling from underneath. Eventually his urge fade away again, and she resumed her rocky ride.

It was undoubtedly Maxim's longest fuck of his life. He must have had his urge at least five or six times but she was able to put it off each time. His balls had started to hurt from all these delays. It was a huge relief when she slammed herself hard on him, taking his tip to the very bottom of herself, and her body tumbled onto him, shaking, as he could finally shoot inside her. It was possibly his biggest orgasm ever, even though it came with severe pain from his balls.

Maxim couldn't move a finger while panting loudly with Severine. When the blur in his eyes faded, he saw Celene sitting on the couch, giving him another smile. She also slowly restarted running a hand on her thighs and her smile turned into a teasing one very soon.

Maxim started imaging how it would feel when he shovel inside Celine as his lifeless cock began sliding out of Severine. Then he heard Severine whispering, "Do you think you can make it?"

Maxim tried hard imagining, but all he could feel was limpness all over and pain from his balls. He knew he wouldn't be able to fuck Celine, or anyone, anytime soon.

They didn't resume the painting. Maxim wasn't sure if all these was a set up for Severine to fuck him. He was somehow reserved if Celine would let him get into her pants even if he could make it after the extremely exhaustive sex with Severine. He also doubted if anyone in the world could make it after fucking Severine.

Nevertheless, when Celine asked him if he would come the next week to pose for the unfinished contest, he promptly agreed. He hope he could make it, and even if he couldn't, the worst was still a marvelous fuck with Severine -- the best sex partner he had ever met. Of course the best thing that could happen was Celine would go first the next time.

The girls bought him a dinner before sending him back to the Academy. Maxim spent most of the evening lying in bed resting and thinking about fucking Celine. He still couldn't get a bulge before he fell asleep.



-------

Chapter 7


Maxim saw Daniela and Marlene walking toward the dining hall while he was waiting for Elena's school bus to arrive. "What are you doing here?" Daniela asked. "Are you joining us?"

"Elena's bus should be arriving shortly. I told her I'd be waiting for her."

"Where did she go?"

"Aptos."

"Oh. To the Tournament?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. See you at the dining hall," Daniela said, before walking away with Marlene.

When Elena got off the school bus, she ran over to Maxim and jumped into his arms. She raised another trophy towards him. "This one is Olga's," she said gleefully. "You'll get yours soon."

Maxim chuckled after giving Elena a peck on her cheek and putting her down onto the ground. "Are you going to have dinner with me?"

"I can't," she said. "I've got to join them." She pointed at her young friends. "I'll see you later. I've got a lot to tell you." She then ran back to her friends who were waiting for her.

After his dinner, Maxim went to find Elena. She was waiting for him by the bench outside. They sat down on it and chatted. Elena told him about all the interesting things she came across during her trip.

"When are you sending your trophy to Olga?" he said afterwards.

"I think on Saturday," she said. "I haven't written the letter yet. It may take a couple of days. A lot to write about."

"Still miss them, huh?"

Elena nodded. "I miss them a lot," she said softly. "A lot."

"Haven't you talked with them lately?"

"No."

"Why not?"

She hesitated for a while. "The phone card is used up," she finally said slowly. "I don't want to ask dad to buy me a new one. It's expensive."

He chuckled. "Didn't I tell you to let me know when it's used up?" He reached into his pocket for his wallet, then pulled out his prepaid phone card and gave it to her. "I'll go and buy another one this weekend."

Elena didn't take the card. "I don't want to waste your money. I'm fine."

"It is not wasting. And didn't you tell me I was like your brother?"

"Yeah," she said, smiling. "You are, and much, much more."

"So take it," he said. "And remember to tell me when it runs out."

She smiled at him again. "Thanks."

-------

When Maxim saw the painter girls on Saturday, Severine had a different dress on, a strapless one with a ruffle at the hem. Celine was wearing a halter top and a full skirt with a hanky hem.

Maxim was uncertain if they really would do any painting. But when he arrived in their living room, he saw the tools and equipment set up, with an additional floor lamp for the easels.

Before Maxim went into the bathroom to strip, Severine said to him, "I suppose you know I'm going to work on your lower body very soon." She pointed at the canvas. "I mean there." She gave him a knowing smile as Celine chuckled, then went on, "I hope you'll remain cool for a while, so Celine won't have to draw a piece of cloth instead when the time runs out for her."

Celine chuckled again as Maxim nodded. He then went into the bathroom to get ready.

Apparently Celine had been waiting for Severine to finish the part of painting she was working on. Celine didn't pretend this time. When she heard a dry cough from Severine, she stopped her work, smiled at Maxim, and began caressing her thigh again.

Maxim fought hard inside, longing to see more action from Celine, as well as more flesh inside her skirt, before his physical abnormality would attract Severine over. It didn't work, and within seconds he knew he was hard, very hard. Like the previous week, Severine approached him and played with his body while he watched Celine.

Very soon Severine and Maxim were on the couch kissing and stroking each other passionately. After their kiss, Maxim saw Celine flash him a wink, before walking out of the living room. "Still want her?" Severine whispered into his ear whilst wiggling off her dress.

Maxim nearly choked. It seemed it was an apparent desire he had been displaying, and he wasn't sure how to tackle this very direct question. "You do know I'm extremely demanding, don't you?" she whispered again.

Maxim knew it very well. He nodded with a dry smile.

"Maybe I can tell you a little secret to get me off faster?"

He looked at her and found that she was smiling with her eyes. She looked pretty sexy with this expression on her face.

"Would you mind giving me a hand?" she said as she lay down on the couch, raising her hips a little.

"Sure," he said, and leaned forward to slide her black lacey panties down her legs.

Severine slowly spread her legs, exposing to him her enticing womanhood. "I'm all yours to enjoy," she said.

Maxim knew what she meant, but he had a problem. He had fucked quite a number of girls before, but he had never given them oral sex. He didn't even know if he would like it.

"You've never done it?" She said, looking at him.

"No," he said, with a dry chuckle.

"Oh boy," she said, raising an eyebrow. "You're missing out on one of the most erotic and enjoyable things. Come over, let me show you."

Maxim hesitated briefly, before following her will. He bent down between her legs and smelt her musky aroma which became stronger as his face got closer to her glistening folds. She began telling him where to start, what to do, and when to go tender.

Maxim didn't think he was enjoying it that much. He followed her instructions closely with the desire to make her come as fast as possible. He believed he had sucked a whole pint of her secretion when she finally arched her body in ecstasy and slammed her pussy onto his sore tongue.

Ironically, Maxim's next move wasn't to flee the scene and look for Celine. He was already beyond control as his cock was on the edge of exploding and his lewdness had taken over. He didn't even wait for Severine to recover, but quickly put on his condom and began shoveling into her pussy as fast as he could.

Maxim soon realized he had made another stupid mistake for allowing his lewdness to take over. Severine wouldn't let him go, but also wouldn't let him come, until she had her orgasm again in another record breaking intercourse. Maxim was once again puffing from exhaustion and suffering from blistering pain in his balls when it was finally over.

He didn't even know that Celine had come back into the living room or that Severine had joined Celine on the couch. He struggled to give the duo a smile when he could manage it.

"Nothing for me again?" Celine said with a teasing smile.

"Give him some time," Severine said, also smiling at Maxim. "He has the potential."

Celine sighed. Obliviously a false one, as she was still smiling teasingly at Maxim who was lying on the floor like a piece of dead meat.

Severine turned to Celine. "Poor baby," she said, with a mock sympathetic expression, and began stroking Celine's thigh.

Maxim's already rapid heartbeat became even faster when he saw this. He believed his lifeless cock had regained its verve as he watched Severine's hand slide inside Celine's skirt and Celine started moaning -- another apparent show she was putting on for Maxim. He lifted his head a little and groaned when he saw his much needed cock was still as floppy as a dead snake.

"Are you coming next week?" Severine said once Maxim had got dressed.

"I'll be going to Palm Springs for the Easter Bowl," Maxim said.

"What about the week after?"

Maxim took a few deep breaths. He knew unless he used force, making it past Severine seemed to be the only way he would get into Celine's pants. He was determined that he was going to make it. He nodded his acceptance.

-------

The bus trip to Palm Springs was very boring, as Chuck was sitting with him, and he was either reading a novel or comic book without saying anything other than a curtsey greeting. Most of the students at the Academy were participating in this tournament.

Nick was still eligible to play in junior tournaments, but he had gone to Brazil for a Satellite tournament. The only national event he would be playing in this year would be the National Closed Championships.

Even though Chuck hardly said a word to Maxim, he knew the Korean took his opportunities very seriously. He fought for every point, no matter how slim the chances were. Maxim watched all of his matches, and saw him getting better with each game that he won. Maxim had also by now lost a hundred dollars to Chuck, as the Korean's typical gesture before his matches was to slap a 20-dollar bill onto the table or Maxim's palm and smile at him.

Chuck finally lost to Mike Jackson in the third round. As Maxim watched the game, he knew he was going to be in big trouble if he could go far enough to play Mike. The African American defensive specialist had fixed his problem, and his forehand down-the-line passes were now very deadly, even better than his cross-court hits.

Maxim was still thinking about Mike's game while they ate at the snack bar with the money he had finally won from Chuck. Regarding these side bets, their friends were actually the winners, because all the winning monies went to the snack bar.

Daniela tapped Maxim. "Don't bite your straw," she said. "And don't stare at Marlene's legs."

Marlene chuckled as she intuitively put her hands over her legs, even though she was wearing pants and not a skirt.

Maxim chuckled at Marlene's response. He then turned to Chuck. "I don't know how to beat Mike either."

Chuck looked at Maxim's face with a determined expression on his, and just pressed his palm on his shoulder. The Korean had been looking calm since losing his match. Maxim knew that he was satisfied with the effort he had made, and so the dashing result didn't bother him much.

"I don't know how to deal with Helen Bird either," Marlene said. She was going to meet the elastic girl she managed to beat last time. "I almost died last time after playing her."

"Marlene," Maxim said, while scanning her fabric covered legs. "I'll rub your legs after your match. Don't worry."

Marlene's face turned a little pink, but she struck back. "If you're a man, keep to your words. If I don't see you rub my legs in the afternoon, you'll be a fag."

"Of course I will."

"And of course coach, Mrs. Weiss, and everyone else will be watching," Marlene said, giving him a victorious smile.

Chuck also smiled at him, then pulled out a 20-dollar bill and slapped it onto the table. When Daniela saw it, she chuckled and began searching in her bag to check if she had any money with her.

Maxim knew he had to concede sooner or later. He gave in. "Ice cream after the match is on me," he said, then started looking around.

Maxim noticed Marlene had changed her attire before the match. He gulped while studying her outfit, and asked, "Is this a new skirt, or did you borrow it from Demi?"

Marlene smiled, and turned slowly in front of him for his thorough inspection. "Like it?" she said. "I borrowed it from Demi. It's shorter and shows more leg. I think you'll like it more when you fulfill your promise after my match."

Once again, Marlene beat the elastic girl. She also looked very exhausted afterwards. But she seemed more concerned about teasing Maxim than treating her tiredness. When she saw the coach had gone, she posed in front of Maxim and the team with another wicked smile on her face. "Max," she crooned. "My legs are hurting very badly."

The crowd roared in laughter as they all looked at Maxim.

"I know it's ice cream time," he said with a crushed gesture.

"For everyone?" Daniela said.

"Of course," Maxim said, forcing a smile, and then went over to Chuck. "How much cash have you got?"

Chuck smiled as he slipped a couple of 20-dollar bills into his hand. Maxim wondered how much cash this silent gambler would be carrying.

He saw Janice and Sharon at the refreshment area, and asked them if they wanted one as well. Sharon couldn't, as she was waiting to play in her match. Maxim saw a guy accompanying her when she left the area. "Janice," he whispered to her after buying their ice cream. "Is she still Lawrence's girlfriend?"

"No," Janice chuckled. "They split. And you're too late and too far away."

"What about you, Janice?"

"What about me?" she said, and made up a bitter look. "Nobody wants me."

"I want you," Maxim said, chuckling.

Janice also chuckled. "But I don't want you."

"Damn," Maxim laughed. "Hey, you haven't given me a birthday kiss yet. You didn't even call me on my birthday."

"Oh," Janice said. "You didn't tell me when your birthday was, or I'd have sent you a card with a smack mark on it."

"March twentieth," Maxim said. "I want your belated birthday kiss now."

Janice had a momentary thought after she wrote down his birthday. "Alright," she said, then took a couple of spoonfuls of her ice cream, and leaned over to give him a series of pecks, leaving behind smudges of cream on his cheek. "How's that?" she chuckled afterwards.

"Would you mind cleaning up my face?" he said. "Just like the way you just did?"

Janice chuckled. "I gotta go. My coach's looking for me. I'll see you later." She dashed away from him quickly.

Maxim's snack break was over a little later and the team headed towards their practice ground. "Nice big kiss, huh?" Marlene said to him smiling.

"You jealous?"

Marlene had a choking fit. "You think I would be?"

"Yeah," he said, holding his laugh. "But I've kept the best for you. Do you want it now, or after dinner?"

"Tsk tsk," Marlene said, chuckling. "Thank you, sir. I think I'll pass."

Maxim beat Little John the next morning in straight sets. John was at the bottom of his form, and he could hardly hit a ball to pass the net and land inside the court. John nearly broke his racquet when he flung it onto the ground after losing the match. He didn't even talk with Maxim when they walked out of the court.

Daniela and Marlene had a house match later that day. Apparently they didn't feel comfortable facing each other in such a big event.

"Take it easy," Maxim told them. "Daniela, you take her on as if she's Lilia Anderson, and Marlene, you treat her like she's 'The Bitch'. Then there will be no hard feelings."

They chuckled. "Still only one of us can advance," Marlene said.

"Better than you both losing to Lindsay and Lilia."

"He's right this time," Daniela said to Marlene. "At last he talks like a man. Let's go."

Daniela and Marlene each won a set and the match went into the final set. Maxim knew Daniela was going to win when she broke Marlene's service game to lead 3-2. Marlene had a problem chasing from behind and fighting to the very end. Beating the elastic girl twice in a row was a rare achievement under any circumstances. Maxim knew Marlene would never be a top player, no matter how talented she was and how hard she worked for it. After losing another game, Marlene simply gave it up and let her friend have the glory.

Sanchez didn't look happy, but he didn't say anything harsh. Maxim believed he would talk with Marlene on this subject when they got back to the Academy. Marlene didn't look upset. "Well, I lost to 'The Bitch'. What can I say?" she said jokingly, glancing at Daniela.

Daniela poked her, then raised her arms. "Yay, I beat Lilia again!"

Whilst Daniela was practicing and discussing moves with the coach before they left the venue for dinner, Maxim talked to Marlene. "Do you feel good losing to Daniela?"

Marlene thought about it. "Actually, I do," she said, looking at his face. "I think I know what you mean. But if I have to make a choice, I'd rather she goes through. I think she can do better than me."

"You'll never be the best."

"I'll never be the best," she said, smiling. "No matter which way I look at it."

Maxim chuckled, then said. "You still haven't given me my birthday kiss."

She gave him a big smile. "I don't think you'll ever get one."

Daniela lost to Lilia Anderson the next day. Maxim didn't watch the game, as he was having some practice and discussions with his coach to prepare for his final match against Mike Jackson. He knew he was nervous, unlike most of his previous championship matches. He didn't know why, other than the fact that Mike had become a more formidable opponent.

Maxim heaved a sigh of relief after winning the second set to tie the match. He was a little surprised by how well he had been performing. He would have lost already if he had less concentration or played at a slightly lower level.

The third set didn't go as well for him. Maxim lost a service game. He went down 30-0 in his next service game by hitting two double faults in a row. He took a few more deep breaths before his next serve, and then hit it with a perfect swing. He saw the ball hit the corner of the service box as he sprinted toward the net, but heard a loud cry from the umpire, "Out. Love-Forty."

Maxim dashed to the umpire. "It's right on the line!" he cried, pointing his racquet at the impact point. He yelled, "Couldn't you see it? Couldn't you?"

"Warning, Khimin," the umpire said sternly, staring at his face. "Code violation."

Maxim returned to his baseline, trying his best to calm himself down. He aced his next service, but eventually lost the game, then the set, and in the end, the match. He slammed his racquet on the ground after he went back to his seat.

"Well done, Mike," Maxim said to the champion after the presentation.

Mike patted him in the arm. "Thanks, but know what?"

"What?"

"I've been working very hard for this match," Mike said as they began walking out of the court. "I was very confident I could beat you easily. But you're so good. I couldn't."

"Nah, you beat me."

"I didn't," Mike said. "I didn't win. You lost. You lost to yourself."

"You're right. Thanks," Maxim said. "I'm going to kick your freaking ass next time."

"We'll see," Mike said, smiling, then parted with Maxim as they went out of the court.

The team consoled him on the loss. Maxim knew he would receive some lectures from the coaches when they were back at the Academy. "Ice cream?" Daniela said to him afterwards.

"I didn't bet with Chuck," Maxim said, glancing at the Korean.

"I'm buying you one," Daniela said, smiling.

"Because I lost?"

"No," she said, chuckling with Marlene. "Because you have a sore ass."

"Then you should've offered to rub it."

Daniela pushed him in the arm. "Go now, or I'm kicking you there."

Maxim saw that Chuck paid for the refreshment. "I thought you were buying," he said to Daniela.

"I am," Daniela said, again chuckling. "But if he wants to pay, what do I do, kick him?"

"You can give me a kiss."

"That's Marlene's job," Daniela said, giggling.

"That will do too," Maxim said, and turned to Marlene.

"Gee," Marlene said blushing slightly. "Not even in your dreams."

As expected, Maxim received a lengthy lecture when the coaches reviewed his lost match at the Academy. They slammed him with terms like 'control temper', 'discipline', and 'avoid doing stupid things' as being other critical keys to success. He heaved a sigh of relief when they were finally finished and let him go. He saw Marlene outside waiting for her turn, and knew they would probably be quite tough on her as well.

He knew he had been right when he saw Marlene an hour later. Her eyes were still a little tearful. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said softly. "I'm fine."

"Did you tell them you'll never be the best anyway?"

She chuckled. "You think I'm that stupid?"

"Sometimes," Maxim said. "You should've gone out with me more."

Marlene shook her head. "I'm hungry," she said. "Are you?"

"Is this a date?"

She laughed. "Gee. I'm going to the dining hall. You can come or you can stay."



-------

Chapter 8


Maxim hoped he would be able to make it this time when he was waiting on Saturday for Severine and Celine to pick him up. He hadn't had sex for two weeks, and he hoped his libido level was high enough to get past Severine.

Much to his disappointment, Celine didn't give him her show, but worked very attentively on her painting. Maxim didn't have to lift his arm anymore as they had finished his upper body long ago, and the breaks had become sparse.

When Severine announced that she had finished, she also suggested a quick break, and then went to the kitchen to get some refreshments. Maxim went over to take a look at Severine's job. While far from being an artistic person, he could still tell that Severine wasn't going to be a successful artist in painting. He turned to look at Celine's work and found hers much better. However, instead of drawing his male characteristics in the painting like Severine did, Celine had painted a piece of cloth hanging across his hips. He looked at Celine with an inquiring expression.

"I always do that," Celine said. "It's faster and easier." She then glanced at him with a sly smile, and added, "I also have problem painting that part. I don't know why."

Maxim knew he was developing a bulge. He didn't try to hide it. Actually he tried to encourage the development by stepping a little closer to her and gazed at her chest right above her scoop neckline, then scanned down to the hem of her skirt above her knees.

Celine maintained her smile, but didn't move a finger. She didn't seemed to get offended or aroused. "You do have a very nice body," she said. "You'll make a great model."

"I believe you have a very nice body as well," he said, trying to imagine how she would look without her clothes.

"I've been told," she said with another smile. The lack of expressive manner in her smile, together with her admittance of having a nice figure, was driving Maxim to the edge.

Maxim almost lost control and was on the brink to tear apart her clothes when Severine came back with the drinks. She chuckled at his development and distributed the refreshments. Maxim reluctantly moved away from Celine.

"Well, Max," Severine said, with a made up sympathetic smile. "I'm regretted to inform you that we're only doing painting today. I think you know why."

Maxim didn't know why. He looked at Severine.

"You can do math, can't you?"

It took a while for Maxim to realize Severine must be having her period. He turned to Celine, hoping she wasn't having it at the same time, but Celine slashed his hope by nodding. Maxim cursed in his heart, then tried to think about his lost matches. It didn't work.

"I think he needs a little help," Severine said to Celine.

"Don't, please," Celine said. "I'm not finished. You'll take all day."

"I'll make it fast," Severine said, then moved over to Maxim, and took his cock in her hand.

After fondling him for a while, Severine went on her knees. Celine also started stroking her thigh while smiling at him. "Tell me you're clean," Severine said as she looked up at him, holding his cock a couple inches from her lips. Maxim didn't have the leisure to consider if this was a good question at the right moment. He nodded, "Yeah."

As Severine took him into her mouth, sucking him while licking along his shaft, Maxim began moaning. He knew he wasn't going to last unless Severine used her trick again, which didn't seem to be the situation. The moment she took his entire length into her throat, he shot inside her.

Severine licked him clean before returning to her seat. She took a few gulps of her drink, then turned to Celine. "All set now?"

Celine chuckled. She turned to Maxim. "Are you, Max?"

Maxim couldn't believe he had to jack himself off after leaving Celine's house. He was rarely so frustrated when he did it in the bathroom. Celine's painting was done, and they hadn't told him if he would return to their house the next week. They dodged his question when he asked.

-------

Maxim was slightly relieved when Celine was still walking with him out of school the next Monday. At least it seemed he hadn't been dumped right after serving as a model. It would be disastrous if she turned to another guy at once, and later he heard distressing news from the happy newcomer.

He pleaded for a little talk with Celine alone. She granted him his wish and they went to the small park.

"What about this Saturday?" he asked Celine.

"What about it?" she said, smiling slyly at him.

"I think I'd like to see you," he said. "And her."

"She's flying to Maine over the weekend."

"What about you?"

"I'll be out of town, too," she said. "You really want to see us?"

"Yeah. Of course."

"Okay," she said. "I'll tell her."

"Celine?"

She turned to look at him. "Yes, Max?"

"Am I just a model for the painting?"

"You don't like the job?"

"No," he said. "Of course I love it." He chuckled with her. "But am I?"

"Well," Celine said slowly. "Let's say, there are a number of guys in my classes I think are very qualified models as well. There will be many more if we count in Severine's classes."

Maxim didn't quite like what she said, but he knew it was a fact. He also knew Celine would have no problem asking any of them to pose for their paintings, with or without a reward.

Celine chuckled again when she saw his reaction. "Okay," she said. "Would you like to go out with us again?"

"Sure. Of course."

"Okay. I'll fix a day. I'll also show you something next time."

"Okay," he said, smiling in relief.

"Oh," she said. "We're not going for afternoon tea this Friday. We'll be leaving right after school."

"That's okay."

While Maxim was somehow relieved as he walked back to the Academy, he was also frustrated about the situation. He had posed naked in front of Celine; he had fucked Severine in front of her; and she seemed to be giving him chances, yet he hadn't been able to touch her, not even her fingers. She kept on teasing him, but he didn't get even a peck on the cheek from her.

Maxim almost forgot he was supposed to wait for Elena's bus. He ran to the administration building just in time to see the school bus approaching. Kids returning from a circuit competition began filing out of the bus. Elena was the last one to get off, and she didn't ran to Maxim. Instead she turned away from him as soon as she got off. Maxim saw her coach patting her shoulder and pushing her gently before she eventually walked slowly to him.

"What's the matter, Elena?" Maxim said, reaching out his arms. He saw tears in her eyes.

Elena ran into his arms and started crying. Maxim embraced her, patted her back, and looked at her coach. The coach waved at him with a small smile, then turned around and walked away.

It took Elena quite a while before she could calm down. From the coach's gesture, Maxim knew Elena wasn't in some terrible situation. "Are you okay?" he said when she finally stopped crying.

Elena didn't say anything. She wrapped her arms firmly around his neck as she breathed heavily over his shoulder. Eventually she spoke. "I'm sorry, Max," she whispered, and started crying again.

Maxim knew this was going to take a while, so when Elena began settled down, he took her to the lawn and they sat together on the grass. He waited for her to speak again.

"I lost again," she said softly. "I'm very sorry."

"I lose all the time, too," Maxim said. "Nothing to feel sorry about."

"It's different," she said, dropping her head. "It's the second time I can't give you your trophy."

Maxim tried to suppress, but still chuckled out, as he finally knew why she was so upset. Cupping her cheek to hold her face, he looked into her eyes. "Don't worry, Elena," he said. "You will get it. And you don't even have to give me one."

"I have to," Elena said, softly but firmly.

"Okay," Maxim said, chuckling again. "You will, then, but don't make it too hard on you. I can wait, can't I?"

Elena finally also chuckled. "Yeah." She then wrapped her arms around his waist and nestled her head against his side. Maxim stroked her hair as they sat in serene silence.

After a while, Maxim said, "I'm hungry. Are you?"

"Yeah," she said softly. "But I like this."

"Okay," Maxim said, suppressing another chuckle. "Let's stay here for another while."

When Maxim saw Marlene in the afternoon, she said to him, "I wish my brother was like you."

"Huh?"

Marlene chuckled. "I mean like you to Elena. My brother and I could never get along well."

"Oh. Well, I don't want to be your brother."

"Huh?"

"I'd rather be someone else."

"Someone?" she said, then burst out when she saw him eying her. "Gee. Do you know you're the dirtiest pig I've ever seen?"

"Why would you want a pig as your brother?"

"Not anymore," she said, laughing. "Dirty pig."

-------

The following Monday, Celine told Maxim that Severine and she planned to visit the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz on Saturday and asked if he would like to join. Maxim disliked museums, but he didn't hesitate to accept the invitation.

"When is the earliest you can make?"

"Twelve?" He said, deciding he would skip lunch.

"Okay."

Maxim saw Celine walking toward the gate. "Soverine's not driving?" he said.

"She is," Celine said. "But I'm not riding with her."

"Someone else?" he asked carefully.

"Yeah," she said, with a tiny smile. "Quite handsome, matured and nice." She chuckled when she saw his reaction. "My driving instructor."

He also chuckled. "You finished your Driving Ed already?" he said. "Your first semester isn't over yet."

"I didn't take it at school. It takes too long. I went to a driving school. Severine's leaving in a few months' time, and I hope I can drive by then."

"You're getting your own car?"

"I already have one," Celine said. "The BMW is mine. Severine totaled her car last December."

"Oh. Glad she wasn't hurt," he said.

"Yeah, she was lucky," Celine said. "Since she's moving away soon, she didn't want to buy another car with California smog control. She talked with me and we made this arrangement. She's buying a new one when she moves to Maine."

"I see," he said, and saw a car parked at the curb. It had a big driving school sign on the top. "Is that your instructor?"

"Yeah, that's him. I'll see you tomorrow," she said, and then went for her driving lesson.

Maxim had to rush on Saturday to get himself ready for the museum date. They had a quick lunch before driving to Santa Cruz, which was about twenty minutes' drive away.

Two hours later, Maxim began to regret having joined the girls for the museum tour. He wasn't interested in what was exhibited there, except the backs of Severine and Celine. He also couldn't comprehend most of their discussions about the aesthetic displays and depictions.

"Are you bored?" Celine asked him.

"No. I'm fine," he said. "I kind of like it here."

"Are you sure?" Celine said, with a knowing smile.

"Well," Maxim said slowly, unsure what he should say.

Celine chuckled. She took a step toward him and reach out a hand. "Take my hand," she said.

Maxim could finally hold her hand and it seemed the trip was worthy. Her hand was very soft, even though a little cold. Before he could talk, his other hand was held by a more familiar hand. He knew it was Severine's hand. She was smiling at him when he turned around.

The remaining of the tour, which lasted about an hour, was as boring, but much more enjoyable. Naturally the best news came from Severine's when she concluded the tour was over and they were going home.

While in their house, Maxim asked Celine, "What are you going to show me?"

"Oh," Celine said. "I almost forgot." She turned to Severine. "I'm showing him our works, are you coming?"

"No," Severine said. "I'm not going. I'll go make some tea first."

Celine led Maxim upstairs into a room, which had been turned into a storeroom. Inside, unframed paintings were lined along both sides. Celine walked over to the left side and stood near the end.

"Hmm," she said, sticking a finger against her chin. "I think it's here. Max, will you come over and give me a hand?"

Maxim went over to hold the top of the slanted canvas frames while Celine checked them. She pulled two of the frames out. "Loose them," she told him. "And come take a look,"

Maxim chuckled when he saw the paintings. In both paintings was a nice looking young man posed like he did. Obviously they were the two girls' previous project. The better painted one had a piece of cloth around his hip, and the loosely done one had all the male characteristics. He turned around.

Celine was smiling. "He's Calvin," she said. "My ex-boyfriend."

"He's very good looking," Maxim said.

"He is. I think you are, too."

Maxim smiled. "He looks like he's younger than me. When were these paintings drawn?"

"Last summer, when Severine spent her summer at home. Actually he's a couple of months older than me."

"Was he your boyfriend back then?"

She gave him a smile. "No."

Maxim felt his heartbeats getting energetic. "Well," he said. "So what are the rests, all portraits?"

Celine chuckled. "No. Some portraits, some sceneries, and some objects. You can go through them if you like."

"It's okay," Maxim said. "Should we put these two back?"

"If you don't mind giving me a hand."

They put the two paintings back into their slots and went down to meet Severine in the kitchen. Cakes and tea were already served on the table. While having their tea and snacks, they heard the phone rang. Celine answered the phone. "It's my mom," she told them. "I'm going to the family room to talk with her."

Before long, Severine was sitting on Maxim's lap kissing him, while he stroked her thighs inside her dress. Without being able to think clearly and prioritize his objectives, Maxim found himself shoveling inside Severine's pussy on the breakfast table. For a moment following the ecstatic yet overtaxed sex with her, Maxim felt like he was dead in heaven.

He couldn't move a finger when he saw Celine at the door smiling at them. He didn't know how much Celine had watched, and how much she would want to join in. He didn't get to touch her again before they dropped him off at the Academy.

-------

On the Sunday before his final exam, Maxim was again waiting for Elena's bus. He had also just come back from another national tournament where he won the championship. His opponent was once again Mike Jackson, whose father -- also his coach -- decided to retire him after Mike pulled his hamstring in the second set.

It had been more than a month since Celine's portrait was completed. Maxim followed the duo around every Saturday when he wasn't on the road. He had sex with Severine every time and exhausted himself despite his determination to leave something for the more attractive girl. He still hadn't been able to sleep with Celine, in fact not even a kiss. Holding hands was the most intimate act he had with the girl who drove him nuts.

Maxim's ultimate desire was no secret among them. Severine naturally knew Maxim wasn't interested in her except when he was fondling, kissing, or fucking her. She didn't seem to care as long as she got what she wanted from him. At times she even used her friend to teased Maxim and get him more crazier. Maxim didn't like the situation, even though he couldn't deny sex with Severine was an extreme pleasure, which came with a high price tag of total fatigue afterward.

Maxim knew he had at most one more chance to get what he wanted before the school year was over, but his optimism had been fading away. The girls would be going for a vacation in Greece after the exam, and chances were Maxim would never see Severine again. Celine would then be without her blender companion when she came back the next semester. Maxim hoped she wouldn't have a new model by then, and he believed he could deal with other barriers that might hinder his chances of taking possession of Celine.

Maxim smiled when Elena got off the bus. He knew her first important quest was achieved when she waved a trophy briskly above her head and started running toward him. She leaped into his arms, pecked his cheek, showed him the trophy, and repeated the actions over and over. It took her quite a while to settle down and finally gave him the trophy.

"Don't you ever lose it," she said with a big smile.

"I may," Maxim said, chuckling. "Do you want to secure it for me?"

"Hmm. I think it'll be safer," she said, and took the trophy from him. She then paused briefly, and put it back into his hand. "No, you're using an excuse. You'll look after it for the rest of your life." She poked him and then chuckled.

After the first day of their final exam, Celine told Maxim a bad news. The girls' plan had changed a bit. They were leaving right after the exam on Friday. Maxim's last chance before summer was slashed.

Celine finally gave Maxim a kiss -- a friendly gesture -- before she left for her vacation. It was somehow demoralizing for Maxim as he had to wait another two months before he could once again test his chances with the attractive evil sprite.

Severine also gave Maxim a kiss -- a very passionate one, but she didn't mention any thing about a possible reunion. Maxim knew he would soon be wiped out of her life, possibly her memory as well. Maxim knew that both of Celine's ex-boyfriend's portraits had become her collection once the contest was over. It seemed Severine wasn't interested in keeping things she left behind.

-------

Maxim heard someone calling him when he was waiting for Elena at the Academy after parting with the duo. He turned around and saw the student health councilor Mrs. Webber, who also oversaw the female residence. He didn't know how long the woman had been there.

"Max, are you waiting for Elena Mushtakova?" asked the woman.

"Yeah."

"I'm in a hurry," she said. "Can you pass this on to Elena?" She showed him a brown envelop.

"Sure," he said, and took the packet from her. On the face of the envelop was the name of Elena's father in calligraphy-like handwriting.

"Thanks, Max," she said. "Happy Memorial weekend." She turned away and walked toward the parking lot.

Maxim gave Elena the brown envelop when she showed up. "Do you know what this is?" he said.

"Yep," she said as she opened her backpack and put the envelop into the side pocket. "It's for daddy."

"Something bad?"

"No."

"What's it?"

"None of your business," she said, and made a grimace.

He laughed. "Okay, let's go get packed and find Coach Sanchez."

It was Maxim's first home trip since his breakup with Katy. Maxim still talked with Alan but he knew there was a glitch between them after the Katy incident. Most of his friends back home were mutual friends of the two buddies, so Maxim knew he wasn't going to see them for a while. He was glad he had Elena with him during his home visit, or it would be quite a torment.

Maxim cleared a corner of the shelf in his room where he kept his trophies, cups, and other tournament souvenirs. He put Elena's trophy there, and then turned around to her. "Good here?"

Elena nodded with a gratifying smile.

"Okay," Maxim said. "Let's go check your room." His mother had told him Elena was staying at their house for the night as she was taking the kid to shopping the next morning. He led her into the spare room and found it already set and cleaned up.

Elena dropped her bag in the room, looked around briefly, and then followed Maxim down to the family room. She called up her father for a brief chat before joining Maxim in the kitchen. He was re-heating the meal the mother had made for them in the morning. After their dinner, they went to a nearby store and rented a couple of movies.

They watched 'Cheetah' in the family room. Elena sat cross-legged on the couch with a cushion in her arms. Maxim sat on the carpet, spread his legs, leaned back, and rested his head against the seat.

"Elena, why don't you just sleep here every time," Maxim said. "Instead of your dad come over to pick you up at midnight, and send you over in the morning."

"It's our home," she said. "Besides, I don't see him often. I miss daddy, and he misses me."

"Oh. Okay."

"Why are you always sitting on the floor? You don't like sitting on the couch?"

"Oh. That's what I always do when dad's not here. I like it this way, feels free. But dad hates this."

Elena chuckled with Maxim. "Okay," she said. "I think I'll also try it." She climbed down the couch and sat alongside Maxim, spreading like he did.

Maxim looked at her as she adjusted herself. "How do you like it?"

She waited a little bit, and shook her head. "No."

"Then go back to the couch."

"I think I'll like it here," she said, and held his legs together, then climb onto his lap, nestling her head against his chest. "Yeah, I like it here. Can you get me the cushion?"

Maxim chuckled as he reached behind to get the cushion for her. He chucked Elena under the chin as he held her in his arms. When the movie was over, his legs were acting up. Elena snickered as he limped toward the video player to change the tape.

The next movie was 'Back to the Future' which Maxim had watched numerous times before. He dozed off with Elena watching the movie on his lap. When he was waked up by sounds his parents and her father made while entering the house, Elena was also snoozing in his arms.

The next morning, Maxim told his mother he wanted to go shopping with them. "Let me drive," he said.

"Are you buying something?" said his mother.

"No, but I need the hours and the practice."

"We're buying women stuff," his mother said. "Are you sure you want to come?"

"Women stuff?" Maxim said, and then looked at Elena. "She's just a kid."

The mother chuckled as the little girl snickered with some redness on her face. "Kids can also need women stuff," she said.

"Well," Maxim said slowly. "I'll wait outside then. I can't get my driver's license without the hours and more practices."

"Didn't I give you monies for driving school?"

"Not enough hours," Maxim lied. He had spent all his driving instruction monies on dates with Celine and Severine.

Maxim was still chatting with a clerk at the sportswear shop when he saw Elena and his mother coming out of the drugstore. He finished the chat and went outside to meet them.

"Do you know her?" Elena asked him as they were walking toward the department store.

"No," he said. "I was hanging around there and she asked me what I wanted, then we started talking."

"Oh," Elena said, pressing down her voice. "Were you asking her out?"

Maxim chuckled. "She wouldn't when she knew I was sixteen."

Elena giggled. "Tell them you're eighteen," she whispered.

"I think I'll do that next time."

Maxim had just finished talking with another clerk in a toy store when he saw his mother and Elena looking for him. He left the store to join them.

"How's it?" Elena whispered to him on the way to the parking lot.

"Eighteen won't do," he whispered back.

Elena was still laughing when Maxim pulled his mother's Camry out of the parking lot. After all the shopping was done, they went to the family's restaurant for their meal. Elena spent some time with her father after the lunch rush hour was over. The quasi-siblings took a bus home afterward while the mother stayed at the restaurant.

"I didn't know your dad could cook," Maxim said to Elena while walking home from the bus stop. Mr. Mushtakov was working in the kitchen helping the chefs instead of carrying trays and utensils.

"He's better than momma," said Elena. "But he's not cooking there. He's doing the little things."

"Yeah, I know. But dad usually only hires people with cooking experience for kitchen jobs. So, that's why your mom and sis are coming now?"

"Yeah," she said. "He's making a little more now, so if momma can find a job, they can at least settle down. I hope they can be here sooner."

"I think my mom will help your mom find a job."

"Yeah," Elena said, smiling. "Auntie Nadya told me she'll do that. She'll help them settle down."

"So we won't be together on home trips anymore?" he said jokingly.

"Oh, that's not true," she said in a slightly injured tone. "We'll still be together. You know that."

"I was joking. I know you will."

"I know," she said, swinging his hand with hers as she gave him another big smile.

Maxim took Elena to an amusement park on Sunday, then took her to a Memorial Day's Parade on Monday. It was actually his first time to a parade since he was about six. Elena was riding on his shoulders like he did on his father's shoulders back then.

-------

Even though Maxim didn't have any tournaments in June, he decided to stay at the Academy for full time training. After all, he didn't have much to do at home. He didn't enroll in summer classes at Davenport like Elena and many other Omnicianni players who wanted to graduate high school sooner. Maxim wanted to better prepare himself for his upcoming tournaments.

Maxim had also agreed to help in workshops for casual teen players in short-term trainings and summer camps. The Academy charged a very hefty fee for these activities, and these teenagers enjoyed working with aspiring junior stars. This was one reason Nick Sohaili used to spend his summers at the Academy when he was still an amateur junior.

Omnicianni students didn't receive any payment in money or in kind benefits for services they rendered, as this would jeopardize their amateur status and hinder their chances of getting a college sports scholarship in future. Nevertheless, the exposure could add to their resume if they decided to go into coaching.

Maxim had just finished an excruciating practice with Nick, who had just come back from a grass-root professional tournament in which he won the title. Nick's coach then showed up and took over the practice as Maxim went to lie on the lawn across the courts for a rest and sunbath.

Not long after Maxim had put a towel over his face for a nap, someone dropped a tennis ball on his chest. He jerked and remove his cap. Daniela was standing beside him and smiling at him. "I thought you went home," he said.

"I did," she said. "But I missed you so much I had to come back to be with you." Her face was a little crumpled. She was apparently holding her laugh.

"Then why didn't I get a kiss?"

"I already did," Daniela said. "You must be dreaming about another girl." She stood arms in akimbo and made up an angry expression. "Who is she?"

Maxim chuckled. "Marlene. Who else?"

Daniela couldn't hold it anymore, and burst out laughing. "Of course," she said. "In your dreams."

"She won't be back until next week, right?" he said after his laugh.

"No. She's coming back on Saturday," she said, and sat down beside him. "Where's your little sis?"

"At Davenport. Wanna join us for dinner?"

"Here? Or outside?"

"Here. I'm broke"

"Who are you dating this time?"

"Nobody," he said. "I paid for Nick's tire replacement so I can use his car for driver training."

"He's not old enough to supervise you yet."

"Shush!" He said. "Who else can I go to with this budget?"

Daniela shook her head as she laughed.

Maxim passed his road test the next week. That evening his friends bought him a dinner to celebrate it.

-------

Maxim and Elena went back to San Francisco for the Independence Day weekend. When Maxim found his mother in the kitchen the next morning, he asked if he could have a car.

"Why don't you ask your dad?" said his mother, while slicing carrots and mushrooms for a pot of soup she was making.

Maxim let out a sigh and didn't say anything.

The mother slowly shook her head as she went on with her work. She dropped the vegetables into the pot and then said, "Take my car. I'll call the insurance agent."

"How are you going to get to the restaurant."

"I'll stay home. Then your dad will have to buy me a new one."

Maxim chuckled. He went over to his mother and embraced her from behind. "Thanks, mom. I love you."

"I prefer hearing it when you're not asking for something."

He chuckled again. "I always love you, mom."

"So are you driving Elena back to Omni?"

"Yeah," he said. "I will call up Sanchez to let him know."

The mother thought briefly. "I'll still have some black rye bread baked. Give the bread to him when you're there. Drive carefully, and remember to buckle up."



-------

Chapter 9


As soon as Maxim returned to the Academy, he found Sanchez and gave him the bread his mom made. He also asked his coach for permission to drive to their next tournament venue instead of riding on the bus. Sanchez shook his head and asked him why. "Coach," Maxim pleaded. "The Twelve's are playing at Buena Park. It's only twenty minutes away with a car. I can go watch Elena play. It's her first time in a national Twelve event."

Sanchez chuckled while looking at Maxim's face. "Max, you know it very well. Every time I trusted you, I got myself in trouble."

Maxim held his laugh. "What if you ride with me. Coach Muller can take care of the bus. Or I can get Jerome to ride with me."

Sanchez thought for a moment. "Get Jerome to talk with me," he said. "I can't ride in your car."

Maxim was so glad he had held back a loaf of black rye bread. He gave it to Jerome and asked him to ride in his car.

It turned out Maxim had to pay more than a loaf of bread. The drive to Lakewood was more than six hours. It was Maxim's first time doing long distance driving, and Jerome didn't like the way he drove on the freeway. He took over the wheel from the first rest area and Maxim had to pay for his refreshments and snacks for his additional driving duty.

Maxim and Chuck were studying the Boys' 16 draw chart at the players meeting when Chuck pointed at a name. Andy Taylor was in the draw. "Looks like he's back in the game now," Maxim said to Chuck while following the draw lines. "Fuck," he muttered. "I may meet him in the quarter-final."

Chuck gave him a wink. "Did he used to talk to you when he was there?" Maxim asked.

Chuck shook his head and then continued with the chart. His eyebrows crumpled. Maxim noticed he might be playing Glenn Ross in the quarter-final. "Have more practices with me," Maxim said. "So you'll get used to the style."

Maxim saw Andy on the first day at the tournament while he was teasing Daniela and waiting for Marlene to come off her court. Andy was walking toward the other side and was in between two girls in street clothes. He knew Andy had seen him and Daniela, but acted like nothing had happened. Andy also didn't greet Coach Sanchez. The coach didn't see him as he was facing the court.

Maxim later asked his coach for permission to go watch Elena's match. He drove over to Buena Park and was just in time to watch her match begin. Elena was playing up at a Girls' 12 event. Her opponent was a seeded player two years older and a lot bigger in size. Elena was no match to the bigger girl when it came to power and speed, but she went for every opportunity. She hit high and deep to the baseline while running like a bunny. She could hardly hit a winner, but she also made very few mistakes. Elena lost the match in straight sets, but it was actually a very close match and her opponent was pretty exhausted after defeating the much younger challenger.

"Good job, Elena," Maxim said as he hugged Elena afterward. "First time and you're already giving her a lot of troubles."

Elena smiled contentedly at him. "I knew I was going to lose. She was very good. But it was fun. I like the challenge. I also learn a lot. I think I can beat her when I get older and bigger."

"Of course you can," Maxim chuckled. "Let's go get your ice cream now."

The next day, Maxim skipped Daniela's match to watch Andy's. He needed to know how well or poor Andy was playing now. Andy had improved since Maxim last saw him, in particular his service returns. But his opponent was a little weak so Andy didn't have to play his best to win.

When Maxim went back to their gathering place, he saw Daniela sitting with Chuck. Maxim knew she had lost her match as she looked quite upset. He went over and sat with them.

"I lost," Daniela sighed to Maxim. "To a kid ranked 300 below me."

"You forget I lost in Elk Grove to a kid with no ranking at all."

Daniela chuckled. "That's because the kid had a hot sis," she said. "And unlike you, I need the points very badly."

"I need points, too," Maxim said, chuckling. "Well, what about this? You give me a kiss, and I'll transfer ten points to you. How's that?"

Daniela reached over Chuck to slap Maxim. "Shut up!" She then paused as if reconsidering the proposal. "Actually," she chuckled. "I think I will, for five hundred points."

Maxim and Chuck were still laughing when he saw Marlene coming over. She was having her match coming up. He looked Marlene up and down. "Where's Demi's skirt?" he asked.

Marlene chuckled. "In her closet, I think. I thought a lesson was enough."

"I'm up to a challenge," Maxim said. "Come on, go change into something nicer."

Marlene took her racquet out of her bag and started hitting Maxim. "You're a hopeless jerk," she said, and made up an angry glare at him.

After Marlene's winning match, Maxim caught a glimpse of Andy nearby. He turned around and saw Marlene spreading her arms, even though he had already given her a hug. She gave him another hug -- a big one, and a peck on his lips. Maxim knew this was a show for Andy, even though he might not see it. It was the first time Maxim got a kiss from Marlene, but it was too lame to be meaningful.

Maxim sighed at the updated draw board when he saw he was playing Andy the next day. He turned around and saw Chuck and Marline also studying the board. As they walked away from the board, Chuck pulled out a 20-dollar bill and held it with two fingers at Maxim's face. Both Maxim and Marlene chuckled.

"Deal," Maxim said to Chuck. "Another twenty on your match?"

Before Chuck responded, Marlene said, "I'll put in ten."

"On his or on mine?"

"Yours," Marlene said, smiling.

Maxim made a counter offer. "I lose, you get ten. I win, I get a kiss, a real one."

Marlene shook her head. "Ten for ten, or no deal." She turned to Chuck. "You beat Glenn Ross, you get a kiss."

"What if he loses?" Maxim asked on behalf of Chuck.

"Nothing," Marlene said, and laughed.

"Isn't that unfair?" Maxim said.

"It is," Marlene said with an impish smile. "But Chuck's a nicer guy."

Maxim lowered his voice. "Come on, Marlene. Bidding is illegal. You can get defaulted if you're caught. Let's do the kiss thing."

Marlene had to hold onto Chuck's shoulder for support as she laughed. "Yeah," she said to him while Chuck was still snickering silently. "Like you're worried about getting caught doing it with Chuck and others. Ten for ten."

Chuck didn't get a kiss as he lost to Glenn Ross. He also lost $20 to Maxim. Glenn had been playing very well lately, and Maxim knew the Korean did the bet to give himself a morale boost. Maxim had no idea why Chuck placed a bet on his match against Andy. He knew he had a better chance as long as he could keep his composure and concentration.

Andy put up a fierce fight in the first set, but Maxim managed to force a deuce in Andy's last service game of the set. When he miraculously saved a supposedly inexorable hit from Andy and had the advantage, he knew he was going to win the match. Andy made two consecutive bad serves to lose the first set. From then on, he started playing extremely aggressively, even tried serve-and-volley which wasn't his strength at all. After Maxim won the match in straight sets, Andy did the traditional hand shaking with him but didn't say anything nor displayed any courtesy expressions.

Maxim got friendly hugs from his teammates. He got an extra hug from Marlene before they went for snack break. It was a prolonged hug. For a moment, Maxim thought she would even give him a kiss after the hug. She didn't, but she gave him a sweet smile.

-------

Glenn Ross was listening to his walkman when Maxim met him outside the court. He nodded to Maxim and shook hand with him but they didn't talk. Glenn had maintained a confident expression on his face during their brief interaction. Maxim didn't see this on him very often. He knew the match could be tougher than he had expected.

Glenn won the first set after breaking one of Maxim's service games. He, however, lost the second set in a tiebreaker. Maxim knew he was going to win the third set after breaking Glenn's service game. A while later he aced three serves to secure three match points, and he started getting a little excited. To his dismay, the rest of his serves were either a couple inches off the line or into the net. The devastating game hurt too much. Maxim couldn't hit a decent strike afterward. He lost the match's decisive tiebreaker.

Maxim congratulated the champion, then chatted with him during the presentation and while walking out. He hugged his teammates and coaches when he was outside, while trying his best to hide his depression. It could have been a thrilling win, but he just threw it away.

The worst part was he had nobody to blame, and it wasn't even a loss of temper or control that he could attribute the loss to. The mystery of how he lost frustrated him even more, despite he knew the coaches would have a lot to tell him when they were back.

He realized Marlene was still there after everyone had left. "I know how it feels," Marlene said to him.

He took a couple deep breaths. "It's a bad loss," he said. "But still just a loss."

"Nah," she said. "You look like shit. I've been there, a lot. I know."

He chuckled. "So you're comforting me now, huh?"

She also chuckled. "That's what you did to me when I was in the same boat. Don't tell me you don't want to see me."

"Thanks," he said slowly. "I appreciate it. I do feel a little better."

"That's good."

"I think a kiss will make it even better."

She chuckled. "Know what?"

"What?"

"Actually," she said, smiling. "I almost did it. I'm glad I didn't, because you don't deserve it."

"Damn," he said, and laughed.

-------

As soon as they returned to the Academy, the coaches set up intensive mental conditioning programs for Maxim, followed by stressful drills.

During a break, Sanchez talked with Maxim. "Nick's the best we have had in some years. But we think you're also a Grand Slam material. We don't always have a couple of top tier hopefuls in our camp at the same time. We're quite pleased. But you have a lot more problems to overcome than Nick. He knows what he's doing, you don't."

"Yeah, Nick's great," Maxim said.

"He's far from great," Sanchez said, looking at his face. "But he's able to find his problems and get them fixed. You don't. You can play like Boris Becker or Pete Sampras one day and like a kid the next day. Sometimes we can help, but at the end it's all about yourself. I can't tell you how to deal with your heart while you're out there. Heck, I can't even do it here."

Sanchez let out a sigh, then went on, "At the end of the day, you're playing with your heart, not with your racquet. Remember that. Use your heart. Play with your heart. Win with your heart. Don't let anything get into the way."

"Okay. I'll remember it."

"Now get your ass into the court," said the coach. "I want you to serve into the cone." He pointed at an eight-inch-tall fluorescent orange cone placed at a corner of the service line. "Do it until you can hit it ten times in a row. Then you can have your meal. You're not going to bed until you can make it."

"Okay," Maxim said as he started filling up a bucket with balls. "Are you taking a break?"

"Of course I am," Sanchez chuckled. "Oh, remember, it'll be fifteen in a row tomorrow." He smiled at him before walking away.

A couple hours later Maxim saw Daniela walking toward him as he was stretching his left arm while sitting at the courtside. "Practicing your serves?" Daniela asked.

"Yeah. Damn. Sounds easy. Impossible to do it.

Daniela looked into the court. "Orange cone?" she chuckled. "How many times in a row?"

"Ten."

Daniela chuckled again. "I think you'll be sleeping here tonight. Have you eaten yet?"

"Elena is getting me some leftover food," he said, then waved at Elena who was walking toward them with a doggie bag in her hands.

-------

Maxim rarely felt so relieving when Sunday finally came and he had a day off. He saw Marlene while he was on his way to the parking lot. "Where are you going?" he asked her.

"To my room."

"I thought you were going out with Daniela."

Marlene let out a sigh. "Nah, she ditched me," she chuckled.

Maxim laughed. "Well, come with me then."

"No," she said. "I'm not going out with you."

"Duh, Marlene. I'm not asking you out. I'm going out with Elena. You can get in between."

Marlene guffawed. "I won't get in between you and anyone. Where is she? I don't trust you."

"She's meeting me at the parking lot," Maxim said. "Come, I'm not lying."

The duo met Elena and they all got into his car. "Where are we going?" Marlene asked as Maxim started the engine.

Maxim grinned, "Day's Inn?"

"Gee," Marlene said, laughing. "Please, don't show Elena a bad example."

"What bad example?" Elena asked from the rear seat.

Marlene turned around to Elena. "Just bad. He's a bad guy, very evil."

"No," Elena said, matter-of-factly. "He's the greatest."

"Hear it, Marlene?" Maxim said, grinning again.

Marlene laughed. "Gee. How could I've forgotten this. Of course she'll support you." She turned around again. "Well, Elena, do you know where we're going?"

"Ice cream, then..." Elena said, and leaned forward to tap the back of Maxim's seat.

"Then what?" Marlene asked.

"Then movie," Maxim said.

"Movie?" Marlene turned around to Elena once again. "Which movie?"

"I don't know," Elena said, snickering. "We were supposed to go to the mall first, but no need now."

"Why?"

"Because he doesn't need to ask the girls out now."

Marlene sounded like she choked. "Gee. Elena, I'm not going out with Max."

"I think you are," Elena said. "Because we're not going to the mall now."

"My goodness," Marlene said, laughing while slumping into her seat. "How could I've gotten into this situation."

Maxim knew Marlene enjoyed the day as much as Elena did. He wondered if she would like it as much if they were alone. He also had no idea why Marlene always refused to go out with him as they got along very well. They were quite close even when she was Andy's girlfriend. After Andy left, they had been together very often at the Academy or on the road. He, however, had discovered that Elena could be a big help in asking girls out.

Marlene was counting monies for her share of expenses after dinner when Elena asked her why. "Don't guys usually pay for dates?"

"Because this is not a date," Marlene said, smiling at Elena and glancing at Maxim.

"I think we might as well make this a routine," Maxim said, smiling readily.

"On one condition," Marlene said, smiling slyly. "We'll spend all the time at the mall browsing dresses."

"He's cool with that," Elena said, snickering. "He'll be talking with every girl there and asking them out."

"Gee," Marlene said, laughing. "Is there a place he won't go to?"

-------

The following week, Maxim took a couple of days off from the Academy and drove Elena to San Francisco. They went to the restaurant to swap cars with Maxim's mother for her new family van, then picked up Mr. Mushtakov before heading to the airport. Elena's mother and little sister were arriving.

Maxim had never seen Elena so frantic when her mother and sister showed up. It was a very touching sight. Maxim found himself in misty eyes as he watched the family hugging, kissing, and crying. Elena's mother also gave him one of the warmest hugs he had ever received.

"Thanks, Max," Mrs. Mushtakova said while still sniffing from her joy. "Thanks for helping Elena." Her English was surprisingly good, even though she had a heavy Russian accent. This could be attributed to her second job working in tourism industry after her husband and Elena had come to America. Except being a little fluffy, Elena's mother was quite good looking. She was naturally the source of her daughters' blonde hair as her husband had very dark brown hair.

Olga, the youngest member of the family, spoke very little English. But from what he saw from Elena, Maxim knew Olga wouldn't have problem in a few weeks' time. The little sister shared many features with Elena, including big blue eyes and shinny blonde hair. She was noticeably shorter than Elena, and she didn't talk as much as her older sister. Maxim didn't know if it was because of her personality or because Elena had missed them for too long and had been talking all the time.

Mr. Mushtakov had already rented a small apartment for the family. He had bought some furniture and received donations of used ones from his coworkers. Olga didn't get her own bedroom, but would sleep in her bed at the corner of the sitting room, where Elena would also be staying when she got home from the Academy. They spent their time at their new home until very late in the evening, and then went to the restaurant where an off hour welcome party was held.

When they got back to the Academy, Elena gave Maxim a sheet of paper. It had events marked on various weekend dates. "What is this?"

"These are places we'll take them to," Elena beamed at him. "You're taking us to these places, aren't you?"

"Of course," Maxim chuckled. "I'm your brother, am I not?"

The coaches had arranged Maxim to be Nick's hitting partner in preparation for the next tournament -- the National Closed Junior Championships. Maxim knew Nick wanted the championship very much, as the winner would be granted a wild card to the US Open men's event. One of Nick's biggest barrier would be Bobby 'Big Cannon' Maliki who was an excellent server, and nobody at the Academy was a better server than Maxim.

Maxim knew working with Nick helped his own game a lot, because Nick was an excellent full-court player of a higher level who could show Maxim every aspect of the game. Besides, Nick seemed gifted in noticing minuscule weaknesses from his opponents. Talking with him about the sport and players alone was an experience money couldn't buy.

-------

The Academy gathered a big team going to Kalamazoo College, Michigan, where the National Closed Junior Championships was held. It was a high level ITF event, but was played only by US residents. Everyone at the Academy who was accepted as an entry went on the trip. After the first two rounds, Nick Sohaili, Irene Parker, and Maxim were the only Omnicianni players remaining in the tournament.

Chuck, Marlene, Daniela, and Joanna began hanging around the campus and the town. Jerome wasn't very eager to hang out with them, because he had been troubled by his results. He had been drifting around in that stage for quite a while, rarely able to advance another step, yet seldom lost before that either. After his loss in the doubles, he announced to his teammates that he was accepting a scholarship to play for college.

Maxim met Glenn Ross again at the fourth round. As usual, this was a match determined by mistakes more than by winners. Maxim was amazed by how few mistakes he made and won a close match. As they walked out the court together, Glenn said, "Damn, you could've beaten Maliki today."

Nick also advanced later that day, but Irene was eliminated. Maxim's next opponent was Mike Jackson once again. Maxim knew every match against Mike would pose a new challenge. After a light hitting, Nick talked with Maxim. "If you can keep your composure like today," he said. "Patience is the key to beating Mike."

"Patience?"

"You have an edge," Nick said. "You've a better chance in holding your serves. If you can hold yours, then the pressure is on him. He must beat you on his service games. He has to go aggressive at times. You work on defense, be patient, and he's going to make mistakes."

Maxim chuckled. "That's a hell of a strategy -- using patience against a great defender."

Nick wink at him. "Only works if you can serve like you did today, which means no chance for him on your games."

After Maxim won the quarter-final, Mike congratulated him with no frustrating sign at all on his face. "I have to admit this is your best match I've seen. Nice job."

"Thanks, Mike," Maxim said. "Actually you've been doing great also."

"Well," Mike said, shaking head but smiling. "Apparently not enough. I gotta work harder to kick your freaking ass next time."

When Maxim told Sanchez what Nick taught him, the coach said, "The truth is that patience is a key to all wins. Nick narrowed it down to Mike's service games because he knew you wouldn't be able to comprehend the bigger picture. I think he's going to be a great coach one day."

Maxim's hope to challenge the more popular players for a title was slashed the next day when he was beaten badly by Maliki. The big server gave Maxim a flattering smile when they shook hand at the net. "Don't feel bad, Max," he said. "You'll be one of the best here when I'm done with juniors."

Even Irene, who had always been ice-cold to Maxim, laughed when he told his teammates about Maliki's remark. "Know what I'm going to tell him tomorrow?" Nick said, chuckling.

"What?"

"I'm going to tell him serves aren't going to win a title for him."

"You're that confident?" Maxim said.

"Wanna bet?"

Before Maxim responded, Chuck slapped a 20-dollar bill into his palm. Maxim laughed. "Why on earth would I bet against Nick?"

Nick revenged Maxim's loss and won the championship by beating Maliki badly. Maxim and his friends chuckled as Nick talked with Maliki after the match and the loser's face darkened.

"Did you really tell him that?" Maxim asked Nick after congratulating him on the victory.

"I did," Nick grinned at him. "I don't usually do that. In fact I've probably never done that, but he deserved it. And I was telling the truth. Max, it's the same for you. You're not going to win a title with just serves, not the big ones."

-------

After dinner, Maxim saw Marlene gesturing at him. She was with Daniela and Nick. When Maxim went over, Marlene said, "We're going to buy some snacks from 7-11. Do you want to come?"

"Why not?" Maxim said. "Where is Chuck?"

"Where else," Nick said, smiling. "Jerome's hosting a poker game."

Maxim chuckled. "Have they not lost enough monies to the silent pro?"

When they were outside the hotel, Daniela said, "Max, have you played with Chuck?"

"Poker?"

"Yeah."

"Once. I nearly lost my underwear. That was enough."

After the laugh, Marlene turned to Nick. "You, Nick?"

"No," Nick said. "I don't have that much spare monies, but I watched a few. I think he has better potential in poker than in tennis. He's good in tennis but he's horrifying in poker."

Marlene laughed again, and then noticed Maxim eyeing her. She glared at him. "What?"

"Why don't we have a private poker game? I won't mind losing my underwear to you."

Marlene blushed as she slapped Maxim's arm. Daniela then struck back for her friend. "I have an idea," she said, smiling slyly. "Let's have a game. We bet on quarters, you bet on your clothes, and you aren't getting them back until we return to the Academy. How's that?"

"Just you and me?" Maxim said, eyeing Daniela.

"Didn't you hear I said 'We'?"

"That's completely unfair, Daniela."

"Chicken!"

Maxim laughed. "With these insane rules, I'd rather be a chicken than a moron."

They bought some snacks from the convenient store and walked around a little before returning to the hotel. Maxim pressed the elevator button at the lobby and then turned around searching. "Where are Daniela and Nick?" he asked Marlene.

"Must have fallen back a little," she said, looking at the indicator panel. "We'll go up and they'll follow."

"Okay," Maxim said. Then a thought crossed his mind. "Marlene," he whispered her. "Is he dating her?"

"How would I know?" she said, still looking at the wall.

"You know it," he said, smiling. "Come on!"

Marlene's eyes were fixed on the flashing panel. "I don't."

"Let's go out and find them."

Marlene chuckled, and turned to look at Maxim. "All right," she said, lowering her voice. "He is. Shush!"

"Where have they gone?"

"How the hell do I know?"

"Wanna go find them, see what they're doing?"

She burst out laughing. "Hell, no!"

An inspiration crept into his mind. Maxim began fantasizing the possibility of him spending a little time in her room. He began feeling primal stiffness in his sweat pants, and quickly fought it off, because if Mrs. Weiss caught him inside Marlene's room, he would be instantly expelled, which might cost him his prospective career.

Marlene nudged his arm as elevator doors slowly slid open in front of her. "Let's go in."

"No."

"Huh?"

Maxim realized he had given an answer openly to Marlene instead of secretly to his heart. He chuckled to cover up his embarrassment. Then another idea came up in his mind, and he turned to her. "Marlene, why don't we share our snacks together? You're not going to bed right now, are you?"

"Hmm," she began considering the proposal. "No." she chuckled with a small redness on her face. "This is not going to happen. I'm not going to your room, and you're not coming over."

He also chuckled. "No, for Christ sake, I didn't mean that. That'd be too stupid. Mrs. Weiss will definitely get me." He leaned forward a little. "I mean we can talk and eat at the lounge." He pointed at the lounge area.

She smiled in embarrassment for misunderstanding him. "Well, um. All right. But I've to go back to my room before nine."

"That's half hour away," he said, and then tapped her hand. They went over to the lounge for snack and chat.

"I think you know where they've gone," Maxim said, smiling slyly at her. "And what they're doing. Are they coming back tonight?"

"Gee," she frowned at him. "Get your dirty mind off the ditch. I think they'll be back very soon."

He chuckled. "How long have they been together? Damn, they've been hiding their secret so well."

Marlene dropped her head as she started chuckling. "I don't know. Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell."

After all their bags and bottles were emptied, Marlene asked him the time as she wasn't wearing a watch. "Eight thirty," Maxim said, after glancing his watch.

Marlene laughed as she slapped him on the arm. "That's the time we came here," she said. "You liar!" She grabbed his arm to look at his watch. "We have to go now." She got up, and looked at him. "Come."

Maxim reluctantly went to the elevator lobby with her. They found an elevator waiting and went inside. When the elevator reached her floor, Maxim followed her out. Marlene turned around to look at him. "Your room's not on this floor."

"I know. I'm waiting for a good night kiss."

She smiled at him. "Stop it. You know you're not getting one."

"You said you almost kissed me after my match at Lakewood, so you kind of owe me one."

"Gee," she said, giggling. "I shouldn't have told you. Sorry, Max. I don't owe you anything."

"I think you do," he said, and moved toward her. Before Marlene could dodge, he held her arms and leaned toward her face.

Marlene ducked her head. "Stop it," she grumbled while struggling.

Maxim ignored her protest, and bent down to meet her face, but she turned her face away when he almost made it. His lips could only touch her hair blanketing her cheekbone before she pushed him in the chest and got away from him.

Her face was flush red and her breath was a little heavy when she glare at him. She then turned away from him and began walking.

Maxim scurried to get in front of her. "I... Marlene, I'm sorry. Don't get mad at me."

Marlene took a couple deep breaths. "Promise me you'll never do it again," she said, staring at his eyes.

"I promise."

Marlene gave him a small smile. "Good night, Max."

"Good night, Marlene," he said, and then he heard a ding. He turned around and saw Daniela and Nick through the opening elevator doors. Daniela smiled slyly at them as she walked into the lobby.

Nick was also smiling slyly at Maxim when he went into the elevator. "You weren't coming out of her room," he said after the doors were closed. "Were you?"

Maxim chuckled. "Of course not."

-------

When they returned to the Academy, Maxim was told that he was joining Irene to play at the Junior Championships of Japan in October. He was originally scheduled to play at the Sugar Bowl, but since he had achieved a good enough ranking, they were sending him to a higher level tournament and to play against players from different backgrounds.

A couple days later, after another exhaustive practice with Chuck and Jerome, Maxim saw Marlene and Elena walking over to him. "Can I borrow your car?" Marlene said, smiling slyly at Maxim.

"Who're you going out with?" he glanced at her, then at Elena, who was holding Marlene's hand.

Marlene's smile turned into a chuckle. "Yep."

"And I'm left behind?" Maxim said.

"I don't feel comfortable with you getting in between she and me." Marlene said, and chuckled with Elena.

"I don't care what she and you are buying," Maxim said. "I'm going."

Marlene did a high-five with Elena. "Free chauffeur!"

After the girls' shopping, Marlene told him to drive to a fast food restaurant. "I'm buying you a dinner," she said after they got out of his car.

"Am I paying for Day's Inn?"

"Gee," Marlene scowled. "How come you always make me feel sorry for my nice gestures?"

"Okay. You'll pay for Day..." He squeaked when she stomped on his foot.

After shaking it off, Maxim found both Marlene and Elena chuckling. "What're you laughing at, Elena?" he said to the little girl.

"You're bad, Max," Elena snickered.

"Me bad?"

"Yeah," she said, still snickering. "You want to take her to Day's Inn. You want to get her pregnant."

Maxim was a little shocked. He turned to Marlene and saw a little redness on her face. "You told her all that?" he asked.

Marlene chuckled again. She didn't answer Maxim, but went over to Elena and held her hand. "Let's go in." She paused after a couple of steps, and turned around to ask Maxim, "You're calling Elena differently, something like YELL-e-nuh?"

"That's the Russian pronunciation," Elena answered for Maxim. "That's how my parents and Olga call me. He started changing it when he heard them. I think he doesn't want to be treated like an outsider."

Maxim chuckled with Marlene as he poked Elena playfully before they went into the restaurant. After finishing his bun and fries, Maxim started taking fries from Marlene's holder. "So, Marlene," he said. "Why are you buying me the meal."

"You've been giving me quite some encouragements in the past few months. I'm showing my appreciation," she said, and slapped his fingers when he took fries from her again.

"You don't have to, Marlene. Just a kiss will do."

"Max," she said, smiling. "Haven't I told you a hundred times? You're not getting it."

"You will, Marlene," he said. "You're a girl, and so you'll change your mind." He reached out to take fries from her holder. "But thanks for the appreciation."

Marlene slapped his hand again. "Gee. Go buy another one or take from Elena," she said jokingly.

Maxim reached for Elena, who quickly covered her holder with a hand, but snickered when she saw his hand in mid air and an embarrassing smile on his face. "Okay," she said, and grabbed some fries off her holder then handed them to him.

Maxim smiled at Elena. "Thanks, Elena," he said, then gave Marlene a toothy grin.

Marlene mocked a glare at Elena, and then pushed her holder to the middle of the table. "Okay," she said, mocking another displeased expression. "Take all you want."

The reactions from the two girls gave Maxim an inspiration. By the time he turned off the engine at the Academy parking lot, he had an idea. He turned to Elena after they had gotten off the car. "Do I get a good night kiss, Elena?" he said, and bent down in front of the little girl.

"Sure," Elena said, stepped into him, and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"One more?" Maxim said, pointing at his lips.

Without hesitation, Elena stepped forward again, and gave him a big smack on the lips.

When he stood up and turned to Marlene, he saw red clouds on her face. "Gee," she said. "You're using her."

"Use?" Elena said with an inquiring look at Marlene.

Maxim turned to Marlene and stepped toward her, as she was still shaking her head, waving her arms, and letting out sighs trying to explain to Elena. He looked at her eyes. "Marlene, do I get a good night kiss?"

Marlene bit her lip. "Turn your face," she finally said. "And keep your hands at the back." She then gave him a peck on the cheek when he conformed.

Maxim turned to her again, and pointed at his lips, smiling.

"No," Marlene said. "Let's go." She turned away, but stopped when she found they didn't follow. Both Elena and Maxim were standing still looking at her. Then Maxim moved in front of her again.

Marlene thought briefly. "Keep your hands at the back," she said, and gave him a faked smack, making a smacking sound a few inches from his lips.

"That's cheating," Elena said from Marlene's side.

Even Marlene burst out laughing with Maxim and Elena. Maxim then stood right in front of Marlene again, looking at her. It took Marlene a while to decide what to do, but she finally gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I'm not going out with the two of you again," she said, still in a pink face, and started walking toward the residence.

Maxim smiled at Marlene's back, then took Elena's hand and caught up with her. Technically, this peck from Marlene was as lame as the one she gave him about a month ago in Lakewood. However, the sensation he felt was much more intense. Maxim even felt a little stiffness in his pants as he walked the two girls back to their residence.



-------

Chapter 10


Only two of the Academy's players were accepted into the Junior US Open: Irene and Maxim, who got his entrance ticket due to his result at the National Closed Championships. Nick, their former star player, was also playing his juniors finale at this event. Nick had gone to New York a few days earlier, as the senior competitions, which had a much bigger draw size, started five days before the junior events.

By the time Maxim and Irene arrived in New York City, Nick was already hanging around after being eliminated in the first round of the open event. His loss was not really a failure, even though it had been in straight sets. He had put up a hard fight, and took his opponent, who was about 350 steps above him in the rankings, to tiebreakers in two of the sets. He was quite satisfied with his effort.

Nick had been to New York a few times before, Irene had been there once, but it was the first time for Maxim. They saw Lawrence and Janice Robinson at their hotel, and agreed to hang out together. Lawrence wasn't playing his double matches with Maxim, as he had already committed to another partnership a couple of months ago. Maxim was going to partner Glenn Ross in those matches. Janice hadn't been accepted into the tournament, but she had taken the opportunity to visit the Big Apple and cheer on her brother.

"Jan," Maxim whispered to her on the subway to Battery Park. "I didn't know you know Nick and Irene so well. Is there an American junior you don't know?"

"Probably not," Janice chuckled. "But I'm not going to give you the girls' numbers."

"I don't need their numbers, silly. Are we going to disco tonight?"

Janice had a big smile on her face. "I am. A friend of Lawrence is taking me to one."

"Damn," Maxim said. "Ditch them. Go with me. Didn't you tell me I was hot and cute?"

"I did," Janice said, smiling. "And you really are. But I'm not into hot and cute guys. I've been there and have been burned. I learned a lesson."

"I'm different. I'm special."

Apparently Irene had overheard their conversation. "Yeah," she said with a scornful look. "A special playboy."

Maxim smiled embarrassingly while Nick, Lawrence, Irene, and Janice all laughed at him.

Luckily, Maxim found Glenn Ross and Mike Jackson at the hotel after his sightseeing tour. Mike's father took them all out for dinner at a China Town restaurant. During the meal, Maxim also learned that Mike was turning professional after this tournament. Since Mike's father was his coach, and his mother was his private tutor, the only factor that determined if he should remain an amateur was whether he wanted a college scholarship. After a couple of months' deliberations, the family decided that the risk was worth it and the timing was right.

Glenn was in the same boat as Maxim. They both planned to turn professional and weren't planning on college. The question was whether they could become good enough and when was the right time for them. Glenn, however, had more time to assess his situation, as he was nearly a year younger than Maxim.

After the meal, the teens wanted to go and tour around 42nd street and Times Square. Mike's father didn't like the idea at first, but they convinced him that it would be better if an adult showed them around instead of them sneaking out at other times to explore the area by themselves. They didn't stay out that late though as they weren't allowed to drink or get into the clubs, and they didn't have time for Broadway musicals.

-------

Maxim had his first match against a Japanese baseliner. A few games into the match, Maxim started to appreciate all the harsh time he had spent practicing with Nick. He had learned to study his opponent's style and tendency better. After losing the first set in a tiebreaker, Maxim won the following two sets using less time than the first set.

When he went off the court, Maxim saw Mike smiling at him. Mike slapped his arm and congratulated him, and also told Maxim he had lost to a Brazilian. Maxim gladly pocketed the 40 dollar side bets he'd won from Mike. Later that day, Maxim saw his Japanese foe again and they talked for a while. When the Japanese found out that Maxim was going to Japan later that year, he suggested they play doubles together. Maxim willingly agreed and they exchanged their contact information.

The next day, Nick also cruised through his first round junior match with extreme ease. Nick was playing like he was a few levels above his opponent. Irene didn't do as well and had already lost her first round match.

Both Maxim and Nick survived the second round, an expected result for Nick, but a big achievement for Maxim. This would also lead to a gloomy future for Maxim because he knew he was playing against Nick in the third round. Maxim's new doubles partnership didn't do well, they lost in their first match.

Maxim chuckled when he saw the sly smile on Nick's face at practice. "I'm not going to bet with you, Nick," he said. "Not even one to a hundred."

Nick also chuckled. "Then you're going to lose in straight sets," he said. "You can't win a match, or a set, or a game if you don't believe you can win."

"How the hell can I expect to win a set or a match against you?"

"You know what they say about you? They're considering you to be the best server in the entire junior's game. You're starting to surpass Maliki. If you can keep up, you'll probably be the world's best server one day."

"You're kidding."

Nick gave him another sly smile. "Have I ever kidded with you?"

"So you're telling me to try and steal a set from you?"

"If you can steal enough sets, you can steal the match."

"Thanks Nick. I'll try my best. But I'm still not going to bet with you."

Maxim did it. He stole a set from Nick in a tiebreaker, but then lost the following two sets by a huge margin. After getting off the court, he told Nick. "I'm glad I didn't fall into your trap and I didn't bet." He laughed.

"But you took a set," Nick said after laughing. "It wasn't bad, was it? If you hadn't been so nervous in the second set, I'd have some huge problems. I could even have lost to you."

"How the hell could I not be nervous?"

"Of course you would, but you have to overcome it," Nick said, smiling. "That's another line separating good and bad players."

Nick went on to win the junior title. He was the only US junior to win a title in this event. None of the other American juniors were in the single or double finals.

-------

Maxim sat with Nick on their flight back to California. After the soft-drinks were served, Nick had a talk with Maxim dissecting his fellow's future. "You're going to get more chances," Nick said. "You've been getting much better results this year, and your ranking's been rising rapidly. I think they'll spend more money on you. You have the potential. Your problem is you don't have a clue what you're doing."

Maxim chuckled. "Thanks for the compliment and the criticism. Who else do you think they'll spend on? Jo?"

"She's a good choice. If I were the old man, I'd start investing heavily on your little sis."

"Elena? She hasn't even been to any big tournaments yet."

"No, but you can see in her all the elements that make a player great. You can train on skills, but some elements can't be bought or learned. You're either born with them or you aren't." Nick paused, before continuing, "Do you know I was there when she first came?"

"You were?" Maxim said. "I thought I was the first guy to talk to her. I mean beside the coaches."

"No, I didn't talk with her. I'm not even sure if I've ever talked with her," he chuckled. "I mean when she came for the try-out. Before it was over, everyone knew she was going to get the scholarship. I won't be surprised to see her start playing Twelve's in a couple of months' time."

"She's already playing in Twelve," Maxim said. "I watched her debut match. She was very good, but I didn't know you rated her so high."

Nick gave him another smile. "Everyone in the Academy is talented and very good, yet only very few can make it to the very end. Use your eyes and brain more," he pointed at his crotch. "They should come before your dick."

Maxim chuckled. "So how's Daniela?"

He smiled slyly. "How about her?"

"Are they going to spend on her?"

"Depends," he said, taking some deep breaths. "She'll need to make another level, mentally. I'm not sure if she'll want to take the risk."

"Risk?"

"It can be a long way to eventual success. She's not someone who will win a pro major at eighteen or twenty. She may have to risk waking up a few years later and not know where she's at."

"Yeah. Life's tough."

"Of course."

"How long have you been with her?"

Nick chuckled. "She told me you'd ask this question. She also told me she'd choke me to death if I say anything."

"Wow," Maxim laughed. "That's a deadly threat. I'll ask her, then. I think it'll take longer for her to choke me to death."

"Wanna bet a hundred?"

Maxim laughed again. "Nah. I've got a better use for those hundred bucks. By the way, you'll be nineteen next month. Are you moving to the villas?"

"Yeah, I've rented a condo at the villas. It's getting tight financially. Fortunately SAMS are covering the training costs at the Academy."

-------

They returned at the Academy on Sunday evening. A party of celebration for Nick and farewell for Jerome was held in the dining hall. Jerome was going to a college prep program at Ohio State University.

During the party, Maxim grabbed Daniela. "Come on, how long have you been with him?"

Daniela chuckled. "Did he tell you I'd choke you to death, too?"

"Well, tell me and then choke me."

"No, choke first."

"For that," Maxim said, with a lewd smile. "You'll have to offer more, much more."

Daniela shook her head, but then seemed to have an idea. "What if I offer you the right to strip me right here right now?" She gave him a challenging look.

"Only if you're still a virgin."

"I am," she gave him another challenging smile.

"Damn," he chuckled. "How the hell can I verify that. Come on, how long have you been dating him?"

"Why are you so concerned? It's none of your business."

"Because I've been asking you out for quite a while."

"Yeah," Daniela said, smiling. "And then you secretly switched to Marlene."

"I got nothing going on with Marlene," he said. "You know that. She won't even give me a kiss."

Daniela laughed. "Poor baby," she said. "Well, so you're not accepting the challenge, huh?"

"I, um. I need to go to the bathroom," he said. "Okay, ice cream is on me." He heard Daniela laugh behind him as he walked away.

-------

Maxim started his new semester at Davenport the next day. He had missed the first two weeks and knew he had to take quite a number of make-up classes to catch up. Maxim didn't have any classes with Celine in the new semester. He didn't see any attractive new classmates in his classes either. The new History teacher, however, was quite nice looking even though she had to be nearly twice his age. Towards the end of the day, he started fantasizing about Celine who had promised to meet him after school.

It was a catastrophe for Maxim when Celine introduced him to her new housemate. "This is Calvin Lambert. You've seen his portrait," she told Maxim, then talked to Calvin. "He's Max Khimin. Does he look better than in the portrait?"

Maxim could hardly breathe when he shook hands with Celine's ex-boyfriend. He had waited for her the entire summer and now she was annihilating his hope by reuniting with her ex-boyfriend. He didn't hear anything they said while they walked out of the building. He was still numb after they bade him goodbye. He stared at them as they made their way to the parking lot.

Maxim felt someone nudge his arm. He turned around and saw Elena. "What're you doing here?" she said. "Where's your school girlfriend?"

"I don't have a school girlfriend," he said. "I thought you'd gone by now."

"The school bus is late," she smiled at him. "What about your pretty goddess?"

Maxim knew exactly who Elena meant. He chuckled. "Who told you that?"

"I saw her once," Elena beamed at him. "Everyone talked about her, so I stayed behind one day to take a look. She's very pretty."

Maxim chuckled again. "She's not my girlfriend. She's got a boyfriend."

"No wonder you're so upset," she snickered. "But you still have Marlene."

"Marlene's not my girlfriend either."

"Yeah," Elena snickered again. "You told me Katy wasn't your girlfriend before as well."

Maxim didn't know how to explain the situation to Elena. He held his laugh but slapped her head playfully.

"Let's go."

"You go first," Elena shook her head. "I'm going with them. We're taking the school bus." She pointed at a group of kids gathered at the entrance. "Mrs. Livingston will go mad if I'm missing."

Not even his little sister was staying with him. Maxim felt very lonely whilst walking back to the Academy. It startled him when he found himself fantasizing about Celine later that evening. He felt a little psycho about himself. He knew he needed a new girl to satisfy his libido.

-------

The next afternoon Maxim had a mixed doubles practice with Marlene, Rudy, and Joanna. Maxim actually wasn't sure if they would play many more mixed double matches in the future, as it seemed to him that both he and Marlene would play in more ITF matches and there were no mixed double matches in these events.

Before the coach showed up, Marlene talked with Maxim. "I'm not sure if we should continue with our doubles," she said, with a slightly depressed look.

"Why?"

"We're not really playing," she said. "You've been playing with me more than playing with the ball. Every time we come out of the court, I see a nasty look on Coach's face."

"We can start playing seriously. I don't have a problem with that."

"Then stop teasing me."

"No."

Marlene burst out laughing, and then slapped his arm.

"Then how can we start playing seriously?"

Maxim pointed at the court. "We play seriously there. We play dirty outside." He smiled bawdy at her.

"Gee," she sighed. "Can you please stop that?"

"Will you go out with me tonight?"

Marlene slumped to the ground as she laughed. "Gee. I think I'll beg the coach to pair me with Chuck. I can't carry on with you."

Maxim grinned at her. "Determination, belief, endurance. These are all elements to success."

"Oh, my goodness," Marlene wiped tears from her eyes after her hysterical laugh. "Please don't use Nick's sports philosophy to play with me."

"Then get your ass off the ground."

"Why?"

"Because Coach is coming."

After the practice, Sanchez gestured at Maxim to stay behind. "I don't care about your relationship with Marlene," said the coach, staring at his face.

"We're not in a relationship."

"I don't care," Sanchez said with a stern face. "I don't give a damn about it. I want the two of you to do it seriously. Stop your teasing when you're on the court. I don't want to waste your time, or her time, or my time on fruitless things. You may still lose every match even if you play to the fullest of your heart, but you'll have done what you should've. Use your heart, Max."

"Okay," Maxim said, avoiding the coach's eyes. "I will."

Maxim found Marlene and Daniela at the dining hall afterwards. "Marlene, did Coach talk with you, too?"

"About what?"

"He told me to stop teasing you on the court."

Daniela and Marlene bent down with their laughter. "Told you," said Daniela.

"Damn," Maxim pointed at them. "You sold out on me. You complained."

"No," Marlene said, still laughing. "I didn't. All right, I admit I'd thought about it, but I swear I didn't."

"Don't look at me," Daniela said. "If I had, it wouldn't be Coach talking with you. It'd be Mrs. Weiss or Mr. Hackman."

Maxim leaned back in his seat while Marlene smiled at him. "So are you stopping it, or are you changing your partner?"

"Of course he's stopping," Daniela giggled. "Because he knows I'll report him otherwise."

Maxim glared at Daniela. "One day I'll strip you in public."

"Oh, one day," Daniela said, rolling her eyes. "Go on, I dare you, Max, right now."

"Has he bought you an ice cream yet?" Marlene said, shaking Daniela's arm, and giggling.

"I think I'm getting two," Daniela smiled at Marlene. "I'll give you one."

-------

The next day, Maxim was surprised to see Celine and Calvin waiting for him after the morning classes. "What's up?" he said to them, trying his best to look as cool as possible.

Celine was a little taken aback by his attitude. "Aren't we walking together?" she asked Maxim.

"Oh," Maxim said. "I thought, um." He glanced at Calvin and saw him smile. "Okay." He also studied Calvin as he didn't pay much attention to him when they had met yesterday. He had been too stunned. Calvin had very long rusty blonde hair tied into a ponytail. Maxim presumed it was an artist faux. Calvin was also the kind of guy you can use the word 'pretty' to describe. His deep blue eyes were alluring even to guys. Maxim silently sighed as he believed Calvin would beat him hands down in attracting girls unless they were obsessed by the sporty and athletic types.

When they were at the crossroad, Celine asked Maxim if he was joining them for afternoon tea on Friday. Maxim wondered why he was still invited to a meaningless gathering. He was unsure if he would want to have afternoon tea with them anyway. It was fine when the third person was Severine, whom he could fuck. But it looked stupid to stand in between Celine and Calvin.

"Have you another engagement?" Calvin asked. The nice looking young man had smiled and was very friendly during the brief moments they had been together. But Maxim still didn't like him.

"I guess that means you're coming," Celine said when she didn't get a response from Maxim. "See you tomorrow." She flashed him another smile, and then left with Calvin.

Maxim's training had been getting tougher. He knew it would only get harder, but that was how he was going to improve. He was fine with it. In fact he enjoyed it since he loved tennis. What proved to be harsher for him was when he went to Davenport. He was behind in his classes and had some problem following the lessons. He was scheduled to take some catch-up classes on Saturday.

On Thursday, his coach used a pneumatic ball machine to send hundreds of heavily spun lobs towards him while he ran between the net and baseline to hit them. He could barely move a finger when the drill was over. Many of his Academy friends had gone to New Orleans for an ITF event. Maxim was originally also scheduled to play there, but the coaches took him out when they enrolled him in the Japan tournament. He felt quite lonely apart from when Elena was with him.

None of the physical pressures the coaches put on him could compare to the psychological embarrassment he suffered when he went to Davenport. On Friday morning, the appealing history teacher picked on him and asked him questions he was clueless about. She even gave him a dismissive smile when he failed to answer her second question. Maxim actually felt relieved when he went back to the Academy in the afternoon for his drills.

-------

Calvin stepped out of Celine's BMW and moved to the back seat when they picked up Maxim in front of the Academy. "Take the front seat," Calvin said. "You're taller, and the rear seat is quite cramped."

Maxim felt puzzled. This didn't seem rational to him. He knew if he was sharing a bed with Celine, he would care less about another guy joining their afternoon tea. He had many questions he wanted to ask her, but couldn't with Calvin present.

After telling the couple about his experience at the US Open when they were at the cafe, Maxim asked Calvin, "So are you also a painter?"

"No," Calvin said. "I'm a sculptor and a photographer."

"Oh. Do you use models a lot?"

"I seldom work with models. I usually work on objects, or just creative ideas. Sometimes I'll use photographs I've taken to work on, but only if I've taken enough photos of the objects or people from various angles. Unlike paintings, sculpture is a three dimensional visual art."

"He's lying," Celine said. "You're not going to believe how many girls offered to be his models and he cruelly rejected them."

Maxim chuckled. "I think I can imagine. I don't think he's rejected you, right?"

"No," Celine said, smiling. "I think I posed a few times."

Maxim was jealous but tried his best to hide it. He chuckled instead.

"You did it again and again because you didn't like the result of my works," Calvin said to Celine. "I didn't ask."

Maxim didn't want to hear about that subject anymore. "What about photography?" he said to Calvin. "Do you work on scenery?"

"Actually anything," Calvin said. "It's a very expensive hobby, though."

"What kind of camera do you use?"

"I'm using a Rollei 3003 and a few assorted Zeiss lenses, in combination with it." Calvin replied.

Maxim had never heard of these brand names, but he believed they were expensive toys. Calvin seemed to come from another wealthy family. "Must be very expensive," he said.

"Yeah," Calvin replied, letting out a deep sigh. "Sometimes I still don't feel comfortable with them. They're a gift from Severine. A substantial one."

Maxim started to feel small. Severine hadn't even left him a keychain, but gave Calvin some expensive toys. This young man must be a sex god. He didn't want to know what gift Celine had given him, but his curiosity prevailed, and he asked.

Celine smiled. "Nothing."

"Come on, Celine," Maxim said. "Do you think I'd believe in that?"

"I'm honest," Celine said. "I mean nothing worth mentioning."

"That's not quite true," Calvin said.

"Calvin," Celine turned to him. "I didn't ask dad, I swear. He likes you. He does it for you. You know that."

Maxim turned to Calvin. "What did her dad give you?" he asked, and chuckled. "Don't tell me he gave you a house."

Both Celine and Calvin laughed. "No," Calvin said. "He gets me into Costello and pays for it. That's how I can come here. My family can't afford it."

Maxim then knew he had no chance. Celine loved him, Severine loved him, and even her dad loved him. He didn't know how long Calvin would stay at Costello, but at more than $30,000 a year for both Constello and Davenport, the fees could at least pay for the down payment on some small houses.



-------

Chapter 11


Maxim saw Marlene outside the fitness center when he finished his workout. The Omnicianni team had just returned from the New Orleans tournaments. Marlene had reached the girls semi-final and her doubles partnership with Daniela reached the quarter-final stage, but nobody from the Academy went beyond that. Marlene was putting on her walkman earplugs, but took one off when she saw him. "Is that Daniela's walkman?" Maxim asked. He knew Marlene's walkman had broken a couple of months ago and he knew that she wasn't expecting a replacement before Christmas at least.

"No," she said. "It's Chuck's. But the tape's Daniela's."

"What're you listening to?"

"I'll Make Love To You."

They both burst out laughing immediately. "You know that's Boyz II Men, not me," she said.

"No. It's you," he said with a big grin.

She shook her head and gave Maxim a scornful look.

"Can I listen to 'Make Love' with you? Are you going to the dining hall now?"

Marlene chuckled again. "No more 'Make Love'," she said, and picked up the earplug hanging down over her front and handed it to him. "How about 'Water Runs Dry'? Are you also going to the dining hall?"

They shared Marlene's music whilst walking to the dining hall together, where they found Daniela and ate together. A while later, Joanna and Chuck joined them, and then Rudy also found them.

"Jo," Maxim said when she had finished her main dish. "Didn't the nutritionist tell you to eat more? You're too skinny. You're going to have problem with your strength and power."

"He has," Joanna said. "But what can I do when I'm full and can't eat any more? I hate the nutrition menu he has given me, and I hate bananas even more."

"We can share the bananas together," Maxim connoted, and then glanced at Marlene and continued. "Or we can work out together, maybe to 'Make Love To Me'."

Joanna spat her drink as Marlene nearly slammed her face into her plate. The others also laughed. "Gee," Marlene said once she'd stopped laughing. "Max, is there a girl you won't flirt with?"

"Yeah, Irene."

They burst out laughing again. "Besides Irene?" asked Marlene.

"No. Are we going out tonight?"

"Didn't you say you've got to work on your homework?"

"Hell with homework. Are we?"

Marlene stifled her laugh. "No, we're not. Not even if you use Elena again."

"Hey, I didn't use her."

"Stop it. No is no," Marlene said, before turning to Chuck. "Will you go out with me, Chuck?"

Chuck started to choke after he'd forcefully swallowed his meatball during his laugh.

-------

On Thursday, the history teacher at Davenport gave her class a quiz. The teacher then asked Maxim to stay behind when the class was over. "I know you have to struggle with your tight tennis schedules, Mr. Khimin," she said, while taking off her eyeglasses. "But in order to pass my class, you'll have to put up more efforts than the rest who don't have to travel like you do."

"I'll spend more time, Miss Mills," Maxim said, and then prepared to go.

"Do you have some time on Saturday afternoons?"

Maxim knew his teacher wasn't asking him out, but he still started paying a little more attention to her. She looked a little younger without her eyeglasses on, and she seemed to be even more petite sitting in her chair while Maxim was standing behind her desk. "I have to take my little sis to San Francisco, and my make-up class schedules on Saturday mornings are already full."

Miss Mills started playing with her eyeglasses. "Well, if you have the time, I'd hope you can come to extra classes which I have on Saturday afternoons. I'm certain you'd benefit from them."

"I'll do it when I can make it."

The teacher nodded and then gave him a courteous smile, even though her eyes told him she didn't believe he would participate.

When Maxim went out of the classroom, he saw Celine and Calvin still waiting for him. "You got some problems?" Celine asked him.

"No," Maxim said, as they started walking out. "I'm a little behind in the class, so she suggested private tutoring on the Saturdays."

"Oh," Celine said. "I don't think that's a private tutoring. Miss Mills has been holding extra classes on the Saturdays for junior and seniors pursuing advanced studies in History. I think you'll be spending time with them."

"Are you in it?"

"No," Celine said. "We've joined the choral program." She pointed at herself and Calvin. "We don't intend to pursue advanced studies in History anyway."

If Celine was in the advanced study group without Calvin, Maxim would have immediately returned to tell Miss Mills he was in. But what Celine told him in fact deterred him even more from the extra Saturday work.

Before they parted, Calvin asked Maxim, "I wonder if you mind me taking a few photographs of you?"

"Modeling again?" Maxim started getting goosebumps when he thought about himself standing naked in front of Calvin, whether Celine was at the scene or not. He saw from the corner of his eye Celine was chuckling silently.

"No," Calvin also chuckled, apparently he knew what Maxim was thinking. "I'll be doing photographs for the yearbook. I'm gathering various photos about student life."

"Oh. When do you want it? Should I dress up?"

"You're already dressed up, Max. What about tomorrow, after classes? Can you squeeze a little time off your lunch break?"

Maxim agreed and left them. About a block away from the tennis school and after turning a corner, he saw Marlene and Chuck. He caught up with them and they walked along together. Before splitting for their respective residences, Maxim saw Marlene put on her earplugs. "Still Chuck's walkman?" he asked her.

"Yeah," Marlene smiled, and glanced at Chuck. "He almost never uses it anyway, so why not?"

Maxim turned to Chuck. The Korean shrugged his shoulders while spreading his hands in disinclination.

Before Marlene walked away, Maxim asked, "Marlene, you took World History last Spring, didn't you?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Do you still have your notes?"

"No. Rudy has them."

Maxim turned to Chuck. "Have you taken it yet?"

When the Korean nodded, Maxim grabbed his arm firmly. "Good. You're giving me all your notes, all test papers, everything." He pushed Chuck toward their residence as Marlene chuckled from behind.

-------

The next day after school, Maxim met with Celine and Calvin and they went to the lawn in front of the chapel. The amateur photographer picked a spot with suitable lighting, then took his camera out and fitted it with a lens. He flipped open the camera's top viewer, then bent down checking his angle. He chuckled after a little while. "Max, you don't have to say cheese," he said, while tilting his head. "Look at Celine. Ignore me. Make it natural."

"Okay," Maxim also chuckled, and turned to look at Celine who was apparently holding her laugh. She smiled at Maxim as he fixed his eyes on her.

"That's good," Calvin said, while bending down taking shots and moving around Maxim.

"That's very nice," Calvin said after he had taken about half dozen shots. He turned around to Celine. "Why don't you join Max?"

"Okay," she said and walked to the side of Maxim. "What will we look at?"

"Get a book out," Calvin said. "Study it with Max."

Celine chuckled as she unfolded a book in front of Maxim and herself. "A little closer," Calvin said. "No, not that close." He said again when Celine began leaning on Maxim. "This is a school life photo, not a family photo."

Celine straightened herself a little. Naturally Maxim preferred Celine leaning on him as it felt so good. He also enjoyed sniffing her even though she didn't seem to be wearing any fragrance.

"Look at the book, Max," Calvin told him. "Not at her chest."

Maxim chuckled to hide his embarrassment. It took them a little while to come up with a made-up-natural pose which Calvin was satisfied with. He then took another half dozen shots at different angles.

"Thanks a lot, Max," Calvin said as he pulled the film magazine out of the camera. "Thanks Celine."

"Max, do you want a ride back to Omnicianni," Celine asked.

"Nah," Maxim said. "I'll walk. See you guys at five." He then picked up his bag, parted with them, and walked back to the Academy.

Later that day when the trio met again for their afternoon tea, Maxim began wondering if he could persuade Calvin to take some 'family photo' shots. He knew he would love to pose naked with Celine, no matter who the photographer was.

When they were seated at the cafe, Maxim asked his question carefully, "Calvin, do you use models for your photography?"

Before Calvin responded, Maxim saw a big sly smile on Celine's face. Obviously it wasn't a clever enough question and she knew what he was thinking. "I don't like portraits," Calvin said flatly. "I used to do some for monies, but I prefer scenery or people in natural life. Why? Are you thinking about your yearbook portrait?"

"No. Just curious."

"Well," Calvin said, while adding sugar to his tea. "If you need it, let me know. Satisfaction guaranteed."

"Okay," Maxim said. "Thanks." He turned to Celine. "So you don't have your portrait taken?"

"Of course I do," Celine said, smiling at Maxim. "With and without clothes."

Calvin chuckled as he turned to Maxim. "You were talking about private collection photographs?"

"Well," Maxim said, guiding the question away. "I don't think there are that many guys who want to keep their private collection photos."

"Yeah," Calvin said. "Mostly girls who want to keep their best images for eternity."

"You've done a lot of those?"

"Nah. Just a few. Like I said, I prefer other kinds of photography."

"I think you might want to get into this hobby, Max," Celine said with another sly smile.

"No," Maxim said. "I don't think I've got the talent, money, or time."

Despite Maxim's outright rejection of the idea, Calvin began talking about how he first learned about photography, the cost, and the problems he encountered. He was practically the sole talker for the remainder of their tea time. Maxim didn't get his chance to model with Celine, but he still appreciated the brief moment of closeness with her while posing at the school which had been granted by Calvin. He started to dislike him less.

-------

On Saturday afternoon, Maxim took Elena, her mother, and Olga out for some sightseeing. Aunt Raissa -- which was what Mrs. Mushtakova had insisted Maxim should call her -- had already found a part-time job working at a home nursing service company run by a friend of Maxim's mother. Little Olga had started her classes at a public school for a few weeks and had been using Maxim to practice her English during the sightseeing trip.

They went for a tour on Alcatraz Island, which was once a maximum security penitentiary prison and was now a national park. On the boat trip back from the windy island, the two little girls started deliberating about a prospective trip to Los Angles to visit the Universal Studio and Disneyland. It wasn't easy as they had to get a school break date that would fit in with their parents, as well as the frequently traveling Elena and Maxim.

"I've already been there," Maxim reminded them. "Your dad can drive now, so you don't have to include me."

Olga poked her cheek thinking about it, but Elena said, "How can a family vacation go ahead without you?"

Aunt Raissa chuckled with Maxim and let the two sisters go on with their deliberations.

Maxim had wanted to take them to China Town for dinner but the eyes of the woman and girls shone when they passed through some fish markets near the piers. They decided to have a seafood dinner at home. It wasn't a very good decision as they got into a severe traffic jam on the way back home that was caused by a series of car collisions.

Maxim and the two kids finished all the biscuits at Elena's home while their mother prepared the dinner. A little later he noticed Olga dozing off on the couch, so he took her to her bed in the corner of the room and then returned to the couch to watch TV. Soon he felt drowsy himself.

When he was woken up by Aunt Raissa for dinner, he found Elena was also dozing, with her head resting comfortably on his lap. Her mother chuckled as Maxim woke her up. She then also woke Olga up for the meal.

Maxim didn't go with them on Sunday as it was their shopping day. He spent his time at home going through various class notes he had got from Chuck and the other players. In the end he found himself watching movies he had seen many times before. According to Elena's plan, this was going to be their last sightseeing home trip before thanksgiving. He took Elena back to the Academy after dinner.

-------

The following Wednesday, Miss Mills told Maxim to stay behind again. "Are you going back to San Francisco again this Saturday?" she said with a tiny smile.

Maxim had a feeling she didn't believe in his previous home trip commitment. He wasn't sure if he should lie about his unplanned weekend.

Miss Mills smiled again when she saw his expression, and explained her arrangement to him. "I have an extra class for the juniors and seniors, but I can give you some helpful assignments and then I think I can spare a little time with you afterwards."

"Okay," Maxim reluctantly agreed. He asked for the time of his lesson, adding, "Am I the only one?"

Miss Mills yielded a bitter expression. "Yes, for now. Mr. Pecor came once but he hasn't shown up again. Nevertheless, he's getting better. I guess he's spent more time studying, which is just as good."

Maxim believed he would also be there just once, because if Rudy Pecor didn't enjoy the lesson, he wouldn't either. He bade goodbye to the teacher and quickly went out of the classroom.

When Maxim reported to his Saturday tutorial class, he found eight juniors and seniors chatting in the room. He began paying attention to one of girls who looked very pleasant. They didn't pay much attention to him, though, and he went to the back of the classroom.

Miss Mills gave him a couple of open book written quizzes and tests. "Try to do them without your book first," she told him. "Then if you're unsure, read the book. Read the entire section before you put down the answers. After that, verify your answers against the book. Any questions?"

Maxim shook his head and started working on his quiz. About half an hour later the teacher directed the other students to sit in a circle discussing what they knew about Renaissance philosophies. Maxim knew the sweet looking girl, who was facing him, was occasionally glancing at him. He wasn't sure if her smiles were aimed at him or for the other students. He pretended to be working hard while observing the group, in particular the smiling girl.

When the advanced study session was over, Maxim was a little crushed to see a guy waiting outside for the sweet looking girl. He turned his eyes back to his test when he noticed his teacher approaching him. She took the quiz he had finished and went over it, then had a glance at his unfinished test.

"Mr. Khimin," she said. "It's natural that you pay attention to pretty girls." She gave him a knowing smile before she went on, "But you're in a class to improve your knowledge and your grade. It doesn't help looking at her all the time, does it?"

Maxim bit his lip to stop himself from chuckling. He also felt his ears heating up, and didn't know what to say.

"Will you please come to the first row?" she said as she walked toward the front of the room, still holding the quiz in her hand. She changed her mind when she was at her desk. "Why don't you grab a chair and sit here?"

Miss Mills began going through the quiz and the test Maxim had finished. He was amazed by how many mistakes he had made, even with his book opened. It took more time than he had expected.

"So it's not as hard as it appears," she said afterwards, as she took off her eyeglasses. "Is it?"

"No," Maxim said. "Thanks for your time, Miss Mills."

"My pleasure, Mr. Khimin. Will you come again?"

Maxim didn't know if he should lie. He disliked extra classes, but he liked watching the sweet looking girl even though she seemed to have a boyfriend. He also quite liked the private tutorial the teacher gave him, which was very different to how she taught in the regular class and the other catch up he had with his tennis school friends.

"Will you come again?" she asked again.

Maxim chuckled. "Okay. I will."

Miss Mills gave him an endorsing smile. "When is your next tournament, Mr. Khimin?"

"Two weeks from now," Maxim said as he rose from his seat. "In Japan."

"Oh," She said, while also getting up on her feet. "I thought the Orange Bowl would come first."

Maxim was preparing to leave the room, but he turned back to his teacher. "No, Orange Bowl is held in December. How do you know about it? Do you also play tennis?"

Miss Mills had a slightly embarrassed smile on her face. "Obviously I know very little. Well, I played tennis briefly when I was in middle school."

Maxim studied his teacher again. He couldn't imagine her to be a sporty person.

She chuckled. "I was nowhere near the standard of any Omnicianni player. I never dared to go for a school team tryout."

"So you stopped playing it?"

"Well," Miss Mills started packing her stuff into her briefcase. "I switched from one to another, but never got a grasp of anything. They told me I was too small to play tennis, too big for gymnastics, and too slow for softball. I ended up playing chess."

He chuckled. "You're not too small for tennis. You, um, you're about five-four?"

"Five-two-and-three-quarters. I was shorter back then, and, well..." she said, and chuckled. "And fatter. That's why the gymnastic team didn't want me."

Maxim chuckled again. It was hard for him to picture a fat Miss Mills. "If you're interested in some pastime games, I'd be happy to play with you."

She smiled. "I'd rather you spend more time and effort to make it past my class."

"Of course I will."

"That's good, Mr. Khimin," she said, as she turned around to check the classroom. "Are you ready to go?"

After dinner, Maxim drove his friends to a grocery store for some supplies and snacks. They were going on a trip to Chile and then Brazil for two consecutive tournaments. Maxim wasn't going because he was going to Japan. He was already within the top 100 in ITF junior ranking and could get into most of the high level events from either the main draw or qualifying and therefore was scheduled for the top events.

He encouraged his friends when they went back to the Academy. "Chuck," he said. "Fifty if you win, ten if you lose." He turned to the girls. "Marlene and Daniela, a hot kiss if you get into the final, and a night at Day's Inn if you win the championship."

The two girls burst out laughing. "Whoa," Daniela said to her friend. "What a kind reward he's offering?"

"Thank you, sir," Marlene said to Maxim. "Chuck will kiss us on your behalf, and I don't think you can rent a room at Day's Inn."

"Marlene," Maxim said, smiling bawdily. "We play tennis. It's a spectator sport. We're destined to be watched. I think we should get accustomed to doing it anywhere."

"Gee, Max," Marlene said, while shaking her head. "You're getting bolder and bolder. Can't you learn to respect us?"

"Okay," Maxim said. "I take them back. What if I win the Japan Super? Do I at least get a hot kiss?"

"Absolutely," Marlene said, smiling. "You'll get a kiss, but you don't get to pick who's kissing you."

"Chuck," Maxim said as they walked back to the residence. "You will not be directed by girls. Remember. Deny their requests. Heck, I don't care who kisses me as long as she's a chick."

-------

The History teacher talked with Maxim on Thursday about their Saturday extra class, and reminded him of the time. Maxim thought briefly. "Can I come after the seniors' class?"

"Why? I thought it'd be nice that you could spend some time working on quizzes."

"Well, um. It looks kind of stupid."

Miss Mills chuckled lightly. "Will you spend a little time working on an assignment beforehand?"

"Yeah. Okay. What assignment?"

"I'll give it to you tomorrow."

Maxim was feeling a little sorry for himself when he was working on his assignment on the Friday evening. The 'little' assignment took him over two hours to finish, even though he had been copying from various notes he borrowed from his friends.

Miss Mills smiled at Maxim at their tutorial when she saw he had finished the assignment. "Good," she said. "I didn't tell you I cheated."

"You cheated?"

She smiled again. "I figured that you'll have more problems later on when you'll be spending time playing at your December tournaments. It'll be too late for any tutorial when they're over. So I've included some topics we'll be doing at that time."

Maxim chuckled wryly. "Yeah, it's a lot."

"Well," the teacher went through a page of Maxim's assignment. "Doesn't look like direct plagiarisms from the books, and doesn't look like how you wrote last time." She raised her head to smile at him again. "I guess you've got some friends lending you previous term papers."

Maxim chuckled again. "You didn't give me any rules. And can you really tell the different writing styles?"

"Yes," she said. "Every teacher can tell. And, no, I'm not blaming you. It's fine as long as you remember what you've learned. I do have different rules for regular homework. Let's start now."

Maxim never liked history. In fact he never liked studying, even though he did better at the science subjects. He especially detested the make-up classes he had to take after a road trip. This was the only time he had been in a tutorial voluntarily. He found he learned more from the one-on-one private class.

Miss Mills took off her eyeglasses as she closed her book. She then took a deep breath and finished her glass of water. "I hope you find it useful, Mr. Khimin," she looked at his face. "But what's more important is to spend more time on the subject. You're in a special situation and you have to put in more effort. I won't let you pass my class unless you can prove you deserve it."

Maxim already knew the last part. Davenport valued its reputation seriously, and wouldn't grant an exemption to sports or arts stars. Many of his Omnicianni friends had problems getting good grades. Ironically, many college recruiters cared less about the players' academic performances. Numerous players went to renowned colleges working on pre-college programs under the sports scholarships.

"I'll spend more time studying," he said while putting his book into his bag. "I appreciate your help very much, Miss Mills."

She gave him a small smile as she gathered her stuff. "I suppose that means you'll be coming after your Japan trip?"

"Sure," he said as he followed his teacher out of the classroom. Once they were standing together, he found it a little hard to treat her as a teacher because she was so petite.

"Why don't, um," he said, turning to look at her. "Why don't you wear contact lens, Miss Mills?"

She tilted a little to look at him. "Why?"

"You look, um, I mean, nicer, without glasses."

"Well, Mr. Khimin, I think you might as well start reading about the rise of nation states. It's not an easy topic."

"Okay. I will," Maxim said, then walked down the stairs with his teacher in silence.

"Good bye, Mr. Khimin," she said before they parted. "And good luck at the Japan Tournament."



-------

Chapter 12


Maxim never had a problem with sleeping on planes, but it was still very jiggered sitting in a cramped seat for over 15 hours. Halfway into the flight, his legs were already stiff. The worst part though was the girl sitting next to him. Irene didn't talk with him during the entire flight. In fact, he had overheard Irene asking Byrnes about switching seats at San Francisco airport, but the coach had ignored her.

He did have a good look at the brunette from Idaho when she had a brief nap. She looked much nicer with her eyes closed instead of looking so sternly at him. She also had a pretty balanced figure which hadn't changed much unlike many other teenage girls he knew. Maxim had known Irene for over two years but they seldom talked and he knew she didn't like him. She might like older guys more because he had heard rumors about her hanging out with a golf instructor.

Nevertheless, it was because of Irene that Maxim got a chance to visit Japan. This tournament had been scheduled for her and Nick at the beginning of year. Since Nick had turned professional, replacing him with Maxim for the air ticket and hotel room was not much of a hassle for both the Academy and the sponsor. They probably would have sent him to go with Marlene and the others if Irene wasn't already coming anyway.

After checking into their hotel at Kanagawa, Maxim saw James Stelko walking into the lobby. James was a scout at SAMS and Maxim knew him quite well. The scout had first seen Maxim at a San Francisco local competition and had talked to him, as well as his parents, into taking a try-out at the Academy. James was a guy who could talk with teenagers in their own language and he never pretended he was wiser being an older person. It was for this reason Maxim got along quite well with James. Naturally this attitude also helped James to talk with the very young and talented players he and his company was interested in.

When James found out that they hadn't had their lunch yet, he made a phone call and then took them to a Sushi restaurant. This was another reason Maxim liked his scout friend. James was in the marketing business and he always took his friends and guests to places with high quality food and entertainment. He had a much more flexible budget than the Omnicianni coaches.

A Japanese guy joined them when they were almost finished with their meal. He was Ken Hirata, an Account Manager at SAMS' Tokyo Office. He was in town to accompany James looking for potential new stars as well as take care of his own clients. Ken didn't stay long. He paid for the meal and left for his client business. Maxim wondered if he was called in to settle the check.

Maxim was the only American boy at the tournament in which most players were from Japan and Asia. Besides Irene, there was another American girl from Miami, but she had been staying with her Australian friend. It was nice that Maxim had already secured a local doubles partner back at the US Open. His new friend Norikazu Ishii became his translator and guide at the player meeting, even though his English was rather raw. Irene was pairing up with a Korean girl in her doubles and they were also socializing at the meeting. Byrnes spent most of his time talking with other coaches.

When Norikazu left Maxim to talk with some of his fellow players, Maxim saw a nice looking Asian girl. She had just spilled her plate of food at the table, so he went over to give her a hand, and started chatting with her. He found out her name was Misa Yamashita and she was from Shizuoka in Japan. Her face resembled the Japanese-American figure skating sweetheart Kristi Yamaguchi a little.

Misa spoke English okay, but Maxim had a problem understanding half of her words, as she spoke with a very slurring accent. Maxim however enjoyed the chat as she had a lilting tone which was very pleasant to listen to. She also didn't seem concerned about him paying too much attention to her breasts. He was rather reluctant though when his coach found him and reminded him that as he was playing one of the earlier matches the next morning, he should go and get some rest.

