𝒩ℯ𝓌 𝒴ℴ𝓇𝓀 𝒥𝓊𝓁𝓎 20,2019

Cosmo pulled up outside Alice's apartment just as Alice left her building with her tennis equipment. Cosmo chuckled,

"I still can't believe Max said that you can come,"

Alice shrugged,

"I can't believe it either, but I am still only doing the ball machine,"

Cosmo shrugged,

"Understandable,"

Alice smiled and nodded. Cosmo started driving to Cunningham and after a while, finally arrived. Cosmo nodded at Alice,

"You ready?"

Alice shrugged,

"As ready as I'll ever be,"

Cosmo chuckled and shrugged,

"Fair point,"

They left the car and got their tennis bags. Cosmo nodded at Alice,

"I'll check us in, you can go to court four or five, the ball machine should be on one of them."

Alice smiled and nodded at him before heading to her assigned court to see the ball machine. No one else was there so she started setting up the ball machine to warm up. She went to the net and started running the lines to warm herself up. Cosmo decided to wait for his friend inside where he signed himself in along with Alice. He looked up when he heard the door open and he smiled at his friend,

"Hey, Jack, ready to play?"

Jackson smiled and nodded at him,

"Yeah, didn't you say one of your coworkers was going to play with us?"

Cosmo smiled gently at the thought of his newest best friend and he shook his head,

"She's gonna be playing with the ball machine on the court next to us, she didn't want to play with us,"

Jackson chuckled,

"So, your coworker is a sheee?"

Cosmo chuckled and playfully shoved Jackson,

"Not like that, she's a close friend of mine now,"

Jackson shrugged,

"Whatever you say buddy,"

Cosmo chuckled and nodded,

"Let's get out there, I want to introduce you two, I think you guys would get along very well,"

Jackson nodded and followed Cosmo outside. Once he saw who was on the court next to them, he froze and felt his jaw drop. Cosmo looked at him in confusion,

"Hey man, are you alright?"

Jackson got out of his shocked phase and nodded,

"I know her,"

Cosmo looked at him in confusion,

"You know Alice?"

Jackson nodded,

"Yeah, she plays where I work, she also volunteered their,"

Cosmo's jaw dropped in complete shock,

"I never made that connection...damn,"

Jackson nodded at him and then Alice looked over at them and felt shock go through her at seeing Jackson,

"Jackson?"

Cosmo scratched the back of his neck,

"Surprise??"

Alice rolled her eyes and walked up to them. She smiled at Jackson,

"So you are Ne-uh...Cosmo's friend?"

Jackson nodded,

"Yup, and you are his coworker,"

Alice nodded and she glared at Cosmo,

"I told you that I volunteered with Amaury, how did you not notice?"

Cosmo shrugged,

"I really have no clue,"

Alice rolled her eyes at him and he chuckled nervously,

"Don't tell Quin, she will eat me alive,"

Alice smirked,

"No promises,"

Cosmo sighed and Jackson looked at the two,

"You met Quin?"

Alice nodded,

"Yup, been over a few times because I was bored and Nebs offered,"

Jackson felt something run through his veins as he raised an eyebrow in confusion,

"Nebs?"

Alice blushed in embarrassment,

"Yeahhh, that's his nickname,"

Cosmo smirked in amusement at her reddened face,

"Yup, and I call her either ice or bunny,"

Alice sighed dramatically,

"I hate that nickname, bunny,"

Cosmo smirked and shoved her playfully,

"That's what makes it so entertaining,"

Jackson forced a smile and laugh,

"Anyway, are you sure you don't wanna play with us Ally?"

Alice smiled gently and nodded,

"Yeah, I'm positive,"

Jackson nodded and she went back to her court. Cosmo looked at Jackson,

"So did you meet her when you started working at the tennis club?"

Jackson nodded,

"Yeah, she was one of the first people I met,"

Cosmo chuckled,

"Yeah, that sounds like her,"

Jackson chuckled and nodded. They started off doing some mini-tennis to warm up before heading back to the baseline and started rallying. Alice finally got back to the baseline and got into her mode of doing nothing but hitting the balls. Cosmo looked over at her and saw her sitting down on the bench running a hand through her hair, he sensed her stressing out and looked at Jackson,

"Hey Jack, can you get me a bottle of water? I forgot mine,"

Jackson shrugged and nodded,

"Sure man,"

Cosmo smiled at him,

"Thanks,"

Once he saw that Jackson was gone, he ran over to Alice and knelt down in front of her,

"Hey, you okay?"

Alice briefly looked down at him and shook her head. Cosmo nodded,

"Alright, I just need you to breathe with me, okay?"

Alice nodded slowly and Cosmo started taking deep breathes and she copied him. She started panicking more when she felt her heart rate increase even more and Cosmo immediately pulled her into a hug as she started tearing up,

Cosmo kissed the top of her head,

"Shhh, it's okay,"

Alice shook her head slowly,

"I-it's n-never going to stop,"

Cosmo shook his head,

"You don't know that Alice,"

Alice looked up at him as they broke the hug,

"You don't know that,"

Cosmo shrugged,

"That's true, but you know what I do know?"

Alice shook her head and Cosmo smirked,

"I do know that I can beat your ass in any game,"

Alice laughed,

"Sure, you keep telling yourself that buddy,"

Cosmo smiled softly and stood up,

"I'll bring you some water,"

Alice smiled softly,

"It's in my bag doofus,"

Cosmo nodded,

"Alright,"

Cosmo took out her water from her bag and handed it to her,

"I should take you home,"

Alice shook her head,

"Nebs, you are playing with Jack, I won't let you do that,"

Cosmo sighed and sat next to her,

"Bunny, you need to go home and rest,"

Alice shrugged,

"I'll be fine for a while,"

Cosmo shook his head,

"No, if you don't allow me to take you home, can I like order you an uber or something?"

Alice shook her head,

"Neb, I can wait another thirty minutes,"

Cosmo sighed and nodded,

"Fine fine, but you are sitting on our court's bench,"

Alice rolled her eyes and nodded,

"Fine,"

Cosmo smiled and they walked to that bench and Alice sat back down. Jackson handed Cosmo his water when he came back onto the court and glanced at Alice's shaken appearance,

"Ally, are you alright?"

Alice smiled at him and nodded,

"Yep, all good now, thanks for asking,"

Jackson smiled at her and nodded. Cosmo and Jackson played a tennis match before their time was up. Cosmo grabbed his tennis bag and Alice's while Jackson grabbed his things. Cosmo looked at Jackson,

"You still want a ride?"

Jackson nodded,

"If you don't mind,"

Cosmo shook his head,

"I don't, do you Bunny?"

Alice shook her head,

"I don't,"

Jackson smiled and the three walked to Cosmo's car. Alice went into the back without another word and Cosmo shrugged and got into the driver's seat while Jackson took shotgun. Cosmo looked at Alice,

"Text Max and tell him we are on our way,"

Alice looked at him,

"Did you text him earlier?"

Cosmo sighed and shook his head,

"I'll text him later, or you an talk to him about it,"

Alice frowned and nodded,

"I will,"

Cosmo smiled,

"Good,"

Jackon glanced at the two and frowned slightly, not understanding the conversation but decided to ask about it later. Cosmo parked right outside her apartment building. Alice smiled at him,

"Thanks, Nebs,"

Cosmo smiled softly at her and nodded,

"No problem Bunny, let me know when you get inside, okay?"

Alice rolled her eyes but nodded,

"I will,"

Cosmo smiled and Alice left the car.