"So... how often does this happen?" Tashi asks Art and Patrick, smiling as she gestures to both of them with a manicured nail. She passes you the can of beer all four of you are splitting so she can rest a hand on your bare knee. "Going after the same girl— no, the same people?"

She's curious, sue her! Tashi Duncan's not a stranger to her growing fan club ranks, but it'd been new to receive such eager attention from this year's Boys' Junior Doubles Title Winners. Not to mention they'd both fixated on her and you, the Singles champ in your bracket of The Open. The Adidas-hosted after-party had already given her a glimpse of you whilst you mingled with potential sponsors, but the four-way affair had been settled once Patrick and Art set their sights on you two.

And now, post-party and post-cigarette break, the four of you have finally moved to close the deal (or whatever "talking tennis" was code for). "Not often as you think," Patrick supplies with a laugh, sipping from the communal beer slowly.

"No, uh... we usually have different types," Art adds on, and it's enough to draw laughter from everyone on the carpet.

"So, you're saying we should be flattered?" Tashi asks. Maybe you two should be— maybe you both would be— if this was just harmless flirting. It's not.

And then Tashi's light demeanor does a complete 180 and it suddenly feels like all the air's been sucked out of the stuffy motel room with a slight furrow of her brows. "We're out of beer."

It's an observation at its basic level, but everyone knows it's much deeper than that. None of you were naive enough to think this was just some little pow-wow in Fire and Ice's room where you'd trade stories and make friendship bracelets. It's stifling between all four tennis players in the room, and everyone's just waiting for someone to take the reins.

Perching herself on the edge of the bed, Tashi's eyes flit between Art and Patrick before settling on you. "Come here."

And just like that, she's set the ball into play. Keep up, now.