The early rounds didn't pose any problems for Maxim and Irene. After winning his second doubles match on day three, Maxim saw Misa Yamashita again. She was pretty upset as she had just lost to the top seed Korean, who was also Irene's doubles partner, by a huge margin. Maxim managed to take her to the lounge at Ebara Shonan Sports Centre for a drink.

It wasn't the loss that upset Misa. It was the way she played so poorly and the wide margin that was distressful to her. Maxim consoled her by telling her how he had lost matches in unreasonable manners before. Once he was able to get her to chuckle, Maxim started talking about a possibility of her showing him around. Misa didn't give him a positive answer, but promised to go and watch his matches if she could find the time. Maxim wasn't satisfied with the answer, but he had to play his own singles match, so he let Misa go.

It could be destiny, because Maxim's opponent was his doubles partner Norikazu, whom he defeated in New York a few weeks ago. He beat Norikazu again, more convincingly this time.

Norikazu suffered another loss the next day when his doubles partnership with Maxim was knocked out in the quarter-final by a German pair. Coincidently, Irene's double pair also lost around the same time. However, both Irene and Maxim advanced in their singles competition.

Maxim was finally ousted altogether after losing to one of the Germans who beat him in the doubles the day before. The third seed Koehler won the match in straight sets, but the match was actually very close. Maxim was about to follow his coach and go watch Irene's match when he noticed Misa was at the courtside. He ditched his plan and went over to Misa instead.

They had a nice talk in the lounge, but Misa was pretty resistant to the idea of showing Maxim around or taking him to buy souvenirs. She told him she wasn't very familiar with this part of the country herself. Things changed when Norikazu and a friend Misa also knew showed up though, and they finally went out all together.

His Japanese friends took him to Shirahata Shrine, where Maxim bought some decorative souvenirs for his friends and mother. They went back to their hotel before dinner because the Japanese players were supposed to dine together. Maxim wasn't sure if he would see Misa again during the tournament, so he exchanged contact information with her. Maxim also saw James before the dinner. The scout was leaving for another tournament in Qatar. He didn't usually watch the latest rounds of tournaments unless a player he was interested in was playing.

Maxim didn't see Misa again until he went to watch Irene's championship match. Irene was playing against her Korean doubles partner, who was also the top seed who beat Misa a few days ago. Misa was with her peers and so Maxim didn't get to talk or sit with her. She only gave him a smile and a barely noticeable gesture.

Irene had a good start, and took the first set. She however made quite a number of mistakes at crucial moments during the second set and lost it. She lost her momentum after that and was swept away in the final set. She looked extremely devastated after the loss.

Maxim went for a refreshment break with some of his new friends before the boys' championship match. When he came out of the lounge, he saw Irene sitting on the lawn with her bag at her side. She had been there before Maxim had his drink, so she'd probably been there for the whole time. Maxim knew it wasn't a good thing to console her. In fact, given Irene's attitude towards him, it might not be a good idea to offer her consolation under any circumstances. He kept on walking, but eventually went back to her.

"I know how you feel, Irene. I've been there. It's demoralizing."

Irene didn't respond.

"You heard of Nick's rule of tennis number fifty-seven?"

Irene slowly turned around and looked at his face. "There's no number fifty-seven."

"What about number seven?"

She let out a long sigh. "I know. Keep on playing, work harder. Good things will happen."

He smiled. "You're not working hard sitting here."

Irene turned her head back to look at the courts. After a while she got up. "Thanks, Max," she smiled at him.

"Sure," he said, and finally walked towards the main court to watch the boys' championship match.

Maxim and his team flew back to San Francisco the next morning. He didn't get to see Misa before he left, but he had a phone chat with her before he checked out. Irene didn't say a word to him during the flight, but unlike the flight to Japan, she smiled at him when he asked her to give way for him to go to the bathroom. Maxim noticed Irene hadn't touched her meal after he had finished his. When Irene realized he was staring at her meal, she let him have hers. "You're not hungry?" he asked.

Irene shook her head and went back to her contemplation while Maxim finished her meal. After the stewardess removed their trays, she finally let out a deep sigh, and said, "I'm at a crossroad."

"I think I know," Maxim said, sipping his refilled coffee.

"Ideally, I'll get into top ten before the end of the year, and then I'll turn pro. If I'm way off, I'll go to college. But I've been stuck in the middle."

"Nonsense," A voice appeared from beside them. Maxim turned to the aisle and saw Byrnes. He was probably on his way to the bathroom.

The coach leaned into their seats and started talking. "The point's difference between the top 10th and the 30th is 225. That's less than a Grade A title, or a few finalist or even semi-finalist results. You know what that means?"

"Means you should focus on a title?" said Maxim.

"Bull shit," said the coach. "That means they're very close." He went on, spreading his hands slightly apart. "Irene, you're here." He spread his hands a little wider. "Top tens are here." He spread out his hands all the way he could. "The pros are here."

Byrnes continued, "Nick's special and also a little lucky. He won his first small title within a few months after turning pro. Many players who turn pro don't win a title for a year or two. Many never do. Know what that means?"

Maxim didn't want to make another foolish remark. Irene also remained silent.

The coach spoke again. "All these statistics simply show some historic trends. Turning pro is just the beginning. You start learning it all over from there. Big risk, indeed. But everyone going to the Academy has a dream. What's your dream, Irene?"

"It's pretty remote, but I'm working on it."

"Good," Byrnes said, and started walking toward the rear of the cabin.

Irene turned and smiled at Maxim. "I think I know where to go now," she said. "Thanks."

"You should thank Coach," Maxim said. "I only made foolish remarks."

Irene chuckled. "You did, but still thanks."

-------

They arrived at San Francisco airport on Monday morning. Maxim went home to give his mother a set of jumbo tea cups she'd asked him to buy in Japan. He also gave her a Sensu fan which she hadn't asked for, and then had lunch with his happy mom. He also finished his laundry before driving back to the Academy in the afternoon.

Maxim returned to the Academy around five o'clock. He unpacked his stuff and called Elena on her room phone as he was supposed to take her out for a little shopping. Elena's voice was cracked and her tone was dull. "Are you taking a nap?" he asked.

"I've got the flu," Elena croaked, while clearing her throat. "Did you win? I haven't checked yet."

"Are you okay? Did you see the doc?"

"Yeah. Doc gave me sleeping pills and sleeping syrups. Did you win?"

"How are you feeling? Is it bad?"

"I'm okay, I guess. I just feel sore all over and my throat's still burning. I've slept all day today. Did you win?"

Maxim chuckled. "I lost. I'm coming over to see you now." He hung up the phone and went over to the girls' residence. He buzzed the dormitory superintendent, asking to get in to see Elena. She hesitated but eventually let him in. "Ten minutes," she told him.

Elena was still in her bed when Maxim went into the room she shared with two other bigger girls, who were watching TV in the common room. He pecked her on her cheek and then put his palm over her forehead. "I think your fevers gone," he said.

"Yeah. It went away yesterday. I hope I can resume playing tomorrow."

"No, silly. You don't. Wait until you've recovered first. Have you taken your med yet?"

Elena pointed at the cough syrup bottle on her desk. "Yeah. Did you get into the final? How did you lose?"

Maxim briefly told her about his matches in Japan. "So I guess we're not going shopping," he added.

"Oh," Elena grunted, "I forgot. I have to." She struggled to get up.

He pushed her back into her bed. "What's it that's so important?"

"I'm running out..." she said.

"Of?"

Elena blushed. "Female stuff."

"Female stuff?"

Her face was flushed red. "I, um..." she stuttered. "My period is coming. I'm running out."

"Well, um," he also stuttered. "Okay. Get up." He paused, and then pushed Elena down onto her bed again. "Okay. I'll buy them for you. Damn it. How do I buy these things?"

Elena was still flushing as she snickered. She thought for a moment, before struggling to get up again. "I'll give you the label." She staggered to her locker and removed the label from her tampon package.

He gave Elena a Japanese Kanzashi hair pin before he left for the drug store. Her pale face immediately lit up. He had never seen a more appreciated expression for such a cheap gift.

Maxim didn't think it was a problem buying tampons until he was in the aisle at the drug store. He waited until the section was clear of people and then sneaked over, comparing the label in his hand against the bulk of packages on the shelves. He then dropped the correct package into his shopping basket, and rammed it to the bottom of some other stuff he had bought for the cover-up. He let out a relieved sigh and went to the cashier counter.

The old female cashier he saw earlier had been replaced by a young girl. Maxim pretended that he was not finished yet, and returned to buy some candies. Fifteen minutes later, the young girl was still there. Maxim was still hesitating when she greeted him, "Sir, may I help you?"

Maxim was glad the cashier didn't show any concern about what he was buying. After giving him change and the shopping bag, she gave him a tiny smile. Maxim didn't know if it was a manner or a laugh at his ignominy.

Elena laughed for a long while after hearing about his shopping experience, before she put the merchandise he had bought her into her locker and returned to her bed. Maxim pulled the blanket over her and left her residence. He then went to the dining hall for dinner and gave his female friends the Sensu fans he bought for them in Japan.

-------

When Maxim returned to the facility after his Friday afternoon tea with Celine and company, he saw Rudy with Joanna and a couple of her friends walking out of the gate. The girls started talking in an undertone when they saw him, and then started pushing and nudging Rudy, who then strode toward Maxim. Rudy asked Maxim if he could give them a drive to the mall.

"Why would you want to go to the mall with them?" Maxim said.

Rudy chuckled. "We're having dinner afterwards."

"You paying?"

"No. Dutch."

"And I'm paying for my meal and driving you guys around?"

"Hey, you may get lucky. Just don't touch Jo. Okay, okay. I'll pay you back. Don't touch Jo!"

Rudy told the girls he needed to buy something when they got out of the car. He said he would get back to them in 15 minutes. He then told Maxim to drive to the drug store across the street. He pleaded for Maxim to go in with him.

"I'm not going in," Maxim said, knitting his brows at the store he bought female stuff for Elena a few days ago. "What're you buying?"

"Condoms," Rudy pressed down his voice. "I've never bought them before."

"You're a virgin? And you're going to sleep with her?"

"Yeah, and no. I don't know. But I gotta get prepared, right?"

"Well, just buy a Durex Maximum or something similar. I'm not going in. I'll wait here."

Rudy reluctantly went inside by himself. A little later Maxim saw the casher who handled his purchase a few days ago. She had taken off her red uniform vest and had folded it over her arm as she took out a cigarette and lit it. She took a smoke, then saw Maxim, and gave him a tiny smile. He knew she had recognized his face. He smiled back and turned to watch the cars entering and exiting the parking lot.

"Waiting for someone?"

"Yeah, uh, a friend's inside," he said as he turned around to look at her. She had short light brown hair with blonde highlights and dark blue eyes. She was still smiling at him.

"Girlfriend?"

Maxim told her it was a school friend, and had a casual chat before she said her break was over.

Right after the cashier had returned into the store, Maxim saw Rudy coming out from behind a column and smiled at him. "You got them?" Maxim said.

"Yeah," Rudy said. "And I've been watching you for quite a while. Damn, you never miss any chicks. What's her name?"

"Just a casual chat," Maxim said. "She's called Pat. I didn't even get her phone number."

When they went back to the mall, Rudy found the girls and followed them doing their shopping. Maxim didn't want to take part, so he hung around at the sporting goods store whilst waiting for them. He saw a couple of girls looking for tennis racquets and helped them make their selections, before talking with them for a little while. After the girls left, he began to speak to the male clerks until he saw his friends returning. They went for a pizza dinner afterwards.

Maxim had a phone call from Glenn Ross when he returned to his room. Glenn asked how he did in Japan, then asked what his double plans for the coming tournaments were. "I'll be playing with Lawrence Robinson at Eddie Herr and Orange Bowl," Maxim said. "Will you be going to Casablanca?"

Glenn wasn't going to Casablanca though. They talked for a little while longer before finally hanging up.

-------

Maxim had to spend another two hours on Friday evening working on his assignments before he went to his extra History class on Saturday. Miss Mills gave him a bigger smile after looking through his work and complimented him. After the hour-long tutorial, she asked her usual question again, "Will you come next week?"

"Okay."

She gave him a small smile, and then closed her book and cleared her desk.

Maxim stood up, and asked, "Miss Mills, those assignments you've been giving me, do you have them ready, or do you write them out every time?"

She smiled again. "I hope they'll help. I hate to see a student volunteering to take up extra hours flunk. It hurts."

"Well, Miss Mills, I, um, I really appreciate it. I've never seen a teacher so nice to me."

"Because you didn't spend enough effort in the past," she said, and started to pack her material. "Teachers love to see students improve as they put in more and more effort. Are you ready to go?"

When they were in the hallway, Miss Mills said, "Maxim means greatest in Russian, am I right?"

"Yeah."

"What about Khimin?"

"It comes from the name Khima, which comes from the names Efim and Arkhimed. I don't know if it has a meaning behind or not."

She chuckled. "Do you speak Russian?"

"Only a little. I was born and raised here. What about your name?"

"Mills is a common British last name. I'm Irish, so it comes from the Gaelic term 'of the mill'."

"Oh. What about your, um, your other name?"

"Other name?"

"I mean your first name."

She smiled at him. "What tournaments are you going to next?"

Maxim knew she wasn't going to answer any more personal questions again. "Eddie Herr in early December, followed by the Orange Bowl, then Casablanca Cup. We're not having a Christmas holiday this year."

When they reached the bottom of the staircase, she turned to him. "No wonder I was asked to prepare a separate exam for you guys. Well, Max, there are only four weeks before your tournaments and exams. I hope you'll be able to make them all. Do you think you can?"

"Well, um. Okay."

"Good," she said. "Have a good weekend. I'm going that way." She pointed in the direction of the teachers' office.

"Thanks, Miss Mills," he said. "Bye."

"Bye," she said. "And it's Gail, means lively." She gave him a small smile and then turned to walk toward her office.

Maxim smiled at her back for a while as she walked away. He then turned around and walked out of the school.

-------

When Maxim went to the dining hall for dinner, he saw Daniela wave at him. She was sitting with Marlene and Chuck. She told him to get his food and join them. Once Maxim had got his food she told him to sit by her side and beamed at him. "Guess what?"

"What? You've booked a room at Day's Inn?"

Daniela flung a half-eaten baked potato at him, then chuckled with Marlene as he wiped his sweat. She then motioned for Maxim to lean over. "UCLA's giving me a tennis scholarship," she whispered.

"You haven't even finished junior year."

"Yeah," Daniela said. "But they can't wait. There are so many college recruiters hanging around. I can't wait either. I need to know about my prospects. I think I'll go to a pre-college program in the summer if I can gather enough money."

"So are you returning after the summer?"

"Depends on how I do at the pre-college program."

"I'll miss you, Daniela," he said. "I still want to sleep with you."

Daniela laughed as she kicked his leg. "Not even in your goddamned wet dreams."

Maxim smiled bawdily while rubbing his shank. "You were in my wet dreams last night."

She laughed again. "Not Marlene anymore?"

"Oh, she, too," Maxim said, and turned to smile lewdly at Marlene.

Marlene chuckled as her face blushed slightly. "Gee, Max, you're the dirtiest pig I've ever met."

They continued to eat after the brief chaos. When Chuck returned from the counter with his dessert, he gave each of the girls a cup of ice cream. Maxim looked at Marlene's cup. "Marlene, I thought you disliked vanilla."

"I used to, but this is from Chuck, so it's as sweet as strawberry with hot fudge, whipped cream, and cherry." Marlene paused as she took another spoonful. "Why, are you jealous?"

"Why would I be jealous?" He said, and turned to look at Chuck. The Korean was also looking at him with a slightly bewildered expression. "Have I said something stupid?" Maxim asked him.

"Of course you have," Daniela chuckled. "Everything you say is stupid."

A little later, Maxim saw them getting ready to go. "Where are you guys going?"

"The lounge," Marlene said. "Study together, have some hot kisses, maybe get pregnant, too." She giggled. "I don't think you're interested."

Maxim looked at Chuck, then at Marlene. "Nah, I'll get you pregnant another time."

"Unless," Marlene said, smiling. "You want to go get your books now."

"Okay," he said. "I'll join you guys in a bit."

-------

On the following Friday, Maxim saw another new guy when he went to the cafe for their weekly afternoon tea gathering. The new guy was a junior called Robert Dolton who was also in the choir. Unlike Calvin, Robert was rather plain looking.

Maxim had never ditched his desire to get into Celine's pants, but he had shifted his interest on these weekly gatherings. Calvin was a much friendlier person than Celine, and he had kept the atmosphere relaxed and jovial whenever they spent time together. Maxim didn't know if Calvin knew of his desire, but the artist didn't seem to be concerned.

Robert, on the other hand, didn't seem to feel relaxed, and Maxim didn't know why he was there. Robert almost only talked to Celine, except when he had to respond to questions from Calvin or Maxim. If there was one thing outstanding about Robert, it was his magnetic voice. It may be that reason why Celine appeared to enjoy talking and listening to him. The atmosphere wasn't as jovial as it usually was though, and they didn't stay for long.

Robert suggested having dinner together, but Maxim didn't want to waste his time and money. He drove back to the Academy to have dinner with his friends.

Maxim went to his residence to get changed before having dinner. Since Celine and Severine always wore dresses at their afternoon tea gatherings, Maxim had also dressed up a little when he went out with them. Unlike Davenport, nobody at the Academy dressed decently in the dining hall unless there was an official function.

When he turned the corner using a shortcut behind the pro shop, he saw Irene sitting on the grass underneath a linden tree. She was staring at the empty student pool across the fenced lawn. Maxim didn't know if she was troubled by her ranking or whether it was other issues.

Irene turned her head around when she heard his footsteps. She saw Maxim, but turned her head back without saying anything. Maxim was still considering if he should attempt to talk with her as he walked past her. "Please leave me alone," she said in a flat tone. He did as told and went to his residence.

Burning with curiosity when he came out of his residence, Maxim went over to check if Irene was still there. She was. She also sighed when she saw Maxim, and then turned back to look at the pool. Maxim sniggered in his heart as he knew she at least wouldn't bawl at him to go away. He also realized she wasn't wearing a jacket. The temperature had fallen sharply after sunset and it was no warmer than 45 degrees Fahrenheit in the windy open. Maxim himself had put on a fleece. Irene could have been there before sunset.

"Um, don't you feel a little chilly?" he gathered some courage to ask.

It looked like his words reminded her of the chill, as she started embracing herself. "No," she said.

Maxim chuckled. Irene also chuckled when she realized her answer contradicted her behavior. Maxim had a feeling she could be there for quite a while, so he took off his fleece and tossed it to the ground beside her.

Irene didn't pick up the jacket. "I'm fine, thanks."

"Come on," Maxim said. "You're not fine. Put it on. I don't really need it until after my meal."

She slowly picked up the jacket and laid it over her shoulders. "Thanks," she said.

"Don't worry too much," he said, and then turned away heading toward the dining hall.

She let out a long sigh from behind him. "You won't..." she halted her own speech. Maxim turned around just in time to see her swinging her arms. "Never mind," she said.

Maxim thought briefly, before he returned to her. "Are you in deep water?"

She nodded slowly.

"Can I help?"

She shook her head slowly, then slowly got up, and started stepping toward the other side.

"The dining hall is this way," Maxim reminded her.

"I'm going for a walk."

"You're not going toward the woods, are you?"

"Yes."

"It's dark."

"I'm fine," she said as she walked a little faster.

Maxim caught up with her. "Dude, I mean, Irene, every time you said you were fine, you were not fine."

Irene didn't say anything, but she didn't tell him to go away. Maxim started walking with her, hoping she would finish before the dining hall stopped serving meals. They went around the woods and arrived at the dark soccer field, where Irene stopped and stared into the darkness. Maxim started to feel chilly beside his hunger. He was uncertain though if he should leave her behind and go for his meal.

"I got dumped," she said softly.

"I'm sorry to hear," he said. "I get dumped all the time, too."

As Irene turned around and looked at his eyes, Maxim could see a glint in her eyes through the dimness. He knew she had tears in her eyes. "I don't think you've ever fallen in love, Max," she said. "You're a playboy."

"I think I have," Maxim said. "It's hurt every time, but I got through them. So will you."

"No. You don't. I don't think you know what love is. You can't possibly know it when you've been with four to five girls within a couple of years."

Maxim chuckled with embarrassment. Irene wasn't a popular person, so if she knew it, chances were everyone at the Academy knew it. It was then a thought crossed his mind, and it came out of his mouth, "My goodness, it's true!" He remembered the rumors that she was hanging out with a golf instructor.

He couldn't see the expression on her face, but Irene started shaking. "Not anymore," she finally said in a distressed tone.

For a moment, all Maxim could hear were their breaths. "You'll get through it, Irene," when he eventually found something appropriate to say.

"Yeah," she said softly and slowly. "And I still have another dream to work on."

"You'd better work harder on that one. You only get a few chances."

She chuckled. "That's true. Well, I'm hungry. Are you?"

"Yeah," he said, and felt his stomach rumbling. He also started shaking with the cold.

"Cold?"

"Nah," he said. "But we need to get our food fast."

Irene chuckled again. "Yeah."

They started walking back to the main campus and headed towards the dining hall. "Damn," Maxim cursed when he saw a worker closing the entrance door.

"I'm sorry," Irene said. "I'll buy you a dinner. You drive. I don't have a car."

"I know you don't," he said. "This way." He led her to the parking lot.

Irene stopped in front of the entrance at Wendy's, and turned to him. "Max, can you lend me twenty dollars? I don't have any money with me."

Maxim chuckled. "No. I'll buy you the dinner, you'll owe me a favor."

"I don't owe people favors."

"Okay." Maxim took out his wallet and gave her the money.

Like during the ride, they didn't talk much during their dinner. When Maxim finished his fries, he habitually reached for hers, but stopped when he realized she wasn't someone he used to play with. "Go ahead," Irene said when she saw his gesture.

Maxim chuckled and then took fries from her holder. However, after they had finished her fries, he knew she was still a little hungry, as she began picking up the tiny chips left behind in her holder. Maxim went to buy another couple of orders of onion rings.

Irene snickered when he went back to their table. "I admit I haven't eaten well these last few days."

"Few days?"

She dropped her head as she sighed. "Yeah, since Sunday."

"That's a hell of a week."

"Tell me about it," she said, then paused before going on. "And we'd better hurry. I think the gate will be closed very soon."



-------

Chapter 13


Whilst driving back after their meal, Maxim asked Irene, "You won't be there tomorrow again, will you?"

Irene chuckled. "Don't tell me you're going to check."

"I might," he grinned.

"No," she said after a few deep breaths. "You know, Max, I'm glad you came. I've been feeling like hell all week. Thanks."

"No worry. Um, did he go for another woman?"

Irene was silent for a long moment before she finally said softly, "I was his other woman."

Maxim also took some deep breaths. He realized her situation was much worse than he had imagined.

"I... ," Irene stammered as she lowered her head. "I should've... known... I... I've been an... an..." She couldn't finish, but burst out crying instead.

Maxim raised his right hand to pat her on her shoulder but it didn't help, and she couldn't stop her tears. After passing a few blocks, Maxim decided to pull his car over outside an elementary school. He leaned over a little towards her and asked, "Are you all right?"

Irene kept on sobbing for a little while, "No, I'm not." She cried out again.

Maxim never buckled up unless under supervision, so he leaned over a little more. Irene flung her arms around his neck and fell onto his shoulder still crying. While he slowly resumed his patting on her upper arm with his right hand, Maxim reached his left arm over to hold her other shoulder. It looked like she was trying to cry out all her distress which had been building up for the entire week. Maxim felt wet spots forming on his sweater over his shoulder. It took her a long time before her cry lessened to a sob.

Irene slowly lifted her head off his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered while still weeping.

"Don't worry," he said, and tilted his head to check her face. He caught traces of tears all over her face, and patted her again. "Don't worry."

Irene didn't say anything, and her weeping slowly quietened down. She also began resting her forehead onto his chin. Maxim started rubbing her forehead with his chin. Irene lifted her face to his a little later and gave him a small smile. Her face and eyes were still tearful.

Maxim glanced around the dashboard but couldn't see his tissue box. He wasn't sure if he had tossed it into the backseat or if Elena had hid it. He raised a finger to Irene's face to wipe away her tears, but he could only reach half of her face, so his instinct took over.

A while later Maxim realized he was kissing the tears off her face, and feeling Irene blowing warm air onto his neck. He knew he was busted when Irene raised her head up a little and looked straight into his eyes.

To his surprise, he didn't get a slap in his face. Instead, Irene moved her lips over, and began rubbing his lips tenderly with them. Maxim intuitively reacted and started kissing her. Very soon their kiss became a passionate one, with Irene sucking his tongue as deep as possible into her mouth while tasting his tongue under her captive. Their breaths became very heavy.

Irene loosened her lips when Maxim reached his hand over to her left breast. She began moaning into his mouth while pressing herself into his palm. Maxim felt it when her nipple went turgid through the fabric, and pushed erratically into his palm. He started rubbing her with a little more pressure, as she started caressing the back of his neck and occasionally pushing her finger nails into his back muscles.

Maxim's left hand wandered down to her leg and began to stroke her thighs through her sweat pants. In cooperation, Irene parted her legs a little more, allowing him to stroke from the outside of her thighs to the inside. Maxim slipped his other hand inside her sweats, gliding his fingers along her soft skin, while she also slipped a hand under his sweater and caressed his skin as he struggled to unclip her bra from behind.

Irene broke off their kissing when Maxim had her breast in his hand and instead began to moan in his face. Maxim knew they both needed a break through. He reluctantly moved his hand from her thigh to the side of her seat and lifted the lever. He then lowered the back of her seat, but found the angle still a little too high. Irene giggled, then raised her hips and started sliding herself into the backseat. Maxim also fumbled his way through before reaching forward to the front seat releasing the front seat back as well.

Irene had already removed her sweats and her loosened bra. She raised her hips and pushed her pants and panties down her legs, then helped Maxim remove his clothes. She spread herself and pulled Maxim onto her when his pants and underwear were down to his ankles.

"Are you on the pill?" Maxim asked when his cock was in touch with her moist folds.

"Yeah," she whispered as she spread her folds and guided him into her. She let out a joyful sigh when he started pushing into her silky tunnel. While moaning, she wrapped her legs around his thighs, and also tugged her fingers into his ass to pull him deeper into her.

The backseat was actually too cramped for this kind of activity, as Maxim was over six feet and Irene was around five-eight. They had to adjust their positions after some vigorous movements. The feeling Maxim got while thrusting inside her was extremely sensational, as apart from the time he'd lost his virginity, this was the only time he'd had sex without a condom. He immersed himself in the astounding joy of feeling her internal muscles massaging his cock without anything between them.

Irene grabbed his ass more forcefully as he shoved himself faster and harder. Her moaning became louder and louder, synchronizing it with the slamming of her groin into his. Maxim seldom knew if his girls had an orgasm, but Irene came so strong and vibrant he couldn't miss this one. She was still shaking when he thrust hard into her pussy and began shooting inside her. She pulled him down onto her, once her orgasm was over, and started nibbling and biting his shoulder.

Maxim found the windows and windshields of his car all covered with steam when he got up from Irene. He was glad they didn't get caught by a police patrol. They had another lengthy and passionate kiss before they started to get dressed, and then returned to the front seats from the outside of the car.

The gate of the Academy had been long closed when they returned. There was another manned entrance but Maxim certainly didn't want to be caught coming back this late. He parked his car in a small street across the road. Irene spoke before they got off his car. "Max?"

"Yeah?"

She let out a deep breath. "I, well, I don't know what happened. I'm not used to being a slut."

"You're not a slut, Irene."

Irene gave him an embarrassing smile. "Well, either I was a slut, or you took advantage of me, or I was out of my mind." She let out a chuckle, then a sigh. "I wasn't supposed to have done that with you. I feel very bad."

"I'm sorry," Maxim said. "I think I took advantage of you."

"Well," Irene said, then paused while staring ahead for a moment. "I admit, it was great. It was like I'd never had an orgasm before." She chuckled with Maxim as her face turned a little red.

She then went on, "But it's a mistake. It shouldn't have happened." She once again let out a sigh. "We're not doing it again, and I hope you'll forget it."

"Well," Maxim said. "I'll be lying if I tell you I can forget it."

Irene giggled. "I'm not sure if you're being truly honest or if you're talking sweet. I'm not your girl, and frankly, I don't think I ever will be. I made a mistake with you, and even though it was an enjoyable one, I don't want it to happen again."

"Okay."

"I do feel a lot better now, if it matters. I mean, not because of that mistake, but because of the time and company you gave to help me get through it. Thanks, Max."

"I'm glad that you've gotten through it."

"Nah," Irene said. "Not really through. I'll still have a lot of hard times to go through, but I think the toughest part is over." She gave him a sweet smile.

He smiled back. "I'm glad to hear that."

They got out of his car and crossed the road to the front of the Academy. Maxim led Irene through a fencing bush towards one end of the front side and they sneaked into the property. They split apart in the front of her residence.

-------

When Maxim went to Davenport on Saturday afternoon for his extra History class, he saw the classroom door closed and he heard vague voices from inside. Apparently the seniors were not finished. He waited for about 15 minutes before the students came out. The sweet looking girl waved her fingers to him while walking away with her classmates.

Miss Mills was rubbing her eyes, with her eyeglasses on her desk, when Maxim went inside. She put her glasses back on when she saw him. "Good Afternoon, Miss Mills," he said. "Are you tired?"

"Good afternoon, Mr. Khimin," she said. "No, I'm not tired. How are your assignments?"

Maxim gave her his assignment and then she started her tutorial. This was indeed the longest tutorial she had ever given him. The sky had gone dark when she was finished. She took a couple of deep breaths and took off her glasses. "Mr. Khimin," she said. "I know you've worked pretty hard, but you're still a little behind. Please spend a little more time on it. Please don't disappoint me."

"I promise, Miss Mills."

She gave him a small smile, and started packing her books away. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," he said as he put his book and notes into his bag. "Are you in a hurry?"

"Not really," she said as she rose from her chair. "Just my grocery shopping."

"Okay," he said and went out of the classroom, then turned around to wait for her. "Miss Mills, you live on campus, don't you?"

"Yes, I do," she said, as she closed the door behind her. "At the duplexes, not the townhouses. It saves a lot on rent."

"That's nice. Like our coaches."

"Yeah," she said, walking a little faster than she normally did. "And I think there's also a lot of competition for a coach to get into Omnicianni."

"I think so," he said. He didn't ask any more questions as they walked down the stairs. He knew she was trying to get her shopping done soonest, so he bade her adieu and parted her company.

Maxim saw Calvin standing at the parking lot entrance with a cigarette in his hand. Surprised, he greeted Calvin. "What're you doing here? I didn't know you smoked."

"Waiting for Celine and Bob," Calvin said. "She left her scales at the music room. Bob has the key, so he went back with her. I don't smoke much, and I never smoke in front of her because she doesn't like it." He chuckled dryly. "I should've quit."

Maxim also chuckled. "Why didn't you?"

"Well," Calvin said, smiling. "You'd know it when you're hiding behind some bushes waiting for a groundhog to come out of its hole for a shot, or a bumblebee to stay on a flower in front of you."

Maxim chuckled. "Take Celine along with you instead."

"She doesn't always enjoy what fascinates me. And also, at times, painting, sculpture, and photography are a lone job. You don't want to be disturbed. Well, here they come." He quickly stubbed the cigarette he was smoking into the ground.

Maxim greeted Celine and Robert. "Want a ride?" Celine asked him.

"Nah, I'll walk. Thanks," Maxim said. Actually he had forgotten to move his car back to the parking lot, and he was about to do it. "See you on Monday." He waved at them, and then walked out of the gate.

A couple of blocks away from the school, Maxim saw Miss Mills again. She was striving to lift a tire out from the trunk of a Silver Chevrolet Cavalier. Maxim quickly went over. "Flat tire?"

She turned around. "Yeah. Why are you still here?" She then pressed the tire to check for pressure.

"I saw a couple of friends when I came out. Let me help you." He took the tire out of her hands and put it on the ground. "Which tire?"

"It's okay. I can handle it," the teacher said, and reached into her trunk again. She took the jack and lug wrench out.

Maxim moved around her car and found the left side rear tire was flat. He reached his hand out to the small woman. "Miss Mills, let me do it."

She smiled and gave him the equipment. Maxim used the jack to lift the car a little and removed the nuts. He then lifted the car a little more before changing the tire. After the job was done, he kicked the new tire to check the pressure. "Needs a lot of air," he said to the teacher, then gathered up the punctured tire and equipment, replacing them back into the trunk.

Miss Mills entered her car to get some tissues for him to wipe his hands. "Thanks for the help, Max."

"No problem, Miss Mills."

"Well," she had a slightly uneasy look on her face. "I mean thanks, Mr. Khimin."

Maxim chuckled. "You can call me Max. You're not at the school now."

She had another uneasy smile. "Well, I am, as long as I work there and you're a student. Anyway, Mr. Khimin, do you want a ride?"

"Nah," Maxim said. "I'll walk, it's only a few blocks that I've got to go."

"Thanks for the help again," she said and got into her car.

Maxim waved to her as she pulled her car away from the curb before he started walking away, but then he saw her brake lights go on about 20 feet away from him. She had pulled her car over to the curb once more. Maxim jogged over towards her, wondering if her spare tire wasn't good enough.

Maxim saw the passenger side window wind down, and Miss Mills waving him over. "Get in," she said.

Maxim got inside and closed the door. "Thanks, Miss Mills."

Miss Mills didn't say anything until they were almost at the Academy. "Mr. Khimin, do you drink coffee?" she asked.

"I do," he said. "But it's nothing. You don't have to."

She smiled at him. "Would you mind?"

"No, of course no."

"I need some air first. I might as well fill up my tank."

After filling up her gas tank and putting pressure into her tire, Maxim saw Miss Mills sitting in the driver seat staring ahead. "Something wrong?"

She sighed. "I'm not sure," she said slowly. "I doubt if it's a good idea."

"Coffee? Well, the tire's nothing. You don't have to. I'm fine."

"Well," she looked at the clock on her dashboard. "Do you have to get back for dinner?"

"You hungry?"

"A little. What do you like?"

"Anything," Maxim said. "But no broil fish, please."

Miss Mills chuckled. "Okay." She started the engine.

Maxim wasn't quite sure why Miss Mills was insisting on it. She obviously didn't feel comfortable being with her student outside the school and was worried about being seen. She took him to the nearby city of Santa Cruz 20 minutes' drive away and found a small cafe style restaurant off a local highway.

Miss Mills gave a relieving sigh when she saw no familiar faces there. She smiled at Maxim when they were seated at a booth table. "I don't know why, but I feel a little silly."

Maxim also considered that she was being a little silly, but he didn't mention it. "I think it's very kind of you, Miss Mills."

She smiled again, and then ordered some food and drinks. "So, Max, you want to tell me... Sorry," she chuckled. "Mr. Khimin, would you mind telling me a little more about how you train?"

Maxim lowered his head and bit his lip to hold his laughter. When he raised his head once more, he saw a little blush appear on her cheeks. He took a deep breath and started telling her the basic routines he went through at the Academy, pausing for the waitress to deliver their meals during his talk. "What about you, Miss Mills. How long have you been teaching?"

"Five years."

"You're not even thirty then."

She chuckled while glancing at him. "What a tricky question that is. No more questions from you. How did you get started?"

"A scout saw me at a local competition, and talked with my parents. I went to a try-out and they gave me a scholarship."

Miss Mills took off her glasses when they gathered some steam from her soup. She wiped them with her napkin before putting them back on. "I guess everyone there are on scholarships," she said. "I've heard it's very expensive."

"Yeah, it is very expensive, much more expensive than what the brochure says because there are many hidden costs. And not everyone's on a scholarship, especially the little kids. They kind of subsidize us. Guys around my age are all on scholarships, because those who aren't have long been eliminated. Miss Mills, why don't you take off your glasses for the meal."

She hesitated briefly, then took off her glasses and put them at the corner of the table. "Would you mind telling me about your family, Max?"

Maxim chuckled, as did his teacher. "What the heck, Max?" She said, trying to hold her laugh. "Tell me about your family."

Maxim briefly told her about his family. "What about yours?"

"Tell me about your coming tournament."

"No," he said. "You first."

"I don't have a coming tournament."

"Your family."

"Well, do you want tea or coffee after your meal?"

"You don't feel comfortable talking about yourself do you, Miss Mills?"

She lowered her head for a moment. "No."

"Well," Maxim said. "My primary coach is Sanchez. I know all about his entire family, all six of them, even though I've never seen them, except Gerard."

She took a deep breath. "I'm from New Mexico. I have three brothers. I went to Dixie State College of Utah. I got married when I was twenty-three and divorced three years later. Are you happy now?"

"No kids?"

"For Christ sake," she said. "No. Are you happy now?"

He chuckled, and saw her smile. "Miss Mills, what do you do when you're not teaching?"

She shifted a little. "Max, I'm your teacher."

"I know what my coach does when he's off duty."

"I read a lot, and I like watching good movies," she said. "But I won't go to the movies with you."

He chuckled. "I know."

She also chuckled, but sighed afterwards. "I think it was a bad idea letting you change that tire for me."

"Well, um. You don't go out a lot, do you?"

"No. I, well, I'm not a very outgoing..." she paused. "Enough, Max. Let's talk about you."

"I'd rather listen to you."

"No."

"Yes."

"Max, there's not much I can tell you about me. I'm a plain and boring person. I have a boring life."

"I don't think so, Miss Mills. You're actually rather attractive, especially when you take off your glasses."

She tossed herself into the back of the seat. "Max, you don't tell your teacher that she's attractive. That's not something appropriate to say."

"Which word should I use?"

She dropped her head as she struggled to stop her laughter. "Just don't say anything."

"You know, Miss Mills. You told me you were, well, you said you were fatter when you were younger and couldn't get into the gymnastic team."

"Yes, I was."

"You couldn't possibly be fat," Maxim said. "You're far too slim."

"I was fat. And it hurt knowing I was rejected for being fat. I started dieting, and ended up having anorexia. It took a long time to recover from that."

"I'm sorry to hear that. What about..."

"Max, please," she pleaded. "Let's talk about you. Are you going to take US History next semester?"

"That's a junior course."

Miss Mills dropped her head laughing, while supporting her head with her hand on her forehead. "You see, Max, I can't even think straight. I think they put too much brandy in the soup."

"I think I'd like to see you getting drunk."

She laughed again. "Of course you would. All guys do," she said. Then her face turned somber as she looked at his face. "Max, you do not tease your teacher."

"I, um, I'm sorry, Miss Mills."

"I think we should go now. Have you finished your coffee?"

Miss Mills paid the check, and then Maxim followed her to her car. She drove back to Santa Arcata and stopped in front of the Academy gate. "Thanks, Max," she said. "Good night."

Maxim also bade her goodnight and got out of her car. He waited until her car was well out of sight and crossed the road to take his own car back into the parking lot before returning to his residence.

Maxim went to two more of his extra History classes before Thanksgiving. Miss Mills spent a lot of effort on tutoring him, but she didn't talk with him on personal issues again. She either didn't get the clue, or ignored it, when Maxim hinted for another coffee.

-------

The Academy began clearing out on the following Tuesday as staff and students left for their Thanksgiving home trips. Maxim was walking to Elena's residence when he saw Marlene running out of the entrance. She patted her chest when she saw him. "Good Lord," she said in relief. "You're still here."

"Of course," Maxim said teasingly. "You haven't kissed me yet."

"Gee," she chuckled. "I really hate you." She paused. "Can you drop me off at Santa Cruz? No kisses."

"No," he said, and laughed. "I can drop you off, but you gotta kiss me."

"Please!"

"Whatever happened to Nick?" he said, as Nick was supposed to drop Marlene off while driving Daniela and himself home. Both of them were from Arizona.

"He's late," Marlene sighed. "Won't be back till after midnight."

"Where's your luggage?"

"I'm getting it now. Don't leave without me!" she said, then turned around and ran back inside.

While driving toward Santa Cruz, Maxim asked Marlene, "What time is your coach departing?"

"Midnight," she said. "But you can just drop me off there. You don't have to wait with me."

"That's nearly four hours away," Maxim said. "Let's find something to do. What's the Genus World Record for the longest kiss?"

Marlene slapped his arm as Elena snickered from behind him. "Just drop me off. I don't want you to wait with me."

"But I want to. I think Elena wants to as well. Right, Elena?"

"Gee," Marlene said as Elena snickered once more. "Don't use her again, please. Elena, isn't your mom expecting you?"

"Yeah, she is," Elena said. "So what shall we do?"

"Well," Maxim said. "I've got a brilliant idea. We'll drop Elena off first, then I'll drop you off at San Francisco Greyhound terminal. How's that, Marlene?"

"Hmm, but I don't have the San Fran bus schedule. And I really don't want you to waste time."

"We can find out the schedule when we get to San Francisco. I've got the time anyway. It's better than watching TV at home."

Marlene sighed. "Alright. Gee. I don't know how to deal with you."

"Just follow my lead," he grinned at her.

"Yeah," Marlene chuckled. "You wish."

Maxim drove them to Elena's home and parked his car near the apartment building. "Let's go."

"I'll wait here," Marlene said.

"Nah," Maxim said. "It'll take a little while."

"Aren't you just taking Elena to the door?"

"Marlene, I'm Elena's brother, I'm also Olga's brother. I'm also her mom's son. Believe me, it'll take a while."

"He's not lying, Marlene," Elena said. "He's part of our family."

"All right," Marlene said, then got out of the car and went with them to Elena's apartment.

Maxim hugged Elena's mother and then her little sister, kissed them, before telling them who Marlene was. Olga looked her up and down. "Marlene, are you his girlfriend?"

"No, I'm just a friend of his," Marlene said. She then saw Mrs. Mushtakova put some dishes and a cake on the dining table.

"Come over," Mrs. Mushtakova said to them. "Marlene, this is black Russian cake."

"It's very moist and delicious," Elena said, pulling Marlene's hand toward the table. "It has coffee liqueur and has a very rich favor."

Marlene glanced at Maxim. "No wonder it will take a while," she chuckled.

After the treat, Maxim started playing with Olga and Elena. He told Marlene to call up Greyhound for the coach schedule. A while later Marlene pulled Maxim aside and whispered to him, "It departs at one."

"So?"

"We're not staying here till then, are we?"

Maxim grinned at her. "My home?"

Marlene chuckled. "Gee. I'm not that naive."

"Well, we can actually stay here until then. Their father doesn't come home until around midnight."

"But they'll be sleeping," Marlene whispered.

"So can we," he whispered back.

"Gee," she sighed after laughing and slapping his arm. "Be serious!"

"Have you bought the ticket?"

"I don't have a credit card."

"Then we have to go earlier. We can kiss till your bus departs."

"All right," she said. "I mean we go earlier. No kisses."

Marlene forgot to lower her voice, and Elena and Olga turned to look at them. Then Elena said, snickering, "I think you will, Marlene."

Marlene blushed and giggled. She went over to slap Elena's arm playfully. "No. No way. Not a chance. Never, ever."

They played with the two girls until around ten, then left for the bus terminal. "Oh, I did love that cake," Marlene told him.

"Everyone loves that cake," Maxim said. "Like everyone loves me."

Marlene laughed. "Gee, Max, can you not tease me every time you speak?"

"But you like it."

"I don't".

"I think you do," he grinned at her.

She turned away from him and remained silent in protest. He drove to the bus terminal and parked his car, then followed her to the window for her ticket. "Max," Marlene said. "Please go home. I'm fine here."

"No, you're not," he said. "Marlene, this is San Francisco, there are all kinds of people around at the terminal. You're not safe. You need me here."

"Up to you," She said, and then started looking for a seat, but the terminal was too crowded. She ended up sitting on the floor with Maxim. When the time was up, she rose and told Maxim to go home, but he still followed her to the platform.

"Good bye, Max," Marlene said. "Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving, Marlene," he said, and leaned a little closer to her.

"Please! Don't tell you it's all you're after, for bringing me to the terminal."

"No," he said. "Of course not. You know I'd do it no matter what."

She sighed and turned away from him. "All right," she sighed as she turned back to look at him. "Hands behind your back, close your eyes."

He followed her instructions, and felt a quick peck on his lips. He opened his eyes and saw a little pink on her face as she turned away whilst waving to him. "Bye," she said, and went towards the bus.

The next morning Maxim's mother asked him to go and buy some sundries from the grocery. A few blocks from his home, Maxim saw a couple of familiar faces coming out of a convenience store. They were Katy and his buddy Alan Richardson, walking hand in hand. He wasn't sure if he should stop to greet them as he didn't know what had happened. By the time he recovered from his bafflement, he was half a block away. He decided to call up Alan later.

Maxim took Elena and Olga to a movie in the afternoon. Later in the evening, he had his boring Thanksgiving dinner with his family and his uncle's family. They talked in Russian which left him out of the whole conversation. He went back to his bedroom as soon as the dinner was over, then called up Alan and told his buddy what he had seen that morning.

"The fucking quarterback stole Lacey away from me," Alan said. "I had a broken heart. Katy had a broken heart. We healed one another. Why the fuck didn't you stop your car?"

"I didn't know if she would want to see me."

"That's true," Alan chuckled. "I think she still hates you. Damn. She made me quit boo-boo. I think she relates it to you."

Maxim laughed. "Don't forget it was your stuff." They started to blame one another while laughing.

Elena's parents had to work the day after Thanksgiving Day, so Maxim spent most of his time with the two girls during the remainder of the Thanksgiving break as well as studying for his exams.



-------

Chapter 14


After returning to the Academy on Sunday morning, Maxim went to the empty courts to practice his serve.

Elena came along after a while and started to pick up the balls for him. Another 15 minutes later, Maxim saw Irene coming toward them, so he stopped and gestured to her. "Go on with your practice," Irene said. "I'll do mine on the next court."

"Want some volleys?"

Irene thought briefly. "Sure, why not?"

They alternated practicing ground strokes against volleys for about an hour as Elena practiced her serves at the adjacent court.

"How ready are you, Irene?" Maxim said as they took a break.

"I don't know," she said. "But I'm turning pro after the Orange Bowl. I've had a talk with the coaches, O, my parents, and even Nick. It's my dream, and I'm going to go for it. I'm giving it a try. I don't know if it'll work out or not, but I know I'll regret it if I don't even try."

"Good luck with your dream."

Irene smiled at him. "Thanks. I'm giving myself three years. If I can't make a decent level by then, I'll go back to school. I hope I can make enough money to beat the scholarship."

"Are you moving to the Villas? You'll be nineteen in January, right? They're going to kick you out, right?"

Irene chuckled and grimaced at him. "Yeah, I'll be sharing Nick's flat," she said. "He has a spare room. It'll save me some money to start with." She then saw a weird expression on Maxim's face. "Max, we're just sharing a flat, not a bed."

Maxim chuckled. "I'm sorry. Hey, is, um, is he also living at the Villas?"

Irene took a deep breath. "He's moving to Las Vegas. He took up a post at the Golf University. That's why."

"Well..." he started his speech, but didn't know how to finish it.

"Don't worry, Max. I'm fine. I paid a big price for a foolish mistake. I learned a lesson. I'm getting smarter and stronger."

Elena came over after her practice and started to drink her homemade refreshment. Irene turned to the little girl. "Elena. Are you playing at the Eddie Herr?"

"Yeah," Elena said excitedly. "They gave me a wild card to play at the Fourteen qualifying. I hope I can make it to the main draw."

"Don't worry about the result, Elena," Irene said. "Just play the best you can."

"Irene," Maxim said. "Let me know if you need a hand for the move."

"Zoe and Nick are helping me move," she said. "Nick's also giving me a hand shopping for a car. I've got a loan from my dad."

"Nick's buying a new car, isn't he? Why don't you take over his Civic?"

"Yes, Nick's bought a new Acura RSX," she said. "But I'm not taking over his Civic."

"Why?"

Irene chuckled. "Do you think it could make a trip to Idaho?"

"Oh," Maxim also chuckled. "I forgot about that. What about... Have you thought about buying one in San Francisco? I think there are more choices there. I'm from there, you know, I could show you around."

"I think I'll buy one here or from Santa Cruz. Your schedule doesn't fit my timetable, but Nick has December off. Also, I don't have a place to stay in San Francisco," she said, pausing with a smile and chuckle. "Don't offer me your home."

Elena and Maxim also chuckled. "Nobody trusts you, Max," Elena said.

Maxim grabbed Elena and tickled her until she begged him to stop. They then went for lunch together before going back to their residences to study.

Since the players who went to Orange Bowl would miss the school exams, the Academy had made an arrangement with Davenport to give some players their mid-year exams before their December events. Maxim was among these players. After his last exam session, he went to the cafe in downtown to meet with Celine and her friends because he wouldn't be seeing them until January.

Maxim never knew where Robert was from because they exchanged very few chats in the previous gatherings. It was during this tea-break when they talked about holiday activities that Maxim learned he was from Illinois. Robert was flying to New York after Christmas to join them for a ski trip. "Do you ski, Max?" he asked.

"No, I don't ski," Maxim said. "In fact I've never been on ice or snow. The winter months are usually the busiest for us."

Once again, Maxim declined to join them for dinner when the tea-break was over. He still had some business to handle before his trip to Florida the next day.

Celine fell behind as they left the cafe. "Safe trip, Max, and good luck at the tournaments," she said to Maxim.

"Thanks, Celine," he said. "Merry Christmas, and drive safely and slowly when you go to the airport."

"Don't worry about my driving," she said, smiling. "I don't get speeding tickets."

"You don't?"

"I don't," she said, and stopped right outside the entrance. "I'm a good actor, especially a vulnerable poor lady seeking help."

Maxim laughed as he also stopped. "And a very attractive one, too."

Celine flashed him a glance and a smile as she opened her bag and took out a small gift box. "Your Christmas gift," she said. "A tiny one. Hope you don't mind."

"Thanks, Celine. I'm sorry. I forgot yours."

"Buy me a colorful chain bracelet when you're in Mexico," she said, and leaned over to him.

He chuckled, "Sure." He knew she was expecting a peck, so he leaned forward a little, but instead of pecking her, he started gliding his lips over hers. Celine didn't retreat right away, so he became bolder, he parted his lips a little to suck her lips. Celine withdrew before he could make it. She seemed to be able to read his tiny muscular activities very well. She didn't seem to look offended though, as she smiled at him. "Merry Christmas, Max." She then walked towards her BMW where Calvin was waiting for her.

Maxim started to walk towards his Camry as Robert drove off in his Mercury Cougar. He still wondered about the slightly unusual kiss with Celine on his way back to the Academy.

When he returned to his residence, Maxim found out Celine had given him a Christian Dion tie pin and cuff link set. He hoped this was a hint Celine was going to a function with him in the near future.

-------

That evening, Maxim got a call from Lawrence Robinson. He was injured with a shoulder impingement and was out of the competitions for a few weeks. Maxim would be without a doubles partner for a while.

A big team from the Academy flew to Miami very early the next morning for the Eddie Herr Tournament held at a tennis and golf resort in Lauderhill, Florida. Even though Marlene, Daniela, and Chuck didn't win any trophies during their South America trip in October, they had gained enough ranking points for entries into the ITF Grade 1 events of the Championships without having to play through the qualifying games.

When the plane took off, Maxim sat with his roommate, Anthony Shyu, who was playing in the age 16 tournament. Even though they lived in the same flat, Maxim and the American born Chinese guy didn't talk to each other very often. Anthony spent almost all of his free time playing on his computer. He was unlike the silent Chuck though in that when he talked about his interests, he could go on for days.

Very soon, Elena came over and asked Anthony to switch his seat with hers. It was the first time she was on a plane other than her trip from Russia to the US, and she wanted to stay with Maxim. Anthony didn't want to sit with the kids though, and in the end Maxim had to offer him some hitting exercises for the new seating arrangement.

When Maxim saw Glenn at the practice area at the Inverrary Racquet Club, he asked if Glenn had already gotten a doubles partner for the Orange Bowl. Glenn chuckled. "I've also been looking for you," he said. "I've heard about the Lawrence injury, and the guy I found is in the same situation. Do you want to do it here besides the Orange Bowl?"

"Sure," Maxim said, also chuckling. "Let's do some hitting practice this afternoon."

After resolving his doubles partnership business, Maxim and some of his teammates went to watch Elena's qualifying match. It was a very tough match for her though because she was playing against a 14 year-old girl and Elena wasn't even 11 yet. Even though her hits were well placed, they didn't pose much threat to her bigger opponent. All she relied on was her determination to stay in the match, her concentration to make very few mistakes, and her ability to move quickly all over the court. In the end she lost in close straight sets. Her opponent acted like she had won the championship when the match was over.

Elena was a little upset after the match. "It was so close," she said to Maxim as he held her in his arms. "I could've made it if I'd played a little better."

"Silly," Maxim whispered to her. "You were already playing at a level very few players your age can reach. Didn't you see how excited she was after she won? That means it was a big victory for her. It was big because of the challenge you gave her."

Elena smiled at him. "So do I get an ice cream?"

"Of course. You're getting as much as you can eat. That's just for today."

In the afternoon when Maxim went to the practice court with Glenn, he saw another girl practicing doubles with Joanna. He had seen the girl before but had never met her. When they had a break, Joanna told him the girl was Janice's friend at her tennis school. "She's Amanda Lomita," Joanna told Maxim. "I didn't have a doubles partner. When Janice found out about it, she said Amanda didn't have one either, so we're teaming up together."

"Nice," Maxim said, while shaking hands and studying the girl. Amanda had a sharp chin and very thick brownish blonde hair. He motioned Glenn over and introduced his new friend to him. "Hit with us if you guys want to get better. Go out with me if you want to be superb."

Amanda chuckled with Joanna, but she didn't seem to be interested in his offer. They had a brief chat and then went to different courts for their hitting practice.

Maxim also watched the second day of the qualifying matches. Joanna made it into the main draw, even though she struggled a little, but Rudy was eliminated. Maxim knew Rudy wasn't ready for the international level competitions yet. He used to be doing quite well with the national events, but hadn't improved much lately. Rudy was pretty upset after his match. Maxim knew he was upset because without gaining any ranking points in this event meant he was out of the qualifying at the Orange Bowl, which was a level higher than this event.

-------

After all the qualifying matches were concluded, all the players playing in the main draw went to the players meeting where their opponents were drawn. Maxim was quite happy with his luck. He didn't have to play in the first round for either the singles or the doubles, and he wouldn't be seeing very tough opposition in his early rounds. He should have a pretty good chance of getting some positive results.

After understanding his position in the tournament, he started looking for Janice and Sharon. The sexy redhead was chatting with a beefy guy, and Janice had just finished talking with some people. Maxim went over to Janice and sniffed her hair. "You smell great, Jan," he whispered. "Are you wearing perfume?"

"It's shampoo, silly," Janice chuckled. "Did Lawrence tell you about his injury?"

"Yeah, he did. Well, Jan," he lowered his voice. "I've got a brilliant idea. Have you ever tried a threesome?"

Janice was drinking, and she spat her soda onto his jacket, which attracted some attention. She waited until people started to look away as Maxim wiped his jacket. "Holy Christ," she whispered to him. "What else is in your mind beside sex and tennis?"

"You."

"Max, this is too much."

"Okay. So, is Sharon with that beefy guy?"

"I don't know."

"Jan," he said. "You share the same room with her. You hear a lot, you see a lot, and you smell a lot, don't you?"

Janice shook her head as she chuckled. "Was she going out with you when she was sharing her bed with you?"

Maxim also chuckled. "Damn, I wish I was sharing a room with that guy."

"Why?"

He smiled lewdly at Janice. "Then Sharon would switch rooms with me."

"Know what?" Janice said. "I'm starting to worry about you. I really don't know if you're just flirting or you do mean it."

"I'm willing to go through a test."

Janice laughed. "You can test it yourself as much as you like. Count me out, Max."

"Well, okay. Don't pull your face, Jan. At least you don't have to worry about her relationship with Lawrence anymore."

Janice let out a deep sigh. "I don't know who she's with. Sometimes she's with a dozen guys and sometimes she's with Lawrence. I honestly don't know. They split up and reunite every month or so. I've stopped bothering. Please don't ask me about them anymore."

"Oh, poor baby," he said, while staring at her chest. "Well, Jan. So do they drive you crazy? Does their splitting up and reuniting affect you?"

"Max," Janice said, pushing his shoulder. "Can't you look at my face when you're talking with me? I don't care about their multiple splitting anymore. I just play my part on the court. They don't drive me crazy. You're the one driving me crazy. By the way, I like 'Miracle So Magic' the most."

"Miracle So Magic?"

She smiled at him. "You want to buy some fragrance for me, don't you?"

"Oh," he said, skipping her question. "Are you going to the Orange Bowl?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Yeah. What about a foursome? I can bring another guy or girl. You pick."

"Bring Nick. We both want to sleep with him."

"Damn," Maxim sighed. "This hurts."

Janice chuckled and went to socialize with her other friends. Maxim hung around until he saw Sharon was by herself, and went over to her straight away. "You smell great, Sharon," he whispered as he sniffed her hair. "Are you wearing perfume?"

Sharon chuckled. "Silly, who'd be wearing perfume at a players meeting?"

"It must be a gift, then," he continued whispering. "You have a fragrance that causes arousal, do you know that?"

"Max," Sharon also whispered, while scanning his body. "I don't think you need any fragrance to get aroused. Are you hard?"

"I don't know, check and let me know."

Sharon chuckled and glanced around, then slowly leaned herself against Maxim. "How disappointing," she spoke in his ear. "If this is how you are when you're aroused."

"Try again. It's gaining momentum."

A few minutes later, Maxim was kissing Sharon passionately in her room at the resort and stripping her of her clothes. She just managed to make it to the bed before he started thrusting into her pussy from behind.

While resting in the bed after their vigorous sex, Sharon chuckled. "Looks like you've missed me for years."

"I think for decades, Sharon. So how have you been doing?"

"Quite well. I do think a steady relationship doesn't suit me though."

Maxim almost laughed. "That's why you and Lawrence have been splitting up nearly every month?"

"I've not been with Lawrence for quite a while," Sharon said. "No matter what other people say. Well, I've slept with him once in a while, but that doesn't mean I'm with him."

"Then why does Jan seem to be so bothered?"

"Max," Sharon said. "Jan's an idiot. She always thinks her brother's a holy lamb. What's my hair color?"

Maxim didn't understand what she meant. "Let me check," he said, and bent over to check her nicely trimmed public hair.

Sharon giggled and slapped his thigh. "So what if I find blonde or black hair on your clothes?"

He chuckled. "I get it now. So were you pissed off?"

"I was," Sharon chuckled. "But I kind of forgave him when I found out it was so exciting doing his buddy."

Maxim nearly choked. "Lucky buddy."

"Well, Max," Sharon said. "Unless you're ready for another round, I think we should get dressed. Jan may be back soon."

"I don't mind doing it in front of her," Maxim said with a lewd smile. "Maybe she'd join in."

"In your dreams," Sharon giggled. "But she needs a lover. She's talking with nearly every tennis player on the phone each night. She needs a life for herself."

Maxim laughed. "Yeah, it always took a while to get through when I called her."

"You never called me, Max."

"Because you never gave me your number."

Sharon smiled and started using her finger to draw numbers on his tummy. "Get it?" she cooed. "Memorize it." Her fingers went closer and closer to his groin.

Maxim chuckled. "Do it again later," he said, while moving over and then got on top of her, pressing his knees in between her legs.

"Condom," she giggled as she pushed him off, then pulled him onto her when he had the wrapping on.

-------

Marlene's first round match was one of the earliest ones played. She won the first set in a tiebreaker, but only won a total of two games in the following two sets. She was very upset after the loss even after all the consolations her friends gave her.

Maxim then went to watch Glenn's match. It seemed that Glenn's game was a little sluggish and he lost his match easily. Maxim talked with him afterwards. "Yeah," Glenn said. "I've been sluggish for the past couple of months. I don't know what's happened. It's like a bottleneck, but actually I've been getting better. Don't expect too much in our doubles."

"Take your time. I think you'll make it."

When Maxim went to their practice area, Daniela was hitting with Irene and Byrnes was watching with Marlene. As soon as the coach went over to talk with Irene, Maxim went over to Marlene and showed her his palm. "What?" she turned to him and said.

"Walkman earplug," he said. "Let's listen to your music together."

"Gee," Marlene said, pulling an earplug out of her ear. "Say the magic word."

"I love you?"

Marlene spluttered. "Like I'd care about that? Say please."

"Please. I love you. I thank you. What else?"

She held the earplug in her hand. "Take back the love thing."

"No."

"Then no music for you."

"Okay. I don't love you, but I still wanna kiss you."

"Gee," she said with a sneering look, while slapping the earplug in his palm. "You're a hopeless jerk."

After a while, he asked her, "Still feel bad about the loss?"

"Yeah, a little," she said. "I could have won the match if I had been more focused. She wasn't really that tough. It was all about myself."

"Actually you've improved a lot in this department. I think your biggest problem is about your judgment. Like when you should be more aggressive when your opponent makes a mistake or attack more when you've got a chance."

"I know," Marlene sighed. "I just don't know how I can learn the difference."

"Go out with me more. You can find out from me."

"Gee," she said, and slapped his arm. "Do you know I hate you?"

"No," he chuckled. "I thought you liked me."

"I do," Marlene said, looking at his face. "As a friend. That's why I can still tolerate you. But you need to stop playing these head games with me."

"Well, um. There's not much you can learn other than keep on playing, and learning from your mistakes. Play with me more. I make a lot of mistakes. You can find out from my mistakes."

"Why not Chuck?"

"He makes very few mistakes. He's all about too conservative. Well, you can also play with him, another type of opponent and experience."

"Okay," she said, smiling. "Are you upset?"

"Why?"

"Your tone," she chuckled. "Did I hurt your ego?"

"Nah," he beamed at her. "Let's sneak out tonight."

Marlene shook her head while giving him a scornful glance. She then tapped Maxim's arm when she saw the coach gesturing. "It's your turn to play head games with Chuck now."

-------

Maxim had a little luck in the second round when he played an opponent known for his placement of shots. It was blustery cold, and the wind decreased the opponent's efficiency. The breeze didn't adversely affect Maxim's play as much. In fact it helped when Maxim was serving from the downwind.

After the second round of singles matches was concluded, Irene and Maxim were the only Omnicianni players to have survived. When Maxim saw Janice, he knew she had also lost. Maxim bought her a drink and they had a little talk. "Of course it's not the result I want," she sighed. "I'd hoped to reach the final sixteen or the quarters for my last singles."

"Last?" Maxim said, staring at her face a little shockingly. "You're not playing singles anymore?"

Janice took a deep breath. "I've given up the chase for that remote possibility. I'm working toward college, and playing doubles for fun and scholarship. Coach told me I'm a better doubles player than a singles player, pretty much like Lawrence."

"Yeah, Lawrence is an awesome doubles player, but a little slow when playing singles. So are you going to Australia?"

"No, I'm not going. I can't anyway. My ranking's too low."

"Jan, your tone's a little blue. Let's go to your hotel room. I've got a brilliant idea to cheer you up."

Janice laughed. "Goodness, Max. You do know how to cheer me up and make me laugh."

After finishing their talk, Maxim wandered around for a little while and then went to watch Sharon's match. She also lost her match by playing lousily. Maxim offered to buy her an ice cream, but she didn't want a snack. "Cheer me up with your body instead, will you?" she said, ogling him.

Maxim naturally wouldn't decline such a request, and went with Sharon to her hotel room. She hadn't had a shower after her match yet, so both her clothes and her skin were still a little sweaty and sticky, but it was another kind of erotic smell and feel. He especially liked the contrasting feeling of his cock shoveling inside her juicy pussy and her slightly sticky legs rubbing against his hips.

After all the excitement, Sharon went to the bathroom for her belated shower. Maxim was still lying in the bed when the door opened and Janice came inside. Both she and Maxim jumped when they saw each other. Maxim quickly pulled the blanket over to cover himself, but then cursed himself for doing something so stupid and unnecessary.

Janice chuckled as she shook her head. "Sorry," she said. "I'll come back in an hour. Is that enough?" She started to turn around and moved back towards the door.

"Nah," Sharon said, as she came out of the bathroom. "We're done, Jan." She turned to Maxim. "Do you need to use the bathroom?"

"Well, um, okay," Maxim said. He struggled to get up from the bed behind a blanket.

Janice chuckled again. "I'll come back in a few minutes," she said, and then opened the door and went out.

When Maxim came out of the bathroom, Janice still hadn't come back, but Sharon had already put on her clothes. "Max," Sharon said when he was putting on his pants. "Honestly, have you ever slept with Jan?"

"No. You're the only one I'll ever want."

Sharon chuckled as she shook her head. "Typical bull shit. Seriously?"

"No. Honestly no."

"Ever fantasized about doing it with her?"

"Sure, I fantasize about doing it with every girl. Not bull shitting now, am I?"

Sharon giggled. "Give it a try, Max. I know she likes you."

Maxim turned around to look at her. "Why are you telling me this? Aren't you supposed to keep me to yourself?"

Sharon winked at him. "I have yet to try a threesome. You know, Max, among the guys I've been with, you're one of my best favorites."

This was an intriguing proposal, as Maxim also had never been in a threesome before. He started fantasizing about how it would feel.

Sharon leaned over and whispered to him, even though nobody else was in the room, "I know she won't do it in front of me, at least to start with. So I'll leave you guys alone when the moment is right." She wrote down a phone number on a piece of paper and left it on the night table. "Page me when you're done so we can start the next phase. Do you want some coffee?"

"Sure."

Sharon went over to set up the coffeemaker. A little later Janice came back, and they began talking while they drank the coffee.

Maxim heart leapt when he noticed Janice was a little more flirtatious than usual. He wasn't sure if it was because she had found it amusing seeing him in Sharon's bed or because she was a little horny herself. A few more flirts later, Sharon turned to Maxim and winked. She then said she needed to go and see another friend and excused herself.

Once Sharon had left, Janice started to quiet down. Apparently she didn't feel comfortable chatting with Maxim alone in her room. She was sitting on her bed and he was in the chair next to the coffee table. Maxim decided to test his luck a little. "Do you need more coffee?" he said, and picked up her paper cup.

"Nah. I've had too much already today. You can have it if you want."

"All right," Maxim said. His intention was to take the cup over to her, but since she didn't want it, he gulped down her coffee, and then went over to her anyway. Janice didn't seem to mind him sitting next to her, but she pushed him off when he tried to sniff her.

"Jan," he said. "Do you know you're a big liar?"

She looked at his face. "I am?"

"Of course. You told me you had chubby legs, but you actually have slender and sexy legs. You told me you weren't wearing fragrance, but you smell so good."

Janice chuckled. "I'm not sexy, and I don't smell good."

Maxim shifted a little closer to her, and whispered in her ear. "You already smell like magic now."

Janice chuckled again, but shifted a little away from him. "Max, I think you should go now. I think you're having dinner in an hour or so."

"Hell with dinner. Jan, do you know what I want now?"

"No," Janice had a little pink blush on her face. "I don't want to know. I don't want you to say it. I think you should leave now."

Maxim sighed. "Okay, Jan. I'm leaving. Do I get a goodbye kiss?"

"Yeah," Janice said with a sly smile. "Before I go back to Wesley Chapel."

"Come on, Jan," he said as he shifted closer to her. "You're going back to Wesley Chapel anyway. It's just a matter of doing it a little earlier." He stretched out his arms to her.

Janice raised her tone as Maxim gripped her shoulders. "Max!"

Maxim took hold of her before she could shrug him off. He pulled her over. "Please, Jan?" he said softly while leaning toward her lips.

Janice pushed him in the chest. For some unknown reason, her push suddenly became very forceful, and he also started feeling dozy. He fell onto the mattress and passed out.



-------

Chapter 15


When Maxim woke up, he was in his room, and his eyes were still bleary. He couldn't remember what had happened other than that he was in a chat with Janice and Sharon. He then saw Anthony and Chuck. The Chinese wasn't supposed to be there as Maxim was sharing a room with Chuck while Anthony was staying with Rudy. Maxim was going to ask, but he seemed to have a problem speaking. His entire body and brain were still listless. Anthony saw his opened eyes and turned around. "Coach, he's waked up."

Maxim saw Sanchez and Byrnes come over to look at him. "How're you doing, Max," asked Byrnes.

Maxim cleared his throat. "What happened?"

Sanchez turned around and said to Byrnes, "He seems to look okay. Still as moronic as he always is. You check him out. I'm calling Dr. Tovar." He then went over to the phone and made a call. "Yeah, Jose," Maxim heard Sanchez talking. "He's just waked up. You coming over now? Okay, thanks, Jose."

A while later a middle-aged Hispanic male came into the room. He briefly examined Maxim. "How much alcohol did you have?" he asked. "And what drugs have you taken?"

"None," Maxim said with a dry throat. He had by now regained most of his movements and speech ability. "Only coffee. What happened?"

"Did you lose anything?"

Maxim struggled to take out his wallet. "No," he said after checking it.

Dr. Tovar then turned to Sanchez. "I think he's fine. My guess is he's lying or he can't remember that he'd taken too much drinks or drugs. We'll know the answer when the blood test report comes back."

"When's it coming back, Jose?" Sanchez asked. Apparently the doctor was his friend.

"In a day or two," Dr. Tovar said. "Eloy, I think it's better if you apply for a walkover before he's picked up by an IDTM agent for a doping test. Tell the director he's suffering from flu or diarrhea. I'll certify it." He talked like he had some authority. Since he seemed to be staying at the same hotel, he was probably the tournament's medical officer.

When the coaches and Dr. Tovar went out of his room, Maxim turned to Anthony. "What time is it now, and what's happened?"

Anthony pointed at the LED clock beside Maxim's bed. Max took a look and found out it was almost 11 pm. "Janice Robinson called Chuck," Anthony told him. "She said you had passed out in her room." Both Chuck and he had very big sly smiles on their faces. "She didn't know what happened and didn't know what to do. Chuck called me and we brought you back. You slept like a dead pig, and we didn't know if you were okay, so we eventually had to let the coaches know. Don't you remember anything?"

"Nah," Maxim sighed. "I was talking with Jan and her partner, and then... I don't remember. Was I in my clothes?"

Anthony laughed. "Yeah, I guess you passed out a little too early. Are you hungry? I've packed some leftover food for you."

"Hell yeah," Maxim chuckled. "I'm starving to death."

Maxim called up Janice very early the next morning. She didn't want to talk with him, but eventually agreed to meet him outside the residential complex entrance.

"What happened?" Maxim asked when he saw Janice.

Janice glared at him. "That's supposed to be my question, you jerk! You drugged my coffee."

"Then why was I the one who passed out?"

Janice obviously was trying to hold it in, but still burst out laughing. "Because you're a moron."

"Look, Jan," Maxim said. "Yeah, I admit I wanted sex with you, but I never use drugs or force."

Janice had a little blush when she heard his admittance. "You must have thought it was your cup."

"My cup? Come on, Jan. Tell me what happened. The last thing I remember was we were talking. You, me, and Sharon."

Janice was reluctant, but eventually told him what happened. "You gotta be kidding, Jan," he said. "I remember your cup had a big red lipstick mark. Why would I've drunk from it?"

"Because you were out of your mind," Janice said with some redness on her face. "You were probably trying to drug both Sharon and me."

"Why would I do that? She was going to join in afterwards."

Janice's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "What?" She glared at him for like an eternity. Then she screamed, "No! Bitch! What a bitch!"

"What happened?" He asked.

Janice's face was flushed red in anger as she took deep breaths. "She said you must have drugged my coffee. She's lying. She's the biggest bitch on earth! She drugged my coffee."

"Why would she do that?"

"For you, moron!"

"Why would she do that? We couldn't have had a threesome if you were drugged."

Janice gave him a very hard kick in his leg. "Three your fucking moron some!" she bawled at him as he shrieked and rubbed his leg. "Then she could claim that she caught me sleeping with her guy, and spread the news. No wonder she was carrying two cameras."

"I thought you two were friends."

Janice slowly leaned her back against a pillar. "I thought so, too," she said weakly, as she slid herself down, then sat on the concrete ground, and began sobbing.

Maxim went over and sat beside her. He held her in his arms, and Janice began sobbing on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Jan," he said while patting her back.

After all her sobbing, Janice got back up on her feet. She patted his shoulder. "I'm fine, thanks," she said. "I'm going back to Wesley Chapel now."

"What about your match?"

"I won't have any matches with her again," Janice said with the hatred showing in her eyes. "If I can't find another partner, I'll quit."

"Don't worry, Jan," Max said as he also got up onto his feet. "You'll find another partner. You know everyone."

Janice chuckled. "I just hope not everyone is like you, Max. You're a pig, a jerk, and the biggest moron on earth."

After settling the clash with Janice and beginning to understand what had happened the night before, Maxim went to talk with his coaches. "I want to play," he told them. "I don't want a walkover. I'm fine. I'm very good."

Both Byrnes and Sanchez stared at him. "You're not playing, Max," Byrnes said. "Whether you're fine or not. We can't let a student who's just waked up from an alcohol or drug induced state play in the tournament. Also, you won't be playing at the Orange Bowl or any further events until we get the result of your blood test."

Maxim had no alternative, so he returned to his room. He knew Chuck wouldn't say anything about the incident, but he didn't know what Anthony would say. Maxim called his room and asked him over. "Anthony," he said. "The coaches won't let me play. If they ask, tell them I have diarrhea. Don't say anything else."

Anthony had a big smile on his face. "Max, have you heard of Warcraft?"

"No. What's it?"

"It's a cool computer game."

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"No," Anthony said, laughing. "But I'm yearning to tell everyone this funny story."

"Fuck you, Anthony! How much is this damn game going for?"

Nobody on his team believed that Maxim had diarrhea, but they didn't know what had happened to him. Except Elena, nobody wanted to ask because of his reputation. Glenn however was rather more concerned. Maxim wasn't sure if he was more worried about his health or that they were losing their chance of a doubles title. However, dealing with Glenn was still a lot easier than dealing with Elena, who kept on asking questions as Maxim ran out of excuses.

Maxim also had to stay in his room for the most part of the day as he was supposed to be sick, so he didn't see either Janice or Sharon. He knew from his friends that the duo had also walked-over. Later that day he found out both of them had left the venue.

-------

A couple of days later Irene lost her quarter-final. However, her doubles pairing with Lindsay Bitt, which was the top seeded team, were met with little challenges, easily gliding through their matches.

After dinner that evening, Maxim was told to go to the coaches' room. Sanchez and Byrnes both glared at him. "Blood test report's back," Sanchez said. "No alcohol in your blood, but they found Rohypnol. Now tell us what happened."

"What's that Rohypnol thing?"

"La Rocha, Circles, Forget me now, Reynolds, Date Rape Drug. Want more synonyms?"

Maxim had to struggle to hold his laughter, but he also knew this wasn't funny. Use of this drug was not only illegal; it could screw up his entire career before it even began. He was, however, glad the drug was found in his blood and not Janice's. Nobody would believe someone was going to date rape him, so it was an easier story to tell. The tough part was to exclude Janice from the plot. He didn't want his innocent friend to become involved.

The coaches didn't seem to buy his story, but were convinced he wasn't the one trying to drug someone else, which was their biggest concern. They told him he was allowed to play at the Orange Bowl and then let him go.

Maxim gave Janice a phone call when he went back to his room. "How's your situation?" he asked.

"I've split with her. Lawrence's split with her. Everyone's split with her. How's things going at your end?"

"They found Reynolds in my blood."

"My goodness," Janice sighed at her end, and then chuckled. "I'm so glad you drank my coffee."

"You owe me something, Jan. You're going to pay me back next time."

Janice chuckled again. "Sure, want another cup of coffee?" She paused. "Wait, will someone call my coach?"

"Jan, who's going to believe you need to drug me?"

Janice burst out laughing. "I forgot that," she said. "Anyway, Max, I'm not playing again until February. Good luck at Orange Bowl, Casablanca, and the Aussie Open."

"Thanks, Jan," he said. "Hey, don't tell anyone about the Reynolds, or I'll feed you some when I see you again."

Janice laughed. "Me to tell? Like that's something I'm proud of?"

Before Irene's doubles championship match, Maxim had a little talk with her. "Good luck, Irene. Stay concentrated. Keep moving. Play with your heart. May my spirit, soul, and body be with Lindsay and you."

Irene chuckled with Lindsay. "Thanks, Max," she said. "What a flirtatious version of Nick's sports philosophy."

While walking toward the stadium court, Marlene whispered to him, "Max?"

"Yeah?" he said, and leaned over to her.

Marlene gently pushed him off as she chuckled. "Have you been going out with Irene?"

"No," he whispered. "Why? Oh, are you jealous?"

Marlene slapped his arm. "Gee, stop it," she said. "She hardly ever talked to you, not to mention a smile or a chuckle."

Maxim leaned over to her and talked in her ear. "You almost never kissed me either, but then you did."

Marlene glared at him with a little redness on her face, and then walked away from him.

Maxim caught up with her, and lowered his voice again. "I'm sorry, Marlene. Ice cream's on me."

"For everyone."

"Okay," he chuckled.

During a set break, Maxim asked Byrnes. "How do you think Irene will do in pro?"

"You won't see her playing in the major semis or quarters for a couple of years," Byrnes said. "I'm not sure if she'll ever be there, but pro tennis is a dream she's after. I do think she'll be able to make some money and level out. It's not the end. It's more like a start."

Irene and Lindsay won the championship easily. "See?" Maxim told Marlene. "My blessings work. I'll do that for you next time as well."

Marlene chuckled but didn't say anything.

"Next will be the edible trophies," Irene said after the congratulations.

"Nick said those he got were sour," Daniela said. "He doesn't buy Florida oranges anymore."

Maxim whispered to Daniela, "Did he share them with you?"

"Nah," Daniela whispered back. "I wasn't..." She halted, then glared at him and poked him. "No more questions from you. You jerk."

He chuckled. "Come on. So when did it start?"

Daniela ignored him and went to talk with Joanna as Irene and Lindsay departed for their media conference and photographs.

Maxim turned around to look for Marlene, and found that she was hiding behind Chuck Kim. "Don't come close to me," she said. Chuck then tapped her hand. Marlene turned around and saw Sanchez crinkling up his nose in disfavor. She covered her mouth while shifting to Chuck's other side.

Sanchez glared at them for a while before he turned around and left. As soon as the coach disappeared behind a corner, Chuck and Maxim started laughing while Marlene began slapping Maxim's arm. "Every time I'm in trouble, it's because of you!"

That evening, Maxim met Elena and gave his quasi little sister her birthday and Christmas gift. He was going to Miami Beach with Marlene and some other players the next morning, while she was going back to the Academy with the rest of the team. They wouldn't be seeing each other until after New Year.

She chuckled when she took out a Swatch watch with a dog design dial. "It's very cute," she said. "Thanks Max. I'll wear it at Tucson."

-------

Sanchez was supposed to accompany the Omnicianni players to Miami Beach, but with his wife expecting to give birth any day now, another coach, Diaz, took over his task together with Byrnes. Mrs. Diaz used to be Joanna's primary coach and she would also keep an eye on the girls during this trip.

While waiting for the younger players to retrieve their luggage from the bus outside Miami airport, Maxim began teasing Marlene again. She slapped his hand when they realized Diaz was standing behind them and staring at them. Marlene quickly sneaked behind Daniela, and refused to talk with Maxim during the rest of the trip.

When they got to their hotel at Miami Beach and the coaches were dealing with the reception clerk, Maxim found Marlene. "Okay," he said. "I'm sorry. Ice cream is on me."

Marlene immediately turned away from him, and Daniela chuckled when she saw her reaction.

"Okay, I'll buy you a skirt," Maxim said.

Maxim still didn't get a response from Marlene, so he raised his bid. "Two skirts."

Daniela tapped Marlene. "Hey, there's a nice Reebok one I like."

Marlene laughed as she slapped Daniela's arm. "Gee, you're not supposed to sell me out." She turned to Maxim. "I don't want your skirts."

Daniela supplemented, "Yeah, just one skirt for me is fine." Chuck and Irene creased up with laughter when they heard that.

Joanna didn't get through the qualifying stage this time. A couple of days later, Glenn, Marlene, Daniela, and Chuck were all eliminated when the first round was over. The Maxim-Glenn pair was also defeated in their first round match.

In the second round, Maxim had to come from behind after losing the first set. This tournament was played on a clay court, which was not Maxim's preferred surface, and he had been struggling. It became worse in the second set as his killer serves didn't work on this surface. His frustration was topped by the umpire seemingly picking on him. He knew he was losing the match after the umpire penalized him with a point for an abusive gesture. He lost the match in an ugly way.

Surprisingly, Byrnes didn't give him a hard time afterwards. "The important thing is that you learn from your stupid mistakes" he said. "We bring you here for the experience. We didn't expect you to win the trophy. You've already passed our expectation. However, if you don't learn from your mistakes, nothing and nobody can help you."

This was nice encouragement from a normally unsympathetic coach. His friends also bought him an ice cream to console him. Later Maxim learned that his Japanese friend Norikazu Ishii had also lost. Irene was his only friend who was still competing.

While waiting for Irene's match to begin, Marlene talked with Maxim. "At least you've got a high enough ranking to play in the Aussie Open," she said. "I don't even have the ranking to be accepted into qualifying. I really want to see Melbourne. I envy you."

"Marlene, you're not far away. You can still have a shot by doing a little better at Casablanca.

Marlene bent her fingers to do her maths. "I still need many more," she sighed.

"Hey, Marlene?"

She turned to him, "What?"

"What color skirt did you like?"

She smiled at him. "I've told you I didn't want your skirts."

"You need a new skirt to bring you good luck. You'll have my blessing on your new skirt."

"No. I don't need your blessing."

"Then go out with me. That'll bring good luck as well."

She laughed. "Gee. I think I need a boyfriend quickly."

"You got a perfect one in front of you."

She laughed again. "A playboy like you?"

Maxim sighed. "You know I haven't had a girlfriend since Lynn."

"That's even worse," Marlene said. "You just grab any girl you see."

"Well, your loss."

Marlene laughed. "Yeah, yeah. My loss. Hey, shut up, they're beginning to play now."

Irene won her match, but her quest for the edible trophy came to an end two days later when she lost to a Brazilian. Her last chance for a championship medal before turning pro was her doubles where she was pairing up with a British girl. Surprisingly, she looked pretty calm afterwards. She even accepted Maxim's offer of an ice cream.

Maxim's ice cream didn't bring Irene any good luck. She and her partner lost their doubles challenge in the quarter-final, so Irene's amateur career didn't end with a trophy. She didn't want to stay at the venue to watch the other matches that day. Instead, she wanted to go out to the mall to shake off her sorrowful results. Byrnes gave them a half day's free time but held Irene responsible.

Daniela insisted they go and buy her skirt first when they were at the mall. She picked a pleated skirt and told Marlene to also pick one. "Nah," Marlene said. "I don't want one."

"Then pick this," Daniela showed her another skirt. "And give it to me afterwards."

Marlene laughed and slapped her. "Gee. You're as bad as he is."

When Daniela showed Maxim the skirt she had chosen, he looked at Marlene. "Haven't you picked one?"

"No. I told you I didn't want one."

"Come on. Pick one, then I'll help you change to see if you look good in it."

Marlene laughed, slapped his arm, and turned to Daniela. "You see why I didn't want one now, don't you?"

Daniela also laughed. "Max, buy Irene one then."

"Why? Prince is sponsoring her apparels."

"Well," Irene said. "I won't mind if you buy me a pair of sandals. You can help me fit them too."

The organizer hosted a Christmas party on the Christmas Eve following the conclusion of the semi-final matches. Since Joanna had to play in the qualifying rounds at the Casablanca Cup, she had already left with Coach Diaz.

When Maxim saw Marlene go to the dance floor with Chuck at the party, he moved over to Daniela. "Why don't we dance, too?"

Daniela glared at him. "Magic words!"

He reached out his hand. "I love you."

Daniela laughed as she slapped his hand. "Say May I."

He laughed, did what he was told, and took Daniela out onto the floor. "Hey, Daniela," he whispered in her ear whilst leaning closer to her.

She slipped an elbow in between them. "Yeah?"

"Hey," he said. "Remove your elbow. Are you worried?"

"Worried about what?"

He pressed his chest against her arm. "About her sleeping with him."

"Get your damn chest off my arm," she whispered in his ear. "Why are you asking?"

"Come on," Maxim said. "You're not getting pregnant dancing with me. You just didn't look very comfortable when she was talking about moving to his place."

"Max," Daniela said, still wrestling with him. "I don't know about last year, but the year before, everyone knew that the girl who danced with you ended up in bed with you, and she didn't even know your last name."

Maxim chuckled. "Okay," he said, and loosened his grip. "So are you worried?"

"Well," she sighed in his ear, giving Maxim a feeling he actually liked. "Yeah, I'm a little worried. But then, he travels a lot. If he wants to cheat, he'll have tons of chances. I don't think he'll have a problem finding willing and beautiful women. He doesn't need Irene for that."

"That's true," Maxim said. "Now can you get your damn elbow off my chest?"

Daniela chuckled, and stuck her elbow firmly against his chest. When they finished their dance, Glenn and Irene had also started walking away from the dance floor. Irene looked at Maxim as she passed him and asked, "Are you going to dance with me?"

"Sure," Maxim said, and returned to the floor with Irene. She wasn't as concerned as Daniela about Maxim holding her close, probably because she believed he wasn't going to cross the line after their earlier accidental mistake.

"Irene," he breathed in her ear. "Are you going pro with the Academy coaches or are you hiring your own coach?"

Irene leaned back a little and look at his eyes. "Max, how can I afford a personal coach?" she said. "I don't even think SAMS' going to subsidize my training costs like they did with Nick. I might have had a chance if I'd won the damn oranges but I blew it. It's going to be a tough start, and I'll be very tight."

"Yeah, it sucks," he said, pulling her back into his arms. "If you need a massager and can't afford it, I'm gifted in giving back rubs."

She leaned back a little again, and chuckled at him. "Have you been told that you're the dirtiest dog on earth?"

When they returned to their table, Irene took a sip of her drink and then grabbed Chuck to return to the floor.

Maxim finished his drink, then finished Chuck's as well. When Marlene saw him still scanning for drinks on the table, she quickly got hold of her juice. Maxim moved over. "Either a wet kiss or your juice," he said.

Marlene bit her lip. "Neither. You come closer and I'll pour it over your jacket."

"Marlene, please. I love you. May I?"

She laughed, shaking the glass in her hand. "No."

"Hey, let's dance. I've already said the magic words."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Just no."

"Okay," he said. "I'm taking you to the floor. You can pour your juice on me. I don't care." He started grabbing her arm.

She laughed while struggling not to spill her drink. "Help!"

Maxim grabbed her glass and gulped down the juice, and then pulled Marlene to the floor. She immediately stuck her elbow against his chest.

"Damn," he pulled her waist closer. "Loosen up with your elbow."

Marlene slammed her head onto his shoulder laughing. "No way," she said with some difficulty.

"You smell good tonight, Marlene," he said, sniffing her hair. "Who bought you a new perfume?"

"None of your business," she chuckled.

"Is that really a perfume?"

"Who would bring perfume on a tennis trip?"

He sniffed again. "Because you knew I'm going to dance with you," he said, trying to pull her closer.

"Max, stop it," she said.

He sighed. "Okay. But honestly, will I get a Christmas kiss? I've been a good boy the entire year."

She slammed her head on his shoulder laughing again. She also shook her head slowly, rubbing his shoulder as her head turned. "Gee, you're killing me," she said a little later. "No, sorry, Max. You're not getting one."

"Damn. Hey, loosen your elbow, please?"

Marlene chuckled again, and struggled away from him as the music started to fade. "Now go find some other girls who'll give you a Christmas kiss."

-------

Their scheduled flight to Mexico was on Christmas day evening, so they had another half day tour around the city before they separated at the airport. Irene was going back to California and the rest of the team went on to Mexico City.

During the practices at the Club Casablanca Satellite, Maxim found the power of his serves had returned. He wasn't sure if his form was getting better, or because Casablanca Junior Cup was played on hard courts, or if the high altitude helped his serves. He beat the top seeded player from Morocco in his opening round. Joanna was the only Omnicianni player eliminated in the first round, but she was just beginning the challenge of international level tournaments so she wasn't upset at all.

Both Daniela and Chuck were knocked out in the second round. Daniela especially suffered a bad loss. She told Maxim afterwards she was glad she had already looked into the alternatives. "I'm not progressing," she said.

Byrnes didn't think so when they saw him a little later. "You're only sixteen, Daniela," he said. "It's rather common to experience a period of sudden standstill. Just work on it. Give yourself some time."

Maxim lost in the round of 16 to a Mexican. It was a bad loss for him because he had many chances to win the match. His opponent wasn't that good. Maxim took the first set easily but lost both subsequent sets in tiebreakers while playing sub-par. It took him a while to recover from his emotional distress.

After his formalities and before he was going to watch Marlene's match, he saw the Mexican guy Gerardo Borja who had just beaten him, and they had a little talk. Gerardo's English was quite sluggish, but he used gestures a lot of the time to compensate. He raised his thumb many times while saying "Serves." He then made a drinking gesture and nudged Maxim's arm. "Aguas Frescas," he said.

Maxim chuckled and followed Gerardo to the club house. On the way, Gerardo waved at a Hispanic girl and motioned her over to come and join them. The girl was called Maria Hernandez and she spoke very good English. Gerardo held her hand as they walked to the club house.

While Gerardo went to buy their drinks, Maxim asked Maria where she was from. "Your English is flawless," he said.

"I was born here but I've spent a few years in Miami," Maria said. "My dad used to work there for Trade Commission of Mexico."

"So are you a US citizen?" he said, and started studying her. Maria had a sturdy build and her light brown hair was close to blonde. She was about five-nine or ten, a little tall for the average Mexican he had seen, and nearly as tall as her friend Gerardo.

"No," she said. "I'm not even a PR. But since I used to have a permanent address in Miami, everyone there pretty much treats me like a citizen. I've even got promo leaflets from the Navy recruiters."

Maxim chuckled. "So you're over seventeen?"

"Yeah, seventeen, you?"

"I'll be seventeen in March," he said. "Maria, do you have any relation to Alfonso Hernandez?" The other Hernandez he mentioned was another seeded player in this event.

"I was told he's a distant cousin of mine," Maria said, chuckling. "But I've only met him a few times. I know Gerardo much better because we live quite close to each other and we hang out and hit together very often." She turned to take her soft drink from Gerardo when he returned with the refreshments.

Even though Gerardo had some difficulty communicating with Maxim, he was obviously a very friendly person. He promised Maxim he was going to take him see the places. He also suggested taking Maxim to try some real Mexican food. "He says those you find in the US are not real Mexican food," Maria translated for Gerardo. "Taco Bell, yuck!" Gerardo added.

Maxim hesitated a little about his new friend's proposal. His coaches had told them not to go out by themselves, and had reminded the teens about the exceptionally high violent crime rates, especially kidnappings, in Mexico City. He eventually declined the offer so he wouldn't be bashed by the coaches when they didn't see him at dinner, but accepted another offer for a drink after his dinner.

Gerardo brought Maria with him when he came to pick Maxim up at his hotel, and they went to a bar for a drink. Gerardo got Maxim a blood-red Sangria which had various alcoholic flavors in it. He didn't know how Gerardo managed to buy him an alcoholic drink but he welcomed this treat. He asked his friends if they were going to Australia the following month. Gerardo shook his head. "Casablanca Cup, Uruguay Bowl, Asuncion Bowl," he listed his tournaments.

"I'm on the alternate list," Maria said. "I will if I can get into the qualifying at the next update. It's a big waste of money to go there and wait for dropouts, and then come back without playing a match there."

"I hope you can make it," Maxim said. "It'll brighten up the sky and my heart if I can see you down under."

Maria chuckled, and then spoke with Gerardo in Spanish, explaining to him what they were talking about. Gerardo started chuckling. "I told him you're flirting with me," she said to Maxim.

"Don't tell me you're his girlfriend."

Maria gave him a sly smile. "Hmm, well," she said. "Actually, kind of. Flirting is no biggie, though. We all flirt quite a lot."

"Then why aren't you flirting with me?"

"Am I not?" Maria chuckled, spoke to Gerardo again, and they laughed together at Maxim.

Maybe Maria was right. Both she and Gerardo didn't mind Maxim flirting with her, and she told her guy what he said each time, then laughed together. It was a funny chat. They didn't stay out too late because both Gerardo and Maria had a match to play the next day. Maxim wasn't sure if he would see them again at the tournament, so he exchanged contact information with them before they took him back to his hotel.

The next day, Marlene lost in the quarter-final to a player from The Netherlands. She actually played very well in the first set but lost it marginally. She then fell apart and was swept away in the second set. She looked like she had been struggling to keep herself from crying ever since the match was over.

When Maxim gave her a hug, she said to him, with her head stuck against his shoulder, "I'll never win a tournament."

"Don't worry," he consoled her. "You will."

"Nah," she sighed.

"I got an idea how you can get better."

She raised her head to look at his face. "How?"

"Go out with me tonight and I'll tell you."

Marlene laughed and slapped his chest. "Gee. I hate you."

Since everyone from the Academy was out of the tournament, the players started hanging around before their scheduled return flight on New Year's Day. The coaches didn't let them go out by themselves even though Daniela could speak decent enough Spanish. Coach Diaz, who was Hispanic herself, had become their tour guide.

Maxim picked up some colorful chain bracelets at a bazaar. He put the chosen ones in his hand while counting.

"Who are these for?" Daniela turned to him when he was finished.

"Mom, Elena, Olga, her mom, and others," he said, then picked up one and put it in her hand. "You, too." He did the same to Marlene and Joanna as well. He turned around, and gave another one to Diaz.

"Max," the coach said, smiling. "Are you trying to bribe me?"

"I wish," he said. "But I think it's too cheap to be helpful."

Mrs. Diaz chuckled and accepted his cheap gift. "Thanks, Max."

In the eve of the New Year, the coaches didn't let them go out into the street to join the crowd waiting for the New Year to arrive. They had to do it in the hotel lounge. As soon as the New Year was announced, Maxim held Marlene and quickly pecked her lips before she could react. He then kissed Daniela while Marlene was slapping his back. He also gave Joanna and Coach Diaz a peck on their cheeks. He even pecked Chuck's cheek. "See, Marlene," he said, as she was glaring at him. "Even Chuck gives me a kiss."



-------

Chapter 16


Maxim went home for an afternoon when they returned to San Francisco. He found his mother in her backyard pulling up the dead annuals, and he hugged her, before giving her a chained bracelet he bought in Mexico. His mother beamed with delight, but said, "Why buy me this? It's too colorful for me."

"I think you'll look great with this," Maxim said, and put the bracelet on for her.

"I'm working," she said. "It'll get dirty. Um. Have you had your meal yet?"

"I'll go and get something. Have you?"

"Of course. I'll go and make something for you."

"Nah," Maxim said. "I'll do it myself." He went into the kitchen to find himself something to eat.

His mother came into the kitchen a while later. She went to the sink to wash her hands, and then came back to Maxim. "Thank, Maksimka," she said. "Oh, do you need any money?"

Of course Maxim needed money, the more the better. However, he didn't want to take any money from her at this moment in time, while she was immersed in delight. "No, I'm fine. What time are you going to the restaurant?"

"After I've finished my work in the backyard. Are you going to give me a hand? And are you staying for dinner?"

"Sure. And no, I'm not staying for dinner. I need to get my stuff organized before school starts tomorrow."

His mother chuckled. She talked with her son while he was eating, and then they went to work in the backyard. His mother then went to her restaurant as her son drove back to Santa Arcata.

-------

Maxim got a C in his mid-year History exam. It wasn't outstanding, but he knew he would definitely have flunked it if not for the extra effort from both the teacher and himself. After the class, Miss Mills gestured Maxim to stay behind. "How was the Orange Bowl and Casablanca?" she asked him.

"Not good. I lost in the second and third rounds respectively."

"Well, I hope you'll do better in the next one. Is Mr. Pecor at a tournament?"

"Thanks, Miss Mills. Rudy Pecor is playing at the Copper Bowl. He'll be back on Sunday."

"Oh. So, are you coming this Saturday?"

"Okay. So Rudy flunked the exam? Is he also coming in future?"

She smiled at him. "I hope he will be."

In the afternoon, Maxim was told that Byrnes would be taking over the training of Marlene, Daniela, Chuck, and himself. Byrnes had more experience in higher level international competitions and had been a professional player himself for several years. Sanchez would take a few more players coming into the age 16 bracket.

When Maxim went over to the court to see his new primary coach, he was met by an excited Marlene who flung her arms around his neck and kept pecking his lips for a while. "You're in?" he said when she showed him a few fax sheets.

"Yeah," she said, and pushed him on his chest when he tried to return her kisses. "Qualifying in both the Nottinghill and the Aussie Open. At last I'm going to visit Melbourne." She slapped off his arms when he tried to hold by her shoulders.

"Cool," he said, while taking the latest acceptance list updates from Marlene. "Damn, Marlene, why can't I kiss you back after you've kissed me?"

Marlene looked at his face. "Gee, I did?"

Daniela chuckled from behind Marlene. "You did more than that, Marlene. I think your tongue was even in his mouth."

Marlene laughed and turned around to slap her friend's arm. "Not even in his dreams," she said with a small blush on her face.

After the chaos, Maxim asked Daniela, "What about Chuck and you?"

"Max, how can we get 200 ranking points without getting beyond the second round in our tourneys?"

"So you're disappointed?"

"Well," Daniela said. "A little bit, but it's not about playing there. I'm too far off anyway. It'd however be nice if I could watch Nick play there."

"What about you," Maxim turned to Chuck.

"He's very upset," Daniela said on behalf of the Korean. "He can't play poker with the famous guys."

"That's too bad," Maxim said to the smiling Korean. "I don't think there's any American juniors left with money to play with you anymore."

After their group practice, Byrnes told Maxim to stay behind. He took out a stack of data sheets from his bag. "Max," the coach said. "You're undoubtedly the best American junior server, but your serves are still very inconsistent." He showed him the computer generated match statistics.

"I'll concentrate on it," Maxim said.

"I have an idea," Byrnes said. "If you care about your future."

"Of course I do."

"You don't need a coach or a partner for your service practices. You already know all the skills and tricks. You don't need to compete with others for court time. What you need is a basket of balls, a couple of orange cones, and a determination to work on it until it's perfect."

Maxim thought for a moment. "Are you suggesting to me to take up additional hours in the morning or evening?"

Byrnes smiled at him. "It's up to you."

Maxim thought it over. "Okay," he said to his coach. "I'll do it in the morning after my jogging. I'll practice until I get it perfect. What now, volley?"

"No," the coach said. "Ground strokes. Painted point areas. Ten thousand points before you go for your dinner."

Maxim started to feel feeble. "Did I hear ten thousand?"

That evening after his practice and shower, he called up Maria Hernandez as he had seen her name on the latest acceptance list. He congratulated her on the acceptance and her result at the Casablanca Cup where she was the runner-up. "Your presence will make it even brighter down under," he said. "Why isn't Gerardo going?"

Maria chuckled. "It'll be too bright, then," she said. "Ranking and budget. Gerardo prefers to see London if he can make it into LTA and Wimbledon. Uruguay Bowl and Asuncion Bowl will give him some better chances as well."

"I see," Maxim said. "I'll see you in Melbourne, then. Good luck there. Oh, are you staying at the official hotel?"

"Thank you. You, too, Max. Yes, I'm staying there. I'll see you there."

-------

On Friday, Maxim went to his weekly afternoon tea gathering with Celine and her friends. He gave Celine a Mexican chained bracelet when he found them at the cafe. Celine smiled at him, and reached out her right hand. "Do you mind putting it on for me?" she said.

After Maxim put it on her wrist, she smiled at him again, then studied it briefly and showed her new jewelry to the two guys. "Isn't it pretty?" she said to them.

"Yeah, it looks nice." "It's very colorful and cute."

Maxim liked it when he had put the bracelet on for Celine, but felt very uneasy when she showed it off to the guys. He knew his gift didn't fit in with her very well. She was wearing a $5,000 Cartier white gold watch on her left wrist, and a $10 chain bracelet on her right. He knew his gift wouldn't last long on her wrist.

Once again, Maxim had to spend most of his evening working on his extra History assignment because he knew he wouldn't have time on Saturday morning as he had a number of make-up classes to attend.

"Mr. Khimin, Will you be coming next week?" Miss Mills asked him after the tutorial.

"I'm going to Australia next week."

"Oh, I forgot. Australian Open?"

"The Aussie Open Junior starts on the twenty-third, but we all go to a sister tournament which starts on the sixteenth."

"I see," she said, smiling, while playing with her glasses. "I hope you'll get a good result."

"Thanks, Miss Mills. Well, I, um, I got something for you." He took a chain bracelet out of his blazer pocket and put it on her desk. "I bought it in Mexico."

The teacher stared at the gift on her desk. "Mr. Khimin, I appreciate it, but I can't accept it. Teaching is my job, and I'm paid for it. I can't accept gifts from students."

"It's very cheap."

"Mr. Khimin," she said, looking at his face. "I don't mind a thank-you card. But a gift, no, I can't."

"A card is three to four bucks. This is only ten."

She chuckled. "No."

"Yes."

She chuckled again. "Please."

"Do you mind if I put it on for you?"

Miss Mills quickly dropped her eyeglasses onto the desk, and hid her hands underneath it. "Don't," she said edgily, staring at the cheap jewelry. Maxim could see her chest heaving as she breathed rapidly. Finally she conceded. "Okay. Thanks, Max." She picked up the bracelet and put it into her jacket pocket.

"Okay. So, Miss Mills, are you going to give me extra things to work on while I'm in Australia?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Okay."

She smiled at him. "Are you ready to go, Mr. Khimin?"

Maxim gathered up his stuff and walked out. He didn't hear footsteps following him so he turned around. Miss Mills was still standing by her desk with both her eyes and hands on her briefcase. "Miss Mills?" he said.

Miss Mills turned to look at him, then raised her index finger and crooked it toward herself, gesturing Maxim over. She took a deep breath when he was in front of her. "Coffee or cappuccino?" she whispered.

Maxim smiled at her. "Aren't they kind of the same?"

She chuckled. "Remember where I got a flat tire?"

"Yeah."

"See you there," she whispered.

Once again, Miss Mills took Maxim to Santa Cruz. She found a Starbucks, bought cappuccinos for them, and sat with him at a small table at the corner. "Max," she said. "Please don't buy me anything again. Promise me."

"Don't you like it, Miss Mills?"

"Please promise me, Max."

"Why don't you put it on?"

"Not until you've promised me first."

"Okay. Do you mind if I put it on for you?"

"I'll put it on myself," she said as she retrieved it from her pocket. "It's pretty, thanks, Max." She laid the chain over her right wrist and tried to close the hook with her left hand.

"Your hand's shaking," Maxim said. "Let me help you." He reached over and grabbed her right hand. Her hand was small, cold, and soft. "You have small hands, Miss Mills. I think you'd use a four-inch grip."

"Grip?" she said, as the chain fell from her wrist onto the table.

"Tennis racquet grip size," he said, then picked up the chain and put it on for her.

"Oh," she said as she lifted her hand and checked her new jewelry. "Thanks again, Max."

"Miss Mills, are your glasses for short sightedness?"

"Yes, why?"

"How serious?"

"Let's say..." She looked around, and then took off her glasses. "I can't read the menu above the counter from here without my glasses."

Maxim turned around to check the menu, and then turned back. "So you can see the people here without your glasses."

"Yes. I'm not that terrible," she said, biting the temple end of her glasses. "Why?"

"So you don't need your glasses on while we're having coffee."

She chuckled. "Max, I think you're a very tricky person."

Maxim smiled. "What do you like to eat, Miss Mills?"

"Boiled fish," she said with a sly smile, then laughed with him.

"Serious?" he said after his laughter.

"No," She said. "Actually I'd rather have crab or shrimps, and I'd rather have them baked with cheese and served with sauce. I dislike broiling. Oh, I like fries, too."

"And what kind of movies do you like?"

"Well, like history, musical..." Miss Mills paused. "Max, is this some sort of investigation, or are you playing with me?"

Maxim held his laughter. "I like listening to you."

She mocked an angry glare at him and straightened her waist. "Then you can listen to me all day at school."

"But I like seeing you laugh as well."

Her face turned a little pink. "Enough about me. Your turn to reveal things about yourself now."

"I've never watched a musical."

Miss Mills became tense. "Max, I've told you I won't go to watch movies with you."

"What about videos then?"

Miss Mills laughed. "Max, your trick is not going to work. I'm not sixteen or seventeen anymore."

Maxim chuckled. "It worked when you were sixteen or seventeen?"

She blushed again. "Max, stop targeting me. Talk about yourself."

"Well, Miss Mills, I'm a little hungry. Do you think I can buy you a dinner?"

She took a deep breath. "No, Max. This is out of the question." She then looked away from him for a moment. "You never told me what kind of food you really like anyway."

"Crabs and shrimps?"

"Be serious, Max."

"I'm serious."

She took him to a seafood restaurant. Maxim knew his teacher liked being with him, even when she was occasionally teased by her student -- something she obviously detested and was scared of. Maxim believed she was quite honest when she said she had a boring life. She was also apparently an unadventurous person. She had never traveled on a plane. She didn't swim, ski, or climb mountains, even though Maxim had also never skied or tried mountaineering.

"What about skating?" Maxim said while waiting for his coffee after their meal.

"I've never done that either."

"Me, too."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, another thing you haven't done as well."

"What if we try it?"

"No," she said flatly. "That's impossible."

"Why?"

"I'll fall flat," she said. "Like Alice Falling Flat."

"Who's Alice?"

Miss Mills chuckled. "Well, it's a title. It's a novel I wrote shortly after my divorce."

"Cool. Where can I find it?"

"You can't," she said, smiling. "It's still a draft."

"Why didn't you publish it?"

"Because nobody will want to publish it or read it."

"How do you know?"

Miss Mills sighed, and waved her hands aimlessly in the air. "Max, you don't get it. It's a very competitive industry. You'll get rejected a million times before someone will even read a line of your manuscript."

"What do you lose, postage, photocopy cost?"

"And my dignity."

Maxim chuckled. "I've lost my dignity so many times I don't even care about it anymore."

"How did you lose your dignity?" asked Miss Mills.

"For example, as a second seed who got knocked out in the first round by someone who didn't even have a ranking."

"Oh, that must have hurt."

"For a little while."

"I see," she said. "I see what you mean."

"So, you know, Miss Mills, I think you can send it to a publisher, and then we can go skate."

She chuckled. "Max, you're playing tricks with me again."

He also chuckled. "Which would you prefer, Miss Mills, a fluffy koala or a kangaroo?"

"Didn't you promise me you're not going to buy me anything again?

"No," he said, holding his laugh. "I just said okay. After all, I don't always keep my word."

Miss Mills laughed. "Well, at least you're honest on this one. No, Max, no koala or kangaroo, or we won't have coffee together again."

"So are we having coffee together when I'm back?"

Miss Mills became tense again. "Max," she said slowly. "Actually, I don't think this is a good idea."

"I thought you liked it."

She took a few deep breaths. "I don't think this is wise. I'm your teacher, Max, I'm not supposed to go out with you."

"I go out with my coaches a lot," he lied without even blinking his eyes. "Even the chaperones."

Miss Mills waved her hands in the air again. She was apparently trying to come up with some convincing reasons. Finally she said, "To tell the truth, Max, I don't like it."

Maxim chuckled. "You're lying, Miss Mills. You're blushing."

She tossed herself into the back of her seat, laughing while covering her face with her hands. It took a while for her to stop laughing. Her face was flushed red when she took her hands off of her face. "How embarrassing," she muttered.

Maxim had also laughed. "So, Miss Miles. I guess we'll have coffee when I'm back."

Miss Miles turned to look out of the window ten feet or so from their table. She then took a ball pen out of her purse and wrote down her phone number on her napkin. "I'll try to persuade Mr. Pecor to join the tutorial," she said. "You can call me if you have any problem about your class works." She gave him a small smile.

Maxim chuckled as he folded the napkin with her number and smudges of her lipstick on it. He put it into his pocket.

-------

Maxim went to the parking lot to join the welcome crowd on Sunday afternoon. The Omnicianni players who went to compete at the Cooper Bowl were coming back. This was a gender victory for the team. They swept the Girls' singles championships, including Andrea winning the Girls' 14, and Elena winning Girls' 12. None of their male counterparts reached the finals.

Maxim had a little talk with Elena at the students' lounge after dinner. He put another Mexican chained bracelet on her wrist, and then said to her, "I wish I was there to watch your match, Elena."

Elena smiled at him, and then studied her new decorative ornament briefly. "Me, too, Max," She said, leaning on his side as he rubbed her hair. "I wish you were there to celebrate it with me. Did I show you the pictures?"

"Of course not. You were so busy."

Elena took a stack of photos out from her pocket and showed him. "I don't have the pictures from the final two days yet."

"You look pretty here," he said, and bent toward to her front to study her face. "Doesn't look like you." He chuckled.

She giggled and slapped his arm.

He pointed at a girl in a photo. "Was she your opponent?" he said. "She looks older than twelve. Nice figure, too."

She giggled again. "Max, she's twelve. She's too young for you. I played her in quarter-final."

"Okay," he said after laughing. "So are you tired?"

"Yeah, a little," she said as she snuggled up cozily to him. "But I don't want to go to bed yet. I haven't been talking with you for a while. I miss you."

"Well, start talking then. Tell me about the girls there. Any nice looking sixteen girls?"

Elena chuckled. "Why are you always talking about girls?"

"Okay, let's talk about boys. Any cute buys there?"

"Yeah, a few," she chuckled. "Oh, that guy." She pulled a photo out from the stack and pointed at a blonde boy. "Is he cute?"

"Yeah, he is cute. Are you going to ask him out?"

"Max, I'm only eleven," she said, then pulled a face and went on in an overstated tone. "I am so ugly."

Maxim laughed. "Let's see how ugly you're," he said, and held her face in his hands, pretending to give her face a thorough look. "Hmm," he said, pausing purposely. "Not too bad, not too bad." He paused again. "Actually, you know what, Elena?"

"What?"

"You're going to be extremely pretty when you grow up. In fact you're already very pretty now. Damn, why didn't I notice it? Ask me out when you're ready for a date."

Elena had been smiling while he was talking. She burst out laughing when she heard his conclusion.

-------

Maxim knew Miss Mills was going to talk with Rudy after class on Monday. He purposely waited outside the classroom for some drama. As expected, Rudy grabbed him the moment he came out. "You've been doing her extra classes? Are you insane?"

Maxim chuckled and asked if Rudy was joining. "Yeah," he said. "She made me promise to at least try it once more. But Saturday's the only day Jo will go out. What am I going to do? Oh, shit, you'll be in Australia this Saturday. I'll be by myself. Shit!" Maxim laughed all the way to his next class, wondering if Rudy would make up an excuse to get away from his tutorial.

After his last class on Friday, Maxim saw only Celine waiting for him. Both Calvin and Robert were not there. "Where are they?" he said.

"Men's room," she said. She then raised her left hand to his face. "How's this?" She was wearing a new heart bracelet watch.

Maxim chuckled and bent to check her other arm, and indeed, his cheap chain bracelet was still on her right wrist. "You bought this?" he asked.

"No. Calvin did. He said my watch didn't match my new jewelry, so he bought me a Guess. It was on sale, fifty dollars."

"You could wear a pearl bracelet to match your watch."

"I thought you'd like me wearing your bracelet."

"Of course I do."

She smiled at him. "So?"

Maxim started wondering. It wasn't entirely rational for Celine to keep on wearing a $10 bracelet. Even Miss Mills had taken hers off already. But what puzzled him the most was Calvin buying her a watch to match his bracelet. Maxim wasn't sure if he was beginning to like Calvin more or whether he was considering him to be stupidly weird.

