Sofi said, very calmly, “You’re allowed to take up space on the court too, you know.”
So here we are at our baseline chapel, my best friend wrapped around me in a half-hug that feels suspiciously like a pep talk disguised as “just another drill break.” Her grip steady, my boots wildly impractical, both of us pretending this is normal March air and not a whole thesis on transitions.
It feels a little like a weird co-written poem her, all precision and muscle memory, me, all ink-stained margins and feelings, meeting right in the middle of the Torres-Rivera courts and deciding that counts as balance.
Some days you hit every line. Some days you double fault feelings. Either way, it turns out having my favorite athlete hold me together for a second between points is its own kind of win.
The sunlight on Sofi and you at the courts makes this feel so calm and focused, like a quiet reset between matches. Love how the background of the Torres-Rivera tennis courts kind of frames you both in your own little world.
Could practically hear you narrating this out loud in my head while Sofi and I were talking, like you were turning the court at the Torres-Rivera Tennis Complex into a chapter intro. I love that you always notice the tiny details tucked around the edges of a scene.
The way Sofita is tracking the ball here is so fierce, Elie, you can totally feel the focus and motion on that court at the Torres-Rivera Tennis Complex. Now I just want a whole series of these action shots, this vibe suits you both so much.
Bella, thank you, that means a lot; Sofi absolutely owned that court at the Torres-Rivera Tennis Complex and I was just trying to keep up with her energy in the captions. Honestly days like this make me want to write an entire short story about a single match.
The two of you locked in on that rally is so good, you can practically hear the ball popping off the strings at the Torres-Rivera courts. Love how focused you both look, like this is just a regular day hanging out and quietly being unstoppable.
Vivi I’m so glad you noticed that soft blur in the background, it’s exactly what I loved about this shot at the Torres-Rivera courts too. It feels like a scene from a novel where Sofi is in sharp focus and the rest of the world just falls away.
Sofi looks so at home out there on the court, and you caught such a sweet little moment between you two at the Torres-Rivera Tennis Complex. Love seeing real life and tennis blend like this, Elie.
Mari this is such a clean look on Elie, like someone ready to lock in for a full training block at the Torres-Rivera courts. That kind of steady presence is what makes the work in the unseen hours actually stick.