CHAPTER 14

Getting woken up by a phone call is the worst feeling, unnatural, a noise from hell. Catalina answers the phone and hears another machine telling her to get up. Catalina looks over at Grace with an eye open, her mouth wide open, exposing a bear-like sound. “Grace! Wake up,” says Catalina.

“Five more minutes, please.”

Austin was waiting in the lobby for the girls to arrive. When the elevator doors opened, the inside light returned to its natural environment. Popping out of the elevator like popcorn cooking in a bag, they spotted the coach. “Quit sitting around, coach; that’s all you do,” says Catalina. “Let’s go; we have a big day.”

Austin grins, and his face muscles laughed, then he said, “Let’s go.”

Arriving at the arena for Grace’s second day of competition was causing great enthusiasm and eagerness. Austin’s job was to keep the girls grounded; the airspace in their minds is closed. The instructions for today are simple: let see if nine squares works.

Her next opponent was Lisa Woods, a senior from Florida with wealthy parents.

“She’s an A-rated player, a tough player who reaches the top but never goes down the winning side; though she reached the finals last year. Don’t slip up, or she’ll get you,” said Austin.

Grace was holding a hot cup of coffee with one hand and a racket with the other. Grace’s vision was scouting the crowd. There were more than a hundred spectators; the public was multiplying fast. “Huddle time,” yelled out the coach. “On the serve, listen up, let the ball go one-shot normal, and start nine squares on the second shot. Catalina is writing down the numbers you should be hitting on.