Characters:

• Eloise: confident and strong, perfectionist both on and off court. Writer's note: hates the nickname Ellie, accepts Elle but only people who she considers close.
• Coach of Eloise
• Mother of Eloise: over the top, joyful
• Devlin
• Umpire

Setting:

It is an indoor tennis facility with pistachio green flooring that surrounds the bright blue hard courts. There are eight individual courts inside this facility. The walls are just beginning to crack along the edges of the floor where the green ends abruptly. A wrinkled banner hung loosely with its back pressed against the wall, and the academy name spelt in bolded fonts. The slanted roof is lit by sharp lighting that dangle a mere few feet away from the ceiling. The pale lighting makes everything feel frail and wan, ghastly white paint seeping through the pores of your skin to chisel in the delusive coolness on your bones.

Above the tennis courts, a grand middle room separates the eight into equal fours. Black wooden chairs and tables are scattered across the tiled floors. The yellowish lamps create a singular glow around the middle room when gazing up from the courts below. There are three rows of stands outside the middle room where viewers can sit and watch. People disappear behind the curtains winding down the stairs before re-emerging on the pistachio greens.

Scene 1

(Eloise and Devlin are next to one of the floor-to-ceiling windows in the middle room. Eloise is sitting, leaning against the back of her chair while Devlin stands facing the window.)

(Eloise is listening to music before the match)

Devlin: [purses his lips] How's school?

(A moment)

Devlin: Um... Eloise?

(Eloise doesn't hear)

(Devlin walks over to Eloise and takes off one of her headphones)

Eloise: [glances at Devlin, a little startled] Geez, what's wrong...

Devlin: How's school?

Eloise: [looks Devlin up and down] Fine... (beat) Nice haircut.

(A moment)

(Devlin looks confused)

Devlin: I'm sorry, what?

Eloise: [flat] I said, nice haircut.

Devlin: [says as he touches hair] I... thanks. I just got it done... like yesterday.

(A moment)

Devlin: [cont'd] Uh... so um... What have you been doing?

Eloise: Nothing much... traveling, here and there.

Devlin: Oh...nice.

(Devlin starts fidgeting with the table corners)

(Eloise puts headphones back on for a few seconds and pulls it back out)

Eloise: How are your tournaments going?

Devlin: [looks up] Oh... um... okay, I've won some... Never made it past the semis though.

(Devlin chuckles slightly and pauses his chuckle awkwardly)

Devlin: Um... You should come watch some of my matches. One of them will be at a country club and it's supposed to be like, really pretty or something. I think you'll like it. It's um... next week.

Eloise: Ah, thanks. But I'm flying to Florida next Monday for a pro-series tournament. So I'll have to skip the local ones.

(Eloise looks down at her phone again)

(Silence)

(Devlin shifts nervously)

Devlin: Oh! Um... How's your mother?

(Eloise continues to look at her phone, her brows scrunched up a little upon hearing Devlin's words)

Eloise: She's doing good. She's parking right now, outside. I don't know when she's coming in.

Devlin: Oh... great. I guess I'll see her around, and uh... maybe I'll say hi...

(Eloise doesn't respond)

(Devlin looks away and starts fidgeting with the table corners again; occasionally he switches his feet position)

(A moment)

(Eloise's coach emerges from behind the curtains. Eloise and Devlin both look up)

Coach: Eloise you ready?

(Eloise's mother enters the stage holding a rolled up poster under her arm)

(She hugs Eloise's coach and goes up to Eloise to give her a giant hug)

Mother: How is my Eloise doing? My big tennis star?

(Mother turns around and shows off Eloise)

Mother: Can't believe my baby just committed and is going off to college in New Haven. Look at her all grown up!

Mother: [to Coach and Eloise] Couldn't have done it without Coach, am I right, sweetheart? You're gonna do so good at this tournament. Ha, Academic All-American in your junior year maybe?

(Eloise nods half-reluctantly in her mother's arms and looks at Coach in a pleading way. Eloise is visibly embarrassed)

(Coach stands there with her arms folded in front of her chest and smiles at Eloise and Eloise's mother)

Mother: Devlin, honey! How's tennis going!

Devlin: Uh, it's been a slow season, but overall good. Congrats, you know uh, about Eloise.

Mother: Uh huh. I'm sure when September rolls around it will all be better. They've got their eyes on you, I'm sure.