Later that day, the owner of the cafe came over to their table when they were finished with their tea-break. He told them the check was on the house, and also told them the cafe was closing down when the lease expired the following week. The property had been bought by a developer that was going to build a retail block on the site.

"So where are we going to go next week?" Robert asked when they were in the parking lot.

"Find another cafe?" Maxim said.

"There aren't many cafes around that serve decent tea," Celine said. "It took Severine and me a while to find this one."

"Change to coffee, then," Robert said.

"Nah. These coffee shops serve uncultured drips, too." Celine chuckled. "We can do it at my house. I still have some Earl Grey at home." She and her friends then wished Maxim good luck in Australia before they parted.



-------

Chapter 17


Marlene's eyes had lost their sparkle and her mood was low when she talked to Maxim on the plane. "How much longer?" she asked, staring blankly at the back of the seat in front of her.

"About another hour," Maxim said. "Then you can stretch your legs and give me some hot kisses for another hour or so at Sidney airport." He also needed to stretch his limbs badly, even though he had no problem sleeping. He knew Marlene couldn't sleep, and the flight was torturous for her.

"I'm not sure if I can last until then," she sighed.

He leaned over a little. "Kiss me now. That will lighten you up."

She chuckled weakly but didn't respond otherwise.

It was like heaven when they finally got off the plane for a layover at Sydney airport after the 15-hour flight. Maxim pulled Marlene toward a coffee shop even though she insisted she wasn't thirsty. He saw Lilia Anderson on the way and took Marlene over to her. Maxim had known the African American junior for a long time, but they seldom had interaction.

Lilia also looked rather weary. "You didn't sleep?" Maxim asked her.

"On and off," sighed Lilia. "I don't sleep well on planes. I admire you. You looked like a dead pig whenever I saw you in your seat." She then chuckled at Marlene. "Poor Marlene, you look even worse than me."

While Marlene gave her a weak and bitter smile, Maxim chuckled and said to Lilia, "I didn't see you guys on the plane. Where is your coach? Did you pick a seat by the door?" Lilia wasn't very tall -- at most 5-foot-7, but she was of a very sturdy build.

"He's somewhere at the back," Lilia said. "Pick a seat? You gotta be kidding. I can't pick my tennis outfit. I can't pick where I stay. I can't even hang out the way I like, well, most of the time anyway."

"You can go out with me, Lilia," he said teasingly.

Lilia chuckled. Marlene also gave a weak chuckle. "Max," Lilia said. "Can you name a girl you've talked with and haven't asked her out?"

"Yeah, Mary Weiss. Do you know her?"

Marlene burst out laughing. "Max, she's our chaperone."

Lilia also laughed, and then said to Maxim with a sly smile, "Max, I dare you to ask her out."

"I might, after I leave Omnicianni," he said. "Well, Lilia, what about you buy me a cup of coffee?"

"Nah," she said, shaking her head. "I can buy Marlene one, but not you, Max. I don't want to get too close to you."

-------

They arrived at Melbourne a little after noon. Marlene dashed to her room right away after checking in at the hotel. She needed a shower and a bed very badly. Maxim had a late lunch with Byrnes and then started searching for his doubles partner Glenn Ross, and his friend Maria Hernandez. The Mexican girl's phone was unanswered, so he left a message.

He was caught by Byrnes when he was about to go out with Glenn and some other players. The coach found out where he was going, reminded him they were having dinner with Nick Sohaili and then let him go.

After a brief street tour with his peers, Maxim returned to the hotel for dinner. Marlene looked refreshed after her nap. Nick came with Lindsay Bitt. They had both survived the qualifying rounds of the Australian Open. Maxim's other friend Mike Jackson had also reached the main draw, but he was going out with some other friends.

"Congratulations," Maxim said to them. He then started eyeing Lindsay. The brunette was a big girl, nearly as tall as Maxim and was pretty husky. "Lindsay, are you tired? Do you need a back rub?"

Lindsay nearly spat her drink at him. "Max," she said. "Is there a girl you won't flirt with?"

"Yeah," Marlene said, laughing. "Mary Weiss, our chaperone."

After the laughter, Marlene asked Lindsay, "I didn't see your name on the junior list. You're not playing junior?"

"No," Lindsay said. "The stupid calendar year rule makes me a few months too old for the juniors. Well, it's actually good, because I wouldn't want to split. If I were in both, I might have to choose, and I think I'd have given up the juniors anyway."

"So when are you turning pro, Lindsay?" Marlene asked.

"I haven't decided yet," Lindsay said. "I hope sooner, but I also want to have some good results to support the switch over." She turned to Nick. "Where's Irene playing next? I forgot to ask when we talked last time."

"Istanbul and then San Juan," Nick said.

"Well," Lindsay said. "I probably won't be seeing her for a while then. I'll call her up for a chat when I get back."

"Lindsay," Maxim said. "Who's going with you to the player party?

"I'm going with a friend," Lindsay said, smiling. "Sorry, Max, you're not going with me."

After a chuckle, Nick said, "I don't have a guest, Marlene, would you want to go with me?"

Marlene was excited she was asked and quickly accepted the invitation. "But I don't have a dress with me," she said.

"The theme is pirates," Lindsay said. "You don't need a formal dress, Marlene. I don't have anything to do after dinner. Why don't we go shopping together?"

Marlene quickly agreed again. After the dinner, she gave Max a mocked sympathetic smile. "Poor Max, so lonely."

Maxim glared at her. "Watch your door, Marlene. I'm going to break in at three o'clock, and I won't be lonely anymore."

Marlene blushed. "Jerk!" She said, and then went over to join Lindsay for their shopping expedition.

Maxim turned to Nick and said, "I forgot to ask. Has Irene picked up a car yet?"

"Yeah, she bought a Chevrolet Prizm from a used car dealer in Santa Cruz right before Christmas."

"Oh, okay," Maxim said, then leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Nick, is Irene a screamer?"

Nick looked like he'd choked. "Max, you son of a bitch," he said, still laughing. "I've never touched her. That's why she trusts me."

When Maxim returned to his room, he found a voice message on the phone left by Maria Hernandez. He returned the call and suggested a drink at the coffee shop. Maria was a little hesitant. "I've just came back from there," she chuckled.

"Go back there again," Maxim said. "It's better than watching TV, isn't it?"

Maria was with another Hispanic guy when Maxim met her in the coffee shop. The guy wasn't Alfonso Hernandez, who was the only Mexican boy playing at the two back-to-back junior tournaments in Australia and Maxim knew his face. Maria introduced them. He was Javier, her eldest brother and also her coach and trainer.

Javier also spoke very good English. "I go to UNAM and also teach at a sports club part-time," he told Maxim. "But I'm transferring to the University of Miami in the fall."

"Javier," Maxim said. "Have you played the juniors or men's circuit?"

"Not really," Javier said, smiling. "I played juniors briefly but I wasn't good enough to pursue it. I may play NCAA at the University of Miami, depending on how well I do there. My college curriculum is in athletic training, so I'm more of a trainer than a coach. Maria may need a real coach soon."

Maxim turned to the sister. "Maria," he said, "Come to Omnicianni."

Maria chuckled and then said with a sly smile, "To brighten up California, huh? I may go to Boca Raton or Wesley Chapel for while, but my priority is to close the deal with the University of Central Florida first."

"Make it University of California at San Francisco, Maria," Maxim said, grinning at her.

Maria chuckled with her brother. "UCF is closer to Miami," she said. "And they've given me a pretty good offer."

The chat with Javier and Maria was very nice, and Maxim learned quite a lot about Mexican lives. However, Maria was less flirtatious with her brother around than with her kind-of boyfriend there. Maxim was actually talking with Javier more than with the sister. Javier had some friends he was taking Maria to meet over the next couple days, so they didn't fix a further gathering.

Before they parted for the evening, Maxim told the siblings, "I'll be practicing at Monash most of the day tomorrow," he said. "You guys can come over if you need some more hitting practice."

"Okay," Maria said. She then gave him a peck on the cheek before she left with her brother.

-------

Maxim started practicing with Glenn Ross the next day. He liked playing with Glenn, because his partner was an excellent server. They both could benefit in improving their returns from hitting with each other. When Marlene came back from Nottinghill Pinewood Club for her qualifying sign-in, she joined the guys for some practice as well.

Maxim didn't see Maria at all during the day. The trio went for a little shopping trip after their practice and then had dinner with Glenn and his coach. Maxim got a message from his Japanese friend Norikazu Ishii that evening, and they agreed to have dinner together the next day. Maxim knew his Japanese doll friend Misa wasn't coming to Australia, but in her letter, she had promised to show him around when he went to Japan again.

Both Marlene and Maria lost in the first qualifying round of the Australian Hardcourt Junior Championships. They had to wait a few days before they would play at the Australian Open Junior qualifying rounds. Marlene began busily switching between hanging out with her friends and watching the junior as well as the open matches. She and Maxim watched Nick lose his first round Australian Open match.

Marlene didn't have a dinner appointment, so Maxim took her and Glenn to meet Norikazu. They didn't know that all the Japanese juniors in Australia were at the dinner. Only two Japanese guys were playing in these tournaments, but there were five girls playing in the girls' events. They didn't stay very late as all of them, except Marlene, had to play the next day.

Maxim and Glenn were both eliminated in the first round single matches, but they still had to play their doubles the following day. Maxim spent the rest of his day watching matches and practicing doubles with Glenn. That evening, he had a brief phone chat with Maria and fixed another date with her before she went out with her brother.

Maxim and Glenn won their first ever doubles match in Australia the next day, but Norikazu lost to the eighth seed German who had beaten Maxim last year in Japan. When they returned to the players lounge, Maxim found out Mike Jackson had also been defeated in his Australian Open second round match.

The German junior who beat Norikazu in the singles teamed up with another German to defeat Maxim and Glenn in the second round. The losers then gathered to watch Lindsay Bitt play in the women's event. Lindsay had had a remarkable victory in the previous round, and she had another huge win over a seeded player in straight sets this time. That evening, Marlene went with Nick and Lindsay to the Australian Open pro tour player party, while Maxim went to the coffee shop to meet Maria.

Maria wasn't bringing along her brother. She told him that Javier had gone to the Australian Open player party with a Mexican girl who had been playing at the women's event.

"Oh," Maxim said. "Well, Maria, why don't we go for a dance, too?"

"I'm not sure," she said, smiling. "I danced last night and the night before, and I'm probably still a little tired."

"Come on, Maria," Maxim said, leaning over to her a little way. "You can't get tired from dancing."

"Max," she said, looking at his face. "I love dancing, and I won't quit until I'm exhausted. It can get me more bushed than playing tennis."

"I can drag you from the floor before you get exhausted."

"You can't," Maria said, again smiling. "Nobody can drag me out from a dance, not even Gerardo or Javier."

"Let's give it a try," Maxim said. "Why don't we bet on a koala tee?"

Maria laughed. She was wearing a tee shirt with koala bear prints. "My God. Max, and what will you lose?"

"Anything you like, Maria. I'm calling your bluff on your claim."

Maria raised an eyebrow. "Let's go, Max," she said. "I have another koala bear tee in my luggage I bought for my little sis."

A couple of hours later at the disco, Maxim knew he was going to lose his bet. Whenever he tried to drag her off, she would move to another guy on the floor. He started using another tactic and held her close in his arms, twisting their bodies together to the beats.

His new tactic didn't work well, because the disc jockey just kept playing fast beat pops. Also, Maria danced in a quick tempo and her swing was quite wild. Maxim couldn't keep up with her, and occasionally had to retreat and leave her to dance with other people on the floor while he had his drink and a break.

Finally when the DJ played a slower song, Maxim quickly held her in his arms. He held her closer and closer. A while later Maria whispered in his ear, "Max, this is not going to work. I'm still not leaving."

"I know," Maxim also whispered in her ear. "I've given up. I've lost. I'm just enjoying the dance." He pulled her even closer to him, enjoying the sensational feeling of her breasts throbbing against his chest. His move was a rather risky one, because unlike dancing apart, this was an act that had crossed a friendship line. Maria had a boyfriend, which made this move even a more forbidden one. However, Maxim had a feeling he might just get lucky.

Maria didn't push him off. "Max, you're not dancing with me," she blew air into his ear. "You're seducing me, aren't you?"

Since she wasn't rejecting him, Maxim went further. He brushed her earlobe with his lips a few times before he spoke, "Does it matter as long as you're enjoying?"

"Am I?"

"Are you not?"

Maria chuckled, "Max, what are you losing anyway? I'm giving you a chance to pick your own losing bet."

"Either my virginity or yours."

Maria slammed her forehead on his shoulder as she laughed. "Oh, my God, Max," she said. "You're so direct and funny. And do you think I'd believe in your virginity?"

Maxim knew he had made it. He pressed himself even closer against her, and ground his hardness against her hips. "Does it matter?" he breathed into her ear.

"Max," she whispered. "This is too much." But once again, she didn't reject him, and let him keep rubbing his hardness against her.

"Maria," he breathed in her ear. "You should blame yourself, because you're so beautiful. I was attracted to you the moment I saw you. I've been thinking about you all the time."

"And I guess you say this to every girl you've met," she said, as she wrapped her arms firmly around his neck.

"No, I swear," he replied, and began to glide his lips along her cheek.

From Maria's reaction, he knew she wasn't buying his sweet talk, but she liked it. Gerardo was probably not a sweet talker or a romantic guy. She let him kiss her on the dance floor, then left the disco with him, and followed him to his hotel room. Her koala bear t-shirt was still a little sweaty when he pulled it up over her head. Because of the dark complexion of her skin, Maria didn't have a very contrasting bra mark like some girls he had been with. This made a very pleasant view when he caressed her breasts.

Maria liked teasing him. She pushed him into the bed and began licking his body, but left his hard cock unattended. She giggled when he forced himself onto her and rubbed his cock against her thighs. "I like you doing this," she cooed. "Don't stop."

Maxim didn't follow her wishes this time. His cock needed a pussy very badly. He put on his condom and then half-forcefully got himself in between her legs, before he started pushing into her wet pussy. Apparently Maria also needed a cock very badly, as she immediately thrust her hips up to take his cock inside her.

From her dancing style, Maxim had expected Maria to be a wild chick in bed, and she didn't disappoint him. She didn't just lay back to enjoy, but raised and swayed her hips like she was dancing in the bed, giving him a very different and exotic sensation as he shoveled inside her. Maria was also a loud moaner. Maxim couldn't hear his own heavy breathing at all.

Maria was nearly screaming when he went over his edge and blasted off inside her. Obviously she wasn't there yet, and as soon as Maxim had recovered, he had to give her oral sex. He was glad he had remembered to use a condom. For him, the slightly weird taste of the rubber and lubricant was still better than his own ejaculation.

Maxim had another two shots inside Maria's pussy before they were done for the night. It was nearly three in the morning when they snuggled up against one another for their sleep. Maxim was glad he had lost all his matches in the tournament because he couldn't possibly win any match after fucking Maria.

He watched three matches on Saturday: Marlene advanced in her Australian Open Junior Qualifying; Maria lost in the same event -- and her tournament in Australia was over; Lindsay also lost in her third round match to a seeded Frenchwoman. It was already a great achievement for Lindsay, as she wasn't even a professional yet. That night, Maxim took Maria to his room to console her by bringing her to orgasm a couple of times.

Marlene was eliminated on Sunday when she lost in the second qualifying round. After a brief moment of upset, her mood changed to a brighter one planning for her tourist, spectator, and cheerleader duties.

-------

Maxim and his doubles partnership both made it into the third round of his first ever junior Grand Slam tournament. Maxim defeated an Australian wild carder in the first round and then a Swedish player in the second round. Both these opponents had major problems dealing with his serves and he won both matches in straight sets. Glenn and Ishii were eliminated in the second round.

Maxim was playing 'Big Cannon' Maliki once again in the third round. This was the last amateur tournament for Maliki, and Maxim knew the big server was very keen on taking home the trophy. He and Byrnes had a discussion before his practice match with Glenn. "You did pretty well last time," the coach said. "You've improved a lot. I think you can beat him this time."

"Thanks, Coach. I'll try, but I think it's quite hard."

"Did you see what Maliki's biggest problem was?"

"What?"

"Volley."

"You gotta be kidding."

Byrnes chuckled. "I'm not kidding. Junior players improve very fast. But they usually can't improve everything at the same pace. His volley is his killer weapon, but he still has problem dealing with short dipping strokes that get very close to him. He's not a very quick runner. His half volleys are, well, still a laugh."

Maxim re-ran Maliki's matches in his mind. "Yeah, I think you're right," he said. "Damn, Coach, why didn't you tell me last time?"

"Max," Byrnes said. "I can't tell you things I haven't seen yet. I don't have the time to watch all the matches. Besides, knowing his weakness and being able to beat him on his weakness are two different things. Now get your ass to the court and treat Glenn as if he's Bobby."

Byrnes then asked Glenn to volley while Maxim practiced hitting short shots near Glenn's legs. "Is this how you're going to deal with the cannon?" Glenn asked him during a break.

Maxim chuckled with Byrnes. "I hope this will work," Maxim said.

Even though Maxim had a plan for Maliki, he still lost the first set. The situation became worse when he was hit with a point penalty for a repeated code violation after kicking the ball out of the court following a miss, thus losing a service game. He began cursing both the umpire and Maliki loudly in his heart, which worked. He won the second set in the tiebreaker. It was Maliki's turn to lose his temper in the final set. He was penalized for verbal abuses after he failed to handle Maxim's nasty dipping shots time and again. Maxim won the third set and the match.

When they shook hands after the match, Maxim said to Maliki, "Good luck in your pro circuit, Bobby, you'll need it more than your serves." He then turned away and walked to the umpire as Maliki glared at him from behind.

Coach Byrnes did give him a little harsh time for his loss of temper that caused him a game in the second set. But since his opponent returned the favor at a more important moment, Maxim pretended to show remorse but actually ignored him.

That evening, he went for a walk and a little shopping with Maria and bought her a necklace. Maria didn't sleep with him as she wanted him to save his energy for his crucial match the next day.

The German player Kai Koehler, who was playing against Maxim, was the fourth seed of the tournament. Maxim cheered in his heart when he broke one of Koehler's service games in the first set, and went on to win the set. Unfortunately things took a turn for the worse after Koehler saved a tough shot early in the second set. Maxim didn't know what had hit him. He started playing terrible tennis and lost the remaining two sets badly. He was eliminated, and he was beaten by Koehler in all their match-ups.

Byrnes consoled him afterwards. "It's your first time in a Grand Slam, kid," he said. "You've already done great." He paused. "Do you know I rarely compliment people using the word great?"

Maxim chuckled. "Yeah, I know that. Thanks, Coach."

Byrnes also chuckled. "So start working on the next tournament, Max. Look ahead."

Maxim spent the rest of his days in Australia watching matches, hanging around with his friends, and going out with Maria. Koehler, who beat Maxim in the quarter-final, went on to win the Boys' championship.

Maxim and Maria had another passionate sex session during their last night in Melbourne. After licking his chest for a while as they rested, Maria said, "Max, I probably won't see you again until the US Open. At least call me up once in a while or write to me. I like hearing your sweet talk even though I don't believe in it."

Maxim chuckled with her. "I thought you'd be going to the Banana Bowl."

"I think not," Maria sighed. "This trip has used up a big chunk of my budget. I'll have to pick my overseas trips very selectively. I don't have SAMS at my back like you do."

"I can hook you up with SAMS."

"Nah," Maria said. "At this stage, I'd rather have a college on my back. I can still turn pro after college, that is if I can make it. Max, say some sweet things to me now."

"Are you still wet?"

Maria giggled. "Can't you check it out yourself?"

"You are, Maria," Maxim said as she moaned from his exploration. "How do you want it, sweet or spicy hot?"

She giggled again, "You're crazy, Max. Use the corn syrup. I loved it when you sucked my big toe."

"Not suck here?" he said, prodding a finger into her slippery pussy.

"Oh, God," Maria moaned. "Oh, mine. Oh, there, too."

-------

The Omnicianni team took their flight back to San Francisco on Monday. Maxim noticed both Nick and Lindsay were also traveling on the same flight. Maxim followed Lindsay when she walked toward a coffee shop at Sydney airport during the layover. Lindsay stopped and looked at him. "What do you want, Max?"

"I don't have any money left," Max said. "Would you buy me a cup of coffee?"

Lindsay laughed. "My goodness," she said. "You're such a pig. Okay, just this time, remember."

Maxim paid for the coffees and started walking back to the lounge with Lindsay, who had been laughing since Maxim took his money out. "Max," she said. "You're not just a pig. Don't you blink when you lie?"

"Nah," Maxim said, grinning. "I'm gifted."

"Well, Max," Lindsay said, smiling. "I offered to pay, but you declined. So no second chance. I couldn't care less what you say next time."

"I don't care, either," Maxim shrugged his shoulder. "Girls change their mind fast."

Lindsay shook her head. "Are the other cups for Nick and Marlene?"

"Yeah, and Coach, too," Maxim said. "I'm a pig. I'm a jerk. But I've got a big heart."

Maxim parted with his coach and friends at San Francisco airport and took the Rapid Transit back home where he had parked his car. He had lunch and a chat with his mother before she went to her restaurant. He also gave her a koala bear keychain he bought. His mother laughed when she saw the cute thing. She kept the gift but told Maxim she wondered if she would ever use it.

When Maxim distributed the same cute gifts at the Academy that evening, the responses were much more appreciative. After all, the kids and young teens might stick to the gift for a little while before switching to another new toy.

Some of the students, including Elena, had just come back from a national event. Elena didn't get a trophy from her latest tournament, but she still made it into the quarter-final before she was defeated. She was happy with her performance and was even happier when she saw her koala bear keychain. She immediately swapped her only key from her existing chain to the new toy.

Maxim found Daniela and gave her a keychain. "What did Nick buy you, honey?" he said.

"None of your business, Max," Daniela said, chuckling. "And thanks for the keychain. Know what Marlene gave me?"

"Kangaroo tank, what else?"

She motioned him to lean over. "Kangaroo undies," she whispered. "Wanna see?"

Maxim quickly nudged her arm. "Let's go."

Daniela giggled and slapped his arm. "Not even in your dreams, Max."



-------

Chapter 18


Maxim went to Celine's house for their weekly afternoon tea gathering on Friday. He couldn't differentiate between good or bad tea. In fact he couldn't tell between good or bad coffee either. As long as they were strong, it was fine for him. He noticed that Robert felt the same way.

In the midst of their chat, Robert asked to see Celine's photo album. Maxim's heartbeat surged when he thought about the private collection photos Calvin had taken for her. Celine brought them a few albums, and put an odd size album in Maxim's hand. "This is part of Calvin's works," she told him.

Maxim quickly flipped open the cover. Celine was very beautiful in the portraits, and the dresses she had on fitted her very well. She looked both elegant and charming in all of them. However, none of them showed any part of her body that Maxim hadn't seen before. When he raised his head, he saw Celine smiling slyly at him.

Robert had finished browsing the album Celine gave him, and exchanged his with Maxim. The new one Maxim got contained regular family photographs. Both of Celine's parents looked charming in a classical manner. Calvin was talking with Robert about the photographic techniques he used. "Eye shadows are too thick," Robert commented while studying one of them.

Both Celine and Maxim leaned over to look at the picture Robert was referring to. Maxim thought she was just strikingly beautiful in it, but Celine agreed with Robert. "Yeah," she said. "I realized it afterwards, too. But overall speaking the photo was nice, so I kept it." The two of them began looking through the rest of the album, discussing the style of her make-up in each photograph.

Maxim felt a little bored while flipping through the other albums. He also felt a little stupid being unable to discuss Celine's beauty with her. He wished she would learn to play tennis, so he could dominate their chats. "I've got another similar album," Celine told Robert. "Let me go and get it."

She came back with another album and a white letter-size envelop. "You look a little bored, Max," she gave him the envelop and the album to Robert. She then leaned over to Robert and discussed her portraits with him and Calvin.

As soon as Maxim pulled out an 8x8 portrait sheet from the envelop, he gaped and raised his head. Celine glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes and gave him a tiny smile. In the picture, Celine was sitting on a couch with her legs crossed, tilting a little way from the camera. She was wearing a snow white loosely tied bathrobe that reached her mid-thigh. The front of her robe was decorated with braided trim and was slightly open towards the far side, exposing a small portion of her left breast, her waist, and nearly all of her thighs through the chink.

Maxim stared at the sexy picture, gulped and felt his heart throb. He also knew he was developing a bulge. When he raised his head again, he realized the three of them were all looking at him. They chuckled at him when they saw his expression. Robert leaned over to study the picture. "Very nice," he said. "A natural color lipstick is much more appropriate for this."

Maxim didn't really know if Robert was more concerned about her lipstick color or was hiding his own feelings. Celine turned to Calvin. "Do you still have the negative?" she said.

Calvin took the portrait sheet from Maxim and looked at the back. "Yeah, I do," he said, smiling. "You want me to print him one, Celine?"

Celine smiled at Maxim. "You keep this one, Max. I can tell that you like it."

Maxim chuckled. "Thanks. Yeah, I like it. I wish I could see more."

Celine giggled. "I bet you do," she said as the other two guys laughed.

Robert leaned over again to carefully study the photograph. "Frankly, Max," he said. "I think this is the best. This is what sexiness is all about, isn't it? Your brain's creating images, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Maxim said. "I'm creating images. Aren't you, Bob?"

"Of course," Robert chuckled.

Maxim wondered if Celine would have shown him the portrait sheet if they were alone. He was pretty certain he would do anything, including the use of force, to see more of Celine's body if nobody was around.

-------

Miss Mills didn't look very happy when Maxim saw her on Saturday afternoon. "How come Mr. Pecor and you are never in town together?" she asked.

Maxim was taken aback, as Rudy didn't tell him about his faked excuse. Maxim knew he was in town, probably taking Joanna out. Miss Mills looked at his face briefly, then sighed. "Don't say anything, Mr. Khimin. Let's start. How are your readings and homework?" Her expression began to ease off when she saw he had finished them.

It seems Miss Mills knew Maxim began losing attention when the sky started turning dark. "Maybe we'll stop here, Mr. Khimin. When is your next trip?"

"Not until March. I'm skipping the February events to get better prepared for the tougher ones ahead. I'll be coming until the Spring break."

She had a small smile on her face. "I'm glad to hear that."

He leaned forward, and lowered his voice. "Are we having coffee today?"

Her smile disappeared instantly. "You know, Max," she said softly. "I think I have a headache."

Maxim knew what she meant. He took a couple deep breaths. "Okay, Miss Mills, you go and get some rest."

Miss Mills got up onto her feet and started packing her stuff away. She paused for a while, then turned to him and lowered her voice. "Same spot?"

Maxim nearly laughed. He nodded and packed his stuff, walked out with his teacher in silence and split up downstairs, before going to their usual meeting spot.

On their way to Santa Cruz, Maxim asked his teacher, "Why aren't you wearing the bracelet?"

Miss Mills chuckled, flashed him a glance, and took the bracelet out of her pocket. She gave him the chain and let him put it on her right wrist while driving with her left hand.

"You always have it in your pocket?" he asked after he'd finished.

She didn't answer him. "I've been rather busy lately. I'm rewriting and typing my manuscript."

"So you're going to publish it?"

"I don't know. I'll need a lot of luck and a lot of time. I'm also prepared to lose my entire dignity." She chuckled.

Maxim also chuckled. "Hey, Miss Mills, have you ever played video games?"

"No. Are you going to show me? Where?"

"Hmm, well, every cinema has a video game corner."

She burst out laughing. "Max, I've already said no twice before. Don't try to fool me."

"We don't have to watch a movie."

"Max, you need a ticket to go inside."

"It's still matinee hour. I'll pay for the ticket and the game."

When they walked out of the cinema a couple of hours later, Miss Mills said, "Max, I think you cheated. You knew 'Little Women' was still playing, didn't you?"

"I swear I didn't. But it's pretty good, isn't it?"

"It is," she said, then sighed. "But I really hate myself."

"Do you prefer shooting or racing games?"

They didn't spend much time playing the video games. Miss Mills stopped playing racing game after a few crashes. She also insisted Maxim finish her shooting game after she'd wasted her first ten shots. After the games, they went for dinner at a bistro along a local highway.

After the food had been ordered, Maxim suggested that his teacher should take off her eyeglasses. She seemed to have a mental struggle for a little while before she finally took off her glasses slowly and put them in her handbag. "Happy now?" she said, looking at his face.

He chuckled, "Miss Mills, you're much more attractive without glasses, do you know?"

She smiled, but quickly dropped her head. "Max, stop calling me attractive, please. You, well, I don't like it."

"Which word should I use, then? Sexy?"

She almost slammed her head onto the table laughing. "I've never been called sexy in my entire life."

"I think you are," Maxim said, smiling.

"All right, Max," she said, with a small redness coloring her face. "Enough." She stopped for the waitress to serve their food, then went on. "You told me you won't be graduating high school when your tennis scholarship expires. So what are you going to do, abandon high school?"

"Most of us don't finish high school," Maxim said. "A pro doesn't need a high school diploma to play, and even pro coaches don't need one. Some of them hire private tutors, though."

"I hope you won't abandon yours, Max."

"Will you tutor me if I turn pro?"

"No. I'm not sexy enough," she said with a sly smile.

Miss Mills was a small woman, and naturally she didn't have huge breasts. She also always wore the same style of blouses and knee-high skirts at school. Maxim had never seen her in any other attire. He actually didn't know how sexy his teacher could get, although he liked watching her blush when he teased her. He began staring at her chest while thinking. The teacher glared at him when she found out where he was looking. "Max, take your eyes off me."

Maxim chuckled, and then took out his last koala bear keychain and put it on the table in front of her.

She also chuckled. "Thanks, Max. But what am I going to do with it?"

"It's a keychain. Use it like a keychain."

She thought briefly, then took out her Chevy keychain. She took her keys out of it and snapped them into the new one. "Happy now?" she said.

"Yeah," he smiled at her. "Hey, Miss Mills. Can I call your Gail?"

She became very uneasy instantly. "Yes, I do mind. Please don't."

"But you're calling me Max."

"I'll change it from now on."

He leaned forward a little. "What if every time you call me Max, I'll call you Gail."

Miss Mills nearly spat out her food. She covered her mouth as she quickly swallowed, then started laughing. "All right, call me Gail, but please don't do it at school."

"Gail is a nice name. Do you know that?"

She glanced at him as she smiled. "Every name is a nice name."

"So, Gail, what're we doing after dinner? Why don't we go skating?"

"No," Gail chuckled. "Not again, Max. You need to get back to your residence right after the dinner."

"Don't worry about it, Gail. It's Saturday night, nobody really cares. I also have a secret way of getting in."

Gail shook her head as she laughed. She saw the waitress came over to their table. "Enough, Max. Do you want tea of coffee?"

The teacher ignored his plea for going to other places after their dinner. She took her glasses from her handbag when they were inside her Chevy. Maxim put a hand on her wrist, and she turned to look at him. "Max, I need my glasses to drive."

Maxim leaned over a little. "Gail, can I kiss you?"

Gail shifted back a little. "Max, you're out of your mind!"

Since his teacher wasn't screaming, and didn't slap him, Maxim knew she would if not for their status. He leaned over a little more while pressing her arm down, but Gail started shifting toward her door. Maxim reached over and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her into his arms. "Max," she breathed. "Please stop. This is insane!"

When Maxim overcame her and had her in his arms, she stopped struggling. She just leaned feebly against his arms and pleaded softly for him to stop. Ignoring her plea, he moved his lips over her, but Gail turned her face away from him. He began brushing her cheek with his lips, and could feel her strength draining as he glided his lips toward hers. She had stopped trying to escape.

After Maxim had brushed his lips over hers for a brief moment, Gail began reacting. Once she started, it was like a volcanic blast. She sucked his tongue forcefully into her mouth and licked every taste bud on his tongue. She dropped her glasses into her lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her hands began to rub his back vehemently through his coat, whilst she breathed heavily onto his cheek.

Gail regained consciousness the moment Maxim's finger touched her breast through her polyester blouse. She pushed Maxim off at once and turned away from him. While adjusting her breathing, she picked up her glasses and put them on, and then put her hands on the wheel while staring ahead. All Maxim could hear was the sound of their breaths. He also noticed her hands on the steering wheel were shaking.

After an eternity, Gail buckled up and started the engine, ignoring Maxim's apology, and not saying anything herself. Maxim didn't know what to do. He quietly put on his seatbelt and kept glancing at her as she drove.

His worry turned into astonishment when he saw the car pull into a motel parking lot. He swung his head to look at her, but her face was still emotionless. She stopped her car near the reception lobby entrance, then turned to him. "Stay here," she said, before getting out of the car and going inside.

Maxim waited for nearly 20 minutes before Gail came back out of the glass doors. She got into the driver's seat and drove toward the accommodation blocks, still without a word. Maxim's heartbeats became faster, while Gail drove slowly and checked the room numbers on all the doors. She stopped in front of one of them and gave him the key. "Don't lock the door," she said.

Maxim got out of her car and went over to the motel room. He entered the room and left the door slightly ajar. His heart seemed to beat even faster now. A little later Gale slipped in, and immediately locked the door behind her. She then leaned her back against the door, and stared straight ahead in silence for a while.

"This is insane," Gale finally said, in a barely audible voice. She slowly took off her glasses and carefully put them into her handbag. She also took out a few small wrappings from the pocket of her coat as she walked toward the bed. Apparently she had to spend extra time buying these consumables after renting the room. She dropped the condoms on the bed and then came back to Maxim, walking extremely slowly.

Gail stood in front of him, and looked at his chest for a long while. Maxim's mouth had been dry since she came into the room. He knew what was going to happen, but he didn't know how to start, as it was his first time with her. She raised a hand slowly to touch his chest, gliding from below his collarbone down to the tip of his sternum. Her soft touches generated pulses of pleasure down his spine, which he hadn't experienced since the first few times he'd had sex. She then looked up into his face, and whispered, "Do you know I can't do this with you, Max?"

Maxim opened his mouth, but he couldn't make a sound. His mouth was too dry. It took him a while to split his words out in a coarse voice. "I want it, Gail. Don't you?"

She flung her arms around his neck, and pulled his head down to her. She began kissing him passionately without hiding her emotion. They struggled to remove each other's coats in turn as their tongues dueled. He then held her in his arms firmly, and felt her pressing her breasts against his torso.

They both breathed heavily once their lips parted. She slowly unfastened the top two buttons of her blouse. "I've told you, Max," she said softly as she looked at his eyes. "I'm not sexy."

"Gail," he said, as he reached his hands over and started to undo the rest of her buttons. "You're very sexy."

She gave him another small smile as she watched him strip her. Her expression was rather nervous. Maxim slid the top part of her blouse off her shoulders when the visible buttons were undone. Her shirt fell off her arms and hung behind her back by the part still tucked inside her skirt. She shivered slightly when Maxim ran his fingers tenderly along the edge of her bra, sliding towards the clasp.

Despite her tenseness, Gail didn't try to hide her breasts from him once he had removed her bra. "You're beautiful, Gail," he said, looking at her petite breasts which stood firm against gravity. Her swollen nipples looked a little bigger against her breasts. "I'm drooling."

Gail giggled and her tenseness started to vanish. She reached behind herself to unfasten her skirt. Maxim waited until her skirt began to slide down her legs, and then ran his fingers over her breasts. She started quivering once more and closed her eyes while her breathes became more rapid. Maxim pulled her close to him, and kissed her again while fondling her breasts.

After a while, Gail reached her hands between their bodies to open his shirt and pants. She then began stroking his cock eagerly on the outside of his briefs while moaning delightedly into his mouth. Her face was flushed red when they parted again.

Maxim resumed caressing her breasts, while Gail slipped her hand into his briefs and gripped his cock, stroking it furiously. She looked at his tent with her hand inside and whispered again. "You know, Max, you're probably a little too big for me, so please be gentle."

Maxim knew while he was a good size, he was far smaller than those gigantic cocks he had seen on porn movies. He didn't know if this was her way of turning him on, or whether her previous partners were very small. Anyway, her words and her strokes had turned his already hard cock into an enormous barrel about to explode.

Maxim pulled her into his arms again, and held her close while inching his way to the bed. He laid Gail on the bed and bent down to loose his shoes and socks. He then pulled his underwear down while glancing at Gail. He could see an obvious damp spot on her white panties under her groin. She stared at his cock, before she started to roll her panties down her hips.

Gail had a very light complexion, and she didn't seem to have been exposed to much sunlight, so there was nearly no tan lines on her body. His eyes had a very smooth transition moving from her thighs to her dark brown forest. Maxim gulped again as he slid her panties off her feet and removed her shoes. He then climbed into the bed and leaned over to her.

He began licking her blossoms, fighting her grip to pull him to her face. "Max," she grunted. "For Christ sake, give it to me now." She started pulling him more forcefully.

Maxim chuckled in his heart. He never knew his introvert teacher could act so horny. He slithered his body toward her face and kissed her, while stroking her arms and rubbing his cock against her thighs. She also rubbed her entire body against him, giving him a sensational body massage. When they parted from their kiss, she already had a condom in her hand. She tore open the package and rolled the condom over his cock, then let out a sigh and slowly spread her legs wide, while looking at him keenly.

Maxim went atop of Gail, and she reached out to take his coated cock in her hand, guiding it toward her pussy. Her eyes showed ardor and anticipation. He slowly inserted himself into her as she also raised her hips to meet him. She locked her eyes on him, and gripped his waist with her hands. "Oh, Max," she moaned when he reached her bottom. "Oh, Max!"

Very soon Gail's articulations halted when Maxim started pumping vigorously insider her. She still fixed her eyes on him, but her mouth was opened slightly, breathing noisily or moaning. Gail was so small each time their groins slammed together, she seemed to be cracking into pieces.

Even though Maxim couldn't feel anything from inside her, he knew Gail came awfully fast. Her eyes went blank and she clenched her teeth and wound nosily through her throat. Maxim slowed down a little until she had recovered from her tensed ecstasy. She was still laying flat on her back when Maxim resumed his speed thrusting in and out of her.

"Give it to me, Max," she panted, raising her hands to his neck, and pulled her head up while holding on to his neck. She began nibbling and biting his shoulder. Maxim shoveled faster and harder into her, pushing her half-lifted body closer and closer toward the headboard.

Gail gripped his neck forcefully when he made his final thrust and shot inside her. He wasn't sure if she came again. He pressed his groin firmly against hers as his ejaculation subsided.

Gail lay in total silence with Maxim after they separated. She didn't react when he started stroking her arm and kissing her hair. After a long while, she sighed, "Max, I don't know what happened. This is so wrong. I'm sleeping with my student, and he's even a minor."

"Doesn't matter, Gail," he whispered. "I want you, and you want me, don't you?"

She chuckled dryly. "Of course I do." She then went silence again. "Max," she spoke again. "This is still insane. I'll lose my teacher license and go to jail."

"No," Maxim said. "You won't. Gail. Nobody will know. I'll spare my life to keep you out of trouble."

She smiled at him with slightly misty eyes.

Maxim leaned over to kiss her eyes, then slowly moved toward her lips. She turned her face away when he touched her lips. "No, Max," she said softly. "We can't do it again."

"Yes, we can, Gail," he said, while cupping her cheek to turn her face to him. "We've already done it. It doesn't matter anymore." He sealed her mouth with his. Once he prodded his tongue into her mouth, she melted, and began kissing him passionately once more.

"Promise me, Max," she said when he was putting on a new condom. "This is our last time."

Their last time became the second last when Gail woke up the next morning with him on top of her.

"Gail," Maxim said while they were showering. "Have you ever, you know, done it with... you know, your..."

She chuckled. "Oral sex?"

He also chuckled. "Yeah."

"No, Max. We'll not make mistakes again."

"Have you?"

"My ex made me try, but it didn't quite work out."

"Why?"

"Max!"

He chuckled again. "Okay. So, that's it?"

"Max, I've only slept with two men in my entire life, my ex and you."

"He's small?"

Gail giggled. "Well, smaller than you."

"Much smaller?" he grinned at her.

She giggled again. "Much smaller. Enough, Max."

Gail took Maxim to breakfast and then drove him back to his academy. She was a little hesitant when they were near the Academy's gate. She asked Maxim, "Do you mind if I drop you a little further away from the gate?"

Maxim knew what she meant. He didn't want to be seen getting out of her car near the front gate during the day as well. He remembered the small street he'd once parked his car overnight in. He showed her into the street. Gail refused to kiss him goodbye in broad daylight. She smiled at him and then drove away.



-------

Chapter 19


Maxim returned to his residence and spent some time on his schoolwork before he went to the cafeteria for lunch. He found Marlene and went over to her table with his food. "Marlene, how come I don't see you much this week?" he said. "Are you cheating on me and going out with someone else?"

Marlene kicked his leg as she laughed. "Gee, you're getting worse everyday, Max. Didn't I tell you that I'm taking another two half courses at Davenport?"

"No. Why are you taking more courses? You're not going to have enough time."

"Of course I have enough time, Max," she said, smiling. I don't fool around like you do. But..." She paused and gave a sigh before continuing. "Max, you've just made pretty good progress at the Aussie Open, but I'm still struggling. I can't get into either of the main draws. I haven't even won a G-Five. I need to get prepared."

"That's because you haven't been trying real hard until lately. You've improved a lot since the Sugar Bowl. Go out with me tonight and you'll... Ouch!" He halted, and bent down to rub his leg as she chuckled.

"Max," she said. "I don't have a lot of time left. I'll be seventeen this summer, and if I can't get good results this year, I'll have to go for plan B."

"Plan B? Like marrying me?"

She shook her head after she tried to kick him once more without any success. "Gee, I'd rather marry Chuck. Actually, I'd rather marry a pig."

"I'm a pig."

She bent down laughing. "Gee, I forgot that."

"Where's Chuck, anyway? Why isn't he here with you?"

"He went home Friday night. Someone in his family is getting married. When he comes back, I won't need your car anymore. He can drive us around."

"Oh, he's getting a new car? And you're dumping me for a new car?"

She giggled. "He won't demand a reward like you do."

"Marlene," Maxim leaned over a little. "I never asked for a reward."

"You forced it. That's even worse!"

"Come on, Marlene," Maxim said. "I only did it once. I've already apologized three million times. I'll drive you around anytime you want without any reward."

"I don't trust you," she said, smiling. "But I'll think about it."

-------

During the most part of the week, Maxim had to deal with another machine at practice. The cannon shot balls to both sides alternated while he ran like a mad dog and hit shots to different zones on the other end of the net. Byrnes stood by the net and logged the shots going into the various zones. Maxim was starting to hate the machines and his coach more and more.

He saw Rudy Pecor at Davenport on Saturday afternoon when he was reporting for his History tutorial. "I thought you were in Columbus," he said to Rudy.

"Sprained wrist," Rudy said. "I've to skip Columbus so I won't get worse. The National Open is more important. That goddamn History teacher was so happy when she knew I wasn't going to Ohio."

Maxim chuckled. "No wonder you're here. He then waved at the senior students when they came out of the classroom, and they also gestured back. Since they saw Maxim every weekend when he was in town, they had become a little friendlier towards him. Rudy nudged his arm. "I like that brunette. She's so sweet. Do you know her name?"

Maxim shook his head. "No. We've never talked. I thought you're going out with Jo?" He lowered his voice. "Have you used those rubbers yet?"

"Nah," Rudy whispered. "I've yet to be with her alone. She's driving me nuts."

Maxim chuckled as they went into the classroom. Miss Mills was indeed happy to see Rudy as well. She began her lesson right away. When the sky started getting dark, Maxim began to worry. He wondered how he could communicate with his teacher about their private follow-up episode. The teacher acted normally and didn't display any emotion on her face. She didn't even hint to Maxim about anything before she split with her two students in the hallway.

When Maxim went back to his residence, he called Gail's phone number. "It's me," he lowered his voice. "Are we going out?"

"I'm sorry, Max," Gail said over the phone. "I'm not feeling very well."

"Headache again?"

She chuckled. Then Maxim heard her breathing for nearly half minute. "Max, I'm still bleeding," she finally said.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

She chuckled again. "I'm having my period."

"We can just have coffee or something like that. I'll buy you a coffee this time."

"Max," she said in a slightly laughing tone. "You know you want more than that."

"We don't have to do anything. I like just going out with you."

There was another long pause from the other end of the line. "Where I dropped you off last time?" she said.

Maxim smiled at the phone when he hung up. He put on his jacket and rushed to the small street where Gail had dropped him off the previous week. She pushed him off when he attempted to lean over for a kiss. "So, Mr. Khimin," she said, smiling. "Where are we going?"

They went to see a movie again. Maxim knew the teacher loved going out with him despite all her restraints. She was wearing perfume which was uncommon for her. She didn't even mind him holding her hand and putting it on his lap when it was dark enough in the cinema. After the movie, they went to a Chinese restaurant.

Gail kept on insisting she had a boring life, but she never tired of telling Maxim the details of her childhood and adolescent life. Her father and elder brothers all did very well in sports at school, and she wanted to follow them. Her failure made her somehow unpopular with the people she wanted to stay with, and she became a lone bird for the rest of her high school life. "That's why I went to Utah for college," she said. "It was kind of getting away from my previous life. That's where I met my ex."

"Why didn't you have a kid with him?"

"Max, I was only twenty three when I married him. We were too young. I was still working on my teacher education. I wanted a career."

"Oh. I thought he couldn't."

Gail laughed. "Max, you don't need to be, I mean, really big to have a child. I, um, I was happy with him in that department. I never complained."

"Are you happier with me?"

Gail giggled. "Max, stop this. I knew you were going to talk about this kind of thing. Have you had many girlfriends in the past?"

"Nah, only a few. I get dumped easily."

"I guess it's you who dumped them," she said, and smiled at him. "You're pretty manipulative, do you know that?"

"Have I been manipulative with you?"

"Are you going to play in the French Open? I think they also have a Junior tournament, am I right?"

"They haven't decided yet. It depends on how I'll be doing in the March trip. Have I?"

"So you're going to Wimbledon?"

"Hopefully. Have I?"

She dropped her head laughing. "And you're very persistent, do you know that?"

"I love seeing you blush, Gail."

They finished their dinner with Maxim still teasing her. When they got back into her car, Maxim stopped her from putting her glasses back on again. He leaned over to kiss her. She had a brief kiss with him, then pushed him off. "Max, we're in a public place."

"Are we going to a private place now?"

She giggled. "Max, I've already told you of my inconvenience. We're going back."

When they were near the Academy, Maxim talked, pleaded, and persuaded Gale to drive into the parking area of an office block. "Now what?" Gail said with a knowing smile.

"Can I take off your glasses for you?" Maxim said. He then leaned over and took off her eyeglasses and put them above the dashboard. He unbuckled both their seatbelts and pulled her into his arms. They started kissing passionately.

"Oh, no, Max," she moaned when he began fondling her breast. "Not today." She slipped an arm in between their bodies to stop him.

"Don't you like this?" he said while pulling her closer to him.

"Max," she breathed. "You're getting yourself too excited."

"I already am," he said, then grabbed her hand and put it over his groin.

She giggled when she touched his bulge through his pants. "Let's stop it and go back."

Maxim held her tightly in his arm and guided her hand along his hardness. "I like this," he said, sniffing her fragrance. "Don't you?"

"Max, is this why we are here?" she said, bouncing her fingers tenderly over his tent.

"No, Gail," he said. "Of course not." He let go of her hand and started unzipping his pants.

She chuckled. "No? Be honest, Max!"

"I'm honest, Gail," he said, as he pushed her hand into his pants, then started kissing her hair, gliding his lips toward her ear. "Why didn't it quite work out?" he whispered. "I mean the oral with your ex."

Gail struggled to pull her hand out of his confinement, but he kept pressing and holding her hand still. "Max, this is insane!" she said. "I can't do that with you here."

"Why didn't it work?" he whispered, and started to run her hand over his tented underwear.

"Max," she breathed. "I gag easily. I choked. Now please stop."

"Gail, you didn't have to take it all the way. I think your ex was too hard on you."

She chuckled. "Oh, my God, Max," she said. "Now I know why we're here. No, Max. We're still in a public place."

"You can't even see my face," he whispered. "It's so dark here. Please, Gail?"

Gail became silent while running her fingers along his shaft under his guidance. "You're insane, Max," she whispered.

She didn't resist him when Maxim pulled her closer to himself. Maxim loosed his waist belt and opened his pants. He then raised his hips while pushing his pants and briefs down. "Give me a hand, please," he said.

She chuckled again. "I think I'm out of my mind," she said, as she helped him slide his pants down his legs. Half reluctantly, she leaned over to him as he shifted towards the front a little. She kept on stroking his cock for a while before she lowered her head down to his groin. She kissed the tip of his cock, then began to lick it while taking his glans in between her lips.

Maxim brushed her hair with his fingers while she worked on him. She continued giving him cheering stimulations but kept it only to the very front part of his cock. A few times Maxim had to fight his instinct of pushing her head down to take him deeper into her throat. He also guided her hand to slide along his shaft and to his sack. His breathing became rapid and heavy as Gail began applying more pressure with her lips.

When Maxim felt his balls convulsing, he wavered between warning her or pushing her head down further. Gail also faltered when she felt his urge. She loosened her lips momentarily as he began shooting into her mouth. In an apparent reflex action, she raised her head a little, before she closed her lips again to keep his seeds from flowing out of her mouth. Despite her effort, a mix of his semen and her saliva had already began to seep down his cock.

The moment he was finished, Gail rose from his crotch, and reached for her box of tissues. She quickly spat his ejaculation out onto the tissues, then let out a sigh. Maxim also pulled out a few sheets of tissue to clean himself up. He glanced at Gail, who was staring at her dashboard in the darkness. She didn't seem to have enjoyed the whole process.

Maxim knew how to rectify it. He leaned over again, held her in his arms, and started kissing her. It took him a brief moment to get used to the weird taste of himself in her mouth, but the kiss rekindled Gail's passion.

After the kiss, Gail said, "Max, please don't make me do this again. I'll do anything with you behind the doors, but it scares me to death doing it in public places. Will you promise me?"

He lifted a hand to caress her cheek. "Okay," he said.

"So, are you happy now?"

"Are you?"

She chuckled. "No, I am not."

"I want you to be happy, Gail," he held her in his arms again. "Tell me what to do."

"All right, all right," she chuckled again. "I'm happy. How's that?"

-------

Before his dinner on Tuesday, Maxim went to the Academy's administration office. He saw Mr. Omnicianni coming out of the building entrance, and told the old man he was looking for Mr. Hackman.

"Mr. Hackman's left, Max," said the old man. "What can we do for you?"

"I just need him to sign something. I'll come again tomorrow."

"What is it, Max?" he said, and started walking toward the courts. "And are you in a hurry? I also want to talk with you for a while."

Maxim followed the old man. "It's a student credit card application. I need Mr. Hackman to certify my status here."

"I'll sign it," he said, and took the form from Maxim. "Lend me your back, Max, will you?"

While Maxim turned around as Mr. Omnicianni signed the form on his back, he heard the old man talking. "Max, do you know how much interest they charge you on the unpaid balance? You'll go bankrupt before you can start paying them back." He then gave the signed form back to Maxim.

Mr. Omnicianni started walking and continued, "Watch out on what you spend and what you can pay. Now tell me your latest plan."

"Thanks, Mr. Omnicianni. I'll watch out," Maxim said, walking with the owner and hiding his impatience about the old man's preaching of financial planning. "Coach Byrnes is still working on my schedules. He told me my tourney schedule for the summer hasn't been fixed yet. He wants to see how I perform at Asuncion and Banana Bowl."

The old man kept on walking for a little while before he responded. "Did you know Ted Singer watched your match against Maliki at the Aussie Open?"

"No. I didn't know he was there," Maxim said. He knew Ted Singer was SAMS' Senior Vice President of Worldwide Tennis Operations, but Maxim had never seen him before.

"He was," said the old man. "He talked with me a few days ago on the phone. He liked your performance, even though you almost blew it. He also liked your style. He said you reminded him of McEnroe's fiery on-court temperament. It's not good for your tennis career, but good for spectator attraction."

Maxim chuckled with the old man and waited for him to continue.

"He wants more exposure for you. You're going to Europe no matter what. In fact you're going to Japan instead of the Easter Bowl. But..." The old man paused and turned around to look at Maxim's face, before he went on, "Max, you're already seventeen according to ITF rule. You won't get many chances. You screw up a few, and you'll be out altogether. Ted won't give a damn about you if you're not marketable anymore. Understood?"

"Understood."

"Work harder, Max. Talent doesn't guarantee anything."

After finishing his discussion with the principal, Maxim went to the dining hall for his meal. He saw Elena waiting for him, and they had dinner together. "Anything new?" he asked.

"More pictures," Elena said, and showed him her tournaments photographs which he hadn't yet seen.

"Nice," Maxim said, as he checked her photos while eating. "You're the prettiest among the Twelve girls." He glanced at the smiling girl. "Hmm. I didn't even know Jo had bought a new skirt."

"She said Rudy bought her. Max, is she Rudy's girlfriend?"

"Hell if I know," he said, chuckling. "I don't even know who's your boyfriend."

Elena also chuckled. "Of course you are, who else?"

"Oh," he said, smiling. "So am I supposed to also buy you a skirt?"

"I'm only eleven. Only a few of us wear skirts. They're the older and taller girls."

"Okay. Are you going to learn to swim this summer? I'll buy you a bathing suit."

"I don't know."

"What does that mean?"

Elena snickered. "Yeah, I'm going to learn swimming. But I don't want you to spend money buying me more stuff. Mamma will buy me one."

"Elena, you grow up fast. I'll buy you one this year. It won't fit you next year, then it's your mom's turn. Okay?"

She smiled at him. "Okay."

After dinner, Maxim saw Marlene and Daniela dragging Chuck towards the parking lot. He quickly went over to them and asked, "Where are we going?"

"To see his new car," Marlene said. "Are you coming?"

"Of course I am," he said, and followed them.

Chuck had a brand new red Hyundai coupe. "Nice," Maxim said. "But why not a Celica?"

Daniela poked Maxim in the temple. "Because he's a Korean. His dad's a Korean. His mom's a Korean."

"Okay. Sounds fair," he said. "So, Chuck, are you also going to marry a Korean? Please do. Then Marlene will have no choice but to marry a pig."

Chuck and Daniela laughed while Marlene chased Maxim for a kick before they got into Chuck's car for a ride.

-------

After the previous week's experience, Maxim started planning his Saturday itinerary better. He called up Miss Mills on Friday evening to fix their post-tutorial episode. He didn't kiss Gail in the parking lot after their dinner, because he knew where she was taking him.

The moment Gail locked the door in a motel room, Maxim took off her eyeglasses and kissed her ardently while caressing her all over her body. She moaned softly into his mouth while he stripped her. But when he starting to push his cock into her pussy and forgot to use a condom, she screamed and struggled off him. They had to separate to put on a rubber before they resumed.

Gail laid her head on his chest while resting in the bed after their vigorous sex. "I don't know what to do, Max," she said softly. "Teaching is my dream job. I had wanted to become a teacher since I was a little kid. But what am I doing now? I'm sleeping with my student. I blew him in a parking lot. And I shamelessly told him I was horny about him."

Maxim chuckled as he ran his fingers along her skin. "Do you like it with me, Gail?"

"I don't like it, Max," she sighed. "I love it, but... But it's so wrong."

"Hell with wrong," he said. "Gail. Remember what we did last week?"

"Oh, my goodness," she gasped, raising her head to look at his face. "You want that again?"

"No," he said. "Has your ex ever done that for you?"

"For Christ sake, No!"

"You don't like it?"

"Max," she said, chuckling in a pink face. "That is, well, I don't know. I, well, no, I won't do it. I won't let you do it to me, for Christ sake."

"Gail, I want you to be happy. I only want to do it to make you happy."

She giggled. "Max, you can make me happy very easily."

"Gail, let me please you," he said and started to turn her over.

She groaned as she struggled and closed her legs. "Please don't, Max. Please."

"Didn't you say you'd do anything with me?"

Gail lost her strength. "Oh, my God, and now another forbidden thing," she sighed.

Maxim smiled at her, then leaned to kiss her, slowly working his way down her body using the technique Severine had taught him. Gail began to moan softly as he lapped and kissed her entire trunk. She became tense as he approached her groin, and reflexively closed her legs. Maxim had to go around and lick her thighs, giving her more stimulation before her other reflex took over.

The moment Maxim licked her fold, she started to quiver. Her quiver never faltered, and her moans became louder. Her tremble became stronger when he intruded inside her silky tunnel. By the time he returned his tongue to her folds with two fingers up inside her moist and warm burrow, she was shaking.

Maxim believed she came the moment he prodded his tongue into her hood and found her clit. It seemed like she had at least one micro-orgasm whenever her clit was licked. By the time Maxim finished eating her and crawled to check her face, she was lying feebly in the bed breathing with some difficulty. Her face was flushed red, and her eyes were rather dull. Maxim kept on stroking her cheek and hair while she recovered.

Gail lay on top of Maxim and kissed him fervently when she had gathered enough strength. She then snuggled against his chest and laid her head there, licking his pecs. "I think you're very happy, Gail," Maxim said.

She didn't answer, but kept on licking him. "Gail?" he said, stroking her neck.

She giggled. "All right, I'm very happy. Satisfied now?"

"Did you like it?"

She took a couple of deep breaths. "No, I don't like it, Max. You almost killed me." She giggled again. "Do you want me to do it for you again?"

He lifted Gail up a little and looked at her face. "Do you know what I want to do now?"

Gail held her laugh. "Tell me, Max."

Maxim held her face to his nose. "I want to fuck you, Gail."

She was taken aback, then mocked a disgusting look. "Max, you don't talk so boldly to your teacher."

He smiled at her and released a hand, gliding down her back to her ass cheek. "Hell with teacher," he said. "Gail, do you want me to fuck you?"

She chuckled. "Yeah," she said softly.

"What do you want, Gail?"

"Enough, Max!" she said, and hit his chest with a fist. She then turned her face away from him. "Fuck my brain out, Max." she cooed.

After their pre-breakfast fuck the following morning, Gail asked him, "How many girls have you been with, Max?"

"A few," Maxim said. "But I've never wanted to please anyone more than you."

"Max, I know you can talk really sweet," she chuckled. "You know, I'm nearly twice your age, but I seem to know nothing about sex compared to you. Did you use to have oral sex a lot?"

Maxim also chuckled. "Nah. I met a girl last year. She, well, she's a sex goddess." He laughed with Gail before going on, "She knew everything about sex. She taught me this. But it was painful having sex with her."

"Painful?" Gail said, and laughed.

"Yeah," he said after his laugh. "She knew how to stop me from coming. I mean, it took more than an hour, wait, I think one-and-a-half to two. It's very excruciating!"

She covered her mouth gaping. "My goodness," she giggled. "You can last that long? I'd have been dead."

He leaned over to her. "How long could your ex last?"

Gail giggled again. "I'm not telling."

"Come on, Gail," Maxim said, tickling her.

"Okay, okay," she pleaded, while twisting her body. "Not as long as you can. Happy now?"

"Far less?" he said, smiling.

"He's a quickie," she laughed. "Happy now?"

-------

During his lunch later that day, Maxim and his friends decided to ride in Chuck's new car to watch a movie. While inside the cinema, Maxim pointed at the video game corner and said to Chuck, "Pop corn and drinks?"

Maxim had never seen Chuck play video games before, but he believed he had a pretty good chance. However, he knew he was toasted halfway into the shooting game. Chuck played like a SWAT team sniper, and hardly missed a shot. After their contest, Chuck gave him a triumphant smile while Marlene and Daniela laughed at the loser.

Maxim glared at the girls. "Let's play a game," he said to Daniela. "I get a smack if I win. You get a polo if you win."

"Reebok?" Daniela said. "I don't want Prince. Who knows how many obsolete promos you've kept."

Maxim chuckled. "Okay, Reebok." He then played a game with Daniela. He purposely played like a fool and lost a polo to Daniela. He then made up a miserable expression and turned to Marlene. "I swear I'll beat you, Marlene."

"I'm not betting anything with you, Max."

Maxim turned to Chuck. "See," he said. "This chick doesn't have the gut for anything, any challenge. No wonder she's always at the bottom. She'll never win even a G-three title."

Chuck and Daniela laughed while Marlene glared at Maxim. "I'll buy you a headband or a cap if I lose," She said.

"Marlene," Maxim said, holding his laugh. "When have you seen me wearing a headband or a cap?"

"I'm not giving you a smack."

"You're talking like you've already lost, Marlene. I think we don't even have to play. You've lost."

Marlene chuckled with Daniela. "Max," she said. "This is not going to work." She paused as she thought about it. "Okay, on the cheek."

Maxim didn't argue. He took the coins from Chuck's hand and put them into the machine. He played a game with Marlene and beat her easily. "Where's my kiss?" he said to the loser with a victorious smile.

Marlene glared at him. "Turn your face," she said. "Hands at your back."

Maxim chuckled and did what she told him. He got a peck on his cheek. This was actually a rather expensive and connive plot for a very lame reward, but it was the process and the teasing that he enjoyed.

After the movie, Daniela said to Maxim, "Can I change it to a hoodie? I doubt if I can wear a Reebok at our tourneys."

"Sure, if you put it on so I can see where my money goes."

Daniela chuckled. "Sure," she said. "Do you want to come into the fitting room, too?"

"Nah," Maxim said. "I'm a gentleman. Chuck, the mall, please."

"You a gentleman?" Marlene chuckled. "The world's changed." She turned to her friend. "Daniela, why did you give him the chance?"

"Because he won't do anything to me," Daniela said with a sly smile. "Nick will skin him if he goes too far."

"Will Nick skin him for me?"

"Will you sleep with Nick?" Daniela said. "What?" she asked when she saw Maxim, Marlene, and Chuck all start laughing. "Oops." Her face turned red as she covered her mouth snickering.

After Daniela had picked her sweatshirt at the sportswear store, Maxim took one out of the rack Marlene was looking at. "Do you like this one, Marlene?"

"No," she said. "You're not buying me one."

He leaned over a little. "Marlene," he whispered. "I'm buying you one to apologize. I played a trick."

"I knew it," Marlene said, glaring at him. "You're a dirty pig."

"So, Marlene, orange or gray?"

"The pale green pullover one," she whispered. "And I'm not wearing it for you to see."

"Come on, Marlene," he said as he picked up the hoodie with the pattern she indicated. "Okay, okay. I won't even get close to the fitting room."

Marlene chuckled with Daniela as she checked the size of the garment he gave her, before going into the fitting room.

Maxim whistled at the girls when they came out of the fitting room and showed the guys their new garments. "Chuck," Maxim said while nudging the Korean's arm. "Your turn now. Offer them a sport bra each, please."



-------

Chapter 20


On Thursday, most of Maxim's friends had gone to the California regional tournament of a national event near Los Angeles. He felt a little lonely after his school and practice. He also couldn't make any progress with Celine during their gatherings. The evil goddess spent more time talking with Robert, but occasionally gave Maxim a few teases and treats. Maxim hated the situation.

Miss Mills was going to a coworker's baby shower on Saturday evening, so there was no post-tutorial episode either. She had however agreed to take Maxim along when she went to her museum tour on Sunday. When Maxim called his teacher on Sunday morning, it took her a while to answer the phone, and she had a rather coarse voice. "Sorry, Max," she said. "I'm still in bed. We went to a coworker's flat for some drinks and a chat afterwards. I think I drank a little too much."

"So are you all right?"

She thought for a moment. "Max," she said. "I, well, I don't think I'll be able to make you happy today. It's all right if you have other plans. I think I could use a little more sleep."

"I don't need that," Maxim said. "If you still want to go to the museum later, I can drive."

She chuckled, then said softly, "How sweet. Well, why don't we make it at twelve-thirty? I'll drive. I don't want to walk from that small street all the way home."

Gail came to pick up Maxim and they went for lunch in Santa Cruz. It was the first time Maxim had seen her in a casual dress rather than the working attire she usually wore. "Gail," he said. "You look younger, cuter, and prettier in this dress."

She smiled at him. "All right, I know," she said and took off her glasses. "Happy now?"

"I meant it, Gail."

"Should I put my glasses back on?"

He chuckled. "No."

"Well, Max," she said. "I'll have to put on my glasses when we're at the museum. And remember, don't stay too close to me. I don't know if we'll see someone there. And also remember, no motel tonight. Are you okay with these wishes?"

He chuckled. "Do I have a choice?"

She chuckled and glanced at him. "It's good to know I still have a little control over myself."

They finished their meal and went to the Museum of Art and History. "I've been here once before, actually," she told him as they browsed through the collections. "But it was like an orientation tour. I didn't get to see much."

"I've been here once before, too," he said. "With the girl I mentioned. I was very bored."

She chuckled. "Then why are you coming again?"

"To be with you."

"Enough sweet talk, Max," she said, with a contented smile.

"I'm honest."

She smiled again. "Okay, I trust you. So are you spending your entire Spring break in South America?"

"Yeah, leaving on the first day of the break. Where will you be?"

"I'm going home for a week. My mammy's been having some health problems lately. I want to see how she's doing."

"I'll miss you, Gail."

"Okay, Max," she smiled and lowered her voice. "I'll make sure you get very happy next time. Satisfied?"

He chuckled. "I'm always happy when I'm with you. Did I tell you I like your dress?"

She chuckled. "It's a cheap one, and I'm not showing anything, because I don't have anything to show."

"You know that's not true. You see me drool over you all the time."

She covered her mouth as she giggled. "Lower your voice, Max."

By the time they finished their dinner, it was nearly nine in the evening. Gail gave him a brief kiss before she took him back to Santa Arcata. When they were near the Academy, Maxim again asked her to drive into the office block parking lot. Gail chuckled. "Oh, my goodness. You want that thing again? You've promised me never again."

"No, Gail. Not that thing again. I swear."

She sighed, and took them into the empty parking area again. She took off her glasses and chuckled, "Now what, Mr. Khimin."

Maxim unbuckled them both from their seat-belts, then pulled her into his arms to kiss her. Gail returned his kiss eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pulling herself into him. After a while, Maxim slide a hand down to her hip, then began caressing her leg over her cotton dress. When he reached her hem, he moved his hand underneath it, exploring her silky skin.

Gail's breaths had become rather heavy. She parted from his lips. "Don't, Max," she whispered. "I'll do whatever you want next time."

Maxim pulled her closer, and whispered in her ear. "Tell me you don't like it, and I'll stop at once." He stuck his tongue into her ear.

Gail became frail as he kept on licking her ear. He also ran his hand deeper and deeper into her dress, gliding his fingers closer to her crotch each time. He could feel her strength diminishing while his cock was getting harder. When his finger touched the edge of her panties, she jolted. "No, Max," she said as she leaned back. "Not here." She pushed him off.

Gail took a few deep breaths. "Okay, Max," she said with a chuckle. "We're going to a hotel now. You really are a hell-boy."

"No, Gail."

She turned to look at him in the darkness. "No?"

"Gail, let's get into the backseat."

"Oh, my goodness," she gaped. "You're out of your mind! I can't do that. Do you know what will happen if a cop catches us?"

"Nobody will see us, Gail. Come on." He reached over and tried to lift her up.

"No!" She grabbed the steering wheel and clung onto it.

Maxim quickly got out of the car and moved over to her side. He opened her door and started pulling her arm.

"Please, Max," she pleaded as he pulled her out of the car.

"Come on, Gail," he said. "Don't tell me you've never done it in the car."

Even though she was in a struggle, Gail still chuckled. "I've never."

Maxim also chuckled. "Give it a try, Gail." He opened the back door.

"No, please."

"Gail, why don't we just do it here?" He grabbed her dress and started pulling her hem up.

"Oh, my God," she breathed. "Max, you're insane!" She slapped him on his hand and quickly got into the backseat of her car. Maxim smiled and followed her inside. "My goodness," she chuckled. "Max, you're totally insane!"

Maxim smiled again, and leaned down to seal her mouth. He also resumed stroking her thighs, and eventually reached her panties. He went upwards a little until he felt her waistband, and she jolted again. "Max, please stop," she said, while pushing him. "I don't have a condom with me."

"I have," he said.

"Oh, my goodness," she gaped again. "You've planned this."

"No, Gail," he said. "I'm a teen. We all carry condoms."

"Oh, God. What kind of world has it become," she giggled, and also held her arm when he tried to reach behind her to unzip her dress. "Max, I'll let you do it, but please let me keep my dress on. I don't want to get caught naked."

Maxim smiled at her and reached both hands inside her dress to remove her panties. He then undid his pants and freed his cock. "Have you ever done it in a dress, Gail?"

"No, for Christ sake," she giggled again. "And I've never wanted you to be a quickie more than now."

"You'll love it, Gail," he said as he lifted her dress and positioned himself between her legs, before he reached into his pocket to get the condom and put it on. Whatever Gail had been claiming, she was very wet as he slowly inserted himself into her. He reached her bottom in a smooth drive, paused while he leaned forward to her, and then started to pull out.

Gail wrapped her legs around his hips with her knees astride his waist. She didn't make a sound, but clamped on to him with her hands and legs. She seemed determined to do all she could to make him come faster. The excitement generated more energy for him and he began shoveling faster and harder, fighting her clamping each time he withdrew.

Gail started losing her determination and clamping. She also started moaning loudly, as she pushed her groin to meet his thrusts. A little later she began digging her nails into his waist muscles, pulling him closer to her as he shoveled. He began pounding her forcefully when he felt the urge, then started experiencing the thrill as a quick jet of steam delivered into the tiny pocket of his condom inside her warm pussy.

"You're truly a devil from hell, Max," she panted. "Do you know that?"

"Do you like it, Gail?"

She chuckled weakly. "My student has just fucked me in my car. I don't know what to say."

"Do you love it, Miss Mills?"

She chuckled again. "Yes, I love it, Max. Are you happy now?"

After a rest and tidying up her dress, Gale returned to the driver's seat. Maxim also returned to the front seat. She reached for the glove compartment and took out a wrapped box. "Max, this is your birthday gift," she said. "Happy birthday. I won't see you until afterwards, so I have to give you it a few weeks early."

"Thanks, Gail." He leaned over to kiss her. "I'll miss you a lot."

"Of course you will," she chuckled. "Next time tell me beforehand what your plan is. I'll try my best to entertain you."

"My plan is simple, Gail. To make you happy."

She shook her head. "Yeah, and it scares me to death each time. I hope you like the gift. It's an electric shaver. You beard is starting to grow fast."

He opened the gift box. "I like it. Thanks again, Gail." He leaned over to kiss her again.

She smiled at him after the kiss, then started the engine and took him back to his lodgings.

-------

The players who went to the national tournament came back very late on Monday. The next morning, Maxim saw Anthony Shyu when he came out of the bathroom, so he grabbed the Chinese and asked him about the results. "I lost in the second round in three," said Anthony.

"Still good, Anthony," Maxim said. "You didn't even score a game last year. How about the others?"

"Marlene won the Girls' Eighteen. Your little sis lost in the Fourteen's quarter-final. Can I use the bathroom now?"

Maxim changed his clothes and went to the cafeteria for breakfast. Marlene hadn't looked so happy for quite a long time. She didn't even reject him when Maxim gave her a peck on the lips.

"Oh, my goodness," Marlene said, still beaming. "I haven't been so happy for a very long time."

"Wait until you wake up in the morning in my arms at the Day's Inn."

"Gee," Marlene said, slapping his arm. "Can't you be a little nicer to me on my happy day?"

Maxim chuckled. "Okay. Congratulations." He turned to Daniela. "How about you, and the rest?"

"Well," Daniela said. "Marlene beat me in the third round, then beat Joanna in the semi. Chuck lost in the quarter-final."

Maxim then saw Elena and excused himself from his friends to go and talk with his little sister. She was as happy as Marlene was even though she had been eliminated in the quarter-final, as she had been playing well. She just didn't have the strength and experience that she needed just yet.

When Maxim returned to his friends' table, he asked them where was Rudy. "I don't know," Daniela said. "I think he's still blaming himself. He hasn't been able to get into the second round for a while."

"Another bottleneck phase," Maxim said. "He'll get over it. Don't worry, Jo."

Joanna chuckled. "I'm not worried about him. I'm worried and concerned about my own progress."

During the week, Maxim and his friends spent most of their practice time on clay courts as the tournaments they were going to go to were both played on dirt. American players generally grow up on concrete hard courts, which call for a very different playing style than on clay, where sliding instead of stepping into a hitting position is a key tactic. The softer and slower surface especially affected Maxim's efficiency a lot, as his serve-and-volley style didn't suit this surface well.

Since Glenn and Lawrence weren't going, Maxim was going to team up with Chuck in the doubles, and they had to practice that as well. Maxim knew the new combo wouldn't get good results as they played in very different ways. Maxim had an aggressive style, whereas Chuck almost never went to the net.

On Thursday, Byrnes told Maxim that he had been granted a wild card to play at a Satellite tournament -- the lowest level men's professional event -- at the end of March. Since the tournament was also played on clay surface, Maxim's experience on his South America trip would become very helpful.

-------

The next afternoon, Maxim went to Celine's house for their last weekly tea gathering before the Spring break. He found out Calvin wasn't going home. "Why, Calvin," he asked the attractive guy. "And what will you be doing here?"

Calvin chuckled. "Max, it's three hundred bucks for the flight. This is not a big holiday. I'll be working at a photo-finishing store for two weeks and I'll make four hundred bucks."

Maxim had long forgotten Calvin didn't come from a wealthy family like his Vincent Costello schoolmates. He glanced at Celine, who didn't seem to endorse Calvin's decision, but she didn't say anything either.

"What about you, Bob?" Maxim said.

"I'll be going to Detroit for a couple of auditions before I go home," Robert said.

"Poor Celine," Maxim said. "So lonely. Why don't you go to Paraguay and Brazil with me?"

Celine chuckled. "Why don't you come to New York with me, Max? I'll be lonely. I really hope you can be with me."

Maxim knew he had just dug a hole for himself as Calvin and Robert laughed. "Well," he said. "Do you guys need a ride to the airport, instead of leaving your cars there for two weeks?"

"Thanks, Max, I've already booked an airport limo," Celine said. "Anyway, I got something for you." She went over to a cabinet and took out a small box, then gave the wrapped box to Maxim. "Happy birthday, Max, I won't see you until afterwards. I hope you'll like this." She then gave him a peck on the cheek. Calvin and Robert also gave him their birthday gifts.

Robert then asked Maxim, "So you're playing some junior amateur tournaments in Paraguay and Brazil, and then you'll be playing a men's pro tournament in Florida. How do you split between amateur and pro status?"

"I'm still a junior amateur," Maxim said. "As long as I'm under nineteen, I can play at all junior events. They don't care if I'm an amateur or a pro. As long as I don't pocket any payments, I can play in either amateur or pro events."

"So you can't take the prize monies from the pro events."

"I can't. And honestly, a junior has very little chance against the pros."

Robert chuckled. "Well, good luck in winning the matches in which you can't pocket the monies."

The gathering was a rather short one, as Celine and Robert were both catching an evening flight at San Jose, and Maxim was going home before his flight the next morning. Later that evening, Maxim drove Elena home and stayed there for dinner.

He called up Maria Hernandez for a chat that night. He already knew from the entry list that she wasn't going to Paraguay and Brazil, but her boyfriend Gerardo Borja would be playing at Paraguay. Maria told him she had been working very hard on her school work so she could start college in the fall. "I miss dancing with you, honey," Maxim said on the phone. "I'm starting to look for a nice disco in Orlando."

Maria chuckled. "I bet you do. I haven't been dancing for a few weeks. Gerardo's been quite busy and he doesn't like dancing with me because he can't drag me off the floor. Maybe I should find another bad boy to dance with me to relax."

"Another bad boy?" Maxim chuckled. "I thought I was a good boy."

"Max," Maria said. "A good boy won't seduce me after knowing I already have a good boy."

"Well," Maxim said, laughing. "I guess I'm the worst bad boy on earth."

Maria also laughed. "Good luck at Paraguay and Brazil. Be careful with what you say to Gerardo. Oh, I hope he'll beat you at Asuncion."

"I'll take a roll of duct tape with me to Asuncion. I'll tape my mouth and my arms. How's that?"

Maria laughed again. "Max, you're the craziest bad boy I've ever met. Take care, honey. Stay safe, and don't take Gerardo with you when you go for the sexy Brazilian girls."

Maxim then called up his teacher for another sweet chat before he went to bed. He had breakfast with his mother the next morning before she drove him to the airport.

The flight to Asuncion, Paraguay, was worst than that to Asia and Australia. It took more than 18 hours with two connections. Maxim had never been so tired from traveling, but he wasn't the worst. None of his friends had the mood or the energy to talk to him when they eventually arrived.

Maxim saw Gerardo at the player's meeting, and the Mexican offered to buy him and his friends a drink afterwards. It was also Gerardo's first time in Paraguay, but since he spoke Spanish, he didn't have any problems communicating with the people there. He commented bluntly on Daniela's Spanish being 'Americanized', which made her blush a little. Gerardo also paid more attention to Chuck, who was from a background he knew very little about, than the nice looking girls.

During the chat, Maxim realized why Maria was sleeping with him in Australia. Gerardo was a very nice and friendly person, but he paid very little attention to girls and what pleased them. Like Maria had said, Gerardo was a good boy, while Maxim was a bad boy. Maxim believed Gerardo would make a good husband, and he knew he probably could never be a half decent one.

Maxim suffered a bad defeat in his first round match the next day. He played rather sluggishly, probably as a result of the tiring flight as well as his inability to adjust to playing on the clay surface. He lost to a guy way below him in ranking, and was the first of his team to be eliminated. Gerardo was also knocked out in the first round. The Mexican wasn't playing doubles, so he started hanging out with other Mexican players who were also out.

Maxim was a little relieved when he finally won his first ever doubles match with Chuck the following day. A couple of days later, Marlene was the only Omnicianni player left in the singles fight. When Marlene knew she was going to take on Lilia Anderson again in the quarter-final, she had an ugly look on her face.

"Don't worry, Marlene," Maxim said to her. "You've improved a lot. I think you can beat her. Wanna bet?"

Marlene chuckled. "I've told you a million times, Max. I'm not betting with you again in my entire life."

"Well," Maxim said. "I got another offer. Either you get your ass off to the practice court and hit with me now, or we go to my room while Chuck hits with Daniela."

Marlene chuckled again and kicked his leg. "Let's go for the hitting. Don't even think about your room."

Lilia Anderson beat Marlene by a wide margin in the quarter-final. To make things worse, Lilia and her partner also beat Marlene and Daniela in the doubles quarter-final. "I hate her," Marlene whined to Maxim after her doubles match. "I'll check next time. I'm not going where she goes."

"She won't go to my room, Marlene."

While Chuck, Joanna, and Daniela were laughing, Marlene removed her bag from her shoulder and started hitting Maxim with it. "Dirty dog, dirty pig, dirty jerk," she grunted as she hit him.

Maxim hung out with Gerardo and his Mexican friends later that day. None of the Mexican players were playing at the Banana Bowl, and they would be returning to Mexico as soon as Asuncion Bowl was concluded.

The Omnicianni team didn't watch the final day matches. They took their flight to Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Sunday for their next tournament. During the trip, Daniela told Maxim, "Nick called me last night from Indian Wells. Lindsay's announced that she is turning pro."

"Cool," Maxim said. "I gotta call her. Do you have her hotel phone number?"

"Nah," Daniela said, then chuckled. "But I have Nick's. They're staying at the same hotel."

When Maxim used his calling card to call Lindsay that evening, she had already left Indian Wells. Maxim didn't have Lindsay's home phone number, but he wouldn't have a problem finding it when he returned to the Academy. He went out with his friends to tour around the places near their hotel.

-------

Daniela was the first one out of the tournament this time after her second round loss. Joanna and Chuck joined her on the following day. However, both doubles pairs were doing very well, until Maxim and Chuck were beaten badly in the third round. Marlene had been pretty happy for two reasons: firstly, she had been playing very well in these two tournaments, possibly the best in her junior career so far; secondly, she wouldn't be meeting Lilia Anderson unless she could get into the final, but she didn't really expect that she could go that far.

Maxim lost his singles quarter-final, but it was already his best result, both in South America and on the clay courts. With nearly 200 ranking points which he had gained from Casablanca, the Australia Open, and the Banana Cup, he would have leapt from below 70 to nearly 30 on the world junior ranking, which wasn't far away from his target of 20. Besides, he had now learned that he could perform on clay courts, which was big news for his forthcoming European tournaments.

He watched Marlene and Daniela play their doubles quarter-final against a pair from Peru. The match was very close. During a change of court, Maxim realized the girl beside him looked very familiar. She was a member of the Brazilian pair Marlene and Daniela had beaten the previous day, and he had been drooling over her when he had seen her play. She smiled at him when she noticed he was studying her. Maxim quickly grasped the chance and started to talk to her. "Hi, Renata," he said with a smile. "Do you speak English?"

"Yeah, I speak some English," she said, returning his smile, while still studying him. She had mixed brown hair with blonde strands and an average build. "How do you know my name?"

"It's on your tank," he said, pointing at her top. She was wearing a very short light yellow tank top that was not much bigger than a bikini top, and matching dropped-waist hot pants of the same color. Her top had a big printed word in a cyan color.

Renata chuckled. "It reads Brazil," she said. "Not my name."

The players started to walk to their spots on the court, so he leaned a little closer to her and lowered his voice. "I'm Max. I'm a Russian. In Russian, Renata means Brazilian goddess."

Naturally she wasn't so naive to believe in his obvious joke. She glanced at him, still wearing her sweet smile. "You're not from Russia," she whispered. "You're from the US. Your accent." Her smile looked even more enticing when she glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

"I'm a Russian American. In the US, Renata means Max's goddess, and Fontes means driving Max crazy."

Renata covered her mouth while she chuckled. She seemed to enjoy his teasing jokes. "You're funny, Max," she whispered. "I remember now. Only two American guys in the tournament. You're with them."

"No," he said, making another inch closer to her. "I'm with you now. Renata, what fragrance are you wearing?"

"Clay and rain forest," she said with a playful smile.

"I love this fragrance," he whispered. "I think my sister will also love to have one. Do you know where I can buy it?"

Renata glanced at him a few times, apparently deciding if she should accept his indirect way of asking her out. "Come on, Renata," Maxim went on, nudging her arm. "I don't bite. I only nibble."

Renata once again covered her mouth as she chuckled. Maxim knew that she had accepted his invitation. He pulled her arm gently and left the court with her. He asked her to take him to a shop where he could buy some Brazilian dresses.

Maxim pointed at a dress with a psychedelic print baby doll top and with a big v-neck at the front. "How do you think this looks," he asked her.

"Depends on who wears it," she said. "It's not for everyone."

"Who else," he grinned at her.

Renata chuckled. "You get us all the way here for this?"

"I think you'll look gorgeous in it."

"Well, Max," she said, with a little hesitation. "I've known you for less than half hour."

"No," he said. "I saw you at the player meeting, and I've been attracted to you since then."

Renata giggled. "Max, I left right after signing in."

"You ever heard about love at first glance?" he said, winking at her. He then gave the dress to the shopkeeper and paid for it.

After Renata had accepted his gift, he asked her to take him to a cafe for a drink. He knew she liked chatting with him, and had no problem with his flirty behavior. "Renata," he said while sipping the aroma coffee that she had ordered for him. "Do you know that you speak exceptionally good English?"

"Thanks," she said. "I've spent quite some time on it. Even though it's not mandatory, it'll help with my study and career."

"What's your field of study, Renata. And do you know your smile's exceptionally sweet?"

She chuckled. "Thanks again, Max," she said. "I'm still in intermediate school, but I'm planning on studying medicine. This year of school is going to be very important, so this is my second last tournament of this year. I need more time for my school work."

"Where's your last one? Please tell me it's held in California."

"Unfortunately not," she said, chuckling. "It's the South American Closed right after this one."

"That's too bad, Renata. Do you know you look exceptionally sexy in your new dress?"

Renata laughed. "How do you know?" she said. "I haven't even put it on yet."

"I know, Renata. Are you going to let me see it?"

"Where?" she said, with a sly smile on her face.

Maxim knew it was another lucky day for him. In fact, he knew he was getting lucky when she left Esporte Clube Pinheiros with him. He didn't waste his time, and took her back to the hotel room he shared with Chuck.

Renata was even wilder than Maria Hernandez had been in bed. She took all the initiative once they were naked in his bed, kissing him, licking him, and straddling atop him. It was a rare and erotic view for him watching his cock slithering in and out of her pussy while she was rocking on top of him.

Maxim had a shower with her and then asked her to put on her new dress for him to see. She was indeed extremely sexy in it. The fact that she was wearing nothing underneath it made him feel even more sexy towards her. Before she finished posing for him, he was already lifting up her hem for another round of the pleasure ride.

They were still resting in his bed when the phone rang. Chuck was calling to ask if he could come to the room. It was an arrangement that they had made when they first shared a hotel room together to avoid embarrassment. Maxim then realized it was well past dinner time. He told Chuck to give him a few minutes while he and his girl got dressed and went for dinner.

When he returned to his hotel room after taking Renata back to her floor, he learned from Chuck that both Marlene and her pair had advanced to the semi-final.

All his female friends gave him scornful looks the next morning when they saw him. They didn't ask, but obviously they knew why he was missing for most of the previous day. Maxim couldn't care less though. He had made some noticeable progress in the clay court competition. He had helped the girls and Chuck with their practices. He had met a beautiful girl and had had great moments with her.

He did watch both of Marlene's matches that day. Unfortunately she lost both of them -- her singles and her doubles with Daniela. Both of the girls were still very happy though, because this was the farthest they had been to in a high level international competition. In fact they had surpassed Maxim, even though his achievement at the Australian Open was of a higher standard and recognition.

Maxim sneaked away from his team activities and went out with Renata that evening. He had dinner with her and a couple of her friends. Renata had some good news for him. Her roommate had left Sao Paulo, so she had a room to herself. Maxim followed her to her room. The moment she had locked the door, he pushed her to the wall and started reaching into her skirt and rolled her panties down. He then fucked his Brazilian goddess whilst still standing, just a couple of feet away from the door.

After their shower, Maxim went over to his clothes, put his hand into one of his pockets and took out a necklace he bought at Asuncion. He put it on for Renata. "Do you like it?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks, Max," she said, whilst smiling at her reflection in the mirror with Maxim standing behind her. "Where and when did you buy this?"

"Last week in Asuncion," he said. "The night before I left, I had a dream. Holy Mary told me I was going to meet a goddess in Brazil. You know, I prayed every night for this to happen."

Renata laughed. "Max," she said. "I admit it's both funny and sweet hearing you say these things. The bad part is though that they're so unconvincing. I bet you keep an inventory."

"Do you like hearing me more, Renata," he said, looking at the mirror which showed his hands still running over her breasts and waist. "Or feeling me more?"

"Do I have to pick one?" she said, leaning her back against his chest. "Or can I check all of the above?"

"Baby, I'm all yours," he said, as he rubbed his hardness against her ass cheeks, and then he pulled her into her bed.

The next morning, Maxim exchanged contact information with Renata. He was going back to the US that evening, and he wasn't sure if he would ever see her again. He believed Renata also knew it was going to be a brief encounter. Nevertheless, she still had a little nostalgic look on her face before they parted. They had a very passionate kiss for which seemed like an eternity before he left her room.



-------

Chapter 21


When the Omnicianni team had a brief layover at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport in Asuncion, it was almost 4 a.m. the next morning, and it was also Maxim's birthday. Daniela looked at Maxim with a knowing smile when he started following them around in the transfer lounge. "What do you want, Max?"

"You know what I want, Daniela. It's my birthday."

Daniela chuckled, then reached into her pocket and took out a small box. "Here you go, birthday boy," she said, and then leaned over to give him a peck on the cheek.

"Isn't that a little lame for my seventeenth birthday? I only get this once in a lifetime."

Daniela chuckled again, with her friends this time. "Well, Max," she said with a smile. "Whatever Marlene gives you, I'll follow."

Maxim turned to Marlene, who was glaring at her friend. "Turn your face, Max," she said when Maxim moved to her. "Hands behind your back."

He still only got a lame peck on the cheek, and another small box from Marlene. "That's it, Marlene?" he said. "Come on, how long have we been buddies?"

"You've got enough while you sneaked away," she said dismissively, and then quickly moved behind Chuck. "Whatever Chuck gives you, I'll follow," she chuckled.

Maxim ignored Chuck for the moment and went for Joanna, from whom he got the same treats. Chuck then also gave him his gift, but made sure Maxim wasn't going to do any gay moves on him.

They still had some time before the flight, so Maxim planned his response patiently. Eventually his chance came when Marlene and her friend went to the washroom. He followed from a distance behind and waited outside in the corridor. Marlene nearly jumped out of skin when she came out of the washroom and saw him there. "Oh, no," she gulped, "Help, Daniela."

"Come on, Marlene," Maxim said. "For Christ sake, it's my seventeenth birthday."

"No," she said, and started turning back towards the ladies room.

Maxim grabbed her arm before she could escape. "Please?"

"No," she said, while struggling.

He was about to pull Marlene into his arms when he saw Daniela coming out of the ladies room. "Oh, my goodness," Daniela said with a chuckle. "Why can't the two of you pick another spot?"

Maxim had loosened his grip, and so Marlene had managed to get away from him. She slapped Daniela's arm. "He's trying to force me," she said.

Daniela shook her head. "Max," she said. "Do you really want us to report you?"

"Well, hmm," Maxim stuttered. "I'm, um, I'm sorry, Marlene. I'm sorry, Daniela. It won't happen again."

Daniela and Marlene let out a sigh together. Then Daniela chuckled, and walked over to Maxim to give him a quick peck on his lips. "Happy now, birthday boy?" she said, then walked past Maxim, and turned around with a sly smile on her face.

Marlene blushed a little when she saw what her friend had done. She thought briefly, then instructed Maxim, "Hands behind your back." When he followed, she gave him another quick peck on the cheek, before she went away with a chuckle.

Maxim promptly followed her. "Damn, Marlene," he groaned. "That's it?"

Marlene turned around with a smile. "Yeah," she said as her smile grew bigger. "Do you think your attitude deserves anything more?"

"You're a meanie, Marlene!" he said with a crushed tone as he followed the duo back. "I hate you."

-------

Unlike their leisurely layover in Asuncion, the team's actions at Miami International Airport had to be quick. After clearing immigration and customs, the team rushed for different connection flights. Byrnes and Maxim were heading for Tallahassee, Florida for his first ever men's professional tournament, while the rest of the team was going back to San Francisco.

Most players at the Tallahassee Satellite tournament were a few years older than Maxim and had either just started on the professional circuit or had been professionals for a few years. None of them were ranked inside top-200. His first ever men's match opponent was a German with a 600 or so ranking, which meant their levels should be pretty close. For this group of players, the ranking generally reflected the number of tournaments played instead of ability. Another big difference among the players was experience.

To his surprise, the match was fairly one-sided. Maxim beat the German player in straight sets, and the win was actually easier than many of his junior matches. "Well done, Max," Byrnes told him after the match. "Actually, the first few rounds would be quite similar to the juniors. It gets much tougher in the later rounds. Many of them are, you know, not very good players. Most of the best juniors jump into higher level competitions very soon."

Later that day, the organizer held a community event for the kids. While it wasn't mandatory for every player to participate, it was a gesture they were expected to offer. Maxim was a nobody in the game, so he stood at the side watching the other more popular players doing their shows.

A while later someone tapped Maxim on the shoulder. It was a volunteer who was helping in the event. There were still many little kids left unattended, so the woman got Maxim involved. Usually, the players would try to teach the kids the correct form of hitting the ball, even though everyone knew it was an useless effort trying to fit it in five minutes.

When the volunteer wasn't watching, Maxim started to play kids' games -- which he learned while playing with Elena -- with the three six-year-old children he had been assigned to. Both Maxim and the kids playing with him were reluctant to go when the time was up.

After the event was over, the event's chairwoman came over to Maxim and talked with him. "It seems you enjoyed it as much as the kids," she said. "Do you play with kids often?"

"Well, I have a kid sis. She's eleven. Sometimes I play and hit with her and her friends."

The chairwoman chuckled. "Well," she said. "I hope I'll see you tomorrow at the clinic. We need more enthusiastic young men like you."

Maxim gave her his promise and then left the venue to hang out with some players he had befriended earlier.

His opponent in the second round was another German with a 450 or so ranking. Maxim was beaten this time, but he did win a set. Neither he nor his coach had expected him to do great in this event. A first round victory was actually a very satisfactory result for him. The victory also enabled him to participate in most grass-root events without having to rely on wild cards all the time.

Maxim went to the kids' clinic in the afternoon. The bigger name players were assigned to the more convenient courts with the most kids and media people gathered. Maxim and some other nameless players were assigned courts at the far side with less kids. This was actually good for Maxim and his kids, as he could spend a little more time with each of them. Since Maxim had been practicing his hitting with Elena and occasionally with her kid friends, for a couple of years now, he knew how to hit with kids better than many other pro players.

Byrnes had a little talk with Maxim after his community event. "I think you had a better performance here than on the court," he said. "And this is great, do you know?"

"No, why?"

"There are two aspects of pro tennis," Byrnes said. "On-court and off-court. A player who shows glamour off-court draws more media attention, and is therefore more marketable."

"So it's all about money in the end," Maxim chuckled.

Byrnes also chuckled. "Pro tennis is all about money, Max. But of course, if you don't get results on-court, you don't get to show glamour off-court, at least not for long."

They didn't stay until the tournament was over. As soon as Byrnes was able to get a couple of seats on a flight, they packed and returned to California on Thursday evening. Maxim split with his coach at San Francisco airport, and went to his father's restaurant to see his parents and also gave his mother a Brazilian dress he had bought for her. His mother gave him his belated birthday present and spent some time listening to his South America tour story.

That evening, he spent over an hour telling Elena his story again after she gave him a big birthday smack and a tiny gift. Maxim also gave her some postcards that he bought for her.

When he checked his mail at his residence, he found a birthday card and a letter sent by Misa Yamashita. He was glad he still had some Brazilian souvenirs he could send to the Japanese doll. He also plagiarized a romantic poem from a book and enclosed it with his return letter, even though he knew there was no romance at all between Misa and him. After he finished the letter, he thought about it, and then sent another couple of letters and souvenirs to Maria Hernandez and Renata Fontes, even though he knew they both were pretty much done with him.

-------

Maxim thought that Celine behaved a little unusual when they had their afternoon tea on Friday. She seemed to have been in a bad mood since coming back from her Spring break vacation. She didn't talk much with Calvin, and naturally not much with everyone else either.

Robert tried to stir up the atmosphere and joked about his experience in Detroit, but Celine gave him some blunt responses. Very soon, Robert claimed that he had something to do, then excused himself and left the house.

Maxim wasn't sure if Celine and Calvin had had a fight. He rarely got into such situations with his girls in the past, because the relationships were usually over before they could reach such a stage. Since the atmosphere was so odd, and there wasn't much to talk about, Maxim also left soon after Robert.

When Maxim met with Gail on Saturday after their tutorial, he gave her another Brazilian dress he'd specifically bought for her. Since she was so petite, he didn't pick a sexy design for her, but it was a very colorful one.

Gail smiled contentedly at him. "Thanks, Max," she said. "I don't suppose you'll want me to change into it now, do you?"

Maxim looked at her dress. She hadn't changed after their extra class yet. "Actually," he grinned at her, as she pulled her car into the main road toward the highway. "I think that's a brilliant idea."

Gail chuckled while glancing at him. "I kind of knew you'd say that," she said. "I'll think about it. Where are we going now, Mr. Brilliant?"

"Dinner?"

"And after that?" she said as she pulled her car onto the highway.

"We'll think about it?"

Gail chuckled. "No, Max, I know you have a plan. Tell me now."

"I'm not telling you now, Gail."

"I'm not going then, Max."

"Gail, have you ever worn a mini-skirt?"

"Of course," she said. "And please tell me."

"I think I'd love to see you in a mini-skirt."

She chuckled. "Max, you've seen much more than that already. And please, please, please, tell me."

"How mini were they?"

Gail started slapping his arm. "I'm not telling if you're not telling."

"Have you ever had sex outside?"

"Of course. But I'm not telling unless you tell first."

"Have you ever been to a beach?"

Gail swung her head around to look at him. "Oh, my goodness," she gasped. "You want that on a beach? No, I'm not going!"

"Have you ever walked on the beach in the moonlight, Gail?"

"No," she said slowly. "I came from inland places. I didn't get much chance to go near the sea, not even the lakes. And he wasn't a very romantic kind of guy."

"Where did you have sex outside, Gail?"

She bit her lower lip. "I'm not telling."

"Gail," Maxim said, and reached over a little to take her hand in his. "I've never taken a girl to the beach and walked in the moonlight. I think it'll be very romantic. Do you think so, too?"

Gail became silent briefly. "In the backseat with you," she said softly, then chuckled.

Maxim also chuckled. "Not before?"

"No," she was still chuckling. "Didn't I tell you I was scared to death? Do you know you've scared me to death twice?"

"Twice?"

"The first time when you forgot the condom, Max. I was very worried until my period came a couple of weeks later. Then you scared me to death again on the backseat. I'd been praying a cop wouldn't show up the whole time."

Maxim chuckled with his teacher. "Sorry, Gail. I won't scare you to death again."

She let out a deep sigh. "I hope. Now, Max, enough about me."

"How short, Gail?"

She burst out laughing. "I hate you, Max. About three inches above my knees. I don't have it now."

"You only had one?"

"Max, tell me about your matches in Paraguay and Brazil. Tell me about your English class. Tell me about, about anything. Stop asking me questions. And, yes, I'd love to walk with you on a beach, but I'm not going. I don't want to get caught having sex with my student on a beach."

Maxim knew he had to give in at times. He started talking about himself. Gail became buoyed up very soon. Towards the end of their dinner she was again flirting with him. She had even gone into the ladies room to change into the dress he bought her.

They had a kiss when they got back to their car after dinner. Gail put on her glasses, then said, "Which beach, and how do we get there, and don't you dare laugh."

Maxim held his laugh, and directed her to drive to a state beach about twenty five miles away. "Did I tell you I hate myself, Max?" she said.

Maxim found it amusing. He had slept with Gail a few times, but had yet to hold her hand while walking together. She always told him to keep a little distance in places they could be seen by others. There was nearly nobody on the beach, as it was still a little chilly in the evening. It was also quite a dim light out there underneath a half-moon.

The beach was about a mile long from end to end, and they started from the access point near the middle. It was a little windy when they got out of their car, so they both had their jackets on. Maxim didn't have to ask her, to know that Gail loved the ramble. She gave him her shoes so she could grab a handful of sand and let the grains shower down her from spread fingers. She crooned like a young teen. "You should've worn a mini, Gail," he said. "Matches your behavior better."

She chuckled, and threw the remainder of sand in her hand at his jacket. "I love it, Max," she said. "I love it here. I love the walk." She leaned her head against his upper arm.

"When it gets a little warmer, we can rent a tent at Half Moon Bay for a weekend."

"That would be nice, but... No, we can't. Max, there'll be people all over the camp site. You don't look old enough."

"We can go to a smaller place."

She let out a sigh. "Let's talk about that later. Do you come here often?"

"First time here. In fact I haven't been to a beach for quite a long time. Last time was probably before I came to the Academy."

After strolling along the beach twice, Gail said, smiling, "Maybe we should go now. Where now, Mr. Planner?"

Maxim dropped both pairs of shoes on the sand and held her in his arms. "You want to try a real outdoor thing?"

She chuckled. "I was right, wasn't I? You've planned for this. Max, it's a little too chilly and windy. Please. Let's go and get a room."

"No."

She laughed. "Please, big boy. I promise you we'll do it when it gets warmer, all right?"

"All right," Maxim said reluctantly. They picked up their shoes and began walking back to their car. When the car was within sight, he had another idea. He didn't go over to the passenger side of her car, but followed her to the driver's side.

Gale looked at him, then giggled. "Max, can't you wait a little? I honestly prefer a bed to the backseat."

"Not backseat," Maxim whispered as he leaned forward. He held her in his arms and began kissing her. He also started stroking her ass from the outside of her dress.

"Oh, Max," she said after the kiss. "Let's go now."

"Are you wet, Gail?" he said as he began stroking her more eagerly.

She giggled. "I don't know, maybe a little."

"Do you want me now, Gail?"

"Oh, God," she breathed. "Stop talking, Max. Let's go now."

Maxim whispered in her ear as he started gripping her dress below her ass, seizing and crushing the fabric into his hand, and lifting it up, "I want you now, Gail."

"Oh, my God. You want it here, not even inside."

Maxim began licking her earlobe as he pulled her hem-line up her legs. She started blowing air into his ear as she murmured to herself, "For Christ sake, nobody come, please." Maxim reached both his hands inside her dress and stroked her thighs from behind. He slowly ran his fingers upwards until he felt her waistband, and then began rolling her panties down.

"Let them go, Gail, and give me a hand," he whispered as her panties were rolled down her hips. She slowly wiggled herself out of her panties while reached for his pants. Maxim went on caressing her ass as she opened his pants and took his cock out. Maxim then reached behind himself for his condom. He couldn't find one.

Gail stared at him when she saw his expression. "What's wrong?"

"I forgot my condom."

She chuckled. "Just do it, Max. I'm on the pill."

"Gail, you should've told me earlier," Maxim said, and moved his hand inside her dress again. He cupped her ass, lifting her up a little, then lay her perching on the fender. "Gail, I want you so badly."

Gail took a deep breath as she guided him towards her spot of milk and honey. "I hate to admit, Max. I want you badly, too."

"You're very wet, Gail," he said as his tip was dampened by her wetness. He let her guide him to the right position, and began pushing inside her. "Oh, Max," she cooed as she pulled her hand out of her dress and pushed on the car hood to support herself. Even though a condom was just a flimsy layer, it seemed to make a big difference for Maxim to feel Gail's inside unhindered.

Maxim let himself stay at the bottom of her cervix for a moment, salvaging the sulky warm feeling she gave him. Gail slowly raised her legs and wrapped them around his waist. Maxim then slowly pulled out and pushed again. His movements were tender and dawdling at first while he experienced the unobstructed contact, and then picked up his tempo, also bringing more force with each shovel he made.

Gail's moan mixed with the squeaking sound of her car as it throbbed to his thrusts. Her legs also started to cramp him tighter, demanding more strength from him on each thrust and withdrawal. After a while, Gail slowly raised a hand to his shoulder, then another one. She clinched to his neck, resting most of her weight on him, and started moving her hips to his tempo. "Oh, no, Max," she grunted. "I'm dying."

Maxim went into a frenzy, and began pounding into her forcefully. Gail suddenly went still, and nearly lost her grip as he felt her body shivering. He lifted a hand to her back for the support. Moments later, he was taken over by a stream inside him spurting toward his tip. For the first time, he shot his seeds into her pussy without a condom.

He slowly laid Gail back onto the hood when she released her grip. She had also lowered her legs from his waist. "How do you like it, Gail," he said while moving his groin in small circles with his limping cock still inside her.

"I hate it," she breathed weakly, then giggled.

While Gail drove to find a motel, Maxim asked, "When did you start your pills, Gail."

She chuckled. "After you scared me to death the first time, Max. You forgot it once, you'll forget it again."

He also chuckled. "I love doing it without the goddamn rubber, Gail. I love feeling you."

She giggled. "I know what you love, Mr. God's-gift-for-Gail. You'll have the entire night to feel what you love."

-------

When Maxim returned to the Academy the next morning, he saw Marlene coming out of her residence. She glared at him. "Where have you been?" she said. "I've been looking for you."

"Just come back from Day's Inn with Daniela," he said. "What's up? Do you want your turn now?"

Marlene chuckled. "You're such a jerk, Max. Daniela's with Nick and Irene. She called me up and asked if I wanted to join them for lunch."

"You want my car, or my body?"

"Gee, I think I'll call her back and ask them to come and pick me up."

Maxim laughed, then apologized to her and drove her to a coffee shop to meet their friends for lunch. He already knew that Nick had lost in the first round at Indian Wells while Lindsay reached quarter-final before she announced she was turning professional. He asked Irene about her latest developments.

"I'm between okay and not okay," Irene said. "I'm not like Nick. I can't make a living on my prize monies, but I'm making progress. I almost won at Istanbul but I was so stupid I let the chances slip away."

"We all do that and let chances slip away, Irene," said Nick.

Irene gave Nick a smile and continued, "I hope I'll do better in Athens. I'm also working at the Gate Club for some extra monies. Oh, Max, did I tell you I'm working on my USTA recreational coach qualification?"

"No, you didn't, Irene," Maxim said. "What's your ranking now?"

"Five thirty-five," Irene said. "I hope I can reach two hundred or two-fifty by yearend."

"Go out with me tonight, Irene," Maxim said. "And you'll get the blessing. Oh, it was my birthday last Monday."

After her chuckle, Irene said to Maxim, "Tell me again next year, and do it beforehand. I don't give belated birthday kisses."

-------

Maxim was a little late for lunch the next Saturday as he had to spend some extra time in a catch-up class that morning. He didn't see his friends except Joanna, so he took his food to her table. "Why are you so late, Jo. Did you see Marlene and Daniela?"

"They were leaving when I came in. I was at the performance lab and it ran a little too long."

"I see. Where's Rudy?"

"I don't know," Joanna said. "He was working on lobs when I went for my lab."

Maxim knew that Rudy wasn't going to the History tutorial that afternoon. He asked Joanna, "Are you going out with him today?"

Joanna put down her sandwich and looked at him. "Max, are you going out with Daniela or Marlene?"

Maxim chuckled. "Jo, Daniela's taken. Marlene, well, I wish, but she won't."

"But you're still hanging around with them all the time."

"Yeah, so is Chuck. So?"

Joanna smiled at him, then picked up her sandwich again.

Maxim chuckled again. "I see what you mean." He felt a little sorry for Rudy and hoped he had other girls to use his condoms on.

-------

While having dinner with Gail that evening, Maxim talked with her about her novel rewriting project. "Are you using a computer or a typewriter," he asked.

"I use a typewriter. Why?"

"I talked with my roommate the other day," he said. "He told me nobody uses typewriter anymore. He said those word processors can do everything. Erasers and liftoff tapes are history now."

"Well," Gail said, smiling at him. "I'm one of the 'nobodies' your roommate talked about. I can't figure out how to use the computer at school. My typewriter is electronic and has a few pages of memory. It can correct or retype the paragraphs I don't like."

"I'm just telling you what he told me," he said. "Maybe one day you'll think about it. Anyway, Gail, what do you wear when you're at home alone?"

She chuckled. "Well," she said, biting her lower lip. "I usually wear tee and shorts, and usually without underwear. Satisfied?"

He also chuckled. "No. Gail. I'd love to see you in those. I'd love to hold you in my arms. I'd love to kiss you all over."

"Max," she said with a sly smile. "Enough. We're leaving. Happy now?"

Once they arrived at their motel room, Max gave Gail a passionate kiss and started to strip her of her clothes before removing his. He then asked his teacher, "Gail, have you ever tried doggie?"

"Oh, my goodness," she giggled. "I'm not telling you."

Maxim held her down in the bed, then pulled her legs off the bed and turned her over. "I'll know very soon, Gail," he said as he stepped in between her legs.

"No, wait," she whimpered while laughing. "Okay, I have. Now let me get up first. You're going to hurt me otherwise.

While she was positioning herself with her hands on the mattress, Maxim thought of another idea. "Gail, have you ever tried it in the rear?"

Gail lost her support and fell onto the mattress. "Oh, my God," she laughed, and then grunted. "Don't, please. I'll let you do anything but not to my ass."

Maxim lowered himself onto her body, rubbing his cock against her ass cheeks. "So you're still a virgin there, Gail," he said, bending forward to stroke her arms. "I am, too."

Gail kept on taking deep breathes. "Max," she finally said from the mattress. "I'll give it to you next time. I promise. We need something for it. I don't get lubrication there, you know that."

"So doggie now?" he said as he rose from her, and started lifting her body up.

"My goodness," Gail said, while laughing. "I think I'm the most shameless teacher in the entire world. I've just agreed to let my student do me in the ass."

"That's next time," he said while positioning himself in between her legs. "But now I'm going to make you happy first."

"All right," she giggled. "And to make you feel happier. Oh! Slower," she groaned as he started pushing inside her. "Oh, yeah, that's right. Oh, God, I love you, Max."

"I love you, too, Gail," he said as he started shoveling in and out of her pussy.



-------

Chapter 22

Daniela had been showing the signs of both tiredness and excitement throughout the protracted trans-pacific flight. She was supposed to be finished with her international competitions that season after the Banana Bowl in March, but since SAMS was sending Maxim to Japan, a few of them were also given the funds to go together. However, unlike Marlene and Chuck, Daniela obviously didn't have any expectation to achieve a good result. She didn't hide her feelings and had told Maxim that she was taking this event more like a free tour trip.

Maxim was quite surprised when he saw James Stelko at the Tokyo International Airport. "I just came back from the Philippines," the SAMS scout said. "I'm having a meeting with Ken Hirata, and then I'm going to Taipei and Brunei. Why don't we have dinner first? Or do you guys want to check into your hotel?"

"We can carry our luggage to the restaurant," Byrnes said, smiling. "We don't have much anyway."

"Oh, lord," Daniela moaned at her coach. While it was true they weren't carrying a lot of luggage -- according to Byrnes standard because it was just a one-week trip, they still each had two huge bags for their gears and clothing. "Hotel first, please!"

After laughing with the team, James told them he would meet them at their hotel after he had checked into his own. "Have you guys ever tried ice cream tempura?" asked the scout.

"Wow," Maxim said excitedly as his friends also raised their eyebrows. "How the hell can you deep fry ice cream? I think it's a must see. Can we find a place with sushi, sashimi, and ice cream tempura? Oh, yeah, Kobe steak, too. If they can throw in some grilled fish, it'd be perfect."

While enjoying their tempura dishes at a traditional Japanese restaurant in Ginza, James gave Byrnes a few of his business cards. He told the coach he had a new title. "Jim," Maxim said, after a failed attempt to steal a piece of deep fried eggplant from Marlene's dish. "Give me one. I never have your card. Did you get a promotion? Are you buying us this dinner to celebrate?"

"I did get a pay rise," James said, while giving Maxim and each of his friends a business card. "But the title is pretty useless to me. It's still just a nice name. And no, I'll write some Japanese names on the check and they'll pay for it. When have you heard a scout pay for his meals on business trips?"

"Business Manager, huh?" Maxim chuckled at James' title. "Totally meaningless." He then opened his backpack and took out a pack of Russian Amber fish snack his mother had bought him. "A gift for you."

After settling the check and while the others were walking out of the restaurant, James whispered to Maxim, "Do you want a bottle of cherry wine?"

"Jim," Maxim leaned over to the scout and also lowered his voice. "Don't you have anything better, like beer or sparkling wine?"

"No," James chuckled softly. "You know, it's customary for the Asians to give gifts to business friends. The woman I met in Philippines gave me this cherry wine. I don't know why she'd buy me this. Maybe it's a gift someone gave her and she didn't want to keep. Yes or no?"

"Well, do you have it with you?"

James smiled slyly at Maxim and handed him the shopping bag he was carrying.

Maxim glanced and saw an elegant box in the bag. He quickly put it into his backpack and went out with the scout. Maxim couldn't buy any alcohol in America, but whenever he was at home, his parents never stopped him from drinking. In fact, he had been drinking wine on festive occasions at home since he was a little kid. It was very rare that he could drink while traveling, and the Academy strictly forbade students to consume any alcohol provided in hotel rooms. He knew while the legal drinking age in Japan was 20, he might be able to buy beers from unattended vending machines, but he wasn't entirely sure about the possibility.

On their way to the Nagooya Sakae Tokyu Inn, Daniela asked Maxim, "Do you always exchange gifts with that SAMS guy?"

