But I didn't care. I didn't fall to the ground or punch the air or first pump. I ran off the court straight for Maria. Ready to grab her by the hand and run. I wanted to get away from everyone so it would just be us. I locked eyes with her and she was the only person in the crowd that existed. That is, until McKenzie walked in front of me and stopped me dead in her tracks.
And this is where it becomes the worst day too.
"Well done! Oh my God, you were amazing." She threw her arms around me and hugged me. I don't think we'd ever hugged before and she held on for what seemed like ages. To say I was confused, would be an understatement.
"I guess I was your lucky charm after all."
Her words slammed into me as hard as the potent smell of mint and hot cinnamon coming from her mouth. But instead of thinking that this was the best smell on earth, it made me sick to my stomach. It made my head spin. I looked up from McKenzie to Maria, who was now approaching me fast.
What the fuck?
The moment turned surreal and dreamy. No, nightmarish. The crowd blurred and the noises of the clapping faded away. I looked up at McKenzie and she nodded. She smiled and opened her mouth to say something again, I didn't know what she said. Her mouth was moving, but my only sense that was working was my sense of smell, cinnamon, mint. Mint, cinnamon. It was everywhere. It filled the air. It felt like I was going to suffocate in it.
"McKenzie... what are you doing?" Maria was suddenly next to us.
"Just coming to congratulate Mike," She turned and smiled at Maria. I saw Maria take a deep in through her nose. Her face fell. It contorted into a shape I'd never seen before.
"McKenzie..." She sounded like she was on the verge of tears, "Please.... Don't do this."
They exchanged a look. It was so loaded; it was so full of something. A story. What the fuck was going on?
Then Maria looked up at me. She looked desperate. Eyes pleading. "Mike, I can explain..." Her voice broke and tears welled up in her eyes.
Explain what? What the fuck was going on?
"Mike Matthews," A hand that belonged to a man came into focus. The scout. "I'm Brain Evans and I must say, I was very impressed with your playing today."
I was in autopilot. I took his hand and shook it, and as I did, Maria dragged McKenzie off and they both disappeared behind the clubhouse.
Maria
It was as if the world shook. Like a meteorite had crashed and exploded by my feet. The smell was so intense. It overpowered everything. Then there were the looks. Like playing a ping-pong match. I looked at Maria, she looked at me. I looked at Mike, he looked from Maria and then back to me. It felt like I was trapped in a silent movie, because no one spoke for a few of the most tense moments I've ever experienced.
Mikes gaze finally came to rest on me, and I felt compelled to say it. It was bound to get out now anyway, the cat had already half-way clawed itself out the bag and it was ready to leap free. My stomach tightened. There was a faint buzzing sound in my ears. Mouth as dry as a desert.
"I... I can explain." There was no taking it back now.
Mikes face contorted into total and utter confusion, "Explain wha-" Suddenly the scout walked in front of us and started to shake Mike by the hand. I grabbed Maria and ran, dragging her behind the clubhouse as fast as I could. I didn't know what the hell I was going to do with her. Or, at this stage, what I was capable of doing to her.
"Why the fuck did you do that?" I pushed her into the wall. Hard. I was furious. All I could see was red. "Why? Fucking tell me, why?" The smile that she'd had on her face faded.
"How did you even know...." Memories of the pen on the floor, the sense that someone had been at my desk flooded my mind. "It was you. You came into my room and you went through my computer!"
Suddenly she looked vaguely amused again and I wanted to slap that look right off her face. "You should really think about the benefits of password protection."
I lost it. I took her by the shoulder and slammed her into the wall even more. "Why? Why?" I wailed, fighting back the tears of rage. "I mean we were just about to... he was going to....I can't believe you did this."
"Well I can't believe you did what you did either. Talk about pot calling kettle black sister. You lied to him. Made up all that bullshit about your parents being divorced. Pretended to be someone you weren't, "mystery mint kisser" She gestured inverted commas, "That's not ever a good pseudonym...Please, you should be the one who's ashamed of