(Turns to face Eloise)

Mother: [without missing a beat] Here, I brought you this poster I made.

(Mother unrolls the poster in front of everyone)

(The giant poster has Eloise's media day photo printed in the middle. Eloise stands proud in the poster with her arms crossed, the blue in the background makes her features look defined as she smiles. The big bolded slogan "Go Eloise" printed at the top)

(Eloise, upon seeing the poster, lets out a small sigh of resignation)

Eloise: [awkwardly] Mom, you didn't have to do that.

Mother: Why not? It's your first tournament since the big news. It's the middle of summer, come on, I wanna celebrate.

Devlin: It looks good, Eloise.

Eloise: [ignores Devlin] Mom, 4th of July literally just passed...

(Without hearing Eloise's protest, Mother walks to the stands outside the middle room and starts taping the poster onto the railings)

(Eloise turns to Coach, half-protesting, and gestures for the poster to be taken down)

Coach: [mouths] I can't do anything.

(Mother walks back into the middle room)

Mother: Devlin, you should have seriously come to our party. Oh it was so much fun! It's too bad you couldn't.

Devlin: Oh um... maybe I'll come to the next one? If uh... Eloise would invite me?

Mother: [laughs awkwardly] Ha. Well good luck to you my baby Elle. And uh, good luck to you too, Devlin. Elle come here, let me fix your hair.

(Mother takes a step closer to Eloise so her words were only audible to Eloise and herself)

Mother: [as she pushes a few strands of Eloise's hair behind her ears] Listen, I don't want you to get too close to this Devlin kid. You get to college and you can date, okay? You hear me?

(She walks back in her usual cheerful manner into the stands and picks a seat next to the poster)

(The stage light around her dims and she exits the stage)

Eloise: Okay whatever...

Coach: Eloise, chop chop. No time to lose, come downstairs to warm up.

(Coach gestures for Eloise to come down to the courts and warm up. Coach disappear behind the curtains)

(Eloise starts packing)

Devlin: I guess I'll see you downstairs?

Eloise: [nods] Yep. Good luck today. Nice speaking to you.

(Eloise turns and disappears off stage before she hears Devlin say anything)

(Devlin looks at the headphones left on the table)

Scene 2

(Coach and Eloise are both downstairs on the courts warming up. They hit a rally and when the rally finishes, they walk towards the bench in silent agreement.)

(Eloise is drinking water)

Coach: You know the kid?

Eloise: [wipes her mouth] Who?

Coach: Devlin.

Eloise: Yeah, no. We've met before at a local UTR tournament.

(Coach shrugs)

Eloise: [adding quick as if to prove something] We're not friends.

Coach: I don't care, Elle. I just don't think you should talk to your opponent 30 minutes before the match.

Eloise: Okay.

(A moment)

Eloise: Sorry.

Coach: Don't apologize. Focus on the match now.

(Eloise nods)

(Umpire emerges from behind the curtains. He walks over to shake Eloise's and Coach's hand before climbing up the umpire's chair. Devlin walks on as well)

(A moment of mere rustling as Coach and Eloise stood on one side while Devlin stood on the other. The stage is silent otherwise.)

Umpire: [looks at clock] Time.

Coach: [pats Eloise on her shoulder] You got it.

Eloise: Thanks.

(Eloise begins to walk onto court when Devlin calls)

Devlin: Wait, Eloise.

(Eloise looks but doesn't say anything)

Devlin: Um... uh can you come here for a second? Maybe?

(Coach looks at Eloise from the bench, gestures with a nod that Eloise should go quick)

Eloise: What is it?

Devlin: Uh... here. You left your headphones up there when you left...

(Devlin flips over his palm and reveals the pair of headphones)

Devlin: Good luck... (beat) Ellie.

Eloise: ...Thanks.

(Eloise rolls her eyes as she turns and walks over to bench to stuff her headphones inside the tennis bag)

Coach: What does he want?

Eloise: [shrugs] I don't know.

Coach: ...

Eloise: It's fine... (beat) Sorry.

Coach: Go play your match. You got it, Elle.

Mother: You got it, Eloise!

(Eloise wipes her forehead and walks onto court once again)

(Eloise spins the racquet in front of Devlin)

(Devlin opens his mouth but ultimately closes it after much debate)

Eloise: [as the racquet spins] I call heads.

(The racquet drops)