"Exchange?"

Daniela leaned over to him a little and whispered, "I saw it."

Maxim chuckled. "Well, only if I've got something from my mom beforehand. Jim's quite nice to me. I don't know why. I hope he's not interested in my rear."

Even Byrnes laughed with Chuck and the girls. "You're insane, Max," Daniela said after her laugh.

Maxim didn't quite like the cherry wine when he tried it with Chuck in their hotel room. The garnet color wine was a little too thin even though it had a licorice aftertaste at the finish. After Chuck had also indicated he also didn't like it, Maxim put the bottle back into the elegant box and shoved it in his luggage before he went for his shower.

They had arrived a couple of days before the commencement of the tournament to become better used to the time zone difference. Maxim met his Japanese friend Norikazu Ishii the next day at the practice grounds for some light hitting. Norikazu wasn't playing doubles with Maxim this time as he was already committed when he first knew of Maxim's plan. Once again Maxim was going to play doubles with Chuck.

They also met some of Norikazu's friends, some of whom Maxim and Marlene had met in Australia in January, and they had meals that evening together. While James would take Maxim to divine and posh restaurants for meals, and Byrnes would take them to places typical for foreigners, Norikazu took them to economical eateries where regular Japanese would go for their everyday meals. This was another nice experience for Maxim and his friends.

Maxim saw Misa Yamashita the following day before the player meeting. She shook his hand enthusiastically and thanked him for his tiny gifts enclosed in his mails. Maxim knew it wasn't a Japanese custom to hug, so he only did it with his eyes.

Misa also introduced him to her girls' doubles partner Shoko Mizuho. Shoko was shorter than Misa and not as appealing. Nevertheless, she looked very cute, and was a little chubby, especially in her cheeks. Her ample bosom was also among the biggest Maxim had ever seen. Shoko didn't speak much English, and her accent was even more slurring than that of Misa. Both Maxim and Shoko had to rely on Misa for the translation.

Shoko was very interested to learn about Maxim's academy life, especially when she knew that the Omnicianni facility was nearly as large as the town she came from. Shoko and Misa were from the same county but different towns.

The chubby doll showed a little impatience when Norikazu joined them and led the topic to the boys' events and the Satellite tournament Maxim had played in. Since Norikazu was a more senior guy for whom she was supposed to show respect, Shoko didn't interrupt. She listened quietly to Misa translating the boys' dialogs most of the time.

Before they parted, Shoko asked for Maxim's room number. Later that night, Misa called Maxim on behalf of Shoko, asking him to join them in the hotel lobby for a little chat. They didn't talk for long, as the girls had a chaperone with them and they had to be back to their rooms before the chaperone made her scheduled room visit.

-------

Chuck had a bad day in the first round, and lost an ugly match to a qualifier. Daniela and Norikazu also lost their singles matches on the following day. While Chuck was a little upset about his early exit, Daniela wasn't very concerned, and had begun drawing up plans to go out with Chuck and some new friends until she was reminded that she and Marlene were still playing in doubles.

Maxim was the third seeded boy, and he was glad he played like a seed. He won his first two rounds easily. The men's tournaments Maxim played had brought his mental side up to another level. In juniors, often if he won the first set and a few games, the opponent would give up, but the professionals never gave up. He had to maintain his focus and determination throughout the entire duration of his matches in order to stay competitive.

Daniela and Chuck were completely free after their second round defeat in doubles with Marlene and Maxim, respectively. Misa and Shoko had also lost in their doubles. Shoko, especially, look quite devastated when Maxim saw her. Not only had she lost in both singles and doubles, she was swept in her singles match. Maxim offered to buy her an ice cream.

Shoko spoke and gestured about her weight, but still went with Maxim for her consolation prize. Maxim had learned to communicate with gestures and simple words when he first met Elena, so it wasn't a tough endeavor for him. He wasn't able to flirt with the cutie with gestures though.

After her ice cream, Shoko indicated to Maxim she wanted to watch Misa's match. Maxim was supposed to watch his next round opponent's match, but he considered it not as important as boobs and went with Shoko. The cutie didn't disappoint Maxim, and didn't protest about the often accidental contacts between his elbow and her breasts. Maxim suspected she probably had already gotten used to it with her ample bosom attracting the moves. Misa's match didn't last long as she lost in straight sets. Maxim went for his original plan after giving Misa a brief consolation.

That evening Maxim got a phone call from Shoko. She did the invitation this time for a chat in the lobby. Maxim took the duo to the coffee shop instead. They chatted until they had to go back to their room, and agreed to make it a regular event for the remainder of their stay.

Marlene had been performing exceptionally well in this tournament, and had yet to lose a set in her singles matches when she went for her quarter-final match. Her demon took over after she lost a service game and she fell apart afterwards. She was very upset after her loss, as it was the best chance for her to gain some good standing before her European tour where she would face much stiffer competitions. She wet Maxim's shoulder weeping on it for quite a long while, despite her coach telling her a quarter-final result was nothing to feel ashamed about.

Maxim won his quarter-final match, but he had to come from behind after losing the first set poorly. Contrary to the encouraging remarks that Marlene had received from Byrnes, the coach shook his head and sighed after his winning match. They had a much higher expectation from him than from his other team members.

That evening, Shoko pouted when Maxim gestured the waitress over for the check. She began talking with Misa in Japanese. Misa then turned to Maxim, raising her thumb and index finger closely together. "She want little more time," Misa said, chuckling.

Shoko also chuckled, then took her glass but found it empty. She spoke Japanese with Misa again and then the duo laughed. "She silly," Misa told Maxim. "She wish she has Sapporo. You know Sapporo?"

"Yeah, Japanese beer," he said. "We can buy Sapporo next time at the vending machines. How old are you guys?"

"She seventeen, me sixteen."

"Oh," he chuckled. "You want to try?"

"No," Misa said. "Koda san know, we dead."

"Your chaperone?"

"Yeah," Misa said, then told her friend what they were talking about. Shoko showed the desire on her face.

Maxim then remembered something. "I've got a bottle of cherry wine," he said. "Have you ever tried that?"

"Wine? You?" Misa said, staring at his face. "How you buy?"

Maxim chuckled. "Hush," he said, lowering his voice. "A friend gave it to me. Want to try?"

"Too late."

"Come on," Maxim said. "My room?"

Shoko had some problem following the conversation, and asked Misa again. It seemed Shoko was eager to give it a try, but Misa started turning her head sideways like it was motorized. "Koda san find we not in room, we dead."

While Maxim was persuading them, he had overlooked the fact that he was sharing a room with Chuck. However, even though Maxim had never seen Chuck with girls other than the Academy students, he believed the Korean wouldn't mind having a little fun with the Japanese girls. He also wouldn't mind if Shoko went to his room by herself and the unwilling Misa stayed back. However, he needed Misa to relate his message, and Misa would probably be in deeper trouble if her roommate was gone all night when their chaperone checked on them. "Your room?" Maxim suggested.

Misa repeated her head shaking. "Chaperone see boy in room, we dead."

Maxim knew that no matter how well he spoke, he wasn't going to convince Misa. It was different when Shoko talked and begged though. Misa chuckled and then asked Maxim, "Can you come fast?"

Maxim went back to his room for his cherry wine and went over to the room shared by Misa and Shoko. Misa only sipped her wine once or twice before she stopped. Shoko, however, treated it like apple juice. At first, Maxim thought she was a drinker. But very soon he knew something was wrong when Shoko started looking dozy. He turned to Misa. "Does she drink much?"

"No," Misa said, as she went over to her friend to check on how she was.

Maxim cursed in his heart. He had never fucked an unconscious girl before, not to mention what Misa's attitude was going to be. In the end, Maxim and Misa had to take the drowsy Shoko to her bed. Within a minute, the drunken cutie was sleeping soundly. Maxim turned to Misa, wondering if he would have a chance with her.

Both Misa and Maxim literally jumped when they heard a knock on the door. Misa covered her gaped mouth with a hand and looked around the room, and then pointed to the bathroom. They quickly gathered the bottle and plastic cups and went inside. Misa then raised her voice and talked in her native language. Maxim could hear vague responses from outside the door.

Misa then went over to the bathtub and turned on the shower. She ignored Maxim and started stripping quickly. It was the first time Maxim had seen a female strip in front of him and he didn't feel horny. Misa then went into the bathtub to get soaked, and came out right away. She put a bath towel around her torso, then raised a finger to her lips to tell him stay quiet. She went out of the bathroom and closed the door.

Maxim heard some movements outside as Misa began talking with a woman. He then heard the door close and started breathing with relief. Misa opened the bathroom door and gestured him to come out. When he turned off the shower and went out of the bathroom, he noticed that Misa had gone over to the chest and was leaning against it panting. Maxim went over to her side.

They were safe for the time being, but Misa's breathing was still very rapid, and so was his. "We wait five minute, then you go," Misa whispered. "No, ten minute."

Maxim was still holding the bottle which had about a quarter of wine left in it. He took a few gulps, and then a few deep breaths before passing the bottle to her, but she shook her head. However, a few seconds later, she reached her hand out for it, and also took a few deep gulps, then sighed.

Now that the instantaneous danger was over, Maxim started paying attention to Misa's body and rerunning in his mind the vision of her stripping in the bathroom. Misa giggled and started blushing when she noticed him. She seemed to have forgotten she was only wearing a towel, which was far from adequate in covering her body. Maxim started drooling as he fixed his eyes on her cleavage followed by her bare legs.

"I, um, I go change," Misa said.

Before she could step away, Maxim grabbed her hand. "Chaperone may come back," he said.

Misa chuckled. "No, unless you make sound."

"I may," he chuckled, as he pulled her closer.

"Don't," Misa whispered as she struggled. She wasn't struggling with much effort though, and Maxim had her in his arms easily. "Please, don't. You not mine."

He paused his action. "What mine?"

Misa dropped her head. "Nothing. Go now. Please."

Maxim knew only a fool would walk away now. He didn't quite understand what Misa was talking about, but the important thing wasn't about her speech, instead it was her actions. Misa wasn't giving much of a feisty resistance. That meant he had a pretty good chance. Furthermore, her entire body was just a towel away, and holding her with her last piece of fabric on was already too erotic for him to let go. He held her closer and leaned down to kiss her.

Misa turned her face sideways, and breathed again, "Please, don't!"

Maxim ignored her, and started kissing her face, as well as running a hand down her back to her ass, and then her thighs. He rubbed the back of her thighs as he pushed the edge of her towel up, and began cupping her bare skin, pressing her closer to him. Her skin was extremely soft.

It was clear Misa also knew she wasn't going to get away from him, as she had stopped struggling and breathed heavily onto his face. Her lips began caressing his when he approached hers. Her kiss was very soft and tender, a strong contrast to the movement of his hands on her back and her ass. She also slowly raised her arms to his neck, while twisting her body against his. The friction slowly loosened the knob on her towel. Less than a minute later, her towel slide down her body as he tongue-fucked her mouth.

Maxim lifted her up and carried her to her bed. Once in the bed, she started moaning into his mouth while rubbing her thighs against his sweat pants. Maxim moved a hand to stroke her breasts, while rubbing her groin with his hardness. When their kiss was over, her face was flushed red.

Maxim got off the bed and started to strip. He then took out his emergency condom from his wallet and put it on before getting back into the bed. After looking into her eyes, he knew they didn't need any more foreplay. He got on top of her as she adjusted her position.

From her reaction, Maxim believed Misa was not a virgin, but she was very tight down there. The drive of his cock to the bottom of her pussy wasn't an effortless one. She hummed softly and gripped his wrists firmly as his cock shoved in and out of her pussy. She didn't move much, but let him do all the laboring work, while passively giving him stimulation.

Misa stopped her hums when Maxim started pounding her. She tightened her jaws and gripped his wrists tighter. Her internal muscles also seemed to have tightened up, increasing the stimulation he received. He knew he wasn't going to last. Soon he had to start holding his breath, trying to delay his ejaculation. A soft squeak from her closed mouth came with a brief quiver from her body, that interrupted his breath-holding effort, and Maxim felt his seeds shoot vigorously inside her.

While snuggling together afterwards, Misa tapped his arm. "Time to go," she whispered. "Don't tell anyone."

Maxim didn't want to go just yet. He kept on stroking her slightly sweated but still very soft skin. "No," he said. "Let me stay a while longer." He then bent over to seal her mouth with his, while using longer strokes to caress her body. He only had one condom, so he didn't remove it. He didn't know if she would let him inside the room again if he went back to his room for another condom.

Misa giggled after the kiss, "You have match tomorrow." Apparently she knew what he wanted to do next.

Maxim ignored her remark and went for another joyful ride as soon as he was ready again. Misa gave her full cooperation this time, and made a slightly louder sound, forgetting that her friend was sleeping in the bed a few feet away. Maxim sneaked back to his room afterwards.

Maybe it was because of the repeated sex with Misa which drained quite some strength from him, but Maxim couldn't find his rhythm during the most part of his semi-final match against the top seeded Briton. He was lucky at a few crucial moments as well as with a questionable call from the umpire to win the first set, but swept away by the Brit in the second. By the time they went into a tiebreaker in the final set, he was having problems moving. However, once again luck was at his side as the Briton choked and made some unforced errors at the crucial time, and Maxim advanced to the final.

"What happened?" Marlene asked Maxim after his match. "I could've beaten you in bagel in your second set. Where were you last night?"

"In bed dreaming about you," he grinned at her while hiding his dissatisfaction about his own performance.

"Gee," Marlene chuckled with Daniela and slapped his arm, then turned to Chuck. "Where was he last night?"

The Korean gave her a sly smile while shrugging his shoulders, and then quickly went away when Daniela pulled his hand for their souvenir shopping expedition.

Maxim bought some soft drinks to his hotel room before his dinner as he didn't want any alcohol drinks again with the Japanese dolls. His phone rang the moment he and Chuck went into their hotel room. It was from Misa. "She not believe me," Misa said in a low voice. "Koda san go, I call you. Please."

"Believe what?"

"I said we clean. She come out now. I call you later," Misa said, and hung up.

Maxim chuckled as he put down the handset, and he started getting a better picture of the situation. It seemed that Shoko had expressed to her friend about her interest in him, and Misa was supposed to stay out. Shoko got drunk and Misa did something prohibitive with him. The two girls seemed to have had a little argument. Maxim knew he was going to get lucky again.

While putting more condoms into his pant pocket, he pondered the possibility of a threesome, which he had yet to try. He didn't know how much Misa was attracted to him. He also wasn't sure if Misa would have done anything with him had they not be stuck in that embarrassing and yet intimate situation. He wondered how to deal with the situation, and decided a little alcohol might help. He went downstairs and bought a couple of Sapporo beers from a vending machine.

Indeed Shoko didn't look comfortable when Maxim sneaked into their room later that evening. But after she had a few gulps of Maxim's beer, she became tranquil and leaned leisurely against his chest. Misa kept her eyes away from them when he started fondling Shoko's ample breasts through her tee shirt. Shoko didn't seem to be concerned being fondled in front of her friend though, and kept talking with Misa while lowering her hand on to his lap.

Maxim began sniffing Shoko's hair, slowly gilding his lips to her chubby cheek. The cutie responded and tilted her head toward him. They started kissing. Shoko was much more aggressive in kissing than her roommate. Her tongue was mostly in his mouth teasing his. They had to separate briefly as Maxim lifted her tee over her head. By the time they parted their lips again, Shoko's nice juicy boobs were wiggling in his palms.

Maxim also noticed Misa had gone. Even though he had been immersed in his lustful joy with Shoko, he believed he hadn't heard any sound from the door. He guessed Misa was in the bathroom. He didn't have much time to think about it when Shoko pulled his face toward her breasts. He began sucking her turgid nipples while stroking and squeezing her boobs.

Shoko wasn't idle while she was enjoying his touch. She had her fingers all over him. Eventually she pushed his waist band down a little and slipped a hand inside, and then began to stroke his cock. "You big," she whispered in his ear as she began to pull his pants off while playing with his cock. Maxim wiggled when she pulled his pants and underwear off his legs. He then started doing the same for her.

The chubby doll had very thick public hair. She also emitted a very strong loving aroma from her pussy. She moaned quite loudly when Maxim started to insert a finger into her juicy tunnel, but stopped him when Maxim wanted to go and get his condom. She guided him to straddle her over her flank and pressed her hefty breasts together. "Here, she said, smiling.

Maxim also smiled. He guided his cock into the gap between her soft mounds and began fucking her breasts. It was a new and delightful experience. He couldn't go fast and heavy without lubrication, but he enjoyed the different kind of innovative pleasure he gained from the gentle and dawdling strokes. He took a break when he felt a tiny urge from his balls, as he didn't want to waste his precious seeds on her skin.

Maxim put on his condom and went atop Shoko again. He didn't meet much resistance driving his cock into her bottom. Shoko moved her hips vigorously to meet his thrusts, and their actions became frenzied very quickly. After a while, Shoko indicated for him to lie on his side and she did the same, while maintaining the contact. She wanted him to grope her breasts while he was fucking her.

It was a slightly gruesome position for Maxim with the speed he was shoving in and out of her pussy, but he was up to any challenge in this department. Nonetheless, after a while he wanted a faster tempo, and he went on top of her again. Shoko didn't object as she had already begun to tense up. Very soon, she was arching her back and grunting. A little later, Maxim shot inside her while she was still panting, her finger nails still dug into his thigh muscles.

Shoko kissed him before she went into the bathroom, and then Maxim saw Misa coming out of her temporary shelter. She had a tiny smile on her lips, but still didn't look at him, as she went to her bed, then slipped under the comforter and looked at the ceiling. They still didn't talk.

Shoko didn't put on any clothing when she came back to her bed. She talked with her friend in Japanese, running her fingers over his chest. Shoko began giggling as Misa shook her head. Shoko pushed Maxim gently. "Go," she said with a mischievous smile while glancing at her friend.

"No, no, no," Misa said, when Maxim started moving toward her bed. She grabbed the edge of her comforter.

If Misa was trying to deter Maxim, this would be a silly way of doing so. In fact, her act made him feel more intimate. He pulled her comforter off forcefully and got into her bed. Misa struggled when he tried to kiss her.

Had Misa struggled as seriously as she had the night before, chances were Maxim wouldn't have gotten into her bed. However, after shooting inside her twice the night before, he knew any struggle or resistance from Misa, genuine or otherwise, would be pointless. He forced his way on top of her and stopped her from complaining with a kiss.

Very soon, Maxim was tongue-fucking Misa again. He slipped a hand into her sleeping tee and started stroking her sensitive area. Misa moaned weakly into his mouth. "No, no, no," she pleaded when Maxim pulled her tee over her head.

He didn't know if Shoko was watching or was in the bathroom like her friend was earlier. However, Misa quickly pulled the comforter over herself again when she was stripped of her last piece of clothing. When Maxim went for a new condom, he saw Shoko in her bed snickering underneath her blanket. Maxim realized why Misa was so uncomfortable. He had never had a spectator when he had sex, but he absolutely didn't mind the presence of Shoko.

Maxim put on his condom and got inside Misa's grotto. He could tell Misa had the need because she was very wet, but she apparently didn't like the idea of performing in front of her friend. Not only did she react a lot less passionately than the night before, she even faked some resistance in an obvious way. Maxim chuckled in his heart as he got himself ready. He held her arms on the mattress as he slowly inserted himself into her. Misa started to faintly moan.

The more or less faked reluctance from Misa made it another kind of irresistible intimation for Maxim. She gnashed her teeth from making pleasurable moans, and whenever Maxim moved his hands off her arms, she started twisting. But she spread her legs very wide for him to pump her from a comfortable angle.

Very slowly, Misa started to forget about restraining. She began moaning a little louder, and when her arms were freed, she began stroking his waist. She clamped Maxim very tightly when he came inside her. However, Misa pushed Maxim off her once their panting was over.

Maxim fucked Shoko once more before he sneaked back to his room. He was so tired he didn't even shower before hitting the sack.

-------

Maxim was rarely so determined to win a match. It was his best chance for a high level international championship and his opponent wasn't really that tough. He was also determined to perform well in front of the Japanese dolls he had been sleeping with, and he won the first set easily. However, from then on, his drained physical condition didn't allow him to pose any real threat. He was way too slow getting to the net, and could hardly hit a decent shot from the baseline. He realized then that threesome sex couldn't coexist with his tennis, but by then it was far too late. He lost the championship after two shameful and frustrating sets.

Naturally he saw questionable expressions on the faces of both his coach and friends after the match. He had to pretend it was just a bad day for him, and kept on using Chuck's match as a comparison. He was also glad that nobody saw him when he shed a few tears while cursing himself in the shower after the presentation. Nevertheless, he couldn't deny the Japanese threesome was a delightful experience, even though it came with a very high price tag.

Maxim didn't get to meet either Misa or Shoko again, as their team left for home right after conclusion of the tournament. The duo did talk with Maxim briefly before his match, but he wasn't sure if he would ever see them again.

-------

While waiting for their plane at the departure lounge of Tokyo International Airport, Daniela told her friends that she had made up her mind. "I'm leaving the Academy in the summer," she announced quietly. "I'm going to an extensive program at Bishop Montgomery in LA and will then start college as soon as I can get enough credits."

Maxim felt his heart sink. He glanced at Marlene. Apparently she had already known of Daniela's decision. However, her eyes were still misty. Maxim knew Daniela had a very thorough deliberation about it, and must have consulted some other people she trusted, like Nick, Irene, and her parents. He knew he wouldn't be able to come up with any better ideas. "I'll miss you, Daniela," he said. "UCLA?"

"Yeah," Daniela said. Her eyes were also misty. "I'll miss you, too, Max, even though you're a pig." She smiled at him, then turned to Chuck. "I'll miss you even more, Chuck, even though you've never told me you love me."

Maxim chuckled with his Korean friend, then said, "Poor Nick, he'll have to drive six hours to see you. Hey, Marlene, we can go with Nick to see Daniela."

"Yeah," Marlene said, but then raised reservations. "Not if we're staying overnight though." She chuckled and went on, "I'll never trust you."

"Like you're really a goddess," Maxim made a grimace. He turned to Daniela. "Let's go to the coffee shop. I'm buying you a sundae. What are you going to study?"

"I haven't made up my mind yet," she said while the gang was walking towards the coffee shop. "Maybe social science. I still have time to think about it. The important thing is that they give me the scholarship first."

"Do you know I'm still lusting after you?"

They laughed and both girls hit him in the chest. "Stop being a pig for a day, Max," Daniela said. "Okay?"

"Sure, but I'll become a dog when we get back. I'm warning you."

-------



NOTE:

"Bagel" is a tennis slang that means a swept set (6-0). A bagel-ed match is won or lost with all bagel sets (same player getting all the zeros). It's considered a shameful loss, like 10-0 in soccer, swept away in baseball/NBA series, or a 40-0 American football game.





-------

Chapter 23


When they returned to the Academy, Maxim was met by an elated Joanna who gave him a series of pecks on his cheek. She had won the Girls' 18 championship at the national Easter Bowl tournament, which overcame her slight disappointment about being unable to join the Japan trip.

After Maxim had finished looking at Joanna's photographs and given her a pair of Geta slippers he bought in Japan, Rudy pulled Maxim aside. "What did you say to Jo before she kissed you?" asked his fellow student.

"Nothing," Maxim said. "She just gave me a peck. Why? Didn't you kiss her?"

"I gave her a peck on the cheek in Palm Springs," Rudy said, lowering his voice. "She didn't kiss me. She gave you five kisses."

"Oh," Maxim grinned at Rudy. "You're jealous? I didn't get to kiss her, though."

"Damn, Max, you've already got enough faces to kiss. I bought her a skirt and I didn't even get a handshake."

"Was it a Nike or Reebok?"

"No, a Prince."

"Rudy," Maxim lowered his voice. "You're a moron, do you know that? We get Prince for free. Why would you go buy her a Prince?"

"It's a different line and style."

"Still a Prince. Still a moron," Maxim said, and then left Rudy to find Elena.

-------

After his class the next day, Maxim found Celine waiting in the corridor, but her friends were not around. "Where are they?" he asked.

"Yearbook things," Celine said dourly, and started walking towards the exit. She seemed to still be in a bad mood. Maxim wasn't sure if she was still having serious relationship issues with Calvin or had already broken off with him. It seemed strange that Calvin wasn't even leaving school with her.

Maxim followed Celine, and asked carefully, "Celine, are you all right?"

"Yes."

Her answer shut down all possible discussions on this subject. Maxim didn't know how to pursue it, so he remained silent as he walked her out of the school building. Celine stopped a few yards away from the parking lot entrance, then turned around and asked him, "Want a ride?"

Since Celine was always with Calvin when she asked him this same question in the past, Maxim had always declined. She hadn't made the offer for quite a while though. He decided to spend a little time with her, and followed her to the car.

Celine didn't drop him off at the Academy entrance, but kept driving. They hadn't exchanged a word since they were in her car, and Maxim started to feel uncomfortable. Finally Celine pulled her car into the parking lot of a cafe. "Mind having lunch with me?" she said after turning off the engine, and got off her car.

Maxim had never received a more blunt invitation for a meal. He probably would have sworn at her if she wasn't Celine. "Sure," he said, and followed her into the cafe. They shared a peaceful, even somewhat tense, quiet meal together. Celine finally spoke when they were drinking their tea. "Will you be free in the evening of May fourth?"

Maxim nearly dropped his cup as his heartbeat went way over the roof. "Are you asking me to go to your junior prom?" he asked, feeling his hands shake a little.

Celine chuckled -- something Maxim hadn't seen her do for quite a while. He liked what he saw. "No, Max," she said. "We're having a choral concert on May fourth. It's a Thursday. Junior Prom is on the following Saturday."

Maxim's heart sank a little. He avoided her question and said, "I'll be free on that Saturday."

Celine chuckled again. "Max, I'm not going to the prom. Are you saying you won't be free on the fourth?"

"Why aren't you going to the prom, Celine? And if you're not going, will you be free?"

Celine took a deep breath. "Max," she said, looking at his eyes. "I don't enjoy being in a ball, and I don't want to be a part of a pageant show. I take it you're not coming to my first ever choral concert."

"Yes, Celine," he said, also looking at her face. "I'll be at your concert. Where'll you be on that Saturday?"

Celine smiled at him. "Thank you, Max," she said, and then motioned the waiter over for their check. "You may want to ask your other friends, too. Let me know how many are coming. I'll give you the tickets on Friday."

When Maxim got out of Celine's car at the Academy, he still hadn't received her answer about her agenda on the evening of her junior prom day. Celine seemed to be better than he was at avoiding answers. That was worse than an outright rejection of a date. He inherited some of her blue mood when he was walking back to his residence.

That evening he got a phone call from Janice asking him about the results of his Japan trip, and also wished him good luck for his forthcoming European tour. "Thanks, Jan," he said. "But I thought you were going to France and England. I bought you something special when I was in Japan."

"Max," she spoke with an impatient tone. "Have you forgotten that I've split with that bitch? I haven't been playing singles for a while, and my singles ranking is so low I'll have problem enrolling in even a Grade Three tourney. It'll take some time to find another steady partner, if ever. I'm not like you, Max. I can't just grab someone who's playing at a tourney and do doubles with them, because I don't have the entrance ticket."

"Well, go and find someone then. Oh, if you're planning on playing during the summer, you can call up Marlene. She hasn't started gearing up yet. Do you have her number?"

"Let me check. Marlene Granville, right? I have it. Doesn't she always team up with Daniela Gussoni?"

"Daniela's quitting."

"Oh. Must be your fault," She giggled. "Wait, must be Nick's fault. I gotta call her to find out."

"Okay, so when will I see you again? I'm not going to mail the souvenirs to you. I know you'll kiss me to death when you see them."

Janice giggled again. "You wish, moron. Speaking about souvenirs, why don't you send me my 'Miracle So Magic' through the mail?"

"Damn. Okay, okay, I'll buy it before I see you next time. I'm not mailing it to you though. Promise me I'll get lucky when I give it to you."

Janice laughed for quite a long while before she hung up.

-------

Maxim received his monthly allowance from his mother the following Monday, so he went downtown and started looking for perfume. He was boggled when he checked the prices. The saleslady showed him various sizes of the perfume Janice told him about. "The smallest one, please," he told the woman. "And make it two. Wait, make it three. Wait, miss, the third one is for my step sis, she's much older, like around thirty. Is this the right one for her?"

He had no clue what the saleswoman was talking about for the next ten minutes. He eventually bought three of them.

Maxim got a phone call from Glenn when he returned to his flat. "Lawrence Robinson called me up," Glenn told him. "His doubles partner's injured again and isn't going to Europe. He's looking for a new doubles partner."

"He asked you?"

"Actually," Glenn said over the phone. "He asked for Kenny, but I have an idea."

Maxim didn't feel comfortable even before hearing Glenn's idea, but he still asked what it was.

"You know," Glenn said, a little hesitantly. "Chances are I might not be able to squeeze into Roland Carros and the Wimbledon. Lawrence and you are more on par on ITF rankings. If you team up with him, you'll have less chances of ending up without a steady doubles partner."

Glenn's proposal was a very rational and reasonable one. In fact it was a nice deal for Maxim, because Lawrence was a more experienced player than Glenn and he was especially good with doubles. They also had already developed some chemistry as a team from their previous partnership. However, Maxim also had a feeling Glenn was exploring other alternatives after his previous incident in Florida.

"Well," Maxim said slowly. "So are you going to team up with Kenny?" The guy they mentioned was also a Korean with a last name of Kim, but had no relationship to Chuck Kim. Kenny had recently joined the tennis school Glenn trained at.

"Yeah," Glenn said. "Actually, I'm already teaming up with him at Prato International. If he can get into Santa Croce, I'll also be playing doubles with him there."

Maxim hadn't thought about this. Glenn was going to play another two tournaments in Italy before the Italian Junior Championships. He agreed to the new arrangement. "I'll see you in Milan then," he said. "Good luck at Prato and Santa Croce."

After talking with Glenn, he called up Lawrence Robinson and made arrangements about their doubles partnership at their European tournaments.

Maxim's plan was crashed when Celine told him they were not having an afternoon tea gathering that Friday. He only saw Celine on two occasions; after class and at the tea gathering. He didn't think it was a good idea to give her a perfume in the school hallway, with or without Calvin beside her. He carefully asked her what her plan would be for the coming weeks.

Celine shrugged her shoulders. "Not much. Exams are drawing close, and so is the choral concert. I need, well; we need more time preparing for both."

It seemed to Maxim that he might as well keep the perfume and looked forward to giving it to another girl. He cursed all his way from school back to the Academy.

-------

When Maxim had his post-tutorial dinner with Gail on Saturday, he gave her one of the perfumes he had bought. She had a mixed expression. She was obviously pleased, but also looked concerned. "Max," she said, looking at the perfume box. "I don't want you to spend money on these things. I think it's a little expensive for your wallet. When am I going to use it anyway?"

"When you're with me, like now?"

She chuckled. "Don't do this again. I, um, I was very happy, as happy, probably happier, when you gave me the Mexican chained bracelet."

"Then why aren't you wearing it?"

"So you can put it on for me," she said, smiling, as she took the bracelet out of her pocket.

After they had finished their dinner and were in a motel room, Maxim insisted that Gail should try the new fragrance. "I like this smell," he said, as he sniffed her neck after she had sprayed a little on herself. "You're getting me crazy, Gail. Can you feel it?"

"Of course I can feel it," she giggled, as he rubbed his hardness against her. She turned around and clung on to him for a sensuous kiss.

While they were having breakfast the next morning, Gail told him she was going back to her hometown for the summer. She was not teaching any summer classes at Davenport.

"You'll be killing me, Gail," he said, looking in her eyes. "How am I going to survive the entire summer without you?"

Gail smiled at him. "Did you mean seeing me, Max," she said. "Or did you mean sleeping with me?"

"Honestly, both, Gail. I lie a lot I know, but I've been honest with you all the time. You know it'll be a hell of a summer for me. You know it, don't you?"

"Enough sweet talk, Max," she chuckled. "I admit I like hearing it. I'll miss you a lot, too. Happy now?"

"No," he also chuckled. "I want to be with you all the time."

"Well, Max, I'll have a conference trip in May. When I get back, I'll give you a call. How's that?"

"You have my schedule. You know when I'll be in town."

"I need to do a little grocery shopping," she said. "Do you mind doing it with me?"

"Sure," Maxim said. "Hey, Gail, have you ever done it in a grocery store?"

She burst out laughing. "Oh, my God," she said with tears in her eyes. "You're completely insane, Max. Don't even think about it."

After her grocery shopping, Gail drove Maxim back to the small street near the Academy. She turned around and looked at his face. "Max," she said softly. "I'm still a little worried about your studies. You're taking an early exam and you don't have as much time as the others. Please work harder."

"I promise you, Gail," he said. "Why don't we have an extended private class next Saturday? I think that will help."

"Max," she said, smiling at him. "You know it and I know it. You're not going to use the time studying with me. It's just going to take more time away from you. Work harder, Max. Good luck on your exams and your European trip."

He chuckled. "Okay, Gail," he said, and patted her hand. He knew she wouldn't kiss him in broad daylight in the street. "I will. I promise. You take care for your trip."

-------

Maxim only got to see Celine a couple of minutes during the week. He had given up hope of asking her out on her prom night because of her attitude as well as his lack of time.

Only Daniela and Elena would go to the Choral concert with Maxim. In fact, Maxim regretted accepting Celine's invitation. The players who were going to Europe had a specially arranged exam schedule a week earlier than the regular exam, and they couldn't really find enough time to prepare for it and get themselves in form for the upcoming tournaments. Every hour counted.

Maxim didn't even go to the banquet that followed the concert. He had a brief chat with Celine and her friends. He applauded their performances, even though he had slept during part of the concert. About an hour after Maxim had returned to his residence, he got a phone call from Celine. "I forgot something," she said. "Do you want a spin?"

"Where are you, Celine?"

"Outside the Academy entrance."

"I didn't know you had a cell phone. Where is Calvin?"

"Are you coming?"

Maxim knew she would hang up if he asked another question. He told her he was going, and quickly changed his clothes, then took the perfume with him and went to the front gate.

Before he could even sit tight in the passenger seat, Celine had pulled her car off into the main road. She drove like they were on a freeway on their way into Highway 1. During their acquaintance, Celine usually acted decorously except when Maxim was posing for her and Severine in their painting contest. Maxim never really believed in her claim about speeding. He now knew he was very wrong. Celine was doing 100 to 120 mph on a dark local highway with a 60 mph speed limit. Maxim wasn't that scared about the speed, but with the wind blowing and the concentration Celine needed for her drive, there were not many intimating things he could say or do. In fact, both of them didn't talk much.

Celine slowed down when her car returned to Santa Arcata. "Do you do this spin thing a lot?" Maxim asked.

"Quite a lot lately," she said, looking at the traffic ahead. "I feel refreshed, both physically and mentally, after a speedy drive with the wind blowing my brain and hair off."

"Are you having some problems with Calvin?"

"No."

Maxim sighed. He didn't know if he should give her the perfume which was still in his pocket.

Celine gave him a slip of paper when she stopped her car in front of his Academy. "My cell phone number and my New York home phone number," she said. "We're not having afternoon tea tomorrow, and I won't be seeing you much before your trip to Europe. Call me up when you're in New York for the US Open. I'll buy you a dinner."

Maxim didn't want to tell Celine that by the time he went to New York for the Junior US Open, she should already have come back to Santa Arcata for her fall semester. Nonetheless, it was still another step. He put the slip into his pocket and took out the perfume. "It's a 'Miracle So Magic'," he said as he gave it to her. "I hope you'll like it. Whatever you've been saying, you need some magic."

She chuckled and turned to smile at him. "Thanks, Max," she said. "You really are a sweet guy."

Maxim would rather Celine call him a hottie, but it was already a very nice compliment from her. He had never been able to pursue her the way he handled other girls. Besides, he still wasn't sure about how the relationship between Celine and Calvin was. There wasn't much he could do. He leaned over for a peck before he got out of her car and went back to his residence.

-------

After an excruciating week of study and work for the exams, Maxim and his friends bought Daniela a dinner. He took Elena along as he couldn't find another time to talk with her before his departure very early the next morning. Elena was going to Costa Mesa for a national tournament the day after her regular exams were over.

Daniela was leaving the Academy after her exams, but she wasn't going to Europe. Instead, she was going back to Arizona for a couple of weeks before she headed to Los Angeles for her summer school.

"So what're we doing after dinner," Maxim said during their meal. "How about we go and find a disco or take a walk in the park?"

"No," Daniela said, smiling. "That Nike skirt. You promised to buy me one on the plane back from Japan. Remember?"

"Come on, Daniela. Why do you still need a tennis skirt? Let's go and dance."

"Max, I'm still going to play. I've to play for my school, then for the college, unless you're going to pay for my school fees."

A skirt was much cheaper than the school costs, so Maxim took them to the mall after their meal. Daniela picked a skirt, and then gave Maxim a friendly yet big kiss before their sad farewell.

After returning to his room, Maxim started calling Gail, his mother, and friends for some chat before his three-week trip. He then drew up his shopping list. Since his gift-giving female list was getting bigger and bigger, he had to be selective about what kind of souvenirs he would buy for each of them, naturally the cheaper the better.

They didn't have much sleep that night, as they had to go to San Francisco airport before dawn the next morning for their flight to Paris. Byrnes was leading his team of four players -- Marlene, Joanna, Chuck, and Maxim.

Among them, only Maxim was guaranteed entrance to all the three tournaments that they were going to: The Italian Junior Championships in Milan, the Astrid Bowl in Belgian, and the International Junior Championships of France -- or more commonly known as The Junior French Open -- in Paris. Marlene, Joanna, and Chuck had to either play though the qualifying rounds, or achieve a standing good enough for last minute acceptance.

It was nearly a 12-hour flight, but due to time zone differences, it was almost the same time the next morning when they arrived at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris. They immediately took a connecting flight to Milan. Even though they were quite tired from the traveling, Maxim started to look around, and compare the dresses of the local girls against his two female companions.

Marlene and Joanna did a little better than on their previous trips. They looked tired and shaky, but they could still finish their breakfast without dozing off. Since they couldn't get into their hotel rooms until after noon, Byrnes took them to the Tennis Club Milano Trofeo Bonfiglio where the tournament was being held. Chuck signed in for his qualifying entry and they also booked their practice courts. Byrnes then showed them around briefly before taking them back to their hotel for a short rest.

Maxim called the telephone operator after his shower. Glenn had already checked in, and the operator transferred Maxim's call to his room. Maxim asked about his previous two tournaments. "Ousted first round in Prato," Glenn said. "I made it to second round at Snata Croce, not very encouraging. I have to play from qualie here."

"No worry, dude," Maxim said. "Let's go hang out together, and your luck will change. How about Kenny's scores?"

Glenn laughed. "You're not going to believe it. We got exactly the same results. Give me half an hour. Where are we going?"

The girls didn't want to go out yet, so Maxim, Glenn, and the two Koreans went to a cafe that Maxim had seen on their way to the hotel. Maxim started to chat with the Italian girls who were present using the few Italian words he had just learned, like 'caro', 'miele', 'bello', as well as gestures, even though all the girls spoke some English. He didn't get lucky though and he left the cafe without a girl on his arm.

Kenny Kim looked Maxim up and down when they were walking to a gift shop. "How the hell can you hook up with them so fast? Was it a phone number the tall brunette gave you?"

"Well," Maxim grinned at his new friend and showed him his palm with a phone number on it. "Italians are known to be friendly, and Italian chicks are known to be hot."

Glenn laughed and told his new partner, "First thing you do when you see a girl you like is to tell Max to get lost. Otherwise, before you get her phone number, she'll be in his bed."

Kenny laughed before asking, "Why are we buying souvenirs so quickly? Why don't we wait a little and do it with the girls together?"

"Kenny," Maxim said, giving him a serious look. "You never know what's going to happen tomorrow. What if you don't have time suddenly? What if you see a girl and you want to give her something?"

"Max," Glenn said with a sly smile. "Has Lawrence told you not to touch Janice and Amanda?"

"No. Why?" Maxim said, turning to look at Glenn. "Well, I can understand it about Jan, but why Amanda? Is she his girl?"

"I don't think so, but your reputation is so good, I think Lawrence doesn't want anyone around him to be involved with you."

The next morning, Chuck, Glenn, and Kenny started their qualifying matches. Maxim and his other friends also started their practices. Lawrence showed up at the tennis club after Chuck won his first ever match in Europe. Lawrence had been there the previous year, and knew the place a little bit. He agreed to take his friends to dinner and then onto a little shopping afterwards.

During their dinner, Glenn asked about Lawrence's plan, because this was Lawrence's last season of junior competitions. "I'm going to Stanford," Lawrence said.

Maxim was astonished. "Didn't you say you were considering turning pro?"

"I was," Lawrence said. "I really want to go pro, but I know there are still some holes in my game. I need more good coaching and matches in college to get better prepared. You haven't thought about college, Max, have you?"

"No," Maxim said. "I wonder how many friends I will see when I go to Stanford."

"Many," Lawrence said. "Lilia's also considering Stanford." He turned to Marlene. "You're also talking with their recruiters, aren't you, Marlene?"

Marlene had a surprised expression on her face. "Yeah, I'm," she said to Lawrence. "How do you know?"

"Talking is no secret, Marlene," Lawrence said, smiling.

"Marlene!" Maxim said, leaning over to her. "You've cheated again. You never told me this."

Marlene chuckled. "I didn't cheat," she said, then paused as she blushed. "Max! What do you mean? I don't need to cheat. You're not... You pig! I told you I'd been looking at alternatives."

After some chaotic laughter at the table, Lawrence asked Marlene, "I hope you're not also considering Berkeley."

"I am," Marlene chuckled again. "But it doesn't matter, does it? I'm not playing against you, Lawrence." The two universities had been long time rivals in many sports competitions.

"It does," Joanna said to Marlene. "Because you hate playing against Lilia."

"Oh," Marlene snickered. "I have to give it another thought, then."

Chuck didn't survive the qualifying. He was defeated in the final qualifying round and was out for the remaining of their European tour. But since he shared a room with Maxim and his travel arrangements had already been paid for, there was no reason to send him home alone. He became a tourist, a spectator, a silent cheerleader, a hitting partner, and a poker game host.

Maxim didn't notice any sign of sadness from Chuck. Nobody expected much from him on this trip. He was pretty much still an experimental project like Joanna, even though the slim girl had outgrown the coaches' expectations by a great deal.

The situation was very different the next day when Marlene lost in her first round match. She wept on Maxim's shoulder for quite a while. Even though she had reached quarter-final in Japan, she was still marginal in entering the Junior French Open, which probably had the biggest entry list. She also didn't want to play from qualifying there, because even a very low ranked European or South American player, who had grown up on clay courts, was too dangerous for the American players who in turn, had grown up on the concrete ones.

Maxim patted her back until she stopped weeping. "Don't worry," he said. "You still have the Astrid Bowl to come. You'll make it."

"Max," she whispered slowly. "You know very well, if I'm out in the first round here, how do you expect me to do well there?"

"You forgot about your special charm, Marlene," he said, then held her hand. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?" she said as he pulled her towards a corner.

Maxim opened his bag, took out a tennis skirt he had bought, and then turned around to her. "You may not believe it, Marlene," he said. "But this skirt is going to bring you good luck. I'll bet all my six racquets on you making it."

"Gee," she chuckled. "When did you buy this skirt? You know I won't take it."

"You will, this time," Maxim said, smiling. "Because I'm betting with all my racquets, and you know they're discontinued."

"Well," she said, taking some deep breaths. "I'm not supposed to wear Fila."

"Marlene," he said. "You're an amateur. You haven't signed any sponsorship contract. And do you think they care? You're not Steffi Graf. You're not Jana Novotna. You're not even Anna Kournikova."

She looked at the garment in his hand. "What do you want, Max?"

"I want you to play at Roland Garros. I want you to be able to chase your dream. I want you to be happy."

"I'm not going to kiss you. I'm not going out with you."

"One day you'll change your mind, Marlene," he said, still smiling. "Take it."

She chuckled again and took the skirt from him. "Thank you, Max."

Both Glenn and Kenny Kim were ousted in their singles the next day, but their doubles partnership was doing well, and both Joanna and Amanda advanced in their games. Maxim drew some attention to himself after he had beaten the third seed in close straight sets. The funny thing was that he would be playing against his partner the next day.

The guys had a talk that evening. Lawrence asked Maxim how much time he spent practicing his serves. "You're still a little inconsistent," Lawrence said. "But I guess it's about your mind. Other than that, they're almost perfect -- powerful, accurate, and come with all sorts of variations."

"Couple of hours," Maxim said. "One in the morning after my jogging, and one in the afternoon during my regular practice."

"That's quite a lot," Glenn said. "Maybe I should also try that."

"I didn't have the morning session until after Casablanca. My coach said I need more practice, said they were very inconsistent."

Lawrence suffered a double loss on Friday. He lost his singles match to Maxim in a one-sided match, and then lost his doubles match with Maxim in a match where they both played very inconsistently. The only good news for Lawrence was that by reaching the quarter-final, he would probably become a seeded player at the coming tournament. Both Joanna and Amanda were also eliminated, but they were still very happy. They had both surpassed their expectations.

During their dinner, Lawrence told his friends, "I was still a little uncertain even after deciding on college. I'm glad I've taken that route. I really do need more time before I seriously consider pro."

"You've always been better in doubles than in singles," Maxim said.

"And that's not really an asset on the men's tour," Lawrence chuckled.

Glenn and Kenny lost their doubles match the next day. They wished Maxim good luck and then left the venue right away. Both of them had to play through the qualifying at the Astrid Bowl, so they wasted no time and traveled to Belgium that night.

In his singles semi-final match, Maxim had a roller coaster performance against the top British boy he beat in Japan. He lost his first set, but then won the second set easily, before the final set swung back to the Briton's favor. It was still a very good result and he was already the best performing American in this event.

Since none of the Omnicianni players were left in the event, Byrnes changed their train schedule and took an overnight train from Milan to Charleroi, Belgium, that night. Maxim chuckled when he saw all the familiar faces at the train station. He leaned over to Joanna and whispered in her ear, "Jo, Chuck snores terribly. Can I come over to your cabin? I'll sleep on the floor and won't disturb Marlene or you."

Joanna chuckled, then whispered to Marlene, apparently to relate his proposal. The two girls then started laughing at him.

Maxim liked this means of traveling. It was much better than planes because he could stretch out all he wanted, and he slept very well in a swaying bunk. He kept fantasizing what it would be like to have sex in this environment.

-------



NOTES: Trivia about the Grand Slams:

The "Australian Open" is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments to be held each year. It is held each January at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia. Held in the middle of the Australian summer, the Australian Open is famous for its notoriously hot days. An extreme-heat policy is often put into play when temperatures (and humidity) reach dangerous levels.

The official tournament name for "French Open" is "Tournoi de Roland-Garros". "French Open" is a common name often used among and at the general public. Inside the sport and among fans, they often refer the event to as "Roland-Garros", which is actually the tournament venue Stade de Roland Garros (Roland Garros Stadium). It is the only Grand Slam event that is referred to with the venue name.

"The Wimbledon" is also actually a common name for "The Championships, Wimbledon". It is held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England. Unlike the French Open, nobody uses the venue name to refer to the event. It is at times called "The Championships".

The "US Open" is generally the only way it is called, although during or just prior to the event, some may call it "The Open". It is held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in the Queens borough of New York City, USA (the Billie Jean King part was added in 2006.)

King is one of the greatest female tennis players and female athletes in history and has been an outspoken advocate against sexism in sports and society. King's most famous match (and probably the most important match for women's tennis) was "The Battle of the Sexes" against a former world number one male player Bobby Riggs. She won the battle, and many have considered it a milestone leading to gender equality in today's tennis.





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Chapter 24


The official hotel for the Astrid Bowl tournament was a budget class hotel and there was nothing inside worth spending time on. The only good thing was that it was located in downtown Charleroi, so transportation was not a problem at all. The players who didn't have to play through the qualifying quickly formed a group and started their tour to the Belfry of the City Hall and the Maison Dorée.

Both Glenn and Kenny lost in their qualifying. But since Glenn had the best result among the losers, he was awarded a 'lucky loser' place in the main draw when one of the players withdrew. His luck didn't last long though as he was beaten by a local player in the opening round. Both Glenn and Kenny became bystanders for this event, but they were going to play the qualifying in Paris, so they weren't as free-spirited as Chuck was.

After winning their doubles match on Tuesday, Maxim saw Amanda and a girl coming over to talk with Lawrence. Maxim hadn't seen the new girl before. He studied her as Amanda introduced them. The girl looked quite young and had a cute face. "She's Jane Bennett," Amanda said. "She's my doubles partner in this tournament. This is Max Womanizer."

Jane smiled at Maxim, then asked, "Is that really your surname?" She spoke with a British accent, had dark blonde hair and dark brown eyebrows. For a tennis player, Jane was quite short. Elena was only 11 years old and she was already 5-foot-2. Maxim guessed Jane wasn't even 5-foot-4, but she had broad shoulders, which could raise her upper body strength to compensate for her lack of height somehow.

Maxim chuckled dryly as Amanda laughed with Lawrence. "I guess not," Jane said, with a slightly embarrassing smile.

"Actually, my name is Maxim Khimin," Maxim said. "I have a Russian name but it's sensational American blood that flows inside me. Everyone calls me Max, or honey, or darling. However, some people who're jealous about me use various names on me." He then grinned at Amanda.

Amanda chuckled at his comment while shaking her head. She then turned to Lawrence. "Are you going for refreshment now?"

"Sure," Lawrence said, and led his friends to the clubhouse.

While they were walking to the clubhouse, Maxim asked the young girl, "How old are you, Jane?"

"I'll be fifteen next month. You have a big serve. We came just in time to see you finish your match with back-to-back aces."

"Thanks, Jane. How were your matches?"

"Our pair advanced, but I lost my singles in double bagels. Miserable, huh?"

"Depends," Maxim said. "If you lost to a seed with that score, it's okay. If you lost to someone without a ranking at all, then it's on par with me."

Jane chuckled. "You're kidding, Max, aren't you?"

"Ask your friend Amanda. That match's an all time American junior classic. It's played on America's Funniest Home Videos a lot."

Jane chuckled again. "Actually I've only just got to know Amanda."

"Then how did you end up playing doubles with her?"

"Well," Jane said. "I didn't have a partner, so I looked up the entry list, and rang them up one by one."

"That's quite funny," Maxim said. "Next time call me first."

Jane once again chuckled. "You're very funny, Max."

"What day next month?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"Your birthday," he said. "I'm going to send you a funny birthday card."

Jane was obviously hesitating. "Hmm," she said. "You don't have to. I already know you're funny. You can check my birthday on the player's list anyway."

Maxim knew it wasn't her birthday that she was hesitating over. It was her address that he'd be asking for next. He leaned down a little, and lowered his voice. "I could send it to your club or school."

Jane turned to smiled at him. "LTA Bath," she said. "Twenty second of June."

They didn't have a lengthy time for refreshment as both Lawrence and Maxim had to play their respective singles matches shortly. Maxim especially had to leave the clubhouse earlier to watch Marlene's match. He smiled as he saw her having the upper hand while wearing the new skirt he had given her. Marlene chuckled when she met him after the match. "I'll have to wear my old one tomorrow," she told him after their hug. "I haven't filled up my laundry bag yet."

"Marlene," he whispered to her. "I don't care if you fill up your laundry bag or you wash it by hand. If I see you wearing your old skirt tomorrow, I'll make sure you play your match wearing only panties."

"Gee," she struggled to say it while laughing and slapping his chest. "Max, you're such a jerk!"

Maxim had a tough match against the ninth seed from Venezuela. He did pretty well in the first set and took it in the tiebreaker, but the following two sets belonged to the clay court specialist who grabbed every chance he could get, once he got used to Maxim's style of play. This was Maxim's first early exit in a tournament for some time.

He wasn't the only one upset for long though. The next day Lawrence once again suffered a double loss. He lost his singles match to an Argentine, and then lost his doubles with Maxim, both after tough battles.

After their doubles match loss, Maxim rushed over to watch Marlene's match. The moment he saw her on the court, he started cursing. She was wearing her old skirt and was already down 0-4 in the first set. She was swept in the first set, and even though she managed to win back the second set, she eventually lost to the fifth seed.

Marlene tried to run away when she saw Maxim after her match. She hid behind Chuck before she started talking. "Max," she said, laughing even though she was still quite upset. "She played much better than me. It didn't matter which skirt I was wearing."

He grabbed her arm from behind Chuck. "Marlene," he said. "Either you take off your skirt now, or Chuck and I'll do it for you."

Maxim had to stop when he saw Byrnes coming over. He released Marlene, but still kept whispering in her ear. "Look, Marlene," he said. "There are some things you believe, and some things you don't. But whenever I change my outfit or my racquet after a winning match, I always lose in the next match. I've now numbered my racquets. It doesn't always work, but my luck has been much better than in the past."

"You're just being superstitious, and getting better."

He leaned a little closer to her. "I'll tell you what," he whispered in her ear. "You'd better be lucky enough to get on the qualifying list, or I'll tear your skirt into pieces next time I see you. Hey, what color of panties did you wear underneath the Fila?"

"Oh, my goodness," she said, laughing with a blush on her face. "I never thought I'd be asked this question. Max, you're the dirtiest jerk in the entire universe."

Surprisingly, the best Omnicianni result came from Joanna -- the Academy's youngest player at the tournament, who managed to reach the quarter-final. All of Maxim's close friends had now been eliminated.

Both Joanna and Marlene would be playing in the qualifying at the Junior French Open, so they had to leave for Paris immediately. Before they left the Royal Astrid Tennis Club, Maxim saw Amanda and Jane, who had just lost in their doubles match. He consoled them and asked them when they were traveling to Paris. Amanda would have to check with her coach, and Jane wasn't going at all.

"I'm going home to prepare for a LTA tournament," Jane said. "I can't get into the Roland Garros. So long, Max. Oh, will you be going to Surbiton?"

"Yeah," Maxim said. "You'll be there?"

"Yes," Jane said. "I'm from LTA Bath. You've forgotten already?"

"Of course not," Maxim said. "Just a moronic moment. Anyway, I'll see you at Surbiton. I'll bring you a black Russian cake. Make sure you have your Earl Grey ready."

Jane chuckled and bade him good-bye, then went with Amanda to the locker room.

-------

The trip to Paris took less than three hours, and they had ample time for the qualifying sign in. Marlene was very excited, because Paris was another place she had longed to see. She didn't have high hopes here, other than enough for a ticket to the Junior Wimbledon. Joanna was quite the opposite; she was more excited that she could play at the junior French Open than being in Paris. Maxim knew Joanna would have a better future in tennis than Marlene.

Maxim saw his coach arguing with the reception clerk at their hotel. The Junior French Open was one of the most prestigious junior events, but the hospitality arrangement was a little inferior. The official hotel was a short-term residential lodging facility providing one bedroom apartments that could accommodate up to four persons. Apparently the administrative personnel at the Academy made an oversight mistake and had reserved only one apartment for all four players. The reception clerk told Byrnes they didn't have any spare apartments.

"I don't see a problem, Coach," Maxim said to Byrnes. "I don't think we mind being packed in one apartment. It's just for the nights, anyway."

"Max," Byrnes said, looking at his eyes. "I can't put male and female players in a room together. It's against the policy. What's worse is that we have you here. You know what I mean, don't you?"

"It's not a room," Maxim said. "The girls can sleep in the bedroom and Chuck will sleep with me in the living room. And it's actually good that I'm here, because I know better than to fool around with my school friends."

Byrnes didn't buy his philosophy, and gave Maxim his own apartment key. "Chuck and you will stay at my apartment," he said.

"Isn't it also against the policy? Coaches don't stay with players in a room, right?"

"Right," Byrnes said. "I'll stay with Don Nelson."

Don Nelson was the coach of Lawrence and Amanda. Maxim cursed Byrnes in his heart, as he had never seen Marlene and Joanna in their sleepwear. It could have been a nice chance if his coach wasn't so persistent on following rules.

After settling down in their accommodation, Byrnes told them they were going to have dinner with Nick and his friends. They went to Arc de Triomphe for some photo shots and then on to a restaurant to meet their old friends.

Nick Sohaili, Mike Jackson, and Lindsay Bitt had all been eliminated from the adult French Open which had started three days ago. Mike lost in the qualifying, Lindsay lost on the first day, while Nick had just lost that day in the second round. Maxim hadn't seen Mike Jackson for quite a while. He slapped his arm and asked how he had been doing.

"Tough, naturally," said Mike, smiling. "I've been running around doing mostly Challengers for the miserable money and points."

"Kind of like Irene Parker," Nick said to Mike. "But you're doing better, honestly. At least you're playing at the Slams."

"Nah," Mike sighed. "I think Irene's doing better. At least she's got some free clothes. I'm still without a clothing contract. I really need to get a lucky placement on a big tourney. If my match is on ESPN live, they'll start calling me."

After some laughter, Marlene asked Mike, "What about your racquet?"

"I don't have a racquet contract either," Mike said. "I think Fischer once approached my dad and offered ten bucks and a few newer models, but my dad didn't take it. I think I still have about a dozen Thundersticks. They should last a while." He grinned at Maxim and continued, "I don't throw racquets like Max does."

"I'm actually quite worried," Maxim said. "I'm down to only six St. Vincents now. I don't know what to do when they all break. I don't want to change."

"Oh, no, Max," Lindsay said, gasping slightly. "You shouldn't be using them. They're collector items now. Go and buy some newer models. After all, you'll change when they pay you to do so."

"That's true," Nick said. "And I think Lindsay is the only one among us who's got a decent clothing contract." He paused to glance at the smiling Lindsay. "Mine gives so little money sometimes I don't even bother to cash their checks."

After her chuckle, Joanna asked Mike, "I still don't understand why there are so few black American players around."

"Two big reasons," Mike said. "Number one, costs. A basketball is twenty bucks; a racquet is eighty to one-twenty. You can play basketball in the street, but you need a decent court to play tennis. Number two, a so-so football or basketball player makes millions a year. Look at me. How much am I making now? I can't even afford a steak dinner. The kids want to be more like Michael Jordan than Michael Chang."

"I don't want a steak dinner," Lindsay said, smiling at Mike. "You can have all of mine. I can't fit into the size two shirts they're giving me. Goodness, I don't know why they want me to show my boobs when playing tennis."

After their laughter at the table, Maxim said, "Lindsay, give your clothes to Mike and you can show me how you look without those size two shirts."

Lindsay flung a coaster at him while shaking her head. "Lindsay," Mike said. "Give me your contract and I'll wear anything, no matter how tiny they are."

Lindsay chuckled and looked Mike up and down. "Mike," she said. "I think I've got a skirt that will fit you."

After another round of laughter, Byrnes turned to Nick. "Do you know how Irene did at Salzburg?" he said. "I didn't have time to check."

"Irene won the title," Nick said. "If she does well at Katowice, she'll be inside four hundred at the next update."

"Four hundred won't make it into the Wimbledon," Maxim said.

"It won't," Byrnes said, turning to Maxim. "You're not going to see Irene in any majors this year. I think she'll make it next year. Max, there are many pros that don't make it into any Slams before they quit or retire."

After their main dish, Maxim asked Nick, "Where are we going after dinner? I've heard that the night life in Paris is amazing. Oh and when are you guys going to the UK?"

"Max," Byrnes said. "We're not going out tonight. Marlene and Jo are playing tomorrow."

Maxim turned to Marlene and said, "Make sure you wear the right skirt tomorrow." He then turned to Nick to repeat his question while Marlene dropped her head snickering. "When are you going to London?"

"Mike and I are going tomorrow. We're both playing at the Nottingham qualifying." Nick then pointed at Lindsay and went on, "She's going on Wednesday for Eastbourne. I think I'm hanging out with Mike after dinner, maybe for a drink. Lindsay, do you want to join us? Oh, Max, sorry I can't take you along, because we're going to places not suitable for children."

While Nick and Lindsay were about two years older than him, Mike was not even a year older. Maxim wasn't going anywhere with them simply because he was still a tennis student, an amateur, and had a bunch of underage teammates he had to stick with. Maxim cursed Nick and Byrnes that night when he was watching TV in his room while Chuck hosted a poker game in the living room. Chuck hadn't played a tennis game since his knockout in Italy, but he had won truckloads of money from his poker games.

Qualifying (6/1-3)

It turned out only Glenn and Kenny had to play their first day qualifying matches. Both Marlene and Joanna didn't have an opponent on their first day, so they spent the day hitting and watching other matches. Glenn and Kenny advanced to the second qualifying round.

Joanna had an early match the next day. It was one of the closest matches Maxim had watched in quite a while, and the winner wasn't determined until a third set tiebreaker. Marlene had left early to prepare for her match. After saving a few match points, Joanna eventually earned a ticket to the third qualifying round. She gave Maxim a firm hug before she went to change.

Maxim was about to go to Marlene's match when he saw the loser of Joanna's match walking toward his direction. He decided to try acquainting the French girl who had one of the nicest pair of legs he had seen for quite some time. He greeted her by her name, which he had learned from the draw list, and asked if she spoke English.

"Vous parlez Français?" she said in a frosty tone.

Maxim knew French people didn't always like to speak English even if they could do it well. "Je suis Max," he threw out some French words he had learned the day before. "Vous êtes beau."

Her frosty expression melted a little as she gave him a small smile and started walking away. "Emmanuelle," he said from behind her. "It was hard luck. You actually played very well. You had a few bad calls in the second set."

Emmanuelle stopped and turned around. "Oh, you watched," she said in fluent English. "What did you say your name was?"

Maxim quickly went to her side and reached out his hand. "I'm Max," he said with a shinny smile. "I'm from the US."

"I know," Emmanuelle said, ignoring his intent to shake hands with her. "It's your accent."

"You know," Maxim said. "We have a very nice tradition. Whenever someone loses a match, he or she gets a hug and an ice cream."

She gave him a knowing smile as she studied him. "Thanks, Max," she said, and resumed walking. "I'm going to change and then go and watch my brother's match, maybe next time when you need it."

Maxim followed her. "If it's a triple cone sundae, I'll fake an injury when I play your brother."

Emmanuelle chuckled. "How much more French can you speak, Max?"

"Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, dix," he listed the French numbers he could speak. "Vous êtes sexy. And a couple of swear words."

Emmanuelle chuckled again, "well, nice meeting you, Max. I hope I'll see you around."

"See you, Emmanuelle, and take care," he said, and watched her go into the players lounge. He then remembered Marlene was still playing, and rushed over to watch her match.

He cursed when he saw Marlene not wearing the Fila skirt he had bought her. She was also playing as if she was cursed, and was swept away in the first set. She tried to come back, and took the second set to a tiebreaker. She however twisted an ankle during a rally, and even though she managed to finish the match without a retirement, it was a heartbreaking loss for her. She looked very miserable when Maxim saw her after her therapy.

Maxim knew it wasn't time to tease her about her skirt, as Marlene had probably lost her chance to play at Wimbledon because of her injury. He patted her back when she sniffled over his shoulder. "Don't worry, Marlene," he said softly. "You'll recover fast enough."

Marlene didn't talk for a while. She looked over Maxim's shoulder and asked Joanna, "Did you make it, Jo?"

Joanna nodded her head. "Almost lost, but I was lucky."

"Max," Marlene said beside his ear. "I want a triple cone sundae now."

Maxim winked at Chuck. The Korean smiled and they took Marlene to the medical center to have her ankle treated before taking her to the players lounge. After finishing her ice cream sundae, Marlene started feeling better. She began discussing with Chuck about what to do and see during their stay. A little later they saw Kenny Kim. He had just won his match, and was going to watch Glenn's match after his shower. Maxim left his friends and went with Kenny to watch Glenn play.

It was a big coincidence. Glenn was playing against a guy with the same last name as Emmanuelle. He had won the first set but was trialing in the second. Maxim knew that must be Emmanuelle's brother, and started searching for the sister. When he found Emmanuelle on the other side, he left his friend and went over to the French doll.

Emmanuelle was watching the match with a couple of her friends and she wasn't very keen on whispering with Maxim. She briefly introduced her friends to Maxim during a change over, after her brother won back the second set. She then said to Maxim, "That guy's also from the US. Do you know him?"

"Yeah," Maxim said. "We used to be doubles partners, but he dumped me."

"Why?"

"I told him I was betting on Jean-Michel Baudin to beat him at Roland Garros."

Emmanuelle chuckled with her friends. "Well," she said. "I hope you'll win your bet."

"Will that make it another triple cone sundae?"

Emmanuelle smiled at him. "I'll tell Jean-Michel about it."

Glenn eventually lost the match to the Frenchman. Emmanuelle quickly went over to her brother with her friends after biding Maxim adieu. Maxim hadn't made much progress with Emmanuelle, so he went over to console Glenn and took him to the players lounge for another drink.

-------

Main Draw (6/4-11)

Joanna and Kenny both won all their qualifying matches and started playing in the main draw with Maxim and the others. Maxim won his first ever French match easily, allowing his Swedish opponent only two games in the match. He met with his friends after the match, and they decided to go and watch Lawrence play. On the way they saw an exceptionally big spectator crowd at court 11 and went over. The top seeded girl Anna Kournikova was playing against Lilia Anderson. They watched that match instead.

After Kournikova had beaten Anderson 2-1, Marlene said to Maxim, "I wish I could play like Anna. Actually, I'd settle for either."

"I think you should settle for Anna more," Maxim said. "Then I'll be lusting after you every minute."

Marlene laughed with her friends. "Gee," she then said. "Why don't you go and tell her that?"

"Marlene," Maxim said. "With a hundred guys surrounding her all the time, it'll take me a lot of time and effort, and money, too. You're much easier."

Marlene slapped his arm and pulled an angry look. "You're the biggest jerk on earth, Max!"

There was another thing that was uncommon -- or even stupid -- about the so-called hotel they were staying at. There was a launderette with just two coin-operated washing machines and one tumble dryer in the entire building. They also had contracted a dry cleaning service but that was too expensive for the amateur athletes with a lot of dirty and sweated clothes. Maxim made many trips, and eventually got his turn to use the washer at nearly 11 p.m.

He was very surprised to see Emmanuelle Baudin at the launderette when he went for the dryer about half an hour later. She was folding some male clothes and chuckled when she saw him. "I wish I'd a sis or girlfriend like you, Emmanuelle," he grinned at her.

"Sister," she said, smiling.

"Okay, sis Emmanuelle," he said. "Where's my triple cone sundae?"

She chuckled again. "Go and ask Jean-Michel. He may offer you another one. He's still playing. Do you know?"

Maxim transferred his clothes from the washer to the empty dryer while talking with her. "Of course I know. I'm not betting on him again. I've never played Alfonso Hernandez before, but I've seen him play. He's very tough."

"Yeah," she said. "Jean-Michel has the same feeling."

Maxim turned to her and watched her fold her brother's garments. "Emmanuelle," he said, as his eyes followed her hips. "Forget about the sundae. Do you think it's possible you tell me where to buy those jeans? I've never seen any jeans that fit a girl so well."

She laughed, and turned around to look at him. "Max," she said. "Don't tell me you can't read the label on my rear."

"I'm blind after ten."

Emmanuelle burst out laughing. "Max," she said. "I admire your wit. You're one of a kind."

"Thanks, Emmanuelle. Where are you from? Do you live in Paris?"

"No, I don't live in Paris. I'm from Nantes. Do you know where that is?"

"No. But I will once you take me there with you."

Emmanuelle laughed. "Oh, my God," she panted. "You're killing me, Max. Nantes is about 400 kilometers south west of Paris."

"I see. Well, do you think it's a little noisy here? Do you want to go to the lounge? I don't think anyone will steal Jean-Michel's clothes."

She took a deep breath. "Thanks for the invite, Max," she said. "I don't want to leave them unattended though, maybe another time?"

"When?"

Emmanuelle laughed once more. "You never give up, do you?"

"It's your fault, Emmanuelle. You inherited the perfect genes from your parents."

She laughed again, then said to him, "What's your apartment number, Max? I'll try to give you a call. I can't promise, though. I'm not sure when I'm leaving."

Maxim gave her his apartment number, then pursued. "Emmanuelle, what about before or after Jean-Michel's match tomorrow?"

Emmanuelle smiled at him, but told him she would be hanging out with her friends. She finished her job, bade him goodnight, and left.

After the second round matches, only Maxim and his doubles partnership with Lawrence were amongst the people he knew who were still playing at Roland Garros. Joanna, Lawrence, and Amanda were all out. Lawrence still had to play his doubles with Maxim, but the others began hanging around happily, watching adult and junior matches, and going shopping.

Maxim was defeated in his third round singles match. His opponent, also French, was more than 250 below him in ranking. But the underdog played well, and Maxim made an incredible number of unforced errors. The umpire from Switzerland also seemed to dislike his arguing about calls on every other game, and awarded his opponent the benefit of doubt whenever Maxim swore they were out. He was glad he hadn't asked his mother to come and watch this tournament.

He did get a consolation though when he caught Emmanuelle at the venue and she had run out of excuses. He bought her a coffee at the players lounge and talked with her for half an hour. Jean-Michel had already lost the day before to the top Mexican they talked about, so the siblings were leaving Paris soon. She promised she would talk with him before she left Paris. Maxim knew at this rate of progress, he wasn't going to get lucky with Emmanuelle, but it was still enjoyable talking with and teasing the sexy French girl.

Maxim won his doubles quarter-final match with Lawrence the following day, but the victory came with a prize. He had a collision with his partner near the end of the match, where Lawrence's knee slammed into the outside of his thigh. It wasn't too bad when he was playing, but his thigh was very sore afterwards. Byrnes took him to the medical officer after the match and gave him a big icepack for his pain and soreness.

That evening, he limped with the other friends he and Chuck had gathered up and went over to Marlene's apartment. He showed her a birthday cake he and Chuck had bought before dinner. They had a small, yet noisy and chaotic birthday party. Maxim insisted a birthday peck wasn't enough. "Come on, Marlene," he said, while holding her firmly in his arms. "How many seventeenth birthdays do you get in your life?"

Marlene chuckled. "One, but still no."

Maxim leaned forward to her ear and whispered, "Come on, Marlene. You know I've waited seventeen years for this. Haven't I been nice to you all my life?"

Marlene chuckled again. "No tongue," she whispered.

Maxim smiled at her, and pressed his lips on hers, rubbing tenderly, before he attempted to explore into her mouth. Marlene pushed him in the chest right away and got out of his arms. She glared at him. "I said no tongue!"

Everyone started laughing. Even Marlene also laughed with a blush when she saw them. "You're a super jerk, Max," she glared at him again, while he was bending down with his laughter.

Maxim had some difficulty getting out of his bed the next morning, which was a natural syndrome after hurting his thigh muscles the previous day. Lawrence's eyebrows crumpled up when he saw Maxim. "Maybe we should just walkover," he said.

"Nah," Maxim said. "I'll be better in a while. The more I move, the faster it'll heal."

Before their match, Byrnes told Maxim, "If it hurts, call medical time-out. If it gets worse, pull out. Don't make the injury worse. You have more important tournaments coming up."

Maxim and Lawrence started their match rather sloppily. Their opponent saw Maxim was a little shabby in his movements and started attacking the weakness. They lost the first set 4-6. "Do you need a treatment?" Lawrence said as Maxim was icing his thigh during a break.

"Nah," Maxim said. "No big deal. Lawrence, let's do poaching."

"Are you sure?" Lawrence said, looking at his bandage covered thigh.

"Might as well get it over with faster."

Lawrence chuckled. "Okay."

Their opponents were taken aback by their very aggressive tactic. By the time they got used to it, they were already down 0-4. Maxim also started getting used to dashing with a sore leg. He and Lawrence went on to win the remaining two sets.

Maxim's thigh didn't get any better the next day, and both he and his partner struggled in their first ever Grand Slam championship match. Even so, the match was very close. Both pairs held their service games but Maxim and Lawrence lost the first set in the tiebreaker. The second set was also very close, but Maxim's inability to move as quickly as he was used to cost them a few chances. They lost the match when they failed to secure their last service game.

Nevertheless, it was already the best achievement for both Maxim and Lawrence in an event of this level, and neither of them felt sorry. They spent quite a while posing with their trophy plates and with the champions for the photographers, and then went for their media conference after their shower.

Most junior event interviews were done on court or courtside, but juniors in Grand Slams mostly shared the same facilities with the big stars at tournament venues. It wasn't the first time for them to be inside the big press conference room, but since both of them never made any impact in junior Slams, their previous experiences were nothing worth mentioning. This was a big one even though they were the losers.

After the press conference, they went to watch the women's final in the players lounge. Maxim's favorite, Graf won the championship.

Maxim called up his mother when he returned to his hotel and told her of his achievement. Junior tournaments were not aired on TV in the US, and his mother never watched sportscasts either on TV or on newspapers, so Maxim had to tell her everything. He then had a night out with his friends.

He went back to his apartment just in time to answer Emmanuelle's phone call. She was calling to say goodbye because she was leaving the next day after watching the French Open men's final. It took Maxim a while to talk her into having breakfast with him the next morning.

Maxim went to meet with Emmanuelle at the lobby very early the next morning. He took her to a small café on the corner and they sat at a table outside in the street. After they were seated, he gave her a bracelet he had bought in Milan and put it on for her. "Italian bracelet," she said, smiling at him after studying her new jewelry. "You're always prepared, Max, aren't you?"

Maxim chuckled. "Don't they sell Italian things in Paris?"

"They do," Emmanuelle said, still wearing her smile. "But why would an American who's just come from Italy buy an Italian jewelry in Paris?"

"Emmanuelle," he said once they were served their breakfast. "Do you know you're not just pretty, you're also sexy. Do you know you're not just sexy, you're very smart? Do you know I'm going to write you pieces after pieces of poems?"

She laughed. "Max," she said. "You're not just cute, you're very smart, direct, quick, and witty. Are you going to copy some French poems?"

"No," Maxim grinned at her. "I'll copy some nice English ones, and I'll write you my own French ones. They won't be literary, but I think you'll like them."

"I don't have a pen," she said, smiling slyly at him.

"I do," he chuckled, and took out a pen and two sheets of papers, one blank and one with his address and phone number on it.

"Boy," Emmanuelle said, again smiling. "You really are well prepared, Max." She wrote down her contact information and gave it to him.

"I hope it's a compliment."

"Of course it is, Max."

During their breakfast, Emmanuelle told Maxim it was probably the last international event for her this year. She was way below the ranking needed to get into other major international events. She would instead focus on national events and hoped she would be selected into the French team for the Continental Players' Cup held in Florida in December. She might be accepted into the Orange Bowl if that happened.

After they returned to their hotel, Maxim followed Emmanuelle out of the elevator when it reached her floor. He knew he wasn't going into her apartment, but he believed she wouldn't refuse him a goodbye kiss. Emmanuelle turned around and smiled at him, then gave him a nice French kiss, before biding him farewell and then went inside her apartment.

Even though they had no matches to play, they still went to Stade Roland Garros to watch the junior finals and the men's final. The American juniors cursed when their favorite Michael Chang was beaten by the formidable Austrian 'King of Clay' Thomas Muster. They had another fun evening out afterwards.

The Omnicianni group left Paris the next morning. Maxim asked Marlene while they were waiting for their flight at the airport, "Are you going home right away, or are you going back to Santa Arcata first?"

"Santa Arcata," Marlene sighed. "I'm not sure what time we'll arrive at San Fran, and I may not be able to catch a Greyhound that late."

"Why don't you check it when we get to San Fran?" Maxim said. "My mom's picking me up, so if the schedule is right, she can drop you off at the Greyhound terminal."

"What if I miss the coach when I get there?"

"You sleep with me," Maxim said, and laughed.

Marlene also laughed, and slapped his arm. "Gee," she said. "I forgot about never talking to you again."

"Seriously," Maxim said. "Check it out when you get there. If you have an hour or so, my mom can drop you off."

"I'll think about it," she said, smiling. "And shut your dog mouth now."



-------

Chapter 25


By the time the Omnicianni team arrived back at San Francisco Airport, it was already around midnight. Maxim's mother was waiting outside the arrival hall. Since Marlene had about an hour before a Greyhound coach would leave for Olympia, Washington, Maxim's mother gave her a ride to the bus terminal before taking her son home. The rest of the team took a van back to the Academy.

The next morning Maxim told his mother about his off-court activities during his European trip. While she was a European, she had never been to any part of Europe outside of Russia. She was quite interested about what he had seen. She also asked Maxim if he would need some more pocket monies for his upcoming England trip while talking about the places he would be visiting. "So how far are Surbiton and Wimbledon from London?" she asked.

Maxim didn't respond to the pocket money issue, as he knew she would be giving him some anyway. "Mom, Wimbledon is inside London, like Russian Hill is in San Francisco. Surbiton is a suburban area of London. These places are all very close to each other. England is a small country."

"Oh," said his mother, whilst she searched the cabinet, and then gave him some cash. "Are you coming back before your trip to London? This is probably not enough."

"Thanks, mom," he said as he pocketed the cash. "Yeah, I'll need to park my car here anyway. Hmm, mom, will you come and watch my matches? We can tour around London afterwards."

His mother's eyes shone, but she declined the suggestion after a brief thought. "The restaurant is still understaffed. I don't think I can afford the time."

"Come on, mom. How long have you not been on a vacation? Three years? Four years? Five years?"

His mother chuckled. "I'll think about it. I'll talk with your dad."

"Mom, do you know that no male Russian has ever won Wimbledon? Not the open, nor the junior."

His mother smiled at him. "Maksimka, you want to be the first one? You can't even talk with your uncle in Russian without the help of Yuri and Viktor." She giggled. "And you're using an American passport."

"I don't think it matters, mom. They see my name, and they'll say, hey, a Russian kid's won, the first ever Russian!"

His mother's thoughts seem to sway. "I'll think about it," she chuckled. "I'll talk with your dad. By the way, Elena's gone back to Omni with Sanchez. You don't have to pick her up."

Maxim left his mother after lunch. She returned to the restaurant while her son went back to the Academy.

-------

A little after Maxim had unloaded his luggage at his residence, his phone rang. It was an unexpected call from his history teacher.

"How was the trip?" Gail asked over the phone.

Maxim told her his results, then said, "How've you been doing? Where are you? I miss you."

Gail chuckled. "I'm at home. I miss you, too, Max. Well, I just remembered I've a little unfinished business at school, so I'll be going back for a couple of days. Do you have a day or two before your UK trip?"

"Of course, Gail," Maxim said. "You have my entire life. When?"

Gail chuckled again. "I'll call you back in, say, twenty minutes, okay?"

A little later Gail called Maxim again and told him she had booked a cottage at Pacific Grove for the weekend. They fixed a time on Saturday morning for the teacher to come and pick Maxim up.

The training facility was pretty quiet, as most professionals training there were on the road during this period and many students were taking a short break at home. After his practice, Maxim went to look for Elena, and had dinner with her at the dining hall. Elena told him she had reached the quarter-finals in her previous tournament. That was again quite an achievement, because she was playing up in the age 14 division, and she wasn't even 12. "What about the Southern Open, Elena," he said. "Will you be playing in the Twelve or Fourteen division?"

"Fourteen," she said. "They say I'm not playing Twelve anymore. Where are your photos?"

"Oh, okay. Hey, Elena, have you enrolled in the swimming course yet?"

"Yeah, starting next Monday. Max, where are your photos?"

"Okay, let's go buy your bathing suit now. Do you want bikini or one-piece?"

Elena snickered. "I don't think it matters." She then poked Maxim in the waist. "Where are your photos?"

"I haven't got them developed yet," he chuckled. "Let's go and do it together."

On their way to the mall, they stopped by a photo-finishing store to have Maxim's films developed and to buy some extra rolls of film for his upcoming trip. He was surprised to see Calvin working at the back of the store. "What are you doing here, Calvin?" Maxim said when Calvin came out to greet him. "Why aren't you in New York. Where is she?"

"I'm working here, what else?" Calvin chuckled. "I got an offer to take shots for Sanata Mall in San Jose, so I decided to stay behind for a couple of weeks and work here in between the project schedules. She's in New York now. I'll be going back on Saturday. Do you want your films in one hour?"

Maxim glanced at Elena and saw an eager expression on her face. "One hour, please," he said to Calvin. "When are you getting off?"

"Eight. Plenty of time. Don't worry."

"You want a cup of coffee once you finish??" Maxim said. "I'm taking Elena to buy a swimsuit. Are you driving?"

"Sure. See you in a bit," Calvin said. "Yes, I'm driving Celine's car." He waved to Maxim and Elena as they walked out.

Maxim took Elena to the mall for her swimwear. They also bought some groceries and hung around a little before they went back to the photo-finishing store. They waited outside the store while Elena went through his newly developed photos, and then to a coffee shop until Calvin left his work.

Elena had been paying undivided attention to Calvin since they sat down at the coffee shop. "You're very pretty, Calvin," she said. "I've never seen a guy as pretty as you."

Maxim chuckled with Calvin, then said to his quasi- sister, "Elena, you don't call a guy pretty. You call him handsome, nice looking, cute, or hot. And stop looking. He's got a girlfriend."

"But he's pretty," Elena snickered.

Calvin smiled at her, "Thank you, Elena," he said. "You're very pretty and sweet, too. I don't have a girlfriend. Do you want to be my girlfriend?"

"Sure," Elena snickered again. "I'm dumping Max for you."

Maxim laughed as he playfully slapped Elena's head, then swung his head around to Calvin when he suddenly realized what the amateur photographer had just said. "You don't have a girlfriend?" asked Maxim, staring at his face. "What about Celine?"

"She used to be," Calvin said calmly. "That was quite a long time ago."

"A long time ago? Like after the Spring break? You guys broke off? Why didn't you tell me earlier? Where do you live now?"

While Elena turned her head from left to right, looking at the two guys with a puzzled expression, Calvin slowly sipped his coffee before he talked. "I'm still living with her," he said. "We're very close friends."

Maxim scratched his head, then asked, "When did you break off with her then, after the Spring break?"

"We never broke up," Calvin said. "We ceased. I still love her. I always do."

"Ceased?"

"Yeah."

Maxim didn't have a clue as to what Calvin was talking about, but he didn't want to show his ignorance in front of Elena. "After Spring break?" he asked.

"Nah. Long time ago. Before she came here."

Maxim cursed himself while digging into his memory. It seemed that Celine had never told him she and Calvin had reunited. But the fact that she and Calvin lived under the same roof and they were always together was supposed to be evidential. He waved his arms randomly, not quite sure what to ask. "Why didn't you tell me earlier, Calvin?"

"Why would I?" Calvin said, chuckling with Elena. "It's nothing new."

"Then what happened after Spring break?"

Calvin chuckled again. "Why didn't you ask her?"

"Fuck!"

"Max," Elena said, tapping his hand. "You swear again! Twenty dollar fine."

After returning to his residence, Maxim thought about calling Celine to ask her, but it seemed stupid, and whatever she said, there would be nothing he could do about it. He eventually did call Celine up, but just for a five-minute chat.

Since Maxim had no school and no girl with him, he spent most of his time on practices and workouts. He also participated in some summer camp activities, hitting with and leading the kids, as well as playing with Elena and her kid friends.

-------

Maxim saw something different about Gail when he got into her car on Saturday morning. "Wow, Gail, you're so sexy," he said as he stared at her A-Line skirt. "Did you buy this mini for me to see?"

Gail giggled. "Thank you, Max. Well, no, I bought this for my own pleasure."

"What about your cami? Are you wearing a thong?"

She giggled again. "All right, camisole's for your eyes. I'm not wearing panties. Happy now?

"Gail, do you know you're extremely hot? Do you know I'm getting very horny now?"

"I bet you are," she laughed as she pulled her car into the highway.

It was nearly a one-and-a-half-hour's drive to Pacific Grove. Gail had booked a small cottage at a woodsy facility. The exterior of the structure wasn't outstanding, but the inside was cozy. It had a fireplace, big sun windows, an eat-in full kitchen, and a private deck.

Maxim was only carrying a sports bag, and he found it rather amusing when Gail started unloading her belongings into the cottage. "Don't laugh, Max," she said. "Help me get the grocery bags inside. I'm cooking you a meal."

"Gail," he said as he put the bags into his arms. "Why are you spending time cooking on our honeymoon vacation?"

"Honey," Gail said, glancing at him. "A woman always cooks for her lover. A man won't settle for just her body."

"I will," Maxim said. "Are you really not wearing panties?"

"I don't know," she said with a sly smile. "I think I forgot."

Maxim quickly moved everything from Gail's car into the cottage. He then kick-closed the door, locked it, and grabbed Gail in his arms. He kissed her while exploring inside her mid-thigh skirt. She was wearing panties.

"You lied, Gail," Maxim whispered after the kiss, while he rolled her panties down her hips.

"I didn't," she giggled. "I said I forgot."

"No, the first time you said you didn't," he grumbled, and then started unzipping her skirt.

"Does it matter now?" she breathed as she also started to pull his t-shirt over his head. "I don't even know if I'm wet."

Maxim chuckled, and then grabbed her hand and led it to her groin. She giggled again while struggling. "All right, all right," she crooned. "I admit. I am."

Maxim let go of her hand, and started running his fingers around her moist and swollen folds. "You are what?"

"Oh, my God," she groaned, while gripping his arms. "I'm wet. I'm horny. I want you, Max. Are you happy now?"

He smiled at her while he helped her take off her camisole and her bra. He then let her take off his jeans. They didn't waste any time, and rolled onto the bed. He was near to exploding, and apparently so was she. She quickly spread herself and guided him towards her wetness.

"Oh, God," she moaned when he began filling up her hollowness. "Give me every bit of you, Max."

"You've got it, Gail," he said, smiling, as he pushed his cock into her silky bottom. He pulled himself out and repeated, picking up the pace on each stroke, as he heard her moan louder.

Gail then moved her hands to his neck, and crossed them behind it. She wrapped her legs behind his waist, and then slowly lifted herself up from the mattress. Since her body was now suspended in the air, the impact from their groins slamming together had become heavier and louder. She was also swaying a little, making his drives inside her silky tunnel a more furious yet erotic experience.

"Oh, Max," she moaned. "Look at my eyes."

He lowered his head down a little and looked at her eyes. She locked her eyes on his face. "Oh, Max," she breathed. "I love you, baby."

"I love you, too, Gail," he grunted as he rocked his hips. They kept on looking at each other's faces while he thrust inside her, with Gail intermittingly speaking of her love for him in between her moans.

Gail halted all her actions, and clung forcefully on him, and became silent as her body started to shiver. Maxim's actions became faster when he noticed this. "Oh, God," she gasped a little later. "Come inside me, baby. I love that feeling."

Maxim had already felt the urge coming. He smiled at her but couldn't talk. He gave her a few heavy slams before he started shooting inside her.

After their rest, Gail went to the fridge and took out the sandwiches she had brought. Maxim followed her and stood behind her back whilst he put a necklace that he bought from Milan on her. She turned around, smiled at him, and kissed him. She then went over to the mirror to see how the necklace looked. They had their lunch and then went for a walk along a trail in the woods.

When they returned to their cottage at around five in the afternoon, Gail started preparing their dinner.

"What are you cooking, baby?" Maxim asked while looking over her shoulder.

"Chickpea and tomato tagine, lamb burger pittas," she said. "Now get your hands off me. I don't want to get laid on the counter and spoil the food."

"Gail," he whispered while running his hands on her waist. "Have you ever had sex on a kitchen counter?"

She laughed while adding cumin, paprika and ginger in a saucepan. "Oh, my God. Max, don't even think about it. I've got some more important agenda."

"What agenda, and have you?"

"Max, It's so warm and we've got a full moon. Let's go for a walk on the beach after dinner."

"Okay. Have you?"

She laughed again. "No, Max. He was only five-six. How could that be possible?" She then dropped the bulgur wheat in another pot of simmering water.

"I'm six-three. We can give it a try." He started to cup her ass cheeks.

"No, Max," she chuckled and slapped his hands off her ass. "Let me make the decisions during our stay here, okay?"

"Okay. Gail, do you know you haven't kept your promise yet?"

She chuckled again. "I knew you'd ask. Any of my other orifices you want beside that?" She started mixing the lamb mince with ground cumin and season well.

"All of you, Gail. Any of you."

"Max, I want you to do one thing for me."

"Name it, Miss Mills."

"Wake me up tomorrow morning with your lips."

"Can I use my tongue?" he said, and ran his lips along her hair, while rubbing her ass with his front.

"If I don't resist. Now get your dick off me, Max."

"Why are you wearing a tee while cooking. Why don't we take off our clothes?"

"Max, I don't think we'll ever see the beach if I cook naked with you around. Heck, I suspect if we'd get to eat at all."

"I think I won't mind."

"I do, Max," she said while turning around. "I hope you won't complain about my food. I'm not a great cook."

"Do I get to eat you instead if I complain?"

She laughed. "Oh, my God, Max. Stop talking about sex until we're on the beach, okay?" She turned back to the stove and started stirring.

"You want it there?"

She took a few deep breaths. "Pray that we don't get caught, okay?" she laughed again. "Who's a better cook, your dad or your mom?"

"Dad, but he never cooks at home."

"Then how do you know?"

"He's a rather reputable chef. They have a conference, or gathering, or something like that, every year after the Orthodox New Year."

"In San Francisco?"

"No. They change places every year."

"I see. Kind of like the teachers conference, combining a vacation with the useless talks. Max, I said keep your hands off me. Why don't you give me a hand instead." She passed him the stir. "Keep them moving so they brown evenly."

Maxim made a grimace when they sat down to eat her cooked meal. "Gail," he said. "It tastes awful. Can I eat you instead?"

Gail choked and almost spat out a mouthful. "Max," she said after finally swallowing her soup. "You can eat me anytime tomorrow. I make decisions today. Is it really bad?"

"No, Gail, actually you're a pretty good cook. So are you following my will tomorrow? Any thing I want?"

Gail stuck her tongue out a little and began licking her lower lip. "Like?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, like that."

"No, Max. Not unless you swear you're not going to push my head again."

"I swear."

She let out a deep sigh. "I'll try, but promise to let me off when I gag."

"I'm getting horny again, Gail."

She giggled. "You always are. Now eat your meal. I want to get to the beach before sunset so I can see the beautiful ocean."

After their dinner, Gail gave Maxim a bag to carry and they drove to the beach. They strolled along the shoreline while watching the sun set. "Isn't that beautiful?" Gail said softly, leaning against his upper arm. "Isn't the breeze cozy?"

"Yeah, it's beautiful. Isn't your skin soft as silk? Isn't your tone sexy?"

Gail chuckled. "Max, let's talk about the blood-red setting sun, the cerise clouds, the golden beach."

"And my little Gail."

"Yeah," she crooned. "Your little Gail." She then chuckled again.

"What's in the bag, Gail," he said as he swung the bag he was carrying.

She turned and looked around the beach. "Let's go over there," she said and pointed to a spot behind them, further away from the water. They went over there and Gail took out a beach mat and a couple of plastic shovels from the bag. She laid the mat beside them, before asking Maxim, "I've never built a sand castle before. Would you like to give me a hand?"

"Of course," he said and started shoveling into the sand, pushing a mound towards her. They built an ugly cone-like sandy structure as they laughed. She then took two cans of soft drink out from the bag and sat on the mat.

Maxim smiled as she moved and he caught a glimpse of her beaver inside her wide hem mini. He knew why she wasn't wearing panties. He also started to develop a bulge as he walked over to the mat. She gave him a knowing smile.

Gail slapped his hand when he started stroking her thighs. "It's not dark yet," she whispered.

"I don't mind."

"I do," she chuckled. "Let's talk about, um, about..."

He also chuckled. "Are you wet?"

"Of course I am," she giggled. "I've been wet all day." She took a few deep breaths as she watched the sky turning a little dark. "All right, Max, let's do it now, be careful."

Maxim leaned over to kiss her. He rolled her camisole up and unclipped her bra. She also unbuckled his jeans and opened his fly. She was apparently extremely horny, as she pulled his cock out of his confinement forcefully and stroked it a little too eagerly. When Maxim began rubbing her breast under her opened bra, she was already pulling him towards her pussy.

Gail's pussy seemed a little tighter than usual, probably because of her tension. Having sex on a public beach was already exciting. Doing it before complete darkness fell added more thrills to the occasion. With Gail clamping his cock with her internal muscles and watching her crunching her teeth together to avoid making loud noises was so erotic, every thrust brought extreme pleasure to his spine. He reached his climax a lot faster than usual.

Gail lay on the mat and leaned her head on his chest afterwards. "Max," she said. "Do you know I've never gone in commando before in my life? I mean when I was outside of my home."

Maxim brushed her hair. "How do you feel? And did you like it on the beach?" He knew she hadn't had an orgasm.

"Well, Max. No," she chuckled. "I, um, you know, I don't even feel easy with this damn skirt. I didn't even wear a skirt like this when I was twenty. But, on the other hand, I kind of like it. I like seeing you drool on my attire." She tilted her head to smile at him. "You like it, don't you?"

"I do, Gail. I told you already. You looked so hot I almost exploded at once."

She giggled. "And yes, I like it on the beach, even though I was also very scared and very nervous. You know that." She paused briefly. "But I don't think I'll ever do it again."

"Why not?"

"I just won't, Max. Even though I enjoyed it, I did it for you. You know that."

"I know. But you've also been wet all day."

"Max, with your hands running all over me the whole afternoon, how can I not get wet?"

"You should have tried it on the counter."

She chuckled and slapped his chest. "Let's get back now. I've brought a movie video to watch with you."

"Which movie is that?"

"The Princess Bride. It's action, adventure, comedy, fantasy, romance and more. I don't think you've seen it before. I think you'll like it. And even if you don't, watching the beautiful Robin Wright Penn can keep you awake."

He chuckled. "I stay awake very well with a beautiful Gail Mills with me."

When the movie's credits began rolling on the TV screen, Maxim asked his teacher. "Gail, how long did it take you to put together all this stuff?"

Gail smiled at him. "A couple of days. I want this vacation to be a very memorable one."

"It is, Gail."

"So are you still horny?"

"You know I am," he said, pushing himself against her ass as she was sitting on his lap.

She smiled again, and got up from his lap. She went over to turn off the TV and video player, then went to her bag and took out something. She showed him a colorful box. "Know what this is?"

He chuckled. "Personal lubricant. Yeah, I know what it is. I've never used it before. Have you?

"No," she said, also chuckling. "My ex and I were not into exotic things. Open it, baby."

While he opened the box of lubricant, she began striping. She then helped him take off his clothes and put on a condom for him. "Remember, Max, be very tender. I'm a virgin, and it's very sensitive there. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Now tease me until I'm willing to let you do me," she said, giggling.

He chuckled again and held her firmly in his arms and kissed her. When he began rubbing his rubber coated cock against her tummy, she pushed him off. "That's for tomorrow," she said, smiling. She then turned to the bed and leaned over, pushing her hands on the mattress as she spread her legs. "Tender, Max."

Maxim slowly stepped in between her legs. He applied the lubricants on his condom and also around her anus. She moaned when he did it on her. He then positioned himself and held her on her ass cheek with a hand, and guided his cock to her ass. She jerked a little on contact as she was awfully tight there. He slowly pushed himself into her, as she shifted a little forward in the process. They both let out a deep breath when his cock was completely buried inside her.

A little later when they both got used to the feel of it, Gail began moaning again. She however had to tell him to slow down whenever he started to pick up his pace. The feeling was refreshing to Maxim as her anus muscles clamped his cock tightly. It was like shoving inside a virgin, which she was in this department.

Maxim ignored her plea when he felt his urge coming, and began slamming into her ass. When he finished shooting inside her, she was lying on the mattress on her stomach. He had to lower himself to fit the position.

They laughed when they were in the shower. "Well, Max," she said while washing his cock. "You have me from the front and from the back. I don't have any virginity left anymore. Happy now?"

"I'm always happy with you, Gail. Did you like it?"

"Hmm," she said, and chuckled. "Yes and no. I still prefer the normal thing. I doubt if anyone will ever have my ass."

The next morning, Maxim kept his promise and began eating her as soon as he woke up. He always woke up quite early, because that had been his routine for a few years. Gail pretended to be asleep but she wasn't able to keep her noise down. He kept stimulating her clit until she couldn't stand it anymore after waves and waves of turgid shivering of her body. He then went for his reward, thrusting inside her until he unloaded his seeds into her pussy.

Gail began licking his chest and pulling his chest hair when she had recovered. "I like your chest, Max. Have I told you?"

"Yeah, many times," he chuckled. "Have I told you I love your boobs?"

She also chuckled. "Many times, Max. Let's get up and go for a bike ride. I haven't ridden a bike for ages. Oh, I nearly forgot." She crawled over his body to her handbag on the night table and took out a sunglasses case.

Maxim took the Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses from her. "Gail, why did you do this? You've been paying for all our dates already. I don't like it that you buy me expensive gifts."

Gail smiled at him. "Put them on and let me see how they look on you," she said. "It's not an expensive thing. It's much cheaper than things you buy me, because you aren't making any money at all."

Maxim chuckled and put on the sunglasses. "Do I look hot?" he said.

"You're always hot, sweetie," she giggled. "You look nice with these glasses."

They got dressed and went for a bike ride along the paved coastal trail from Lover's Point to Asilomar State Beach. They also explored the Julia Morgan-designed buildings across the street at the Asilomar Conference Grounds. They had lunch at a bistro near Grove Market before returning to their love nest for another round of romantic activity.

While snuggling against his chest after their physical love making, Gail had some news for him. "Max," she said softly. "I'm leaving Davenport. I've found a new job in North Carolina."

"What?" he gasped, and grabbed her under her armpits, lifted her up and looked at her face.

"Max," she said, with some wetness in her eyes. "I really love you. That's why we ended up in bed. It's not because you have a nice cock." She giggled and went on, "But we both know it's not going to work. We need our own lives. I've wanted to stop it, but I can't. I can't resist you. I can't resist your smile. I can't resist your eyes. That's why I have to find another job. I have to be far away from you so that your smile and your eyes can't reach me."

Maxim was speechless. He hadn't really thought about it, but he didn't want to lose her. He held her firmly.

"Max, this year's been very special to me. I've committed enough sins to go to jail for decades and in hell for eternity, but it's also so pleasant, so enjoyable, so memorable. I won't ever forget this time. I'll remember you all my life."

"Me, too, Gail. I love you."

She gave him a small smile. "You still have today to do anything you want with me. Anything, Max. I'll be your little Gail today."

"I want more than just today."

Gail chuckled with a bitter smile. "Well, I'll tell you what, Max. When you're fifty, and you still don't have a woman, look me up. I'll be your little Gail again if I'm still available."

"That's thirty three years away!"

"I know," she gave him a sly smile. "And if you still don't have a woman, which I think is quite unlikely."

"And if you're still available, Gail. That's impossible!"

"Thanks, Max," she said. "So what do you want today, on the counter?"

"Gail, will you give me your new address?"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Max."

"Gail, please. At least we can write to each other."

She went silent. "Max," she finally said. "Only if you promise me that you won't show up at my doorsteps."

"That's tough, Miss."

She chuckled again. "Give me your words, Mr. Khimin."

He sighed. "All right, Miss Mills, I give you my words."

"So, countertop?"

Maxim laughed even though he still felt his sorrow. "Gail, you're not going to have the strength to drive back, I'm telling you."

She also laughed. "I think it'll be the other way round. I'll tell you what, Max. I'll try it again to see if I can take you without gagging. I want to give you the best memories."



-------

Chapter 26


Elena had a concerned look on her face when she saw Maxi on Monday during lunch. "What happened, Max?" she asked. "You look so depressed."

"Nah, nothing. I'm fine. How's your swimming lesson?"

"Are you sure, Max? You don't look fine."

"How's your lesson?"

"It was good," Elena said. "Are you sure?"

"Damn, Elena," he said, mocking an angry glare. "Can't you stop asking?"

"No," she snickered. "Because you don't when I'm upset."

Maxim took a couple of deep breaths as he felt a warm stream running inside him. "I'll be fine, Elena."

Elena took a pack of peanuts out of her bag and gave them to him. "For you, Max."

Maxim chuckled. "Why are you keeping the airline peanuts in your bag?"

Elena grinned at him. "I don't have money," she said. "But I need to keep some little things for you when you need them."

Maxim took another few deep breaths as he started smiling uncontrollably. "Thanks, Elena. I love you, honey."

She smiled at him. "Want more apple cider?"

"Sure, let's go and get some together."

Maxim finished his lunch with Elena and went back to the practice courts. Byrnes fed him with passing shots for an hour before letting a machine take over for lobs. He then went over to a teen summer camp to help give the demonstrations for a couple of hours before he went for dinner with Elena.

He was telling Elena about the funny things he had seen at the teen camp when Joanna walked over to their table with her meal tray. After she had sat down, Maxim asked her where Chuck was. The Korean was from Los Angeles, and Joanna was from San Clemente, which was about an hour's drive from Los Angeles. Chuck had given her a ride home after they came back from Paris.

"He won't be back until next Monday," Joanna said. "That's too late."

Maxim knew what she meant. Both Maxim and Joanna were going to LTA International Junior Championships and Junior Wimbledon starting the following week in England, and they would be flying to London on Saturday. "Oh, I see," Maxim said. "Wanna join Elena and me for a ride after dinner? I'm picking Marlene up at San Jose bus terminal."

"Is she going to England?" Joanna asked. "How's her ankle now?"

"She's not going to England," Maxim said. "But she's got a wild card for Norfolk. It starts on July ninth. She should have enough time for recovery by then. That's why she's coming back earlier for the physio."

"Oh. Well, too bad she can't go to Wimbly, but Norfolk is cool, too. Is that her first pro tournament?"

"Yeah," he said, then looked Joanna up and down. "Jo, you've gained some weight. Probably a little too much. You need some exercise. Wanna go skinny dipping with me?"

Joanna and Elena both laughed at his suggestion. "Max," Joanna said, looking at his face with a sly smile. "I dare you to do it tomorrow before lunch at the pool. If you do it, I'll follow."

Maxim laughed with Elena. "No, let's do it at midnight."

They finished their meal and went to San Jose to pick up Marlene. While driving back to the Academy, they agreed to go and watch a movie on Thursday. The girls had wanted to make it on Friday, but Maxim was going home before his trip to London.

During the week, tennis students started returning to the Academy. Besides international events, there were two back-to-back national tournaments coming up. Maxim saw Rudy on Thursday while they were having dinner before their evening hangout. Rudy joined them at the table, and agreed to go to the movie after their meal.

Rudy wasn't very keen when they talked about various tournaments. He acted like he felt he was left out, which he somehow was. He and Joanna joined Maxim's squad about a year ago, but Joanna had outperformed him tremendously. She was now playing high level international events with Maxim and Marlene, and was doing even better than Marlene on some occasions. Rudy, on the other hand, couldn't even get into some mid level ITF events. He was now defending his position against younger players like Anthony.

When Maxim saw Rudy's expression, he turned to the despondent face. "Dude," he said to Rudy. "Work harder. You know I didn't get to play many ITF tourneys last year. I admit I've been lucky, but I also work very hard. Nobody here spends more hours on the courts and gym than I do. Work on it, Rudy."

"Eventually some nice words come from his dog mouth," Marlene said, chuckling, before turning to Rudy. "It's true, Rudy. I work a lot harder than in the past, and I'm starting to get results."

Maxim was a little concerned about Rudy towards the end of their dinner. The young fellow didn't seem to display determination on his face, but depression and frustration instead. Maxim wasn't sure if it was about his tennis achievement or his chances with Joanna. Maxim knew he could offer advice if it was about the sport, but little when it came to emotional distress.

He neglected Rudy when they started talking about their movie visit, and started flirting with the girls again. Five of them were going, so they could all fit just fine into Maxim's car. They went to watch 'Batman Forever'.

Maxim found it amusing about the sitting arrangements the girls insisted on. Marlene didn't want Maxim on either side of her, claiming he would harass her. On the contrary, Elena insisted that Maxim would be on her side. In the end, Maxim found himself sitting between Elena and Joanna, while Rudy had quietly taken the seat on the other side of Joanna.

Both Marlene and Joanna ignored Maxim when he used the 'Elena goodnight kiss trick' after returning to the Academy. They laughed at him and then took Elena into their residence building. Maxim also laughed, and then walked back to the boy's block with Rudy.

Rudy waited for a bit, then asked, "Max, are you working on her?"

"Who?"

"You know who."

"Jo?" Maxim said. "I've never touched her."

"Slapping her knee isn't touching?"

"Oh," Maxim chuckled. "Did I? I didn't know I've done that."

"Max, you've got enough girls. Save one for me."

Maxim took a deep breath. "Look, Rudy. I've never thought about having anything with her. She's too skinny for my taste anyway. And know what, Rudy?"

"What?"

Maxim had wanted to tell his fellow junior what Joanna had told him about how she felt about Rudy. However, since he was now a suspect in stealing a girl from Rudy, he decided not to talk about it, and changed direction. "Rudy, I think you'll get a better chance with her or any girl if you work harder on your tennis. Look, she's half a year younger than you, but she's now going to play at Junior Wimbledon and you're not doing squat. You don't catch up, you're not going to have any chances at all."

"Will you stay away from her?"

Maxim let out a big sigh. "Rudy, I don't stay away from anyone. Nobody tells me to do that, not even Nick, and he's not even here anymore. She's either yours or she's not. It's got nothing to do with me."

Maxim started walking away without bothering about how Rudy was going to respond, but on second thought, he returned to Rudy. "One more thing, Rudy. Don't talk with me about her again, or I'm going to ask her out. Heck, I think I'm going to ask her out in London."

Maxim felt rather relieved when he walked away from Rudy again. He might have hampered his friendship with Rudy, but if all Rudy would talk with him was about Joanna, he would rather not communicate with him at all. He would rather look at Chuck nodding or shaking his head instead. At least the Korean wasn't going to bug him with girl issues.

Maxim went home on Friday to spend some time with his mother and do some preparation work. He was very glad when his mother showed him her air ticket to London. She couldn't spare a lot of time from her restaurant, so she was going in the middle of the Wimbledon week.

-------

Maxim, Joanna, and Byrnes flew to London on Saturday and traveled to Surbiton where the Lawn Tennis Association International Junior Championships were being held. The organizer had secured a university dorm for the players and coaches. Maxim didn't like his quarters very much even though the environment was beautiful. His room was tiny and didn't have private bath. Every room in the dormitory was single room, so for some players it was nice that they didn't have to share their rooms. However, Maxim was the only male Omnicianni player on the trip, so he was getting single room occupancy no matter where he stayed.

Byrnes took his students to a dinner where they met James Stelko from SAMS again. He was with a nicely dressed woman. "She's Salome Frankopan of our London office." James introduced the woman to Maxim and Joanna. He then told Maxim he was taking a brief break in London after watching a national tournament in Thames Ditton and that he was going to Denmark and The Netherlands a couple of days later.

"You're not staying for LTA and Wimbledon?" Joanna asked James.

"I wish," James said. "But my job is not to watch the stars, I watch immature kids and hopefully can find someone with potential. Stars belong to her." He pointed at Salome Frankopan and chuckled.

The next morning at the Surbition Racket & Fitness Club, Maxim laughed with Glenn Ross and Kenny Kim after they had seen the qualifying draw. Glenn was playing against his friend Kenny in the first qualifying round, which meant only one of them had a chance to advance to the main draw. They then went to the clubhouse to make their reservations for the practice courts. Maxim excused himself and told his friends to go first, when he saw Jane Bennett, whom he had met in Belgium.

Maxim had a very chuffed smile on his face when he went over to greet the lovely girl, who was walking with a taller girl towards the clubhouse. "Remember me?" He said when the girls were in front of him and Jane had given him a small smile.

"Yes," she said. "Of course. Max, meet Kim. She's from Liverpool." She turned to Kim. "He's Max. He's from the US," she said, and chuckled. "I met him at the Astrid Bowl. He told me he was bringing me a cake."

Maxim shook hands with Kim, then asked them, "Going to book the practice court?"

"Yes," Jane said. "Are you leaving now?"

Maxim told them he would wait for them. About ten minutes later, the two girls came out of the club house. Kim seemed to be in a hurry. She gestured at Maxim and then strode toward the courts. "Is Kim playing in qualifiers?" he asked Jane while giving her a cookie can.

"Yes, she is," Jane said, smiling. "Cookies?" She joggled the tin in her hand.

"Don't," Maxim said, reaching his hand out to stop her. "It's a cake, a black Russian cake I made for you."

"Wow!" Jane's smile grew very big. "You really made me a cake? Did you do it yourself?"

"Well, actually, it's a joint effort. The one I made was like a stone. My mom saw it and helped me made this one."

Jane started laughing. "Well, it's indeed something special. I've never got a cake from a guy who made it himself. Well, hmm, I didn't expect you to mean it. I thought you were joking. A nice joke, I mean. You see, it made me remember you."

"So no Earl Grey?"

She had an embarrassing blush on her face. "No. Well, after all, I didn't say it. Do you want your cake back?"

"No, but I want Earl Grey from you," he grinned.

Jane chuckled again. "Well, Max. Hmm. Thank you. I, well, I'm kind of seeing someone."

"I don't think it's illegal to give a cake to a girl who's seeing someone. And why kind of?"

Jane bit her lip as she chuckled. "All right, thank you, Max. Well, hmm, I saw your name on the doubles draw as well."

"And you're playing with Kim in doubles, too. And you're playing more ITF tournaments than me. And why kind of?"

Jane's hands started to shake a little as she tried to hold her laugh. "Well, Max, I do have more tournaments than you, but you have much better results. I get wild cards for this and the Junior Championships, or I'll have to play from qualies, or even not be accepted at all."

"I got lucky this year. Are you going to watch Kim play now, or do they serve tea at the pavilion? Why kind of?"

Jane nearly dropped the tin as she burst out laughing. "All right, Max, I surrender. I'll buy you a cup of tea. Please drop your last question, okay?"

Maxim chuckled as he followed Jane to the pavilion for a cup of tea. "When is Kim playing, and are you going to watch? And what happened to him?"

"Max," Jane said, still with tears in her eyes after her laughter. "You're one of a kind. Kim's playing in twenty minutes or so. I may go and watch. It's still the same question. Can I open it?"

"Why not? Do you need a fork and plate? What about the famous strawberries and cream?"

Jane opened the tin and sniffed the cake. "Smells delicious. Can I keep it until later so I can share it with my friends? Strawberries and cream are a little expensive at this place."

"Okay. Sure, keep the cake, why not? Which hall are you staying at? How long have you not seen him?"

Jane laughed again. "I'm staying at Bede House. What about you? And, well, Max, are you chatting me up?"

"Same house. Well, Jane, if you mean am I hitting on you, then yes. I hit on every girl I see, from eight to eighty, from my teammates to the cashers at the grocery. How long?"

Jane bent down laughing. "Can I not answer that?"

"No," Maxim said, laughing.

"Well," Jane lowered her head, and began stirring her cup of tea with her spoon. "I met a guy last September when I went back to the school for my school works and exams. I didn't have many tournaments then, so I stayed there for a while. But they started planning a very competitive and packed schedule for me this year. You know, I don't even get to see my parents much. It's very hard."

"I know what you mean, Jane. I'm only an hour's drive away from home, and I still don't get to see my mom much. Many guys and girls at Omnicianni only see their parents a few times a year. You pay a high price for trying to be competitive. So that's why it's kind of? How long have you not kissed him?"

Jane laughed with a blush on her face. "Max, Can't you stop asking questions? You're embarrassing me."

Maxim also laughed. "So did you like the birthday card I sent you?"

"Yes," she said, smiling. "Thank you for the card. It's very cute. Did you draw that cartoon yourself?"

"No," Maxim said. "My little sis did it for me. Jane, it's an excuse, isn't it?"

"What excuse?" she said as her blush grew bigger.

"You know what I mean," he said as his smile also grew bigger.

