Chapter 21: Love Is A Game

Saturday noon in Timson's house. Everything was ready to welcome Ava and Richie for lunch. "Now, listen to me carefully because i'll say that only once!" Pauline said and looked at her family in the opposite couch. "Do they have instructions for use?" Zeta joked "Very funny Zeta! Don't say anything like that when they come!" "Ok, i'll try!" "Good! Don't say anything about his dad, his marriege and don't put in the table wine or anything else that has alcohol!" "Anything else?" "A! He doesn't smoke!" "Really?" Katerina asked really suprised "Yeah, but we are not gonna talk about that now!" "That's all?" Zeta asked "Yeah, that's all. They aren't too much!" "At the beggining i thought that you'll give us a list with 15 pages!" Katerina joked. "No, mum!" The bell rung. "I'm going and be polite! Zeta i'm talking about you!" Pauline said and got up from the couch and went to answer the door.

She took a deep breath and opened. "Ava! Richie! Welcome. Come in!" "Hey Pauline!" Ava said while she walked in following by Richie. They got up from the couches first Kostas, second Katerina and last Zeta. "Here is my dad Kostas, mu mum Katerina and my little sister Zeta!" Pauline said as the rest shake their hands. "Nice too meet you. I'm Richie and here is my daughter Ava!" "It's nice to meet you too, Richie and Ava we'he heard so much about you!" Katerina said and all looked at Pauline's direction who was blushed. "We bring you this!" Richie said and gave to Katerina the bag that he was carring "Don't worry i didn't cook it!" Richie joked to break the ice. "Thank you very much!" Katerina sked and took thje bag and went to the kitchen. "Do you want to sit in the dining room?" Kostas asked "Yeah, why not!" richie answered and all went to the dining room. Richie sut next to Kostas and next to him Katerina will sit. At the other side of the table the kids took their positions. Katerina walked to the dining room and asked "Do you want to bring the food?" "YEAH!" was the answer of all. "I'm coming to help you!" Pauline said and left the table.

Katerina and Pauline bring the food and sut and start eatting "So Richie what your girlfriend do?" Pauline asked while her parents and sister rolled their eyes and waiting Richie's answer "They are doing great and they are waiting me home. Right there i left them!" "Pauline what kind of question is that?" Katerina asked with an agressive voise. "Katerina is ok Pauline means my guitars!" "Oh! And many do you have?" "138!" "Whoah! That much?" Zeta said suprised "Yeah!" "So, girls what song are you gonna sing?" Kostas asked "Me and Pauline we'll sing together I'll Be There For You. And the maybe Bed Of Roses or In These Arms." Ava said "I prefere Bed Of Roses. Let's leave the talkbox song from June!" Pauline answered and Richie rolled his eyes "Wow. Very few know that In These Arms has talkbox." "It can be understand easily. I've heard this song more that 100 thousands times!" "You suprise me!" Richie answered and pualine laughed. "I agree with you Pauline. Let's leave the talkbox songs for the end. But we have one more song!" Ava said "All About Loving You?" "Thank You For Loving me?" "These Open Arms?" "You Had Me From Hello?" The girls keep on saying more and more songs and the rest were looking like losts even Richie "What Do You Got?" "I like that! Espacially the solo!" Pauline answered and looked at Richie. "A! Pauline i forget to tell you that. We have to wear features clothes! Mr Borton said that when you were on bathroom." "What? Please don't tell me that we have to do the tattoos too! Because if we must i have a lot of job!" "No! What i'll should wear?" "The red jacket!" "I was thinking that too! You?" "I don't know maybe the 'Blessed'. I don't know yet!" "No, you'll wear it! And don't forget the hat!" "No, how could i forget it. Is ready!" "Ready?" "Yeah! I jave already make it!" "I don't want to miss this!"

All were finished their lunch and Pauline with ava went to Pauline's room. They walked in and ava was looking around "You really like purple huh?" "Yeah, wait to see the bathroom!" Pauline started "Now, leave the room and tell me about yesterday!" "We're together!" "Really? Bravo Ava! That's why you were saying all the ballads!" "You got me!" "Now i'm listening!" "Well, we wen to see a movie. then we went a walk in the park. We sut down on a bench and he asked me if i want to be with him. And i said yes!" "Do you kissed?" "Yeah!" "At least he kissed good?" "Perfect!" "I'm so happy for you and Alex!" "Thank you!  How about you?" "Me what?" "Do you want to be with Jesse?" "Very much. But we don't know if he likes me!" " Right!" "Do you think that he'll come?" "Yes. You invited him!" "I know that. But he wouldn't come?" "He'll come! Listen to me Pauline. I know him." "Fine!" "Let;s do this project!" "I hate that teacher!" "You not alone, Pauline!" Ava answered and both laughed.

Ava and Pauline finished the History project quickly. There weren't many questions. They finished it quickly and start talking about Ava's and Alex's date. But the time was passed and it was time from Pauline to get ready to go to the game. "Pauline i think is time to get ready!" Ava said. Pauline looked the time in her phone and answered. "Yeah and i'm late!" she said na d got up from the chair and went to the closet. She opened the door and went in. "OH MY GOD!" Ava yelled. Pauline scared and get out "What happend?" "where the hell you find this?" Ava asked and pointing the Richie's poster which took all the door from up to down. "A! You did this for the poster? I bring it from Greece. And that was my mum reaction and she first saw it!" "Whoah! You really like them!" "I have Tico's on the other door!" "Ok, now you inpresed me!" Ava said suprised and Pauline laughed. Then she went to wear her uniform. It was a black shorts. The blouse was red. And with yellow letters were the name of the team and her mumber. The 9.

