Charlotte's POV
Today was Wednesday, the club's internal tennis training day, and also the day Jake and Chris had agreed to compete. Everyone gathered on the court as usual.
Charlotte stood among the crowd, feeling like today's practice seemed to drag on forever. His tennis skills were still not up to par; every swing was just a bit off, sending the ball flying off course. Of course, Charlotte had joined the tennis club mostly to spend more time with Chris. Today, Michael unexpectedly took the initiative to partner with him for practice.
Michael was a quiet and gentle girl who liked men similar to herself. Unlike her usual habit of seeking Jake's guidance on her strokes, she chose to stay with Charlotte today, patiently reminding him whenever he missed a shot.
"Try again this time, remember to keep it low and maintain your balance," she would say softly.
After practice, everyone gathered on the sidelines to rest, the atmosphere relaxed and cheerful. Jake and Chris stood on the other side of the court, starting a match. Their movements were swift and precise, the air tense with competition.
Chris served, the ball speeding across with intense spin. Jake lunged almost instantly, his agile form quickly adjusting his steps, catching the ball in a high arch and returning it with a backhand that sped straight toward Chris's court.
Without hesitation, Chris adjusted his position, leaped to strike the ball with a powerful hit. The two played like professionals, each rally on the court filled with tension. Charlotte sat quietly to the side, his heart beating in time with the match—Chris's confidence, Jake's calm, both deeply captivating to him.
Michael stood by, cheering for Jake, while Sarah was on the other side, rooting for Chris.
"Come on, Jake!" Michael shouted, her voice barely concealing her excitement.
Charlotte stole a glance at Michael, who always approached those she liked so naturally, without hesitation. He, on the other hand, could only watch from afar, like an outsider.
"Charlotte, here, have some water," Michael suddenly approached him, holding a bottle of water and offering it with a smile.
Charlotte was taken aback for a moment, took the bottle, and shook his head gently, "No, thank you."
"Don't mention it, you look a bit tired. Have some water to clear your head," Michael insisted, her gaze fixed on Charlotte.
Charlotte didn't refuse this time and took a small sip from the bottle. The water was refreshing, with a hint of sweetness. He glanced up at Michael, whose eyes seemed to dodge, as if hiding some secret.
However, by this time, Jake and Chris's match was nearing its end. Jake won narrowly, and Chris patted him on the shoulder, laughing, "I'll beat you next time for sure!"
Michael shouted from the sidelines, "Great job, Jake, you're really our team's ace."
Charlotte watched their close interaction with a touch of envy. He wished he could be as natural as Michael, approaching the people he liked and interacting with others with ease. Yet, he always stood by the side, watching others have such easy interactions, feeling like he always lived in a shadow that he could never surpass.
Nevertheless, today's practice seemed to have taken its toll on Charlotte. He began to feel dizzy, his vision blurring. Perhaps it was the heat; he had sweat a lot, and the sun was getting hotter. He looked down at the water bottle in his hand and felt the discomfort growing stronger, so he decided to go to the locker room to rest for a while and clear his head.
He walked into the locker room, pushed open the door to the restroom, and went to the sink to splash cold water on his face. The cold water slightly refreshed him, but the dizziness remained.
Just then, he saw Sarah standing in front of the mirror, touching up her makeup.
"Oh, Charlotte, what's up?" Sarah turned around, seeing him standing there, slightly surprised, "You don't look quite right."
Charlotte smiled faintly, "Just a bit tired, maybe heatstroke."
He said, continuing to splash cold water on his face, trying to regain some clarity.
Sarah didn't seem too suspicious, smiled, and walked towards the door. "If you're not feeling well, take a rest. Don't push yourself."
She walked out of the restroom, leaving Charlotte alone in front of the mirror.
Charlotte looked down again at his reflection in the sink. Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to the corner of the mirror – there was a statue, quietly standing there, facing him. It didn't look like the usual decoration here, with a strange shape that gave a creepy feeling.
Charlotte was stunned, staring at the statue, feeling his head getting heavy. The Flying Spaghetti Monster – he didn't remember there ever being such a statue here; it seemed like the first time he saw it. The statue's eyes were fixed on him, as if waiting for some response.
He involuntarily approached, bowed his head, clasped his hands, and silently prayed as usual: "Dear Flying Spaghetti Monster, please tell me..."
The sound of the prayer was particularly clear in the empty restroom. Charlotte closed his eyes, seemingly entering a meditative state, forgetting the space and time he was in.
However, when he opened his eyes, everything around became blurred. The feeling of dizziness became more severe, his legs began to feel heavy, and the world in front of him seemed to spin.
He wanted to leave, to find some place to rest, but his body could no longer support it, and everything went black.
Finally, he fell to the ground and passed out.