"I talk with him on the phone a lot," she said. "It's nice. Max, you're still trying to chat me up, aren't you?"

"Are you going out with me tonight?"

She laughed. "God, Max, you're awfully direct. No, Max. I have to stay at the dorm tonight. We're having a big gathering."

"You have a very good reason. What about tomorrow?"

"You're chatting ... hitting on me, Max."

"Do you know Lindsay Bitt?"

"Of course, but I haven't met her. What about her?"

"Do you know I'm the only junior who'll flirt with her?"

Jane chuckled. "Did you ask her out?"

"She wouldn't, but she still owes me a cup of coffee."

"Why are you telling me this, Max?"

"Jane, I hit on everyone. I hit on Lindsay. She didn't even bother to tell me to get lost, but had no problem with it. We still talk. We're friends."

She lowered her head to stir her tea again. "I admit I enjoy talking with you. You're, you know, so funny, one of a kind. You know, usually, when I say I'm seeing someone, they'll switch topic. You're different." She chuckled as she looked up from her tea to his face. "You just keep on pushing and pushing."

"Jane, what do you like to do when you're not playing tennis?"

"Oh, God," she bit her lower lip again. "Should I really tell you?"

"That means a yes, Jane."

She chuckled. "All right, Mr. Reporter. I like swimming, shopping, and going to the cinema."

"I need to do a little shopping, but I don't know this place."

It took Jane quite a while to respond. "This is a small place, Max. You'd better wait until during Wimbledon."

"Now? Or after lunch?"

She laughed. "Max, I've never met a guy like you."

"You like it, don't you? You said you did, didn't you?"

It took her another long pause before she spoke again. "What're you buying?"

"Souvenirs. You see, Jane, that's why I need you. I have some friends at Omnicianni who are about my age and your age, guys and gals. Then there's this kid sis I have. She's close to twelve. And there's my mom. They all get enough key chains for a decade's use. I have no clue what to buy them this time."

While walking to Marks & Spencer, which was about a mile away from the tournament venue, Jane said, "Max, I think you went into the wrong career. You should've gone into politics."

"I love tennis, and I'd rather hear you laugh than hear the crowd clap hands."

"Well," she chuckled. "Did you really mean it when you said you were bringing me a cake?"

"I don't know, honestly. I'm glad I remembered it when I went home the day before my flight. And you should feel glad my mom came home and saw it. Otherwise, you'll have to use a saw and screwdriver to eat the cake."

Jane began to laugh. "Max, I'm sure you know how to sweet-talk a girl. I think you have a girlfriend in each city you go to."

Maxim smiled at her. "I like this question."

She blushed a little. "I'm not asking a question."

"I'm not in a relationship, not even a kind-of one."

She chuckled. "I didn't ask that. And guys do lie."

"Oh, yeah. I lie a lot, I admit. Not this time," he said, and then sighed. He made his sigh exceedingly lengthy. "I was in a relationship I'll remember my whole life. It came to an end because I wasn't good enough for her."

"I'm sorry to know," she said. "Max, you've planned it -- the cake, the tea, the shopping."

"Okay, Jane, I didn't quite mean it when I told you about bringing a cake. The words just slipped out of my mouth. I also don't always keep my word." He chuckled with her before going on, "But it just happened I remembered it, and, well, why not. Jane, I don't plan things with girls anymore. All the plans I made fell apart. Things just happen."

She said after a momentarily silence, "Confident about your matches?"

"No. Not at all. What about you? Why are you having different double partners in each tournament?"

"I'll be happy if I can advance a round," she chuckled. "I don't have a regular partner like you do, so I ring around before a tournament to find any one available. You went through my profile, didn't you?"

"Didn't you?"

"No," she giggled. "I didn't."

"Jane, I like the apparel you wore in Belgium. You looked very pretty and cute in it."

She giggled again. "Max, you've planned it. No, I didn't look nice in it. I was, well, I still am, a little overweight. My legs are a little chubby."

"That's called muscle," he chuckled, then took a few quick steps ahead and turned back to look at her. "Nah, you're lying. You made it up to get me to look at you better."

Jane laughed with a small redness on her face. "I'm not. You made it up yourself for a better look."

"I hope you don't mind," he grinned. "It's enjoyable watching you."

"What can I do, blindfold you?"

"You can tell me to stop looking."

"Will you?"

"No."

She burst out laughing. "I think you're impossible to deal with."

The area Jane took Maxim to had a Mark & Spencer chain store, a few department stores, and a number of gift shops. Maxim originally didn't plan to buy his souvenirs until Wimbledon, but that was the reason he had managed to take Jane out, so he decided to buy everything he needed. This would also make his future free time available if he could manage to ask Jane out again.

He was in a gift shop picking up some fan bookmarks for his school friends when he saw Jane studying a sterling silver and crystal cross necklace. He went over to her side and also picked up one. "Turn around, Jane," he said.

"Why?" she said. "Oh, no. I'm not buying it."

"I am," he said, and moved to her back. He put the necklace on for her.

"Well, um," Jane lifted the cross from her chest and looked at it, then turned to look at Maxim. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"How much is it?"

"It's nine pounds, fifty pence. I'll pay for it."

"So it's not a Cartier or a Figaro. It's no biggie. Take it, or I'll force you."

Jane smiled at him. "Thank you, Max."

"Actually, I think I'll also buy one for my little sis. Heck, I'll buy a few and see who wants."

"Like for some girls you'll be making plans for, huh?"

Maxim leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Are you jealous?"

She laughed. "Why would I be?"

"I can't afford expensive gifts," he said. "Or I'd buy you a nicer one. I'm thinking about applying for another dozen credit cards."

She chuckled. "I won't take any expensive things from you, Max. I've only known you for a few hours."

"Only a few hours?" he said, smiling teasingly at her. "How come I feel it's more like a few years?"

"No, Max, I know almost nothing about you, and you know nearly nothing about me."

"When do we have to get back? We can get to know each other better. Where are we going?"

"Well, Max, I, um, I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Jane, you say where we going, or should I?"

She chuckled. "I'll say. I think it'll be an even worse idea to let you decide."

Maxim didn't get to touch or kiss Jane before they returned to the club, but he knew it was going to be just a matter of time. He was pretty sure the so called 'kind of' involvement she was in was no more than an excuse or illusion.

He found Joanna at a court watching a match. "Who made it," he asked her. "Glenn or Kenny?"

"Glenn," Joanna said. "Coach's been looking for you. It's about time you hit with Lawrence. I told him you were probably watching sexy girls play squash. Did I say the right thing for you?"

"When are we playing squash together, sexy Jo?"

Joanna chuckled and pushed him on the shoulder. "Go now," she said. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

While at the practice courts, Maxim saw some of his overseas friends like Gerardo Borja and Norikazu Ishii. Gerardo had lost in his qualifying match and had become a tourist and hitting partner. Norikazu didn't have to play in the qualifying, and he was very happy to see Maxim, because he was the only male Japanese player here. He spent some time hitting with Maxim.

That evening, Maxim and his new and old friends gathered outside their dormitory and played football -- which Maxim and his American friends called soccer. Maxim used to play it when he was a little kid and his family was living in an area filled with newly-emigrated Russians, but he hadn't played it for more than ten years. Nevertheless, he was still much better than Glenn and Lawrence, who couldn't control the ball without committing a handball.



-------

Chapter 27


Maxim was playing his first round singles match around the same time as Glenn and Jane. His opponent was from Brazil and didn't pose much threat to him on the fast grass surface. However, Maxim still put in all his effort. He wanted to finish his match as fast as possible so he could go and watch Jane's match. He won it by a wide margin, then dealt with his coach quickly, and went for his spectator duty.

Jane was playing against a girl who was ranked 50 places higher than her. Maxim knew she didn't expect much, but she still put up a fierce fight and managed to take the second set in possibly the closest set of the day. She however still lost the match in the end. Maxim waited until she was done with her friends and coach, then went over and waited for her. Jane smiled as she came over to him. "I saw you watching," she said. "It looks like you had an easy match."

"Not too bad," he said. "We have a custom. Anyone loses a match gets a hug and an ice cream for consolation."

She chuckled. "So where's my hug?"

Maxim gave her a hug, then waited for her to change, and took her to the pavilion. Instead of ice cream, he bought them both the English icon strawberries and cream. "In fact," she said, while licking the fresh cream off the fresh berries. "I shouldn't be eating cream."

"I'll give you a hand after I finish mine," Maxim said. "We'll finish yours together."

She chuckled. "Together, huh?"

He chuckled. "So, Jane, what're you doing later today?"

She gave him a sly smile. "I don't suppose you still need to buy more souvenirs, do you?"

"No. What about your third hobby?"

"Max, we're still in a tournament. I'm still in. I still have my doubles to play. Actually I'm having a practice with Kim later."

"What about in the evening? Are you having another gathering? Oh, did I tell you that you're a big liar?"

"Me a big liar?"

"Jane, you're pretty, cute, and sexy in your skirt. You're not chubby at all. Absolutely not at all. This evening?"

She chuckled again, then smiled at him. "Thank you, Max. Thanks for the kind words. What about this evening?" Her smile turned into a sly one.

"What about a walk in the campus?"

"I believe I should decline," she said, avoiding eye contact with him.

"That means a yes, Jane."

She laughed. "Can I change my mind?"

"No," he said, and also laughed.

After securing his evening date with Jane, Maxim went to check how his friends were doing. Joanna, Glenn, and Amanda had already been eliminated. His partner Lawrence was playing against his Japanese friend Norikazu Ishii. It was a close match, and both the first two sets were determined by tiebreakers in which each player won one. Lawrence played a lot better in the final set and beat Norikazu.

Unlike Gerardo, the losers today still had to play in other competitions. Gerardo was split between touring around and hit with his national junior hero Alfonso Hernandez. During a chat with the Mexicans, Maxim found out that Alfonso was turning professional after Wimbledon. In fact, Alfonso had been playing more men's beginner level events than junior events for quite a while. Maxim also learned about some more bitter experiences from Alfonso on his transition during their chat.

After dinner, Maxim met Jane in front of the dormitory. He found it a little amusing about how she chose her route. She stayed away enough from the building, but wouldn't go beyond sight of the dormitory. She also was rather conscious about the distance between them. Maxim knew he wasn't going to kiss her this evening. However, he also knew she enjoyed it. She didn't hesitate to agree to do the walk again the next evening. "On one condition," she said before they parted. "If I advance in my doubles. I'm not sure about the plan after elimination."

"Hmm, I haven't thought about that," he said. "Where are you staying if you get knocked out? I think this place is also the so called junior accommodation for Wimbledon, right?"

"Here, and yes," she said, smiling. "We stay here during The Championships, and we'll have to pay for the expenses during the period we're not in the tournament."

He chuckled. "I didn't know that. Well, there'll be many walks, then."

Jane smiled again before biding him goodnight.

-------

On day two, Maxim and Lawrence played against the fifth seeded German pair in their second round doubles. One of their opponent player's was Koehler, who was the top seed at this tournament and had beaten Maxim before at the Junior Australian Open. What made it more interesting was that Lawrence was going to play against Koehler later in his singles match.

It was an extremely close match, and perhaps the most exciting match of the day. Each pair won a set, but Maxim and Lawrence won the decisive match tiebreaker with a little luck. This was a big win for them because they survived a tough test, and proved to themselves they could deal with any harsh challenges.

Maxim also watched Joanna's double match. She had teamed up with Amanda in the girls' doubles and they won their first round match easily. This wasn't the match Maxim was most concerned about however, and he quickly went to watch Jane Bennett and Kim Callow play. By the time Maxim arrived, his British friends were already down 1-5 in the first set. They eventually lost in straight sets. Maxim didn't get to give Jane her consolation hug and ice cream, because she left with her team and coach right after the match.

Joanna and Amanda, as well as Glenn and his friend, both advanced in their doubles. But there were bad news from his other friends. Norikazu Ishii and his friend were defeated in their doubles. Luckily, Norikazu by now had got to know some European players, most of them had also become short-term tourists, so he wasn't lonely at all.

They went on to watch Lawrence's singles match in the afternoon. Perhaps as revenge, Koehler outplayed Lawrence by a great extent and beat him in straight sets. The German was still unbeaten in all his singles match-ups against either Lawrence or Maxim. "What can I say," Lawrence told Maxim after his match. "He played like a pro and I played like a fool."

On the contrary, Maxim's singles match was even easier than the first, even though his opponent was a seeded player. "Your solo practices have paid off," Byrnes told him after the match. "Very few juniors can take on your serves now. In fact, I think many low ranking pros will have the same problem against you. Your next target is reliable second serves."

That evening, Maxim gave Jane his belated consolation hug and an ice-lolly. She chuckled as she removed the wrapping and started licking the candy. They talked about her sponsorship. "I'm under the Bath scholarship," Jane said. "But my dad's been thinking about acquiring me with some commercial sponsorship as the scholarship doesn't pay enough."

"That means turning pro. Isn't that a little too early, and has SAMS approached you?"

"That's what's been bothering him and me. Turning pro is a one way street, kind of. So we're still thinking. And yes, SAMS have been approaching us for a couple of years, but dad denounces their management style. He said they'll push you beyond your limits, and will dump you like rubbish if you don't live up to their expectations fast enough."

"Well, yeah, they are, but they are also among the biggest and most influential ones. What did your coach say?"

"He's my coach," she chuckled.

"What? He is? You don't resemble him at all. You don't have his last name."

"He's my step-father," she chuckled again.

"That's better," Maxim said, while looking her up and down. "Because you won't want his legs on you. Did I tell you your legs are pretty and sexy?"

She laughed. "Like a dozen times, Max. I'm not buying it anymore."

"And your lips, too. Just strikingly sexy."

She bit her lower lips, but still laughed out loud. "Well, Max. No, I am not. Did I tell you what the boys called me when I was in the juniors?"

"Princess Jane?"

"No," she said, laughing again. "Many names: biffa, butters, Tommy bag. Nothing nice."

"Shame on them, they're all blind," Maxim said, and then saw a tree nearby. He tactically walked her over to it. "Jane," he said softly. "Did I tell you I like you?"

Jane breathed deeply while turning slightly away from his eyes. "You didn't, and you didn't have to," she also said in a soft tone. "It's so obvious."

He tilted his head downwards to look at her face. "Have you told me that you also like me?"

She once again bit her lip while smiling. "Do I?" she whispered.

"Do you?"

She avoided eye contact with him again. "Isn't that also quite obvious?"

Maxim knew the moment was right. He took Jane into his arms, and lowered his lips to hers. Jane was half reluctant and half expecting him to. She shifted a little before she let him caress her lips. She was very passive, even when he began to lick her teeth and tongue. He started to hold her closer and closer to him, and eagerly stroked her shoulder and back.

He carefully inched his way down her back, while still exploring her mouth. Jane had also began to become a little more active, teasing his tongue, and running her fingers along his shoulder and chest. But when Maxim's fingers reached her ass cheeks, she broke the kiss.

"Max," she breathed, once again looking away from him. "I think we've gone a little too far."

"Say it again, Jane," Maxim said, while leaning down to catch her eyes. "I like the tone of you saying it. It's a little breathy, a little hoarse, yet so sexy."

She chuckled. "I said you went a little too far."

"No, no, Jane. Use that same tone again. I like that."

She smiled while biting her lip again. "No."

"Please?"

"Like this?" she said, lowering her tone.

"A little more breathy and a little hoarser."

She chuckled. "I don't think I can do it again."

"I think we can."

"Max," she breathed. "We've only met for a couple of days. Please don't push so hard. I, um, I'm a little scared."

"That's it, Jane. This is the tone."

She burst out laughing. "Max, you ... God, how do I deal with you?"

"Follow my lead?"

She laughed again. "That'll be like digging a hole for myself."

"Jane, how long have you not been so happy? I mean besides when you win a match?"

She took a deep breath again. "Quite a while, I admit. And..."

"And?"

"And I think it's time we get back, Max. You're having an early match tomorrow."

"Do I get a goodnight kiss at the entrance?"

She laughed. "No way! Max, that's like a show."

"So, here?"

"Don't push too far, Max," she said, and then wrapped her arms around his neck for a passionate goodnight kiss. She also told him she was still staying there until after Wimbledon, so their evening walks and talk could continue.

-------

Maxim and Lawrence had an easy win in their third round doubles match. Joanna and Amanda also survived in their doubles, but Glenn and his friend were beaten in a heartbroken straight-set match in which both sets were determined by tiebreakers.

Later that day, Maxim had another clear-cut win in his third round singles match. After he had finished dealing with the media and his coach, he saw Jane waiting and went over to her. "I couldn't find you this morning," he said. "Where were you?"

"I've been busy giving hugs to every loser," she said with a sly smile. "Why can't you lose a match so I can give you a consolation one?"

"Jane," he said, while stepping closer to her. "You can give me any consolation anytime, can't you?"

"You're sweaty," she said, mocking a frown and stepping back a little.

Maxim went to change his clothes and then took Jane to the Pavilion. She didn't want an ice cream, so they had tea, as well as strawberries and cream again. "Max" she said. "I'm hanging out with my friends today and tomorrow. I'm also taking a couple of friends I knew from Belgium for a little shopping. We'll be out this evening. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Maxim said. "I'll wait at the entrance for a goodnight kiss."

She chuckled. "Please don't. We'll come and watch Delgado's match tomorrow. I'll try and make it so I can see yours."

"Try?"

She chuckled again. "All right, I will."

"Tomorrow evening?"

"Max, I can't promise you right now. I'll let you know tomorrow, all right?"

"No, not all right." Maxim said, chuckling. "But yes, I'll wait for you to let me know."

Jane smiled at him. "Do you know you're very bad?"

"Wait until you've seen me really bad," he said, and laughed.

Jane stuck her tongue out at him while chuckling with a small blush on her cheeks. A little while later she saw some of her friends outside the pavilion so she bade him goodbye and left to go shopping with her friends.

That evening, Maxim and some other players watched the adult Wimbledon on TV. From the newscast summary, Maxim knew that Nick Sohaili was eliminated, but Lindsay Bitt was doing well. Maxim made a phone call to Nick's hotel but he was out, so he left a message of consolation.

-------

Unlike the previous day, Maxim's quarter-final doubles match started out very tough, until they managed to break their British opponents' service game late in the set. The Briton pair fell apart in the second set and sort of gave it away. Joanna and Amanda, on the other hand, cruised through their doubles and beat a pair made up of a Japanese girl and a Chinese girl.

Maxim played against an Israeli in his singles match. After struggling poorly and losing the first set in a tiebreaker, he came back and won the closely fought second set. In the third set, he saw his opponent using a smart time delay tactic that came close to code violation. In fact a couple of times Maxim believed the umpire was going to penalize him, but he seemed to always able to get away from it. He complained to no avail, and got frustrated, which cost him a few chances. He lost the final set 4-6. Now there weren't any Americans left in the boys' singles tournament.

Maxim was still a little upset after his formalities. He especially hated it that he had to talk nicely about his opponent, a guideline the Academy insisted they do in front of the media for their own image. It wasn't until he saw Jane waiting for him that he started feeling better. "I'm still sweaty and wet," he said when she raised her arms. Jane didn't mind, and gave him a friendly hug.

"Still feeling bad?" Jane said while having a cup of tea with him at the pavilion.

"Well," he heaved a sigh, then grinned at her. "Not anymore. I've got time to hang around with you now."

She chuckled. "Max, you still have to play your doubles."

"I'll flunk it for you."

She stared at him. "You're not serious, Max, are you? I'll never talk to you again if you do that. That's totally unsporting behavior."

"Well, I'll feel so bad if I can't see you this evening I'll lose my mind, my strength, my gut, my everything. How am I going to play?"

Jane laughed, then said, smiling, "Max, you're pushing again."

"Do you like that?"

She laughed again. "No."

"Will you see me tonight?"

"Only if you promise you won't push hard."

"You have my word."

That evening, they spent most of their time snuggling together in the shade of the trees, kissing and caressing each other. He would slowly test her baseline, until she pushed him off, then they would start talking for a while before repeating the intimate actions. When Maxim returned to his room, he was arching from his painful blue balls.

Maxim and Lawrence played against two Israeli players the next day. Maxim didn't want to lose to an Israeli again, even though neither of them were the one who had beaten him the day before in his singles match. The Israeli players didn't want to lose either, and the match was tight. But when Lawrence hit the ball on one of them to win the first set, both Maxim and Lawrence knew they were going to win the match, and they did. Joanna and Amanda had also advanced, beating Lilia Anderson and another American girl.

Later that day, Maxim and Joanna followed Byrnes to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to collect their Wimbledon accreditations. They took the chance to briefly tour around the venue and watched a couple of matches until it started raining. They then rushed back to their residence. By the time they had returned to their dormitory, the rain was already pouring down. Maxim watched the rain drops hitting the windows and frames in anxiety.

After waiting at the entrance for like an eternity, he saw Jane coming down the stairs. She came to tell him the evening walk had to be cancelled due to the rain. When Maxim suggested his room, she smiled at him. "You're kidding, Max," she said. "You know I can't go to the boy's floor, and I certainly won't come to your room."

"I'll give you my word."

"You didn't keep your word well before," she giggled.

"I will. I swear in the name of my mom."

Jane chuckled. "That's the first time I've heard someone swear in the name of their mum," she said, and then took some deep breaths before she went on. "This is insane, Max. How am I going to tell him I didn't do anything with a cute and hot guy in his room."

"Will you tell him you kissed me?"

She nearly choked. "Hell no," she said, covering her mouth as she laughed with red clouds of embarrassment on her face.

"Come on, Jane. I already swore."

"I'll be laughed at for my entire life if I'm seen near your floor."

"I'll watch out for you."

Jane let out a big sigh of relief when she was in his room. "I don't know what I'm doing," she giggled. "I've never been in a guy's room before." She then looked around his room. "Well, it's basically the same as ours."

"Of course it is," he said and moved to her back, then wrapped his arms around her waist. "Is your room also on this side?"

"I don't think so," she said, putting her hands over his arms on her stomach. She tilted her head as she recalled the floor layout. "No, my room's on the left of the corridor. Max!" She slapped his hand when he started to move it up from her stomach. "You forgot?"

Maxim chuckled in slight embarrassment. "Well, Jane," he whispered in her ear. "It's quite hard with a sexy, cute, pretty, and hot girl."

She chuckled as she turned around in his arms. "Does it mean I should go now?" she said with a sly smile.

"Hell no," he said. "You know, Jane. That's my most serious swear -- in the name of my mom. I couldn't care less about the name of God. Do you want to sit down?"

Jane looked around his room again. "Can I take your bag off the chair? I'm not going to sit on your bed. I know very well what will happen."

"What will happen?"

"I don't know," she giggled.

"You said you knew."

"You know what I mean, Max. You know, Max, it was the first time I heard someone swearing in his mum's name. It seemed to mean something. I'm not sure about your religious attitude, but I most likely wouldn't believe your swear in God's name."

"You know what, Jane?" he said, pulling her towards his bed. "You're going to sit here with me, and whatever you meant, it won't happen. Not even if you seduce me, okay?"

Jane chuckled, "I'm not going to seduce you, Max. Not a chance." Nevertheless, she sat on his bed with him.

"Tell me something, Jane."

"Yeah?"

"Have you kissed him?"

Jane went silent. "You're not supposed to ask, Max."

"Have you?"

Jane burst out laughing, and then became silent again. "Yes," she finally said softly. "But only pecks, not like how we did it."

Maxim felt a little relieved. His suspicion was true. Her so called attachment or whatever it was, was either an excuse or an illusion. Not that Maxim minded stealing a girl from someone, but he felt much better with an available girl. "Have you ever dated?" he asked again.

She chuckled, "I'm not telling you, Max."

"Come on, Jane. It's not something confidential, is it? I have dated. It's no secret."

"You'd be the biggest liar on earth if you told me you've never dated."

He chuckled. "Have you, Jane?"

"Yes, every month," she said, and laughed.

"Come on, Jane," he said. "Tell the truth, or I'm going to tickle you." He waved his hands in front of her face.

"No, you won't, Max," she said, and slapped his hand. "You do it, and I'm leaving."

"Okay, Jane," he said. "So tell me about your scholarship. How do you train at LTA? Have you dated any guys there?"

Jane burst out laughing again. "Max," she said. "How tricky! I'm not a ten-year-old naïve little girl."

"What happened when you were a ten-year-old?"

She laughed again. "Max, stop it. Tell me about how your scholarship works. Are you bound to sign with SAMS if you turn pro?"

"Neither my parents nor I had signed anything binding me with them, but I also haven't heard of anyone under their scholarship sign with another agency."

They had quite a long chat, but Jane didn't kiss him except a friendly goodnight peck before she left his room. He knew she wasn't going to do anything intimate with him in his room, so he didn't push either. He knew he still had time and a chance. He escorted her back to her floor and returned to his room with blue balls again.

-------

Rain didn't stop the next day, which was the final day of the tournament. In the afternoon, the organizer committee held a meeting and decided to cancel the doubles championship matches. Singles championship match would be played when the weather and court surface allowed.

After learning about the arrangement, Maxim packed his stuff and parted with Lawrence and his team. Joanna was going to meet with her parents who had just arrived that morning to watch her play her Junior Wimbledon debut. Maxim then started to look for Jane. He knew she was around the compound as she had agreed to watch his match. When he found her at the pavilion, she was glaring at him. "What took you so long?" she said.

Maxim chuckled. "How long have you been here?"

"Almost the entire day," she pouted. "I shouldn't have come. I knew it was going to rain all day. They'd be lucky if they can play the singles."

"Why don't we go for a movie, and then I'll buy you dinner. What do you say?"

Jane gave him a tiny smile. "Which movie?"

They watched a movie at the nearest Odeon Cinema. The movie she wanted to watch was not on the screen yet, so they eventually watched 'Tank Girl'. The rain had long stopped when they came out of the cinema. After dinner, he bought a few soft drinks on their way back.

When they were back at the dormitory, Jane showed hesitation again once he suggested a talk in his room. "Max," she said softly. "I, um, I don't think it's really a good idea."

He leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear. "Jane, do you remember what you said after we bought the souvenirs?"

Jane thought briefly. "What did I say?"

"You said it wasn't a good idea. We went to Bushy Park. You're still alive."

She chuckled, and half reluctantly followed him to his room. He didn't even have to swear on his mother's name.

He kissed her passionately once they were in his room. He knew he was going to have a lot of chances that evening, so he didn't push her. He slowly moved her towards his bed while kissing her, and when they finally broke their kiss, they were already in his bed. Jane struggled out of his arms and giggled, "I'm out of breath, Max."

"You're getting more breaths than you'll ever need," he said as he overcame her and took her in his arms. "From me."

She gave up struggling and leaned on him. "That's what made me out of breath," she chuckled. "I need some fresh air."

Maxim moved his lips to her ear and blew air into it. "Like this?" he whispered as she giggled. "So how did you like the movie?"

"Well," She said, turning her face to avoid more air blown into her ear. "The film's crazy, isn't it? But Naomi's so beautiful."

"She is, but you beat her, you're cuter, hotter, and sexier. Jane, are you a virgin?"

She burst out laughing. "Oh, my God, Max. Don't you know this is a very personal thing? I'm not telling."

"I bet you are not. It's impossible. British boys can't be so foolish."

She bit her lip. "I'm not telling."

"I lost mine when I was thirteen."

"Wow, Max," she chuckled. "That's quite an early experience. Well, I'm still not telling. The, um, the SAMS scout you told me about. Do you see him a lot?"

"Not a lot lately. I saw him quite often when I was playing low level events. When did you lose yours?"

She bit her lip again to hold her laugh. "Does he handle agency matters as well?"

"He's a professional scout. That's not an easy job. He was a junior himself, turned pro briefly, then became a scout. Anyone can be a so-called agent. I mean, he told me the senior agents there make tons of monies, but some of the junior guys are simply caretakers for the stars. You know, like arranging trips and media exposures for you, buying clothes for you. What's your bust size?"

She laughed and slapped his lap. "Max, there are some questions you never ask a lady, didn't you know?"

"I'm thinking about buying you a bathing suit."

"Forget it, Max. I'm in between extra small and small, six to eight in your scale. So I'll need to try them on before I buy."

"We can buy it together. Jane, what bust size does that six to eight translate to?"

She chuckled again. "Go and ask the salesladies at the department store. I'm not telling."

He lowered his tone. "You're going to tell, Jane," he said and leaned over to kiss her.

"I'm not," she managed to say it before her mouth was sealed. She received his lips keenly. Since their first kiss a few days ago, she had become more passionate with each kiss.

Maxim waited until she was immersed in the delight before he moved his fingers to her back. He then started opening her bra clasp from outside of her scoop neck tank. He held her firmly with his other arm, and pressed his lips on hers, but she still managed to break the kiss. "What're you doing, Max," she breathed while pushing him.

"I'm going to examine the label," he whispered, and tried to seal her mouth again by holding her even firmer.

She chuckled as she loosened her arms. "How creative, Max. What an excuse!"

Maxim knew she was submitting, so he also loosened his grip. "Not an excuse," he said, and continued unclipping her bra.

She slipped both arms in between their bodies, and looked at him with a sly smile. "Not an excuse? Then how are you going to get it out?"

He had already undone her clips. "Like this," he said, and slipped a finger underneath her tank's shoulder strap. He looked at her eyes while reaching for her bra strap and slowly slid it out of her tank's armhole. The strap fell down her upper arm and hung at her elbow. Jane looked at his hands in silence, while breathing a little heavily. He repeated it for the other strap, and then lifted the straps off her arms.

Maxim then began pulling her bra strap from one side, sliding the entire thing out of her armhole. Jane bit her lip as she watched him stripping her bra off. She giggled as red clouds started gathering on her face while he put the bra to his face and sniffed it. He smiled at her and then looked at the label. "I think it's a little tight on you," he said. "Isn't it? And isn't a black one more sexy?"

She bit her lip again. "I've told you. I'm in between the two sizes. And I'm wearing a white tank, silly."

"Jane, I think you're up to the next size already," he said as he moved a hand toward her breasts. Jane intuitively crossed her arms in front of her chest, but he held her wrists to lower them. She didn't put up a struggle. Obviously she had expected this when she let him take off her bra.

He slowly glided his fingers around her soft mounds over the thin fabric, while he watched her eyes follow his hands. Her breaths became a little more rapid and heavy again. Maxim ran his fingers feathery in circles, around her nipple avoiding the summit. "I like this, Jane. Do you?"

Jane didn't say a word, but began to look at his eyes with a tensed smile. Maxim slowly inched towards the peak of her mounds, and began touching her nipples protruding from underneath the cotton. Jane gasped a little and let out a brief sigh. "You like it, don't you, Jane?" he said softly as he took her nipples in his fingers and rubbed them tenderly.

She smiled, didn't say a word, but leaned towards him. He began kissing her again, while caressing her fabric covered breasts as Jane started to moan into his mouth. Maxim then began lifting her tank up, and slipped his hands inside. He ran his fingers up her soft skin and then started stroking her pliable and warm breasts. Jane's breath became more and more heavier, as she sucked his tongue more enthusiastically.

Maxim took his hands off her breasts briefly and lifted her tank over her head. They resumed their kissing as he lowered her down onto the bed. While caressing her breast with one hand, he ran his other hand over her waist and tummy, until he reached her jeans button.

Jane broke the kiss again. "Max," she said softly. "I am."

Maxim looked at her briefly before he caught her meaning. "Do you want it?" he said, still running his fingers over her.

Jane had a complex expression as she bit her lip. She looked tense, anxious, but also seemed yearning. Maxim smiled at her and knew he was going to pop another cherry. He began unbuckling her jeans, but before he could push them down over her hips, she stopped him. "Light, please," she said softly.

Maxim smiled at her while chuckling in his heart. He didn't want to turn the light off because he enjoyed the vision, but that was secondary. He knew once he had her, viewing her wouldn't be a problem. He went over to his luggage to get his condom out, then turned off the light. He also stripped himself before getting into the bed. Jane let him remove her jeans and panties.

He lay beside her and started caressing her once more. "I forgot to tell you when the light was on, Jane," he said in the darkness. "You're the sexiest girl I've ever seen, even sexier than Alicia Silverstone. Do you know that?"

She let out a soft giggle but didn't comment. She began to run her fingers over his chest. He took her hand and put it over his cock. "Do you like this, Jane?"

She giggled again, and started running her fingers along his shaft. "I guess," she said softly.

"I want to kiss you, Jane," he said as he leaned over. She also leant forward and kissed him, and played with his cock. Maxim began to run a hand down to stroke her thighs, slowly moving it towards her groin.

"Jane," he said once their lips had parted. "loosen your muscles." He tapped her thigh.

She chuckled and opened her legs to let him rub her moist outer sex while she started taking deeper breaths. Her breaths turned into faint moans when he started to finger her while bending down to lick her breasts. He timed his actions to have her nipple between his lips, his thumb inside her hood, and his index finger slithering inside her pussy. A little later he knew he had gotten her off.

Maxim waited a while for Jane to recover, and then put on his condom. He slowly got atop her in between her legs. He knew it was his turn now. "Slow," he told himself as he finally rubbed the tip of his latex coated cock against her slippery folds. He didn't hear any objection, so he started inserting himself into her. Once his glans were enveloped by her vaginal lips, her inner muscles clamped his cock. He knew she was his woman now. He paused as he savored the pleasure of her pussy engulfing him firmly, whilst hearing her heavy breaths.

A little later he felt the pressure on his glans fading, and he resumed pushing inside her tight and silky channel until their groins met. He paused again, and looked down in the darkness. "Like this, Jane?"

She let out a light chuckle. "Yes." She began running her fingers around his waist.

He slowly pulled himself out, and repeated his pushing into her firm and warm pussy. Her breaths became heavier as she moaned faintly through apparently gnashed teeth. A few times later he realized he was going too fast and she had tensed up. He had to slow himself down to let her get used to having a cock shoveling inside her. "Jane," he whispered. "I love your moans."

He didn't hear her chuckle, but she dug her finger nails into his muscles, while pushing her hips up a little. He began picking up his pace. A while later he was beyond control and his natural instincts took over his body. He began slamming into her until he shuddered in ecstasy as he came inside her.

He waited for a little while and then lowered himself onto her and kissed her again. This was by far her most ardent and passionate kiss. After all, this was her first kiss since becoming a woman. "Love it? Jane," he said after the kiss.

"Yeah."

"Love it with me?"

She chuckled, "Yeah."

"How does it feel like?"

"Good."

"Come on, Jane," he said, licking her cheek.

She giggled. "What do you want me to say?"

"You love to have me inside you, don't you?"

"You still are."

"I still will be, tomorrow morning."

"Max," she whispered. "I can't. I have to get back. It's already insane for me to be here now."

"Jane, you are not going back tonight. I'm not letting you go. I'll wake you up tomorrow at six. How's that?"

She took another few deep breaths. "Max, please."

"Okay, Jane. I don't care if it's your room or mine. You're sleeping with me tonight. Did I tell you it's a delight to hold you in my arms? Do you like this feeling?"

"Max," she chuckled. "You're crazy."

"Do you like the feeling?"

"Yeah," she giggled, and wrapped her arms around him.

"Jane, it's an excuse, isn't it?"

"What excuse?"

"You're kind of seeing someone."

She went silent. "Max," she said after a while. "I've never really have a boyfriend. It's enjoyable hanging out with him and talking on the phone without discussions about tennis. It's more than dating to me."

"I can talk with you about anything. It doesn't have to be tennis and the tournament."

"Of course," she chuckled. "And you're very good at it. I can't believe I've only known you for a week and am already in your bed. I knew I was in trouble when I went out with you."

"When did you know you were in trouble?"

She pulled him closer and stuck her face against his shoulder. "I'm not telling."

"Come on, Jane," he said and started tickling her.

She twisted as he moved his fingers along her waist. "Stop it, Max," she giggled. "I don't really know. It's just illogical for me to have gone out with you."

"I go shopping with girls a lot. I mean just friends."

"No, Max," she whispered. "You were getting me to go out with you. It wasn't a normal shopping trip, was it?"

"Why are you playing so many tourneys in this month?"

"Max, answer me."

"I couldn't help it, Jane. I think I fell in love with you on first sight. Why are you playing four tourneys this month, isn't it a little too packed?"

She chuckled again. "Liar, big liar. This is a schedule made for us European players. We're not like you. Most of us can't afford to fly to different continents every month. We have trains that we can sleep on. Now, back to you, Max, you've planned it. Why on earth would you be carrying condoms on a tour?"

"Jane, go ask your male teammates. They all carry them. Will you give a big kiss to a big liar?"

"Big liar!" she chuckled, and then let him kiss her again.



-------

Chapter 28


Maxim woke Jane up slightly after 5:30 a.m. He already had a morning hard-on, but she wouldn't let him touch her. "We're both playing at The Junior Championships today," she said while fighting him off.

He chuckled and let her get up for her clothes. At least the sunlight was shining in through the window and he could watch her lovely body. Jane bit her lip while glancing at him, and then also chuckled. Maxim got dressed as well, then had another kiss with Jane. He carefully opened the door, and scouted their way back to her floor as she followed.

Maxim didn't want to go back to sleep afterwards as he was still immersed in the delightful afterglow of sleeping with Jane. He was also excited and a little nervous about the Wimbledon games in which he had a strong desire to perform well in front of his mother. Furthermore, Mr. Omnicianni and some other SAMS executives were also coming for the Holy Week of tennis, and while Maxim wasn't the focus for the SAMS people, he was likely to perform in front of some important people of his prospective career.

After strolling outside the dormitory for a while, breathing fresh air moistened by the morning dew, he went for his shower in the shared bathroom on his floor and then met with his team for breakfast. They then took the hospitality transport to Wimbledon Village.

Maxim had one of the earliest matches at 11 a.m. He took the first set easily from his Swede opponent, but he relaxed far too early, and before he could regain his composure, he had lost the second set in an equally easy manner. It took him quite a while to calm down and focus in the final set. He eventually broke the Swede's service game and then finished the match with a couple of aces to advance to the second round. Jane was having a light practice session with her friend when Maxim finished, so he went to watch the remainder of Joanna's match, in which she won in close straight sets.

Jane played against a Mexican who was about 30 places above her in ranking, but the British doll did very well, perhaps with the new life instilled into her from Maxim. She beat her opponent by a wide margin. After her match, Maxim went over to the competitors' complex and waited for her. Jane checked that no familiar faces were around, then gave him a quick peck.

"Jane," he said while walking with her to the Aorangi Pavilion. "Your play was superb. You're now a much better player after receiving those charms from me."

She chuckled. "Big liar!"

They were looking for tables inside the pavilion when Maxim saw Nick waving at him. He was at a table with Lindsay and Mike. Nick gave him a sly smile when he saw the young girl beside him. "I'm Nick Sohaili," he introduced himself and his friends to Jane. "She's Lindsay Bitt, and he's Mike Jackson."

"I know you, Nick, and you, too, Lindsay," Jane said while shaking their hands. "Hi, Mike. I'm Jane Bennett. I'm from LTA Bath." She then took a seat when Lindsay gestured her to.

Maxim also pulled a chair over and sat down. "Lindsay," he asked. "When are you playing your match?"

"I'm playing the last day match," Lindsay said. "So it'll be late in the afternoon. Have you played yet, Max, and you, Jane?"

"Yeah, but almost lost," Maxim said. "Jane's also won, but she won it easily."

"Not really," Jane said. "I think I had a little luck. Lindsay, do you really owe Max a coffee?"

"What?" Lindsay said, widening her eyes while turning to Maxim. "Max, I offered, but you didn't accept it. I've already told you no second time." She turned to Jane. "Don't trust this guy on anything, Jane. How long have you known him?"

"About a week," Jane said after her chuckle.

Lindsay also chuckled. "Well, I guess my warning is probably a little too late."

Jane had a small blush on her face as Nick chuckled with Lindsay and Mike. She glanced at Max. "Big liar!"

Maxim quickly switched the topic and turned to Mike Jackson. He knew Mike didn't make it into the Wimbledon main draw, and was wondering why he was still here. "When's your next tourney, Mike?" he asked. "I thought you'd left."

"Next tourney is Aptos," Mike said. "It begins on the tenth, so I got some time for a rest. I'm leaving on Wednesday. What's your plan after Wimbly?"

"I'll try two weeks of USA-Four in Ohio before the Closed Champ," Maxim said. "I made a round in Tallahassee last time, but I'm not getting wild cards so I'll have to do it from qualie."

"Good luck with that," Mike said. "I'm going for a little shopping now. Lindsay, good luck, too."

After their refreshments, Jane said her father was expecting her, so she left Maxim after ensuring him that they would meet that evening.

Both Lawrence and Glenn advanced in their singles competitions, but Amanda and Norikazu were eliminated. Maxim gathered his friends to watch Lindsay's women's match in which she lost to a German. It was the first time Maxim ever got to hug Lindsay before she went for her press conference.

That evening, Maxim used his phone card to call his mother. "Mom, what time are you arriving tomorrow?" he asked.

"I've been trying to find you, Maksimka. I'm not going. I can't. Too busy here."

It took a while for Maxim to regain his ability to speak. "But you've already booked the air ticket and hotel. What happened? Why can't you hire a temp?"

There was also a long pause from the other end of the line. "Maksimka, I'll go to New York next time. It takes less time."

"Mom, I ... I ... It's not just about the match. You need a vacation. I've planned to tour around with you. It ... It's Wimbledon! It's The Championship!"

During another lengthy pause, Maxim could hear his mother breathing heavily. "All right, Maksimka, I'm going over. I'm not sure Thursday or Friday. I've to check with the travel agency. Call me again tomorrow."

Jane looked concerned when she saw him a while latter at the main lobby. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"Must be my dad," he said with disdain. "Always makes mom work her fingers to the bone and he's not doing squat." He then briefly told her the story.

Jane took his hand and patted it. "I'm sorry to hear that. But ring your mummy tomorrow to find it out. Too bad I can't be of help."

"I will. Thanks, Jane," he said. "Well, you certainly can help." He dragged her to his room.

After a passionate kiss, he grabbed her hand and guided it toward his groin. "Help me, help me," he said in her ear.

Jane chuckled. "I didn't mean this kind of help."

Maxim kept on moving her hand over his tent on his pants. "I like this feeling. Do you, Jane?"

"No," she giggled.

"You're lying, aren't you?" he said, smiling.

She giggled again while moving her fingers tenderly over his tent on his pants. "No."

"You do, Jane. Will you come watch my match tomorrow?"

"Can I say no?"

"Yeah, you can keep me in the bed the whole day instead. No watch, no match."

She chuckled. "You're the craziest guy I've ever met."

Maxim smiled at her, while slipping his fingers into her tank top and running his fingers over her soft skin. "But you love me."

"I don't," she giggled once again, as she kept fondling his cock over the fabric.

"You do, Jane. Say you love me, or I'll strip you and drag you outside." He started lifting her top over her head.

Jane laughed as she raised her arms. "You won't," she panted. "You can't do that to me."

"What can I do?" he said as he ran his fingers along the edge of her bra cups.

"Max," she cooed. "You know it."

He removed her bra and took her over to the bed. "Tell me you want me, Jane," he said as he inched his lips to her breasts.

"Oh, God," she moaned as he started kissing her breasts. "Isn't that obvious?"

"Say it, Jane," he said, pausing from his kisses. "I like hearing it."

Jane forgot to demand the light was turned off, and Maxim enjoyed watching her emotional face while he was rocking atop her. Jane loved body contact with him and often pulled him down to her for complete contact. Together with her still rather unexplored pussy, the drives of his cock delivered extreme sensations to him.

Maxim played a trick and put on his condom before waking Jane up in the morning. She gave in this time and let him have his morning ride.

-------

In his singles match, Maxim had a surprisingly easy win against a seeded Czech. The first set went into a tiebreaker. After losing it, the Czech fell apart and was swept away in the second set. Lawrence and Glenn were both defeated in straight sets. Lawrence bowed to Alfonso Hernandez, and Glenn to a German who was part of the team that had lost to Lawrence and Maxim in Surbiton. Once again, Maxim was the only American left in boys' singles competitions.

Jane didn't have a chance in her match against Lilia Anderson. She was simply outgunned whenever she tried to trade blows from the baseline against her much bigger and stronger opponent, and lost by a wide margin. Maxim knew she had expected this. After all, she was still a very young rookie in international tournaments. He waited anxiously for her after the match, hoping to say a few words to her before he had to go for his doubles match.

Maxim met Jane outside the ladies' locker room. She playfully blamed him for having wasted her strength in the morning, then wished him good luck in his doubles before she went for her media obligation.

On the way to his match, Maxim saw Joanna. She was also ousted in her singles competition. Maxim gave her a firm consolation hug before they parted for their respective doubles matches.

Because of their achievement at Surbiton, the doubles partnership of Maxim and Lawrence were seeded at this tournament. Even so, it took the duo a lot of effort to beat a pair from South Africa. A win was a win, however, so they didn't feel bad. By the time Maxim went to watch Jane's doubles match, he already knew Glenn and Joanna had also advanced in their respective doubles.

Jane's doubles match was another story. She and her British partner fought very hard, but still lost the first set in the tiebreaker. They both lost faith afterwards, and bowed to their German opponents pretty soon. Once again, Maxim could only give her a very brief consolation before she had to go deal with the media as well as her upset coaching father.

Later that evening, Maxim's mother told him on the phone she was arriving London on Friday afternoon. She couldn't get a seat earlier with the ticket she had. Maxim's heart sank when he heard the news. It meant the only matches she could possibly watch him play would be singles final, doubles semi-final or final.

Besides the Japan tournament, which didn't have that many top players participating, Maxim had never gone beyond the quarter-final in singles in a major event. He had to rely on his doubles, hopefully with some help from Lawrence and a bit of luck. His mother told Maxim not to go to the airport, but to meet her at her hotel.

Maxim didn't have sex with Jane that night, partly because of his mood, and partly because of her claims that she was still sore. However, they did snuggle together in his bed the entire night.

-------

There weren't many matches scheduled on Wednesday, this was a planned arrangement in case time was needed to make up for rain delays. Maxim played his third round singles match against the German who had beaten Glenn the day before. He was a very tough seed, but Maxim was in very good shape and took the first set rather easily. The German came back hard and won the second set, but his flame extinguished in the third set and eventually had to repay a bow to Maxim.

"Are you leaving after today?" Maxim asked Jane that evening. "Or are you staying to watch? How far away is your training facility?"

She smiled at him. "Are you asking me to stay, Max?"

"I am, Jane."

She chuckled. "It's The Championships. Of course we're staying. Then we're taking the sleep train to Germany on Sunday night. Bath is about a hundred and ten miles away. It takes about two-and-a-half to three hours to get there."

"Jane, did I tell you I'm crazy about your smile? You're so sweet, so pleasant, and so hot when you smile."

"Max," she smiled delightedly at him. "I think I'm still a little sore."

"I'm that big?"

She laughed as she slapped his arm. "Yeah, a big liar and a big jerk."

Maxim made a huge step on Thursday after beating his quarter-final opponent in three sets. For the first time, he was playing in the singles semi-final of a major junior's tournament. His chances of playing in front of his mother improved further when he and his partner won an easy match against another pair of German players they had never met before. He had very rarely felt so good after his matches, much more so than when he won some less significant titles in the past.

Joanna and Amanda also won their doubles match. Joanna was so excited she left lipstick marks all over his face with her congratulations. "What about here, Jo?" he said, pointing at his lips which were still dye-free.

Joanna chuckled, and then leaned forward, not to kiss him, but to whisper in his ear, "That's for your new girlfriend, Max." She then pushed him in the chest and went over to hug Glenn, who had just lost his doubles match.

Maxim woke Jane up the next morning without a condom on his cock. "Jane," he whispered at her ear. "Let's go and shower together."

Even though her eyes were only still half opened, Jane nearly fell off the bed laughing. "You're insane, Max," she struggled to say while still laughing hysterically. "I'm not going to the shared shower on a boys' floor, with or without you."

He chuckled. "Jane, it's five-thirty. Nobody's there."

"I don't care," she said, still laughing. "You're insane."

"I hate this dorm. No TV in room, no private bath, no private phone line, and the bed is so small."

"Didn't you tell me you loved the bed, because the only place I can sleep on is your body?"

"Jane," Maxim said. "Do you want to try doing it on top?"

"No," she chuckled. "Max, you're having two matches of your lifetime today. You need to make it into the final. Do it for your mum."

"Not for you?" he said as he began caressing her ass while pressing himself against her body.

"All right, for me, too," she chuckled again and pushed him in the chest. "Now please get your hand off me."

"Give me, Jane, please. That's the only way to ensure I'll be able to make it. After all, you're not coming over tonight. You're killing me."

Jane slowly loosened her arms. "Tell me you love me."

"Of course I do," Maxim said, as he started positioning himself. "I love you, Jane. Do you love me?"

"Isn't that obvious?" she chuckled as she spread her legs for him.

Maxim's semi-final opponent was French, whom he had seen in Paris, but had never met. Maxim won the first set, but he began to struggle in the second, and the French guy began to take the upper hand. During a break in the game, he saw Jane watching from a corner at the sideline. This was quite unexpected as she had told him se wasn't coming. When Jane saw him looking in her direction, she raised her hand to her chest and waved at him. Her gesture re-energized him. He fought very hard for every point and dashed for every impossible hit. He eventually came from behind and won the second set as well as the match.

He saw Jane when he came out of the changing room. She gave him a quick hug, then told him she was going to watch some matches with her Bath friends. She promised she would come and watch his single finals the next day before she left. After his press conference, he found out that Koehler had defeated Hernandez in the other more focused semi-final match. He didn't quite care, because he was a big underdog and it didn't really matter which of them he was going to play against. His objective was to play in front of his mother, and he had already achieved that.

Maxim won another match a couple of hours later. He and Lawrence beat an Argentine pair in their doubles quarter-final match. It was actually a very one-sided match and it didn't take much effort for them to advance to the doubles semi-final. He returned to the same court after his player obligations to watch Joanna and Amanda also win their doubles in a much more exciting and rather close match.

Byrnes checked the flight information hotline before dinner, and had a bad news for Maxim. "Your mother's flight's delayed for God-knows-how-long. The plane's still in Chicago. There's a severe thunderstorm and O'Hara airport is in a mess. I don't think she can arrive before tomorrow morning."

That night was a long night for Maxim. He couldn't sleep, and he went to the pay phone in the corridor every half hour to call the flight information hotline. He felt both excited and feeble when he finally learned that her flight would be arriving around 8 a.m. the next morning. That would only be four hours before his match.

He was still very unsettled when he lay in his bed. He knew it had been a hell of a week for his mother. Not only had her trip become a mess, she must have had some hard times arranging it all. She had gone through all these nightmares to come and watch his match, even though tennis was a game which she had no interest in at all. It was all about her love for her son.

After checking the flight status again very early the next morning, Maxim went to knock on the door of his coach. Byrnes thought for a while after hearing the flight information from Maxim, and then said, "No, Max, I don't think you should go to the airport. Time is too tight. I'll go and pick her up or I'll see if Salome Frankopan can arrange for someone to do it. Give me her guest pass."

Maxim gave Byrnes his mother's guest pass and returned to his room to get prepared. A while later he heard a knock on his door. Byrnes came to tell him he was going to pick his mother up at the airport. "I've told Don Nelson to look after Jo and you," he said. "Stay calm, stay focused. I'll get her here in time."

During breakfast, Maxim told Joanna what had happened, and then the duo went with Lawrence's coach to the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club for their matches. They had some warm up practices and then waited in the players' lounge for the rest of the time.

Maxim nearly cried when he finally saw his mother walking in with Byrnes. She looked very drained, and she even wept on his shoulder when he hugged her. While walking to the cafeteria for refreshments, Maxim noticed she was limping slightly. He asked her what had happened.

"I fell," she said. "Hit my hip, but it's okay. It'll go away in a few days."

"Where did you fell? Did you see the doc?"

"In the kitchen. No, Maksimka, I fall all the time. I've gotten used to it. Don't worry."

Maxim began breathing heavily, then threw his bag onto the floor, and turned to look at his mother's face. "He hit you, didn't he?"

"No, Maksimka," said his mother, turning her face away from him. "He didn't."

Maxim pumped his fist. "Bastard!"

"Maksimka, I said no. He didn't. Don't call him names. He's your dad."

Maxim held his mother in his arms, and heard heavy breaths from both his mother and himself. He also felt his eyes becoming wet. When they separated, Maxim saw tears in her eyes, and he wiped them off with his finger.

Before his match, Maxim said to his mother. "Mom," he said. "You'll be proud of me. You'll be proud that you've come. I promise you."

The junior championship match was played on Court 2. It was the biggest crowd Maxim had ever played in front of. It was also the first time he was playing in front of the TV cameras which transmitted the match live to many countries.

He started the match playing awfully bad. Before he knew what he was doing, he was already down two games in the first set. He started taking deep breaths, told himself to calm down and focus, and also glanced at his mother. She seemed to be praying for him. He knew she was worried.

For the next hour or so, Maxim couldn't see Koehler, the court officials, or the crowd. All he saw was the green tennis ball and the painted lines on the grass. It was also the first time he never argued with the umpire about calls, because he didn't have to. Koehler couldn't win another game during that period. He won the first set convincingly.

When he was leading 5-0 in the second set, Maxim started to lose his concentration, and became excited. It was then that Koehler started his comeback and won two games in a row. Maxim hit his head with his racquet, forced himself to become focused again, and closed out the match with four un-returnable serves in a row. He won the junior championship.

He lost control of his senses, and instead of going to the net to meet Koehler, he threw his racquet onto the grass and dashed to the stand, jumped over the railing, and grabbed his mother in his arms. She wept on his shoulder for an entire minute before he returned to the court.

Kai Koehler slapped his arm when they eventually shook hands at the net. "Incredible game, Max," he said to Maxim. "You played like McEnroe at his very best."

Following the prolonged process of the presentation ceremony at the Centre Court and posing for the photographs, Maxim returned to the competitors' complex and saw Jane waiting outside the locker room. She gave him a big hug, and then a quick peck. Her eyes were also a little wet. "Will you wait for me, Jane?" he said. "I'm taking you to see my mom."

Jane took a couple of deep breaths. "No," she said. "I'll watch your other match, and then I've to go to dinner with my dad. Are you staying with your mum tonight?"

"No, I'm staying with you, unless you dump me."

She chuckled, then leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "Come and knock on my door. I'll be waiting. Now go to your media conference."

It was the biggest crowd of reporters from all over the world that Maxim had ever seen when he stepped into the press conference room. And unlike the Junior French Open, he was the champion here. He was a little nervous when he took his seat in front of them. The moderator saw that he was ready, and told the reporters to start asking their questions.

"You're the first ever Russian male player to ever win a singles title at The Championships. How are you feelings right now?"

"I was born in the US," Maxim said. He knew this question would be asked, so he was prepared. "And I'm a proud American. But yes, It's Russian blood that flows inside me. I'm very proud for all Americans and Russians. I'm very excited. I can't describe my feelings. It's just awesome."

"You were down two-love in the opening set and then you were muttering to yourself. You then won eleven games in a row. What did you say to yourself?"

Maxim gulped to hold his true words back from saying something like beat that motherfucker asshole. "I told myself to stay focus and stay calm."

"This is the worse loss Koehler has this year. And it's your first ever win over him in singles, is that right?"

"Yeah," Maxim said. "He beat me every time. He's a tough opponent. It's awesome to finally beat him. I think a win is a win, and a loss is a loss. Every loss is the worst."

"You jumped into the stand to hug your ... Your mother, right?"

"Right. She's my mom."

"You were supposed to meet with Koehler and the umpire first."

"I was so excited, you know," Maxim said. "I forgot. You know, I didn't even know where I was. I hope they're not going to penalize me. Will you help me tell them not to strip my title?"

After some laughter, another reporter asked, "What did Koehler say to you when you finally met him at the net?"

"Didn't you ask him this already?"

The reporter chuckled with others as he flipped his notebook. "Best he'd ever seen, right?"

"Yeah," Maxim said. "Definitely my best. Nothing less could make him bow. I hope I can do better in future, though."

"Does that mean you're turning pro?"

"I haven't made up my mind yet."

"You hit your head with your racquet, and then you served four aces in a row to close out the match. Did it really help?"

"Hitting my head?"

"Yes."

"Of course," Maxim said, chuckling. "I won, didn't I?"

When he came out of the press conference room, Byrnes was waiting for him. "O and some people want to congratulate you," he told his student.

Two strangers were with Mr. Omnicianni and Salome Frankopan at a table in the Aorangi Pavilion. The Academy owner told Byrnes and Maxim to take their seats and then applauded the young man. The taller stranger then reached out his hand to him. "Congratulations, Max," he said. "I'm Oliver Dougherty. What an extraordinary performance!"

Maxim shook hands with SAMS' Managing Director of Tennis. "Thank you, Mr. Dougherty," he said. "You watched?"

"Of course," Oliver Dougherty chuckled. "How could we have missed such a classic match? By the way, this is Ted Singer." He pointed at the other older-looking stranger.

Maxim then shook hands with SAMS' Senior Vice President of the Worldwide Tennis Operation. "You were impressive, Max," Ted Singer said. "Your performance was magnificent."

"You could've been haplessly penalized for your unbridled behavior after the match," Oliver said, chuckling again. "But it was already noticeably over, and it was such a strikingly emotional gesture. It was another hearty performance."

Maxim chuckled with the group. "Do you have a fetching dress for the Champions' Ball?" Oliver asked.

"Well," Maxim said, smiling and glancing at his principle. "I'm carrying a suit just in case. It's the Academy's guideline."

Oliver Dougherty turned to Salome Frankopan, and said, "Salome, why don't you make sure Max and whoever's going with him to the ball will be dressed charmingly?"

"Not a problem at all, Oliver," Salome said, then smiled at Maxim.

It was quite a busy hour for Maxim before his doubles match. Wherever he went, he was grabbed for a handshake, a photograph, a congratulation chat, or an autograph. He had been a moderately known junior until that morning, but he was a star now.

He went back to Court 2 to watch the doubles match of Joanna and Amanda. They didn't make it, and lost their semi-final. Maxim and Lawrence were playing right afterwards. They didn't make it either. They lost to a pair of Britons even though they took the first set. Maxim was a little sorry, and felt that he owed Lawrence something. "Don't worry, Max," Lawrence said. "It's already my best achievement. Maybe American pairs will do better on American soil."

That evening, Mr. Omnicianni and Byrnes took Joanna, Maxim, and their parents to a nice bistro for dinner. "Mom," Maxim said to his mother. "We'll tour around London tomorrow, then we'll go to the Champions' Ball on Monday night. SAMS will pay for your dress, so pick a very expensive one."

After laughing with the others, his mother told Maxim, "Maksimka, you've already given me the best present I've ever had. I haven't felt so joyful for years. I'm so proud of you. I'm going back on Monday. I'll have a lot to tell my friends. I'm so very happy now. Maksimka, why don't you take Joanna to the Ball?"

"Mrs. Khimin," Joanna chuckled. "I'm not the one going with Max. He's got a date."

"Who's it?" asked his mother.

"Well," Maxim stuttered. "Just a friend." He turned to Joanna. "Jo, she's going to Germany tomorrow."

"Who's that she?" asked Byrnes, beating his boss by asking first, but they both had enquiring expressions on their faces.

Joanna and Maxim chuckled together. "Just someone we know," he told the adults, and then looked Joanna up and down. "Jo," he said. "Do you want a free, nice and expensive dress?"

"Is she really going to Germany tomorrow, or have you dumped her already?"

"Why do I need to lie to you, Jo. You're still too skinny for my taste."

All the adults chuckled at them, while Joanna blushed and glared at him.

It was a little late when Maxim finally went back to the dormitory, as he had spent some time talking with his mother at her hotel. He was a little worried when he sneaked to the girls' floor and knocked on Jane's door. Fortunately she opened the door pretty quickly. She pouted at him when he went inside and locked the door. "I dozed off a few times," she said.

"Darling," he said, and held her in his arms. "You're not going to have a chance to doze tonight. I promise you."

She giggled. "How do you keep a dozing girl awake?"

"Jane, why don't we go outside? I've never done it in the campus."

She covered her mouth as she laughed. "You're totally insane, Max."

"So are you going?"

"No way," she said as she shook her head.

"Jane, either we go outside, or you go on top."

She shook her head again. "No, Max," she said. "You're an insane pig, do you know?"

"Tell me you love an insane pig," he whispered as he slipped his hands down her waistband and began caressing her ass inside her pants.

Jane began to breathe a little heavier as she pushed her breasts against his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. "No, Max. I don't."

"Tell the truth, Jane," he began to cup her ass cheeks and pressed his groin against her stomach.

"You tell me first," she breathed.

"I love you, Jane."

"I love you, too, Max."

"Tell me you want me now."

"Isn't it obvious?" she said, and slipped her hands inside his tee and started stroking his chest.

"Tell me, Jane," He said as he pushed her pants down her legs.

"No, you tell me first."

"I want you, Jane. I want you, baby. Don't you?"

"No," she giggled, as she began to lift his tee over his head.

"You do, baby," he said, smiling, while raising his arms as she removed his tee. He then lowered a hand behind her thigh and lifted her leg up to his waist. "Wrap around me, Jane."

"Why?"

"Just do it, Jane."

She followed his instructions, and he held her by her ass and took her over to the study desk. She chuckled, "No, Max, not here."

"Yes, here, Jane," he whispered. "Or we're going out." He then laid her butt on the edge of the desk, then lifted her camisole over her head. He took a wrapping out from his jeans pocket. "Put it on for me," he said as he started opening his jeans.

Jane hesitated briefly, and then did what she was told. "Yeah," Maxim breathed. "Like this, roll it down all the way. Do you like doing this?"

She bit her lip as she smiled at him. "Can I say no?"

"Do you want me now, baby?"

"I want you, Max," she crooned.

Maxim smiled. He let her guide his cock to her slit and slowly pushed into her heavenly tunnel. He reached behind her and undid her bra. He also started fondling her breasts while pumping in and out of her pussy.

"I love seeing your breasts, Jane," he said as he rubbed her nipples between his fingers.

She smiled and began tilting backward a little, and leaned her head against the wall behind her. She supported herself with her hands pressing down on the table, and placed her feet behind him, gliding her heels along his ass and the back of his legs as he shoveled inside her. She began moaning while locking her eyes with his.

Maxim started clasping her breasts when he began thrusting frantically into her. A little later his hands had to leave her breasts as he became faster. He pressed his hands on the desk beside her thighs for better support. It was Jane's turn to clasp her fingers into his waist as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

As he started to feel his urge rise, he began to take some deep breaths as he tried to delay it a little longer. It was then he knew that she had come -- her first time with his cock inside her. She stared blankly at him, loosened her grip on him, arched her body, and breathed very rapidly through her gnashed teeth. Maxim smiled and shoveled as deep as he could, letting his stream of seeds jet through his tip inside her. He panted with her as their orgasms subsided. She looked closely at him when her eyes regained their life, and smiled at him.

"How does it feel, baby?" he asked.

"Good," she said, extending her smile.

"Just good?"

She giggled. "What do you want me to say? I can't describe it."

After a while, Maxim took Jane back to the bed. She chuckled when he pulled the sticky condom off his deflated cock and tossed it into the litter bin. "I wish I could do away with the condoms," he said when he joined her in her bed. "I really want to feel you better."

"Don't," she chuckled. "Everything will fall apart if I get pregnant. You'd be in big trouble, too."

"Go on the pill then, Jane. Do it for me."

She became silent for a brief time while caressing his chest. "Max," she said softly. I don't even know if you'll see me again."

"Of course I will, Jane."

"Max, you won't be at German Open; you won't be at Swiss International; you won't be at the European Champs; you probably won't be in Montreal. By the time I see you again, you'll probably be with another girl, or a few others."

"No, Jane. I won't. I promise you."

"Of course you say that," she said with a slightly bitter smile. "A few friends saw me with you, and told me about your reputation."

"Jane, I'm serious with you. You go on the pill, and I'll save everything for you."

She chuckled. "Big liar. How can you prove that?"

He raised a hand to lift her chin up a little. "You'll know it. You'll feel it, won't you?"

"It's still all about sex, isn't it, Max?"

"Jane, I love being with you, us being together. You know that, don't you?"

Jane didn't answer. She continued stroking his chest for a while, and then leaned her face against his chest. "I'm not sorry for having been with you," she said softly.

Maxim held her in his arms and caressed her back. "Jane," he said. "Do you think you can go to Montreal a few days earlier? I'll go there to meet you. Forget about the pill."

She chuckled. "Are you saying you're not going to sleep with me?"

He also chuckled. "I'm not going to lie, Jane. I love doing it with you, and I want it, but I'll follow your wish."

She tilted backward a little and looked at his face. "I like hearing your sweet talk, Max. You make me bask in bliss with it. Real or not, you know how to make me happy."

"Give me a smile, Jane. No, a bigger one."

She chuckled again, slapped his chest, and gave him another smile. "Big enough?"

"So are you going to go to Montreal a little earlier?"

"Max, I don't think I can. I'm not an adult yet. I can't just go everywhere I want. Besides, my dad's my coach, so he'll be with me on all the tournament trips."

"See if you can, Jane. Otherwise we'll have to wait until the US Open."

"Max, I'm not qualified for the Junior US Open yet, not even the qualifying entry games. I can't go unless I get very good results in my coming tournaments."

"Do it, Jane, for your own sake, and for me."

She smiled at him. "For who more?"

"For both of us, Jane. Does your dad know about me?"

"Of course not. He won't let me stay with you, Max. I'm too young and you're also too young. I'll think about the Montreal thing. Don't push me, please."

He pushed himself against her. "I thought you liked it."

She giggled. "My goodness. You recover so fast."

"Jane, with you in my arms, I'd be gay to not recover fast. Go on top, Jane."

"No," she chuckled. "You on top, and I'll cling on to you."

Maxim's next tournament was more than a week away, so he didn't hesitate to waste himself thoroughly with Jane. He actually hurt when he ejaculated inside Jane the next morning. While spending their last hour together, Maxim saw wetness in her eyes. "I promise you, Jane," he said, looking at her deeply. "I'll call you, I'll write to you, and I'll see you again."

She smiled gleefully at him. "I believe you, Max," she said softly. "This has been the best fortnight in my whole life."

"Jane, why don't you call me up on Tuesday? I'll be at home. You know, it's so hard to call you when you're traveling."

"All right, I will," she said, then chuckled. "But don't make me call you every night. I don't have much pocket money. I bought you this." She reached underneath her bed and took a deep red hooded top out from a bag. The hoodie had her team logo on it. "A teammate came over today to join us for our trip, so I asked him to buy it for me. You can't buy it elsewhere."

He took the garment from her with a big smile. "I love you, Jane."

"I love you, too, Max. Oh, I love you!"

Maxim reached for his pants and took out all the Eurotalk phone cards he had bought for his European trip. "I don't need them for a while," he said. "Use them until you get back, then I'll start calling you day and night."

Jane chuckled, "Did you say day and night?"

He leaned down until his lips were only an inch from hers. "Day and night, either by phone or by telepathic communication, until you're tired of me."

"You know..." she said two words before her mouth was sealed. She chuckled and pushed him off to continue with her conversation. "You know that won't happen, Max, don't you?"

Maxim didn't answer. He sealed her mouth again.



-------

Chapter 29


Maxim toured around the city with his mother and Joanna's family on Sunday. Byrnes came with them in the morning, but the coach returned to Wimbledon to watch the championship matches in the afternoon.

Salome Frankopan bought the two families and the coach a dinner that evening. Mr. Omnicianni had just left London, and the other SAMS executives were busy with their other star clients. Salome also arranged a co-worker to take them to the shops to buy their dresses her boss had promised. She had even reserved three rooms for them at a nice hotel for Monday night. Maxim knew these were all part of the investments they were making in a player with potential and hopefully would turn into a star.

After watching his mother leave in a taxi on Monday morning, Maxim and his gang met with Salome's co-worker to buy their ball dresses. He crumpled his brows when he saw Joanna in her dress. "I don't like this, Jo," he said. "You look too bony in this. Go pick another one."

Joanna glared at him. "You don't have to like it, Max," she said. "I'm not your girl."

Maxim chuckled. "Okay, Jo," he said. "Let me rephrase it. It doesn't fit you very well; you look a little bony in it. Go pick another one that will show off your beauty better. How's that?"

Joanna turned around to look at the mirror. "That bad?" she said, and then turned to her parents. "Really bad?"

"Jo," Maxim spoke before her parents had a chance to express their opinions. "Which do you think I'd prefer, more skin or less skin from you? So if I say a more skin dress doesn't fit you well, what do you think?"

Joanna chuckled with her parents, and then turned to the saleslady and asked her to find another style. She eventually picked one that fitted in with everyone's taste, nearly an hour later.

The Champions' dinner turned out to be quite uneventful for them. The focus was on the men's and women's champions -- Pete Sampras and Steffi Graf. It was, however, a nice chance for the teens to meet the biggest names in the sport. "I'll watch out for you next year, Max," Sampras told him with a smile when they met.

Being in such a situation also lifted the juniors' morale. It made them feel a little closer to the top stars, a target most of them had in mind or fantasized about. Even so, Maxim and Joanna spent most of their time with the other junior champions and runner-ups. They had seen the others quite often, and had played against some, but rarely had they been talking and playing together in such a relaxing manner.

Maxim noticed Joanna didn't stick an arm between them when they danced. He pulled her closer and closer to him. "Max," she whispered. "Don't make me kick you."

"I don't mind being kicked," he said. "But what do I get?"

"I thought I was too bony for you."

"I'm blind at times. Give me a chance to correct myself."

She chuckled. "Max, you're the biggest jerk I've ever seen."

Maxim had a first class hotel room, a king-size bed, a private bathroom, but he didn't have a girl to share it with. He wished he was on the sleep train with Jane. He also hoped Jane would get good results at her tournaments.

-------

During their trans-Atlantic flight back to San Francisco, Byrnes said to Maxim, "I don't know how to handle you. I'm supposed to oversee your behavior on your trips, but I guess that's an impossible task."

Maxim almost laughed. He didn't say anything.

"Max, only very few juniors can turn pro with a junior Grand Slam title under their belts. Cherish this privilege. Don't let it slip away because of the stupid things you do. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah," Maxim said, and kept his words to a minimum.

"You're already a star now, Max. You'll get a much better endorsement package than most of the other juniors when you turn pro. Don't screw it up. Don't get caught on tabloid news and make a negative image of yourself. Cops can take you into custody even though you can't go to jail, I mean in most countries, for being caught with a kid girl in your room."

"I'll remember that."

Byrnes took a few deep breaths. "If I were O, I'd have kicked you out of the Academy long ago. I wouldn't give a damn about how much fame you'll bring to the Academy." He let out a dry chuckle. "Maybe that's why he's the owner and I'm a coach."

Maxim also chuckled. "You're a great coach, Mr. Byrnes."

Byrnes stared at the back of the seat in front of him. "That was a classic, Max. Your championship match. You could've beaten all but the very best pros. That's the power of determination. Remember it, Max."

-------

Byrnes and Maxim parted with Joanna Herring and her parents at New York's JFK Airport. The coach and Maxim took a connecting flight to San Francisco while the Herring family flew to Los Angeles. It was nearly six o'clock in the evening when they got out of the arrival hall at San Francisco Airport. Maxim split with Byrnes and went home for a day. When he got home, he found a note in the kitchen left by his mother, so he called her up at the restaurant.

"Elena's at Yerba Buena," she told her son. "Are you staying for the night, or are you driving her back this evening?"

"I'll stay a night. I'll take her back tomorrow morning."

"All right," his mother said. "I'll bring a cake home tonight. Are you going to Yerba Buena now?"

"Okay. I'm going there to check them out."

Maxim cleaned himself up, unpacked his luggage, took his dirty laundry to the washer, and then drove to the ice skating center. He found Elena with her mother and Olga. The younger sister was waiting for her turn to take a skating test. The moment Elena saw him, she dashed over and jumped into his arms, then pecked him all over his face, "Congratulations, Max!" she said.

"Thanks, Elena," he said as he put her down and walked towards her mother and sister. "How about yours, Elena?"

"I won at Southern Open, but lost in Long Beach."

Maxim greeted Mrs. Mushtakova and then bent down to accept a peck from Olga. "When is your turn, Olga?" he said, then turned to Elena. "Which round did you lose in, Elena?"

"Supposed to be half hour ago," Olga said impatiently. "Final," Elena said. "Where is my kiss?"

Maxim chuckled, then pecked Elena on the forehead. "That's not really a loss, Elena." He then sat down between them. "What about my kiss?" Olga pouted. The two sisters began talking on both sides. Their mother giggled as Maxim struggled to keep up with them both. Finally, Maxim got a little break when Olga was called to the ice.

"Where are your photos?" Elena said, while showing him the pictures she had taken during her two tournaments.

"Still at the photo finishing store. I'll pick them up tomorrow morning so you'll be the first to look at them. Okay?"

After Olga's test, Maxim took them to their home and stayed for dinner.

When Maxim's mother returned home later that evening, she gave him a Kissel fruit dessert. She then sat at the other side of the table watching him eat and asked Maxim about the girl Joanna had referred to in London. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"Just a friend," he said. "I love berries. How's your hip now, mom?"

His mother smiled at him. "Don't you see I'm fine? Maksimka, I'm a little worried about you. Every time I see your friend or Elena I hear about different girlfriends you have. How old is she?"

"Don't worry, mom. I've never been in trouble, have I?"

His mother shook her head. "Have you spent all your money yet?" she asked.

"I still have a little left," he said, as she went over to her handbag. She took out some cash and a small case, and then gave them to him. "I bought you this today, Maksimka."

Maxim opened the watch case and found an Omega Speedmaster watch inside. "Mom," he said, raising his head to look at her. "Why spend that much money?"

His mother had a contented smile on her face. "Maksimka," she said slowly, "Money isn't what I'm most concerned about. It's not like in the old days when we had to look at every penny we spent. I was in London for only two days, but it was such a blessing. The moment you jumped over the rail..." She closed her eyes briefly with another contented smile. "Oh, I can still see it every minute."

Maxim rose from the chair to embrace his mother. He saw some wetness in her eyes after the hug, and pulled a tissue from the box to wipe her eyes before he sat down again.

"Maksimka, remember, I don't want you to talk with your dad about my hip. Promise me. I don't want another fight in the house."

Maxim started breathing deeply for a couple of minutes. Finally he conceded. "Okay, mom."

After the dessert and conversation with his mother, he went back to his room to wait for Jane's phone call. The phone rang as soon as the clock hit 11 p.m., and he grabbed the handset right away. After hearing her voice, he said to her, "I miss you very badly, Jane. How have you been? Did you sleep well? Do you miss me?"

Maxim knew Jane had a sweet smile on her face when she responded. "Of course I miss you, Max. I'm fine. How was your flight?" she said. Her voice was a little dry. She must have just woken up.

"Flight was boring. I wish you were with me on the plane. I miss you so much."

Jane chuckled. "So how're you going to last until September or December?"

"Jane, I don't think I can last until September. I'll have died many times before that."

Jane chuckled again. "So what're you going to do, Max? Come and see me?"

"I may have to, Jane. I'll probably skip all my tourneys to go see you."

"Max, don't do that. Please don't. Tell me you're just sweet talking."

"Are you smiling?"

"Of course I am. Can't you see it?"

"I think I can, and it's killing me, Jane. I love you. Tell me you love me, Jane. No, louder."

Jane giggled. "That's the loudest I can make, Max. Otherwise the entire block will hear it."

"So? Tell me you love me. Tell me you want to see me."

"I love you, Max," Jane whispered. "And I want to see you. And I don't want the entire block to hear me." She chuckled. "And I have to go now. Are you going back to your Academy tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I am, Jane," he said. "And I'll be waiting for your call. I won't last a day without hearing your voice." He finished the chat with Jane, and then went into his bed to continue stroking himself.

The next morning, Maxim went to pick up Elena and drove back to Santa Arcata. Elena looked through his photographs while he was driving. "Max, you've got a new girlfriend?" she asked when she saw Jane in the photos. "She looks pretty and sweet. What are you going to do with Marlene?"

"Elena, Marlene's not my girlfriend," he said. "Stop talking about girls. Talk about yourself. Why aren't you playing many doubles?"

"I've been switching between Twelve and Fourteen. It's quite hard to stick with a partner. I think I'll be playing more doubles from now on. I'm all Fourteen now. Too bad we're not in the same division, Max; I'd really love to play mixed doubles with you."

"We can do that when we both get into pro. We'll be the best mixed pair in the world, how's that?" He turned and smiled at Elena.

"That'll be many years later, but sure. Max, that is a promise, isn't it?"

"Of course."

"I'll write it down," she said, then reached into her bag and took out a notebook and a ball pen. "You're not very good at keeping your word." She wrote it down, and tore the sheet from her notebook, then looked around to determine where to put it.

Maxim chuckled. "I thought you wrote it down for yourself."

"I remember everything you told me," Elena said, while still glancing around the car. "I don't need that." She opened his glove compartment and looked inside. "Max, you're making a mess here again." She began clearing his stuff in the compartment and then put her paper inside.

Maxim was glad he had switched hiding places and had now placed his condoms in the driver side door pocket.

-------

Maxim received a heroic welcome when he returned to the Academy. It had been a very long time since any player there had won a Junior Wimbledon. They had planned a casual party for him that evening.

"A peck won't do, Marlene," Maxim said after a congratulation hug and peck from Marlene. "It was Wimbledon. At least a dozen hot kisses."

Marlene pushed him in the chest while chuckling. "Keep your dog mouth away from me," she said. "I've talked with Jo on the phone. She's already reported to us about your romance stories there. Where are your photos?"

"I don't know," Maxim said, and then turned to Elena. "Where are my photos, Elena?"

"Anthony has them," Elena said, pointing towards the Chinese male surrounded by a small group of younger students.

Marlene quickly joined Anthony before Maxim could grab her shoulders. He turned to Chuck. "Dude, what about a hot gay kiss?"

After getting a hug from everyone he knew, he was told that the old man was waiting for him. He went over to the administration block and had a little talk with the owner.

Mr. Omnicianni told Maxim that the director of the Countrywide Classic tournament, which would be held at the end of the month in Los Angeles, had called him up. "They still have one main draw wild card left, and would like to offer it to a promising young gun," the old man said, smiling as he pushed a few fax sheets towards his student. "I told him you'd be honored to accept it, but you need to call him up yourself. You can use the phone outside when we're done."

Naturally Maxim would be honored to accept such an invitation. That tournament was a high level men's event with top stars participating. Without a wild card, it would be impossible for him to participate in even the qualifying. He nodded repeatedly with a big grin as he took the fax sheets into his hands. He also noticed a couple of sheets were from the US Tennis Association. He had been selected for the Junior US National Team competing at the Sunshine cup held in December.

Mr. Omnicianni smiled again when he saw that extra big grin from Maxim before he started talking once more. "I had a discussion with Oliver Dougherty before I left London. He told me it was the best Wimbledon match he'd watched in a while, and I agreed with his conclusion. It was actually two performances entwined into a match: a classic tennis performance way beyond junior's level, and a classic melodramatic performance."

The old man chuckled with Maxim and then went on, "He really likes it. In fact I also like it. They told me ESPN aired the footage in which you jumped over the rail after the match. It was the only junior footage they aired. Do you know why they showed it?"

"No."

"Because it's drama. No matter how well a junior plays, it's still ordinary to them, well, usually ordinary. But you don't see drama on court often. That's what Oliver likes the most. Their original plan was to push you into pro after Orange Bowl, but Oliver's working on pushing it ahead. I'm a little concerned, Max. You're having a marvelous season so far, coming out of nowhere to become the hottest junior star. But I've also talked with Byrnes and the other coaches."

The old man took a sip from his water mug before going on. "You play like a roller coaster, Max. You can beat Koehler handily in a classic match and then lose to a ball boy in the next. Turning pro while you're hot is actually harder. Instead of doing Satellites and Challengers, they'll push you into higher level events. That makes it easier for you to be a failure rather than a success. Talk with me before you make your decision."

"Thanks, Mr. Omnicianni," Maxim said. "Of course I will. My parents don't know anything about tennis, and you're like my godfather when it comes to tennis."

The old man smiled at him. "Max, are you in sophomore or junior year at Davenport?"

"I'll be in junior year this fall, but I'm just halfway through my sophomore curriculum."

"Insist that they provide you with a distance learning scholarship and a tutor, Max, at least until you're eighteen. Don't settle for anything less while you have the bargaining chips. Finish high school, or at least pass the GED before you quit school altogether."

"Thanks for the advice again. I will."

After the talk, Maxim used a phone in the office to call up the tournament director of the Los Angeles event, thanking him for the invitation and officially accepting it. He then filled out the entry form and passed it to the administrative personnel to handle. He also went to meet with Byrnes to reschedule his tournament schedules. They agreed to skip the Satellite tournaments and concentrated on preparing instead for the Los Angeles event.

After his workouts, Maxim went to look for Elena and told her about his thrilling new development. "I forgot to ask, Elena," he said after another big hug from her. "Are you playing at the West Coast Champs?"

"No. Next one is National Closed in Georgia."

"So you've got nothing to do before then. Why don't you go to LA with me?"

"Can I?" Elena said, with an excited smile. "Wait, doesn't the LA schedule overlap with our Closed Champs schedule?"

"Elena," he chuckled. "Do you think I'll be able to beat Ivanisevic, Stich, Courier, or Connors? I'll be lucky to even advance a round."

Elena snickered. "Yeah. I think you'll be lucky to even win a game."

Maxim started tickling her, and then a thought crossed his mind. "Wait, Elena, why don't you talk with your mom. We can try matching your Disney trip with my LA trip."

"Oh, sounds like a plan," she grinned at him. "I'm going to call mummy tonight."

After the casual party that evening, Maxim followed Marlene out of the dining hall. "Max," she chuckled when she saw him. "Please don't follow me around. I'm not kissing you."

"Marlene," he said. "I don't get a kiss from you normally. But this is a Wimbledon champ. Isn't this something worth celebrating?"

"No," she chuckled. "Not even if you'd won the senior Wimbledon."

Maxim made up a painful expression. "Damn, this hurts," he said. "Hey, how did you do in Norfolk? I forgot to ask."

"I lost in the semi," she said, apparently trying to hide her smile. But despite her effort, her smile still grew wider and wider on her face.

"Wow," Maxim said with exaggerated excitement. "What an achievement! I couldn't pass the second round in mine. Marlene, you deserve a super hot kiss!"

"Stay away from me," Marlene laughed. "That's because I was lucky. And I was so upset I didn't get to go to London. And also that was just a Ten-K event. There were no real good players there. The good ones were all in London."

"Well," he said. "At least you've got some achievement. Now turn around."

"Why?"

Maxim took out one of the sterling silver cross necklaces he bought in England. "I forgot to give you this."

"You've already given me a fan bookmark."

"Turn around, or I'm forcing it."

Marlene chuckled again, and turned around for Maxim to put the necklace on for her. "Now do I get a kiss?" Maxim said afterwards.

Marlene was obviously struggling to hold back her laugh. "No, Max. In fact I don't think you'll ever get one. Where's Chuck? I want his kisses. His are so hot, you're not going to believe it."

Maxim heard a coughing sound and turned around to see Chuck Kim bending down laughing.

When he saw Anthony in their flat after his shower, he remembered he didn't see Rudy during the dinner and the party. In fact he hadn't seen Rudy all day. He asked Anthony.

"He's upset," the Chinese told him quietly. "His face turned pale when Marlene reported that Jo went to the Champions dinner with you and even got a nice dress from SAMS because of you."

"Well," Maxim said, while laughing. "I didn't touch her."

"You didn't?" Anthony said with a sly smile.

"I didn't. Coach Byrnes can prove it. He was there, too. And of course you know why Jo went with me."

"Yeah," Anthony chuckled. "Cause you'd got nobody else. Actually I think he's kind of silly. I wouldn't worry if my girlfriend goes with you to that particular event. It's like, like a once-in-an-lifetime experience. If she's going to sleep with you, she will anyway."

"Nah," Maxim said. "You know I don't touch friends' girls. But I may if your girlfriend is Sarah Jessica Parker."

Anthony laughed. "Isn't she a little too old for you?"

"Yeah," Maxim grinned. "But she's so fucking hot. Who cares about the age if it's just for sex?"

Jane called Maxim up again that night. She was ousted in her singles at the German Junior Open, but made it to the quarter-final in doubles. "Do you still miss me?" she asked.

"Of course, Jane," Maxim whispered into the phone so he wouldn't disturb his roommates. "I'm dying now. Help!"

"Say it louder?" she said with a giggle.

Maxim chuckled. "You louder first. Oh, Jane, you're not going to believe how much I want to be with you now. It's like my skin is cracking and my organs are turning upside down."

"Max," Jane said in a fruity voice. "Do you know I hate you? You talk so sweet. You make me feel so happy." She paused a little before she continued, as her tone went a little blue. "But you make me feel sorry for not able to sneak over to see you. You can't imagine how much I miss you, but I can't make it earlier to Montreal. I hate myself."

"Baby, honey, don't worry about that. Fight harder and make it into the US Open, then we'll meet. And even if you can't, we'll meet in December. I promise you I'll survive until then, how's that?"

Jane's voice became fruity again. "I love you, Max. I'll do my best. I, um, I love you."

"I love you, too, Jane. I promise you I'll save up every bit of myself for you. Hey, I've got a wild card to play at Los Angeles."

Jane giggled. "I knew you were going to say that. Wow, Los Angeles. I hate you, Max. Give me the wild card!"

"What are you giving me in return?"

"Max, I've given you everything already," she giggled. "What else can I give you?"

"You on top?"

She giggled again. "No way. You'll always be on top. Well, I've to go now. Talk to you again tomorrow."

A couple of days later Maxim saw Irene at the training facility. She gave him a peck on his cheek to congratulate his winning the Junior Wimbledon. "Just a peck?" he said. "And do you want to go swimming together? Do you have your bathing suit in your bag?"

"Sorry, Max," Irene said, smiling. "I don't have the time to adore your six packs. I'm having an engagement in San Jose in an hour. Say hello to them for me, will you?"

"Okay, Irene, I'll," Maxim said, and asked her about her school. "Have you completed your GED?"

"I'll finish my school instead of taking GED," she said. "I'm enrolled in a Charter School program. I still have a course to go, and then I'll be a proud high school grad."

"Okay," Maxim said. "Let me know when you're done, and I'll give you the hottest kiss you can dream about." He gave the laughing Irene another peck before letting her go, and then went for a swim with Elena, Marlene, Anthony, and Lisa Cho at the student pool.

-------

Maxim talked with his coach and got approval for his travel arrangement for the Los Angeles Countrywide Classic tournament. He would go with Elena's family to Los Angeles for their tour, and would then join his coach for his matches.

The Mushtakov family had planned for a three day trip. They couldn't afford a longer holiday at the moment as it was hard to schedule a time that could fit them all in. Also, they had better use of their income. Olga was going to take more US Figure Skating preliminary tests, and so her parents wanted to save up some more money for her training and tests.

They began their six-hour trip before dawn on Wednesday, and arrived at Los Angeles around noon. Their itinerary was to spend a day each at Disneyland and Universal Studio, and then city tour for the rest of the time. The plan fell apart when both Elena and Olga didn't want to leave the entertainment park in the evening, as they were far from having seen enough.

They had to go back to Disneyland's Adventure Park and downtown Disney District the next day. That evening, when Maxim was about to take his shower, he heard a knock on his door. He had a motel room by himself while the Mushtakov family shared another room. When he opened the door, he saw Elena and Olga. The younger girl was holding her Monopoly box. He laughed at her. "Olga, why are you carrying this thing on a trip?"

Olga giggled as they came into his room. The siblings set up the game on the spare bed and climbed onto it, then waved at Maxim. He went over and sat on the carpet to play with them. After a while, Olga asked him, "Max, when are you going to Japan and Malaysia?"

"Late October," Maxim said. "Japan only. But if I'm turning pro, I'll skip it. I'm not going to Malaysia. I've never been there."

Olga pouted at Elena, "You lied to me!" "No, I didn't." "You did." "No, I didn't."

After some allegations and denials, Olga turned to Maxim again. "Where's Malaysia, anyway?"

"It's in Asia," Maxim said. He tore apart a brown paper shopping bag and drew a sketch of the world map on it. "This is Malaysia."

"Doesn't look like it," Elena said with some hesitation. She moved over to the phone and called her father over.

"That is the Philippines, Max," said Mr. Mushtakov, and then moved his finger to the ocean on Maxim's map. "This is Malaysia. This is Singapore."

The two girls were still laughing at Maxim long after their father had left. Maxim switched the topic, and asked about Olga's skating hobby. "Are you going to be a figure skater?"

"I don't know," Olga said. "I'm still working on my preliminary tests. They don't have a skating team at my school. Mummy is thinking about switching school. Do you skate, Max?"

"I can't skate."

"I'll teach you," Elena said. "I will," Olga also said. "I said it first!" "No!" They started playing 'Rock-Scissors-Paper-Well' to determine a winner.

"I'll learn from both of you," Maxim said laughing, hoping to end their kid fight.

They went to Universal Studio very early the next morning. Even though the two girls were unwilling to leave when the sky grew dark, they had to go. They drove to Hotel Angeleno to meet with Byrnes and had dinner with the coach. During the dinner, Elena asked if she could stay behind to watch Maxim play. "You have lessons at school, Elena," Mrs. Mushtakova said. "And you have no place to stay."

"I can stay with Max," Elena said, but quickly withdrew her request when she saw Byrnes staring at Maxim and her. She became the target of jokes by her family for the remainder of the meal. The family were driving back home after the dinner. Maxim bade them goodbye and went with his coach to their hotel.



-------

Chapter 30


The only player Maxim knew at the Countrywide Classic tournament was Alfonso Hernandez who was playing from the qualifying rounds. He had a little chat with the Mexican and agreed to have a light hitting session together the next morning. Alfonso also joked about his jealousy at Maxim's main draw wild card, and Maxim drooled at the Mexican's much higher men's ranking enabling him to participate without a wild card. He then called up Daniela for another chat. Nick was playing in Kentucky, so he was quite bold with their conversation, even though she largely ignored his flirtations apart from laughing at him.

After the hitting session with Alfonso on Saturday morning, Maxim participated in an hour-long tennis clinic, while Byrnes was busy talking with other coaches, trying to hook Maxim up with other players for practices. Unlike hitting with a coach, which was repetitive and boring, players at this level would sometimes get quite serious during the hitting, and a young player could learn a lot from the veteran players.

Maxim was also quite surprised and pleased when he went to the autograph booth for his session and saw a line of fans waiting. He was supposed to be a 'nobody' in a men's tour event, but because the organizer had beefed up his value by emphasizing his junior Wimbledon success, it made him quite an idol to many enthusiastic kids.

Alfonso was very happy when he made it into the main draw, which wasn't an easy task at all. His excitement, however, extinguished when he found out he was playing against the third seed Jim Courier in the opening round. Maxim had a lucky draw, and was going to play against another qualifier. Maxim started making fun of his Mexican friend, who swore to kick Maxim's ass if they ever played against each other.

Before separating for their rooms that night, Byrnes told Maxim they were having breakfast with Ted Singer the next morning. "Is he here to watch me play," Maxim asked. "Or watch the other stars?"

"I don't know, and I don't care," Byrnes said in a flat tone. "Make sure your brain is working sharply when you see him though. He's not coming to talk with you about girls."

The next morning, Maxim and Byrnes had breakfast with Ted Singer and his fellow client executive, Al Harrington. Maxim knew the breakfast meeting was probably more serious than he had expected, as Ted Singer had brought with him someone who would probably be managing him when he was represented by them.

"I've got good news for you, Max," Ted Singer said before the waitress filled their coffee cups. "You already have a pretty good sponsorship contract waiting for you. Actually, there are two of them competing: Adidas and Nike."

"How good?" Maxim said, as his heartbeat gained momentum.

Ted waited until their cups were filled and their orders placed before he answered. "Close to six digit a year. You know, Max, many pro rookies don't make half of that, including prize monies and everything else, and that's just the start."

"Yeah, I know."

"You want to sign the juicy contracts while you're still hot, Max, don't you?"

Maxim chuckled with him and Byrnes. "I hope I'll keep on being hot," he said.

"What are the performance criteria?" Byrnes raised a question Maxim hadn't thought of.

"Me, too, Max," Ted said, smiling. "The more you make, the more we make." He then turned to Byrnes. "That has yet to be negotiated, Tom," he said. "Which we can't do until we're representing Max. But you know Nick Sohaili didn't get one-third of this and his criteria was quite harsh, in my opinion. He didn't choose the right moment as we suggested. The only good thing is we managed to cut his term down to two years."

Towards the end of their casual meeting, Ted Singer suggested that the best moment for Maxim to turn pro would be after the US Open. "The best situation for you, Max, is that you grab the Closed Championship and play in the tour event, and you make some progress, like Nick did. Al's going to follow up on your case."

"What about my school?" Maxim asked.

"Davenport won't fit you anymore," Ted said. "USA-Five and Six will take two months off your school, and that doesn't count for any tours or Challengers we may be able to fit you into. You'll be doing some distance learning. Talk with Rico. He has information about a good school and can also arrange private tutoring for you. Don't worry about the costs. Talk with Al before your enrollments and he'll settle them."

After breakfast, Maxim said to Byrnes, "Ted Singer presses hard, doesn't he?"

"Who doesn't," Byrnes chuckled. "But I agree with him on the last part. The Closed Championship is a big step. If you can make some noises at the US Open, it'll be a great timing. The USTA may grant you an US Open men's wild card for your Wimbledon success, but nothing beats your own ability in winning a wild card by yourself. Anyway, Max, whatever they say, don't commit to too many tour events to start with. Focus on Satellites first."

"Yeah, I know. That's also what Mr. O told me. I couldn't even handle a four-hundred-plus player in my previous Satellite."

"It's good you know where you're at, Max," Byrnes said, smiling. "But you've improved a lot since then. I'd probably bet on you if you play him now."

Maxim's match was in the afternoon, so after his breakfast, he went for a light hitting exercise Byrnes had arranged for him. The guy was called Victor Spears, who was a few years older than Maxim, and had been a professional player for a couple of years with some success. Victor seemed to be nice and didn't mind hitting with a neophyte.

It was a very nice opportunity to hit with a top-100 player, and even though it was only a quite short and light practice, he did learn a thing or two. It was also the first time Maxim was hitting in front of a crowd of spectators, most of them were waiting for Victor's autograph or picture. Maxim chuckled in his heart when he noticed how Victor seemed to pick his fans, paying much more attention to the nice looking girls and leaving some kids and young boys behind. Maxim entertained some disappointed kids who turned to him before he went to the players lounge to get ready.

Once inside the players lounge, Byrnes directed Maxim to the massage therapist's room for a pre-match massage. "Even if you lose in the first match," said his coach with a sly smile. "You'll still get three grand in prize money which you can't pocket because you're still an amateur, so you might as well spend the money flexing your muscles as a tournament related expense."

Maxim naturally didn't object to this idea. The Academy had a massage therapist, but normally only professionals training there would use his service. Students didn't get to enjoy it unless they had medical needs. "Oh, God," he chuckled to his coach. "I love all these perks."

"Max," Byrnes said with a dry smile. "That's only for those who can perform. You get no perks at Satellites at all. And if you're only playing at that level, you'll be more concerned about paying your bills than getting massages."

If it wasn't for the many other players waiting for the service, Maxim would have stayed in the therapist's room the entire day. He lay cozily on a couch after the treatment while Byrnes talked with him about his game plan. "I don't know Ken much, but he's a pretty good doubles player, so I think he'll occasionally go to the net. He isn't a very quick mover however, so use it to your advantage."

The match was possibly the match of the day, and Maxim was glad that he had a massage before the match and he hadn't been laid in a while. Both players held their service games in the first set but Maxim won the tiebreaker after his opponent made a mistake. The second set was quite the opposite, and each of them alternated breaking the other's service games. The veteran won the tiebreaker this time. Maxim knew his opponent was a little tired in the final set, but he was also having problem maintaining his focus. His better serves gave him an edge in the decisive tiebreaker and marginally won the match.

Maxim was pretty sore when he shook hand with the veteran who gave him a sour smile but congratulated him on his performance. He bowed delightedly to the applauding crowd before going back to the locker room for a much needed shower. Even though he was extremely excited about his tour tournament debut result, he kept his words to a minimum during the post-match interview because he was quite tired and he also wanted it to end quickly so he could go and get his massage. He dozed off on the massage therapist's table while receiving his treatment.

Instead of a formal dinner, he opted for a take out pizza and ate it while he called his mother and friends to report his result before he took a good long sleep.

Maxim didn't have a match on the second day, which was still scheduled for the other first round matches, so he had some rest and another massage before he and his coach went for a lunch appointment with his prospective agent, Al Harrington. The agent was a little late, so Maxim and Byrnes talked about his future coaching needs. "Did O tell you he's hired Paul Kowalski?" said Byrnes.

"The Kowalski who used to coach U of Michigan a few years ago?"

"Yeah. He'll be joining us from September to head our pro training team."

"Will you also be training pros instead of juniors?"

"Well," Byrnes said slowly. "O has suggested it, but I think I'm more suitable for juniors. I'm still thinking. Dealing with pros involves a lot more work. Anyway, I don't know if they're going to hire you a personal coach when you turn pro. If they aren't, try to bargain for them to pay for the coaching and facilities at the Academy. It won't be worse than having nothing."

When Al Harrington showed up, Maxim quickly asked him the question. "No plans have been made yet," said the agent. "Nothing before the US Open. But don't worry, Rico will provide you with whatever you need before a solid decision is made. Up to now, and especially after your encouraging debut match yesterday, you're a high priority commodity on our list."

Maxim laughed. "Commodity, huh?"

Al also laughed with Byrnes. "Well, sorry, Max. I'm basically a salesman, and sometimes I talk too much like the other salesmen."

After some light hitting practice in the afternoon, a tournament official asked Maxim to stand in for a star player who couldn't make it for his autograph session. Maxim was pleased the line was so long, even though many of them were there originally hoping for another player's autograph. He was also pleased that many young girls wanted to take their pictures with him.

A sports magazine journalist conducted an interview with Maxim before his second round match. Maxim was also asked to commit to a kid's day event early the next morning. Since his match was scheduled in the evening, Daniela was coming to watch him play. Maxim had applied for a guest pass for her, but she insisted that he should also pay for the tickets for the friends she brought with her. Maxim was rather reluctant, because he had little chance against his top-50 ranked opponent, and it seemed foolish to pay for people to watch him lose. Nevertheless, Daniela always had a way to make him spend his money, this time by ridiculously exaggerating the beauty of her friends, even though most of them actually were guys.

Daniela was the only one among her friends to be able to get into the players lounge, because she had a guest pass while her friends only had regular spectator tickets. Maxim demanded a hot kiss from her for his Wimbledon success.

Daniela chuckled, "I had a phone chat with Jo and Marlene. Jo told me your face was full of lipstick marks after your Wimbly press conference. Where's her picture? I want to see your new girlfriend."

"I don't have it."

"Then no kiss."

Maxim chuckled and pulled out a photo from his wallet. Daniela looked at it and then said to him, "She's pretty and cute, but she looks so young and innocent. Max, can't you go for older girls? You're so sick. You're screwing up their lives so early."

"Hey, Daniela. I'm not screwing up anything."

"Wait until you've dumped her and tell me again."

"Kiss, Daniela."

She giggled, then whispered to him, "I'm not kissing you unless Nick's watching. I wanna get him jealous and crazy."

"Poor Nick," Maxim chuckled. "Hey, why don't we kiss on the grandstand court in front of the camera? He'll be able to see it, for sure."

Daniela laughed at him and then went over to her former coach for a hug and a brief chat before she took Maxim out of the lounge to introduce him to her friends.

Maxim had expected to lose, but it was actually a close match well above his expectations. He took the second set after losing the first one, and for a moment, he believed he could actually win the match. However, his opponent's crutch time performance, aided by a ridiculously impossible passing shot hit from between his legs had Maxim join the crowd in their applause. Maxim eventually lost the match, but he didn't feel bad at all, as he had fought hard and enjoyed the thrilling match very much. Furthermore, the only win he had in the tournament had earned him 17 ranking points, boosting his men's ranking from below 1200 to around 700.

He also got a hug from Daniela in the lounge after his shower, something that he had missed from her for quite some time. After his press conference, he went with Daniela and her friends for some refreshments before they split.

Maxim had some fun playing with kids the next morning before he and his coach packed up and drove back to the Academy that afternoon. When they were back, Maxim talked with Mr. Hackman at the administrative office, who gave Maxim information about private tutors and a private distance learning high school that was located near Los Angeles.

Maxim had a lengthy phone discussion with a registration and guidance counselor at the distance learning school. He would need to have his transcripts transferred from Davenport to his new school and have his parents sign the enrolment application.

Jane called him that night. She had just returned home from Switzerland. He told her his result, and she told him that she made it to the second round at both Swiss International and European Closed Junior Championships. "My results are not very encouraging," she said. Her voice sounded a little blue.

"Keep on working, Jane," Maxim said. "Concentrate on your game. Did you play doubles?"

"Yes, but only in Switzerland. Lost that one, too. I found another British partner. She's very sweet."

Maxim chuckled and pressed down his voice. "Jane, nobody's sweeter than you, don't you know? Which round did you reach?"

She giggled. "Final."

Maxim had to hold his laugh. "Honey, that's not really a loss. Say you're sorry. Say you miss me. Say you love me."

"Max, doubles ranking points don't count toward singles. I change partners nearly every time. It's quite hard to maintain."

"Okay. Hey, Jane, say it."

"No, you say it first."

"I miss you, Jane," Maxim whispered into his handset underneath his blanket. "I love you, Jane. Now say it."

"Louder," she chuckled.

"I can't, Jane," he also chuckled. "You know I share a room with others, and they're asleep."

"All right," she breathed into the phone. "I love you, Max. I miss you, Max. And I'm not going to say it loud."

"You will, Jane. When you see me in Montreal."

"Will you, too?"

"I'll make you scream, then I'll say it loud."

She giggled. "You're so bad, Max. I have to go now. I'll talk with you again. I love you, Max."

-------

A couple of days later, the Academy's tennis courts began clearing out as its students went for the USTA National Closed Championships -- one of the biggest national events in terms of participation. The event had adopted a new format, and was spreading its different competitions to various cities. Marlene, Joanna, and other older girls headed for San Jose. Maxim led the 18 and 16 age bracket boys flying to Michigan. The 18 age bracket events were ITF tournaments but played by American residents. Elena followed her division 14 teammates to Peachtree City, Georgia. Other teams were also dispatched to their respective tournament locations.

Since nearly all high ranked American male juniors were at this tournament, the US Tennis Association also used this opportunity for the Junior US National Team members and coach to meet together. The gathering wasn't actually useful for the players because they were quite familiar with the others. The skeleton of the team were Maxim, Lawrence, and Glenn, who all knew each others quite well.

On the other hand, Maxim and his teammates knew next to nothing about the national team's coach -- Tim Robbins from the University of Texas at Austin. It was actually a chance for the coach to get acquainted with his players and visa versa.

Maxim was the top seed in singles competitions largely because of his recent success in Junior Wimbledon. He and Lawrence were also the top seeded combination in the doubles. Kalamazoo was a college city and Maxim had been here a few times before, so there weren't many attractions for him. Since there were hardly any girls other than spectators in the all-male competition, he ended up spending most of his pre-match time practicing with and helping his fellow players.

He talked with Rudy during a practice break, "Rudy, how long have you not been into the second round?"

"Can't even remember."

"Know what?" Maxim said with a smile. "I think she'll give me another kiss if I win this tournament. And I think you'll still get nothing apart from watching a show."

Rudy glared at him with fire in his eyes but didn't say a word.

The smile on Maxim's face grew bigger. "Wanna bet, Rudy?" he said. "Twenty if you can advance and get a kiss."

Rudy stared at him for a while. "Deal," he said. "If I advance. I can't guarantee about a kiss."

"Deal. Wanna bet twenty on me, too?"

Rudy thought about it. "Nah," he said. "You'll do anything for a kiss."

Maxim was still laughing when he went over to give Anthony some practices.

Rudy gave Maxim a huge and proud smile when he eventually won his first round match. Maxim chuckled as he paid his due. "Wanna bet again?" he said.

"Sure, ten."

"Why lowering it? Shouldn't you be raising it?"

"So I'm keeping ten if I lose," Rudy said and then started laughing.

In the end, Rudy made $25 from Maxim after he lost in the third round. Anthony had also lost in the third round.

Maxim cruised into the singles quarter-final, losing only one set on the way. His doubles partnership with Lawrence had not lost a set so far. Maxim laughed at Chuck after the Korean's winning match and had joined Maxim, Lawrence, Glenn, and others in the quarter-final. "Wanna bet?" he said. Chuck was going to meet him in the quarter-final.

Apparently Chuck was expecting this. He slapped a hundred dollar bill on Maxim's palm. Maxim took a few deep breaths. "Nah," he said. "Twenty. I don't want the bet to get ugly. A hundred may be nothing to you, but it's a lot to me."

Chuck gave him a cool smile and slapped his arm, then went for his media obligation.

Maxim beat Chuck the next day, but the Korean gave him a hard time in the second set and even won it after taking it almost to overtime. "A hundred," Maxim laughed to Chuck after the match. "Let's make it a hundred."

Chuck also laughed. He then gave Maxim a very heavy pouch containing coins. Maxim turned to Glenn. "Are you in?" he asked. His next opponent was going to be Glenn.

"I'm in," Glenn said, laughing. "But I don't want that pouch. Give me a bill instead."

Later that day, Maxim and Lawrence lost their doubles semi-final match to a sibling pair. "Did they play really well," Maxim said to Lawrence afterwards. "Or we sucked?"

"Both," Lawrence chuckled. "Bob and Mike have improved a lot. I think they'll be a tough pair to beat for years to come."

Maxim beat Glenn the next day. Even though he won in straight sets, both sets were closely fought, and the second set had gone into a tiebreaker. Maxim went on to win the championship, beating a guy from Washington State in three sets. Just as Nick had earned a year ago, Maxim was also granted an entry ticket to the men's event at the upcoming US Open.

During the media time, Maxim was asked quite often by the journalists about when he was turning professional. He kept on saying what Byrnes told him. "I'm not sure. I'm still thinking about turning pro or going to college." He also added some of his own remarks. "Can you send me some of the pictures you've taken? Would you mind autographing them for me?"

That evening, Maxim learned some quite surprising news. Marlene, despite her sluggish start, had won the girls' 18 championship. She would be joining Maxim to play at the men's and women's events of the US Open. Joanna and Amanda made it into the doubles final but were beaten.

-------

It was late afternoon the next day when Maxim and his fellow players returned to the Academy. They were the last batch to arrive. Maxim found out Elena had lost in her girls' 14 quarter-final. They exchanged big hugs and loud smacks before Maxim went looking for Marlene. She was indeed extremely happy and excited, and didn't mind Maxim pecking on her lips until he did it the third time. "Enough," she said, mocking an angry look as she pushed him off. "Now go away. The old man's waiting for you."

Mr. Omnicianni was walking out of the office building when Maxim found him. "I thought the flight's delayed," he said to the young man. "Congratulations on the title, Max."

"Thank you, Mr. Omnicianni," he said. "Where are you going? What do you want to talk with me about?"

"Why don't you just call me Rico, Max. Easier for your tongue, isn't it? Come have a coffee with me at the clubhouse. Al Harrington is coming over tomorrow. You met him in Los Angeles, right?"

"Sure, all right," Maxim said while walking with the old man towards the clubhouse. "Yes, Ted Singer and Al Harrington met Coach Byrnes and me in Los Angeles. Is he coming to sell their right moments again?"

The old man chuckled. "Well, Max," he said slowly. "If you can make it, there's probably no better place than Flushing Meadows and no better timing than at the US Open."

"So that's your suggestion, too?"

"It's your call, Max. Do you think you're ready yet?"

"I hope so. Can I stay with Coach Byrnes?"

"I don't know. First of all, I don't know if they'll hire you a personal coach. Secondly, Tom still hasn't made up his mind about picking up pros. You know about Paul Kowalski and my pro training team plan already, don't you?"

"Yeah, Coach Byrnes told me about it briefly."

"Paul is known for developing long term comprehensive training packages geared towards individual player's needs," Mr. Omnicianni said. "And that's what I have in mind to render our services. But we don't accompany our players to competitions. We can't afford that, not yet."

"That'll be fine, I guess," Maxim said. "I'll be doing Satellites to start with, and I don't think there are many coaches in these places. I think the priority for me right now is fitness. I was exhausted after my first match in Los Angeles, and it was only a three-setter."

The old man chuckled as they went into the clubhouse and found a table at the lounge. "Three-setter can be very draining as well, especially if it's an all-tiebreaker match, like what you had. But I'm glad you know what you need."

After ordering their refreshment, the old man talked again. "In fact, Max. You can also stay at the residence if you want, which I doubt."

Maxim chuckled with him and then had a sip of his coffee. "Mister ... Rico, actually, wouldn't it be even better if I make the announcement before the US Open, like in Montreal? Then I can pocket the money especially if I'm lucky enough to win a round." He was in dire need of income. His financial situation had been getting very poor with his spending and credit card interest. He also owed Chuck more than $1,000.

"Two things, Max. One, you're not going to Canada. You forgot your men's timetable at New York will overlap with the Canadian Junior..."

"Oh, damn. I forgot."

Mr. Omnicianni smiled at him and went on, "Two, you want to do it after you've done something at least decent. If you get your ass kicked badly in both tournaments in New York, you can withdraw your announcement and pretend you're still thinking. That's better than announcing it and then you get beaten like a fool. You look at the bigger picture. Ten thousand may be a lot to you now, but is nothing when compared to what you'll be making."

"Okay, thanks for the enlightenment."

After their discussion, Maxim went back to his friends and also started bombarding Marlene with proposals about going out together in New York.

When he returned to his residence that evening, he got a call from Mike Jackson, who congratulated him on winning the championship and on the wild card entry. "Wanna do doubles with me at the US Open?" Mike asked.

Since Lawrence didn't get a ticket to the men's events of the US Open, Maxim would need another partner if he was to enroll in doubles. Nick would have been his first choice because they knew each other's games very well, but Nick had already teamed up with someone else. Maxim had played with Mike many times before and was also familiar with his game. He promptly agreed to the proposal.

Maxim then called up some other friends. He learned that Janice reached the fourth round in both singles and doubles at the tournament Marlene was crowned. She also congratulated him on his result. "I thought you were not playing singles anymore," Maxim said.

"Max," she said. "Nobody will pair with me if I keep on having a negative ranking."

"Come over to Santa Arcata, Jan. I'll pair with you, day and night."

Janice chuckled, "Why don't you go to Maryland and Montreal to pair with me?"

"Deal," Maxim said, laughing. "Keep your word if I show up there. Good luck in Maryland and Montreal."

He made a few more calls before his shower, and made his last phone call of the night afterwards. He told Jane he had won his tournament and that he wasn't going to Montreal. "Jane," he said. "I'm dying. What can I do?"

His call was a little earlier than usual, and Jane's voice was a little husky -- a sexy voice he loved. "I'll go to Heathrow to meet you," she said, chuckling. Then there was a pause. "You're not going to Montreal?"

"No," Maxim said, taking deep breaths. "They took me out. US Open men's tourney starts at the same time as Canadian Junior."

There was a rather long pause where Maxim could only hear breaths from both ends of the line. "Jane," Maxim finally said. "Chances are I'll be ousted in the first round. There will be a few days gap. I'm going to cross the border to come and see you."

"You really will?" she said. Maxim knew she had a big smile on her face.

"Will you be my wild woman?"

"Max," she giggled. "I'm already your wild woman, am I not? Do you know how I felt when I knew it was going to happen?"

"How? Excited, sanctified, thrilled?"

Her voice sounded like she was choking. "Scared, anxious, and, well, a little longing."