Ava with Pauline went downstairs and found on the living room sitting on the couches Katerina, Kostas and Richie. Katerina when  saw them she said "Ready girls?" "Yeah! Let's go we're late. And where is Zeta?" "In her room. I'm going to tell her that we're leaving." Katerina said and went upstairs. "So Pauline in which position do you play?" Richie asked "I'm a setter!" "And how many years you've been playing volley?" "This year in my  eighth!" "Wow, these are lots of years! I'm looking forward to seeing you play!" "Wait a minute. You'll come to the game too?" "Yeah. you don't want?" "Of course and i want you to come. I just didn't expect it! That's all!" Pauline answered while Katerina and Zeta came. "Let's go!" Kostas said and all went to the court.

They arrived at the court in time. Pauline went with team and start warming up. Kostas, Katerina, Zeta, Ava and Richie went and sit on the grandstands. They decided to sit in the middle to match all the court and they don't have to change seats at every set.

After the 30 minutes warming up the game started. Pauline wasn't in the basic team but she didn't care. Servis has the other team. Pauline's team did not take long to take the lead of the game. The opponet team wasn't so strong as their coach said before the game starts. The first set finished me score 25-15 and everyone was happy.

The second set started 3 minutes later. Jesse wasn't there yet. Pauline was always looking at the door but nothing. She was almost sure that he wouldn't come. With the start of the second set Pauline's team start to loosing the deference. In 10 minutes of playing the score was 2-10. The coach called time-out to talk to his players. After the time-out the took some points but the score changed again in 8-18. "Pauline get in!" the coach said and Pauline get up from the bench. she took the sing with the player's number that is getting out and stand next to the fillet. Just opposite of her were her family, Ava and Richie. Before getting in the court she looked one more time the entrance kai she saw him walking in. With a releaf sigh she told to herself  "Let's saw them what i can do!" and went to her posotion. 5 minutes later it was her turn to serve. She went to the final line and looked at Jesse and next to him was Ava. Both were giving to her a thumbs up. She served. Ace. Everyone in the court start screaming, it was their first ace at the second set. Pauline served again, Ace. This continued for 7  more times. the score was 17-18. They have reduced the difference in 1 point. After teamwork they won and the second set with 25-22.

The third set didn't last long. It finished with score 25-17. Final score 3-0. The second win in raw. They were in the first place with 6 points.

When the game was finished the girs went to the locker rooms to have a shower.

All the girls like Pauline. She calm when she must be, she has great sense of humour kai she was a great player. The other girls finished their shower quickly and left almost all together. Outside of the court Jesse and Ava were talking. "Do you enjoy the game?" Ava asked him "Yeah, very much. I think i start like volley! Did you saw her looking at me?" "Yes!" "Didn't just looking. She was smiling at me." "And you did the same! All the time you were looking at her!" "Yeah and is this a bag thing?" "Of course not. Are you gonna talk to her?" "Now?" "Yes, now! 10 girls left. That means in the locker rooms are Pauline and one more!" Ava said looking at the door. "None! Go, she is alone. The last girls just left!" Ava continued.

Jesse walked in the court and went to find the locker rooms. He turned on the hallway and he found her in the door on his right. She was sitting on the bench and brusing her wet dark drown hair. She lifted her head and she saw him standing ot the door with his hands at his pockets. "Jesse what are you doing her? Are you lost?" "No, i'm not lost. I just wanted to see you!" he said and moved to her side. Pauline didn't answered. "Did you like the game?" she asked him and tried to change the subject. "Yeah, but i like you more!" he said and pulled her closer. They were face to face. With his right hand pulled away her hair of her face. He pulled her closer and he put his lips to hers so calm and kissed her gently. This time everything sropped. The Earth stoped turning round. The birds stoped flying. It was just the two of them. Both want to stay there till the end of time. When the broke apart Jesse took a step back. "I'm sorry. I didn't know what i was doing!" "Don't be sorry. If didn't want to kiss me i didn't let you do it!" "That means you wanted?" "Yes!" "And that means you like me? Because i like you!" "No, i don't like you!" she started and could feel Jesse's sadness when she finished the sentence. "I think i... i love you!" "I think that too!" he answered and pulled her colse again. He put his lips on hers. This time with more passion. When theu broke apart he asked "Do you want to be my girlfriend?" "Only if you be my boyfriend!" she answered with a smile.

Then they change phone numbers. They promised to talk on Monday at school. They kissed one more time. And left from diferent doors.

Pauline get out and found them all together talking. "Hello guys!" she said and her mum hugged her "Pauline you kicked their butts!" "Thank you mum!" "Congratulations!" her dad said and they highed five. Then she turned to Richie who was standing next to them. "Come here 'Queen Of The Court'!" he said and hugged her. And now she was in Richie's arms. Completely different from Jon's. "You're taller that i thought!" she said and he laughed. "And me nickname is 'Fast Gun', King!" "Fine 'Fast Gun'!"

Then she hugged Ava and whispered to her ear "I'll call you tommorow!" Ava know what she'll tell her and she just answered with a smile.