"Oh jeez, to hear my parents tell it I was born with a racquet in my hand… I think I started lesson when I was around six."

"Wow that’s really young."

"I guess, I mean it’s not like I was practicing everyday or anything like I do now. But I’ll tell you what.. I instantly fell in love with the sport. It’s like… it’s in my DNA or something…I’m sorry I don’t think I’m explaining this right…" Dana shook her head in frustration. She was never good at interviews and always felt that she came off sounding stupid.

"No your doing great," Alice disagreed. "I’ll admit though, I understand absolutely nothing about tennis. I mean what’s with that crazy point system. I mean did the person who invented the game even know how to count? All I know about tennis is that at the end a British gets on the PA and says, ‘game, set, and match’." 

Chuckling softly, the brunette replied. "It took me sometime to figure that out too. But the rest is fairly simple. You see…"

For the next forty minutes, the blonde reporter got treated to a personal running commentary of the first match of the day by Dana. Here in there she would ask questions but, for the most part, Alice was content just to listen to the athlete explain the rules and why the judges made certain decisions.  She couldn’t remember a time when she had as much fun.

Once the match ended, Dana stood up, “I hope I didn’t bore you too much. Did you have any other questions?”

“If there is anything you are not, it is boring. I think I may finally understand what I am supposed to be writing about. So thanks.”

“Not a problem… oh before I forget my mom wanted to remind you about getting a copy of the article. Even if it doesn’t include me, I would love to read it.” As she spoke, Dana took Alice’s notebook and pen and wrote her address and phone number.

“That won’t be a problem,” the report said, excited about landing the girl’s phone number without be so obvious about it.

Alice became aware of two things through spending the last hour with Dana. One, the brunette was gay. Although, she figured that out the first time they met and caught the young girl checking her out. And two, Dana was very much in the closet and would not becoming out anytime soon. It was the way Dana would look at a girl and then shake her head ever so slightly as if trying to banish some thoughts she felt shouldn’t be there.

Alice was pulled from her musings when she saw a dark haired girl across the way.

“Shit,” she exclaimed before sitting down and turning hoping not to be spotted.

“What? Al? You okay,” Dana said instantly worried.

“Yeah, just my ex-girlfriend is over there and it is too early in the morning to deal with her bullshit.”

Dana’s mind reeled with the possibilities of this new development. “But I thought I saw you with some guy yester…” Dana stopped in mid-question and paled. “Not that I was watching you.. I mean I was walking and I saw…”

“Dana calm down. Yes, I have a boyfriend. His name is Luke. And, yes I have an ex-girlfriend… a few of them actually…”

The brunette struggled to wrap her mind around what the blonde was saying, “But… huh? How..? I mean I know how… but”

“Relax before you hurt something tennis star. I’m bi.. I fall for the person, not the parts.”

Oh.

“Oh.” After a beat, Dana looked over her shoulder before saying, “I think you’re safe. She didn’t see you.”

“Yeah.”

When she thought about it later that night, tucked in her bed back home, she had no clue what compelled her to be so bold. Maybe it was just the fact that she felt comfortable in the company of her new friend.

But for whatever the reason she found herself coming out to the second person in her entire life.

“She was cute. But I am a sucker for girls with blonde hair.” Seeing the shocked face on Alice made her smile, “I guess I’ll see you later. If anything, when I start in the fall.”

It took a second for Alice to get her wits back about her as the younger girl threw her for a loop. My, my Fairbanks… you are full of surprises. “You better believe it. You still owe me a coffee.”

“You got it,” Dana replied walking away.

“Welcome to UCLA,” the blonde called out to her new friend.

Dana waved back in reply.

I think I am really going to like college.

**

TBC