"Longing? How long?"

"I'm not telling you."

He chuckled, and continued keeping his volume down. "When we first kissed?"

She took a few deep breaths. "Yes," she chuckled. "It was ridiculous. I'd only known you for a few days."

"I felt like we'd met for years, Jane. I think it's fate. Tell me you're crazily in love with me."

"You first."

"No, you first this time."

She chuckled. "Max, I'm crazily in love with you."

Maxim repeated her remark and teased her for a while before letting her go.

-------

Al Harrington showed up at the Academy the next day. He had a talk with Mr. Omnicianni and then took Maxim to a restaurant for dinner.

"We've talked with Pete Sampras and the director of the US Open," Al told Maxim. "Pete's playing an exhibition match with you on the kid's day. Make sure you play and behave smart there. This will increase your media exposure."

"Media exposure, huh?" Maxim chuckled. "I feel like a piece of merchandise again."

Al also chuckled. "To be honest, you are." He rolled his eyes, then asked, "Have you ever thought about doing modeling as well?"

Maxim laughed. "Catwalks?"

"Any kind, with clothes on," he chuckled again. "At least the last piece. You know, Max, you're a very nice looking young man with a nice body. Even without tennis, I think we'll be able to send you to the catwalks. I think we might just as well plan on that."

"Well," Maxim said slowly. "I'll have to think about the whole thing, and talk with my parents."

"That's why I'm here, Max," Al said. "Can you arrange a talk with them tomorrow?" He took out his cell phone and handed it to Maxim.

"You're not asking them to sign anything, are you?"

"Actually, yes," Al said, laughing. "Not right now, but we can get it prepared beforehand. A contract won't be valid until both parties have signed it. We won't sign it until after you've made the announcement. Since our headquarters is in New York, we can get everything started right away."

"I'm not sure if my parents will like this idea."

"Leave that to me, Max. You concentrate on playing your tennis and we'll handle the rest. Oh, we've talked with Rico, and he has no objection to cutting out some of your USA-Six."

"Why?"

"Max, it takes too long to advance through Satellites. Depends on how you'll be doing in the next couple of months, we may get you to work on Challengers."

"Isn't that a little too much too early?"

"Nah," Al said. "Not at all. Ted had wanted to see if we could fit you into Tokyo Indoor or Montevideo, but Rico told him it was insane. So we kind of settled on Challengers, like Seoul, Ahmedabad, and Reunion Island."

"Why not like Essen or Brest?"

"Max, European Challengers are the most competitive ones. We're trying to put in a little more monetary investment to make your life easier. I thought you'd appreciate that."

"Yeah, and you're not going to recover those monies from me?"

Al Harrington started laughing. "Well, Max, many rookies have problem getting loans. You don't mind paying back if you succeed, do you?"

Maxim also laughed. "Yeah, I mind. I wanna keep all my monies. Anyway, you know, I think Nick didn't get pushed that hard. You know, Al, you actually are scaring me a bit."

"Max," the agent said, leaning a little into the table. "I'm not pushing. Nick's not played one single Satellites since he'd turned pro. But I understand it's a little different, because you've never made any noises until lately. Anyway, I'm just being honest with you. You see, Max, we'll be working together for a long time. My future depends on you. I don't want my golden goose to get hurt."

Al chuckled with Maxim and then went on, "Nick plays better than you, at least for now, but he lacks the glamour you have. You're better looking than him. You have a style and temper on court that is dramatic. You get along with kids very well. You have a bad boy image the girls will be crazy about. And lastly, time has changed a little bit. For every month that has lapsed, tennis has evolved more toward marketing. Max, call your parents now."

Maxim chuckled and called up his mother for an appointment with the client executive. After setting up a time, he asked Al, "Do I get a cell phone?"

"Heck," Al said, laughing. "Get as many cell phones as you want. How much are they going to cost you?"

"I'm down to only six racquets."

"Max," Al said, a little impatiently. "A racquet costs only a hundred fifty bucks. Go buy a dozen and send me the bill. We're holding back on racquet talks until we see a nice offer. Ted's getting fed up by those racquet sponsorships which we don't make a dime on commission."

"Okay," Maxim said. "By the way, are you staying with me when I'm in New York?"

"Yeah, I'll be your babysitter and doorman. Just whistle at me when you need a cab," he said, laughing. "How's that?"

Maxim also laughed. "No, I don't mean that. I just don't know where I will be staying after being knocked out of the Open and before my Junior."

"Don't worry about that, Max. Don't worry about the nickels and dimes. Those are for me to take care of. You focus on playing good tennis and make yourself good monies. And, yes, I'll be around during the US Open. Where else will I be otherwise?"



-------

Chapter 31


For the following week, Maxim worked very hard on his training, and had started a more intense physical fitness program. He knew he needed to be at the top of his form to handle both the juniors' and men's matches at the US Open. How he started his professional career depended very much on them. He also called up Nick to check when he would be in New York, then had a talk with Irene afterwards. He already knew Irene wasn't going to New York. "Where are you going?" he asked Irene.

"I'm going to Sochi," Irene said. "I have five more tourneys this year, and I have to make it into two-fifty to have a chance to play a Slam next year. Wish me good luck, will you?"

"I wish you good luck, Irene," he said. "I'll kiss you to death if you make it. Will you sleep with me if I win the US Open?"

Irene laughed for quite a while before she spoke again. "I'll get Marilyn Monroe to sleep with you. How's that?"

"Marilyn Monroe was dead before I was born."

"Another Marilyn Monroe. She's my dog back in Idaho."

"Okay, Irene. Deal. Threesome. You, me, and Marilyn Monroe."

A week before the commencement of the US Open, Chuck and a few younger players left for the International Junior Hard Court Championships at the University of Maryland. Chuck would then join Joanna and many other familiar faces in Montreal for the International Junior Championships of Canada. The Canadian tournament was the last chance for those who were not yet accepted into the Junior US Open to get a last-minute wild card. Maxim gave them all a hug and wished them best of luck. He wouldn't be seeing most of them again until after he returned from the US Open.

Maxim gave Marlene a ride to San Jose airport before he went back to his San Francisco home. Marlene was traveling to New York with her parents who were going to cheer for their daughter's Grand Slam debut. Maxim also had his mother and aunt going to New York to watch his matches. His mother was originally reluctant, but Maxim went to his aunt who had never been to New York. He told his homemaker aunt what a great chance it would be to see the Big Apple with his mother, then told his mother how much his aunt had wanted to go. After both his mother and aunt had shown interest, Maxim hustled his uncle and aunt to put pressure on his father, who was eventually compelled to support it.

Maxim's mother and aunt weren't traveling with him, but were going on Sunday -- the day before the tournament matches would start. He was flying to New York City with Nick on Thursday. Byrnes would then join Maxim and Marlene after his duty in Maryland was over.

The night before his trip, Maxim called up Celine for a chat and confirmed his itinerary with the goddess. She told him she was buying him a dinner the next evening, but since the fall semester at Davenport commenced on the following Monday, she and Calvin had to get back to Santa Arcata on Sunday and they wouldn't be able to watch him play at the US Open.

-------

After checking into the Grand Hyatt hotel in Manhattan, Maxim learned that Marlene and her parents had already arrived the day before, but they were out sightseeing. He then saw Al Harrington and they went up to his room together. Maxim gave the agent the undated management contract that his parents had signed.

Al Harrington waited for him to unpack his stuff and then gave him a cell phone. "Registered in San Fran in your name," said the client executive with a smile. "National roaming, prepaid for three months with a two-hundred-minute plan. You should be able to deal with the bills after that, shouldn't you?"

Maxim chuckled as he studied his new toy. "Thanks, Al," he said. "Did they paid for it or did you? And are you also using this plan?"

Al Harrington had a sly smile on his face. "You paid for it, Max. You're still an amateur," he said. "I use a national and international roaming plan, but it sucks. Our mobile system isn't compatible with those of the rest of the world. I think it'll take a long time for whoever's messed up to get it straight. Anyway, what kind of meal do you want for this evening?"

"Can I have a chick?" Maxim grinned.

"Chicken's no problem," Al grinned back at him. "Chick, I can't. It's not the money. I'll get myself into deep shit because you're still underage."

"Actually," Maxim said. "A couple of school friends are buying me a dinner, but I'll have to check with them first."

"No problem. My wife will be very happy to see me at dinner. Don't stay out too late."

After calling up Celine to fix a time, he followed the agent and Nick to SAMS headquarters for a brief visit. Nick stayed behind for a short meeting while Maxim went back to his hotel to meet Celine and Calvin.

He gave Celine a very firm hug when they met, and wouldn't let her go. "I miss you, Celine," he said. "How have you been? Did you miss me? You smell good. Are you wearing perfume?"

Celine chuckled with Calvin. "Let me write down your questions first," she said with a smile. "How have you been? Are you wearing cologne? You smell very manly. I'm starting to feel crazy about you."

If Calvin was not watching and chuckling, Maxim would very likely have dragged Celine to his room by force. Anyway, since Celine wasn't pushing or struggling, he held her tighter to enjoy a soft and warm body in his arms. "Where are we going, and where afterwards?" he asked.

Celine chuckled and pushed him gently in the chest. "I hope you like traditional French cooking. Are we ready to go?"

He reluctantly let her go and followed his friends out of the hotel. They took a cab to a French restaurant in Chelsea, Lower Manhattan. Their table was a rustic candlelit one that overlooked a shady, rustic garden.

Celine ordered cassoulet and veal kidneys flamed with Armagnac for Maxim. The exceptionally well prepared dishes in, according to Celine, true French fashion, healed all his stress after his flight. He nearly licked his dish clean. The only element missing for a possibly better meal would have been a bottle of fine Bordeaux during the meal and a glass or Armagnac after. Unfortunately none of them were old enough to drink.

After their dinner, the duo took Maxim to tour around the celebrated Chelsea and the neighboring Greenwich Village. Maxim liked the style of the buildings and the places, but he wasn't much into touring, and he had no interests at all about the art galleries. He would prefer a chat, a drink, and above all, some private moments with Celine. However, the irritating Calvin just wouldn't go away. He was too friendly, and occupied most of their time telling Maxim about the culture of Chelsea.

When they were having a drink at the coffee shop inside the renowned Chelsea Hotel, Maxim grabbed a chance and asked them where they lived. "I live in Upper East Side," Celine said. "And Calvin's from Bronx, near Pelham Bay Park."

Maxim knew approximately where Upper East Side and Bronx were, but he had no clue about Pelham Bay Park. Nevertheless, he knew Celine lived much closer than Calvin from his hotel. "How about we go to Central Park for a walk tomorrow morning?" he said.

Calvin looked at Celine while she shook her head. "Max," she said. "I'm a little tied up tomorrow. Do you have time for a musical on Saturday?"

"Saturday is Kids day," Maxim said. "It's very important for me. I mean, not that I'm a kid." He chuckled with the duo before going on. "They've arranged some exposure for me. But I think I can skip the evening agenda."

"Calvin," she turned to her friend and asked. "Can you look up a good musical and get the tickets for our celeb guest?"

The good thing about having Calvin around was that he could do the job that Maxim had little knowledge about. The bad thing, naturally, was that he'd be stuck between Celine and Maxim. However, it seemed there was little Maxim could do about it at the moment.

Maxim set a morning alarm call at 2 a.m., and after waking up, he gave Jane a phone call. "Tell me you miss me, Jane," he said. He was glad he didn't have to suppress his voice like when he was at the Academy's residence. "No, louder."

Jane chuckled. "You say it louder first."

Maxim said it out loudly, and then laughed. "I forgot you're in a hotel room by yourself," she said, also laughing.

"Anyway, Jane," he said. "Play harder. Make it into US Open. I'm going to make it the most memorable trip for you. Who will be your doubles partner in Montreal?"

"I'll try, but I doubt it very much," she said, then chuckled. "You're not going to believe it. I'll be playing doubles with Saori Inoue. She's one of the top girls. I didn't expect to be able to team up with her. But her partner just got injured, and I rang her at the right moment."

Maxim also chuckled. "Yeah, I know her. I've seen her and have talked to her in Australia and in Japan. She's pretty cool. I think you'll soon have a partner from every country."

"I'm not sure about that," Jane said. "You know, you can't imagine how much I want to see you, but I'd also rather you have a nice opportunity at the Open, even though that means I may not be able to see you for a while."

"Don't worry, Jane," Maxim said. "I'll tell you what, Jane. If we can't meet in New York or Montreal, I'll buy an air ticket and come and see you in London at the end of the month. Tell me you're very happy now. No, louder!"

She chuckled, and muted her voice. "I'm happy, and I love you, Max. How's that? Hey, did I tell you my mum's also going?"

"No. She finally could gather a Montreal mom tour group?"

She chuckled again, "Yeah. All four mums. If we're lucky enough, they'll all continue to cheer for us in New York."

"Okay. By the way," he said. "Get your pen out. I've got a new cell phone from SAMS." He waited for her to get her pen, then gave her his cell phone number as well as his hotel room number. They talked until she had to go for her breakfast and training.

When Marlene saw Maxim and Nick the next morning, she raised both of her arms to her front. "Max, my parents are here," she said. "Keep your dog arms off me."

Maxim waved at her parents and then whispered in her ear. "Come on, Marlene," he said. "Just a hot kiss. They won't care."

Marlene chuckled as she faked a kick. She then gave Nick a hug and purposely left Maxim out. They had breakfast together. Mike Jackson and his parents also joined them a little later. Following their breakfast, the players went over to Flushing Meadow Park to collect their accreditations and to check the venue out.

In the afternoon, the players had a special treat. They enjoyed complimentary massage and hair dressing session during a players' event. The Nordstrom Department Store also sent personal shoppers to meet them at another venue and picked out clothes for them to try on for their Slam party held later that evening.

"Oh, my goodness," Marlene was all smiles when she talked to Maxim and her friends as they traveled to the night club where the players party was being held. "I didn't know playing at a Slam Open includes these perks. I need to reconsider my position."

"Marlene," Lindsay said after her chuckle. "The US Open is probably the most commercialized tennis event, I think. You don't expect these gimmicks all the time."

Besides players, there were many celebrities attending the party. There was another gimmick. They laid red carpet for the participants to walk on, and a camera crew was there to cover the event. "Oh, my goodness," Marlene found Maxim and told him. "I've never felt so important in my life before. Just these are worth all the effort. I don't even care about how my match will turn out."

"You can try turning me on instead."

"Gee," she chuckled. "I forgot. Go away, you dog."

"I've been here for a while," he said. "You came over to me. Hey, what's your room number? I can get you some other special treatments."

Marlene faked another kick before she left him and joined some other friends for the fun.

-------

The players went to the USTA National Tennis Center on Saturday for the Kids Day event. Unlike the other kids days Maxim had been to, where there were usually a few dozen to a few hundred participants, thousands of youngsters and their families came for the fun. It was a carnival with various games and activities, contests, celebrity sightings and live performances by pop sensations.

The highlight for Maxim was when he played a doubles exhibition match with Pete Sampras against two other veterans on Court 5. He had a brief hitting with Sampras earlier that morning for this event, but they all knew it wasn't anything serious, and nobody cared about the scores. It was just a show for the kids and fans. It was also a nice chance for Maxim's name to show up on media without having to win a competitive match.

"Don't go too aggressive when you're doing wrong-footing hits," Sampras told Maxim when they had a brief moment to themselves. "You can't grasp the extreme yet."

"Thanks, Pete," Maxim said, smiling at his idol. "I'll remember that."

Even though Sampras was the focus and all the kids who could manage to get close wanted his autograph or photo shot, Maxim still got a few chances from unlucky kids desperate for any autograph.

After his celebrity show, Maxim went on to participate in various other events. He played a doubles match with a kid in the fun contest, and then went over to help the volunteers. Whilst helping, he saw a young black teen talking with a volunteer. The teen had just broken his racquet, and the woman told him there were no more free racquets available. The kid had a dejected expression and was obviously trying to hold his tears. "My grandpa's gonna kill me."

Maxim looked at the young teen. He was around 12 to 13, but was quite tall and had big hands. "What size grip?" he asked the boy. He gave the kid his racquet when he knew it would fit him, but regretted it immediately afterwards. That was one of his six discontinued racquets and was also the one he used when he won the Junior Wimbledon. He thought briefly. "Well," he told the kid. "Don't throw it and don't dump it, please. I won the Junior Wimbledon with it."

The kid had a very big smile from ear to ear. "Thank you," he said excitedly. "I'll keep it all my life. Will you autograph it for me, please?"

When the players returned to the players lounge after the event, Marlene whined to Maxim, "Why were you playing with Pete and I wasn't playing with Steffi? It's so unfair."

"Marlene," Nick said, chuckling. "That's media exposure arrangement. He's turning pro. You're not."

"Marlene," Maxim also said. "You get media exposure in two ways."

"Which two?"

"One, you turn pro, and SAMS will arrange that for you. Two, you get caught in my bed, and you'll also be on ... Ouch!" He bent down and rubbed his shank.

They saw Byrnes when they returned to their hotel. Chuck Kim had lost in the quarter-final at the Maryland tournament the day before, but he had gained enough ranking points for entry into the Junior US Open. The Korean had gone to Montreal for the Canadian tournament while the younger Omnicianni players had been sent home.

Later that evening, Maxim met Celine and Calvin for the Broadway musical. They both seemed to enjoy the musical, but Maxim didn't, and he didn't hide it when they asked. It was still a good experience and an eye-opener for him. He had also come up with a plan. He asked his Yankee friends to show him some places where they could dance. However, Celine wasn't interested in disco at all. "No, no," he said. "I mean, like, you know, ballroom dance, like Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot. You know, I don't know how to do that. Maybe you, and you, Calvin, can teach me."

Celine chuckled. "Okay, maybe another time."

"Another time is tonight, Celine. You're leaving tomorrow."

Celine chuckled again. "Well," she said. "Not tonight, Max. We're catching an early flight tomorrow morning, and I don't know about these places off hand. I promise I'll do that with you another time."

"Give me a date."

"Next Saturday?" she said, smiling slyly.

"Damn," he said, chuckling with Calvin. "I'll give you a time when I get back, and you'll have to accept it. No more excuses."

James Stelko and Al Harrington came over together the next morning to have breakfast with Maxim and Byrnes. James was going to Poland and Romania in a couple of days. During the meal, Maxim asked his agent, "How many clients are you handling? And is Tara at your office, your assistant?"

"You'll be my fifth, Max," Al said. "I wish I was only handling one, because that would mean I'm making a fortune. Tara doesn't just work for me. She's a back office support staff who provides logistic support for the agents. I think she's way too old for you, Max."

"Nah," Maxim said, laughing with the others. "I think she's old enough to be my grandma. I was just curious. Are all your clients in Tennis?"

"Of course," Al said. "I'm under Ted, and he's all tennis. Brian Sheppard, Danny Kuhnen, and Steven Fox are in the Open. You'll meet them during the event, probably today if the rain stops early enough."

Rain didn't stop during the morning, so Maxim and his friends hung around in Manhattan before he went to pick up his mother and aunt at LaGuardia Airport in the afternoon. The two women weren't staying at the same hotel as Maxim, because they booked their travel arrangement too late. They were staying at a Sheraton hotel in Flushing, which was very close to the tennis venue.

They had a delicious meal at a Chinese restaurant in Flushing, then did some shopping around that area. Maxim bought some bananas as energy bar replacements before they split. The two sisters-in-laws carried on with their shopping while Maxim went back to his hotel for his preparation for the tournament.

In tennis, juniors and most professional tournaments have a best-of-three-set format, but Grand Slams, the Olympics, and a few elite events employ five-set format for men. Players often will need to replenish their carbohydrate loss during lengthy matches. Maxim had yet to play a five-setter, but he needed to get ready if he could manage to stay alive long enough in his upcoming matches.

-------

Both Maxim and Marlene had their Grand Slam debuts on the first day of the US Open. Marlene was playing the first match on Court 15 at 11 a.m. and Maxim was playing the second match on Court 16. The players lounge was still sparsely occupied when they arrived. Maxim started telling Marlene about the usefulness and relish of massage therapy. "Go try it," Maxim said to her as Byrnes chuckled with her parents. "After all, you can't pocket the prize money, and the more you can spend as tourney expense, the better you'll feel."

Maxim also had his massage at the men's side. When he saw Marlene after his treatment, she was once again all smiles. "Oh, my goodness," she chuckled at Maxim. "I think I'm turning pro no matter what. I think I'm also staying in the massage room the whole week until I can spend all eight thousand of the prize money."

"Silly," Maxim grinned at her. "You can't spend it once you're out. But I'll be at your service anytime. What's your room number again?"

Marlene laughed and slapped his arm before she went for her preparation with Byrnes.

Whilst in the players lounge waiting for his match to be called, Maxim alternated between different monitors checking both Marlene's match and the one preceding his. Marlene didn't make it, and lost her Grand Slam debut match in less than an hour. She didn't look upset though when Maxim saw her in the lounge. She was happy enough just to be there.

Maxim gave Marlene the first hug she allowed him in New York. "I didn't expect to win anyway," she said, smiling while pushing his chest.

"Marlene," he said. "Get rid of your damn hands. If you didn't expect to win, how could you win?"

"I didn't win," she chuckled. "I will when I'm ready. Now get your dog arms off me and get yourself ready for your dog match."

Maxim let her go and went back to his seat to wait. The match before his was also played by two female players but it was a closer match, and when Marlene and her parents joined him after she had changed her clothes and had the obligatory interview, the match was still going on. "Do you expect you can win?" she asked Maxim.

"Well," Maxim said. "He's a top-hundred player, more than six hundred above me. I don't have many chances."

"So you aren't expecting to win either."

"No," he chuckled. "But he's gonna have a hard time. He has to win it. I'm not going to give it to this mother ... this guy."

Marlene covered her mouth as she laughed with Byrnes, her parents, as well as his mother and aunt. "Do it, Max," Byrnes said, patting his shoulder. "Show him."

Naturally Maxim was both excited and extremely nervous when he stepped onto the court. After the warm-up, he glanced at his mother in the stand, and saw a confident expression on her face. She knew nothing about tennis, but she believed in him. She gave him an encouraging smile when she noticed he was looking at her.

Maxim couldn't believe it when the third set began. He was leading his opponent by two-nothing in a best-of-five-set match. But he started losing his concentration and was totally outplayed in the following two sets. He had yet to play a fifth set in his life so far, and he knew he had a big disadvantage. He started cursing in his heart and slapping his head with his racquet. Besides being quite tired, he also needed momentum and focus very badly.

He was trailing 0-3 in the final set before he had any clue about how to tackle the situation. It was then he got his momentum. He realized a very ugly banner was lifted in the stand on the other side. Maxim had been looking at the side of the stand in which his mother's was in during his match, and it was possibly the reason he hadn't noticed the banner until now. The banner read "Go Max Go" and was in the hands of the kid that Maxim had given his racquet to a couple of days ago. The kid was also chanting loudly for him. He won the next six games and won the epic match that lasted more than three-and-a-half hours.

He dashed over to give his mother and aunt a firm hug as well as gentle hugs for Byrnes and Mr. Omnicianni. He then went over to his first ever super fan and gave a big autograph on the back of the kid's tee-shirt, as well as the match ball still in his pocket. He got an enthusiastic handshake from Ted Singer when he went outside the court. Mr. Omnicianni had also come out of the court with a middle-aged person. The old man introduced Maxim to Paul Kowalski who would be taking charge of Maxim's training when they went back to the Academy.

After Marlene gave him a peck on the cheek in the players lounge, he demanded more. "That's a big achievement, Marlene," he said. "Nothing less than a tongue will make it."

They kept on wrestling until he saw Byrnes looking at him with a funny expression. The coach was undoubtedly very pleased with his performance, but also annoyed by his behavior.

Al Harrington was behind Byrnes. "You'll be asked that question," he told Maxim. "You know how to answer it, don't you?"

Maxim chuckled. "Of course I do," he said. "After the Juniors, not during, not before."

There were more journalists in the press conference lounge than usual for this match, as both players were not big stars. However, this was a big upset match, and would possibly be the match of the day. The journalists were looking at the moderator impatiently until he gave them the green light.

"This is your Grand Slam debut, and you won against a player ranked nearly six hundred fifty higher. How does it feel?"

"It's great," Maxim said, maintaining his smile. "It's huge. It's amazing. It's superb, isn't it?"

"Does it feel greater than wining the Junior Wimbledon?"

"Oh, yeah," Maxim said. "He's the toughest player I've ever played in my whole life. So it's probably the biggest win of my life."

"How big a breakthrough do you think this is for you?"

"Super big."

"Can you elaborate?"

"No," Maxim said, hiding his annoyance about the reporter's stupid question. "Because I actually didn't understand your question. I just said something so I wouldn't look dumb."

After some laugher, the reporter rephrased his question, "Is a win in a Grand Slam pro tour a breakthrough for you? This is also the first time you've beaten a top-hundred player."

"It certainly is," Maxim said. "I think I was lucky. He's an excellent player, and he played very well. I was lucky."

"He said he had never lost six games in a row on a hard court since his rookie year. Do you still think it's luck?"

"Oh, yeah. Otherwise, how can you explain it?"

"You're also playing at the Junior US Open next week. Will that be your last amateur event?"

"Yes," Maxim said. He eventually had the question he had been waiting for. "I'll be turning pro after the Junior US Open."

Maxim met with his friends and Al Harrington in the players lounge after his media conference. "You know, Max," Al said. "There can't be a better timing and better performance for your announcement. Unless, of course, if you're going to win the championship."

"Hell no," Maxim said, laughing with the others.

"Just keep playing like you've just done," Al continued. "And leave the rest to us."

When Maxim returned to his hotel room that night after spending some time with his mother and aunt in midtown, he got a phone call from Jane. She congratulated him on his success and told him she was staying with a volunteer family during her stay in Montreal, which meant he couldn't call her on phone. She promised to call him up every night to report on her progress.

-------

Byrnes was having breakfast with a friend the next morning, and he suggested Maxim and Marlene join them. "I think you'll like it, Max," the coach said while winking at Marlene. "She's quite attractive."

Byrnes' friend was indeed quite attractive even though she had to be at least 50 years old, but Byrnes hadn't asked Maxim and Marlene to join them for her looks. The woman was called Claudia Weiss and had been Byrnes' financial consultant since he first started playing professional tennis.

"You know," Byrnes told his students. "When I started, I got free clothes, and that was it. No endorsement monies at all. I never made any good money out of the game. I've never been really good enough. I probably made less than minimum pay during those few years after my expenses."

Byrnes paused briefly and went on, "I learned tennis from my older cousin. He was much better than me, and he started his pro career pretty well making good monies, until he broke an arm and a leg in a car crash. He had to stay out of the game for a year, and could never make a decent comeback. What's worse was that when he made good monies, he was a big spender. He's now an assistant college coach and he's still repaying debts from a decade ago. I learned from his experience, and when I turned pro, I found myself a financial consultant. I ended up keeping more money from my pro years than my cousin."

Claudia chimed in and started talking. "A pro athlete has a relatively short career in which he or she may make a substantial amount of money. Some keep on making good money after retiring from pro sports, some don't. That's why you want to start planning, and start saving, instead of spending every dime you make during your good years."

"Are you also doing it for Nick Sohaili, Claudia?"

"No. We've talked, but he's not my client."

"Nick's a better planner than you, Max," Byrnes said. "He already had a financial consultant when I talked with him about it. But he fell victim to greedy scumbags who made it worse. Ted Singer helped him out of his nightmare and referred him to JP Morgan."

"You don't have to use us, Max," Claudia said. "But you're welcome to talk and discuss with me anytime, whether you're my client or not. You too, Marlene. We're a small firm, and we don't have a star -- sports star or movie star -- in our portfolio."

"If you need a big firm, Max," Byrnes said. "Claudia or Ted can give you some names. But I guess for the moment it'll be more practical to talk with Claudia. After all, you're not picking up a twenty million dollar endorsement contract like Agassi is."

-------

Maxim was playing two matches on Day Four of the US Open. He had his second round singles in the afternoon and then a doubles match with Mike Jackson in the evening.

Nobody, including himself, had faith in him as he was playing the fifth seed Michael Chang. The only good thing was that he would be playing in front of an extremely big crowd of crazy and loud fans at the Louis Armstrong Stadium. Maxim had never been in this stadium before, not even during practice, as only star players could play there. The downside about playing in the stadium was that his super fan wouldn't be able to cheer for him even if he was around, as he would need a ticket, and all the tickets were sold out months ago.

Maxim won the first set, but when Michael Chang started getting used to his game, the Chinese American's killer top-spin lobs and precise passing shots were too much for Maxim. He lost in four sets, but it was a good loss. He wasn't swept away, and he made the star player earn his victory with a lot of effort. He got a nice compliment from Chang when they met at the net.

Apparently both his coach and friends were also very satisfied with his match, and treated his loss as a victory because of his performance. "Nice job," Byrnes said to him. "Eventually you're ready to take your game to another level."

His first Grand Slam doubles match was not a good experience however. Maxim and Mike lost the match in straight sets, even though they made it into the tiebreaker in the second set. Both Maxim and Mike were out of the tournament as Mike had already lost his first round singles match the day before. Nick and Lindsay were doing well so far.

After his post-match interview, Maxim saw Al Harrington in the players lounge. The agent told him the formalities were being processed, both between Maxim and the agency, as well as with various tennis federations and professional players associations.

Maxim then pulled the agent aside and asked for a favor. "Do you think you can rent me a car for a couple of days? I'll pay for it."

"I'll take you to wherever you want to go."

"Well, um. It's something personal."

"Where are you going?"

"Montreal."

"You're not going to watch your academy friends play, are you?"

"Well, um. I just need a car."

"Max, I'll pretend you're still hanging around in town as long as you let me know when you're going and coming back. Go take the Greyhound. It's faster anyway. You can't drive alone in New York until eighteen. I'm not going to have a future anymore if I rent you a car and you get into trouble. In fact, I'm not sure if I'd go to jail."

Maxim started to dislike Al Harrington, even though he believed the client executive was right.

That evening, while giving his mother and aunt suggestions about tour attractions in their hotel room, Maxim came up with another idea. Both his mother and his aunt had never been to Montreal. He started talking them into taking a 3-day trip there. "Hold it, hold it, Maksimka," Aunt Sofya cut in. "You said three days, and it's an eight hour drive. How are we going to have time to see the places?"

"We can go to the airport to pick up a car now and come back at night on Sunday. I'll take the wheel once we're out of the city."

Aunt Sofya began talking with his mother in Russian. They chuckled as his mother glanced at him. Maxim knew his mother had an idea why he was pushing for the trip. "No, Maksimka," Aunt Sofya said, turning back to him. "You're having your matches next week, and three days aren't enough. We may go to Philadelphia and Washington instead." His mother also shook her head while her sister-in-law was talking.

Maxim knew he had failed again. He might be able to push it if he was just dealing with his mother, but his aunt might not care for him that much. He was still very upset when he went back to his hotel. Jane gave him her daily phone call a little later. She had advanced in her doubles at the tournament, but had already lost in her singles, two days ago in the second round.

He couldn't sleep well that night, and he came up with another plan. The next morning, he told Byrnes he was going with his mother and aunt to Philadelphia for a couple of days, and then told his mother he was going out with friends. After freeing himself from all parties, he went to the Times Square bus terminal and took a Greyhound coach for Montreal.

-------



NOTES TO READERS:

Most of the questions posted by journalists during the press conferences at the US Open and Junior Wimbledon in this story are taken from or inspired by real questions asked in these events (I found the transcripts from the Internet.) Some journalists do ask stupid questions all the time. Many athletes also tend to give stock, clichéd, and hollow responses.





-------

Chapter 32:


Traveling from New York City to Montreal was easy and straightforward. Getting from the Montreal bus terminal to Repentigny -- a suburb where the junior's tournament was held -- was tedious and time consuming, as Maxim didn't have a car. By the time he got there, it was nearly 7 p.m. He saw flood lights illuminating Larochelle Park and knew quarter-final matches were still going on.

Maxim hesitated whether he should go inside. He wasn't supposed to be there, and if he was seen by other players, chances were he would get busted by his coach and mother. He called Lawrence's pager and hoped it would work in Canada.

After half an hour of anxious wait, Lawrence returned call and asked who was paging him. Maxim told him where he was. "My goodness," Lawrence said on the phone. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Hush! Hush!" Maxim said. "Byrnes doesn't know I'm here. How have you and Janice been doing? Did you see Jane Bennett?"

Lawrence started laughing. "I know why you're here now. Your girl's still playing now. I lost my singles in quarters to Koehler again but won the doubles with Kenny. Janice also won her doubles but lost her singles in the second round. Where exactly are you now?"

"Are you staying, Lawrence? Can you tell Jane to call me?"

"I think I'm leaving."

"Come on, Lawrence," Maxim said. "Okay, okay. What do you want, Subway or Wendy?

"Radio City for two?"

"Damn it, fu ... Damn. Okay."

"I'll tell Jane," Lawrence said, chuckling. "I have to wait for Amanda anyway. She's still playing her doubles with Joanna."

"Fuck you! Lawrence. You said you were leaving."

Lawrence started laughing again. "So Radio City or not?"

"I'm broke, Lawrence. I'll give you the money when I get my first paycheck. Where're you staying anyway, family or hotel? Who's staying with you?"

"I'm staying at Doc Motel," Lawrence said. "You can come over for sleep, but you need your own room if you're sleeping with a girl. Your team's staying at Capri so it should be pretty safe."

"I can't sleep with her," Maxim said. "She's staying with a hospitality family. I'll go eat and see you later. What's your room number?"

Maxim found a McDonald's while walking to Doc Motel, which was about four miles away from Larochelle Park. He went inside for his meal, and got the call from Jane when he was almost finished. "What're you doing here, Max?" she said.

"Come to see you, what else?" Maxim said. "Did you win?"

"Yeah, we'll be playing against Lawrence's sister tomorrow. Where are you now? Why didn't you come and watch my match?"

"Near Doc Motel. I can't go watch. My coach doesn't know I'm here. Can you come over?"

Jane started laughing. "I can't, Max," she said. "I thought you said you were going to London."

"Can you sneak out tomorrow morning? What time are you going there? Why didn't you say you miss me and you love me?"

"I can't say that, Max," she said, lowering her voice. "This is a public pay phone. And my mum's not too far away. I'm not sure about tomorrow, but I'll be here in the morning. I'll ring you."

"Okay. Jane, say you love me. For Christ sake, don't I get a word for coming five hundred miles for you?"

Jane chuckled, and then whispered into the phone, "Of course I love you, Max. I'll ring you tomorrow morning."

Maxim didn't expect to see Janice when he went into Lawrence's motel room about half an hour later. She was shaking her head and smiling slyly at him. But she stopped her smile quickly and glared at him. "Where's my 'Miracle So Magic'?" she said.

Maxim fumbled about in his backpack while Lawrence was chuckling. He gave Janice the perfume he bought a few months ago. "I forgot to bring the special Japanese souvenirs. They're still in my luggage in New York. I'll give them to you when you're in New York."

Janice held the small box in her hand and looked at it for a couple of seconds before she spoke. "You knew I was joking, didn't you?"

"Does it matter?"

"Depends," she said, looking at him. "Did you buy this for her or for me?"

"Of course for you. I bought it in April, and I have something else for her." He pulled out a plastic shopping bag from his backpack and swayed it in front of them.

"What are they?" she said, with another sly smile.

"You wanna see 'em, Jan?" Maxim said. "Take off your clothes."

Janice laughed with her brother and then glared at him. "You're hopeless, Max. Nobody has ever talked to me like this in front of my bro."

"Heck," Maxim said while eyeing her up. "I have no problem sleeping with you in front of him."

Lawrence carried on laughing while Janice kicked him, with a blush on her face. "I'm going back to my room now," she said, still glaring at Maxim. "You owe me another 'Miracle So Magic' or I'm telling your coach where you are."

After Janice had left the room, Lawrence wanted another Radio City ticket from Maxim. "Firstly," Lawrence said. "You're using my room. Secondly. Amanda's got a ticket to the US Open."

"Okay, okay," Maxim conceded weakly. "Whatever you want, Lawrence. I'm so tired now. Do I have to pay to use your bathroom?"

Maxim got a phone call from Jane the next morning. She had sneaked away to a small park about a mile from the tournament venue to meet Maxim. They had a quick hug and kiss behind a tree. "Max," she said. "You're totally crazy, do you know that?"

"Say you love me, Jane."

She chuckled, "You first."

"Why else would I be here, Jane?"

"Say it."

"I love you, Jane," he said, and took her in his arms, disregarding her struggle, and pressed his hardness against her body. "Can't you feel it?"

"Max," Jane breathed with some redness on her face while pushing him in the chest. "We're in broad daylight, and this is a public area." After Maxim reluctantly let her go, Jane talked again. "Of course I love you, Max. You can't imagine how happy I was when Lawrence told me you were here. It was beyond anything."

"When is your match, Jane? Will we have a little more time?"

Jane chuckled again. "Max," she said. "Go back to New York to wait for me. I promise you I'll make it, okay? I've never felt so determined and confident to win a title before. I'll make it for both our sakes, okay? I promise you I'll let you take charge when we're in New York, okay?"

"No, not okay. I want you now."

"Max, please."

Maxim took a few deep breaths. "You're killing me, Jane. Do you know that?"

"Yes," Jane said, smiling at him. "Of course I do. How else would you've come five hundred miles to see me?"

Maxim smiled at her as he pulled his backpack off his shoulder and took out the shopping bag with a DKNY halter and skirt inside. "Jane," he said. "Make sure you wear these when we go out together in New York."

Jane smiled at him. "Thank you, Max," she said. "I'll do everything I can to make sure I can wear them there."

-------

During the ride back to New York, Maxim contemplated what he was doing. He didn't get anything from the trip. He couldn't go and watch the matches of Jane or his other friends. He wasted two days, hiding in the dark, and didn't even get a hand job. He was also glad he followed Jane's suggestion and went back early enough. He made it back to New York just in time as his mother had been looking for him and was about to call up his coach.

Maxim went back to his routine of accompanying his mother and aunt on their trips as well as resuming his practices. He got a phone call from Lawrence while he was riding the bus back to his hotel after lunch on Sunday. Lawrence and Kenny Kim won the boys' doubles. Jane lost in her doubles final, but since all the winners were already in the Junior US Open; they gave her the remaining wild card.

Maxim still had a big smile on his face when Marlene asked him why was he so happy about. "Nothing," he said. "Marlene, what do I get if I win the junior title?"

"Shut up your dog mouth," Marlene said, chuckling. "You're not getting anything from me no matter what you win."

Maxim had to wait an intolerable evening before Jane called him up from her hotel room. "Wow," she said delightedly. "This is the nicest treat I've ever had from any tournament. Five star hotel off the Fifth Avenue and fully paid for."

"Jane," Maxim groaned impatiently. "Are you coming over or am I coming to see you over? I'm exploding!"

"I don't know," Jane chuckled. "What if my dad or mum knocks on my door?"

"I don't care," Maxim growled. "What's your room number?"

The moment Maxim closed the door behind him in Jane's room, he started stripping her. While kissing her, he pushed his waistband down and took his cock out. He then lifted Jane up and thrust himself into her warm pussy. A few thrusts later he realized why the feeling seemed to be more sensational than he had expected. He hadn't put on his condom yet. He reflexively pulled himself out at once. "What?" Jane asked.

"Hang on," Maxim said. "Let me put on my condom."

"Whoa," Jane chuckled. "I also forgot. I'm glad I took your advice."

"What advice?"

"Pill," she chuckled again.

"Damn," Maxim also chuckled. "Couldn't you tell me earlier?" He lifted her up again, and resumed shoving inside her." He also sealed her mouth by sticking his tongue deep inside. Jane moaned into his mouth as she wrapped her arms and legs firmly around his neck and waist.

After they broke their kiss, Jane seemed to want more body contact, and she started pulling his t-shirt up. He had to lean her back against the wall for support as he raised his arms for his garment to be raised over his head. When their arms returned to their bodies, he felt his chest being massaged by her breasts as her body fluttered from his pumping actions.

Jane also moaned much more liberally than when they had sex at the university dormitory back in England, where she would keep herself from making a loud noise. "Say you love me, Jane," he panted while thrusting, becoming more vibrant with each stroke.

"I love you, Max," she moaned. "Oh, I love it. Oh." She clamped herself firmer to him, and began nibbling his shoulder as her hips were pumped up and down by his action. "Louder, Jane," he grunted as he felt an electrified stream striking from inside him. And then he started slamming hard into her as they groaned and he shot his load.

They remained clung onto each other for a while, huffing at each other's ear. He then put his hands on her ass to lift her up again. "Where are you taking me to?" she asked as he started carrying her as he walked.

"Shower, Jane," he said. "Finally I can wash your body while you adore me. I hate the dorm, I love watching your body. Why can't they have a private bath?"

"I don't adore you," she chuckled.

"You will, when you blow me there."

"No, Max," she chuckled again. "I'm not going to do it."

"You will, Jane. You told me I'd be in charge here."

"Oh, my goodness," Jane breathed as he carefully stepped into the bath with her in his arms. "You can't do that to me. I'll puke."

Maxim put her down and turned on the shower, then turned back to her and ran his fingers over her wet body. "Please, Jane," he said softly. "You know how tough it's for me these days, don't you?"

She removed the soap from the box and rubbed it over his chest. "Say you love me, Max," she said.

"I love you, Jane. I've never been hooked to a girl so much before."

Jane smiled at him. "You're not just crazy; you're daft as a brush, too. Do you know that?"

"Does it matter?" He said as he took the soap from her and started rubbing her body.

Jane's virgin blow job didn't go very well. She wouldn't take much of him into her mouth, and when he was able to persuade her to do so, she gagged and refused to go on. She compensated it by riding atop him sloppily in bed instead.

She also begged him not to do it a third time when he wanted it again. "Max," she said, struggling to close her legs. "I may have an early match tomorrow morning, so may you?"

"Doesn't matter," Maxim said. "I'll make it. Jane, you're not sleeping tonight."

She grunted. "I may not be able to make it, Max!"

He slowly rolled off her. "Okay," he said. "But you have to agree on two things. One, we sleep together throughout this event. Two, the moment you're out, you're totally and completely mine."

Jane chuckled as she snuggled up against him. "Am I not totally and completely yours yet?"

"No, baby," he grinned at her as he ran his hand on her back. "Not until we can stay up doing happy things all night."

"You're insane, Max," she chuckled. "But I still love you."

-------

Even though Koehler and Hernandez were ranked higher than him, both on boys' and men's scales, Maxim was made top seed of the US Open Juniors tournament because he had won the previous junior Grand Slam and the US Closed National, plus he was an American player. He won his first round match easily, but there were many sad results for his friends. Jane, Janice, Amanda, Chuck, and Glenn were all out of their singles competitions after the first round.

Maxim didn't know how Jane felt after her loss. As usual, she was taken away by her father coach after her losing match. He decided to talk to her before their intimate session when he sneaked into her room that night. "Feel bad about the loss?" he asked her after their kiss.

"Yeah, a little," she said mumbling into his chest. "But it's still great to be a part of this. Oh, did I tell you I love the huge lounge. I didn't expect I would be in the same lounge with Steffi, Monica, and Andre. I never got so many autographs in an afternoon before."

Maxim chuckled, "Jane, you're a player, not a fan."

"Nah," she also chuckled. "I'm a player, and also a fan."

"You're silly, Jane," Maxim said, and started stroking her. "It's time for your consolation prize now. Tell me you're my fan. Tell me you love me. Tell me you want me. Tell me you're horny."

She giggled as she pulled herself to him. "No, you first, and can't you feel if I'm horny or not?"

-------

Maxim played against a rising American teen in his second round match. He won the first set easily despite a few questionable calls from a couple of the linesmen, but started struggling in the second set. He got wound up when another bad shot from his opponent was ruled good. He ran over to the linesman and challenged him. "It was out by a balloon's distance! Put on your multifocal glasses if you can't see clearly!"

He didn't get a correction after his stormy challenge, so he went back to the baseline for his serve. "Fucking moron," he murmured to himself quietly, then muttered 'Blind fucking-moron' a little louder in Russian.

Before he tossed the ball up for his serve, he saw the chair umpire gestured him to hold. He then saw the linesman walking towards the umpire and they started talking. The umpire suspended the match and called in a referee. Everyone was waiting anxiously as the chief referee was also called in a little later. Following another round of discussion among the officials, the chair umpire declared that Maxim was disqualified for abusing the court official.

Maxim immediately went over to appeal against the decision. "I didn't abuse anyone. I was talking to myself. Everyone does that."

"He's also a Russian," the chief referee said to Maxim, while pointing at the linesman who had an ugly expression on his flushed face. "You're defaulted, Khimin. It's the final decision."

Maxim waited until he was alone in the shower and then started to shed his tears. He had never been disqualified before in any sports he had participated in, even though warnings and even point deductions were quite common for him. This was indeed the most abysmal kind of defeat.

When he came out of the locker room with an innocent façade on his face, he saw another distressed one. The top seeded girl Anna Kournikova had also been eliminated after a closely fought match. They consoled each other, and then Anna asked him what had happened. "I didn't know the moron understood Russian," he whispered.

She also lowered her voice and spoke in Russian, asking him what he had said.

"Шторка Хуй."

Anna started laughing. "Oh, my God, Max. I love that one!"

Other upset players of the day were Jane, Marlene, Joanna, and Amanda. Maxim and Marlene didn't play in the doubles so their singles losses were enough for a complete knock-out. Jane, Joanna and Amanda lost in their doubles as well, and had also become bystanders. Maxim's friends kept on asking him what had caused his disqualification. He only told a very few of them the truth, once he had made them swear to keep it a secret.

"Did you cry afterwards?" asked Janice with a sly smile.

"Jan, I'm a man," Maxim said, glaring at her. "A man doesn't cry."

Janice chuckled with her brother. "A big boy is not a man, Max. You can't even vote."

He gave her another glare. "Let's go to my hotel room and I'll show you how much of a man I am."

Janice burst out laughing, and then quickly hid behind her brother when he tried to snap her arm.

Maxim spent the evening with his mother and aunt. Since he was out of the tournament, the two women had bought a bus tour package for the next few days to visit Philadelphia and Washington, DC, before their trip home. They vacated their hotel room during their period of absence and left the luggage they weren't carrying with Maxim.

Besides her loss, Jane had some more bad news for Maxim when they met in her room that night. Even though her family was staying until the final day of the event, they were moving out of Grand Hyatt. "Max," she said when he asked her why. "It's more than three hundred dollars a night here. We're moving to Clarion LaGuardia. The rate there is less than half here. I'm out of the tournament, so we've to pay for the rooms ourselves from tomorrow. We don't have SAMS to pay for our costs."

"I'm sorry," Maxim said. "I forgot about that. Are you having your own room, or are you sleeping with your dad and mom?"

She smiled at him. "They always give me a room," she said. "So they can do their own romantic things."

"Well," Maxim said. "We can do our romantic things while they do theirs. It's just a little more commuting time."

"It's not as nice as it here. So don't complain."

"Does it matter?" he said, and started lifting the hem of her top. "Don't tell me there's no bathroom there. Hey, let's go out tomorrow together."

"I can't, Max," she said after he pulled her tank top over her head. "We're going for a brief sightseeing tour in the morning and then we're moving over to Clarion. I'll tell them I'm going out with the other players on Friday."

"Okay," Maxim said as he leaned over to her breasts after removing her bra. "But you're not sleeping tonight. I'm telling you." He started licking her nipples.

-------

Maxim couldn't find his friends to hang out with either the next day. They were still playing, or were going out with their families. Nick and Lindsay had lost in their third rounds, but they had already left New York. He ended up spending the day at the Tennis Center watching matches and hitting with whoever was looking for a practice partner. He also had a drink with his Japanese friend Norikazu Ishii after his loss in the third round.

Al Harrington called him up and set up a dinner with his bosses. It was the first time Maxim had met Dale Payton, SAMS' President of Sports and Entertainment. During the dinner at a steak restaurant near Rockefeller Center, Maxim kept on maintaining he was innocent and was a victim of an unfair ruling. The SAMS people didn't seem very concerned though, as it was just a junior's event. They were more concerned about Maxim's future. Oliver Dougherty and Ted Singer gave him more information about what they were up to.

"We suggest going to Adidas for your clothes and shoes," Ted Singer said. "It's ten thousand dollars a year less than Nike, but it's a three-year contract. Nike wants five years, doesn't allow patch deals, and includes a commercial. Adidas, on the other hand, will pay for the commercials if they want you to do it. We've managed to take the performance criteria to a minimum. Unless you're severely injured, you can't miss the criteria."

"In case you don't know yet," Ted went on. "On average, an eventual star player takes about three years to reach some significant milestones, like getting into the quarters or semi of a Slam. When that happens, you may start seeing lucrative contracts of multi-million, to tens of millions, of dollars. We believe you have a huge potential, so we want to take the small risk. Ten thousand is nothing. You've just seen fifteen thousand down the drain because you couldn't pocket the prize monies yet. After all, if you can't make an impact at the end of three or five years, chances are it'll take you many more years, if ever, to get even some moderate success."

"I think I also like this idea," Maxim said. "If I'm still at the bottom after three or five years, I might as well go and try coaching or modeling as well."

After a chuckle at the table, Dale Payton talked. He hadn't spoken much since they had sat down, but had been observing Maxim most of the time. "There's another inclination, Max," Dale said. "America's still a scant domination of Nike and Reebok, and Adidas is still without a deluge of illustrious tennis stars barring Steffi as endorsers. I credibly believe they'll be more ambitious in extending a more lucrative long-term contract than the others that already have celebrity spokespersons."

"Yeah," Maxim said. "I haven't seen many American players wearing Adidas."

"And also," Dale Payton said slowly. "Al will organize a photo shooting for you. We're not impulsively consigning you to fashion shows, but you do have an auspicious potential with casual wear commercials and endorsements."

The SAMS executives left right after the dinner, but Al Harrington went with Maxim to the Grand Hyatt and spent another couple of hours at the coffee shop talking with him about the details. "There's another thing," he said after they had gone though the money issues. "You drink alcohol, don't you?"

Maxim grinned at him. "I know I'm not allowed to."

"Don't even do it at home," Al said. "Unless you're in other countries where they have a lower legal drinking age. It can create a lot of negative publicity about you. It's worse than you sleeping with a different girl every night."

"I'll remember that."

"In case you get into any trouble involving the cops, you always call me up immediately, and I'll get you a lawyer right away wherever you are, anywhere in the world. Except in tournaments, don't do interviews without my knowledge. You screw me up, you screw yourself up."

"Damn, there is so much more about going pro."

"Nah," Al chuckled. "There are many pros who don't care about anything. Do you know how many pros are better poker players than tennis players? That's because they spend way much more time playing cards than hitting the balls. I'm telling you this because we believe in you. You pay a bigger price for a bigger success. Max, I hope one day I'll have only one client -- you. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah," Maxim grinned at him again. "But not your other clients?"

"Like Ted said. They've been here for a while. Chances are they won't be the goose that will lay the golden egg for me. Not anymore, I mean. Danny's had a successful career but it's near the curtain time. Unlike many other agents, I'm always honest to my clients."

"I know, Al, you don't always talk nice, but I think you've been honest with me. That's much better than a smiling back stabber."

"I don't even fuck from behind," Al said, and started laughing with Maxim.

After splitting with Al, Maxim went to his room to change his clothes and then traveled from Manhattan to Jane's hotel in Queens to share the night with her.

They went out together the next morning. Jane had already been to the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center with her parents, so Maxim took her to the Empire Building and other attractions. He also went with Jane to a studio for some photo shots after Al Harrington gave him the time and address. He dined with Jane at the French restaurant Celine took him to a couple weeks ago.

When they went back to Clarion Hotel and were in the elevator alone, Maxim once again looked lewdly at Jane as he drooled. She was wearing the white jersey rib tank and denim mini-skirt he bought her. Since their previous encounters were all at tennis compounds or residence, this was the first day he saw her in street clothes. He whispered to her, "Jane, do you know you're terribly sexy in this tank and skirt? Do you know I've been hard all day? Do you know what I want to do now?"

Jane giggled. "I don't know about the first two things, but I know what you want to do now."

"What?"

"You want to drag me to my room as fast as possible."

"No, Jane. I want to do you here."

She slammed her back to the wall of the elevator while laughing. "You're insane, Max. Don't even think about it. They have cameras in these lifts."

"I don't care."

"I do," she chuckled. "All right, whatever you want to do when we're in my room."

"Really anything?"

"Oh, no," she said, laughing again. "Only those things I agree with."

Once inside her room, he reached inside her skirt and rolled her panties down her hips. "Max," she said, chuckling. "You're crazy. Why don't you open the zip closure first?"

"I want to practice doing it with your skirt on," he said as he managed to roll her panties down. He then carried her to the table and laid her on the edge. He opened his fly while stepping in between her legs.

"Max," she panted while spreading to the limit of the hem of her skirt. "It's too tight. It'll hurt."

Maxim pushed her hem line up to allow a little more freedom to her legs, and then started pulling her tank over her head. He then pushed his hips toward her groin while undoing her bra. "Jane," he breathed. "We're going to do it one day in the fitting room. We need practices."

Jane was still laughing as he pushed himself into her pussy. "Oh, my God," she groaned as she spread as wide as she could and raised her knees up so he could reach her easier. "Slower, Max."

"Jane," he said while pumping in and out of her pussy. "Don't lie, you're so damn wet. Take off my tee and let me feel you."

Jane moaned as she struggled to lift the hem of her mini up to her hip, then removed his tee shirt while he thrust fanatically inside her. "Oh, God," she groaned. "Oh, Max. Say ... Oh, Say you love me."

"You first," he grunted, then started rubbing and squeezing her breasts while increasing his speed and force. "Okay, I love you, Jane. I want you, Jane."

When they had their shower afterwards, Jane blamed him for causing the deep rib marks on her thighs. "They'll go away very soon, don't worry," he said, and started teasing her in the bathtub for some shower sex.

-------

Lawrence called Maxim up on his cell phone on Saturday morning. He was ousted the day before after losing in the semi-final. All of Maxim's friends were out of the competition now. The pair hung out with Lawrence and his two female companions that day. It was a nice idea as Jane could show her parents the photos she took of other players to substantiate her claim of hanging out with friends.

Maxim and Jane shared their last night at New York City together. Both of them were departing the next day. Maxim knew the next time they would meet would be three months later, so he didn't hesitate to overdraw his sperm bank. Jane looked a little sad when they had their final shower in the morning, and Maxim knew he was. They had the longest kiss they had ever had before they parted.

After leaving Jane, Maxim went back to the Tennis Center in the afternoon and watched the men's final match in the players lounge with his friends. Sampras beat Agassi and won the title. Earlier that day Koehler had been crowned the boys' champion, and the day before Steffi Graf had beaten Monica Seles to win her second US Open championship.

In the evening, Maxim took his luggage, as well as that which he was keeping for his mother and aunt, and went to pick them up for the airport. He stayed at his San Francisco home that night.



-------

Chapter 33


Even though Maxim didn't win any trophies in New York, he still received a heroic welcome at the Academy. Beating a high-ranked professional player in his Grand Slam debut could be a bigger achievement than winning a junior title. Also, the 23 ranking points he earned from his Grand Slam matches had raised his men's ranking from around 700 to a little shy of 500.

When Maxim picked up his mail at his residence, he found a congratulations card with no return address on the envelop. It was sent by Gail Mills. She didn't write much on the card, just a few encouraging words, nothing intimating at all. However, she did write her address on the card. This card served two purposes. It meant their links were not completely cut off, and he could start writing to her.

Besides the one from Gail, he also received cards from many other friends, including girls he had flirted or slept with in the past. He was very busy that evening writing his replies and enclosing various souvenirs for them.

The next morning, whilst on his way to the courts for his service practice, Maxim saw Enrico Omnicianni hitting with Paul Kowalski. Maxim hadn't seen the old man hitting a ball for a few years. In fact the owner hadn't been involved that much in the Academy's daily routines for quite a while. He had been using his reputation that had been built up over a couple of decades to draw in students and sponsorships. He also relied on the quality of his staff as well as the system they had developed to run the institution.

They were apparently going to take a break when they saw Maxim, and they motioned him over to join them for a chat. Maxim didn't pay much attention to Paul Kowalski when they first met in New York. Paul was in his fifties but still looked very athletic, even though he was a little thin. He had been operating a tennis school in Michigan after retiring from college coaching, but his business didn't go well. "I don't think I'm a good businessman," he chuckled. "And operating one in Michigan without indoor courts was definitely the stupidest idea in my entire life. Also, most everyone comes to California or Florida for training nowadays."

"So what's the biggest difference between training pros and college players or young kids?" Maxim asked.

"The difference is not in their status, Max," Paul said. "Even though pros are of a much higher standard. What matters at the end of the day is their mindset. All right, a lousy player with extreme mindset can't beat Sampras, but Sampras won't be Sampras without his elite state of mind."

"Oh."

"Your US Open debut performance was also stellar in this sense, Max," Paul continued. "You played with a mindset I adore. Most young players would've been beaten badly in that final set."

"Oh, I'm not always like that. I got some support and motivation from the stand."

Mr. Omnicianni chuckled, "Max, you probably won't need us if you're always like that. Anyway, I had some discussions with Paul while we were coming back. To be honest, I haven't been involved much in your development in the past couple of years, and I've seldom seen you play against a good player. Like Paul said, your performance in New York was stellar. Wimbledon was also stellar, but in a different way. Your USO performance was about the mindset of refusing to lose, while your Wimbledon performance was, well, was just impossible for a junior."

The old man smiled while the other two chuckled before he went on, "You need a lot more to get higher, though. You still lack high quality ground-strokes when you have to stay at the baseline. Your volleys are very good, but still rather predictable. You need more variations, like using drop and drive volleys more often."

Maxim smiled and kept silent as Paul added, "It's not something we can get done instantly. It's going to be a long road. It's going to be one thing at a time."

Back to the Academy was hellish compared to his stay in New York. He picked up more hours of training and workouts and had to get accustomed to the new home-schooling arrangement. Instead of classes in the morning and practices in the afternoon which he had had for the past several years, he now had training in the morning and a private tutor at his residence in the afternoon.

Since Maxim wasn't able to join the weekly afternoon gathering on Friday, he went to Davenport to meet Celine and her friends for lunch. They didn't give him any heroic welcome when they saw him outside the school building. "Celine," Maxim said. "I didn't win a title, but the debut win was a very big one."

"So?" she said, smiling slyly at him. "What do you want, a lollipop or an ice cream?"

Maxim pulled Celine aside so Robert couldn't hear him. He whispered to Celine, "You're the first girl who's not yet given me a hot kiss."

"Cathy didn't," she whispered back. "And Rosalina didn't, did they? Whatever they give, I'll double that."

"Celine, you're a meanie! What about my dance lesson?"

"Sure," Celine said, smiling happily at him. "This Saturday or the next?"

"Damn, Celine," he groaned. "I'll never tell you my tourney schedules again. Can't we have it tonight?"

"No," she said. "Weekend, please. I don't have enough time during weekdays."

He sighed. "I'll give you a date. I hate you, Celine. Are we at least having lunch together now?"

Celine and her friends chuckled as they went with Maxim towards the parking lot.

One advantage of selecting the distance learning school referred to by the Academy was that they were used to having professional athletes and entertainers in their credentials. They tailored made him a special curriculum which Davenport would never had allowed. Maxim was taking only two courses due to his very packed competition schedule.

He was assigned schoolwork and tests by his teacher who was located hundreds of miles away. They would never meet, and mailing of materials, or counseling via phone if needed, were the only means of communication between them.

The private tutor, Mrs. McKnight, was a retired teacher sent by a national tutor's corporation that had been sending tutors to some students at the Academy and professional athletes training at the facility. She was the one who would ensure he understand what he was learning and doing. Whilst a private tutor wasn't mandatory for home-schooling, the expensive arrangement would make life much easier as Maxim would have nobody to discuss his problems with otherwise. It was also quite similar to what Miss Mills did for free, except he wasn't going to have the joyful episodes with this lady.

That evening, Nick and Irene bought Maxim and their Academy friend's dinner. Irene gave Maxim a hug to congratulate his result at the US Open. She then told him she had won her tournament in Russia. She had climbed from below 450 to 270 on the women's ranking. Maxim left his seat and went over to give her a peck.

Maxim then told them what the SAMS people had advised him. "Did they tell you the same thing?" he asked Nick and Irene.

"Pretty much the same things," Nick said. "But I got a far worse clothing contract than yours; I didn't even get competing bids. I think you know that already."

"Shut up, Nick," Irene said, glaring at the two guys alternatively. "I don't even get paid for wearing their clothes. They've been giving me horrible clothes. I'd rather buy my own ones if my budget hasn't been so tight."

"Too small?" Maxim said, grinning at Irene.

"Shut up, Max," Irene said, and then chuckled. "Imagine this. An purple color top and a white skirt with built in orange shorts. What'd you call it?"

"Strip dancer's attire?" Maxim said, and laughed with the others while Irene flung a spoon at him. He then turned to Marlene. "Honey, I'll buy you a skirt with orange shorts, then I'll cut the ugly shorts off, and buy you a pair of bright red panties. What do you think?"

Marlene flung another spoon at Maxim while the others laughed again. "Shut up your dog mouth, Max. And don't ever call me honey again."

"Well, Irene," Joanna said. "At least you're starting to make some decent money now."

"Nah," Irene said with a sigh. "After SAMS' portion, paying my debts, and training and traveling expenses, I don't get much left. I'm still very tight. Think about it, Max won a match and lost one at the US Open and he's made nearly fifteen grand, more than three times my Sochi championship prize money."

"I didn't get to pocket the money," Maxim said. "I was still an amateur then. I'm now totally broke."

"Max," Irene said. "I was just saying how easy your money comes and how tough mine comes. You see, I didn't have a junior Slam title under my belt and I didn't win any breakthrough matches before I turned pro, and I'm not as cute and hot as you are, Max, so they didn't give me all the perks you're getting."

Before he started talking again, Maxim leaned over to Chuck so he had a meat shield. "You're cute, Irene. You're sexy, you're hot. Why don't we go out together after dinner? Oh, you can take me home so I can cut the ugly orange shorts off for you."

It looked like Irene didn't care about his meat shield, and flung a mass of mashed potatoes at him. Maxim didn't know if she had signaled to Chuck first, because the Korean dodged it with perfect timing and the mass hit Maxim in the temple. The girls kept laughing at him during the remainder of the meal.

While driving back to the Academy, Maxim asked his passengers how many courses they were taking at school. He learned that Chuck and Joanna were taking four and Marlene five. "How the hell can you guys find that much time?" he asked.

"Very simple," Marlene said from the rear seat as Chuck grinned at Maxim from the front passenger seat. "We don't have any tourneys until December, and we do hit the books, not like you, Max."

"And also," Joanna added. "We don't have boyfriends, so we can concentrate on our training and school work."

"Come on," Maxim said. "You girls can share me as your common boyfriend and help me with my school work. Okay, I don't mind Chuck joining in for the fun if he writes my essay."

"Shut up your dog mouth," Marlene said, and then chuckled with Joanna. "I really like the term 'dog mouth'. Don't you think his mouth really looks like one?"

"Wait until you get a dog tongue in your mouth," Maxim said, turning around momentarily to glare at Marlene. He then swung his arm when Marlene tried to slap him from behind as Chuck nervously stomped his stretched out legs to the floor of the Camry.

-------

Six months ago when Maxim played his first men's introductory level tournament in Tallahassee, Florida, he needed a wild card to participate. But with his results from the US Open, his ranking was high enough that he was seeded at the Satellites series held at Woodland Hills, a suburb of Los Angeles. The event consisted of four back-to-back weekly tournaments. Besides singles, he was playing doubles with a guy he knew from junior competitions in the past.

There were a few familiar faces at the event, including his Mexican friend Alfonso Hernandez. Alfonso was significantly higher than Maxim in the men's ranking, because he had played many more men's events than Maxim did during his junior career. They didn't have a lot of interactions in the past, but since they were pretty much in the same boat, they started hanging around together as soon as they met at the venue.

The other player Maxim spent the most time together with was naturally his doubles partner Scott Hunter, whom Maxim was also sharing a motel room with during this event. Scott was a year older than the two rookies. This was the second professional season for Scott, and he had been concentrating on lower level tournaments where he had a better chance of winning matches as well as building up his game and confidence. He had played in some high profile tournaments, like the US Open, but he had yet to win a match at that level.

Turning professional and starting to play in Satellites actually made a sharp turning point in his life. In juniors, Maxim had been a star player, especially towards the end of his juniors career. At his last junior event, he had stayed at a five-star hotel, drew quite some attention, and had a crowd cheering for him. None of these applied in these grass-root events. Players generally had to pay for their own accommodations and they usually stayed at cheap motels. Spectators were sparse. Media presence was practically nonexistent. On most courts there were fewer officials than in some junior events, and often there were no ball kids.

The majority of the players at this level of tournaments didn't have accompanying coaches because of the costs, which could easily go for $1,500 a week. Typically, for the players who did have coaches with them, they were parents or family members. In most of these events, the singles champion made less than $2,000 in prize money, barely enough to cover his own costs. Everyone else would likely be in the red.

Besides hitting with friends and foes to prepare for matches, the most popular activities among the players were poker games which Maxim wasn't very interested in. When not hanging out with Scott or Alfonso, he ended up doing the most unexpected thing during his spare time -- hitting the books.

Maxim won his first round match in straight sets. In the second round, he played against a Mexican a few years older who didn't have to play in the first round because of his opponent's withdrawal. Maxim had never seen the guy before, but if a player who had been in the game for several years and was still playing lowest level tournaments, chances were he wasn't going anywhere. Maxim won the first set easily, but started the second set sluggishly and lost it. He was down two games early in the final set when he sprained his ankle during a running shot. After a brief treatment by the medical therapist and then struggling for another losing game, he decided to retire from the match.

He met with Scott in the locker room and told his doubles partner about his injury. Scott agreed that they would walk over on their doubles matches. Since Scott had also lost in his second round singles match, both of them would be leaving after the formalities were settled, and then return to the venue the following week.

After his shower, Maxim saw his Mexican opponent Santos Rico in the locker room. He was talking with another Mexican player in Spanish, and Alfonso Hernandez was sitting on a bench listening. Both Mexicans mocked at Maxim before they went into the shower. From their expressions, Maxim knew they were speaking badly about him, so he went over to Alfonso and asked.

"It's no biggie," said Alfonso. However, his facial expression clearly indicated otherwise, so Maxim started pushing.

Alfonso took a deep breath. "Said you were a wuss. A little scratch. Your ass about to get wiped. You threw in the towel."

Maxim started fuming. He was about to go into the shower to take on Santos when Alfonso stopped him. "Santos's not won a match in three months," said his Mexican friend. "He was about to celebrate a win. He felt you deprived him of his satisfaction. I probably would feel the same."

Maxim dropped onto the bench beside Alfonso as his body started quivering. He hadn't though about it when he decided to retire. After staring at his swollen ankle for a little while, he turned to Scott. "Let's go for our doubles. I'll fight until I can't stand up."

Scott chuckled at him. "It's going to make things worse, Max. How are you going to explain retiring from a match and then play doubles three hours later?"

As Maxim buried his face in his hands, Scott went on, "Just forget about it, Max. This kind of shit happens all the time. It's only my second year in circuit, but I've already seen too much. If you are hurt, you stop. Why make life harder for yourself?"

Maxim didn't even bother to collect his first ever paycheck before he drove back to Santa Arcata. After all, the check was only for around $100, and he didn't want to stay at the venue for another minute. His heart had been twisting from distress for the whole trip.

On his way to the sports medicine center at the Academy, Maxim saw Mr. Omnicianni coming out of the office building. The old man looked at him a little surprisingly. "Are you injured, Max?"

"Yeah, sprained my ankle," Maxim said, then took a couple of deep breaths. "Rico, I need some advice." He told the old man what had happened on court and in the locker room. "I need guidance."

"Well, Max," Mr. Omnicianni said slowly. "There isn't a guideline that works for everyone. You did what the rules allowed. Okay, there are two aspects to deciding a retirement. The first one is whether you can keep on playing without putting your body and health in jeopardy. This is what the rule book says."

"Yeah, I know that."

"The second one is trickier," the old man winked at him before going on. "Most players retire when they're about to lose, because that's the logical decision. Why retire when you're about to win? Why keep on playing and risking your health when you believe you're going to lose?"

"So?"

Mr. Omnicianni smiled at his student. "Most coaches, well, in fact, I think all coaches, will tell his or her player to stop when the player is hurt and is losing. In my personal opinion, which I won't infuse into anyone, is that if you make a decision to retire based purely on health condition, irrespective of whether you're winning or losing, then it's a good and fair decision. I couldn't care less about what other people say."

Maxim thought briefly over it. "I'll think about it. I need more time to think about it."

"Of course you will, Max," said the old man with another smile. "Now go get your evaluation and treatment first."

The sports medicine trainer told Maxim his sprain was only a mild one and he should be fine in a few days with treatments that involved resting, icing, compression dressings, and regular elevation. They fixed a treatment schedule before Maxim went for his tutorial. Mrs. McKnight was very pleased to know that Maxim had done his homework during his trip. She even took some time during their break to tell him some funny stories she had heard from other professional athletes whom she had tutored in the past.

Al Harrington called up Maxim the next morning. "Max," said the agent. "I've sent you the Adidas endorsement contract via Fedex. Both you and your parents have to sign it. The shipment of your clothes and shoes will also arrive in a few days. But don't wear them yet. Wait until we've made the announcement, then I'll call you up."

"Okay," Maxim said. "You've gone through the contract, right? Is it still ninety grand?"

"Max," Al said. "I don't send you anything without having our attorneys and Ted go though them first. Of course it's still ninety, not a dime less."

"When will I get my first check?"

"Not so soon, Max. Why, are you tight?"

"No, Al. I'm not tight. I'm totally broke. I can't even go and buy the racquets you told me to buy. Heck, if I don't win more monies soon, I'll have problem paying for my racquets to be restrung."

Maxim heard Al laughing at the other end. "Can't you ask your parents?"

"Al, I'm supposed to be making monies, am I not?"

"I'll see if Ted can make you an advance," Al said, still laughing.

Over the following few days, Maxim was engaged in the rehabilitation of his ankle, while working out on his physical strength, as well as studying and tutoring. He signed the contract Al Harrington sent him and drove home for his parents' signature before dispatching it to his agent. He also received a big carton of Adidas clothes and sneakers before he left for his second week tournament.

-------

After Maxim had finished hitting with Scott Hunter at Woodland Hills, he saw Santos Rico and the other Mexican player coming over to the practice court. They both didn't look at him. Maxim thought briefly, and went over to them. "Hey," he called the Mexican.

Santos turned around to look at him with an impassive face and didn't say a word.

Maxim took a deep breath. "Sorry about last week," he said, looking at Santos' chest. "I was hurt, and ... and, well, and so I retired. Didn't mean anything else." He looked at the Mexican's face, but still didn't see any emotion on it. He turned around and walked out of the court.

"We'll see," Santos said from behind him. "I hope I'll draw you again."

Maxim turned around to the Mexican. "Me, too," he said, and went to the locker room.

He didn't get to play Santos again during the week, and he was knocked out in the second round. However, his doubles partnership with Scott went extremely well. After a couple of closely fought matches in which they defeated the forth and third seed pairs, they won the doubles championship.

Maxim didn't normally scream after a match, but he did this time. It wasn't a big title, but it was his first professional career title, even though he was sharing it with his partner. He kissed his championship paycheck at the player service desk, then turned around and hugged his partner once again. He then took a forty minute drive to Torrance to meet Daniela for dinner.

Daniela was working on her final high school semester before going to UCLA in the Spring. After telling Maxim how she had been doing lately, she asked Maxim, "How much have you made from your tourney? And what are you buying me?"

"Gift is Nick's responsibility, honey," he said while eyeing her. "But since he's not here, you must be a little lonely. I can give you temporary companionship and happiness. What do you say?"

"My happiness is Old Navy jeans," she said, smiling at him. "I don't need anything spiritual from you, Max, because you don't have a spirit."

"Damn, Daniela, you're such a materialistic meanie. I have to reconsider if I'll buy you any Asian souvenirs."

Daniela chuckled, then gave him another sweet smile. "Of course you will, Max. We're buddies, aren't we?"

"No, we are not," he laughed. "Are we going out?"

Daniela also laughed, then asked, "By the way, are you doing the Japan Championship and Orange Bowl?"

"Nah, Sunshine Cup is the only junior's event I'll be doing for the rest of this year. I'm still thinking about Junior Aussie Open. I think I will do it if they give me a wild card for the senior, but I think chances are slim to none. Hey, I also wanna do you, do you know that?"

Daniela laughed again and flung him her half eaten baked potato.

Since the third week matches were starting the next day, Maxim didn't get to go home to show off. He had to hit his books, hit with his partner, and prepared for other up coming matches. He did call up his mother, Jane, and Elena to tell them the news.

Week three didn't work well for Maxim. By Wednesday, he was out of the tournament in both singles and doubles. After confirming their partnership for the last week of this event, Maxim went to a mall and spent all he had made in these few weeks. He then drove back to Santa Arcata.

As soon as Maxim got back to the Academy, he grabbed Elena and Marlene out of their residence and went to an ice cream parlor for celebration. "Elena," he beamed at his quasi little sister. "You're getting a new skirt. Marlene, you're also getting a new skirt, and the bright red things, too."

Marlene chuckled as she made a faked action of tossing her ice cream sundae at him. "What bright red things?" Elena asked.

"Something he'll wear over his head," Marlene said, laughing.

"You take them off now, Marlene," he bluffed her. "And I'll wear them over my head."

Marlene blushed and flung him a napkin. "Shut up your dirty dog mouth!"

Elena looked at Marlene, then snickered. "I think I know what bright red things," she said. "You're blushing, Marlene."

"Shut up, Elena," Marlene said, chuckling. "You don't know anything. Don't listen to your dog bro. He's all dog, all evil."

After sending the two girls back to the Academy, Maxim drove back to his home in San Francisco for the night. When he saw his mother in the kitchen the next morning, he gave her a Longines watch which he had spent all his Woodland Hills prize monies on.

"Oh, my goodness, Maksimka," said his mother, with a pleased and yet worried expression. "Why spend all your monies on useless things?"

"Mom," he chuckled. "It's not useless. It's very useful. Throw away your old Timex and put on this one. Doesn't it look classy on you?"

His mother also chuckled while he removed her old watch and put the new one on for her. "Now, mom," Maxim said. "Tell me you like it. Tell me you love me. Tell me I'm God's gift to you."

His mother started laughing. "What else do you want me to say, Maksimka," she said as she ran her fingers over her new watch. "Thank you, Maksimka."

During their breakfast, Maxim talked with his mother about his upcoming tournament trip arrangement. He had to rush back to the Academy for his training after his brief meal with his mother.

When Maxim returned to his residence later that day, he found a mail from Al Harrington. SAMS had given him an interest-free $5,000 loan which would be deducted from his endorsement income. It came at the right moment, because among other mails were his credit card bills which he couldn't even settle the minimum payments. He was also way behind his promised schedule in paying back Chuck's loans.

A little while later Maxim got a phone call from Al Harrington. His agent told him SAMS had issued a joint press release with Adidas about his endorsement. That afternoon, a photographer contracted by his clothing sponsor showed up at the Academy and took some photographs of him wearing his new tennis outfit.

Maxim's new clothes brought him better luck in the final week of the Woodland Hills event. He reached the third round in singles, and won the doubles championship with Scott again. The pair had developed a much better chemistry after a few weeks of playing together, and they didn't lose one set throughout the week.

Scott was going back to his home near the California capital Sacramento for a break before another Satellite event in the Caribbean. They had a meal together before they split.

The next morning at the Academy, Maxim was told that Mr. Omnicianni was looking for him. He went over to the office building and found the old man, who told Maxim that Paul Kowalski was traveling with him during his Asia Challenger trip. "Your mother called up Ted Singer," he told the young man. "She was very worried about you traveling to those foreign places alone for an entire month. She told Ted she would have gone with you but her restaurant didn't allow it, and she insisted SAMS should take better care of her underage son."

While chuckling with the old man, Maxim also felt his eyes a little misty. He didn't consider it a big deal himself, as traveling arrangements had been made by SAMS supporting staff, and all he needed to do was to show up and play. However, he knew very well he was still a little kid in his mother's eyes.

Mr. Omnicianni went on, "Ted and I had a couple of discussions. The other trainers' schedules have been fixed long ago, so the only person who can go with you is Paul. Luckily, his wife Priscilla has never been to Asia, and she's quite interested to see Seoul and Beijing. SAMS is paying for the expenses for Paul and Priscilla on this trip so everyone will be happy, but Ted wants to make it clear that this is an exception."

"I, well, Rico, yeah, thank you for the support, and yeah, I know it's a very special exception. I'll tell my mom not to make things tough for Ted and you again."

Mr. Omnicianni smiled at him. "Max, if Ted doesn't believe in you and your potential, there's no way your mother can influence him. He's a businessman. He's got a stiff heart that tears and screams can't sway. So how you can repay everyone is to play the best you can."

"Thanks, yeah, of course I will."

When Maxim called up his mother to tell her everything had been settled, he heard a long, relieved sigh from his mother. Maxim couldn't tell his mother not to express to SAMS about her concern. He knew she couldn't help it, and trying to stop her would only create further disputes but wouldn't solve anything. He promised her that he'd take good care of himself before finishing the chat.

Maxim then went to find Paul Kowalski and thanked the coach for agreeing to accompany him to his tournaments. "Don't worry, Max," said Paul. "The men's season's slowing down towards a recess and my short-term priority is your development. I think it's a good opportunity to watch you play in these events as well. Not to mention a free tour trip for Priscilla."

Maxim chuckled with Paul, then started discussing about his training schedule. They both agreed physical conditioning was the first step. Paul wanted to also strengthen his ground-strokes before refining his volley, which was Maxim's preference. In the end Maxim agreed to try following the coach's idea first.

After the discussion, Maxim went to the fitness center for some workout. He saw Irene riding on a bike, and they exchanged their recent results and schedules. Irene then asked if Maxim would want to hit with her. "Sure," he said. "Are you buying me a dinner afterwards?"

"Max," Irene said, looking at his face while pedaling. "You're supposed to be the one offering. I'm getting tighter and tighter. Nick's moving out. I'm bearing the full rent."

"Wow. Where's he moving to? Don't tell it's Los Angeles."

Irene chuckled. "Where else? He's going to train at Palm Springs," she said, and then let out a sigh. "I've just started to come out of the red, and now I have to pay for full rental."

"When's he moving out? Are you going to do pole dancing to help out your budget? I don't mind helping you out for free."

She mocked a scowl, and then rolled her eyes, as if she had thought of something. She stopped her cycling, and asked, "Max, have you thought of moving out?"

"Oh, can I share your bed?"

"Max!" she glared at him. "I'm not in a mood for joking."

In fact, Maxim had been thinking about moving out. He had been longing to live an independent adult life instead of a student life, and he couldn't bring a girl to his shared residence flat. However, budget was also a big issue for him. "How much does the condo cost?" he asked.

"Fourteen fifty plus electricity," she said. "You can pay just seven hundred, because I'm taking over the master bedroom."

"Why can't I pay seven fifty and have the master bedroom? When's he moving out? Will you be cooking?"

"Max!" Irene raised her tone and swung her arms with an annoyed expression. "Do you want it?"

Maxim chuckled, "All right, I'm in. When's he moving out? And do you cook?"

"He's moving out right before Thanksgiving. You're going to give him a hand loading his truck and then ... I'll have to check if I'll use his bed. Anyway, you're going to do all the labor works. I don't cook, Max. I can't even flip an egg. After all, I don't have time for it. Are you still in?"

"Of course I'm in. Stop pulling your face, Irene. Come over and give me a hug. Hey, did I ever tell you that you looked nicer in skirt than in sweat pants? A lot nicer. Why don't you go put on a skirt before we hit together?"

"Oh, my goodness," she said, laughing. "I don't know how I can live with a big mouth guy like you. I'll have to buy duct tapes to seal your mouth."

After their practice, Irene told Maxim that Nick would let him know of the exact moving date. They had dinner that evening with their friends at the dining hall. Maxim spent quite some time learning from Irene on expenditure planning under a tight budget. He was in a slightly better position than Irene because of his apparel endorsement, but he was also a much bigger spender than Irene.

Maxim went for a lunch with Celine and her friends the next day. He needed a breakthrough, so he pulled Celine's hand and dragged her away from the table. "Celine," he said in a low voice. "Come on, give me a weekday."

"For what?"

"Dance!"

Celine chuckled. "Sorry, Max. I can't. The dance is something like recreation. It doesn't get into the way of my study. Give me a weekend date and I'll do it."

"Damn. All right, Saturday."

"I thought you're going to Korea."

"I mean the Saturday after my trip. I don't care what day it is. When I come back from Asia, you go to dance with me on that Saturday. No excuse."

Maxim forgot to quieten his voice, so not only was Celine giggling, both Robert and Calvin were also laughing at the table. "Well," Celine said after her hilarity, then took a couple of deep breaths. "If you can win your last tournament, that following Saturday will be a Thanksgiving weekend. All right, we'll do it on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I adore you, Max."

Maxim ignored the other people, and leaned closer to Celine. "Just the two of us?" he whispered.

"You don't want them?"

"Please."

It seemed like Celine was hesitating, so Maxim started pushing. "Come on, Celine. It's going to be a date. How often do you get to go out with a hot guy like me? Okay, you don't have to treat it like a date, but you see, we've been together for more than a year. How am I going to tell my grandpa that I've not even gone out with you once?"

"You never told me your granddad's around."

"He died when I was eight, but we still talk once in a while in my dreams."

Celine bent down laughing. "Okay, okay. I'll come alone. Don't make me laugh again, Max. I'm choking."

Maxim cursed his teacher at the distance learning school that evening when he was struggling with his homework. He had never been assigned that much homework before, and was quite frustrated even though he understood the reason. His month-long trip to Asia meant he would be out of reach from his teacher.

Lawrence's timely phone call gave him a much needed break. His junior doubles partner told Maxim about his new life at Stanford University. They were now living quite close to each other, so they could get together regularly even though they wouldn't be playing together except at the forthcoming Sunshine Cup.

Shortly after hanging up, Maxim got another phone call -- an unexpected one from his old time buddy Alan Richardson. His buddy asked if Maxim was going home for Thanksgiving and also told him he had broken off with Katy. "She caught me blasting joints again," Alan sighed. "I don't have a girlfriend now."

Maxim laughed for a while and then asked him what his plan was for Thanksgiving. Alan told him one of his new buddies was hosting a party and asked if Maxim wanted to go. Maxim quickly accepted the invitation.



-------

Chapter 34


It was actually the first time Maxim met Paul's wife Priscilla when they assembled at San Francisco Airport for their flight to Seoul, South Korea. Priscilla was quite a contrast to her husband. She was rather chunky and didn't smile much except when she talked about her kids and dog. Her physical appearance was also quite the reverse to her job as a fitness instructor before she became a mother. However, it could be hard to maintain her shape after spending more than twenty years raising their kids.

Challengers are the events in between grass-root tournaments and higher level tour events. Competitions are very stiff as the prize monies and ranking points offered are better than the miserable ones offered at the lowest level events, even though far from tour level tournaments. Maxim won one match in a tour event at Los Angeles and another match at the US Open, and he was awarded a total of 40 ranking points and nearly $20,000 had he been able to pocket the prize money. He only earned a total of 5 points and less than $3,000 from the month-long Satellites in Woodland Hills. Furthermore, in Challenger tournaments, a winning match often could make the difference between covering a player's costs and being in the red.

Like other Challenger tournaments, there were no top players competing at the Seoul Challenger. The top seed was an African American player called Brian Sheppard, who had a world ranking of 120 and also another client of Al Harrington. Maxim had met Brian at the US Open but they hadn't spent much time together. Brian was still in Beijing playing at a tour event when Maxim and his companions arrived at Seoul.

Maxim had to play from qualifying at this event. His manager chose Asian Challengers for him because the chances were he wouldn't be accepted into the qualifying of many European Challenger events, where competition was even more severe due to the easier scheduling and more affordable traveling costs for many of the European players.

Naturally, most players in this event were from Korea and Asia. In fact, Maxim and Brian were the only two American players, and he was among the only three non-Asians playing in the qualifying rounds. Many of the Koreans had the same last name as his friend, Chuck Kim. Wherever he went, he would run into a few Kim guys or Kim girls.

Before his first qualifying match, Maxim saw Brian Sheppard. Brian was eight years older than Maxim and had been a professional player for a number of years. He had some glory a few years back but hadn't won any titles for quite a while. He was coming to Korea a few days earlier than scheduled, after his loss in a Beijing tour tournament and following a visit in the Chinese capital city. He told Maxim that Al Harrington was still staying in Beijing working with another client who was a crowd favorite besides Michael Chang.

Even though Paul was quite old compared to most other coaches -- nearly all of them were retired players, he was still very competent in hitting with Maxim as long as they were not competing for points. Priscilla proved to be an unexpected help for Maxim when she was in the gym with him. She couldn't demonstrate, but she still knew what exercises suited him the best in between his matches. She never stayed to watch Maxim's matches and was always on her shopping expeditions when he was playing. They did hang out together on a couple of occasions, which wasn't Maxim's most preferred agenda. He'd rather go out with younger folks, especially chicks.

Maxim won all his three qualifying matches easily. When they returned to their hotel after his last match, he was surprised to see Al Harrington waiting for them. Maxim asked the agent what he was doing there.

"To check how you've been doing, Max," said the agent in a plain tone of voice. "What else? Ted told me to make sure you're happy when I see you. I'm buying you guys a dinner and then I'm flying back tomorrow morning."

Maxim chuckled with Paul and Brian. "Thanks, Al. And did Michael win, and did Tommy win the doubles?"

"Right on," Al said. "Michael Chang won the singles, and Tommy won the doubles. Now go get changed. I'm starving."

The agent took them to a Korean BBQ grill restaurant. This was the best dinner Maxim had in quite a while. Food served at the Woodland Hills tournament was crap, and while meals at the Academy were all right, the emphasis was on nutrition instead of taste.

When Priscilla went to the ladies room, Al Harrington made a suggestion to Maxim. "My advice, Max. Don't try Kisaeng dinner. I hope you've not been there yet."

"What the heck is a Kisaeng dinner?"

Brian, Al, and Paul all laughed. Paul then explained to the young man. "Kisaeng are female entertainers performing at traditional Korean dinners. They're supposed to be artists, but many Kisaeng dinners offer hookers instead."

Maxim also laughed. He knew it was the first time Brian and Paul were in Korea, so he asked his agent, "Have you ever tried it?"

Al Harrington didn't answer his question. "I know Tom had talked to you about his cousin," said the agent. "I think he didn't tell you his cousin was also a client of mine. He was about to get an endorsement deal for a casual wear that targeted teens when he was caught in a tabloid news about buying sex. He lost the deal. What's worse was he became a target for those goddamned offbeat news reporters and paparazzi, and he couldn't handle it. Poor kid. Stupid decision. Max, it's not worth it."

"Well, I don't think anyone will care about me. I'm a nobody."

"You never know, Max," Al said. "A pro athlete is a public figure. Besides, why buy sex? You don't have problem having a girlfriend, do you?"

Before they split for their rooms at the hotel that night, Maxim quietly asked Brian if he was going to try the Kisaeng dinner.

"Max," Brian said, lowering his voice. "My wife also knows about Kisaeng dinner, and she told me that if I try it, I'll be seeing my kids on alternate weekends."

"Come on, Brian," Maxim said. "I'll use my credit card, so you won't have any traceable record. You pay me back in cash. How's that?"

Brian thought it over. "Nah," he said. "I don't think it's worth it. I think some guys may try it, you can follow them." He then looked Maxim up and down. "Max, come on, you don't need a hooker. You can get a girl anywhere. Why waste your money?"

"I don't know. I've never been to one. I still can't manage the Korean language. I can't even say the pick up line or the swear words right, and these people don't speak English well."

Brian shook his head as they went into the elevator lobby.

Apart from his desire to try things out, Maxim was very keen on making some progress at the Seoul Challenger. He wasn't going to be accepted into the qualifying of the Australian Open or other tour level tournaments unless he could attain a near-top-200 ranking by year end. To achieve that, he would have to reach, on average, at least semi-final at each of these Challenger events, which was very unlikely. However, if he could get close, he could have a much better chance of getting wild cards aimed for the rising young stars.

Maxim knew it was going to be very tough, as he was playing against his top seeded friend Brian in the opening round. He put up a fierce fight, and even though a bad game cost him the first set, he forced it even harder in the second set. Nevertheless, a few bad points at crucial moments cost him the match. Brian gave him some encouragement when they were in the locker room.

Paul also heartened him. "After all, clay isn't your best surface, and it was quite a close match against a much more experienced player a lot higher in ranking than you. There are many improvements you need to address before you can give them a serious threat, but you do have the potential."

Maxim and his entourage didn't stay long in Korea. After a day touring around, they took their rescheduled flight to Ahmedabad, India, for their next Challenger tournament.

-------

It was a bumping trip to the west coast city of India with a layover at New Delhi. Priscilla told Maxim this was the least anticipated stop for her during this trip. She would rather spend more time at their next stop in Beijing, which she had longed to visit since childhood.

After a light hitting the following morning, Maxim and the couple went to watch a cricket test match at the Sardar Patel Stadium, which was going to house the cricket World Cup the next year. They also went to try a meal of rich Indian culinary traditions that consisted of cooked vegetables, rice, curry, and with accompaniments of pickles and roasted papads. The food was just okay for Maxim, but he loved the popular buttermilk beverage.

Once again, Maxim didn't have any problem advancing to the main draw. However, Priscilla's dream came true when Maxim suffered a disheartening defeat in his first round match, losing to a Dutch miserably after winning the first set but unable to capitalize from a couple of match points in the second set. The only buoying fact was that he was beaten by a player who was ranked nearly 300 above him, and the very dry climate wasn't helping him either.

They had a tour at the Sardar Sarovar dams and a Sultanate fused Hindu temple, and then went for their souvenir shopping. Priscilla bought many traditional types of embroidery as she had a long list of friends and family members to give souvenirs to. They left for Beijing the next morning.

Chinese was the language Maxim had the biggest problem learning, even more so than Korean. He usually tried to learn a few pick up lines and swear words when he arrived in a foreign country. However, he couldn't even speak the Chinese F-words accurately enough to be understood. All he could manage was a few numbers and some simple greeting phrases. He did enjoy watching the receptionists and waitresses at the hotel giggle when he greeted them in Chinese.

Since they arrived in Beijing a few days earlier than scheduled, Maxim managed to have more time practicing as well as getting used to the chilly weather and dusty gusts. A couple of days later, Maxim saw Alfonso Hernandez, who would be Maxim's doubles partner here. The entry at this tournament was slightly less competitive than some other Challengers, and Maxim was accepted into the main draw.

The next morning, they went to visit the Great Wall. It took them two hours in heavy traffic to reach the Badaling section of the mighty mega-structure. Maxim couldn't see the start or end of the stony wall when he arrived at the heritage site.

They started going up the steep steps, and even though most of them were professional athletes, they had to take a break every once in a while. Priscilla acted like she was dying after a few breaks, and eventually gave up and stayed midway to wait for the rest of them. At the bottom, there were hundreds of tourists, but as they went higher and higher, people started retreating. By the time they finished the 1,000 or so steps about one-and-a-half hours later, they had the entire world to themselves.

Everyone was huffing and puffing, and the ascent made them feel like they were steaming. They took a while to recover before taking some victorious photos and then started worrying about how they would get down. They met with Priscilla on their way down, and she had been complaining and swearing how she would never want to do it again until they eventually returned to the bottom. Needless to say she became the target of being teased at when they had meal at a restaurant that was also the outlet of a porcelain factory where Priscilla bought many fancy china dishes as souvenirs.

The bad news came when Maxim checked the draw list. He was playing the top seed of the tournament and up-coming British tennis star Tim Henman in his first round match. Alfonso also drew another player near the top-100, so he was also going to have a tough match.

Indeed it was a little surprising when Maxim won the first set in the tiebreaker against Henman. The second set was also close but Maxim lost in the end. He started losing confidence and gaining frustration in the third set. He played the set more like playing baseball than playing tennis. Naturally he lost the match.

"I wouldn't feel bad losing to Tim," Paul said to his distressed player afterwards in the locker room. "That kid has the game. He'll be a top-ten in a couple of years. You also have the potential, Max, but only if you can stop your headcase mentality at important moments."

After taking a few moments to calm himself down, Maxim suggested something to his coach. "I think I should go play at Santiago after Reunion Island. I'm not earning points so far, and I need them."

"I have the opposite idea," Paul said. "You need a break after a month of playing and traveling. You need time to recover. And also, I think you should play the Orange Bowl. You've dropped out of top-five in juniors ranking after your Junior US Open disaster. You may get better luck in getting wild cards if you can stay within top-five in juniors."

"I'll think about it," Maxim said. "Let's go for a drink first. God, I love it here. No limit on drinking age. I think, you know, Paul, America is crazy. How come I can vote and serve in the military at age eighteen, but have to wait until twenty-one to drink?"

Before they left the locker room, they saw an upset Alfonso, who had also just lost in his first round match. "Don't worry, dude," Maxim said. "Let's go for a drink. We still have our doubles matches ahead."

The first Challenger doubles experience for Maxim went pretty well. They struggled a little in their opening match but eventually made it through. They cruised past their second match before losing in the semi-final to an European combo.

Since Maxim had to play from qualifying at the Reunion Island Challenger, he and his team boarded the first flight available to the overseas department of France in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar. Alfonso was going the next day and they would continue their doubles partnership there.

-------

Reunion Island is a beautiful tropical island with a quirky mix of ethnic and cultural background, as well as geographic hotspots. Maxim, however, didn't have time to enjoy the rituals. After settling down at the hotel, he immediately went to the venue for his warm-up and a massage to ease off the tension built up in his limbs from the lengthy flight that included a couple of connections. This was his last chance before year end to improve his ranking, and he had to work hard for it.

He was still struggling in his first match while adjusting to the time zone difference, but eventually made it after his opponent fell apart physically and mentally in the third set. He won the final qualifying round match in a very tight match, winning both sets in tiebreakers.

Quite a number of players playing in Reunion Island had been in one or more of the previous Challengers Maxim had played in. The locker room atmosphere had become a little more friendlier, even though the competition was actually more tense. Everyone wanted more points, and everyone wanted more holiday monies, as there were only very few Challengers left before the end of the year.

Maxim lost his first round main draw match to another Dutch veteran. He started to hate the Dutch, and he also started to get very frustrated with himself. He made it into the main draw at each of these tournaments, but he had also yet to win a match in the main draw. His game was letting him down at the time he needed it the most. What made it worse was that he and Alfonso lost in their doubles match the next day, to the same pair who beat them in Beijing.

He didn't follow Paul and Priscilla to visit the volcanic hotspots and the Earth's crust the next day. He had an older player buy him some beers and got himself drunk in his hotel room. He was still nursing a hangover when they went to the airport the following morning.

Maxim made slightly more than $2,000 on this month-long trip, which was far from enough to cover his expenses, even though he had thrown in the airline mileages he had been accumulating during his juniors career, and SAMS was paying for the expenses for Paul and Priscilla. He gained a total of four singles ranking points, which raised his ranking by about a dozen steps, but it was a huge letdown against his expectation. He and Alfonso each earned more than two dozen doubles ranking points, but like most players who weren't specialized in doubles, singles ranking was what mattered for him.

During the flight, Paul talked with Maxim about his recent results. "Actually," said the coach. "I'm quite pleased with the result. You won all qualifying matches consistently, which is an indication that you've separated yourself from them. You may win against a top-100 player once in a while, but until you can consistently beat them, you're not there yet, not yet."

Maxim didn't say a word as he sipped his coffee.

"In fact," Paul went on, while his wife prepared herself for the in-flight movie. "It's better to have a discouraging result to start with. You can learn how to deal with failure in a less stressful situation. Imagine if you win a Slam title by luck today, how are you going to deal with the stress for years to come, knowing you can easily get your ass handed to you every time you go on court?"

"It'd be hard, very hard," Maxim said softly. "But if I'd a Slam title under my belt, I probably wouldn't bother. I mean, how many of us have a Slam title before we retire?"

Priscilla burst out laughing with her husband. "That's also true," she chuckled to Paul.

"Yeah," Paul said after laughing. "Well, there are also two issues. Firstly, Max, you've got to understand this. It takes much longer for a serve-and-volley player to reach his prime, because volley is such a difficult art to master. It's probably the reason we're seeing less and less young players learning serve-and-volley."

"I'll never go away from it," Maxim said. "That's why I love tennis. Johnny Mac is always my top idol. All my other idols also play this style. Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Pat Rafter, Goran Ivanisevic, Pete Sampras. I love this style. I'll never play any other style."

"Well," Paul said. "I'm not asking you to change. However, I admit I'm not a true serve-and-volley enthusiast, and neither is Rico. When I took up the job at the Academy, I was a little surprised that he hadn't transformed you, and you're his only serve-and-volley player."

"He once tried," Maxim chuckled. "I ended up hitting ground-strokes at the net most of the time. Then he told me to just play my style and they'd refine my skill."

Paul laughed with his wife again before going on, "Perhaps that's the best for you. I can train a volley player, but it needs a natural instinct to excel in it. Anyway, you need to know it takes more time. As gifted as Sampras is, he didn't crack top-fifty until he was nineteen, and he never looked back since."

"I know. I'm not looking forward to a title soon. But losing all four Challenger first round matches is still quite depressing."

"That brings up the second issue," Paul said. "You did have a few chances to make it through. You chocked at crucial moments. You need to focus during the entire match. That's one area I can't help you much. I can't go down to the court and hit your head to make you focus. While this is a common problem with young and inexperienced players, I hope it'll go away soon for you. I'm quite worried. I'm worried that you'll become an all time headcase."

"Me, too," Maxim sighed. "I want a beer. Can you get me one?"

Paul burst out laughing with his wife once again as he shook his head.

-------

Maxim was still quite upset when he turned on his cell phone at his home in San Francisco. He found a message left on it by Celine. It reminded him however, that he had come back a few days earlier, and that they could make their date on the coming Saturday instead of two weeks later. He called Celine back but the call wasn't answered, so he left a voice message.

There was another message on his cell phone, which was from Al Harrington. When Maxim called up his agent, he was told that Wilson had sent him a couple of new racquets to try. "I had lunch with their guy on Monday," Al said. "When he knew you're still using St. Vincent, he told me you should try some Six-Point-O. I think he doesn't want you to try other brands. Let me know which head size you prefer after trying them. We're not signing a contract with them. They're doing it as a friendly gesture so that you won't be signing a crappy contract with other makers."

Nearly two hours later Maxim got a call from Celine's cell phone, but it wasn't the goddess speaking. It was Calvin using her cell phone to tell him some bad news. "Her parents were killed in a private jet crash," Calvin said over the phone. "She's now on her way to New York. I've just come back from San Jose Airport. She forgot to take the phone with her."

"Oh, my fucking goodness," Maxim said while gasping. "I'm so sorry. When did it happen? Is she okay? Why didn't you go with her to console her? When will the funeral be held? Is she coming back?"

"No, she's not okay," Calvin said after a few loud breaths. "She didn't want me to go with her, because she didn't know how long she'll be staying there. I think the funeral will be held early next week because many of their relatives live in France. Why don't you call her up this evening?"

Maxim had some problem working on his schoolwork after the phone call. He was very worried about how Celine would deal with the tragedy. He knew he would have fallen apart if the tragedy had happened to him.

When Maxim was able to talk with Celine on the phone that evening, she was still in extreme despair. All he could offer her were repetitive typical condolences as she sniffed at the phone. She had no idea when she was coming back. Maxim promised her that he would keep on calling her and to give her spiritual support. He was a little late when he finished talking with Celine and called up Jane for a much more delightful and flirtatious chat.

Maxim drove back to the Academy the next morning, and saw the sample racquets Wilson had sent him. They were the same line of racquets used by Sampras and several other professional players. He took them to the pro-shop for stringing, and found out that he was sent the same non-standard version that Sampras used. They were heavier and weaker than the stock versions he put his hands on at the pro-shop.

After his morning drills, Maxim went to the cafeteria to look for his friends and Elena. He gave them the souvenirs he bought during his Challenger tournaments trip, then asked Elena how Olga was doing at a regional ice skating tournament at Mountlake Terrace, Washington State, that she had gone to.

"She's in the final twelve," Elena told Maxim. "She's doing her short program this evening. I wish I could be there to watch."

"Cool," Maxim said. "I wish I were there, too. I love seeing young ladies in those flimsy and sexy dresses."

Elena chuckled while trying to poke him. "Max," she said. "Olga's only nine and she's doing novice. There's no sexy girls there. Senior events are on Saturday."

Maxim also chuckled while fighting off Elena's arm and finger. "Stop it, Elena," he said. "Okay, okay. You can poke, but don't tickle me again."

After trying his new racquets, Maxim called up Al Harrington and told him that he preferred the smaller head size one. It was slightly harder to hit the ball than the bigger one because of the smaller head area, thus requiring better precision, but it gave him better control. It was also more similar to the discontinued ones he'd been using. The agent would arrange with Wilson to send Maxim the free racquets he needed.

-------

Maxim went to Nick's villa condo on Sunday morning to help him move his stuff. Nick had rented a hauler so he could move everything on a single trip. It was an easy job, as Nick didn't have any furniture to move. Both the condo and the place he was moving to were furnished flats.

The Villa was a cluster of 2-storey townhouse condominiums on the other side of the Academy's golf course. Even though the owner of the estate had no relationship with Omnicianni, most of the tenants were coaches or staff of the Academy, as well as professional athletes training at the facility. Paul Kowalski also lived there, about two blocks away, but his condo was a 3-bedroom one with a better view. The Academy owned a small villa inside its compound, but it was for short-term rental by visiting teams, players, and families.

The flat that Nick was moving out -- and would be shared by Irene and Maxim -- was on the second floor. Entrance was through a patio balcony that was fitted with a couple of yard chairs. Inside, a master bedroom and a smaller bedroom were on each side of the sitting and dining room. The kitchen and bathroom were at the back. The flat only had windows at the front. Furniture provision was quite primitive. One feature Maxim loved was a small laundry cubicle next to the bathroom. He finally didn't have to make his laundry trips. However, he didn't have a phone line plug near his bed.

After they had finished loading Nick's hauler, the three of them had some coffee and snacks in the condo. Nick and Irene also explained the cohabitant rules they had established, to Maxim. "Electricity bill is split equally," Nick said. "Anything in the fridge is common unless you stick a label on it."

While Maxim was nodding his head, Irene added, "No TV and music after eleven in the sitting room, please. Don't litter the floor like you do in tourney locker rooms. I clean the sitting and dining room, and the rests are yours. The covered car park is mine."

"Why am I doing more areas?" Maxim said. "And why can't I have the covered car park?"

"Max," Irene said, looking at his face. "I'm the one doing more. You're actually only doing the kitchen, if you don't care about the bathroom and your own bedroom. I have my own bath. I have the covered car park because you're a jerk."

"Whatever you say," Maxim said. "Nick, give me your phone number and address. Can I stay at your place when I go over to LA?"

"Nah," Nick said, smiling. "Irene can stay, but not you, Max. You're too filthy. My address and phone number are on the fridge door."

"Damn you, Nick. I'm not filthy at all. I don't even throw bottles in the locker rooms. I'm the cleanest guy on earth. Go ask Anthony or Joe."

After laughing with Irene for a little while, Nick said, "All right, you can stay at my place, but remember to bring some food and drinks."

Nick had to go shortly afterwards. Irene then started cleaning up her new room while Maxim went back to the residence to load his stuff into his car. After the move, Maxim went to buy his linen and utensils, and then made an extra trip to take his Academy friends to his new flat for a pizza party.

That evening, he cut Irene a check for the amount of security deposit and rental he owed her. They also talked about their up coming schedules. "I'm driving back to Idaho for Thanksgiving," Irene said. "Then I'll go directly to France for Limoges and Cergy Pontois. I'll be going home for the Christmas. Are you going to Australia?"

"Still no news about a wild card," Maxim said with a sigh. "Chances are very slim. I've planned for Heilbronn Challenger instead, unless I hear some good news soon. I've also entered the Orange Bowl. Paul said it may increase my chance if I can do well there. You don't think you can get into the Aussie Open?"

"I don't know," Irene said. "I need very good results from my remaining two tourneys to crack two hundred. I'm not holding my breath."

"Well, I probably won't be seeing you for a long time. I'll miss you dearly. Give me a hot kiss, will you?"

"Max," Irene said. "Go talk with my dog about kisses."

"Oh well, your dog is too far away," he said, while looking at the phone set on the coffee table by the couch. "Irene, why didn't you buy a cordless phone?"

"I did," she said, smiling. "It's on my night table."

"Damn, Irene. Can't you use this damn phone and put your cordless on the coffee table?"

"Max, go buy your own cordless. Don't you ever touch my phone and my other personal belongings. Don't you ever peep into my room. Now go get me a coke, will you? I'm thirsty."

Maxim made many phone calls that night, telling his friends of his new address and phone number. Celine had improved a lot emotionally when Maxim called her. It seemed like her most grieving period was over, as she talked pretty calmly with him. However, she also told him some more bad news. She wasn't coming back to Santa Arcata. She was the only child and sole survivor of her family, and she was quitting school to take up her father's business. "It's a very tough decision," she said slowly on the phone. "My daddy had two partners -- a son and a retired father. The son was also killed in the accident, and the father has too many health problems to come out of retirement."

Maxim knew it was a tough decision for her, because just listening to it was already disheartening. He couldn't say anything.

"Uncle Baudouin," Celine continued slowly. "He's the father. He's now my guardian and he'll help me through. I believe I can make it."

"I wish you best of luck," Maxim said. "I'll miss you tremendously."

"Thanks, Max. I, um, I've asked Calvin to send me my stuff. Do you, um, do you want the portrait I painted for you?"

"No, Celine," he said. "Why don't you keep it? I'll pay for it framed, so you can hang it at home, how's that?"

"I don't have a place for it yet," she said, and then letting out a deep breath. "Calvin's keeping his. The others will go to storage. I, well, I'll keep the picture we took at school. Max, I want you to keep it, will you?"

Maxim also took a deep breath. "Okay, Celine," he said. "Anything else you want me to do?"

"I don't know yet. Max, if you don't mind, check with Calvin if he needs a hand when he arranges my stuff and his move. The tenancy of my house will be terminated from end of December, and he's moving to Costello's dormitory."

"I will, don't worry, Celine. Well, if I see you in New York, do we get to dance?"

Maxim had not heard Celine laugh for the entire week. It was nice to hear her chuckle on the phone. "Of course, Max. I still owe you one, and I'll love to."

He was still a little blue when he talked with Jane afterwards, until she told him her entries were accepted for both the Eddie Herr and the Orange Bowl tournaments in December. Maxim wasn't playing at Eddie Herr, but he was going to Delray Beach a couple of days before Sunshine cup. Delray Beach was only about 20 miles from Lauderhill where her tournament was held. If she was still in the tournament when he arrived, he could go over to see her.

"I doubt," Jane said on the phone when he told her his plan. "My parents and I'll be visiting the various training facilities around there and West Florida, like Wesley Chapel and Bradenton. They're planning to move me over there for training."

"Why, and won't it jeopardize your scholarship?"

"It will," she said. "But my scholarship term will be over by year end. And even if it isn't, it's still cheaper over there, and the weather allows all year training. You know how bad the weather is in England during the winters, don't you?"

"Yeah, I know. Well it's better. It's only a five-hour flight to Florida. Jane, tell me you want to see me. No, louder."

"No," she chuckled. "That's the loudest I'll make. Anyway, I think we won't see each other until Orange Bowl. Tell me you miss me. No, louder!"

"I don't just miss you, Jane," he said softly, stroking his nascent bulge. "I miss you very badly. Now tell me you love me. No, louder."



-------

Chapter 35


The next day, Maxim went to Calvin's house to have lunch with him and talk about the moving arrangements for Celine and Calvin's belongings. He didn't see Robert, so he asked where he was. "Bob's tied up with some school matters," the artist told Maxim. "I'm not sure if he'll join us, or go directly back to Costello. Will you help me sort the paintings in her store room?"

This was only the second time Maxim had been in the storeroom, and many paintings were already gone. When Calvin helped him pull out the one drawn by Celine, Maxim couldn't see his other naked portrait painted by Severine, and he asked his handsome friend where it was. "They're long gone," Calvin said, while wrapping up Maxim's portrait with a cloth sheet. He paused, and asked Maxim, "Do you want it framed? I can take it to the photo finishing store. It'll be much cheaper than having it done at an art gallery."

Maxim thought about it, and concluded that it would be stupid to hang a naked portrait of himself in his room. "Nah," he said. "Maybe later. Calvin, did you say 'they'? You mean including the one Severine did for you, too?"

"Yes, all of Severine's works."

"She had them shipped to Maine?"

Calvin tied the wrapped painting and handed it to Maxim, but didn't answer his question. It was then they heard the door bell ring, which interrupted Maxim's intention of pursuing his question. They found an assessor from a packing and moving company at the front door. Calvin started to show the assessor around and told him what was to be moved.

When Calvin opened his own bedroom door and halted, Maxim said to him, "You don't need them for your stuff. I'll help you move yours to Costello."

Calvin turned around. "I'm not moving to Costello," he said to Maxim. "There's been a change of plan. I'm moving back to New York after this semester. I'm transferring to a school there. She wants me to stay, but you know, Max, I'm here because of her. There's no reason for me to stay here by myself. I don't need Costello. I don't really belong there. Besides, it helps for me to be around her if she needs company or someone to do tiny things for her."

Maxim found it touching. Calvin was unquestionably still very attached to Celine emotionally even though they were no longer intimate partners. It was the first time he had witnessed such kind of innocent bonding between a man and a woman. "Okay," Maxim said. "But you're not moving everything in your room right now. You still need to use some things."

Calvin chuckled. "Yeah, I know. I'll have to sort this out." He went inside his room, followed by Maxim and the assessor.

When the assessor opened the closet door, something inside caught Maxim's attention. He pointed at a pair of brown mid-shank boots and said to Calvin, "Are those Bob's Rockport?" The boots were much bigger than the other footwear there, and Rockport was Robert's favorite, while Calvin never wore boots.

"Yeah," Calvin said. "He left them here when it was pouring and he didn't want them to get wet."

After the assessor had left, Calvin led Maxim to the kitchen and took some sandwiches and soft drinks out of the fridge. He sat down at the table and gestured Maxim to also sit down for their meal. He then talked in a low and steady voice. "Yeah, Bob's gay. So am I."

Maxim had been suspicious since he had noticed Robert's boots, but was still taken aback by the confession. He also lowered his voice, even though the duo were alone in the house. "But you were with Celine, and you're still very attached to her."

"I was. And yes, I'm still very attached to her. I'll always love her. I think I've told you."

"But, but," Maxim stuttered. "You were her boyfriend."

"I didn't know I was gay when I went out with her."

"And then?"

"And then we're like how we are now."

Maxim didn't quite get it, but he didn't know what to ask.

"Max," Calvin said when he saw Maxim's expression. "I'm gay. I can't be her husband. Well, actually I can, functionally." He chuckled with Maxim before going on. "But that's not going to work. I love her like, well, like she's my best friend, my dearest sis, something like that. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I get it now," Maxim said. "Like Elena to me." By now, Maxim also understood the peculiar state of relationships amongst the afternoon tea participants. He always thought Robert was after Celine, which was totally on the wrong track. He cursed himself once again for not paying attention in the past and must have missed a million chances. "So, what about Bob? Is he also transferring to New York?"

Calvin chuckled again. "He is, but not for me. Well not entirely, at least. He's getting some chances in New York. He's going to pursue a career in musicals and he'll get more chances there."

"What about your car? I mean her car?"

"I'll have to sell it before I leave. Do you want it?"

"I can't afford it, Calvin. I don't have a steady income other than that from my endorsement, and I've been in the red since I've turned pro. You know that."

"Yeah, I know," Calvin chuckled. "Well, at least when you go play in New York, you'll have another loyal fan cheering for you."

That night, when Maxim called up Celine for their regular chat, she made him an offer. "If you like my car," she told Maxim. "We can work out an installment plan. Calvin's checking out its value. I don't think it'll cost you too much."

He had a thought after the chat with Celine. His five-year-old Camry was still registered in his mother's name. It would be nice if he could have his own car. BMW convertible was also among his favorite cars, but the cost of it plus the extra in insurance premiums would likely make it out of his reach, or put him into a much deeper hole financially. He couldn't decide, so he called up Jane for a cheerful chat instead.

-------

On Tuesday evening, Maxim took Marlene and Elena to have dinner with Lawrence. They went to a restaurant just outside of Stanford Medical Center. Lawrence brought with him a friend who Maxim seemed to recognize but didn't know him. "He's Andrej Zsilinszka," Lawrence told them. "I met him at Easter Bowl and now we hit together occasionally."

Maxim shook hands with Andrej. "Do you also play for Stanford?"

"No," Andrej said. His English carried a little Eastern European accent. "I'd love to, but I don't have the time. I'm doing pre-med."

"I think I remember your name," Marlene said to Andrej. "You were the finalist at the Easter Bowl, upsetting nearly everyone on the way before losing to Glenn Ross, right?"

"Yeah," Andrej chuckled. "I'm that nobody guy. It was my best achievement in any tournament. It was my best moment in tennis."

"I also remember you now, Andrej," Maxim said. "Your face, that is. I didn't remember you at first, because we've never really met. I didn't read the story. Why nobody guy, and where originally were you from?"

"You're right, Max," Andrej said. "I've never played you before, and that's why I'm here. I've always want to meet you. You know, a star player I've always wanted to meet."

Andrej chuckled with the others before going on, "I'm originally from Slovak Republic. I came here at eleven with my parents. It was still called Slovak Socialist Republic when we came over. We've been living in Selma. It's a small town in North Carolina. I didn't play many tournaments because I never believed I could make it. Before Easter Bowl, I didn't have a regular coach for two years, and at home I had no one to hit with. If I wanted to hit, I'd have to travel at least a couple of hours to a bigger city."

"That was tough," said Maxim. "And that seems to be an awesome achievement at the Easter Bowl beating everyone coming from tennis schools."

"Indeed," Andrej said, smiling. "Indeed it was like a fairy tale at the Easter Bowl. But that is over now. I can't afford the time playing too much tennis. It's great to be able to play with Lawrence and his teammates once in a while though."

"I bet," Maxim said, chuckling with the others.

"By the way, Max," Lawrence said when Andrej finished telling his story. "I read the rookie article on the ATP newsletter about you. You told the interviewer your goal was to become world number one. I never knew you've aimed that high."

Maxim chuckled while the girls giggled at him. "Actually," he explained. "The interviewer hinted at me to make that remark. You know, if you say you haven't much ambition, nobody cares about you. So everyone talks big. World number one takes many years to achieve even if you can eventually make it. By that time, who cares what you've said years ago."

"So," Andrej asked after his chuckle. "You've never thought about that goal?"

Maxim took some deep breaths as he leaned back. "I've played a few great players and some moderate players. There's a huge gap between them and me. I'm not sure if I can make it there, but ... but I do hope one day I'll be at the top. I mean, not necessary the very top, but at least, say, top ten, top twenty. I don't know how high I can get to. I don't really know. But I don't want to be a Challenger player all my life. I want to make some noise. I want to get some results. I want to get some memories. I want to be famous. I want to be remembered. It's a long way, but it's my goal."

"That's indeed a nice attitude," Lawrence said.

"And it surprises me," Marlene chuckled at Lawrence. "I thought all he's interested in was girls and tennis was just his sideline business."

Maxim glared at Marlene. "You know nothing about me, honey. You're also not going home tonight. You're going to be my sideline business tonight."

Marlene and Elena started tossing things at Maxim while laughing with the guys. After the chaos, the topic of talk went into college life, and Marlene, who was obviously very interested in knowing more about college, took over the conversation with Lawrence and Andrej. Lawrence was majoring in Economics, but his emphasis was still in tennis. "I may stay a year, maybe two," he told his friends. "Then when I'm ready, I'll be joining you, Max. But I also really like Economics. I never knew I'd enjoy studying so much."

"My goodness," Maxim said, after swallowing his beef roll in a gulp. "These chicks are really that hot?"

After another laugh and napkins tossed at him by Marlene and Elena, Lawrence said, "Well, sure. These girls are hot, but the courses are very interesting, too. I'll show you around the campus a bit after our Sunshine Cup."

"No," Marlene said, chuckling. "Forget him, Lawrence. Show me the campus after Orange Bowl. Show me hot guys."

"Marlene," Maxim said, while collecting items that could be flung at him. "You can't get a hotter guy than me. I'm a human-canine hybrid. I'm the hottest."

After their dinner, Maxim gave Andrej a ride back to his residence and then drove Lawrence to Santa Cruz bus terminal. Lawrence was taking a Greyhound coach to Texas for his Thanksgiving break, but Andrej was staying at the campus until Christmas. Maxim then drove Marlene to San Francisco bus terminal for her bus trip to Washington State.

The next day, Maxim took Elena and Olga out so their mother could go to work. Even though Olga didn't get into the final six at her Mountlake Terrace ice skating tournament, she was still very excited about the trip, and had been telling her sister and Maxim every detail about it.

While strolling in a mall, Maxim came across his twin cousins Yuri and Viktor. The twins came over to greet Maxim and then studied the two little girls. "She's Elena," Maxim told them. "You've met her two years ago at our Thanksgiving dinner. That's her little sis Olga. I'm taking them out so their mom can go to work."

"Oh," Yuri said, while still studying Elena. "The little girl at the Thanksgiving dinner? Wow, you've grown up very fast, Elena. You were just a little kid then, and a pretty girl now."

Elena chuckled and thanked him for his compliment. "Are you Yuri or Viktor? And what're you doing here?"

"I'm Yuri," he said. "I have thicker cheekbones and broader shoulders. We're hanging around a bit before going to a movie with a few friends. You guys wanna join?"

The movie the twin was going to watch didn't fit the little girls Maxim was looking after, so he declined, but he took them to a coffee shop for a snack and a little chat. Since Maxim and his twin cousins didn't grow up together, and they had led pretty different lives for the past several years, they were never really close. However, as they grew a little older, the difference became less significant and they could talk much more comfortably than in the past.

Because Maxim had a car, he agreed to drive his cousins to the cinema after their snacks. Viktor chuckled when he saw the Camry. "Still driving your mom's car, huh?"

"Why?" Maxim said, stopping and looking at his cousin.

Viktor shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing," he said. "I thought you'd be driving your own car, because you're a pro and making your own living now."

Maxim wasn't very happy about his cousin's remark, and he remained silent during most part of the drive, letting the twins talk with Elena and Olga. "I'll be doing my driving test in January," Yuri told Elena. "But I don't think dad's going to buy us a car. It sucks to drive mom's car and to make sure there won't be a scratch after returning it to her."

That evening, Maxim called up Calvin and asked him about the price check he had conducted on the BMW. "Twenty grand if you want it," Calvin said on the phone.

"Don't kid with me, Calvin. I'm just curious. I'm not buying it."

"I'm not kidding, Max. I never kid with you. That's the price she's asking if you want it. It's the lowest offer I got."

"Calvin," he said, raising his tone a little. "Her car's in mint condition. You don't use the lowest offer. What are the other offers?"

"I didn't set the price," Calvin chuckled. "Go ask Celine yourself. I'd have asked for a much higher price if it was my car."

Maxim called up Celine after finished talking with Calvin. "I'm not kidding, Max," she said on the phone. "I'd have given it to you for free, but I knew you wouldn't take it, would you?"

"No," Maxim said. "I'd take your bathrobe."

Celine started laughing at the other end. "All right," she said after her laughter. "I'll throw in a bathrobe. Are you interested?"

"I only want the bathrobe," Maxim said, chuckling. "What are your other offers on the car?"

Celine started taking long breaths for a while. "Max," she said. "Do you know you've been calling me everyday from the day I came back?"

"Of course I know."

"Do you know how much they meant to me?" she said slowly. "I was at the worst moment of my life. I couldn't have survived without you and Calvin. Every word you've said to me is worth a BMW. Do you know that?"

"I don't know. And I'd rather my word is worth a bathrobe or a nightie."

Celine started laughing again. "You know what, Max?" she said. "Sometimes I enjoy your words more than Calvin's. Do you know I hardly get to laugh except when I'm talking with you?"

"I'd rather you got aroused."

After another outburst of laughter, Celine spoke again, still panting a little, "At this point of my life, Max, a laugh does more good for me than getting aroused. So, do you want it? Twenty for it and a bathrobe. All right, the nightie I'm wearing now, too."

"Damn," Maxim groaned. "Celine, you're the biggest tease on earth, do you know that?"

"So, do you want them?"

"Throw in a hot kiss, please. What're you wearing now, anyway?"

"I'll think about it," she said, laughing. "I'm wearing a ribbon cami, pull-on shorts, and nothing underneath."

"Oh, my goodness," he groaned again. "You're killing me, Celine. Toss in a pic of you now!"

"I don't have a camera here," she said, chuckling. "I'll toss in a sleepwear picture Calvin took for me, and I guarantee you'll love it."

Maxim wished he had his new car on the driveway when his uncle's family came over for their Thanksgiving dinner, but he couldn't get the car from Calvin until just before Christmas. Nevertheless, he still told Viktor that he was getting a BMW convertible, and regained his pride when he saw the admiring expression on Viktor's face.

He wasn't aware of the side effect until he was told at the table his Camry would go to his twin cousins once he had his new car. The happiest person during their dinner was Yuri. Maxim began to wonder if this had been a conspiracy from the twins to make him give up his family car.

-------

When Maxim met with Alan the next evening for the party, his buddy told him they needed to go pick up a few girls. The party was held at an apartment just off the University of California San Francisco Mount Zion campus and was hosted by the brother of Alan's new buddy. As soon as he saw the girls get into his car, Maxim knew it was going to be another lucky night for him. The girls had put on sexy dresses and were wearing heavy makeup. They were already acting wild before getting to the venue.

Maxim also knew he wouldn't take his girl to such a party, because they were serving everything there, from beer to liquors, from marijuana to barbiturate and Methaqualone. Maxim had no problem with drinking, but he didn't smoke joints or take any drugs. He was having a tournament in about a week's time, and even though the chances of them performing a drug or doping test on him was quite slim, he still didn't want to take the chance. That was a mistake he knew he couldn't afford.

He was probably the only person that restrained from drugs at the party. Before long, he started seeing guys and girls snuggling together all over the place. A girl even performed a live floorshow on the dinning table by blowing a guy while being fucked by another. And even though he didn't take any drugs, Maxim was acting as wild as the others. The blonde who rode with him to the party had been sitting on his lap most of the time, rubbing her ass against him as he fondled her.

Whilst flirting with her, he remembered he still didn't know her name, so he asked her. "Jane," she whispered at his ear. "And yours?"

Her whispered reply sounded like thunder in his ear, and for some time, Maxim was cursed and couldn't move a finger. He didn't know how long he had been stunned, but by the time he had regained his senses, the blonde Jane was on another guy's lap, and the guy had taken over Maxim's fondling job.

Maxim went to take a leak, and saw his buddy Alan coming out of the bathroom with a brunette on his arm. Both of them were giggling, their clothes apparently slipped on in a rush, and they didn't seem to be sober. Instead of taking a leak, Maxim told Alan he was leaving. He took a spin after leaving the party, not knowing what he was doing. It was nearly 2 a.m. in the morning when he got home; he was still feeling sick in his stomach and didn't know what had caused his ailing sentiment.

-------

When Maxim returned to the Academy after his Thanksgiving break, he found a carton of Wilson racquets waiting for him. He was glad that he didn't have to worry about breaking his discontinued racquets anymore. While putting his old racquets into the closet at his condo, he realized he still had all the old Prince clothes and sneakers he couldn't wear anymore because of his new clothing sponsorship contract. He took them to a clothes donation collection box at a mall.

Maxim took Elena out for a dinner the evening before she followed the Omnicianni team to Lauderhill, Florida. By the time she would be back from the Eddie Herr tournament, he would be gone until Christmas, so he was going to miss her birthday once again. He gave her a few visors as a present. "Cheers," Maxim said, raising his glass of root beer. "To health, to championship, to school, to that blonde boy. What else do you want, Elena?"

She chuckled as she carefully clinked her glass of Sprite against his glass. "That's already too many," she said. "Are these visors part of your sponsorship?"

"No," he chuckled. "It just happened the sales clerk gave me Adidas. Men's and girls' visors have different sizes. I do have some Adidas men's visors but I don't normally use them. Hey, do you want a Wilson backpack? They sent me a number of bags with the racquets."

"Can I take a look?"

"They're at my home. We'll check them out after dinner. It's nice I now have a little more space for all this stuff."

Maxim took Elena to his condo after dinner. He fumbled inside his closet and found her a red and grey color backpack. When he raised his head, he saw a grimace on her face, but she wasn't frowning at the backpack. "You're filthy, Max," she said, while picking up wrappers and shrink-wraps on the carpet, as well as kicking his scattered racquets to a corner. "Why didn't you put the garbage into the trash bin?"

"I will, don't worry about them, Elena. I was replacing my racquets grips but I was running late. Take the backpack and leave them here. I'll clean it up in a while."

"You won't," she chuckled, and then dropped the wrappers in a trash basket. She took the backpack from him. "Thank you. This bag is very nice."

Maxim told her to get out of his room and he quickly tidied up, then went out to check on her. Elena had turned on his TV and was watching the comedy series 'Frasier'. "They don't like watching this," Elena told him. "So I don't always get to watch it at the residence."

He chuckled and went over to the couch to watch TV with her. "Max, why aren't you sitting on the carpet now?" she asked him.

"Irene said I was like a dog," he said, chuckling again.

"But I like it," she said, snickering.

"All right," he said, and slide onto the carpet, letting her climb onto his lap to watch TV with him. "You're getting a little heavy now, Elena. You've to get up once in a while so my legs won't get too sore."

After the episode was over, he had to toddle around the sitting room and stretch his legs for a while before he could drive her back to the Academy.

A few days later, Al Harrington called up Maxim again. "We've learned from the director of the Jakarta GP that the highest ranked player who's committed is Haarhuis. He's just cracked top-twenty. Chances are you'll be accepted into the qualifying. What do you say?"

"Sure," Maxim said. The Jakarta tournament that was going to be held during the second week of the following year in Indonesia was not a very high profile event, but nonetheless a tour tournament, way higher in level than Challengers. In fact it offered the same prize monies as a couple of events in Australia and New Zealand held during the same week. But since most players took the Australasia events as warm-ups for the Australian Open, they were much more popular and attracted the bigger stars.

Al Harrington then told Maxim to go to the Academy to get the papers he was going to fax over. "Max," Al said on the phone. "Go buy a fax machine or a laptop computer so I can send you information directly."

"Irene has a fax machine, but she won't allow me into her room."

"Max, a fax machine is only a hundred bucks, less than the cost of taking a girl out for an evening. You're the only player I've heard of that doesn't have a fax or a computer."

"I'll go buy a fax machine. I can take ten girls out for the cost of a computer. That's a lot of happiness. By the way, Al, are you going to the Aussie Open? Will you be cheating at your wife's back? Oh, yeah, does she like dark chocolate or white chocolate more? What about your daughter? Should I buy her a pair of gold hoop earrings or sneakers for Christmas?"

From his voice, Maxim knew his agent was laughing quite hard. "Max," he said, still panting a little. "Of course I'm going, because almost everyone's there. I think only a moron will tell you if he cheats. I don't think I'll ever trust your mouth. And, Max, I'm still working my butt off trying to get you a wild card into the Aussie Open, even though chances are really slim. Earrings are fine for my daughter. Don't buy chocolates for my wife. Buy her a Pendant with some diamond or gemstone chips on it and she'll love you very much."

Jane called up Maxim that evening while he was doing his school work. She told him she had lost in the second round at the Eddie Herr tournament. She and her parents were going to visit the training camps nearby before going to Boca Raton for the girls' team competition. Maxim had already bought a cordless phone, so he could take the phone to his bed and tease Jane loudly.

Maxim flew to Miami with Lawrence on Friday for the juniors tennis world cup. Before he left the Academy, Maxim had already learned of the latest results at the Eddie Herr tournament. There were no American players left in the singles, and Marlene was the only Omnicianni student still playing in doubles matches there. After the Eddie Herr tournament, Marlene would rush to Boca Raton, which was about 10 miles from the Sunshine Cup venue, to compete in the girls' team competition.

Most players who would continue to play at the Orange Bowl -- held immediately after the two national team competitions, would be around cheering for their national teams. Maxim wouldn't have to worry about not seeing enough friends. While most other tennis tournaments were about individual fame, these two team events were about national glory. The USA had not been able to win the boys' team championship for more than a decade, even though they had had some of the best players in the world. Their female counterparts were much better in this area and were crowned champions a few years back.

Maxim was very surprised to see Janice after he and his team had checked into their hotel. He grabbed her for a hug before her brother got his chance. "What're you doing here, Jan?"

"Cheering for Lawrence," she chuckled. "What else? Our parents are also coming tomorrow. Now get your arms off me, Max. I haven't hugged him yet."

He held her firmer. "I'm doing it for him," he said, smiling. "He's got a ton of hot chicks in his Economic classes. He doesn't need you anymore."

Janice laughed as she struggled off him and went to hug her brother. "Where are you staying, Jan," Maxim said as he followed her. "I think my bed is large enough for two. I can kick your bro out of the room if needed. Are you also cheering for us at Orange Bowl?"

Janice faked a kick as Lawrence slapped his head. "I don't need yours," Janice chuckled. "My parents can afford my room for a few days. I'm not going to Orange Bowl. I still need to do my exams."

After his breakfast the next morning, Maxim and Lawrence went to their team camp and started practicing. There were four players in the team: Maxim, Lawrence, Glenn, and another younger player. Maxim and Lawrence were their key players and would be playing most of the matches.

Team USA boys didn't have much problem on their way to the semi-final, losing only one match when Glenn fell to an Italian player. The American girls had already lost to Germany and had come over to Delray Beach to cheer for the boys. Maxim knew the British girls had already lost to the Russian girls, but he didn't know if Jane and her parents were still in Boca Raton, or Miami Beach, or were visiting various training facilities.

The American boys were playing against Mexico in the semi-final. The Mexicans were a very tough team, and Maxim was assigned to play against Alfonso Hernandez. Maxim had teamed up with Alfonso in double matches in Challengers, but had never played against him before. He knew it was going to be very tough.

He was very surprised when he beat Alfonso in straight sets. It was the only loss Alfonso had in the tournament. The victory sent the US team into the final, as Lawrence had beaten another Mexican player earlier. All American players and spectators were extremely excited, because the US hadn't been in the team final for a few years. Nevertheless, they were still considered the underdogs as Argentina had secured the other final spot. Argentina was the top seed in this event and defending champion.

Maxim was preparing to leave Delray Beach Tennis Center when he saw a nice looking woman walking towards him. She looked a little familiar to him, but he had no idea if they had met. She came over to him with a smile, then congratulated him on his win. "I'm Mrs. Bevington," she said, while shaking hands with him. "I'm Jane's mother."

No wonder she looked a little familiar even though they had not met before. "Um, Max," Mrs. Bevington said. "Do you think you have a little time? Would you like a drink?"

Maxim didn't feel comfortable. He would be delighted if she wasn't Jane's mother, but he had no excuse, and he couldn't run away. He also wanted to know what his girlfriend's mother was going to talk to him about, so he followed her to the pavilion.

After chatting for a couple of minutes about the nice weather in Florida, Mrs. Bevington went about her business. "Max," she said. "I know you've been dating Jane. While I have no problem with that, I think both she and you are still a little too young for a serious relationship, don't you think?"

Maxim had never talked with a parent of the girls he had slept with, so he had no clue how to handle the situation. He didn't know what to say, so he remained silent.

Mrs. Bevington maintained her smile and went on, "I found birth control pills in her bag. Max, both of you are underage. I don't think this is a very good idea. It's also illegal when you turn eighteen in a few months' time, isn't it?"

Maxim wasn't sure if she just detested the idea of him sleeping with her underage daughter, or if she was threatening him. It was probably already illegal when they slept together in England and in New York, but Maxim had yet to hear of a minor sent to jail for sleeping with another minor. He found his mouth became very dry. He took a few gulps of his soft drink before he spoke. "So, Mrs. Bevington," he said slowly, looking at his drink instead of her face. "Are you suggesting I split with Jane?"

Mrs. Bevington took a couple of deep breaths, and also a few sips of her drink. "Max," she said slowly. "We're selling our house in Cheshire. It's the only thing we have that's worth something. We're bringing Jane over to Florida so she can get better training. It's a huge gamble, but Jane has a potential, and we're prepared to sacrifice everything for her."

Her story reminded Maxim of Elena and how her parents gave up nearly everything for her. But at least Elena's father succeeded in his first gamble and Elena had secured a SAMS scholarship, which saved him at least $40,000 a year for training, school, and competition expenses. "Mrs. Bevington," he said softly. "Have you talked with Jane?"

"I will, this evening," she said, looking into his eyes. "It'll be very tough for both her and me. It will also be very tough for you, Max. You know, I didn't know why she had a problem concentrating in the past couple of months until I found out. I don't think you appreciate how I feel. Birth control pills are not one hundred percent, and I can't imagine what would happen if she became pregnant at such a young age."

"Can I still see her or write to her?"

She took a few deep breaths again. "I honestly don't know, Max," she said. "I appreciate your honesty. I don't know how she will take it. I have no problem with you being her friend, but I will also keep an eye on her and you." She paused for another sip of her tea. "Max," she continued. "She's now practicing with her father at Miami Beach. I, um, I'll let her call you tonight, if she wants to."

Maxim was still feeling frail and dull when he went back to his hotel room. He didn't even go for dinner, and spent the entire time lying in his bed staring at the ceiling. He knew it was Jane calling him when the phone rang. "Max, what did you say to my mum?" Jane screamed into the phone.

"Nothing, Jane. She did all the talking."

For the next several minutes, all he could hear was his rapid breathing and her sniffle. "I..." Jane finally spoke a word, and then hung up.

Maxim didn't know how Jane was going to handle it. He knew she was much more fragile than he was in this department, and he was already feeling like hell. He also knew it would be insanely stupid to call her up. He didn't know if they would ever see or talk to each other again.



-------

Chapter 36


Maxim couldn't sleep until it was almost dawn. He knew Lawrence was concerned about him, both on the tournament side and as a friend, but he didn't tell his partner anything. He didn't go to lunch; instead he ate a few bananas in the locker room and stayed there until the last minute before he went for his match.

He was playing against the top ranked junior in their first match against Argentina, but he had no idea how he was playing. He didn't even know the match was over when the chair umpire announced it. He lost by a huge margin.

After the match, Maxim ignored his teammates and coaches and went to sit down in a secluded corner. He didn't know Marlene was beside him until she started shaking him. "What's the problem, Max?" she said with a concerned look.

"Nothing."

Marlene let out a sigh and also stopped talking. She sat beside him in silence. About an hour later she started shaking him again. "Time for your doubles, Max." she said. "Act like a man, not a dog."

Maxim slowly got to his feet, and then turned around to her. "Thanks, Marlene," he said softly, before he went over to the match court to meet with his anxious coaches and teammates.

After losing the first three games in the opening set, Maxim whispered to his partner during a break. "Lawrence, it's your day today. You win, we win. Get it?"

"Only if we can win this," Lawrence chuckled bitterly at him.

"Fuck you," Maxim growled at him. "Of course we are."

The match was closely fought. They came from behind to win the first set, but lost the second set. They started the final set sluggishly and were down two games when Maxim sprained his ankle again -- the same ankle he injured a couple of months ago in Woodland Hills. The medical trainer was called over and inspected him. The injury was not a serious one, and Maxim was told he could continue if he wanted, even though the trainer displayed reservation in his eyes.

Maxim opted to continue, and they lost another two games with him struggling and their foes focusing on attacking the indigent player. Lawrence whispered to Maxim during the changeover, "Why don't we retire? You're hurting and we're losing. Coach's also been indicating we should retire."

"Fuck you," he growled at him again. "I can still stand up. I'm fighting, and we're going to win. I'll charge and you take care of the baseline if they lob. We're going to win!"

It looked like an improbable comeback, but they managed to take the match to the final tiebreaker. Maxim and Lawrence knew they were going to win, and they did. Lawrence chuckled as he whispered to Maxim afterwards, "Still wanna fuck me?"

"Fuck you, Lawrence," he hissed, glaring at his partner's eyes. "It's your turn now. Go win the fucking final match, so I won't be fucking blamed on for the rest of my life."

Maxim let out a relieved sigh after Lawrence had won the decisive singles match and claimed victory in the sport's junior's world cup for his nation. He was the hero, and Maxim was thrilled to be among those lifting Lawrence up and down above their shoulders, even though his ankle was bringing him pain with each step he took.

No other junior championships were celebrated as earnestly as at these team tournaments, especially as it was a glory that the US had dominated in, in the past, but hadn't been able to regain for the past decade.

The team's head coach, Tim Robbins, had a little talk with Maxim after the presentation and media conference. "I don't know what'd happened to you, Max," said the coach. "You were disastrous in your singles match." He chuckled at Maxim before going on. "But the doubles match was definitely a classic. I've never seen a better match in my coaching career. It had all the drama, thrill, and indomitable will and determination. I'll be very surprised that you won't make the top-ten in a few years' time."

Maxim also chuckled, albeit a little sourly. "You never know, Tim. You've not seen my headcase performances yet."

After the talk, Maxim called up the tournament director of the Orange Bowl and told him he was withdrawing from the tournament due to injury. The director had no objection. In fact he was expecting it after learning about the incident. Maxim also called up the airline to reschedule his flight. There was no reason for him to remain in Florida, and he needed treatment back at the Academy. The earliest flight that was available without a severe penalty was in the afternoon on the next day. Maxim could either stay at Delray Beach or at Miami Beach for the night, and he chose the later because it was much closer to the airport and he could share Lawrence's room.

Nearly everyone in Sunshine Cup and Continental Cup were also enrolled at the Orange Bowl, which was already underway with the final round of qualifying matches being played. After leaving Delray Beach Tennis Center, everyone was transported to the Orange Bowl official hotel in Miami Beach. The atmosphere got even more elated when American players at the Orange Bowl returned to the hotel to celebrate with their national heroes. The dinner had been extended and turned into a party.

Maxim got a hug from Janice during the party. He asked her where she was staying for the night. "I'm going back to Delray Beach with my parents," she said. "They're giving me a ride to Wesley Chapel tomorrow morning on their way back to Texas."

"Why not stay here for the night? Then you don't have to spend that extra hour after the party."

"Max," she said. "We're not changing hotel for just one night, and one hour tonight means one hour less tomorrow. Why don't you use your brain more often?"

"I'm brainless when I see you, Jan."

She chuckled, then asked, "What happened? Lawrence didn't know either, but you were definitely not yourself this morning."

"Nothing."

She looked at his face for a moment, then said softly, "About Jane? She left you?"

"Nah. Well, not really. Her mom said we're too young."

Janice let out a sigh. "I'm sorry to hear that, but she's right, Max, especially Jane. I don't think both of you're ready for a serious relationship."

Maxim glared at her. "Jan," he said. "I've been in more relationships than you have periods."

Janice burst out laughing. "Oh, my goodness," she said, while still bending down from her laughter and glancing him. "What a comparison! Max, a one night stand is not a relationship."

"How do you know, Jan? You have them a lot?"

Janice stopped her chuckle and glared at him. "Shut up," she said. "Where is my Miracle So Magic?"

"Tell me one thing, Jan. How long does it take for you to use up that bottle?"

She chuckled again. "I haven't started using it yet, but you still owe me another one."

"I don't owe you anything, Jan," he said. "I do still have the Japanese souvenirs in my luggage. I forgot to give them to you in New York. I'll give them to Lawrence tomorrow morning."

"Typical bull," she said, smiling. "Fortunately I'm not expecting it."

"Come to my room," he said, and then grabbed her hand and started to walk out of the dining hall.

"Max," she said, while struggling. "I'm not going to your room."

He let go of her hand as he turned around. "Then wait here. I'll be back in a few minutes."

While waiting for the elevator, he heard footsteps behind him, and when he turned around, he saw Janice smiling at him. They went to his hotel room together.

Maxim fumbled in his luggage for a while before he found the souvenirs for Janice which he had been carrying all over the place for several months. He took a small paper bag out of his luggage. "Here you go, Jan," he said, as he pulled out a towel serviettes and a silk pouch, both with cute Japanese cat figurine prints on them. "They call this Maneki Neko, something that brings luck, fortune and happiness to your home. Don't you think they look like you, cute, smiley, and sexy?"

She had been smiling as she studied the gift, but burst out laughing at his last word. "My goodness, Max," she said. "Is there anything on earth that's not sexy to you?"

"No," he said, and laughed as well.

She chuckled while shaking her head. "Well, thank you, Max," she said. "I admit I like them, and I appreciate you remembering me while you were doing the shopping. Should we go now?"

"No, of course not. Jan, do you know you've never kissed me before?"

"Oh, my God," she chuckled, then turned around and started running towards the door.

Maxim knew she would run, so he reached out and grabbed her arm before she finished turning around. "Just a kiss, Jan," he said as he pulled her into his arms.

"Don't, Max, let me go," she panted while struggling.

He overcame her and pressed his lips on hers momentarily before letting her loose.

"You're a jerk!" she said, panting with a blush on her face, and inched towards the door.

"If I were a jerk," he said, staring at her. "You'd be stark naked in my bed now."

She chuckled as the redness on her face spread. "Still a jerk." She then quickly went over to the door and opened it, an apparent precaution in case he tried anything again.

Maxim followed Janice out of his room. "Well, Jan," he said while walking to the elevator lobby with her. "I promise you, next time you're in my room, you'll be in my bed moaning."

"Don't worry, big boy," she chuckled. "It won't happen." She paused briefly, and then went on softly. "If you want to talk, you know, about anything. We can go to the coffee shop, or, you know, outside."

"Nah, I'm fine."

Maxim ended up talking with Janice in the coffee shop for an hour before she followed her parents back to Delray Beach.

The next morning, Maxim gave Lawrence a shopping bag. He asked his friend for a favor. He wasn't sure if he would ever see Jane again, and he wanted Lawrence to pass on the souvenirs he had bought for Jane during his Asian trip.

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Since Maxim's flight was in the afternoon, and he had nothing better to do, he went to Flamingo Park in the morning to see some of his friends, as well as to get treatment for his ankle from the medical trainer there.

When he came out of the medical trainer's office, he saw Jane and her parents. He didn't know if he should go over for a greeting. It seemed like an eternity as he thought about it, and then he saw Jane walking slowly over.

"Hi, Max," Jane said to him. "Congratulations on your Sunshine Cup championship. I hope your ankle's all right." Despite her obvious attempt trying to speak in a calm manner, her voice was still a little hoarse and shaky. Her parents had remained where they were. Apparently giving their daughter a chance, maybe the last chance, to have a face-to-face talk with him.

"Thanks, Jane," he said. "Ankle's all right. How have you been? I'm sorry about ... about everything. Have you picked a training site? I ... I hope I can still write to you. I, um, I have something for you, but I've asked Lawrence to pass them on to you. I didn't know if I'd see you, you know, again."

Jane took a couple of deep breaths. "Thanks. Boca Raton will be my future training site. Read 'If I could tell you' by W.H. Auden. Best wishes, Max."

"Jane," he called when she started turning around. "Anything, anytime, anywhere, I'll always be around. Work harder. Make it happen."

She gave him a smile, which grew as she turned around again and went back to her parents. Her footsteps seemed a lot perkier than when she first came over. He watched them walk away and then opened his bag for a piece of paper to write down the names Jane talked about.

When he had finished his notes and raised his head, he saw another couple of familiar faces. Maxim stood up and chuckled as he greeted Maria Hernandez and Gerardo Borja. They each gave him a big hug, and thanked him for his occasional souvenirs. Maxim hadn't seen Gerardo since Wimbledon, and hadn't seen Maria for nearly a year.

From their behavior, it seemed their relationship had escalated, even though they were now living in different places. Gerardo was still living in Mexico City, but Maria was studying at University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. Maxim joked about them getting married before they finished college. They didn't confirm or deny.

Maxim watched a couple of matches and had lunch with some of his friends before he left. He saw the French siblings, Emmanuelle and Jean-Michel Baudin, while he was on his way out of the venue. She chuckled and whispered to her brother when Maxim went over to greet them. Maxim had not formally met Jean-Michel yet, even though he had seen him quite a number of times before. He asked Emmanuelle what she was chuckling about. "I told Jean-Michel you were the guy who wrote me those funny poems," she said, smiling while her brother grinned.

Maxim chuckled. "I hope you like them. Is this your first time in America?" He then turned to her brother. "I saw you at the US Open, Jean-Michel. First time in Miami?"

"Well, I never thought I'd laugh at love poems," Emmanuelle chuckled. "Yes, it's my first time in the US. I played at the Continental Cup but we lost in the early rounds. We went over to Delray Beach but we've also lost to Argentina there. We watched the finals. You guys were amazing in the doubles match."

"I lost twenty dollars to her," Jean-Michel said. His English was as fluent as his sister's. "I didn't believe you guys could come back in the final set with such a big deficit and an injury. What did you say to your partner during the changeover?"

Maxim chuckled. "You don't want to know."

"Come on, Max," Emmanuelle said, smiling with an eager expression on her face.

"I swore at him."

The siblings laughed. "Really?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"He seemed to be laughing."

"You guys are laughing, too."

They talked a little bit more about their upcoming schedules. Emmanuelle gave him an early Christmas peck on the cheek before they split. Maxim went back to his hotel to check out and took the shuttle bus to the airport for his flight to San Francisco.

On his way back to his parents' home, Maxim stopped by a local library, and asked the librarian about the author's name that Jane had talked about. He was shown a book of poem collections by the great poet Wystan Hugh Auden. Maxim felt his heart stir when he read the poem Jane told him to read, and knew he had misty eyes when he finished. He made a photocopy of the poem before walking out of the library with heavy footsteps.

Maxim had been in a number of relationships before, but he knew that Jane was special to him. She had brought him the utmost joy when they were together, both sexually and emotionally. He usually felt a little blue and depressed when his relationships were over, but he had never felt like this before. Pins stuck deeply into his heart when he was forced to part with Jane. The poem he read which related to how Jane felt about him, and how he would never be wiped away from her memory, added weight to the sorrow feeling inside him.

Maxim's mother was quite worried about his ankle when she saw him at home that night. It took him quite a while to convince her that minor injuries were near routines to professional athletes and as long as he could get proper treatment and enough rests, there was nothing to worry about.

Life back at the Academy was also quite boring. The sports medicine trainer didn't allow him to practice until his treatment was over. All he was permitted was upper body strength workouts. His friends at the Academy were either still in Florida or busy doing their mid-year exams. Maxim's distance learning curriculum didn't have exams. Instead, his progress was assessed entirely on weekly assignments.

After the exams at Davenport were over, Maxim had dinner with his Academy friends and then took Elena back to her home in San Francisco. Elena's family was expecting them, and had a birthday cake and other treats awaiting the birthday girl. It was the first time Maxim could spend time together with Elena on her birthday, and both of them were charmed at the opportunity.

The next morning, Calvin drove the BMW to Maxim's home. The handsome artist gave him the car keys and documents. "Remember to change title and insurance," he said to Maxim. "The insurance policy is terminating at end of the year."

"What about her bathrobe and sleepwear pic?"

Calvin chuckled. "Max," he said. "It's something between her and you. It's none of my business. I'm just the delivery boy."

"But you took the picture, and you're keeping the negatives."

"She didn't tell me to make a reprint."

"Well, okay. I'll ask her. Do you want a drink, or do you want me to take you to the airport now?"

"Airport, please."

Maxim drove Calvin to the airport and wished him a safe flight before he went to take care of Elena and Olga so their mother could go to work.

He didn't go out with Alan to another orgy party on Christmas Eve. In fact, since the Thanksgiving party, Maxim had a feeling that the two old time buddies were heading towards different courses. They still talked on the phone, but Maxim had little desire to hang out with Alan.

The admiring expression on the faces of his twin cousins was worth the deep debt Maxim got himself into when he showed them his new car on Christmas Day. He took them out for a spin and had a little fun at a bowling alley. It was quite amazing how the cousins could start to get along much better than in the past when they were supposed to be closer.

The next morning, he went over to Elena's home and took her to the airport. Elena was going with the Academy team to Arizona for two consecutive USTA tournaments. He then went back to the Academy to continue with the treatment of his ankle and to resume training.

He also had a talk with Al Harrington over the phone before the agent went to Australia. There was still no news about a wild card from the organizer of the Australian Open, but the agent promised him he would keep him posted about any developments. "I'll call you at your Jakarta hotel," said Al. "Don't worry about anything, just play your best tennis."

While discussing about the various opponents he would be seeing in Jakarta with his trainer Ian Werner at the Academy, Maxim saw Mr. Omnicianni coming over to join them. "I've just watched the tape of your Sunshine Cup doubles match," said the old man. "It was, you know, another dramatic performance. Impossible happened again. But, above all, you've shown your ability to learn from distressing incidents."

After the old man had left, Ian told Maxim, "Just also remember never to overdo it. Your body can only sustain so much. You don't want to act like a hero and have your career jeopardized. You see, the sport's getting more and more physical. That's why you're seeing more and more physical trainers going to tourneys with players. In fact, when you can afford it, I'd suggest you consider a traveling physical trainer before a full time coach."

Maxim had a gathering with his Academy friends before he left for Indonesia. None of them did well at the Orange Bowl. Best results among his friends were Glenn and Jane, both reaching the third round. Most of them were preparing for their upcoming tournaments in Australia. Maxim might see them down under if he was lucky enough to get a wild card to play at the Australian Open.

When Maxim returned to his parents' home the next week prior to his trip to Indonesia, he once again had to convince his mother it was all right for him to travel to a remote country by himself. "Look, mom," he said. "I'll be eighteen in three months anyway. I can look after myself very well. I've never gotten into trouble all these years, have I? Actually, I think I've been to more places than most adults have all their lives. So don't worry, mom."

Even though his mother was chuckling, she still had a worried look on her face. "Do you need more pocket monies?" she asked, as she turned around to check the kitchen cabinets where she hid her cash.

"Nah," he told his mother. "I'm making money now. I'm fine." However, He knew whatever he said, she was going to give him some money, even after he'd turned professional. He had a mixed feeling about this. He wasn't making enough money to cover his expenses, both for competitions and for his living, so any subsidies were welcomed. On the other hand, it also made him feel bad about having to accept subsidies when he was supposed to be earning his own living.

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It was the first time Maxim went on an international flight by himself. He actually enjoyed the freedom. He was also lucky as the businessman who sat beside him was a sports fan and he liked tennis. They had a lot of nice chats during the dreary flight.

Hospitality for tour events like this was a big contrast to the Satellites and Challengers. Juniors and grass-root professional tournaments were basically all about competition. However, at these tour events, it was a combination of commercial fair and carnival beside the sports. There were also many perks and gimmicks offered to players at these events. He was met by a tournament's greeting person at the airport who escorted him to a classy hotel. Before and during the competition, players were scheduled various visits, including dining at exotic restaurants and going to tour attractions.

After settling down in his hotel room, he got a phone call from his agent, who told him the last wild card for the Australian Open had been awarded to an Australian player ranked way below Maxim. Even though this was disappointing news, it was common practice that wild cards were often given to countrymen of the hosting country. "Do you still want to come over after Jakarta?" Al asked him on the phone. "I can arrange you to hit with some big guns."

Maxim thought it over briefly. Undoubtedly, it would be beneficial to practice with star players, but given his current financial situation, the cost of rerouting his travel might be a little too much just for this purpose. After all, he would have similar good chances when he started working on American tour events the following month in which he would have much better chances of getting into them or receiving wild cards. He declined the suggestion. "I'm going to Heilbronn after this," he told his agent. "I think many guys will also go there a little earlier. I may also get lucky and get laid day and night."

Al Harrington chuckled and wished him good luck at this tournament. "Call me or Tara if you need anything."

Most players at the Jakarta Grand Prix tournament were from Europe and Asia. There were only a handful of players from North America. Maxim cruised through his first two qualifying matches, beating a local wild carder and a Frenchman easily. The final qualifying match was a tough one. It took him a lot of effort to even the score after losing the first set. His opponent injured his back at the start of the final set and pulled out. Even though Maxim didn't really beat his opponent for the win, it was still an encouraging result, because it marked the first time he'd advanced into the main draw of a tour event without relying on wild cards.

All the pities he experienced during his previous Challenger trip vanished when he beat a local player and won his first round match in the main draw. This was his first victory at a high level tournament since he had turned professional. He called up his mother when he returned to his hotel room to share the big news with her, even though she could hardly comprehend the significance of it.

His joy didn't last long though as he was beaten badly in his second round match by a French seed. The worst part was his opponent, even though a top-100 player, didn't play that well and had some problems dealing with Maxim's game. Maxim didn't understand what made the differences in the score. He wished he had a coach there to tell him what went wrong so badly.

It was ironic when he was asked the exact same question by a reporter during his post-match interview. He was totally unknown to people in this place, and so there were only a couple of reporters in the press room. "I don't know," he told the reporter, holding back his urge to swear at him. "You tell me."

The moderator chuckled as he checked the stat sheet. "Thirty nine unforced errors?"

"Can't be," Maxim said, turning around to the moderator. "Only thirty six. I don't know how you guys mark them unforced errors. I remember every thing on the court. But..." He sighed. "Yeah, I can't win a match with that many errors."

"You remember everything on the court?" asked the other reporter.

"Yeah, why not?"

"Wow! Was I there?"

"I don't know," he said, chuckling. "But you were not in the front rows. That's for sure."

Even though the competition ended frustratingly for him, he had made a good progress both on his ranking and income from his first round win. He gained 17 ranking points, which would enable him to break into top-400. He had also made more than $5,000, nearly more than his career prize monies so far, and was the first time he had a surplus after his expenses.

Maxim spent another day in Jakarta, mostly sunbathing and swimming at a beautiful beach with some other players, as well as buying souvenirs, before taking his rescheduled flight to Frankfurt, Germany.

During the trip, he contemplated how he should spend the days before the Challenger tournament which started at the end of the following week. He came up with an idea, and upon arrival at Frankfurt, he took a bus to the train terminal. After checking the rail routes and schedules, as well as storing his heavy luggage in a locker, he bought an 8-day pass and took a train to Nantes, France. He also changed his hotel bookings while waiting for transit at Paris train terminal.

It was nearly 7 p.m. on Friday when he arrived in Nantes. If not for the fact that traveling on train was much more comfortable than on plane, he would have died from the combined trip which lasted more than a day. He called up Emmanuelle Baudin and asked her how he could get from the train station to her home. "Oh, my God," Emmanuelle gasped on the phone. "You're in Nantes? What're you doing here?"

"To see you," Maxim chuckled. "What else? Now tell me how do I take a bus to your home?"

Emmanuelle told him she was going out with friends. "You can't do this to me, honey," he groaned. "I come all the way from San Francisco to see you, and you're going out?"

She began laughing. "Why didn't you let me know earlier?"

"I made up my mind on the plane from Jakarta."

She sounded like she was choking. "You didn't come from San Francisco to see me then," she said, still panting. "Does your mobile phone work here?"

"No, it sucks. I don't even have it with me. Where are you and your friends going? Can I get there with the bus I'll be taking?"

She was still laughing when she spoke. "Have you reserved a hotel room yet?"

"Yeah, Citea Nantes. Tell me you live next door, please."

Emmanuelle didn't promise she would see him that evening. Needless to say, she wasn't going to stay with him that night. She did promise to meet him the next morning. It probably didn't matter. Looking for places without a guide or a car wasn't among Maxim's talents. He was quite tired when he lay in the bed in the budget hotel after his sandwich meal at the coffee shop.

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NOTES TO READERS:

Since Maxim's junior career has been concluded, we can talk a little about it. His juniors' achievements are a condensed consolidation of a couple of real world players who played around his time. In reality, it is extremely hard to achieve all these results in the two year period covered in this story so far. What Elena has been doing is more realistic. Generally, an eventual junior star has to show his/her talent and dominate his/her age group very early on.





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Chapter 37


It was a rare situation for Maxim to be in when he was woken up by a phone call the next morning and it was already 8:30 a.m. He always woke up very early in the morning, but he was probably too tired from the travel and his body was still recovering from jet lag. Emmanuelle told him she was waiting for him in the lobby. She laughed when he suggested meeting in his room. "Come down now," she chuckled. "Or I'm going home."

Since Maxim was from a sports environment, most of the girls he regularly saw dressed very casually, sometimes too casually in his opinion. Emmanuelle was also an athlete, but she knew how to dress herself nicely for different occasions even in plain clothes. She looked gorgeous in her brandy color quilted fleece jacket, a pale pink turtleneck, and tight jeans that showed her slender legs extremely well. Maxim had a very strong desire to drag her to his room and treat her as breakfast.

Emmanuelle gave him a quick peck on his cheek and immediately pulled him towards the exit. She was taking him to a nearby café for breakfast. "Are you feeling cold?" she asked on the way. "You're shaking."

Indeed it was cold for Maxim, even though he was wearing a thick stadium jacket. He was from California which had mild winters. Walking in the gusty and freezing street while still half-awake was quite something for him. "Nah," he responded. "Not cold. Just a little, you know, I was in Jakarta yesterday, I mean Thursday. I was swimming at a beach there before I flew to Frankfurt. You know, it's quite a contrast. I'll be hot again in no time."

She chuckled. "Hot again, huh? I hope a cup of strong espresso will help. Come on, walk faster, can you?"

After a couple of buttered croissants and a cup of espresso, Maxim started feeling reenergized. He asked his tour guide while eyeing her up, "So where are we going?"

"Why don't we hit together?" she said with a sly smile.

"Only if we hit naked," he chuckled. "I think I've had enough otherwise. Hey, why don't we go skinny dipping? I'm sure you have indoor pools here."

Emmanuelle gave him a glance and a smile. "Are you an Orthodox or Catholic?"

"My goodness," he said, gulping. "You're not suggesting we try it in a church, are you?"

"Try what?" asked Emmanuelle, and then she caught his meaning. She began coughing as she laughed with a blush on her face. "Oh, my God, Max. You're totally insane. How can you possibly have this iniquity in your mind?"

He was also laughing. "Well, you suggested ... I mean you asked a suggestive question..." He paused as she reached over to slap his hand, then went on, "Okay, okay. Of course I'm an Orthodox, because both my parents are, and I was baptized before I could speak. Otherwise I'd have objected to it. I never go to church anyway, not since I was eight."

Emmanuelle was still laughing when Maxim finished. It took her a little while to speak again. "I asked because I was wondering if you'd like to see Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul. It's one of the most prominent landmarks of Nantes."

"What if I'm not into trying it in a church?"

She laughed again. "Why don't we go to Université de Nantes? It's the university I'm planning to go to. We can then go to Passage Pommeraye in the afternoon."

Maxim wasn't very keen about seeing the university campus. He believed he had seen enough of them, as many juniors' events were held at college campuses. However, what mattered was who was with him, so he didn't object.

Contrary to his perception as he was given to know that the school was first found in 1460, the University of Nantes campus was very modern and also huge. Emmanuelle told him the original one was abolished during the French Revolution, and the current institution was the second replacement. "Stop nattering about trying it here and trying it there when I talk about the places and their history," she said while slapping his arm.

After a casual lunch at the campus, they went to Passage Pommeraye shopping mall which was built in the 19th century. The historic monument is a passage between two streets on very different levels with a very elaborate design that includes renaissance style sculptures. It was indeed the most attractive shopping mall that Maxim had ever been to. Despite her protests, he still bought her a silk scarf at a boutique there.

"Are you staying for tomorrow?" Emmanuelle asked him while they were having dinner at a bistro. "We can take some photographs at the Cathedral if you don't want to go inside. We can also..."

"Honey," Maxim interrupted her. "I'll be here my entire life. I'm all yours my entire life."

She chuckled. "Please be serious, Max."

"Actually, I can be here for the entire week. Heilbronn qualie doesn't start until next Friday."

"Well, Max," she said, smiling at him. "You know, I really appreciate it that you've come all the way to see me. I admit I'd been smiling all evening after you rang me. That's why I'm skipping my practices this weekend. I have to go to school and have to resume my training next week."

"I can go to school with you and then hit with you. I've got nothing to do anyway."

"Well," she chuckled. "I don't know. I mean, Max, you're not going to school with me. You can't speak French anyway. Maybe you can go to my tennis club. I don't know. Maybe they'll love to see you at the club. I mean, you're a pro, and they rarely have this opportunity. I'd also love to, too. But, wouldn't it be better if you hit with the other pros at Heilbronn?"

"I don't know," he also chuckled. "Well, that's next week. I'm still all yours today and tomorrow."

She chuckled again. "Max, do you know that you haven't stopped flirting with me all day long?"

"Don't you like it?"

"So where do you want to go after dinner?"

"Do you know what I bought you when I was in Jakarta?"

She chuckled once again. "Why didn't you show me it this morning?"

"I wasn't totally awake then," he said, smiling at her while his heart was beating rapidly. Her next response was going to determine if he was getting lucky, even though he had been feeling positive about it.

Emmanuelle didn't give him a verbal response, but she went with him to his hotel to check out what souvenir he had bought her. When they were inside his hotel room, Maxim showed her one of the colorful mini crochet skirts he had bought in Jakarta. "Do you want to try it out?" he said, staring at her long legs.

She giggled as she studied her new skirt. "Hmm," she said, rolling her eyes while glancing at him. "I don't know. I think ... yeah, maybe, when I get home."

He stepped towards her, while maintaining his smile. "Honey," he said. "I want to see how it fits you. Let me give you a hand." He gently held her in his arms and started kissing her.

Obviously Emmanuelle didn't go to his hotel room to check on the souvenir, and she received his kiss ardently. Maxim hadn't had a passionate kiss for ages, and Emmanuelle was an excellent kisser. Their tongues almost never parted while they removed one another's clothes.

Naturally, what drew the most attention from him when the kiss was over were her legs -- long, slender, sleek, and sexy legs, probably the most beautiful legs he had ever seen. He was gulping as his eyes scanned from her legs upward, and stayed at her trimmed bush. He uncontrollably moved his face over, while spreading her legs with his hands.

Emmanuelle giggled as she opened her legs while brushing his hair, "Don't act like a dog, Max. Gentle," she took a deep breath as he began licking her. "Yeah, gentle."

She might like Maxim to be gentle, but she wasn't herself. Very soon, she was moaning with delight while rubbing or scratching his shoulders fiercely. A number of times her legs were cramping against his head while he stimulated her sensitive clit. Finally he knew she had her climax when she clamped his head potently and dug her fingernails deep into his shoulder muscles.

He was nearly exploding himself. In fact, he had been worrying he'd become a quickie after a prolonged period of celibacy. After her thigh muscles had loosened, he began moving his face towards hers slowly, licking her slightly sweated skin on his way. He gave her another kiss when their lips met, and she also reached for his cock and started playing with it.

She giggled when she noticed him holding his breath. "On your back, Max," she said softly. When he had laid his back on the bed, she moved over to his groin, and started running her fingers and gliding her lips along his shaft, but omitting the tip. Maxim began groaning loudly, "Please, for Christ sake!"

He heard another giggle before he felt his tip engulfed by her soft and warm lips. She slowly took him into her mouth as her tongue kept on stimulating his tip. When she took him deeper into her mouth, she started licking around his glans. It was extremely delightful, but also a little too much for the sex-starved Maxim. Before she had him down her throat, he was beginning to convulse. He thrust himself into her mouth and started shooting.

Apparently Emmanuelle wasn't very keen on having his seeds in her stomach, because she raised her head a little as she felt it, but still kept a soft yet firm envelop over his pulsating cock.

After using the bathroom, Emmanuelle came back to the bed and snuggled up against him. In between their passionate kisses, they flirted and giggled while they caressed each other. Emmanuelle then got out of the bed. Maxim was about to ask when she picked up the crochet skirt and started putting it on. She then posed in front of him, exposing as much of her legs out from the hem as possible, and asked, "How do I look in it?"

Even though Maxim had already seen her entire body, his heartbeat still became faster. The way Emmanuelle was posing, topless and nearly bottomless, was probably the ultimate tease Maxim could imagine. He felt his blood starting to flow to his groin again. "My holy goodness," he breathed. "Come over now. I mean now!"

She giggled again. "With it or without it?"

"I don't care!" he said as he pressed his arms on the mattress to get up."

"Don't," she said, smiling teasingly. "Don't you like watching me?" She slowly pulled off the strings that held her skirt in place, then held the strings in her hand as the skirt slowly slid down her legs. She also turned her body slightly while wiggling her hips, as if performing a strip dance for him. Maxim never could have imagined it was possible to take so long for a girl to remove her skirt.

When she had finished her performance, Emmanuelle crept into the bed on her all four's, glancing at his once again hard cock, and whispered, "You're clean, aren't you, Max?"

"Of course I'm," he grunted while reaching for her arms, a little irritated by such a stupid question, as he had already shot in her mouth. However, he was also pleased by her question, because it seemed they wouldn't need a condom.

With another smile, she slapped his hand, and slowly strode atop him. "Tell me what you want, Max," she cooed.

"Oh, my God," he groaned. "What else? I want you, honey. I want you to do me!"

"Non," she said in her native language, smiling, while raising her hips to above his cock, then paused her action. "En Français."

"Oh, my God," he grunted. "Please. S'il vous plaît. Merci."

Emmanuelle gave him a sweet smile as she sank herself slowly onto him, taking his shaft into her passage of honey and milk. She halted when he was at her bottom, then bent down to kiss him, while swaying her ass gently, massaging his cock inside her with some tiny muscular motions. While still engaged in their tongue duel, he moved his hands to her hips, trying to lift her hips up a little. He wanted more fanatic actions.

With another giggle, she broke the kiss, raised her head a little and looked steadily at his eyes. "Not there," she whispered, while raising her hips gradually. "Don't you want to feel my breasts?"

Maxim didn't object, and moved his hands over to her breasts and started stroking her while she massaged his cock slowly yet pleasurably with her internal muscles. A little while later he started begging. "S'il vous plait, honey. Do me harder."

Emmanuelle smiled slyly at him, shaking her head while maintaining her pace. But before Maxim begged again, she suddenly speeded up, taking his cock all the way into her in a quick slump. He swallowed his begging and started groaning, and instinctively began applying more pressure to her breasts. Her hip movements became faster and faster, bringing a tremendous sensation to him as she started moaning.

Both of them were gnashing their teeth when Maxim intuitively moved his hands to her hips a little later, stroking and pinching her thighs randomly. He felt his urge building up.

Apparently Emmanuelle also felt his urge, and she slowed down a little. It looked like she didn't want the ride to be over yet. It was intolerable for Maxim, and he started pushing his hips while grabbing her ass. She giggled, and picked up her pace once again. She also began muttering in French as she closed her eyes, while they were both breathing loudly.

Maxim gripped her ass firmly as they thrust their groins into each other and he began exploding inside her. Emmanuelle bent down again, licking his face as he shot inside her. Obviously she wasn't there yet, and it seemed she enjoyed sex unhurriedly with a lot of teasing. Maxim decided to follow her style completely after he had recovered.

After another kiss when they gathered their breath, she got out of his bed and started putting on her clothes. "I have to go back," she said to him. "It's quite late already."

"You can't," he protested. "You're not going anywhere."

She chuckled. "I have to, honey. I'll come again tomorrow. Remember, Cathedral?"

"Well," he said, taking a few deep breaths. "All right. Okay." He also got off his bed and picked up his clothes.

"What're you doing?" she asked.

"I'm taking you home. It's quite late now."

Emmanuelle smiled at him, and then gave him another brief kiss.

The trip to her home, with her snuggling against him and speaking softly in his ear on the bus, was very enjoyable. He hadn't been in such a situation for a very long time. In fact, he hadn't even been on a public transit bus for a long while until the day before. On the contrary, the trip from her home back to his hotel was boring. He nearly missed his stop while he dozed. It was very nice of the driver to yell at him when the bus was near his hotel.

The tour to Cathedral Saint-Peter Saint-Paul, as well as the Museum and the native house of Jules Verne, on the next day, was insignificant compared to the time they had in his room. Maxim followed her style and preference this time, taking it slowly, enjoying every detail of the French art of love making.

Maxim stayed in Nantes for another two days. He mostly did nothing during the day except his school work sporadically. He also hit with Emmanuelle and her friends at her tennis club, borrowing a racquet from someone else as he had left his in Frankfurt. They didn't have sex again, as she couldn't afford the time and leisure after her school and training. She also kept suggesting that he should go to his tournament venue a little earlier to get himself better prepared.

Before he left Nantes, Maxim learned from Emmanuelle that her brother had been eliminated in the Nottinghill junior tournament in Australia. Most of his friends were also ousted, with the exception of Marlene and Joanna. He took the train back to Frankfurt on Wednesday, and transferred to Heilbronn after picking up his luggage.

-------

Indeed some other players had also arrived earlier for the Heilbronn event. It was the first Challenger tournament of the year, and many participants were not involved in other major events before and during this period. Maxim spent most of the time hitting with a few players from Germany and Eastern Europe.

When Maxim returned to his hotel room after dinner on Friday evening, he found a message on the phone from Elena. He was quite surprised as this was the first time he had a call from her while he was traveling abroad.

Elena answered the phone instantly when the call was connected. "Where have you been, Max," she spoke with an obviously anxious tone. "What takes so long?"

"I've just come back. What's up?"

"Max, your mother has an accident. She's in the hospital."

Maxim jumped as he nearly dropped the handset. "How is she?" he screamed into the phone. "What happened? When?"

"Daddy said she's still in coma and in a critical condition. They didn't know how to contact you so he called me up. Her car was hit by a truck when she was on her way to the restaurant. When are you coming back?"

"I'm coming back right now. I'll call you when I get to the airport."

Maxim called up the tournament director and told him about his emergency, then checked out of his hotel and left for Frankfurt. He had to wait at the airport with his heart and guts grinding the entire night before he could catch the first available flight for San Francisco on the next morning.



-------

Chapter 38

The 15-hour flight back to San Francisco was not just long, it was the longest flight Maxim had ever had. His father had gone to a Russian Chef convention and the restaurant staff still couldn't reach him before Maxim boarded his plane. His uncle and aunt were at the hospital with a roster of restaurant employees praying for his mother.

As soon as Maxim got off the plane at San Francisco Airport, he made a phone call to the restaurant. They had the worst news for him. His mother had passed away a few hours ago. Maxim dropped to his knees and started to cry.

It was nearly 3 p.m. when Maxim arrived at the hospital. Uncle Vladilen and his family were still outside the morgue waiting for him. Aunt Sofya had obviously been crying as her eyes were quite red. She and Maxim's mother both lived in America with their biological families staying in Russia, so they were quite close to each other. Following a sniffing hug with them, Maxim begged the staff to let him see his mother's corpse. They had to call in the security guards to get Maxim out of the morgue afterwards as he didn't want to leave.

Once the security guards had left, Maxim realized that someone was missing. While still sniffing and wiping tears off his face, he asked his uncle, "Where's my dad?"

"He's on his way back."

"What? On his way? I've flown fifteen hours all the way from the other end of the globe, and he's still on his way? How far away is Colorado Springs?"

"They couldn't reach him until a few hours ago."

Maxim started swearing and hitting the wall. It took Aunt Sofya, Yuri, and Viktor quite a while to calm him down. After that, his twin cousins didn't leave him alone.

The hospital staff wanted them to take the personal belongings they had removed from his mother when she was taken into the emergency room. Among the items were the Longines watch and a sterling silver necklace which Maxim had given his mother. He took them out of the bag and put them into his pocket before leaving the hospital with his uncle's family. They took Maxim to their home and stayed with him.

-------

Maxim's mother was to be interred in Olivet Memorial Park at the southern side of San Francisco. The funeral was held on Friday because the brother of Maxim's mother -- her only alive blood relative who lived in Russia -- needed a couple of days to have his visa processed.

During the funeral, Maxim was surprised to see Marlene and his other friends who had just come back from the Australian Open. Marlene, Joanna, and Glenn had all been eliminated the day before, and instead of staying for a mini vacation, they had opted to rush back to attend his mother's funeral. Irene, Nick, Lawrence, and some of his other tennis friends were also there. Al Harrington and Ted Singer flew over from New York to give him condolences on behalf of their company.

Besides his twin cousins assigned to look after him, Elena had been staying with Maxim throughout the ceremony. She was one of the few who understood Maxim's passion for his mother.

A reception was held at the Khimin's restaurant for the guests after the ceremony. His father was staying behind at the restaurant, but Maxim decided to go once his friends had left. His twin cousins offered him a ride while their parents took care of their half-cousin from Russia.

Maxim hadn't been involved in any physical activities for the entire week, but he felt like he was totally worn out. He half-lay in the backseat of the Camry as Yuri drove. After a while he asked his cousins the question again: what took them so long to reach his father; why couldn't they leave a message at the convention?

"Haven't you talked with your dad?" Yuri said.

"No."

"Max," Viktor said. "There's no..." He was interjected by his brother, "Shut up, Vik!"

"What is it?" Maxim asked, sitting up. But Viktor had turned to his twin brother. "Yuri," he said. "He's going to know sooner or later."

"What the fuck is it?" Maxim asked again, raising his voice.

"Max," Viktor said, turning around to look at him. "There's no convention. I made a number of calls and it didn't seem right, so I checked. There's no fucking convention. Your dad wasn't at a fucking convention. He was there on a fucking vacation. He was on a fucking side trip when the accident occurred. That's why nobody could fucking reach him."

"Why the fuck would he be taking a fucking vacation alone? So he's been on fucking vacations all these fucking years?"

"Beats me," Viktor said, while turning back to the front. "I just know things don't seem all right."

"Turn back, Yuri," Maxim screamed loudly. "I'm going back to ask the fucking bastard."

Maxim raised his voice even more when there was no response from his cousin. "Turn the fuck back, Yuri!" he yelled. "Turn the fucking car back!"

Yuri pulled the car to a hard stop at the curb, then turned around. "Max," he said, looking at Maxim. "What do you expect to hear from your dad?"

Maxim took a few deep breaths as he slowly sprawled into the seat. "I don't know," he responded weakly. "I don't fucking know. But he's got to tell the fucking truth."

"He won't," Yuri said, also taking deep breaths. "Max, if there's someone who knows your dad more than your mom, who is it?"

"Pavel Titov the chef, who else? But he doesn't talk to me much and he speaks less English than grandpa. Why the fuck didn't I see him today?"

"Must be hangover," Yuri said slowly. "He drank too much last night and I had a talk with him before he passed out. Max, you have a half-sis. She's seven."

"What?" Maxim nearly jumped through the car roof. Viktor also looked shocked and stared at Yuri. It seemed he wasn't there when the private conversation took place.

"Your dad's got a mistress."

For several minutes, there was only sound of deep breaths inside the car. Then Maxim started screaming, "Mother fucker! Mother fucking cheater! He killed mom. He cheated on her back and went fucking cheating, leaving mom to do his work and she got killed. Mother fucking son of a bitch!"

"Yuri," Maxim went on, waving his arms vigorously in the air. "Let's go back. I'm going to kill him. Let's go. Let's go kill the fucking son of a bitch."

It took the twin another while to calm him down, and then Maxim started weeping. "I should've taken her to Germany with me," he sniffed. "Then she wouldn't have got killed."

A while later Viktor asked Maxim if he was going home. "No," he bawled. "I'm not going back to the mother fucker's home. Wait. I'm going back now. I'm going to get my stuff and never go back. Give me a hand, Yuri, Viktor, please."

Maxim never knew he had so many personal belongings in his bedroom. It took all of his BMW and the twin's Camry to hold his stuff. Then he remembered something else. He went into his parents' master bedroom and started searching, until he found his mother's jewelry box. He took the Mexican bracelet and other tiny gifts he had bought for his mother.

When they gathered again on the driveway, Maxim went over to the front yard. He picked up a palm-size stone, then threw it at the master bedroom window and broke the glass. He then walked to the stunned twin. "Tell the mother fucking cheater who broke his glass," he sneered, still with tears in his eyes.

"Where do you want to take this stuff?" Viktor said, pointing at the bags in the Camry.

"Can you leave them at your garage for a while?"

"I'm not sure," Viktor said with hesitation. "I don't know how much my dad knows. I don't think mom knows about your dad's crap."

"Let's put them at Elena's home first. I'll have to go pick her up anyway."

Naturally, Mrs. Mushtakova and her daughters were quite surprised to see the three young men dropping cartons and bags into their small apartment, but they didn't raise any objection. After the twin had left, Maxim briefly told them the background story, which led to some bitter remarks from the females. They had a meal together before Maxim drove Elena back to the Academy.

Irene was also surprised to see Maxim moving his stuff into their flat. She asked him about it when he was finished. Maxim blasted about his cheating father. "I'm sorry to hear that," Irene said. "But you call him a cheater..."

"No!" Maxim howled. "He's not a cheater. He's a mother fucking son of a bitch cheater!"

"Have you ever cheated behind your girls?"

Maxim dropped back and sprawled on the couch. "I've never hurt anyone," he said weakly.

Irene looked at his eyes for a while. "Max," she said softly. "You will. Some day you will." She then stood up and went into her bedroom.

Maxim didn't know how long he had been sprawled on the couch thinking about Irene's remark. He took a couple of deep breathes and went over to open her door. Irene was changing, and she immediately grabbed a piece of clothing to shield her body from his eyes. "Get out," she screamed at him.

He ignored her screaming. "I won't, Irene. I won't ever cheat." He closed her door and started walking towards his room. A few steps later he realized what he had just seen, and went back to open her door again. "Nice body, Irene," he said, and then quickly closed her door when she started throwing pillows at him.

He was about to get ready for a shower when Irene swung open his bedroom door. "Max," she yelled at him. "You touch my door one more time, and you're out!"

Shocked, Maxim looked at his angry housemate, who had already changed into her camisole and shorts. "Well, I'm sorry, Irene, but I needed to tell you about it. It's important, isn't it?"

"What did you say?"

"I told you I won't ever cheat."

"Max," Irene said, chuckling. "I have yet to hear a guy admitting he'll cheat. They all say no."

He glared at Irene. "I won't fucking cheat! My mom was killed because of a mother fucking son of a bitch cheater."

"Let's see," Irene responded, with an expression showing great reservation. "Don't you dare to ever touch my door again."

"Irene, why did you ask me to share your flat if you didn't trust me?"

"I trust you, Max," she said, looking at his face. "Even though you're a jerk. It's about respect, don't you get it? Oh, and don't you swear at me again."

"And don't you ever swing open my door again, Irene, unless you want to see me change in front of you."

"Jerk," she scoffed at him, and then went out of his room.

"Wait," Maxim called as he followed Irene out of his room. "Irene, I need your covered parking space. I've bought a convertible from a former schoolmate."

"I don't care if it's a convertible or a boat," Irene said, turning around with a sly smile. "The covered car park is mine, unless you pay me a hundred a month."

"Oh my fu ... fu ... goodness," he grunted, grabbing her shoulders forcefully. "Give it to me, or I'm gonna ... Damn, all right, fifty, please!"

Irene gave him a gratified smile as she showed him her palm. "Money?"

-------

A couple of days later, Paul Kowalski invited Maxim and Irene to have dinner at his condo. Even though Paul was only living with his wife, as their kids had grown up and moved out long before they came to California, they had a three-bedroom condo with lake views at the rear.

It was only the second time Irene had met Priscilla, but she got along with her pretty well. Priscilla talked with her for a while, then gave her some photo albums of her kids, before she went into the kitchen to check on the food she was preparing.

Paul's dog was a golden retriever called Goofy, which had been sniffing and licking Maxim ever since he was inside the coach's condo. "Goofy seems to like you a lot, Max," said Irene, chuckling. "Did you have a dog back at home?"

"Not since I was bitten by a bulldog when I was five," he said, while brushing the big dog. "I used to be very scared of dogs until I'd no problem kicking them into the ditches. I think Goofy mistakes me as a gay dog."

After some chuckles, Paul asked Irene when her next tournament was. Irene worked with another trainer at the Academy and Paul couldn't remember her schedules. "February five," Irene said. "Mar Del Plata, Argentina. And then Midland in mid February."

"Midland's not far from our home," Priscilla said from the kitchen. "We live in Ann Arbor. I still need to get back to settle some unfinished business. Maybe we can hang out together if the time's right."

During their dinner, Irene asked Mrs. Kowalski if she worked. "I used to be a fitness instructor," she said. "That was when I was still fit." She chuckled with the others, and then went on. "I quit to raise our three kids, while raking up players stats for Paul. Since the Academy has someone doing the stats, I'm thinking about picking up fitness training again, that is if I can get myself fit first."

After her chuckle, Irene asked, "So do you work with computers, Priscilla?"

"Yes. It took my son a full year to train me on that," Priscilla said, smiling. "He's always been a computer maniac. He's now working as a network engineer in Detroit."

"Can I borrow your computer when I do my essay?" Irene said. "It's my last project before I can get my high school diploma."

"Sure," Priscilla said. "But why didn't you buy one, or the two of you share one. How do you do your papers, Max?"

"I pay a kid at the Academy ten bucks an hour. Al suggested that I buy a computer, but they are expensive. Well, Irene, Priscilla's right. Maybe we can share a computer, then I can ask Elena to type my papers for free."

Irene chuckled with them and said, "What a jerk, Max. Every time I see her at the flat, she's helping you clean up your mess, and you're even thinking of asking her to type your papers up for nothing."

"Hey, Elena loves doing things for me. Irene, you have no idea how much I've done for her. Anyway, are we sharing a computer?"

"I only have one more essay to go," she said. "And then I'm done with my school. Max, for Christ sake, I've let you use my fax machine. Go buy a computer and let me use it for my essay. You make a lot more than I do. You jerk!"

"Irene, do you know I've been in the red since I was born? I finally made a little surplus at Jakarta, and then the goddamn airline ... Do you know how much they charge me on that goddamn ticket from Frankfurt? Fifteen hundred! Fifteen goddamn Hundred for a single trip! All thanks to that mother ... that ... that ... damn it, that jerk who had my mom killed!"

"Are they going to prosecute the truck driver?" asked Priscilla.

"I don't know," Maxim sighed. "I don't fu ... I don't know. That goddamn jerk's following it, not me. I can't. I don't fu ... I don't think he cares. Last I heard, the fu ... the cops said the goddamn truck driver claimed he was avoiding a kid jaywalking. I don't know. I don't fu ... I don't know. All I know is if the goddamn jerk wasn't cheating, mom wouldn't have died. Mother ... asshole."

They waited until his agitation had faded a little before Priscilla talked again. "Irene, you can come over anytime you want for your essay."

"What about me?" asked Maxim, as Irene gave Priscilla a thankful smile.

"I'll think about it, Max," Priscilla said. "I don't like the idea of you having Elena or whoever to do your work for free. I think I'd want you to pay to use my computer."

"That's sexual discrimination. It's illegal."

Priscilla laughed, then ignored Maxim and talked to Irene again. "Do you play golf, Irene?"

"Only a little," Irene said. "I haven't touched my clubs for over a year."

"Take them with you to Midland," Priscilla said excitedly. "We'll start playing from there all the way back here."

While walking back to their condo after the dinner, Maxim asked Irene how she started playing golf. "Did that cheater instructor teach you?"

"To start with," she said slowly. "I've never played with him after we got involved."

"That's natural. You got something nicer to play with," he chuckled as Irene glared at him. "Hey, Irene, have you ever tried it on the golf course?"

"Jerk!"

"That means yes," he chuckled again, and started striding faster as she tried to kick him from behind.

After returning to their flat, Maxim spent quite some time preparing his thank-you cards to his friends who had attended his mother's ceremony, as well as responding to those who had sent him condolence cards or notes. It took him a while thinking what to write on his response to Jane's card, even though she didn't write much on hers. He eventually addressed it to her entire family and called himself 'Always, Max'. He started working on his schoolwork afterwards, as his teacher and tutor had already resumed their work, chucking him with hours of homework and readings.

A couple of nights later, Maxim got a phone call from Celine. She had just learned of his mother's accident and called to offer her condolences. She also blamed him for not letting her know. "Then how did you know about it?" he asked.

"The news had spread at Davenport," she said. "You made me feel so bad, Max. You helped me made it through when my parents passed away, and I didn't get to do the same when you were in the same situation."

"Sorry about that," Maxim said. "I ... well, I'm getting better now. I'm a strong person. I always make it through. I ... fuck, I still hate myself for not taking her to Germany with me. You know, she's been working her butt off all her life. She didn't have much time for joy. She ... If I'd turned pro earlier, I could've made enough to take her with me instead." He began weeping. "The fucking bastard had her killed before I could do anything for her."

Celine soothed him, and told him not to blame himself. Towards the end of the conversation, he also accused her of not keeping her promise. "You still haven't sent me your bathrobe and pic."

"That's your collateral," she chuckled. "You'll get them after you've made all your payments."

"I hate you, Celine. I hate you very much. By the way, I'll be playing at Philadelphia around the end of this month. Are you going to watch me play?"

"I may. I can't promise you right now."

"That means a yes. Celine, if I don't see you there, I'm going to break into your apartment, then kidnap you and sell you to Nigeria."

"Wow," she chuckled again. "I think I'm moving tonight. Should I move to Santa Arcata or Nigeria?"

"I've changed my mind. I'm not kidnapping you. I'll let you abuse me sexually. I won't resist."

Celine laughed for quite a while before wishing him well again and then hung up.

-------

The following Saturday, Maxim and Elena made another trip to San Francisco to get some of his remaining items. They stayed at her home for dinner. Olga pulled them into a corner while her mother was busy in the kitchen. She had some news for Max about his family which she learned from her father: Maxim's 'step-mother' and half-sister had moved into their house. The mistress had once worked at the restaurant as a maître d. Apparently they had hooked up during or just after that period.

"Doesn't matter," Maxim said to Elena and Olga. "I'm not going back. I don't care about the bastard anyway. I'm not using his money. I'm not driving his car. I'm not living in his house. He's not my dad. He's nobody. I don't have a dad."

"You're not eighteen yet," Elena said.

"So what?" Maxim sneered. "What's he going to do about me? Scratch my contracts? He's not living to see another sunrise if he does that."

The two girls looked into each other's eyes and immediately stopped talking about Maxim's family. They started talking about skating and board games. After dinner, Elena wanted to stay there for the night, so Maxim asked Mrs. Mushtakova if he could also stay at their apartment. "I don't have a place to stay," Maxim said.

"You can sleep on the couch," Elena said. "I'll sleep with Olga."

Elena's father looked a little anxious when he came home that night. He waited until his daughters were asleep, then told his wife and Maxim that the atmosphere at the restaurant had become quite tense. Some longtime staff who had been close to Maxim's mother didn't quite approve of their boss's quick deed of bringing his mistress and daughter home, and a split of loyalty seemed to have developed. Mr. Mushtakov was worried about his job security. Even though he didn't take a stand, he was quite close to Maxim and his mother.

There was nothing Maxim could do to help, he could only tell Mr. Mushtakov not to worry. He turned down the volume of the TV and watched it for a while before he hit the sack on the couch.

When Maxim and Elena returned to his flat on Sunday morning, he found a clothing sponsorship check in the mail. He thought about it, and called up Anthony to help him buy a computer. They went to pick up the Chinese American and then went over to a computer store. "So the computer's only for typing essays and emailing?" Anthony asked. "You're not playing games with it, right?"

"Nah," Maxim said. "How the heck can you have time to play games with it, besides your training, school, and girl's? I don't understand."

"I don't understand you either, Max. But then, you may have had more girls than I have games."

"Stop bulling, Anthony. Which computer best suits me and is the cheapest?"

Anthony stopped at an aisle and pointed at the smaller ones. "Why don't you buy a laptop computer?" he suggested. "Then in case you need it, you can take it with you on your trips."

"Just find me the cheapest one that can work for me at the moment," Maxim said, then he had another thought. "What would you suggest if I'm buying a computer for a lot of writing?"

"Who's it for?"

"Damn, Anthony, just show me the stuff. Okay, I'll buy you a game. You're not wasting your time."

"And a graphics card?"

"Fu ... Damn you, Anthony," Maxim said, glancing at the snickering Elena. "How much is a graphics card?"

After their purchases, Anthony said to Maxim, "I thought you were going to buy the other computer as well."

"Nah, I was just checking out information for a friend. I'll tell him about the stuff. Now we're going to buy a desk for this damn computer and a couple of bookshelves, then we'll go for lunch, and then you're going to my condo to set up that damn fax software you've been talking about."

"I don't have the software," Anthony said. "I'll have to ask a friend for it. I'll give you a call when I have it."

When Maxim and Elena went back to his flat, he connected the computer so the little girl could play Solitaire on it, while he assembled the computer desk. After setting up the computer desk in a corner in the sitting room, and moving the computer over, he carried the shelves into his room and continued with his work. When he came out, Elena was watching TV. He called her into his room and showed her how he had placed his trophies and souvenirs on the shelves.

"Is that my trophy?" she said, while going over to check on the smallest trophy that was placed at the center of the shelves.

"Of course it is," Maxim chuckled. "It's the most important one, isn't it?"

"They don't match," Elena said while turning around to smile at him. "You should've put the bigger and smaller ones apart. Like, the Wimbledon cup should go to the center. I'll do it after the movie." She started walking out.

"What movie are you watching?" he said, and followed her out.

"Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken."

"I don't think that I have watched it before. I've got wild hearts, many of them. How come they get broken so easily?"

Elena chuckled as she climbed onto the couch. "Are you coming to watch it with me?"

Maxim watched it for a little while. It was a movie about a teenage girl's adventure during The Depression. While the actress who played the girl was quite cute and pretty, the movie seemed to be half over, and he had no clue as to what they were talking about. He decided to get back to his unpacking job.

When he came into the sitting room again, the movie was almost over. He watched the ending with Elena, and then she went into his room to reshuffle the trophies. She placed hers on the left side, aligning with his other smaller trophies. "How's that? Plates go to the right, and cups to the top."

"Your call, Elena," he said. "You're smarter than me on this. Are you going back now or are you staying to have dinner with me? And how was that movie? It didn't seem like a family movie, was it?"

"The movie was sweet. It's touching, and it's quite romantic."

"Romantic, huh?" Maxim chuckled. He was quite surprised at Elena's remark as, in his opinion she wasn't supposed to know anything about romance yet. "How romantic was it to you, Elena?"

"It's so obvious in Al's eyes and behavior," Elena said, then giggled. "And the guy who plays Al's so hot."

"Wow, hotter than me?"

"Yeah," she said, laughing. "A lot!"

After his laughter, Maxim repeated his question, "Elena, are you staying here for dinner?"

"No, of course no. Your fridge has nothing in it except ice cream. Pizza Hut!"

The next evening, Maxim went back to the computer store. He wanted the computer Anthony suggested, and asked the salesman if he could have it shipped to North Carolina. "Not a problem," the salesman said. "Let me check the shipping cost for you."

"It's a gift," he said.

"Sir, we don't wrap our computers in fancy papers."

"No, you don't. I'm just telling you the recipient is not me. Can you enclose a card for me?"

"Sorry, sir. It doesn't go from here. It'll go from our distributing warehouse."

"Okay," Maxim said. "Just put down a note that it's from me. I'll send her the card myself. Here's the address." He gave the salesman a slip with Gail's name and address on it.

Anthony came over a couple of days later to help him install the fax software on his computer, as well as setting up an internet connection and some email accounts for Maxim and Irene. Anthony also drew up step-by-step instructions for using these utilities for Maxim and his housemate.

On Friday evening, Maxim got the call from Gail that he had been expecting. He didn't have her phone number, but he had asked the salesman to include his phone number on the delivery instructions, and he knew she would call him when she received the computer. "Max," she said on the phone. "Why did you send me a computer?"

"So you don't have to use correction tape anymore"

"Oh, my God," she sighed into the phone. "How much did you pay for it? I'm sending you a check."

"I'll tear the check into pieces unless you deliver it in person."

Gail started laughing. "My God, Max," she said, panting a little. "Stop playing games with me."

"I'm not, Gail," he said, smiling at the phone. "I hope it'll be helpful when you write your novel. Will you send me an autographed copy once it's published? Oh, I don't have caller-ID on my phone. Why don't you give me your phone number?"

"No, I'm not giving you my number. We've agreed that we won't talk."

"But you're talking with me now."

Gail started laughing again. "Oh, my God, Max," she said. "You're playing with me."

"Don't you like it?"

"No."

"Come on, Gail. You're smiling, aren't you?"

"No," she chuckled. "Max, please. Don't send me any gifts again, okay? Please promise me."

"No, I'll send you birthday presents and Christmas gifts. I'm not sending you a computer again."

"Don't send anything expensive, okay?"

"Depends on how much I can make. If I win the US Open, I'll send you a car. Do you like Mercedes or BMW more?"

"You do it, we'll never talk again."

"Cool, Gail," he chuckled. "So we'll be talking. Give me your damn phone number now!"

"How's your school, Max," she said after some more laughter, and apparently switching topic. "You only wrote about distance learning. How've you been doing?"

"Phone number first," he said. "Then we'll talk about my school."

"My God, Max," she said, laughing again. "I'll enclose it in my letter next time if you tell me everything about your school now."



-------

Chapter 39




WARNING: This chapter contains a scene with interracial conflict. While no degradation and stance were made to and intended for any ethnic background, those who find this subject matter sensitive may want to skip this chapter.



-------

On Saturday, Maxim drove to Los Gatos, which was on the southwest corner of San Jose, to play at the qualifying rounds of San Jose Open. The tournament was the first American west coast stop on the worldwide men's pro tour and had many big name players, including Sampras, Agassi, and Chang, competing.

Maxim was accepted into the qualifying. There were another two of Al Harrington's clients playing: Stephen Fox also from qualifying, and Tommy Lee in the main draw. Maxim had met Steven at the US Open the previous year but didn't know Tommy yet. Steven was eight years older than Maxim and had been in professional tennis for a number of years. He had been a top-100 player for a while, but had fallen out of it for a couple of years. Tommy was an Asian-American five years older than Maxim. He had some record breaking achievements when he first turned professional, but didn't progress well afterwards, and had been hampered by injuries throughout most of his career.

Even though this tournament was a high level tour event, there were fewer competitions for entry into the qualifying than many Challenger events. There were another two similar events held during the same period. The one in Dubai, U.A.E., offered a much bigger prize money pool and thus drew more players who were starved for cash. The one in Marseille, France, attracted more European qualifier-hopefuls because of its location.

A few of Maxim's friends were also playing in the main draw, including Lawrence Robinson, who was given a college player wild card. Elena and her family had wanted to go watch him play, but qualifying matches at this event were not open to spectators due to limited space at the qualifying venue. They would see him if he could make it into the main draw and play in the evening.

Maxim's first round qualifying opponent was also a rookie and was almost 700 below him in ranking. They played early in the afternoon. It was supposed to be a one-sided match, and it was in the first set, which Maxim lost. He hadn't competed since his mother's death and he knew he was a little out of competition form, both physically and mentally. It took him a lot of effort to concentrate while he struggled to come back and win the following two closely fought sets. He heaved a relieved sigh after the match.

Since the venue was less than an hour's drive away from his home, Maxim had opted to do the daily traveling instead of staying at the hotel to save costs and discuss his game plans with his trainers back at the Academy. Paul would watch him play if he could make it into the main draw. Maxim might have to play two matches on Sunday if he could advance in the morning.

On Sunday morning, Maxim had a brief warm-up hitting with Steven Fox, who had also survived the first day. Maxim won his morning match with ease, but struggled in the afternoon match. The guy was also a pro rookie and Maxim had beaten him in a junior event the previous year. Both of them made many mistakes, Maxim managed to grab one more chance than his opponent and served better to win the close match. At least he was in the main draw now.

Maxim was scheduled to play in the evening on the first day of the main draw, so he was going to have a crowd of supporters from Elena's family and the Academy to cheer for him. He met with Lawrence at the practice court for some light hitting and a chat. Lawrence had a bad draw and was playing the top seeded Agassi on the first day. Likewise, Tommy Lee was going to play against Sampras. Maxim himself had a quite good draw, playing against a non-seeded player.

Mrs. Mushtakova and Olga were the first of Maxim's supporters to arrive at San Jose Arena. They were using the guest passes he had applied for them, as Olga had never been to a players lounge before and she was eager to see it. "Good luck, Max," Olga said after checking out the lounge, and then clapped a hand with Maxim.

"Thanks, Olga," he said. "Good luck to you at Berkeley, too." The little girl was going to Pacific Coast figure skating championships in ten days time.

Olga gestured him to bend down, and then whispered in his ear, "Berkeley's my last tournament. Daddy's fired by your jerk father. He's working at a bakery now. Mommy says money's tight."

Maxim was shocked. "How many people has the bastard fired?"

"I don't know. Sometimes daddy says four, sometimes he says six."

"How the hell can the bastard find that many staff so fast?"

"How do I know?"

"Fu ... Bastard!" Maxim sneered. He felt sorry for Mr. Mushtakov. He was paying a price for a clash he wasn't involved in. Their finances were already tight before the incident, and it seemed it would take quite a while for them to get through. He leaned closer to the little girl. "Don't worry, Olga," he said. "I'll put you through the training and tests. I'm your big bro, am I not?"

"Deal," Olga said, smiling at him, while raising her hand and crooked her little finger with Maxim. "Of course you are."

After a noisy chat with his Academy friends and Elena a little later, Maxim saw a few unexpected supporters. His aunt and his twin cousins were waving at him. It was the first time he had seen his cousins at his competitions, including juniors and local events before he went to the Academy. He went over and gave them each a firm hug. "How do you know about this?" he asked, while smiling with a little embarrassment, as he had never told them about his schedules.

"Max," Yuri said, chuckling. "It's in the newspapers."

"Well," he said. "I, um, okay. I'll keep you folks posted. Faster than from the newspapers."

Aunt Sofya chuckled with her sons, and then leaned forward and put a small folded slip of paper in his hand. "A friend told me rookies can't make enough money to cover expenses," she whispered. "Let me know if you need more."

The folded paper was a check. Even before finding out the amount, Maxim already felt wetness in his eyes. It was the first time Aunt Sofya had given him money, and obviously she was doing it for his late mother. It meant a lot to him, no matter what the amount was. He held her firmly in his arms as he sniffled.

The check was only for a few hundred dollars when Maxim unfolded it later inside the players lounge. His uncle was an auto mechanic and made a decent living, but like most American middle class families, they didn't have too much spare money. They had also been saving up for their twin son's college education. He knew the relationship between him and his uncle's family had changed drastically, not because of the money, but because of the emotions involved.

His opponent that evening was a veteran near the top-100. Maxim played an excellent match and beat him in straight sets. He felt great afterwards. He had people he loved who watched him play, and he was able to reward them with satisfaction. He spent quite some time celebrating the moment with them after his post-match interview.

Maxim was the only happy face among his competing friends; all of them had lost in the first round. Lawrence returned to Stanford for his classes, while the others left for Memphis where their next tournament was held.

Since his second round match was scheduled in the morning two days later, Maxim didn't have his own crowd cheering for him. And unlike his first round match in which he played fabulously, Maxim had a sluggish start. After losing the first set, he habitually looked at the stand where his coach and friends usually stayed. Paul Kowalski was his only friend there, but for a split second, Maxim seemed to see his mother's face. The hallucination brought back painful memories, and he couldn't maintain focus anymore. He gave up and lost the match hideously. He was glad his friends weren't there to witness him being slashed by his opponent.

Paul was still shaking his head when Maxim saw him after his media conference. He was expecting some ear-bashing from his coach on their way back later that day, but Paul didn't say anything about tennis. Instead, he talked about how he and his wife went to various overseas tournaments together after their kids had grown up.

Irene had already been eliminated from her singles competition at the Midland tournament, but she was doing very well in the doubles. She was also going to stay behind with Priscilla in Ann Arbor for a few days after her tournament, so both Maxim and Paul were alone at home. They went to Paul's condo, had some snacks and drinks, and talked about traveling and other topics until quite late.

Even though San Jose ended up being disheartening for Maxim, he had made about $5,000 in prize money and had boosted his ranking by more than 50 steps. The statistical result was actually quite good for a rookie like him. His financial situation had now improved somehow, even though he still owed a lot in outstanding debts.

Maxim had a relaxing day on Thursday at his training facility before his flight to Memphis, Tennessee, on the following morning. He ran into Marlene outside the fitness center and they had a talk. "Are you still thinking about going to college?" he asked. "Or straight into the pros? You've been doing pretty well since we've started exchanging tongues."

Marlene laughed and slapped his arm before she talked. "I'm going to college, but I can't decide between Stanford, Berkeley, or UCLA yet."

"Both Stanford and Berkeley are good, not UCLA."

"Why?"

"Because I live here. Los Angeles is a little too far away."

Marlene chuckled and slapped his arm again. "That's not a consideration, Max. I miss Daniela a lot. That's one of the considerations about UCLA."

"This coming fall?"

"Max," she said. "I'm still in junior year. Use your brain. Well, since I can't play juniors next year, I'm putting in more classes, and hopefully I can go to college in Spring. I'm skipping Asuncion Bowl and Banana Bowl."

"What about Japan? Are you also skipping it?"

"I don't know," she chuckled. "I like it there. I didn't see enough of it last year, and I'm not sure if I'll have another chance in future. Hey, how does it feel going pro?"

"Good and bad. Good part is I'm at least making some money, so I don't have to see the fucking bastard's face. You know, if I'd turned pro a few months earlier, I could've made some more money to take my mom to Germany with me. Fucking bastard!"

"Max," she said. "I feel sorry for your loss, too. But please don't swear like a trooper to me. What's bad about pro?"

"Sorry, honey," Maxim said. "Well, you know, I'd rather be here, so I can get a tongue a day."

"Gee, Max," Marlene sighed, and then glared at him. "I'm not your honey. And no tongue talk, please!"

"Okay. But I miss your hand pushing on my chest. It's so arousing."

"Gee," she chuckled. "Is there a thing that won't get you aroused?"

"Nothing. Not from you, Marlene."

-------

Maxim's jinx from the hallucination he had in San Jose seemed to have followed him to Memphis. He no longer looked at the stand while playing his match, but still lost his first round qualifying match terribly. It was the first time he had lost in qualifying since turning professional. He ignored the consolations from his friends and went back to his hotel room. He stared at the ceiling while lying on the bed, contemplating his future, until he dozed off.

The first thing Maxim did the next morning was to call up Celine. "Have you woken up yet?" he asked her over the phone.

"Yeah, by you," she said with a dry and breathy voice.

He chuckled. "I'm out in Memphis. I'm going to New York now. I don't have a place to stay there. Do you have a spare room?"

Celine began chuckling. "Max," she said, still carrying the breathy voice, but in a more sober tone. "You've picked the wrong moment. I have some relatives from France staying here until Wednesday. Do you really have no place to stay?"

"Damn," he said, laughing. "Do I get to see you, then?"

Celine also laughed as he didn't answer her question. "Max, you're a pig," she said. "Of course we'll meet, but let's make it after Wednesday. Do you want it in Philly or New York?"

"I don't care. My qualie matches start on Saturday, so I've got a lot of time before that. Why don't we make it in New York, then you can show me your home afterwards."

Celine laughed again, and then fixed a time with him before she hung up.

Maxim rescheduled his flight and then went for his breakfast at the hotel coffee shop. He saw Nick in the elevator, who instead took him to a café that was five minutes' walk away. There were already some players having their breakfasts at the restaurant. It seemed this was a favorite place for many of them. Very soon Maxim understood why. The crisp and golden brown small-tread waffles were just too good to miss. In contrast, the bland food offered at most US tournament venues were often sources of complaints from the players.

The tournament site was also just a few minutes' walk away from both the hotel and the café. Maxim went to the venue after his breakfast to settle his accounts, then have some workouts at the gym, before he checked out of his hotel and went to the airport.

-------

After a lone and boring dinner in a Philadelphia suburb hotel, Maxim got a phone call from Stephen Fox. He had just been eliminated in the final qualifying round at Memphis. Stephen checked with Maxim about his plans, and then suggested hitting together during the week when the veteran came over to The City of Brotherly Love.

During the week, Maxim joined a couple of tours around the city as well as hitting with Stephen Fox and a few other players. On Thursday, he took a Greyhound coach to New York City to see Celine and her friends.

The handsome Calvin and unappealing Robert were at Times Square bus terminal waiting for Maxim. "Celine's still at work," said Calvin. "She'll meet us at the restaurant."

They took Maxim to a French bistro in Upper East Side of Manhattan. The place was softly lit and hummed with mellow conversation. Decorating the walls were framed book jackets, which Calvin told him belonged to several famous author customers. Perhaps it was because of his knowledge that Robert was gay and therefore not competing for Celine, Maxim found himself able to talk with him in a much friendlier manner.

While waiting for Celine, Calvin told Maxim he had been accepted by The School of Visual Arts in New York City for the fall semester. Robert was going to The Juilliard School, one of the world's premier performing arts conservatories also situated in the city, while exploring opportunities in musicals. Even though Celine had officially quit school and had taken her GED, she still planned to get enrolled in college on a part-time basis.

Celine looked elegant and charming when she showed up a little later. Her classy business dress suited her very well, even though Maxim preferred her in casual dresses, or rather no dress at all. She picked braised ducks for Maxim and Robert from the menu while she and Calvin both had daily special fish prepared à la meunière. Maxim especially liked his dessert of poached pears with ice cream and chocolate sauce.

It seemed Celine enjoyed having meal with Maxim a lot. Obviously she hadn't had flirtatious chats for a long time. She and her friends laughed regularly as Maxim talked. After their dinner, Calvin and Robert claimed they both still had some schoolwork to finish and left. Celine turned to Maxim and asked if he would like to have a cup of tea with her.

Without hesitation, Maxim accepted the offer, and his heart started pounding, hoping she was taking him home instead of to a coffee shop. "It's just a few minutes' walk from here," she said, while smiling at him. She then walked over to a silver color Mercedes on the curbside and talked with the driver briefly before returning to Maxim and started walking with him.

"Sometimes I like walking in the chilling gust," she said, turning her face toward the breeze. "It freshens up my mind."

"Is that your car," Maxim asked as he saw the Mercedes pull away. "And is that your chauffeur? I thought you'd be driving your Porsche or Ferrari here."

"Yes. It's my car and he's my chauffeur. I don't drive here. The traffic's too messy and parking is too big a problem. Tong's been my father's chauffeur for a few years. I've kept him for both Uncle Baudouin and myself. He's very nice and responsible."

Maxim's heart nearly popped out of his mouth when they walked into a luxury high-rise condominium on East 78th Street. The main lobby was as elegant as the best hotel he had been to, with a doorman opening doors for them, and a concierge greeting them as well as escorting them to the elevator.

Her flat had a high floor with a south exposure that allowed a fabulous night view of the midtown. Decoration was stylish yet cozy. Every piece of painting or ornament seemed to be precious. He stood behind the insulated glass door at the balcony watching the night view while Celine let their tea brew.

By the time they had their tea on the couch, his excitement and nervousness were already putting him on the edge. While she talked, he smiled and sipped his tea, trying to moisten his dried up mouth.

Celine had also quieted down. She stared at her cup while stirring it with her spoon, a gesture Maxim had seen a number of times before and knew she was about to either talk or show him something special. She raised her head and smiled at him again. "Max, do you remember the question you asked me the most when we were in Santa Arcata?"

"That I've always wanted you. And I still do."

She burst out laughing loudly. "That's a remark, Max, not a question."

"Oh," he chuckled. "The color of your underwear?"

"No," she said, still laughing. "You never asked that one. You just kept peeping."

"Oh. Are you horny?"

She dropped her head as she laughed again. "Be serious, Max."

"What happened to you during the spring break?"

"I broke up with Severine."

"What?" he gasped, staring at her, and nearly jumped off from the couch.

"I'm gay," she said softly, while looking at his face steadily.

"But, but..." he stuttered. "You'd been Calvin's girlfriend, and ... and Severine wasted me like no other woman had ever been."

"Max," she said, looking at his eyes. "Most lesbians, maybe even all of them, have dated guys at one point or another. I didn't even know I was a lesbian until after, you know, quite some time. Severine swings. She's a bi. You were for her, not for me."

It took Maxim quite a while to recover from his shock. "I know I was for her, but I've been hoping," he said, and chuckled with her. "So, so ... So, Celine, are you still a virgin?"

"No," she giggled. "That was part of the learning process in realizing my sexual orientation."

"Lucky bastard," he chuckled. "It's him, right?"

"Are you crushed?"

"Yeah. I am," he said with a sigh, and understood why he was in her flat. She had a revelation she didn't want to make in a public place. "Damn, Celine. I wanna be a lesbian, too. You show me, okay?"

Celine ignored his suggestion. "Will we talk again, Max?"

"Why not?" he said. "Maybe you'll want a male lesbian one day. Actually, I think I've already turned into a lesbian now. Do you want me to show you?"

Celine laughed once again while Maxim carried on with his desperate and futile attempt. Another hour of chat later, Celine suggested it was quite late. "Tong will drive you back to Philly," she said.

"No, no, please," Maxim said, waving his arms in protest. "Let me stay here for the night."

Celine chuckled. "He won't have time to drive you back tomorrow."

"I don't need Tong. I need you. I can take a Greyhound tomorrow. Heck, I could walk."

Maxim couldn't convince Celine. In fact he couldn't convince himself about his chances of sleeping with a lesbian either. "All right," he finally said. "I'm leaving. Can I at least have a lesbian kiss with you?"

With a smile, she leaned over to him. Maxim kept his kiss tender for a while, and then began prodding his tongue between her lips. She giggled and broke the kiss. "You're not getting me aroused like this," she said, smiling at him. "Good night, Max, and good luck at your tournament. I don't have the time to go and watch your weekday matches, but if you make it into the semi, I'll come and cheer for you during the weekend."

Celine's chauffeur was an immigrant from Mainland China who spoke okay English. Maxim had a chat with him during the ride and was surprised to know the chauffeur had a Master degree in Electronic Engineering. He asked the Chinese why he didn't find a relevant job. "My degree not recognize here," Tong said. "In China I work at state enterprise. Experience also not recognize here. This is best job I have. Good boss and then good lady boss. When kids grow up, I go back to school."

"Good luck with your kids and your future school," Maxim said before he got out of Celine's Mercedes in front of his hotel.

"Thank you, Mr. Khimin. Good luck with your tournament."

-------

Even though the Advanta Indoor Championships held in Philadelphia offered similar prize monies and was comparable in level to the San Jose and Memphis events, there were less superstars playing in this event. It could be a hard choice, because there were about six consecutive men's tournaments held during this period, and top players who went far into each of them often needed a break somewhere in between.

After a jammy win over a struggling opponent in his first qualifying match on Saturday morning, Maxim saw his super fan in the hallway of the Arena. He smiled at the young black teen and decided to have a little talk with him in appreciation of his fan's gusto. From their brief encounter during the US Open in the previous year, Maxim knew the boy lived in New York City. Even though it was just a two-hour trip to Philadelphia, it showed the kid was a serious fan of tennis to make this trip and watch qualifying matches.

As he got closer, Maxim noticed an old man was standing behind the kid. "My grandpa," the kid introduced them. His grandfather had a stern and wrinkled face. It seemed that he wasn't a tennis fan himself, as he didn't even smile when Maxim greeted him. It looked like he was there solely because of his grandson. The young boy then told Maxim he was in winter recess and had persuaded his grandfather to visit a relative in Philadelphia.

Maxim was quite certain the kid had told him his name before, but he couldn't recall it, so he asked. "Jason," said the kid. "Jason Boone. Where're you going now, Max?"

"Lunch, I guess. I hate the food here, but it's free," Maxim said, and chuckled with Jason. "What about you? Watch other matches?"

"Nah," said Jason. "Lunch now, then to an aunt's place."

"Can I tag along for lunch?" Maxim said jokingly.

"We ain't going to no lushly places," the grandfather cut in bluntly.

Maxim felt sorry for making a stupid joke and received a blunt response. "Hey," he struck back instinctively. "I go to McDonald's all the time."

"Dog food," scowled the old man.

Maxim glanced at Jason and saw an embarrassed expression on his face. Naturally the boy didn't quite like to be in the middle of a tense situation between his grandfather and his idol. "Well," Maxim said, holding back from swearing. "What do you expect? We grow up eating them."

The old man studied his face briefly, then said, "Humpy's. Cheesy place, but best carnitas in town. Wanna give it a try, kid?"

Maxim hated it when other people called him kid, but this man looked at least 65-70 years old, and he would probably call everyone in the world of tennis a kid. He was also quite eager to find out how 'best' the carnitas was, so he accepted the challenge. "Tab's on me," he suggested.

The old man shrugged his shoulders and started walking. "Are you ready?"

"I gotta go to the locker room first," Maxim said. "Give me five minutes. Where do we meet?" He noticed the old man staggered as he walked. He seemed to have some issue with his left leg, but Maxim didn't know if he was injured recently or was it something from the past.

"Outside Gate D," said Mr. Boone, without turning around to look at him. "I've got a plastic leg. Lost real leg in World War II."

When Maxim went to meet them outside the gate, he only saw Jason there. "Grandpa's getting his car over," said Jason, with a brief pause. "Max, don't talk about his leg with him, please. Don't talk about wars. Don't talk about Germans, Japs, and Viets."

Mr. Boone drove an Oldsmobile that seemed to be older than Maxim, but it was well kept. He took them to a noisy and undecorated coffee shop in an inner-city slum. Maxim didn't quite feel comfortable there, and he knew there wouldn't be a chance for him to dine there alone. The food was, however, surprisingly tasty.

During the meal, Mr. Boone asked Maxim if he was a Republican or a Democrat. "Grandpa," Jason responded on behalf of Maxim. "He's not eighteen yet. He can't vote yet."

Maxim chuckled. "You seem to know quite a lot about me, Jason. Actually, I haven't thought about it yet, but, well, definitely not a GOP."

"Of course," Jason grinned at him. "You're my idol."

"Why not," asked Mr. Boone. He seemed to be much more concerned about adult politics than teen's idol issues. "What about your papa?"

"I don't have a dad," Maxim growled. "He's a ma ... a bastard. He's nobody. And the bastard's a mother ... a GOP. I'll never be a GOP."

The old man glared at Maxim. "Son," he said, looking sternly at his face. "How disgraceful! How shameful to talk about your papa like that. Is that the way your momma raised you, without respect?"

"Hey, you old far ... fella," Maxim glared back. "You don't know anything about me. You're older, but not necessary wiser. If not for that fucking bastard, I'd still have a mom to love me."

Mr. Boone maintained his look on Maxim's face, but his expression had turned from antagonized to repentant. "I'm sorry, son," he said slowly while breathing deeply. "I feel sorry for your loss."

Their table became silent when the volume from the table behind them turned louder. Three men were apparently having a dispute as to what the United States' position should be regarding the increased violence and tension in Serbia and Kosovo. One of them seemed to be an Albanian, which made the argument more heated due to his background. Another guy made a remark that the US should send in its troops to crack down opposing military forces, as well as to maintain peace and democracy in that region.

Without turning around, Mr. Boone laughed. "How simple," he chirped in a sarcastic tone to Maxim. "Like we're all Rambo's. Send in a platoon and everyone will plunge."

The guy seemed agitated, and bellowed at the old man. "What do you know? You freaking anti-war pansy nigger."

The restaurant became dead silent at once. There were several tables occupied by black people, and they were all glaring at the men who made the offensive remark. A few of them had even stood up from their seats. It seemed a brawl was imminent. Maxim knew he was as tensed up as the atmosphere of the place, but he didn't know what to do.

Mr. Boone was also taking deep breaths as his face flushed. But instead of standing up or turning around, he took his fork down to his artificial leg and clattered it. The clicking sound seemed extraordinary loud in the hushed restaurant.

The old man then started talking in a flat tone. "January twelve, 1945, Battle of the Ardennes, Drusenheim, France, lost my leg. 1972, Operation Freedom Train, Vietnam, lost eldest son. 1973, Operation Endsweep, Vietnam, lost another son. 1989, Operation Nimrod Dancer, Panama, lost youngest son -- this kid's papa." While he rubbed Jason's shoulder tenderly, Maxim could see tears rolling in both of their eyes.

Mr. Boone then turned around to look at the men who had caused the tension. "Yeah, I've been anti-war all my life," he went on with a much more impassioned tone. "But with a Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star Medal, three Purple Hearts, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and Combat Infantryman Badge, I think I know a little about war. I've served my country. My entire family has served our country. Chump, how much do you know about war? What've you done for your country?"

His remarks ended all the heat and tensions. The guy who had caused the trouble dropped his head as he tossed his money on to the table, and then walked out in silence. Most other customers had also left their seats, and formed a line to give the tearful old man gentle pats on his shoulder.

Later on, when they were back in the old man's car, Maxim said, "You know, Mr. Boone, I don't adore many people, just some great tennis players. You're my idol now. But how did you get three Purple Hearts?"

"Kid," the old man said, smiling. "It was World War II, ain't now. You ain't going home after you've taken a bullet. You go to the shelter. The field commanding officer comes in the evening with a box of medals and pins one on your pillow. The next morning, if you can stand up, you grab your rifle and go to the frontline again. I took five bullets in a week before a grenade blasted away my leg."

"Damn," Maxim said, chuckling. "You're my top idol now. So you're a Dem, Mr. Boone?"

"Nah, an anti-war conservative GOP. And stop calling me Mister this and Mister that. Call me Hassan."

"But you've been calling me kid."

The grandfather laughed with his grandson. "All right," said Hassan. "What's your name again?"



-------

Chapter 40


Maxim didn't have a problem with his first match on Sunday and won it easily. He found it unfortunate when he knew he was playing Stephen Fox in his final qualifying match. Steven had a bad year before, and he was in the process of regaining his lost ground. The veteran player had also yet to win a high level pro tour singles title during his six-year career, and he didn't have a lot of time left to chase for one before his time was over.

The first set was very close. Maxim hit harder and served better, but Steven was more experienced, made less mistakes, and grabbed the chances better. Nevertheless, Maxim won the first set in the tiebreaker. Unlike juniors or rookies, Steven didn't give up or lose concentration. He forced Maxim to play with intensity, but in the end the veteran still lost to Maxim. "You played very well, Max," he told the young man with a bitter smile after the match.

"You forced me, Steven," Maxim said. "You played with passion."

Al Harrington had arrived in town, and bought his clients dinner that evening. Stephen was leaving the next morning for a short break at his Dallas home before going on to Indian Wells, California. On the other hand, Danny Kuhnen, who had a direct acceptance into the main draw, had been resting since the Australian Open to let his bad knee and problematic wrist heal. Danny was 10 years older than Maxim and had the most success among Al's clients, but he was well past his prime. Like many 10-year-plus veterans, he had chronic injuries all over his body and limbs.

Their topic soon switched to young players. "When I first turned pro," Danny said. "Most rookies were college guys. Then high school kids like Pete, Andre, and Michael started taking over the game. I think a few years later we'll be seeing middle school kids."

"No kidding," Steven chuckled. "I was hitting with Max last week at a club and a kid there called me uncle. For Christ sake, I'm only twenty six and not even married."

"And they've changed the game somehow," Danny said after his chuckle. "There are less baseline rallies now, and more either-I-win-or-I-die power strokes."

"Isn't that good for you, Danny?" Maxim said. "You don't want to rally with Michael Chang for six hours, do you?"

"That's true," Danny said, laughing. "I'm not twenty four or five anymore. But I really want to play Michael in Miami. It's so much fun playing against him or Andre."

"Or at Roland Garros," Maxim said, smiling. "I think a rally there will be more fun. Key Biscayne is a little too windy."

"That'd be nice, too," Danny said with a bitter smile. "If only I can stay healthy long enough."

Early next morning, Maxim met Danny at Villanova University for some light hitting. Danny had an early match and he left for his competition very soon. Maxim had his match late in the afternoon, and he started hitting with whoever was also looking for a hitting partner. Danny was eliminated before Maxim went to the arena.

Maxim didn't get lucky in his draw this time. He was playing against the fifth seeded Australian star Philippoussis in his first match. He played quite well to start with, and marginally won the first set. He lost the second set, and was down 1-4 in the final set before he could recover from his second set loss agony. He knew he couldn't come from behind to overcome such a big deficit against a superb player like Philippoussis.

During the court change, he noticed someone was calling his name from the stand behind him. After what had happened in his San Jose tournament, Maxim didn't check the spectator stand anymore. But he turned around this time to see who was calling him, and realized it was Hassan Boone. When the old man saw Maxim looking at him, he pumped his fist and then raised a thumb at Maxim.

It was a big gesture of support. Hassan wasn't a tennis fan at all, and yet he was encouraging Maxim to fight. Maxim started imagining a wounded soldier waking up in the morning, fighting his pain, and grabbed his rifle to defend his country and comrades. He smiled at the old man as he started gaining momentum.

A few points later, Maxim also started getting loud cheers from the crowd as he steadily caught up from behind. He won all the remaining games to beat his tough opponent.

After Maxim's lengthy post-match interview, Al Harrington came over to him and grabbed his arm excitedly. "Wow," said the agent. "Another improbable comeback. How did you do it?"

"I don't know," Maxim chuckled. "Some help from up above, I guess."

Al also chuckled. "By the way, Max. I've talked with Paul Kowalski. He can go to Indian Wells for a few days. You won't mind paying for his expenses, will you?"

"Of course no," Maxim grinned at his agent. "And thanks for your effort, Al. Is he sharing a room with me?"

His agent smiled slyly at him. "No, Max. One of his reasons is Priscilla hasn't been to LA for quite a while."

Maxim started laughing. "Damn. All right, still thanks. Still helps."

It was the best tour achievement for Maxim two days later when he beat another top-100 American player to advance to the third round. He spent quite some time that night in his hotel room calling up his friends to share the joy with them. However, both he and his friends believed it would be a brief delight, because he was going to play against a top notch player Jim Courier.

While talking with Paul Kowalski on the phone, the coach told Maxim, "Jim's not as quick as he was a couple of years back. His weaker backhand has now become more apparent than before, but he's still too much for you in baseline rallies, way too much. You have to go aggressive. Get to the net and go against his backhand. Win it fast or lose it fast."

"That's exactly the style I like the most," Maxim chuckled. "But I don't think I have much chance, though."

"You don't, Max," Paul also chuckled. "I don't think you're there yet. But then, you weren't supposed to upset Scud, either."

The first few games of the match went quite well for Maxim, but from there on it was all Courier. The boisterous crowd were not on his side either, because Courier was no less than an American hero. Maxim's primary support basically came from the ugly banner by Jason, whose grandfather had gone to a veterans' gathering and couldn't come to watch Maxim play.

Maxim got even more frustrated when an obvious perfect hit from his was called out. He challenged the umpire angrily, and was hit with a warning when he went a little too far. Out of irritation, he slammed a ball near the net with his racquet to the other side. The ball hit a ball girl in her leg at the other end. Courier and another court official went over to check on the girl as Maxim was hit with a point penalty.

He was about to go over the net to check on the girl when the umpire bent down from his high stand chair to speak to him. Another penalty would cost him a game, and while Maxim was about to lose that game anyway, it would put him in a very dangerous position, as a further penalty would cost him the entire match. He returned to his baseline anxiously. The girl seemed all right and wasn't hurt, so the match continued and Maxim lost the game.

After the changeover, Maxim went to the court a little earlier. The ball girl, who was about 9-10 years old, was at his side now. She looked a little unfriendly as he approached her. "I'm sorry," he spoke softly to her. "I didn't mean it. Are you all right?"

The girl didn't say anything, and just kept on looking down at his shoes while showing him the balls in her hands.

"I'm sorry. I apologize. Will you forgive me?"

She shook her head.

"Please?"

After a little while, she eventually nodded. "Thanks," Maxim said, extending his racquet over to her and she put her balls on it. "Hmm, please don't go away after the match."

Following some approving applauses from the crowd, the match continued, and the relief from the ball girl forgiving him enabled him to play with much better focus. He still lost in the end, but he felt much better than before the accident. Prior to leaving the court, he gave the ball girl his racquet. It was the best consolation prize for him when she smiled at him.

A little later, when Maxim saw Courier in the locker room, the former world number one player gave him pat on his shoulder. "Well done," said the veteran.

"Nah, I played very badly, especially in the first set."

"Yeah," said Courier with a smile. "But you did pretty well in the second set. You know, Max, the match reminded me of the first time I played Goran. You still have a lot of rough edges, but once you mature, you can be a nightmare to any of the best players. Don't stop right here. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah, thanks for the encouragement. I like watching Johnny Mac, Pete, and Goran more because of my own play style, but you're among those I respect the most. I mean, I don't respect you because you've beaten me. I've always respected you."

Courier chuckled, "Thank you, Max. Anyway, I also think it takes something, some, you know, dignity and courage, to apologize to the girl."

"She's a kid. She volunteers to help us. I don't want her to have bad feelings. I think you're right. It helps. I played much better afterwards. I think I settled down emotionally."

"Yeah," Courier chuckled. "You did." He paused briefly and asked, "You're from Omnicianni, aren't you? Are you playing doubles at Indian Wells?"

Maxim knew Courier was going to suggest that they team up for doubles matches at Indian Wells. It would be a marvelous opportunity for Maxim to play alongside a top player, but he had to play from qualifying and may not be able to make it into the main draw. He sighed in his heart before he replied, "Yeah, I'm from Omnicianni. I've to play from qualifying at Indian Wells. I'm not sure if I can make it into the main draw."

"Well, if you're in Florida and need some hitting, or a couch for the night, give me a call."

"Thanks, Jim. That'll be great."

Courier smiled at him before he went for his shower while Maxim went for his press conference.

Since Maxim had another challenger event starting the following Monday in California, he had to rush back. While waiting at the airport for his flight, he gave Hassan Boone a phone call. The old man had given Maxim his contact information, and Maxim considered him a friend, even though they hadn't spent a lot of time together. The grandson, Jason, answered the phone and told Maxim his grandfather wasn't back yet, so Maxim had a little chat with him instead.

During the chat, Jason told Maxim that he also wanted to be a soldier when he grew up. "But don't tell grandpa," Jason said over the phone. "He doesn't want it. He wants me to stay away from the military. He says it's enough for our family."

"Then why do you want to join the military?" Maxim asked.

"Inspiration, courage, serve our country," Jason said, matter-of-factly. "A million reasons."

"Well, I have to admit, Jason. I don't admire many guys. You're one of them. I wish you best of luck. You know what? Next time when we meet at a tournament, you'll use my guest pass. Your grandpa and you are never going to spend a dime watch me play."

Jason chuckled as he thanked Maxim for his gesture.

-------

When he returned to San Francisco, Maxim stayed at his uncle's house -- where he had parked his car -- for the night. After he had given a gift to everyone in the household, his aunt asked him why his schedule was so tight. "Don't you need some time for rest, or is it a money issue?"

"Yeah, I do need rest," Maxim sighed. "But you see, Aunt Sofya, a tennis player isn't really a tennis player if he can't play at the majors -- the Grand Slams. I need to get to around two hundred in ranking so I can get to play the majors. I don't have much time before the French Open. I can't rest until I've met my goal."

"Just don't go too far, Maksimka," said his aunt. "Watch out for your body."

The next morning, before driving back to Santa Arcata, he went over to Elena's home to pick up the last of his belongings which he had left there. When he went into their apartment, Olga was playing a board game with Elena, who had come back the previous evening for her spring break weekend. Maxim gave Mrs. Mushtakova a long stem white carnation and then went over to the little girls. He also gave them each a carnation. "Where did you get the flowers?" Elena asked with a smile.

"Florist, where else? I just come back from Olivet Memorial Park. I bought a few extra ones for you guys." He then turned to the younger sister and gave her a check. "Here you go, Olga," he said. "I promised you I was going to put you through your training and tests. This is the first installment. But don't deposit it yet. I think it'll take a week or so for the wire transfer to go through."

From his Philadelphia tournament, Maxim had made his biggest chunk of earning -- $16,000 and 56 ranking points, which boosted his ranking to around 250. He had many places to spend his money, more importantly to reduce his debt, but he considered fulfilling his promise to Olga among his top priorities.

Olga looked at the check. "Wow, three thousand!" she exclaimed. "Thank you, Max!" She embraced Maxim firmly and pecked him for quite a while before she ran to her puzzled mother. "Mummy, I can go get training now. Max's given me the money."

Mrs. Mushtakova took the check and looked at it for an entire minute before she gestured Maxim over to her. She led him into the kitchen, and said in a low voice. "Thank you, Max, but we can't take it."

"Aunt Raissa," Maxim said. "I'm a lone kid. I'm an orphan. My mom's killed. That bastard's not my dad anymore. I don't have a family. I don't have parents and siblings. This is my family. They're my sis."

"Well, um..." Her eyes started getting misty, and her hand that was holding the check started getting a little shaky.

"It's not for you, Aunt Raissa," Maxim went on. "It's not for Uncle Ivan. It's for my sis Olga. Hey, do you know your eyes change color a little when they're wet? Do they ever become pink?"

Mrs. Mushtakova chuckled. "Thank you, Max," she said softly, and then gave him a warm hug. She also asked him to stay for lunch before going back.

Maxim knew Olga had no problem taking his money as she took him as a de facto brother. Even though both the parents might have some hard time accepting, it should be a little easier for the mother because she and Maxim had more interactions and she knew how he felt for her daughter's future better than her husband. He left it to Mrs. Mushtakova to convince her husband.

During their lunch, Olga asked Maxim why didn't he stay until Sunday and go back with Elena.

"Indian Wells Challenger starts on Monday," Maxim said. "I've got to get back earlier to get ready and drive over there."

"I wish I could go watch," Elena said with a pout.

"Me, too," Olga said. She wasn't interested in tennis, but obviously she considered it boring staying at home the entire spring break. "Hey!" she raised her tone. "Why don't we go with you, Max? I've got nothing to do at home anyway. How long is the drive?"

Olga's suggestion immediately received Elena's endorsement, but the mother didn't like the idea. She already had to stay home to look after Olga during her school holiday, which meant less income, and taking a trip meant more expense. "Mummy," Olga said. "You don't have to go. You can go and work." "Yeah," Elena supplemented. "We can stay with Max. We don't have to spend a dime."

After his chuckle, Maxim told them it wasn't a very good idea. "I can't take care of you while I'm doing the Challenger. I'm also staying at Nick's apartment during the week. He doesn't have a spare bedroom so I'll be sleeping on the couch. Why don't you go there when I start playing at the Newsweek Championships? I'll be staying at the official hotel for that event, and it's a high class hotel."

"How do we get there?" Elena asked, apparently not quite approving of his counter-suggestion.

"Coach Kowalski is going for the Newsweek and Evert events. He can give you girls a ride. Also, since Nick will be there, Daniela will also be there, and she can take care of you while I'm busy."

During the remainder of their lunch, the siblings were busy discussing details of the trip with each other. Mrs. Mushtakova was obviously undecided about the soundness of the travel arrangement and she didn't give her opinion. She told them she had to talk with their father before a decision could be made.

-------

Indian Wells is a tiny city about 130 miles south east of Los Angeles. Maxim was going to play a Challenger event held there, and then a major tour event held immediately afterwards. The drive was about eight hours, and he was quite tired when he arrived at Nick's apartment in Palm Springs, which was about 30 minutes away from Indian Wells.

He forgot to bring snacks and drinks with him, and Daniela insisted he should buy them a dinner that evening as compensation. Maxim had some fights with Daniela about where to go for their meal while Nick laughed at them. They eventually settled for some Mexican food. Nick wasn't playing at the Challenger event, so Maxim made his lone trip to Indian Wells early the next morning.

Since the city is in the desert Coachella Valley and very close to the Bernardino Mountains, the snow-capped mountains in the background are a spectacular view. The weather, when not raining, tends to be quite dry due to its geographical location. Maxim didn't feel very comfortable when he was practicing and knew he needed a few days to adjust to it.

Both Stephen Fox and Tommy Lee were also playing there, and they both lost in the first round. Tommy's situation was especially ill-fated as he was injured towards the end of his match. He had to withdraw from the upcoming bigger events and might have to undergo surgery. Maxim played some good tennis until he was defeated in the semi-final.

Wasting no time, Maxim and Stephen started preparing for their Newsweek Champions Cup qualifying matches. The Indian Wells tour tournament is among the elite events on the professional tour and is one of the few major events that featured both men's and women's competitions.

The Kowalski couple and the two little girls were already there when Maxim arrived at the Grand Champions Hotel. Priscilla gestured Maxim to one side and talked to him. "I didn't know they were sharing a room with you, Max," she said. "I don't think this is a very good idea."

"They're just kids and they're my sis," Maxim said. "I'm not worrying. Actually, I'd worry if they stayed in a room by themselves."

Priscilla thought for a moment. "Max," she said. "Yes it would, but it's also not good for them to be in your room. Do you mind staying with Paul? I'll stay with the girls."

Maxim didn't quite like her suggestion, but he went along with it. Paul and he were starting to unpack in their room when they heard a knock on the door. The two girls were outside with their bags and Priscilla was chuckling behind them. The girls resented the new arrangement and had been very upset.

After two exhaustive days of tough competitions, Maxim made it into the main draw, but Stephen was eliminated. Since Stephen would be playing at Miami the week after, he decided to leave for his new destination earlier.

Besides checking out the tennis center, Olga had been busy asking players for autographs. She had an advantage over other kid fans because she could do it inside the players lounge. She wasn't a tennis fan, but showing her school friends the autographs she got was going to give her proud satisfaction. Elena, on the other hand, was more concerned with watching matches and practices. Priscilla was nearly torn into half, but she seemed to enjoy accompanying the two little girls. Perhaps it reminded her of the days when she was raising her own children.

Both Elena and Olga were very interested in watching the draw ceremony. Unlike juniors and grass-root events, the organizer conducted the live draw on the Big Screen stage like at a carnival. That evening, the group had dinner with Nick, Daniela, and Lindsay Bitt. The women's events had started a couple of days earlier than men's events, and Lindsay had just survived her first round test. They split after the dinner. Priscilla and the girls went window shopping, and the guys went for a drink to talk about card and ball games, as well as chicks.

Staying in a room with two wild girls sounds intimating, but not necessary when they are both preteen kids. It was the first time Elena and Olga were together and out of reach of their parents, so they were very noisy and chaotic until they were too tired. Maxim actually began dozing in his bed while the two girls were still flipping channels and watching late night dramas on TV in their shared bed.

Al Harrington was also in town, and he came over to have breakfast with Maxim and company on the next morning. During the meal, the agent had a proposal for Maxim. "Max," he said. "You've made thirty six points from the Challenger. Ted's quite confident you can make it into Tokyo Outdoor qualifying. Since you'll be doing Nagoya Challenger, it should be a better alternative to Malta Challenger. What do you say?"

"Of course that'll be great, but what if I can't get into the Tokyo qualie?"

"You take a week off before you go to Fergana," Al chuckled. "Ted's spoken with Adidas and the Tokyo tournament people, but still couldn't get you a main draw wild card. It's a small risk, Max. You get through the qualie, then win one match in the main draw, and you'll be better off than working through a couple of Challengers."

Maxim saw a reserved expression on Paul's face, but he actually liked that idea. He decided to gamble for it. "Okay," he said. "Let's do it."

"There's another thing," Al said, while giving Maxim some information sheets about the Tokyo tournament. "We're talking with other racquet makers about your sponsorship."

"I like my racquet, Al. Why don't you also talk with the Wilson people? And are you also going to Tokyo?"

"I've been working on it, Max," said the agent. "I'll bear in mind your preference. I don't think Ted will let me go to Tokyo. You're my only client going."

"Damn, so lonely," Maxim sighed. "Al, why are all your other clients a few years older than me? Why didn't you pick up some newer guys? Why didn't you pick up some hot chicks for our benefit?"

"I did," Al also sighed. "Then they took them away and assigned you to me. Max, you're a risky gamble they made me take it. Ted's been saying it's a chance in a lifetime. You know what I mean?"

"Means I might be your goose," Maxim said, raising his eyebrows and laughing.

Al chuckled with Paul, and then stuck a piece of waffle into his mouth. "I'm an agent," he said while chewing his cake. "AKA a salesman who has to babysit his clients. I make less than an auto salesman but I work a lot more hours."

After another chuckle at the table, Al went on, "But I've been happy. I love my job and the job nature. Then one day Ted told me they've got a guy who could turn out like Sampras, but could also turn out to be my worst nightmare. He took away all my pending contracts and then asked me if I would take a chance. Could I say no?"

"Why did Ted take them away?" Maxim said, while laughing.

"Max, he made me gamble!"

"Max," Paul chimed in. "If you're successful, your agent won't have the time to handle another client. They're freeing up Al's time to gamble on you."

"So, Al, you're not happy about being my agent."

"No, not at all," Al said. "You're just like my other clients, except you're more a chatterbox." He laughed with them before going on, "I'm just a little worried. If Danny and the others decide to retire next year, I'll be making less than a burger flipper unless you start drawing in piles of endorsements."

"I'll go on a catwalk naked for you, Al."

Elena chuckled. "Max, I think they'd rather have Calvin on the catwalk."

"Damn, Elena," Maxim said, laughing. "Don't you ever talk about Calvin again. I'm the hottest!" He reached over and started tickling her.

After a light hitting at the tennis center and a discussion in the players lounge about his game plan for his upcoming match, Maxim talked with his coach about his agent. "I still think Al doesn't like me very much."

"I think he's worried," Paul said. "His best client, in terms of making money for him, has been Danny, but he's well past his prime and has been plagued by injuries. He may retire anytime. Tommy hasn't been able to live up to expectations. You're kind of like another Tommy to Al, except he's forced to take a bigger gamble because Danny and Brian are close to retirement, and lately Tommy's also been bothered by chronic injuries."

"So he's worried that he might soon be relying on me for his living?"

Paul chuckled. "Kind of," he said slowly. "It depends on what's the time frame they make him wait. He'll start picking up new kids when he doesn't see success in you, but that may take a few years, and during the wait, he can be miserable."

"Oh, well, I feel sorry for his situation, but I can't help. I can't yell to God and win tourneys and money for him."

Paul chuckled again. "No, you can't, Max," he said. "It's his job nature. He'll have to live with that. But he can't help worrying about it either. I'm glad I'm on fixed remuneration package. I don't want another gamble following my tennis school failure, especially at my age."

After going through the Tokyo tournament information in his room that evening, Maxim told the two girls to turn down the volume of the TV and then called up Marlene. "Honey, tell them that Jo and you don't need a hotel room in Japan."

"Max," Marlene said, chuckling. "Don't you ever call me honey again, not even sugar or syrup. Why don't we need a room?"

"Okay, baby, I'm staying after Nagoya Challenger to play at Tokyo Outdoor. You and Jo can stay in my room. Meriden Grand Pacific is much nicer than your crappy inn. I'll also show you..."

"Max," she butted in, raising her voice. "Don't call me baby. And we're not going to stay in your room, not even in your dreams."

"Then what do I call you?"

"Don't I have a name?"

"Okay, Marlene my love, I'll show you around Tokyo. You know, you've told me you didn't see enough of it last year. I've got some friends there so we can hang out together. We can go to the Japanese spa together, you, me, Irene, and Jo. I've yet to try foursome."

Marlene was laughing and panting on the line. In fact, Maxim also saw Olga giggle with Elena in their bed. "Take back your love thing," Marlene said on the phone. "Then I might think about it. Wait, take back the spa thing and four-whatever thing first."

"Okay, Marlene my darling, I take them all back. Are we hanging out together in Tokyo?"

"Gee," she said, coughing a little. "Please, all right, all right. We can hang out in Tokyo. Now shut up your dog mouth and don't you ever call me darling again."

-------

Before his first round match the next day, Maxim had a light practice with Jim Courier. Jim was one of the hardest workers in the business, and during the time they spent together, Maxim observed a few attitude issues he needed to address to take his game to another level.

Maxim played one of the non-seed but nonetheless a top-50 opponent in the opening round. After losing the first set in a tiebreaker, he overwhelmed his opponent in the second set. Usually in this situation the one who came from behind had a mental edge, but a half-hour rain delay gave his opponent time to work on his focus and game plan. Maxim, on the other hand, got impatient while waiting for the rain to stop. He made his best effort but still lost the closely fought final set.

He was indeed quite upset, because he took two big fans with him and he could only show them his worse side. Olga was less concerned, as she wasn't into tennis at all, and hanging around in a carnival-like environment without her parents around was already pleasant enough.

Paul and his wife had met a few old friends at the court so they stayed behind. Daniela was with Elena and Olga because Nick's match wouldn't start until a couple of hours later. They were going to wait for him at a refreshment lounge while he got changed and dealt with the media.

Maxim ignored odd fans wanting autographs and strode towards the players lounge. He told some of the persistent fans he wasn't doing autographs. One of them -- a Hispanic little girl -- wouldn't take no for an answer, and jogged after him. He was turning around to give her a final denial when his swinging racquet bag knocked her over. She fell down on the pavement as her white baseball cap flopped aside and was stepped on by an unaware passer-by.

A blonde woman who was also following them quickly ran over to check on the little girl. "What a jerk!" she sneered at Maxim as she helped the girl up, then picked up the stained cap for the girl.

"I, um, I'm sorry," Maxim stuttered. "I, um, I didn't mean it." He bent down to see the girl's face. She was still a little shocked by what had happened, but seemed unharmed. She, however, cramped her lips when she saw the stain on her white cap.

"Go away, you punk," the woman glared at him, while brushing the girl's cap with her hand, trying to dust off the dirt. The little girl was starting to have tears in her eyes as she stared at the cap. It seemed her cap was more important to herself.

Maxim was considering whether to leave them alone or to try help. He didn't think it was really his fault, even though he did knock the girl down. "Well, ma'am," he said slowly. "I've told her I wasn't doing autographs."

The woman glared at him with fire in her eyes for a little while before she said, "She's deaf."

"Oh, my goodness," he gulped. "I'm so very sorry. I, well..." He bent down to the little girl again, and hit his head with his fist. "I'm very sorry. Please forgive me."

The girl looked at his face and his gestures, then turned around to signal to the woman, apparently using sign language. The woman sighed. "She's forgiven you, but she's still very upset. The cap is a birthday present from her cousin. He saved up his pocket money for a month to buy it. It means a lot to her."

"Oh, God," Maxim also sighed. "Why didn't I get knocked down by a car yesterday? Wait, ma'am, let's move aside. I think I have some caps." He moved to the roadside and started searching inside his bag. Even though he didn't like wearing caps, he had some in his bag and occasionally had to wear one if the sun was affecting his vision. He gave all the caps he found to the girl. "Want visors?" he said, while pulling a few out. "What about tournament towel? Wait, I think not, it's sweaty."

The woman chuckled after the girl gestured at her. "She said you stole tournament towel."

Maxim grinned at them. "Hell, yeah. I steal them from all tournaments. They make good souvenirs, especially the Grand Slam ones." He waved the towel in front of the girl. "Do you want this one?"

The girl nodded and gave him a smile, then turned around to the woman and started gesturing again. The woman chuckled again. "Will you autograph one of the caps? She wants to give it to her cousin."

"Hell, yeah, as many as you want," he said, and got another idea when he saw Daniela and company walking toward the lounge. "Hey, how about this? Why don't I buy you guys an ice cream? You guys can go with my friends first, and I'll be there in a few minutes." He turned towards Daniela's direction and called at her.

When Maxim met with the females at the café about half an hour later, the Hispanic girl was communicating with Elena and Olga using a notepad and gestures, and the woman was chatting with Daniela. Maxim learned that the girl was called Carmen Cruz and was of same age as Elena. The woman was her mother. "Her father is a Hispanic," explained Mrs. Cruz while Maxim signed his name on the caps he was giving Carmen. "I'm a Polish descent myself."

Mrs. Cruz also told them that Carmen had to go to a special school and to deal with a tougher-than-normal life. She appreciated technology as her daughter used computer to communicate with healthy and handicapped people from all over the world. "She chats on her computer, day and night," Mrs. Cruz chuckled. "I've to watch her closely, because I don't know who those people are."

Maxim noticed that Elena was writing down his email address on the notepad and then gave it to Carmen. "She'll send you emails," Elena told him. "But some of them are mine. Don't peek at those with my name on them."

Maxim chuckled. "Why don't you give her your own email address?"

"Because I don't have one. You never got me one." She reached over to poke him.

Maxim laughed with them. "All right. I'll see if I can get you one."

"Me, too," Olga said, also reaching over to poke him.

"Just one thing, Mrs. Cruz," Daniela said, smiling slyly. "Check what Max writes to Carmen. I'll never trust this guy."

Maxim chuckled embarrassingly with the girls and mocked a glare at Daniela.

"Actually," Mrs. Cruz said. "I think he's a nice guy, even though he ... Well, never mind, it's over. He's the only player I've seen who'll thank the ball kids after the match, and he even did it after he's lost. That's why Carmen was so keen on getting an autograph from him."

"Oh," Daniela said. "I didn't pay attention. Were they all girls? That may explain it."

"No," Elena said, laughing. "They were all boys."

"Oh, my God," Daniela said, widening her eyes as if astonished. "Max, you're into boys now?"

Maxim laughed and made a faked gesture to choke Daniela, then said, "When I was playing Courier in Philly, I accidentally smashed a ball and it hit a ball girl. I apologized, and then realized how much we, you know, as players, owe these kids for their enthusiasm and effort."

"Well, that's a nice attitude, Max," Daniela said. "But I still won't trust you. Hey, where are my souvenirs from your trips? Oh and where's my payment for babysitting Elena and Olga?"



-------

Chapter 41


Maxim spent a morning with his two quasi sisters and the Kowalski's in Los Angeles before driving Olga and Elena back to their home and residence, respectively. It was already quite late when Maxim got home. Irene was on the couch enjoying her ice cream and watching TV. He dropped his luggage on the floor and went over to her. "I want some ice cream," he said, leaning down to her. "And a really big kiss."

"This is my ice cream," Irene said, turning the container so Maxim could see the label. "Not yours. And why a kiss?"

"Because ... because you've cracked top two hundred now. You'll be playing in the majors!"

Irene chuckled, and then scooped a spoonful of ice cream towards him. "Okay, ice cream, big boy. But I still don't see a reason for a kiss."

Maxim ate the ice cream she offered, and grinned at her. "Thanks, and no matter what, I'll still lust after you." He then dashed away before Irene could hit him, and carried his luggage into his room. After unloading his stuff, he went to his computer to check for emails and faxes sent to him, before going for his shower.

When he came back into the living room again, Irene had also taken her shower, and was on the couch talking on the phone. She finished her phone chat a little later, and looked at his face. He had been standing there staring at her. "What's the matter?" she asked.

"Are you seducing me, Irene?" he said, gulping as he fixed his eyes on her thighs. She was sitting comfortably on the couch with her feet up on the coffee table. A side of her robe had slid down, exposing a great part of her left thigh in front of him.

As soon as Irene realized what he was talking about and staring at, she blushed a little and pulled the hem of her robe back in place. "No, no, no, Irene," he said. "Don't pull it back. Flip it down. You're not wearing anything underneath, are you?"

Irene chuckled. "Max, I'm not trying to seduce you. And I don't think I ever will."

"Well, Irene. I get turned on easily. I'll take that as an offer next time."

"Don't even think about it," she laughed. "You jerk."

He also laughed. "I can't stop thinking. I'm telling you, Irene. You're going to be in my wet dreams tonight. Hey, can I have another look?"

"Jerk!" she said, still laughing, as she began to throw cushions at him. Maxim started playing a cushion-throwing game with her until she got tired of it and went back to her bedroom.

-------

Most of Maxim's Academy friends had gone to Brazil to play at the Banana Bowl. Marlene had told him she was going to give up her tennis on this trip, but she took back her withdrawal at the last minute once she had spoken to Byrnes. Maxim didn't have much to do during the week other than his training and schoolwork.

Sunday was a nice and sunny day, so Maxim took Elena to play a little baseball while Irene went to play golf with the Kowalski's and their friends. The duo went back to his condo after lunch so Elena could watch a taped rebroadcast of an European ice skating tournament that was held a couple of months ago. Figure skating wasn't among the most popular American sports, and skating events were usually taped and aired long afterwards, except maybe the world championships and US championships.

Before the TV broadcast, Elena used Maxim's computer to read an email sent by Carmen Cruz, and then wrote back to her new pen pal. Elena wrote a very long one, as she enjoyed communicating with friends about non-tennis related issues. She didn't have many friends outside of her tennis environment, and she couldn't join most of the extracurricular activities at school due to her schedules at the Academy and her tournaments. A tennis hopeful had to sacrifice a normal teenage life for possible success.

While Elena was watching the men's skating on TV, Maxim went to do his laundry and cleaning. The only thing he liked about watching figure skating was the scantily-clad ladies gliding artistically on the ice. He went to the couch with a few racquets and over grips when Elena told him the ladies event was being shown. He re-taped his racquet grips as he watched the show with Elena on the couch.

As soon as he had finished re-taping his racquets, Elena started nudging him. "Elena," he chuckled. "You're a little too heavy for my lap now."

Elena snickered, but kept on nudging him. "On to the floor," she demanded.

About half an hour later, Maxim began to stretch his sore legs underneath Elena, while she shifted on his lap. "Stop wiggling, Elena," he said, while trying to move his hips away from her ass.

Since Maxim saw Elena almost everyday, her physical development as she entered puberty had drawn very little attention from him. For the most part, he was still treating her like she was the little girl he met more than two years ago. However, he was reminded of her transition into a young lady when her healthily developed ass started making contact with his groin, creating a nascent bulge underneath the crevice between her ass cheeks.

Elena seemed unaware of his physical embarrassment, and wiggled even more while giggling. She halted after a while, as his bulge began prodding against her ass cheek through the layers of fabric. Her face began to gain a faint flush of redness as she started shifting away from his hip.

While she scrambled off his lap to sit beside him on the carpet, Maxim silently heaved a relieving sigh. It was the first time he had a bulge against a girl and he was retreating instead of pushing. He then gave her a close look as she locked her eyes on the TV screen.

Elena had just turned twelve a few months ago, but she was already about 5-foot-5 tall. Maxim never realized she had suddenly blossomed into an attractive young girl even though she still wasn't busty at all and her legs were a little slim, as she gained height faster than weight.

Elena glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes, and hissed, "What are you looking at? TV's over there."

Maxim chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, while returning his attention to the TV. "Elena, why didn't you tell me you've already become the prettiest girl on earth?"

Elena also chuckled. "Shut up, Max," she said. "Maria Butyrskaya's much prettier. Pay attention to the TV."

-------

That evening, Irene hosted a birthday party for Maxim at their condo. His birthday was on Wednesday, but both Irene and Maxim were leaving for Miami the next morning. It was going to be a very important birthday for Maxim, as he would legally become an adult. He would no longer need permissions from his father for anything. He could enter into any contract without having to see his father's face.

It was the first time Irene had spent money on him without complaining. She had even asked some friends to buy her a couple of bottles of sparkling wine for the party. Some of his friends had also called him up for a chat. He knew Jane Bennett wasn't calling him, but she had already sent him a card. Most of his Academy friends had just returned from their South America trip and they still looked quite weary when they showed up at the party.

"Elena," he said after she had given him a peck at the party. "You can't drink sparkling wine. You're too young. If you really want, you can drink from my mouth. My tongue is gifted. It can change sparkling wine into apple cider."

Irene laughed as Elena poked him in the waist with a small blush on her face. "My goodness," Irene said to Maxim. "I think very soon you'll be flirting with a five year-old. Max, you're so insanely sick."

Despite Maxim's repeated no-tongue pledge, Marlene refused to give him a peck on his lips after her lesson at her birthday party last year. She only reached the second round at Banana Bowl, while Joanna had a much better result and was marginally beaten in the final. Chuck didn't play after injuring his wrist during practice. His wrist was still taped when Maxim saw him.

"Gee, shut up your dog mouth," Marlene said, glaring at Maxim when he persisted. Her expression eased off when she appeared to have thought of something. "Hey, your little girlfriend wasn't there."

"What are you talking about?"

Marlene smiled at him. "Max, you know what I'm talking about."

"She's not my girlfriend anymore."

"Yeah," she said. "I know that, too. But don't you still care?"

"Of course I do," he sighed. "And I know she wasn't there. I still follow junior schedules and news. I think she'll be at the Spring Champs."

"Have you written to her?"

"Well, she sent me a birthday card, and I wrote back. She only said then she'll be playing at Puerto Vallarta in April. I don't write to her too often. I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Damn it, stop talking about her. Tongue time!"

Marlene chuckled as she pushed him in the chest and then sneaked away.

A little later when Maxim was trying to put a move on Joanna, she said to him in a low voice, "Do you know Jane Bennett wasn't at Banana Bowl?"

"Damn it," he sneered. "How come everyone's trying to upset me? Jo, stick your tongue out and put some honey syrup on it."

Joanna chuckled and quickly sneaked away from him.

When Anthony came over to him, Maxim stopped him before he talked. "Say things only relevant to my birthday and about Liz," he said. "Where the hell is she? Is she not coming? Are you kissing me on her behalf?"

-------

The next morning, Irene and Maxim started their trip to Miami for the Lipton International Players Championships held in Key Biscayne, Florida. The tournament was widely regarded as the most prestigious on the men's and women's professional tours, and was given the nickname "Fifth Grand Slam" by many people.

Maxim was accepted into qualifying, and Irene was given a wild card in the main draw. She was quite excited, as she had been playing mostly grass-root events ever since she had turned professional, and this was her first major pro tour tournament. The total prize monies from all of her previous tournaments didn't add up to what was offered at the Miami event.

While Irene was driving and bickering with Maxim about choice of music played on the stereo in her car, Maxim got a phone call from Janice. After she had wished him happy birthday, he asked her why she hadn't sent him a present. "My goodness," she said on the phone. "I could only afford a two-dollar card, and I sent you a four-dollar one."

"Oh, okay, then," he said. "Darling, are you going to Miami to watch me play?"

"No, Max. I can't afford the time. I'm very busy with my school. I have to graduate this summer. You know, I don't think I can get another scholarship deal next year. My ranking's on a slippery slope."

"Why don't you come to Stanford with Lawrence, honey? Don't you know how much I miss you?"

"Max, how many times have I told you? They didn't want me. For Christ sake, I'm so glad Texas A&M was so foolish to have offered it to me."

"Okay, baby, how about I go see you after the tournament?"

"No, Max. I don't want to see you until after my exams are over. Actually, I'm not sure if I'll ever want to see you again. You're too evil to see."

"Okay, Jan my love, but remember to tell me when it's your graduation day. I think I'd like to attend."

"All right, all right," she chuckled. "Whatever. Now stop it before you start calling me your wife."

After the phone call, Irene said to Maxim, "Do you know you'll be an adult after your birthday?"

"Of course I know."

"Do you know you can be thrown into jail if you sleep with a younger girl?"

"Does that mean I'll have to sleep with you instead?"

Irene started coughing while trying to hold her wheel firmly. "Oh, my God," she struggled to say. "I shouldn't have talked with you. You're the most worthless man on earth."

"Will you sleep with me if I win the Miami title??"

"Hell, no! Of course no! Who do you think I'm?"

"Will you sleep with me if you win the Miami title??"

"Hell, no! Of course no! Who do you think I'm?"

"I think you will, Irene, if you really win. You'll be so excited you'll have no clue what you're doing for a week."

Irene started laughing again. "That's true," she said. "I'll be too excited. I think, if I can get into the final, I'll hire a couple of body guards to protect myself from you."

"Lucky body guards, getting paid and getting laid."

Irene started slapping his arm as she laughed hysterically. "Hold your wheel!" Maxim yelled. "I wanna sleep with you, but not in the same grave."

-------

Men's qualifying matches started the next day, and Maxim had a rather tough draw, taking on one of the higher ranked players in his first round. His friends Scott Hunter, Brian Sheppard, and Stephen Fox were also playing qualifying, but they had easier opponents.

Key Biscayne is an island east of Miami, and is connected to Miami via a causeway. It is often quite windy during March, which is a shortcoming of playing tennis there. It was particularly windy when Maxim played his match, and both players were badly affected by the aggravation. Maxim won the match marginally, but he didn't know if he was playing better or whether it was sheer luck on his part.

Irene had gone to a player event at the Miami Seaquarium when Maxim played. She behaved like an excited little girl later that day when she told him about her experience of swimming with dolphins. "Oh, goodness," she beamed at him. "I was totally shocked at how much power those aquatic mammals have. I was pulled along in the water like water-skiing. They are so cute! Oh, not just cute, they're also very understanding. Gosh, I love them."

"I'll come over to your room tonight and you can treat me like a dolphin. I'm also very cute and understanding."

Irene burst out laughing. "You're a jerk, Max. The only dolphin you can become is a dolphin sashimi. Now go get changed, you dolphin jerk. We're going to the party now."

They had a lot of fun that evening when they went to a sponsor's party at the Four Seasons Hotel where many other sports and showbiz celebrities were also invited. It was a dramatic show up for Maxim when the host presented him with a birthday cake. Other players also started squirting cream, tossing pasta, and pouring drinks on him as he demanded mandatory kisses from the girls.

Except Scott Hunter, Maxim and his friends all made it into the main draw after some hard fought battles over the two day period. They had a day off to participate in a charity event while the women started their first round matches.

When Maxim saw Irene that evening, he knew she had lost in her first round match. She didn't expect to win the title, but she had hoped to strike a winning record and she couldn't make it. She wasn't too upset, because there was a large gap in levels between her and her opponent. She started to practice with her doubles partner hoping for a win in that category.

Maxim started his first round match pretty well, even though he was a big underdog. Both players had big serves, and his British star opponent was quite well known for his temperament. Unfortunately, a few games later the Brit's fiery strop started affecting Maxim, and the match evolved into a wrangle in between points. They were alternately hit with warnings and penalties. Ironically, the Briton was able to better contain his temper at crucial moments and had Maxim beaten in straight sets.

He was still muttering and cursing when he saw Danny in the players lounge after his brusque press conference. It was the first time in Maxim's pro career that he had abandoned a nice guy image and had some heated exchanges with the reporters. Danny told Maxim he had also lost in a closely scored match. "I watched a little of your match on the screen," the veteran chuckled at him. "It was funny as hell. But, you know, Max, Greg's got a bad mouth, and it's supposed to be his weakness, and you should've let his temper cost him his points."

"Next time I'm gonna take a baseball bat with me to the court, and beat his prick off when he start talking again."

Danny started laughing. "Which do you want more, a victory or his prick?"

"Both," Maxim said, also laughing.

"Well," Danny said after his laughter. "You know you can't have both, and you can't win a match without being able to contain your temper. You turn your temper into will, a will to beat the crap out of your opponent. That's how you win tough matches. That's how you succeed."

"Damn," Maxim sighed. "I know. I just don't know how to do it. Damn, I wish I had your will. What's your plan now? Are you going home or are you staying?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow. Do you want to have dinner together?"

"Hell, yeah," he grinned. "Show me some nice places. I hate the food here. The best is pasta and that's still worse than dog food."

They saw Brian Sheppard and Mike Jackson before they left the venue. They had also lost in their first round matches. Mike was getting ready to go to his next stop in Michigan with his father. Brian was playing doubles matches with Maxim and they would join Mike afterwards. The four of them had dinner together.

The next morning, Maxim stood in for one of Irene's friends, who had caught a cold, to have a light hitting with Irene and her doubles partner. Irene was having her match later that day. During a volley run, Maxim hit the ball a little too deep, and Irene pulled a thigh muscle while trying to save it. They all gathered around Irene to check on her. "What do you think you were doing?" Irene growled at Maxim. "Trying to kill me?"

In his opinion, it wasn't his fault. She didn't have to try and save the ball, as it was just a practice, not a match. However, he knew it would be extremely stupid to argue. He lent her a shoulder and helped her over to see the medical officer. It wasn't anything serious. She received ice packs and compression bandages and was set to go. It wasn't the first time Irene had this kind of minor injury. What made her so anxious was the fact she was having a match in a short while and she really wanted to give it her fullest effort.

Irene was still blaming Maxim when she and her partner were waiting for their match. She had fixed and re-fixed her bandages a couple of times already. When she untied them again to bandage up better, Maxim offered to give a hand. "Get your dirty hands off me," she glared at him.

"Damn, Irene," he said, glaring back. "It was an accident and I didn't mean to get you hurt. You didn't have to ... Okay, okay, my fault. I'll buy you two dozen sundaes."

"That's too many calories," she said as her expression eased off, apparently satisfied with his apology.

"Now stretch your damn leg out," he said. "I'm an expert in bandaging. Every time I've done it for people, they all won."

"You're giving me your BMW if I don't win," she said as she threw him her bandages.

Maxim caught the bandages and looked at her thigh, then gave her a lewd smile. "What do you say if I give you a nice rub first?"

"Give it back to me," Irene raised her voice, while still laughing with her partner. "You dolphin jerk."

"Stop wiggling until we're in my room," Maxim chuckled, as he started taping her thigh.

Irene and her partner struggled in their match, but a few games later their opponents also started playing sluggishly. It was a close match but not a quality performance. Nevertheless, at the end, Irene and her partner won the match. It was a big win for her, as she had opened a new chapter in her tennis career.

Maxim and Brian also started sluggishly in their doubles match, but unlike Irene's opponents, the guys in this match didn't give them chances. They tried to come back but still lost the match in three sets.

Maxim, Irene, and her partner joined Nick Sohaili and Lindsay Bitt for dinner that evening. Both Nick and Lindsay had been doing pretty well so far. During their meal, Maxim said to Irene, "I told you, my bandaging guarantees a win."

"Do it again for me tomorrow," Irene chuckled.

"Nah," he said. "Well, I can do it again, but the charm works only once. I'll tell you what. I'll give you a backrub tonight. It'll also guarantee a win, a big one. What do you say?"

Irene laughed with Nick, Lindsay, and her partner. "How many girls have you used this childish scam on?" she asked.

"It's not a scam, Irene. You'll regret it if you don't take the chance fast enough."

In fact, Maxim knew his backrub proposal would have no chance of success at all. Irene and her partner were facing a very strong pair the next morning. Their chances were quite slim no matter what charm Irene was given. Maxim had nothing better to do after he'd settled his accounts, so he went to watch her match.

Irene and her partner played a lot better in this match, but still lost to the much stronger opponents by a wide margin. Both Irene and her partner didn't seem upset though. They both didn't expect any miracles or surprising results. They rescheduled their return flight to the next day, before they decided to go shopping.

Maxim had a queer hunch, so he didn't follow the girls. He rented a car and drove over to Boca Raton, which was about an hour's drive away. He found the tennis club Jane Bennett was training at, but couldn't find her there, so he started hanging around. He was showing a young teen about various kinds of flat, kick, twist, and slice serves when he saw Jane and her father.

He stopped his demonstration and went over to them, but halted when he was about a dozen yards away from them. They both looked shocked and stopped when they saw him. Jane had become tanned from the stronger and constant sunbeam in Florida. It took Jane quite a while to make up her mind if she was coming over to talk with him, but she eventually did, after giving her father a glance. "Max, what're you doing here?" she said.

"Well, I've got nothing to do," he said, while giving her father a wave. "My flight's on tomorrow, so I figured maybe I'd come see how you're doing. You didn't go to Brazil. Were you injured?"

"I hurt my shoulder a while ago. I wasn't hundred percent, so I didn't go. How have you been?"

"You okay now?

"Yes, I'm fine now. Thank you," she said, pausing for a couple of deep breaths, and went on slowly. "I'm thinking about turning pro."

"Now?"

"Yes."

"Are you getting a good endorsement deal?"

"No, not really."

"Then why turn pro now? Baby ... I mean Jane. You haven't even won a Grade One or Two title yet, how do you expect you can win any decent prize monies from pro tourneys?"

Jane had been biting her lower lip to hold her laughter. She glanced at him and then at her father, who was still standing about ten steps away and watching them, then said. "I can play both junior and pro tourneys at the same time. I think I can improve faster. I, well, we've already gambled too much already."

"No, no, no, no, no, honey. Damn, I mean Jane. Damn, stop laughing," he said, and chuckled with Jane before going on. "Look, your situation's different to mine. You're much younger, you don't have SAMS on your back, and you don't get a big endorsement offer. My housemate Irene's been a pro for a year, and she still has problem making a living. You don't have a reason to go pro right now. Is it your dad's idea?"

"No. Well, no. Well, We're, well, I'm still thinking."

"No, no, Dar ... Jane," he said, then reached out to grab her hand. "Let's talk with your dad." He dragged her over to her father.

"Hi, Mr. Bevington," he said, and let go of Jane's hand when he realized she had been struggling. "Jane says she's thinking about turning pro. I'd hold back if I were your dad, I mean your manager. I mean, I've been lucky. I won a junior Slam I have no clue how I did it, and then I got a lucky deal, and then I got a lucky loan from my manager, or I'd already have starved to death."

"We're just thinking, Max," said Mr. Bevington. "We're exploring all possible options."

"I think you should play more US junior tourneys, both of you..."

Jane chuckled with her father. "Not him," she corrected him. "Only me."

"Okay, okay, anyway, dad," he spoke faster and faster. "I mean Jane's dad. Damn, I mean Mr. Bevington. Excuse me for my language, damn it. Anyway, damn, stop laughing, honey. Damn, I mean Jane. Okay, okay, anyway, you know, college recruiters flood the venues of big junior events. Maybe you'll get a few offers. You know, tuition plus college level training is a lot of money. Then you have a secured option, and you can still dump them and turn pro if you're doing better. What do you say, Jane? Oh, what do you say, Mr. Bevington?"

"Yes," said the father, after laughing with his daughter. "That's an option we're also looking at. I think it's a good one, too."

"Well, it's good to know. Well, I think I should go. It's getting late. I, um, well, take care, dad and Jane. Anyway, I ... I mean Mr. Bevington. Anyway, I'm going now. Take care, good luck at Puerto Vallarta, good luck at Italy, Belgium, France, LTA, and Wimbley."

"I'm not going to Italy," Jane said. "I don't think I'll be playing in France, but thank you, Max. You're going now? You come over just to say these things?"

"Well, good luck at whatever. No, honey, I don't come to say anything. Damn, I mean Jane. Damn, stop laughing. I come to see how you've been doing. Yes, I'm going now. Take care, Jane. Take care, Mr. Bevington."

Jane hesitated a bit after a chuckle with her father, but she still asked, "Aren't you staying for dinner, Max?"

"Well, no, no, thanks, no. I, um, I'm flying back tonight."

"You said your flight's on tomorrow."

"Well, okay, yeah, I lied. I always lie, no biggie. Anyway, I think I'd better go. I'm eating with my housemate. Take care, both of you. Say hi to mom for me. I mean your mom."

Maxim ate at a McDonald's on his way back to Key Biscayne. Before he returned his rental car, he got a call from Irene asking if he had already had his dinner. The girls had met another player during their shopping spree and were having dinner together. Maxim didn't need a meal, but he went for a dessert anyway. The other guy was called Justin Gifford and was a college sophomore at the University of California at Los Angles. Both Irene and Maxim had known Justin from juniors. Justin was given a wild card to play at this event but had also been knocked out in both singles and doubles. He was also leaving the next morning.

Irene asked Maxim where he had been to when she knew he had a rental car. "Boca Raton," he said. "I taught a kid serves. I never knew I was so good in explaining the fine details. I think I'll be a great coach one day."

Irene didn't talk with him about his Boca Raton trip during the dinner, but after splitting with her friends at the hotel, she asked Maxim, "Did you go to Boca Raton to see her?"

"See who?"

"You know who."

"How come everyone knows everything about me?"

Irene chuckled, "Because you're too hot, Max. Did you?"

"What's the color of my undies?"

"Max, I'm not interested in that. Did you?"

"You said you know everything about me."

"Max! Did you?"

"I did. She told me she was thinking about turning pro. I told her to think about it carefully. She hasn't made any significant impact in juniors yet. It's too risky to turn pro now. Okay, pick your choice now."

"You went to just tell her that?"

"Pick color!"

She chuckled again. "Max, your Adidas shorts are white. What can you wear underneath them other than tightly whities?"

"Wrong," he grinned at her. "I'm wearing jeans. You owe me a kiss. Okay, My turn to guess now, if I miss, we're even. Otherwise--"

"Shut up, Max," she cut in after her laughter. "Stop playing game with me. Did you?"

"Nah, I just went over to check her out. She hurt her shoulder. That's why she wasn't in Brazil."

"I don't think it's a very good idea, Max."

"Irene, I just, damn it, you know, she's still my friend. I still care for her. I care for my friends. Black."

"Black what?"

"Your panties!"

Irene burst out laughing again. "Max, I'm not playing a game with you. And you're not going to see."

Maxim also laughed. "Damn it, Irene. Can't you pretend to be a little stupid once in a while? You've just missed a chance for a nice backrub."

"I couldn't care less about that. If I need, I could use the massage therapist's service at Crandon Park."

"Up to you," he said. "They're forty-five bucks a session, but mine are free. Hey, Irene, wanna go to my room for a drink?"

She laughed once again. "You can try it at the bar, Max. Good night."

Maxim went to the bar, but he was the youngest guy there and the only one drinking non-alcoholic beverage. He didn't meet any girls who had a fetish for younger and innocent guys. He ended up chattering with other folks while watching a college basketball game on the TV.



-------

Chapter 42


When Maxim returned to his hotel room, he found a voice message from Irene on his phone. She sounded a little sleepy when he returned her call. "What's up, baby?" he asked. "Are you sleeping, or watching TV, or cheating behind my back?"

Irene began coughing. "My goodness, Max," she said weakly. "Can't you ever talk nicer like a gentleman?"

"Irene, I'm not a gentleman. I'm a dog, I'm a jerk, and I'm still lusting after you."

Irene carried on laughing for a while, and then started speaking with a little hesitation. "Do you, um, well, do you really know how to, I mean, you know, do real backrub?"

"Does it matter?" Maxim chuckled. "As long as I can make you happy."

"Max!"

"No, but I'm a quick learner, if you know what you need."

Maxim wasn't sure if Irene really needed a backrub, or something else, or something more, when he went over to her room. Nevertheless, he envisioned a backrub job would be enjoyable both for her and for him.

After letting him into her room, Irene stared at the IcyHot heat rub cream in his hand. "Why are you bringing this?" she asked.

"Don't you need a backrub?" he said, staring at her bathrobe, wondering if she was wearing anything underneath.

"Max," she chuckled. "Nobody uses that for a backrub. It's not an ankle or foot massage. Use my lotion." She pointed at her moisturizing lotion on the night table, and then went over to her bed.

Turning away from Maxim, Irene took off her bathrobe and showed him her nude back. She wasn't wearing a bra, but she had her bikini swim bottom on. She slowly lay on her stomach in the bed. "Don't just look, Max," she said. "Come over and do your job. Start from my neck."

Maxim went over, sat at the edge of her bed, applied lotion on her skin, and started rubbing her neck. "Wouldn't it be better if you take this damn bikini off as well?" he said, while scanning every inch of her naked back. "After your loss, you must have a sore ass, don't you?"

Irene giggled. "Yeah, you wish. Hey, press harder with your thumbs. Yeah, like this. Oh, feels so good."

Maxim couldn't understand how professional massagers could sustain the erotic treat. From the moment he had his fingers on her soft skin, he had developed a hard-on, which only grew bigger as time went by. He began giving her longer strokes, rubbing and pressing his fingers down from her neck to the middle of her back and then towards her sides, extending the strokes a little every time towards her front.

He knew it was going to be another lucky night when Irene didn't protest as his fingertips came into contact with her soft mounds. Maybe she had expected this from him, which was probably a typical move from any guy who volunteered for such a job. He slowly slipped his fingers further underneath her breasts until his tips reached her nipples. Their breathing had become quite heavy.

Without opposition, he managed to turn Irene over, and he immediately lowered his face down to her breasts, licking and sucking her swollen nipples. Even though Maxim had had sex with her once before in his car at a dark roadside, it was the first time he saw her body, and his saliva production began surging. He also ran his fingers over her skin randomly as she stroked his hair. After a little while, he began guiding his fingers toward her bikini bottom, and then started rubbing her Spandex-covered groin.

It took Irene a little while to part her legs slightly. Maxim immediately slipped his fingers down between her legs and started caressing her sensitive area. He knew she was getting wet even though he couldn't feel it from outside of her bikini bottom. He decided to get a better feel, and tried to slip his hand inside her last piece of garment.

The move wasn't very successful, as her bikini's waist string was limiting his movement. Yet he could still sense moisture on her public hair while his fingers were struggling to get deeper inside her bikini. He pulled his hand out and began fumbling to untie her string, while Irene arched and pushed her breasts into his lips and face.

He also took a break from licking her breasts as his attention was shifted to untying her string. His mouth didn't stop, though, and he started complaining about her putting on an unnecessary piece of clothing. "Don't you do this again at home, honey," he muttered. "Don't you ever wear anything underneath your robe when we do it at home."

It was then that Irene put a hand on his arm and stopped him, as if she was a virgin suddenly realizing that her cherry was about to be popped prematurely.

Bewildered, he raised his face to look at her. Irene had a very flushed face, and was breathing quite rapidly, when she started pulling her slightly off-position briefs up her hip and sliding her body away from him. She looked away from him and said softly, "I'm sorry, Max. We can't. We're housemates."

This was undoubtedly the most insane remark any woman could have given him at such critical moment. He moved over to her, still on all fours, and stared into her eyes. "Irene," he groaned. "Of course we can. I'm exploding." He reached a hand to her as she began covering her breasts with her arms.

"Max, listen," she raised her tone a little, while pushing his hand away. "I'm sorry, but we're housemates. I can't let this happen."

"Hell with housemates," he grunted, and grabbed her hand towards his hardness. "I need it, and you need it, don't you?"

Irene fought with him as she tried to get her hand off his grip. "No, Max," she also grunted. "Yes, I admit I was. But, please, Max. I don't want to see you feeling shameful every day. I don't want to be a slut again."

The word 'slut' struck the right nerve in him as he remembered her worst moment. "Damn," he said as he let loose of her hand. "What am I going to do now? And don't lie, you're still wet, aren't you?"

Irene giggled as redness reappeared on her face. She also reached out a hand for her bathrobe while still covering part of her breasts with another arm. "I'm sorry, Max, but I promise you this won't happen again."

Maxim fixed his eyes on her breasts as she covered herself up, and then turned to her face. "Irene, you're the biggest bitch on earth. I'm telling you, next time this happens, I'm going to do you whether you want it or not."

Irene smiled at him as she rose from the mattress and put on her bathrobe. "Max," she said softly while taking deep breaths. "Thanks for understanding. I'm really sorry. I'll buy you a big dinner."

Maxim was still cursing Irene the next morning when they met during breakfast. They were splitting after breakfast. Irene was flying back to Santa Arcata and Maxim on to West Bloomfield, Michigan.

His results at these two renowned events were forgettable but expected. Making it into the main draws was already quite an achievement for a rookie. Besides, whilst he hadn't made any progress in ranking, he had earned around $10,000 just by showing up in the tournaments and getting beaten. This would help fund some of his upcoming competitions where prize monies were in dribs and drabs.

West Bloomfield is a beautiful suburb of Detroit that is heavily dotted with small and medium-sized lakes. However, unlike the celebrated treatments that Maxim received in Indian Wells and Miami, he had gone back to the reality of rushing and struggling for life and prospect, at fringed tournaments with iffy arrangements and sparse spectators.

He met with Mike Jackson and Brian Sheppard, as well as a few other acquainted players, and started practicing. A couple of days later he was informed by Al Harrington that his entry into the Japan Open qualifying had been secured. Since Mike was also playing at these two Japanese tournaments, they agreed to play doubles together.

Aided by a desire to reach his goal of achieving a ranking that could earn him a spot in the upcoming Grand Slam events, he played with a lot of passion, and made it into the quarter-final before he was beaten in a match he should have won but let a convincing lead slip away. He made some progress in ranking, but still fell a little short of his goal.

There was no time for remorse, as he had to rush for his next tournament thousands of miles away. Mike had already lost in the second round at West Bloomfield, and had gone with his father to Japan a couple of days ago. Maxim quickly got packed and then took a 20-hour flight to Nagoya, Japan.

-------

It was Maxim's third time in Japan. From his previous visits, he had the impression that the Japanese were a very conservative, quiet, helpful, polite race of people. However, when his Japanese friend Norikazu Ishii showed him around more places, he also found them quite extroverted and flamboyant. The youth culture seemed to model itself on the 1980s rock bands, with the long puffed up hair, highlights, leg warmers, denim jackets and multi colored tee shirts. Their love for music was apparent in every part of the country. Everything seemed to be accompanied by music.

While Maxim had played in Japan the year before, that tournament was a junior version of the Japan Open, which was organized in a high profile manner. What made him appreciate, from the moment he stepped into the official hotel and then went to the tournament venue, was the Japanese's spirit in running Challenger competition as if it was a high level international tour event, making sure players had food provided, free hotel rooms, great transportation and a tennis friendly schedule. They really prided themselves on being helpful and making everyone feel as welcome and as comfortable as possible.

The only complaint Maxim had was his jet lag after his transpacific flight, but he couldn't blame anyone for it. He was still adjusting to the different time zones, environments, and temperatures, when he played his first match. He struggled throughout, trying to find his form and footing on the court. To his fluke, his Canadian opponent, who had also rushed over after the Michigan tournament, was also playing a horrendous match. Maxim eventually advanced because his opponent played worse than him.

Mike and his father didn't look happy when Maxim saw them a little later. Mike had come here earlier to get himself better adjusted, had played a much higher quality match, but lost to a Swede who outperformed him. On the other hand, Norikazu Ishii, who was given a wild card and was taking a break off his college classes, had both luck and performance. He had an easy win over another Japanese.

That evening the Americans followed Norikazu and another Japanese to dine out. During their meal, Norikazu told them it was his first competition for the year. He was given a wild card to play at the Japan Outdoor qualifying. After the tournaments he would return to college, and then he would play a couple of Japanese Satellites during the summer.

After a full day of rest, Maxim felt he was feeling much better and ready for a quality match. To his dismay, he still couldn't find his comfort zone when he played his second match. Not only did he lose the match, he was nearly swept. Mike had a good laugh at him before they went for their doubles match.

Ironically, two sloppily moving Americans added up to a decent team. Both of them had also adapted much better to the environment and won their first match easily. The second match was also a high quality one, and the scores were very tight. In the end they were beaten by a better performed Australian team. Wasting no time, the losers hurried to Tokyo for their next tournament.

Even though both were high level pro tour events, there was a significant gap in terms of recognition between the Tokyo tournament and the renowned Miami Masters. Nevertheless, the hospitality was no less. They were staying at a 5-star hotel, and like in Nagoya, all other arrangements were superb. After settling down in his hotel room, Maxim started looking up his friends. The Omnicianni junior's team had already arrived, but since Anthony was playing qualifying matches, none of them were at their hotel.

Maxim couldn't find the Japanese doll Misa Yamashita either, even though she was also supposed to be in town. He knew that Shoko Mizuho wasn't coming because her ranking had slid somehow and her place had been taken over by another younger player. Misa and he still wrote to each other via snail mail. Shoko never wrote to him directly, but often used a corner of her friend's mails for greeting. Misa never talked about anything remotely romantic in her mails, and Maxim had a feeling that their fleeting sexual relationship was merely a chance by the grace of God.

When his call to Irene's room was connected, she was apparently having a nap. Irene had just come over from Jakarta, where she was eliminated in the first round of a women's tour event after having qualified. She was also playing qualifying in Tokyo. The men's and women's events were two separate tournaments held together, but the men's event was of a higher level and carried a much bigger jackpot. "Get up, honey," Maxim said excitedly on the phone. "You owe me a big dinner. Get up now or I'm going to your room."

"I'm tired," she said with a sleepy tone on the phone.

"I'm coming over to give you a backrub. I've got like a dozen condoms with me."

Irene began laughing. "Oh, my God," she panted. "What a jerk. I'm getting up now."

After their meal at a Japanese teppanyaki restaurant, Irene refused to pay the check. "I'm not going to pay for your friends," she whispered to Maxim, who had asked Mike, Norikazu, and a couple of other new friends to join them for dinner.

"But I've told them someone's paying," Maxim whispered back.

"I don't care," Irene said with an agitated tone. "That's your problem. I'll pay you back your part and mine when we get back."

"In your room?"

"Go to hell!"

The next morning at practice, Mike asked Maxim if he had gotten his monies worth with Irene. "Shut the fuck up, Mike," he said, glaring at his friend. "Never in my life am I going to pay for your meal again."

Other than spending stupidly on an expensive meal, the qualifying rounds had been enjoyable for Maxim. Atmosphere at the Ariake Tennis Forest Park was great and Japanese fans were very enthusiastic even to unfamiliar players in qualifying matches. In fact, Maxim found himself often in the limelight during the qualifying rounds, because he was the finalist in the junior's event the previous year. He was known to many young Japanese fans who were eager to know how he would perform in an adult event. Norikazu was knocked out on the first day and was getting ready to go home, but Maxim, Mike, and Irene all made it into the main draw.

When Maxim and Irene met with their Academy friends for dinner, he suggested a restaurant which offered cheap set meals. Byrnes was not going with them, and he had a feeling they were going to make him pay. He had already asked Norikazu about places where he could spend his money wisely. Nevertheless, he knew he was in trouble when none of them would go into the restaurant he took them to. In the end they settled for a small tempura restaurant.

During their meal, Maxim found out Joanna was going to her junior prom with Chuck. "Who's going with you, Marlene?" he asked, glancing at Anthony. "Don't tell me you're cheating on my back and are going with this dork."

Marlene flung him a shrimp tail and glared at him while the others were laughing. "Stop your cheating craps, you jerk! Who do you think you are?"

"Okay, sorry, honey," he said as he started picking up shrimp tails from their plates. "Am I going with you to your prom?"

Marlene let out a deep sigh. "Gee, could you please stop calling me that name? You're not going anywhere with me."

"Why not?"

Joanna chuckled at him. "Max, you can't go to our prom. You'll be playing in Uzbekistan."

"Oh, damn," he said, and also let out a sigh. "Wait, I can skip Andijan and go with you, hon ... Marlene. What do you say?"

"Gee," Marlene said, with another sigh. "You're not going to skip anything, Max. Don't you have any sense of responsibility?"

"Not when you're in front of me, or in my dreams."

"Shut up your dog mouth!" Marlene said, and started looking for stuff she could fling at him. She began tossing napkins and chopsticks at him as the others laughed again.

Maxim leaned over to Anthony and whispered in his ear, "Dude, are you going with her?"

"No," Anthony said. "I don't think she's going."

After paying the check, Maxim pushed Chuck off Marlene's side as they walked out of the restaurant. He whispered in Marlene's ear, "Why aren't you going to the prom? Didn't you always long for it?"

Marlene glanced at him as the Korean chuckled silently while moving over to Joanna's side. "I've never said that," she lowered her voice. "And it's none of your business."

"Come on, Marlene. Hey, if I lose in the first round at Andijan, I'll have a few days off before Jerusalem. I can go with you. Don't skip your prom. How many proms do you have in your life?"

"No," she said, looking at him. "You'll tank and lose it. You can't do that. You need points."

"Honey," he said, leaning a little closer towards her. "Do you think I'd tank a match for you? That's too much."

"Max, you're insane. You'll do anything without good reason."

"Okay, okay, honey," he said. "I'll ask Anthony to go with you. Don't skip it. Okay?"

"I'm not your honey."

"That means a yes," he said, smiling at her, then jogged over to Anthony and pushed Irene off the Chinese. "Dude, you goddamn lucky dork," he said to Anthony, while fending off arms and legs from the shrieking Irene. "You're going with Marlene to her prom. But I'm telling you, don't you ever touch her, or you'll become a gay-rape victim."

Maxim had a surprisingly easy win over a seed in his first round match. He saw Misa in the players lounge after his formalities. The Japanese doll gave him an enthusiastic handshake and told him she had lost in her first round singles match. She was also playing in doubles so she was staying. She smiled at him but ignored his flirts during their chat. "Play harder," she said before they parted. "If I not play, I go cheer for you."

He was still having a smile on his face long after Misa had left. With or without intimate experience with her, she had been very nice and enjoyable company. He didn't know if she was in a relationship, but he hoped she had had a great man to care for her.

Maxim played another solid match and beat his friend Mike handily in the second round. "Damn it," Mike said to him when they were in the shower afterwards. "Can't you stop playing like J. Mac?"

"Dude, if I'd played like Johnny Mac, you'd have been handed a double bagel."

Mike started laughing. "Watch out, Max. Next time I'm gonna kick your sorrow ass like there's no tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah, and I think you're going to open up a bagel shop selling Maksimka bagels handed to you."

"Say that freaking name again and I'm gonna serve into your ugly big fat ass in our doubles."

Maxim also started laughing. "Yeah, yeah, let's see whose ass is gonna eat more serves."

Their doubles partnership didn't go very far and they were beaten in their second match, so they didn't have many chances of trying to serve into their partner's ass. On the singles side, both Maxim and Irene had been having solid matches, and both reached quarter finals. Even though both were big underdogs, Irene would have a better chance. Her opponent was an unseeded top-100 Japanese, while Maxim was facing the second seed and world number four Michael Chang.

In the junior events, only Marlene was still competing, and was on her way to challenge her record of reaching quarter-final the previous year. They had dinner before their quarter-final match day, with Mike, his father, and Byrnes this time. Mike and his father were going back to the US the next morning.

When Anthony knew Mike and Maxim were having quite different schedules for the next couple of months, he asked Maxim, "Why aren't you playing clay tourneys like Mike to get better prepared for Roland Garros? I don't even know where that Uzbekistan country is."

Joanna poked Anthony in the temple while the others laughed at him. "It's in Central Asia, north of Afghanistan. Now don't tell me you don't know where Afghanistan is."

"I don't," Anthony chuckled. "Do you, Jo?"

Joanna giggled with a small blush on her face. "Central Asia, of course," She said, matter-of-factly, and then turned to Byrnes. "Coach?"

After Maxim had finished laughing and while Byrnes was drawing a sketch of the Central Asia map on a napkin, he explained his situation to his fellow players. "O said I wouldn't have any chance at Roland Garros at all. I suck on clay, and more so on red clay. Other than my serve, nothing in my game makes me look half decent there. So, you know, he had a fight with Ted, and he won. So I'm doing some easier Challengers. You know, I still haven't won any Satellite or Challenger singles title."

Following a brief geography lesson by Byrnes, Maxim conducted a poll. "Who has confidence in me for my match?"

Naturally nobody was taking side with him. "Damn," Maxim chuckled. "This hurts." He turned to Irene. "Honey, how about a tongue if I win?"

"Go to hell," Irene said, chuckling.

"Damn," he sighed, then turned to Marlene. "Hon..." He got a kick from Marlene underneath the table before he could finish a word. "Ouch!"

Irene lost her quarter-final match in straight sets, but it was still a milestone for her. This was the furthest she had reached in a tour level event, which was more significant than championships she had won in low level tournaments. She had beaten a top-30 player en route to the quarter-final, which meant she had the potential to go further. She had also earned enough ranking points to attempt knocking on the door of the top-100 club.

Nevertheless, Irene stomped on Maxim's foot when he demanded a dinner from her for celebration when they met in the players lounge. "You're a jerk," she scowled. "You're making five times more than I'm making here."

"Buy me a dinner," he said, while hopping in pain in front of her. "Then I'll buy you a baby doll nightie."

"You jerk," she chuckled. "I don't want a nightie. Buy me an LV handbag. Everyone here's carrying one, and I look so cheap."

"Whoa! You're out of your mind. I'm not buying you an LV, not even if you're giving me a backrub."

"Shut up, you jerk," she scowled, and then rolled her eyes. "No LV, you're not seeing your BMW intact when you get home."

It was then a Japanese man in suit approached them and looked eagerly at Maxim. "Are you Mr. Khimin?" asked the stranger.

"Yeah, and you are?"

"Hello, Mr. Khimin," said the Japanese, and handed him a business card. "My name is Fukushi Takada." He pointed at his card as he went on. "We represent Subaru. Are your sleeves available?" He spoke very good English, even though he still had the typical slurring Japanese accent and trailing vowel intonation in nearly every word.

"Sleeves? Oh, you mean patches?"

"Yes," Fukushi Takada chuckled. "Must be available. Five hundred American dollar both sleeves, yes?"

Irene was going away, but Maxim grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Honey," he whispered in her ear. "What did you get in your patch deal?"

She chuckled. "Max, are you blind? Didn't you see I've been wearing sleeveless shirts this entire year? Now let me go. I'm going for my massage."

"Damn," Maxim said, then thought about it while still grabbing Irene's arm. He made a counter offer to the Japanese, "One thousand."

The Japanese accepted his counter offer instantly, and took out a wad of greenbacks and a booklet of receipts from his suit pocket. "Mr. Khimin, please give me your shirts." However, before he started counting monies, he looked at Maxim and changed his mind. "One thousand five hundred American dollar."

Both Maxim and Irene were shocked at this weird bargain, but then they heard a light chuckle from behind them. They turned around and saw Ken Hirata -- SAMS' Tokyo office account manager -- smiling at them and the Japanese.

Ken and Fukushi Takada then shook hands and started talking in Japanese. From their expressions, it seemed Ken knew Fukushi well. The advertising guy also had a couple of embarrassing chuckles as they talked.

Ken then turned to the puzzled duo and explained. "He didn't know you were a SAMS player, so he pressed the price down." He chuckled with them and then went on. "I know his boss well, so he is not cheating. You play Michael Chang on Center Court. It's live on TV in Japan and Asia. They pay very good price for this opportunity. Next time they want anything, tell them Ken Hirata works for you."

While the advertising guy was having corporate logos sewn on his shirts, Maxim beamed at Irene, "Fast money, huh? Even better than fighting to death to earn prize monies. We'll go buy your LV bag tonight and then we'll do backrubs for each other."

"I hate you," Irene said, chuckling. "You always get the better deals. I want an LV and a Gucci now."

"What about the backrubs?"

"Go to Hell," she said, laughing. "I'm going for massage now. You're also paying for it."

-------

Maxim was quite surprised after winning the first set of his quarter-final match against the overwhelmingly favored Michael Chang. It seemed Michael was having a brief slump, especially when dealing with serve-and-volley guys, as his previous two defeats were to Sampras and Ivanisevic, both playing the same offensive style.

Michael started picking up his game after the break, and the next set went into a tight race, which had to be determined by a tiebreaker. Maxim won the tiebreaker and thus the match. He was amazed by how well and consistent he had been playing during the entire match. It was a heartbreaking upset for most fans who were relentlessly loyal to Michael Chang, but Maxim still received standing ovation from the crowd and a warm welcome at the post-match media conference.

Naturally Maxim also received excited hugs from Irene and his Academy friends in the players lounge. Marlene had won her quarter-final match on the junior's side as well, so she also got a firm hug from Maxim, and she had to threaten to kick him in the balls before he would let her go. Irene was supposed to leave Tokyo after her loss, but Maxim begged her to stay and cheer for him. "Okay, okay, honey," he said. "I'll pay for your room and meals."

"And the handbags?" she said, smiling.

"Damn, no Gucci. They're for old frumps!"

Michael Chang had a chat with Maxim during the dinner hosted by a sponsor that evening, and asked if he was going to Asia again later that year. "I'm involved in some tennis development programs in Asia," he told Maxim. "And help is always welcome."

"My fall schedule isn't fixed yet," Maxim said. "But if I do come, you can count me in. I think I'm starting to get obsessed with Asian chicks."

During his warm-up practice the next morning, Maxim saw Misa Yamashita, who came to congratulate him and tell him she was leaving the next day. When Maxim suggested dinner that evening, she gave him her signature motorized head shaking. "Okay, okay," Maxim said. "Not alone, you'll be safe. We go with my friends. Many pretty girls. Many handsome guys. Bring your friends, too. You want to meet more American friends, don't you?"

Misa eventually agreed as fans and media people started gathering and she obviously didn't want to get into the spotlight, thus in the news and tabloids.

Ken Hirata and Fukushi Takada also showed up a little later. They told Maxim the Subaru patch deal would be continued until Maxim was knocked out. Ken also told him that the management of both the advertising company and Fuji Industries -- which made Subaru cars -- liked his performance and presentation, and would contact Al Harrington regarding the possibility of a long term partnership. This was indeed good news for Maxim, even though patch endorsements normally brought in much less income than those from clothing and gear.

Maxim's semi-final opponent was far below Chang in ranking, but he played very well in the match and took the first set easily, before it started raining. When the match was resumed after the rain, Maxim's luck changed and his footing became much better. His serves and volleys started to pose serious threats. Maxim eventually won the match in another match tiebreaker.

Byrnes didn't want to go to dinner with a big mob of teens, but Maxim insisted it, as he had never before paid for a meal for his former coach. Marlene had lost in her semi-final match, and wasn't very happy. Maxim managed to change her disappointment into annoyance when he insisted on giving her tongue for consolation. "Okay, okay," he whispered to her. "Since I'm madly in love with you, I'll buy you some bright red Gucci panties. What do you say?"

He was glad to see Marlene blush and start slapping his arm with a glare.

The friends Misa took with her to the dinner were very happy about the gathering, not only because they were meeting some American juniors in a leisurely environment, but also because of spending time with two professional players, which made them feel a little closer to their dreams. Maxim knew this feeling very well from his previous experience.

Maxim was asked how he felt about the championship match, in which he was going to play against his idol Pete Sampras. "To get my ass kicked," he chuckled. "What else? He's world number one. He's much better than me in all aspects."

While the others were laughing, Byrnes shook his head and spoke, "Max, you weren't supposed to be able to beat Michael either, not even Hendrik, but you've been on fire this week, and you've created miracles. You know, there's something about you. You're okay, and I mean just okay, against mediocre players. But your best performances have been against great players or in impossible situations. Do you know what that means?"

"Means I'm a super kid?"

As most of Maxim's friends roared in laughter again and Misa was busy translating to some of her friends who were incompetent in English, Byrnes went on, "That means you have greatness within yourself. The problem is nobody knows how to get it out of you. Not you, not me, not Paul, not O." He paused, and then continued much slower and in a lower voice, "Nobody. I've been thinking about it for a couple of years, and I still don't know which coach is capable of doing it."

Byrnes' remark was double-edged. It was a tribute to Maxim's potential, but also a severe criticism. Maxim didn't want to think about it, so he started flirting with the girls one by one. Towards the end of the dinner, everything that could be thrown had been flung at him, and his legs had been kicked a number of times underneath the table.

He got an unexpected phone call from Al Harrington before he went to bed that night. "Well, Max," said the agent. "I feel sorry that I'm not there with you, but nobody had expected you to be in the final."

Maxim chuckled with his agent. "Don't worry, Al. I'm very fine. Ken Hirata helped me with a patch deal. Did he tell you?"

"Yeah," said Al. "He did, and in fact, I've just got a fax from Temerlin McClain testing the water. I'll let you know of the outcome." He paused briefly. "Max, stay focused. Don't worry about the results. Don't worry about other things. I'll take care of them." His voice sounded a little tense.

"Al, how come you sound more nervous than me?"

"Max, because I care about your future more than you do. Don't you know that?"

"Quack, quack," Maxim chattered. "I know, Al, of course I know. You're hoping for a golden egg."

Maxim didn't expect to win against Sampras, which was indeed a helpful mentality, because he was already very nervous to be able to play in the championship match. His original goal was only to reach the main draw, so this was a huge and unexpected development. He had already changed racquets twice before the warm-up was over. It was among the biggest crowds he had ever played in front of, and nearly all of them were betting against him, including all of his friends.

He played like an amateur to start with, which cost him a couple of early games. But knowing he had nothing to lose and a competitive match was all he and his opponent were suppose to produce together, he started focusing much better. He began picking up his rhythm and the match went into a tight competition. He lost in the end, but it was a solid and close match, with a score he was proud of.

During the trophy presentation ceremony, Sampras talked about Maxim through the host's microphone. "The first time I met Max was at last year's Wimbledon champion's dinner," Sampras told the crowd. "I remember I told him that I'd be watching him. I admit it was just some nice riposte and I didn't quite mean anything." He chuckled with Maxim and the host before he turned to Maxim and continued. "Well, Max, I'll be watching you seriously from now on."

Despite the loss, Maxim received a heroic welcome from his friends when he went back to the players lounge. "What a match!" Byrnes applauded him, after he had gotten enough pecks on his cheeks.

Even though he was the loser, Maxim still had a high profile media conference. After all, it was a championship match press conference. Although some sports columnists had been describing him as rising young sensation since he had turned professional, he was still a new face to most worldwide tennis fans and spectators before this tournament. Now his name was going to appear in sports headline news all over the world. He was asked to do a few interviews with local and sports networks as well as magazines before he was freed.

Besides the warm welcome and encouragements, what pleased him the most were the rewards from the tournament. He had made an astronomical sum of $81,000 in prize money, nearly doubled his career earnings so far. He had earned 268 ranking points, also more than twice of what he already had, and would boost his ranking from below 200 to just shy of 100.

Since his next match was only two days away in a remote mountainous country he had little knowledge of, he didn't have time to celebrate his feast achievement in Tokyo. He had already checked out of his hotel that morning and had his luggage with him, so he bade his friend's adieu and took a courtesy car provided by the tournament to the airport for his evening flight to Frankfurt.

While at Narita Airport waiting for his flight, he wrote a check for the money he owed Celine for his BMW and mailed it to her right away. Since there was still some time left, he called up Elena, his aunt, and Paul Kowalski to share his joy with them.

Paul had some suggestions for him. "I'll bet that Ted will be reworking on your schedules," said the coach over the phone. "He'll try to scrap your remaining Challengers and put you into tour events instead. I don't believe that'll be a good idea. I'd suggest that you stick to your plan. Finish these Challengers, then take a break before Roland Garros. And then from there we'll see what's better for you."



-------

Chapter 43


The flight from Tokyo to Frankfort was the most pleasant part of the trip to Fergana, Uzbekistan. Maxim arrived at the German airport at dawn on Monday. He stretched himself out and had a couple of espressos while he waited for a connecting flight to Uzbekistan's capital city of Tashkent.

Uzbekistan, a former Soviet Union state, is a dry, double-landlocked country about the size of California in Central Asia. Maxim was quite surprised to see the modernized infrastructure at Tashkent airport. However, the unhelpful attitude from most of the staff made it one of the worst experiences he had had in his travels. He believed he would have more trouble and nightmares if he wasn't able to speak a little Russian. The official language in Uzbekistan was Uzbek, but Russian continued to be widely used, a holdover from the old Soviet rule.

His rudimentary Russian speaking ability also helped when he made the remainder of his trip, riding in a taxi and then a bus, to the city of Fergana about 150 miles away. He had already learned from some players who had been there before about bargaining on everything, from taxi fares to meals.

By the time he arrived at the tournament hotel, it was already past midnight, and he was suffering from complete burn-out. While checking in at the reception counter for his room, the clerk gave him a message slip. His agent had called looking for him. Maxim didn't bother returning the phone call, and once in his room, he collapsed into his bed without taking off his clothes.

His condition hadn't improved the next morning. The last few matches he had played in Tokyo had drained him intensely; something not helped by the jet lag and the bumpy journey to his hotel.

When Scott Hunter saw him limbering up at the venue, he asked Maxim what had happened in Japan. Scott had to play through qualifying, so he had come a few days earlier. "Oh, I didn't know that," Scott said after hearing Maxim's story. "Congratulations on making it into the Tokyo final. Wow, what a feather in your cap!" He shook Maxim's hand excitedly. "Anyway, I came here last week, and I spent a couple of days in Tashkent. It's really beautiful there. The people are actually quite nice, too, as long as they're not trying to rob you of your dollars by marking up their services insanely."

Scott looked at Maxim. "Do you want to walk over on the doubles?"

"Nah," Maxim said while stretching falteringly. "Whoever is playing me today is a lucky ass, but I'll be fine tomorrow. You know, Scottie, I played a few doubles matches with Mike Jackson and we've learned of a new secret. The fastest way to win a doubles match is for me to serve into your big fat ass."

Scott started laughing. "I'll stay in the alley when you serve, then I'll serve into your double big fat ass to close out the match." He paused briefly and asked, "So are you still playing in Andijan and Jerusalem?"

"Yeah, I'd a talk with my coach. I'm sticking to my schedule. Do you have to play from qualie there?"

"Yeah, both, unless I can win the title here," Scott chuckled. "But I'm not counting on it happening. I've been struggling lately."

As expected, Maxim lost his match, but what was unexpected was that the second set was very close. This was big news from him, as he could still play a physical match when he believed he was in wreck and ruin.

Before he went to bed that night, he got a phone call from Al Harrington again. Since Uzbekistan was ten hours ahead of New York, the agent was obviously still at work. "Al," he said, chuckling. "I'm sticking to my Challengers."

Al Harrington also chuckled. "Max, I'm just calling to congratulate you on your result and check if you're still alive. I had a talk with Ted, and we're not pushing anything now. Not enough time anyway. But know what? I've never seen him jumped that high from his chair when I dashed into his office and told him that you went into the final in Tokyo." He laughed with Maxim before going on. "Anyhow, we'll be working to see if you can get into Queen's Club and either Nottingham or Halle instead of Zagreb and Kosice. Those are after Roland Garros anyway, so don't worry."

"So, should I stop over at New York on my way home and you'll buy me an American Kisaeng dinner?"

"You win Roland Garros," Al said while laughing. "I'll take you to a real Kisaeng dinner in Seoul, with famed real artists and not cheap hookers."

The doubles partnership of Maxim and Scott was beaten the next day. Scott had also lost his second round singles match earlier that day. Since Scott had to play from qualifying at their next stop, they quickly packed and traveled to the eastern border city of Andijan by bus. It was still a bumpy ride, but traveling with a companion made the trip much less painful.

-------

Andijan used to be an important stop on the Silk Road in history, but a severe earthquake in 1902 leveled the city, destroying most of its precious historical interest. The surrounding region had become quite unstable lately due to a severe economic decline following the fall of the Soviet Union, and further intensified by poverty and an upsurge in Islamic fundamentalism.

For safety reasons, players were advised to stay at hotel and venue during their stay. Maxim was quite pissed off by this, as the hotel and competition venue were both lacking in amenities. Since most of the inhabitants were Muslims, flirting with women could be life threatening if he was caught by extremists. He ended up working on his schoolwork, having sunbathes at the venue, and occasionally teaching kids to play the game while not practicing.

Scott didn't make it into the main draw, and he decided to go to Jerusalem right afterwards, both for his competition and for his touring interests. Maxim called up Marlene on the day of her prom. "Don't you dare tell me you've changed your mind," he said.

"I may," she chuckled on the phone. "How's it over there?"

"It sucks," he said. "If I had known it was so bad here, I'd have skipped it and gone to your prom. I think I'd get a tongue from every girl there, and a thousand from you."

"Gee," Marlene sighed after laughing. "Max, you talk about tongue once more, I'm hanging up."

"Tongue, tongue, tongue," he said, laughing. "Hey, I gave Anthony a hundred bucks, so if he's not giving you a rosy corsage, tell me so I'll get my money worth off his ass."

"Oh, my God," Marlene panted from her laughter. "Can't you respect me a little by not talking so dirtily?"

"Hey, who do you think I am, Chuck?"

"Gee, I think I'm calling Chuck now. I'd rather talk with someone who respects me."

"Then why have you been laughing?"

"I'm not laughing. I haven't been laughing," she said, coughing from her laughter. "Stop your crap, and don't call me again unless you've won the championship. Bye, doggie."

His first match in Andijan was nearly disastrous. He had to save half a dozen set points before he finally won the first set, but he lost the second set easily. He started cursing himself while he was running or hitting the ball, which worked very well, as he swept his opponent aside in the final set. The victory rekindled his confidence. From then on, it was a walk in the park, and he cruised into the final. He started to love cursing himself.

The final itself was a tough match, and his opponent was a very good defensive player who, like Mike Jackson, would never go away. Maxim had mixed feelings about the match. He was more nervous than when he was playing in the final in Tokyo, where he wasn't expecting any glory at all. But he knew he had a good chance here, because if he could beat Michael Chang, he should be able to beat a 150 or so ranked player with similar style.

Belief was one thing, and execution was another, but Maxim eventually played a solid match and won his first ever professional singles championship.

This was another milestone for Maxim. Not only did he have a title under his belt now, he had also been accepted into the top-100 club. On the other hand, the monetary reward was negligible, as these two Uzbekistan tournaments were among the smallest Challengers. He received a champion's paycheck of $3,600, much less than losing a first round match of a big tournament.

Since the Jerusalem tournament was just a day away, once again Maxim didn't have time to celebrate. He traveled with his upset opponent on another rough trip to the religious city.

-------

Scott Hunter had made it into the main draw this time. In fact he seemed to be in pretty good shape, and looked very different to when he was struggling in Uzbekistan. He had a solid game and won his first round match.

Maxim was quite the opposite, he played sloppily and lost his match. He started to ponder. Every time he had a good performance, he would struggle poorly in the next week or the next tournament. He wasn't sure if it was due to inadequate physical fitness, or his inability to focus for a longer period. Major tournaments ran for longer than a week, and a champion had to go through quite a lot. Fluctuations like what he had been experiencing would make it impossible for him to go much further in his career. He knew he had a lot to work on when he went back to the Academy.

Maxim called up Paul Kowalski when he returned to his hotel. He told Paul about his results and thoughts, then asked his coach to set him up with something when he got back. He went to the Old City that evening with Scott and some other players for a quick tour.

While having breakfast with Scott the next morning, Maxim saw his Andijan championship match opponent, Francisco Simian from France. Francisco wasn't very happy, as he had also been knocked out in the first round. Maxim invited him to his table for a mutual consolation. During the chat, the Frenchman said he had watched part of Maxim's match the day before and he was quite frustrated afterwards. "Why?" Maxim asked.

"You should've switched," chuckled Francisco. "You should've played our championship match like the way you did yesterday, and I'd have won it."

After his laughter, Maxim admitted that his biggest problem at the moment was inconsistency.

"Obviously," said Francisco. "I talked with my academy coach on phone after that loss, and he told me that was expected. He'd watched your Tokyo matches on TV, and said you were from another league. God, I wished he'd watched your match yesterday."

After another round of laughter, the topic of chat was switched to their chances at the upcoming French Open. Both Maxim and Francisco were inside top-100, but Scott was at about 150, so he would have to play from qualifying rounds if their rankings remained unchanged. "Have you faith in cracking top-hundred this year?" Francisco asked Scott Hunter.

"I don't know," said Scott, and then paused before he went on. "Actually, I doubt, based on how I've been performing so far this year." He pointed at Maxim. "Your coach is right in a sense, Francisco, Max's in another league. He started less than a year ago, and he's in top-hundred now. How long did it take you to make it?"

"A few years," Francisco sighed. "Yes, Scott, you're right about this." He turned to Maxim. "Have you ever thought about reaching the very top?"

"Not really," Maxim said while breathing deeply. "I'd hoped for, like, top-twenty, but not the very top. However, after Tokyo, I've had a slightly higher expectation. I don't know. I don't know if I can beat Pete one day. But if I can beat Michael Chang, and Michael had beaten Pete before, I think I should have a chance, no matter how slim it is. Damn, can't we talk about easier stuff like chicks?"

"I thought you're leaving for the airport in an hour," said Scott while chuckling.

"Well," Maxim also chuckled with Francisco. "Just talk, and make it a brief one at that."

-------

It was already quite late when Maxim returned to Santa Arcata. Irene was surprised to see him when he dragged his luggage into their shared condo. She quickly checked her bathrobe, obviously to make sure she was properly covered, then asked him, "Why are you coming back so soon? I thought you'd be staying in Jerusalem for a few days."

"Honey," he said weakly. "I'm dying. I need a backrub. In fact I need a full body massage. Open your bathrobe to perk me up, will you?"

Irene flung a cushion and glared at him. "Jerk," she scowled. "Say it once more and I'll kick you out for good. You're the most shameless man I've ever met."

"Hey, hey. I bought you an LV bag, and I didn't even get to tough your fingernails. Name a guy who'd be so nice and generous to you."

"And you still owe me a Gucci."

"Open your robe before we talk about a Gucci. Okay, okay, open your robe and I'll go buy you a faked Gucci."

She was apparently holding her laugh when she flung another cushion at him. "Shut the hell up and get your ugly ass back into your room!"

After his shower, Maxim started checking his mails, and realized there was a small parcel from Celine awaiting him. He opened it right away. Celine was indeed very pretty in the photo -- as she always was, but she was wearing a scoop neck top and sleep pants in the picture. The photo showed hardly any skin at all. He was quite disappointed. However, the photo still beat the bathrobe she sent him. It was the style he saw in her portrait and he had dreamed about her quite often, but it was a brand new garment. The Nordstrom tag was still attached to the robe.

Maxim was very upset, and even a little angry. He didn't care what time it was, and didn't care if New York was three hours ahead. He called up Celine at her home. It took quite a while for Celine to answer the phone with a dourly voice. "You're a cheater, Celine," he growled into the phone. "A very, very, big cheater."

Celine started laughing, and then said in a coarse voice, "Max, do you know what time it is?"

"I don't care what time it is. You cheated, Celine. I don't want this robe."

"Give it to a friend, then," she chuckled softly. "I need sleep."

"No, no, don't sleep, Celine. Send me that robe, or I'll strip you next time I see you."

"Okay, strip me next time. I'm too tried. Good night, Max," she said, and hung up.

Maxim immediately called her up again. "Please?" he pled when it was connected.

"My goodness, Max," Celine grumbled. "Why on earth do you want a bathrobe from a gay woman?"

"I don't care if you're gay or not, Celine. You've promised me."

"Max, that picture was taken a few years ago. I don't have that robe anymore."

"What are you wearing now?"

Celine chuckled. "Nothing."

"Serious!"

"I'm serious."

"Oh, my God," he breathed heavily. "You're killing me, Celine. You can't do this to me."

"I didn't tell you to ask me," she giggled. "Can I sleep now?"

"I'm telling you, Celine, next time I see you, I'll strip you and then take picture of your invisible sleepwear. No, wait, why am I so stupid? I'll turn you into a bi."

"Good luck, Max," she chuckled. "And good night."

Even though he was quite tired, Maxim still went through the emails on his computer and his other mail. He responded to the emails but decided to leave the snail mail and bills for the next day.

-------

It was one of those rare situations the next morning in which Maxim didn't really want to get out of his bed. He wanted a vacation badly, even though he was meeting his coach and trainer in a couple of hours. He basked lazily in the sheets with warm beams of sunlight coming in through the window, until the ring from his cell phone killed his peaceful existence. The call was from his agent.

"I don't want to talk about business," he howled into the phone.

Al Harrington replied with a flat tone. "So you don't want us to hire you a traveling physical trainer, do you?"

"Damn," he said, laughing. "Of course I want. Al, my dear friend, hire me a female trainer, will you, please? I'll buy your wife a Gucci. And why not a coach first?"

"Coach will be the next step," said the agent, without responding to his gender preference. "Because it takes much more time to find a suitable one. Oliver had a talk with Rico and concluded a physical should be the first step."

"When will she be joining me?"

"He," Al chuckled. "Be realistic, Max. When have you seen a male player running around with a female physical? It's also next to impossible to find a female physical who will travel with you forty weeks a year. We've just started searching so it'll take quite a while. It definitely won't happen before Wimbledon. Anyway, Max. You'll be paying for his traveling, so don't spend all your Tokyo prize money too fast."

Later that morning, when Maxim met with Paul Kowalski and Ian Werner for his training meeting, he excitedly told them the news. Paul crumpled up his brows slightly when he heard it. His reaction was quite unexpected, so Maxim asked him why.

"Well, Max," Paul said slowly while Ian smiled slyly at Maxim. "It's indeed extremely helpful, but how often do you see a traveling physical at a Challenger?"

"Hmm, never, not yet," Maxim said, and began to laugh with Ian. "So they're not going to schedule me for any more Challengers?"

Paul heaved a long sigh. "Well," he said, once again slowly. "Your achievement so far this year's been amazing. You've rocketed from 466 at the beginning of the year to 92 last week, and it's not even June. If you continue on at this rate, you're going to break many records. I think it's natural for them to look at tour events from now on instead of Challengers. However, your performance's been extremely erratic. I don't believe you can keep up this pace."

"Well," Maxim said after chuckling at Paul's last remark. "I don't either. But I have virtually no ranking points to defend for the rest of this year, so I can't get worse, at least not by much. Next year will be tough, but that's next year."

Paul also chuckled. "Anyway, the physical will be a good thing. Your fitness is obviously among your biggest weaknesses. That's why you'll be spending most of your time working out and running before you'll pack for Paris. We'll start working on ground strokes on Monday."

"What about these few days? What do I do besides the fitness thing?"

"Go fishing," Paul chuckled. "Or golfing. Take a couple of days off from the court. You've been on the road for nearly two months. You need a little time off."

"Damn, I've cut short my stay in Jerusalem and come back for some intensive programs and you're telling me to go fishing?"

Paul and Ian both started laughing. "Your intensive programs are inside the fitness center," Paul said with a wink. "It is intense, believe me. Even my dog can bagel you on the court over and over afterwards."

"Oh, my God," Maxim moaned. "Tell me you've fired Derk and Gerald and have hired a sexy physical."

"Max," Ian said while still laughing. "A sexy physical won't do you any good. I don't think so. Go check it out yourself."

Maxim went to the fitness center after his talk with his coaches. He started getting goose skin when he saw the fitness trainer Derk Marzenell, who had an evil smile on his face and weigh-padded ankle straps in his hands. "Ten pounds each to start with," said the fitness trainer while putting the ankle straps on Maxim. "Pulley first, and then jogging."

Maxim was lying on the lawn outside the fitness center when Elena found him in the afternoon. "What are you doing here?" asked his little sister after congratulating him on his Andijan Challenger title.

"Sunbathing, what else?" he said weakly.

"You're not sunbathing," said Elena. "You still have your tee on, and you're panting. Is Marzenell killing you?"

"Nah," he said, still gathering his breaths. "Nobody can kill me. I'm invincible. Now go inside for your training. We'll have dinner together afterwards. Where the hell is Marlene? Go find her after your training. She still owes me ten thousand kisses."

Elena giggled. "Marzenell's killing you. I think you can't even move a finger." She laughed and ran into the fitness center when Maxim began howling at her.

The next person Maxim saw while he was still resting outside the fitness center was Anthony, who started laughing at Maxim the moment he saw him lying on the lawn. After exchanging a few F-words with his fellow player, Maxim asked the Chinese American how was his experience at the junior prom. "Pretty good," said Anthony with a smile. "I had a great time, and so did Marlene. She kissed me."

"My fucking goodness," groaned Maxim. "She kissed you? Tongue? Oh, my goodness. I should've skipped Andijan. You're a fucking asshole. You stole my Marlene."

Anthony started laughing. "No. Not like that. Liz would've gone mad if that had happened. But Marlene really had a great time at the prom and I was very pleased to see that. She's going to Stanford in the Spring and she won't be having her senior prom, so it's like her last chance of fulfilling her teen fantasy. I think you've done her a great favor. And guess what?"

"What? Don't tell me you've slept with her."

Anthony started laughing again. "Don't be such a jerk, Max. I saw Jo kissing Chuck, and I think her tongue was in his mouth."

"Oh, my fucking goodness," groaned Maxim again. "Chuck's such a jerk. He stole my Jo." He struggled to get up while Anthony was still laughing. "I'm going to find Marlene and Jo now. Where are they?"

"I guess they're hitting with Brynes," Anthony chuckled as he started walking towards the fitness center.

Marlene was resting and chatting with Joanna at a courtside when Maxim found them. "Hands at your back," Marlene chuckled at him when she saw him walking towards them. She gave him a peck on his lips after he had followed. "Congratulation on your title," she said. "And thank you for asking Anthony."

Maxim received the same congratulation from Joanna, and then he turned to Marlene. "Just a peck? Isn't that too lame? You've had the greatest time of your whole life, didn't you? Aren't you supposed to kiss me a thousand times?"

"Not even in your dog dreams," Marlene laughed with Joanna. "Alright, I'll pay for your dinner if you eat with us at the dining hall."

Maxim and Elena had dinner with the girls and Chuck that evening. Even though he tried very hard, none of the girls would go out with him to a disco for further celebration. They had to prepare for their school examination before their European tour. Maxim ended up bickering with Irene at their home, fighting for their different favorite TV shows.

"I'm leaving for Athens tomorrow morning," argued Irene. "I should have the say."

"I'm giving you a ride to the airport," Maxim contended. "I should have the say."

"Go to hell," Irene giggled, and then snatched the remote control. "I have the say. I'm older. Now shut up your stinky dolphin mouth or I'm kicking you out for good."

-------

A couple of days later, Maxim received a phone call from Victor Spears, a tennis player Maxim had met the previous year when he was still a junior. He had a hitting with Victor at a Los Angeles tournament, during which Maxim learned a couple of things from the older and more experienced player. Victor told Maxim that he had withdrawn from a tournament in Coral Springs to attend some family matters in Portland, Oregon. He was thinking about spending a couple of days at Omnicianni before going back to his home in Miami, and asked Maxim if he would like to practice together.

Naturally Maxim welcomed this suggestion. Victor was a better and more experienced player, so practicing together was definitely beneficial for Maxim. They would have their separate coaching sessions as they each had their own coaches, but hitting together was going to be an enjoyable and helpful experience for both of them.

After their first hitting practice the next day, Victor complimented Maxim's improvement. "You know, Max," said Victor. "You're now totally different to the kid I hit with a year ago. Some people have called your run at Tokyo a fluke, a purely lucky fluke. They should've come and hit with you today."

"I was lucky," Maxim chuckled. "There's still a big gap between them and me."

"That's true," Victor said, laughing. "But not a purely lucky fluke. By the way, what are you doing this evening? Do you want to hang out together?"

"Sure. I've got nothing to do. My academy friends are doing their school exams. Where do you want to go to?"

"I know some nice places in San Fran. Oh, damn, I should've rented a better car for that. What car are you driving?"

Victor whistled after Maxim had told him. "Nice car. That'll do it. My rental Ford is no good. Do you mind if I take the wheel?"

Maxim chuckled in his heart. Obviously Victor was thinking about hooking up with chicks, and a BMW convertible was definitely a better tool than a rental Ford. "What do you drive in Miami?" he asked.

"Corvette convertible," Victor said with a sly smile. "The chicks can't help but want to give head when I press the pedal all the way down to the floor."

Victor claimed to know some nice places in San Francisco, and he meant nightclubs, because he didn't know about any dining places. "No," Maxim chuckled when Victor made a suggestion. "There's no Hooters in San Fran. Why don't we try a nice restaurant near the Fisherman's Wharf?"

After their dinner, which the duo didn't quite care for, they started their bar and club hopping adventure. They had to park Maxim's car at a covered car park first as the places they went to didn't have many street parking spaces. Once inside the club, Victor would buy drinks for Maxim and then start looking for female companions himself. They didn't get lucky until the fourth place they went to, when Victor quickly got hooked up with a girl and left, leaving Maxim by himself trying to have some luck with the older girls. He couldn't even buy the girls a drink because he was too young, and they could tell that just by looking at him. Maxim ended up driving home alone, cursing Victor loudly all the way.

Victor laughed when Maxim complained to him the next day about his uncaring behavior. "Max," he said. "What do you expect when we're in the clubs? I'd already bought you drinks that you couldn't buy yourself. I can't get you girls. They're not hookers. Alright, we'll go to places with some younger chicks tonight, and I'll wait until you've got one before we leave. Okay? By the way, Max, don't shave your beard. Grow them. That should make you look a little older, and maybe give you an easier time with chicks."

"Might as well book a limo, too," Maxim said, still a little upset. "It took me twenty minutes to get a cab to go back to the parking lot where we'd parked my car. Every time a cab came along, a bouncer or a pusher would jump out of nowhere and take the cab."

It took the duo another four to five clubs that evening before Maxim could find a girl young enough and interested in him. The girl looked like his age and was also bar-hopping with her older sister. The two pairs got hooked up very quickly. While walking to their rental limo, Victor seemed to realize the younger sister was much more appealing than the older sister on his arm. He whispered in Maxim's ear, suggesting a swap.

"Fuck you," Maxim whispered back. "You can get back inside the club for a goddess and I'll have both of them. I can make it. I haven't got laid in years."

It was indeed an extremely ecstatic and relieving feeling for Maxim after his orgasm with the younger sister in his condo. He hadn't had sex since his mother's death. And he had been very busy with his tennis training and tournaments, leaving him virtually no time for a girlfriend. He had also been in a tough situation after his birthday in March, as he could be jailed for sleeping with a slightly younger girl, a fact which Al Harrington had kept on reminding him.

The next morning Maxim suggested to his girl about hanging out together again, but she wasn't very keen. She had just come out of a bad relationship and wasn't ready for another one yet. She also didn't like the nature of his job. "You guys travel all the time," she said. "That means you sleep with different girls everywhere. Will you tell me you won't?"

"I don't know," Maxim chuckled. "I don't have much faith in myself."

She laughed. "Well, at least you're honest. If I see you in a club again, I think I'll give you priority."

Since Victor was returning to Miami very early the next morning, they didn't get to hang out at clubs that evening. Instead, they had some beers at Victor's short term rental flat inside the Academy. They talked about their upcoming tournaments as well as chicks. "Girls are easier in Miami," Victor told Maxim. "Firstly, I know the places better. Secondly, it seems there are more girls who happen to be tennis fans. They know who I am, and I sort of have a celebrity status among them. That makes it a lot easier."

"Ever thought of having a steady?" asked Maxim.

"I will, after I've had enough."

"Nice strategy," Maxim said while laughing with Victor. "I think I also like that idea."



-------

Chapter 44


Maxim had just finished his fitness exercise on Thursday morning when he saw a panting Marlene looking for him. "Max," she hailed him. "I need you!"

"Isn't it a little too early for dog tongues?" Maxim chuckled at her while pondering. Marlene and most of his other Academy friends had just finished their school exams and were getting ready to travel to Italy for their European tour. They would be having a dinner together that evening, so it was a little weird that she was trying to get hold of him in the morning. "Can't you wait until tonight?"

Marlene grabbed his tee-shirt forcefully while giving his leg a hard kick. "Drive me to the Greyhound terminal now! My mommy's in the hospital. She's suffering from appendicitis."

"Oh, God," Maxim gasped, while hopping in pain. "Let's go now. Hey, wait, why aren't you going to the airport?"

"I don't have the money," Marlene sighed, jogging with Maxim towards her residence. "It's over four hundred for an emergency booking, and it's just appendicitis, not a stroke."

"It's still an emergency, honey. It can still be very dangerous."

"Shut up your dog mouth!" Marlene screeched at him. "Just drive me to the bus terminal." When they were near her residence, she instructed him to wait for her while she went inside to get her belongings.

As Maxim pulled his car into the highway, he asked her where were her other friends. "Getting ready for the trip, where else?" Marlene said. "Chuck's car is in the garage. Transmission problem. Otherwise I wouldn't need you."

"Damn," he sighed. "How come I'm always the alternative for you? Why am I not the number one?"

Even though Marlene was obviously anxious about her mother's situation, she still burst out laughing. "Max, you're one of my best favorites, but Chuck is easier to get hold of than you are. Happy now?"

"That's better," Maxim said, and gave her a fleeting beam.

About ten minutes later, Marlene patted his arm. "Max, you've missed the Santa Cruz exit. Take ... Oh, gee, you're not driving me to San Fran, are you?"

"Honey, I'm driving you to San Fran airport. I called up the airline when you were getting your stuff. I've booked you a seat. I couldn't find a flight to Olympia, so I've booked a Seattle-bound flight. It's still much better and faster than taking a coach."

"Gee," Marlene said as she dropped back into her seat. "Why did you do that? What do you want?"

"Honey," he said while glancing at her. "I've been through a similar situation. I wished there were rockets to take me home, and I'd have sold my soul and body for that flight. I didn't get a second chance. Money is nothing when your mother has an emergency. I don't want you to risk a chance. I want you to be happy. I care for you and also for your mom. Don't you know that?"

Marlene became silence for quite a while. Through the corner of his eye, Maxim could see her taking a few deep breaths. "Thank you, Max," she said softly. "I'll pay you back."

"Don't worry about that," Maxim said. "We are buddies, aren't we? You still owe me a thousand kisses, don't you?"

"You're the worst dog on earth," Marlene chuckled. "But you're also the sweetest dog on earth."

"Dog tongue is the sweetest," Maxim said, and twisted his body a little when Marlene leaned over to poke him. "Stop it!" he yelled. "Dog tongue isn't sweet in graves!"

They settled her formalities at the San Francisco airport check-in counter and also fixed her tentative return flight on Friday evening--her last chance of catching up with the Academy team heading off to Italy. If she couldn't come back by then, she would have to skip the Italian Junior Open and meet them in Belgium.

"You'll make it, honey," Maxim said as he accompanied her towards the departure lounge. "Your mom will be fine. Don't worry."

Marlene turned around to smile at him and joined the line of boarding passengers. The line was short as the flight was departing in less than fifteen minutes and most passengers were already on the plane. Her eyes were once again slightly misty. "Thank you, Max," she said softly, and then leaned forward to give him a soft kiss on his lips. The kiss was very different to the pecks she usually gave him, even though it was still a brief touch. She smiled at him again before she gave her boarding pass to the gate attendant.

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After returning to the Academy, Maxim saw Sanchez hitting with Elena. This was quite unusual, because Elena was under another coach and Sanchez only coached players in the age 15-16 bracket. He stopped and watched from the distance. A little while later, he heard a dry cough from behind him. When he turned around, he saw Mr. Omnicianni. "Eloy's giving her a further assessment," said the old man. "We may be sending her to the All Canadian Champ."

The All Canadian Junior Championships, which would be held in June, belonged to the lowest level of international junior tournaments. Since it was an international event, all eligible juniors could compete, which meant Elena might play against a 16 or 18 year-old player. This news was quite stunning for Maxim, as Elena was still only 12 years old.

"She won't win the title, of course," Mr. Omnicianni smiled at Maxim. "But since she's already doing quite well in the Fourteen bracket, it may be worth giving her some higher level exposure. Not everyone can come out of nowhere and win the Wimbledon like you did."

Maxim chuckled at his old mentor. "Well, from what I've seen so far, if it's an assessment, she's made it. I'm very happy for her. I'm kissing her to death this evening."

Mr. Omnicianni also chuckled. "We've also been talking with the USTA about sponsoring a coach for you, but so far the progress has been quite discouraging. They've already committed to some players that I don't really see a future in, and so they're left with very little resource. Chances are if you'll have a full time coach this year, it'll be another big investment from SAMS."

"Paul's been doing quite well with his remote control coaching," Maxim said jokingly. "I've beaten a few top-twenty players while coachless. It's working, so I'm happy."

The old man gave him another chuckle while watching Sanchez hit with Elena. "I hope things will work out for you, Max," he said slowly. "If I'm right, one day, everyone will want to beat you."

That evening, Maxim took Elena with him to dine with Chuck and his other friends. Elena was elated that she was going to play an international tournament. She and Maxim performed endless loud smacks on their lips while their friends laughed at the quasi-siblings.

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On Friday afternoon, Maxim got an unexpected phone call from Marlene. "Max, I'm going to Seattle airport now. I'm taking that flight. Do you think you can pick me up at the San Fran airport?"

"Sure, but honey, are you sure? How's your mom doing?"

"She's fine now. She had the surgery yesterday and has been doing well. She's okay. She doesn't want me to skip the tournament."

When Maxim met her at San Francisco airport, Marlene had a bright smile on her face and her eyes were gleaming as she breezed towards him. She leaned forward to give him a peck on his cheek. "Thank you, Max," she whispered to him. "I'm buying you a dog's dinner."

"Isn't it a little too early?"

She slapped his arm. "I didn't have lunch. I'm starving."

"Okay, okay. Dog tongue sandwich or dog tongue pizza?" he chuckled, and then dodged her pokes as they went out of the building.

During their dinner at a Pizza restaurant in Santa Arcata, Marlene gave Maxim a full account of what she had done and how she had been feeling over the past couple of days. "You know, doggie," she said softly. "I knew I was anxious when I learned of my mother's illness, but I didn't realize how bad it was, not until I saw her. It was so, oh, my goodness, such a relief when I saw her smile at me. You know, it was very different to your case, but it was already a traumatic experience for both my mommy and I. An extra day on the greyhound would be a huge torture. I really appreciate it, Max. Thank you."

"Told you," Maxim smirked at her, while picking up the last piece of pizza from the plate. "Money's nothing when your mother has an emergency. I'm a human canine hybrid. I'm the coolest and I'm the hottest. I'm always right. Hey, honey, do you have enough yet? Do you want a Russian hot dog?"

She laughed with a blush on her face as she tossed him another napkin. "Shut up your dog mouth and eat your dog pizza."

After their dinner, Marlene wanted to go for a walk along the Academy's golf course. "I haven't had a leisurely walk for..." She bent her fingers and then let out a sigh. "Two years and three months. It's going to be a tense trip starting tomorrow."

As Marlene bent her fingers, Maxim was also counting in his heart how long since her ex-boyfriend had left. He and Andy had many interactions in the past, but all he could remember of Andy was his abrupt departure. He glanced at Marlene, who was looking down as she walked towards his car. "Okay, baby," he said as he unlocked the doors with his remote control.

"Don't call me baby," she sneered and glared at him as she got into his car. "It makes me feel like a Barbie doll, an infantile schema."

"Okay, okay, honey," he chuckled as he started his car, and then pulled out of the parking lot. "You're a big girl. You're matured. And you've got big--"

"Shut up!" she cut in and slapped his arm, then burst into a chuckle. "Don't you dare say that. Well, you don't have to come if you don't want to. You can just drop me off there."

In fact, Maxim had missed leisurely walks himself. His life for the past several months had been all about tight itineraries and competitions that had driven both his physique and mind to the edge. "Nah," he said slowly. "I miss the old days."

The coral setting sun was hanging atop a glove of Pacific Madrones when they arrived at the golf course. Behind the glaring corona, the indigo sky looked soft, and the hue grew a little azure towards them, eventually darkening into navy blue away to the east. They rambled slowly, mostly in silence, but occasionally reminiscing about their memories of academy life.

"I'll be going to Stanford," she said after an awkward moment of hush as their topic of chat was about to involve her ex-boyfriend. "I'll be majoring in marketing. Do I look like a marketing girl?"

He intuitively looked her up and down as she giggled. Obviously she didn't look like a marketer in her black denim jacket, pink tank top, and boot-cut jeans. "Nah," he shook his head. "Strip off your tank and you might."

She chased him as he ran and laughed, eventually grabbing his sweat to pull him over for a lengthy round of slapping and poking. "Hey, hey. Enough, enough," he pleaded, still laughing. "You poke me again and I'm stripping you."

She halted with a blush. "You're hopeless," she sneered at him, and then started poking him again. "So?" she gave him a sly smile. "I'm poking you. So?"

He weighed up the situation while fending off her arms. This was not Marlene's typical trait, and he wasn't sure if she was teasing him or being suggestive. Nevertheless, as their arms started twining together, his instinct kicked in and he pulled her into his arms. As she moaned, he leaned forward to kiss her on the lips. He kissed air.

She was giggling with a blush on her face when he leaned back to look at her. Maxim had expected her to dodge his kiss, so he made a fake move and then went for her side, but she hadn't moved. He laughed at himself for being too smart.

"No tongue," she whispered, and closed her eyes.

The last time Maxim kissed, it was with the girl he met at the night club, and it was a hot kiss from the very beginning. This was totally different. Their lips brushed tenderly and it was another kind of thrilling sensation. He hesitated a little when he sensed her open her lips. She had clearly indicated 'no tongue', but the tip of her tongue was right between her lips. His better instinct made him go for it anyway. She didn't retreat, and he could feel her body shiver a little as their tongues met.

As their tongues danced, Marlene wrapped her arms firmly behind his neck and pressed herself against him. She rubbed her breasts against his chest and swayed her hips gently against his groin. She apparently knew what the kiss was going to lead to, and she was encouraging it, despite her remark to the contrary.

Maxim felt the blood rush to his groin as he slid a hand down to feel her buttocks. He heard rapid breaths from both of them, and knew they were going to pass the line. He knew he was going to screw up her life. It was like a grenade exploded in his head as this absurd thought came to his mind. Why would I have this idea? His actions froze, and their kiss was broken. Slowly, he sat down on the grass, staring at the rays of weakening sunlight coming through the canopy of branches on the horizon.

"What's the matter?" Marlene asked softly from beside him. He had no idea when she had sat down. "I thought you, well; I thought you'd want it."

"I do," he said slowly. "But I can't."

She turned around to look into his eyes. "What had happened?"

"Honey, I'm not sure if you know it. You're quite special to me."

She gave him a contented smile and laid her head on his shoulder. "I know. I always know."

"I like you a lot, Marlene," he said as he ran his hand through her hair. "But I'll screw up your life if we're together. I'm hopeless."

"You are not hopeless," she said as she turned to look at his face. "You have been, but I think you've changed. Otherwise, you'd have taken me to your apartment instead of us still talking here."

He let out a sigh. "I've sworn in front of my mom's grave. I've sworn that I'll never cheat. I went to a bar a few nights ago and picked up a chick. We had a talk afterwards and I realized that there'll be too many temptations, irresistible temptations. I'll never be able to resist them. I can't. And I can't let people I like suffer."

Marlene looked into his eyes for a long while before she spoke. "So, you don't want a relationship for the rest of your life?"

"Not until I've had enough," he chuckled, but all he could hear were dry and uneasy cackles.

She let out a deep sigh. "I don't know if I should love you or hate you," she said with a chuckle. "I knew I always liked you as a friend. I've just realized I liked you more than a friend. But you're saying we'd better be friends. Isn't that ridiculous?"

He laughed as she blushed. "Honey," he said. "I think nothing beats friends sleeping together. Why don't we go to my place now?"

"Shut up your dog mouth," she said, and slapped his arm repeatedly. "You're a dog. The worst dog. The dirtiest dog. But..." She paused for a few deep breaths and stopped hitting him. "I'm liking you more now. You care about me more than I've imagined. I think, in a sense, I'm very lucky. There's a guy who likes me and wants me, but won't touch me. It's going to last forever."

"Why don't you wait for me, honey? Wait until I'm ready. Wait until I've had enough?"

She chuckled as she raised a brow. "What if you're never ready? What if you'll never have enough?"

"You can cheat."

"Gee," she said and started to slap and poke him again. "You're full of crap, do you know that?"

He laughed again. "Of course I know."

"I still like you," Marlene said, smiling. "And I think I'll love this amazing status quo relationship. Now get your dog arm off me." She laid her head on his shoulder again. "I love this moment. Isn't the view stunning?"


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The End
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Posted:  2007-04-06
Last Modified: 2008-06-21 / 10:43:32 am
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