Welcome to the Jungle

Casey was dressed in a pair of black Nike shorts that barely covered her bum, and a white Nike racerback tank.

She stood in the buffet line behind her brother and in front of Andy as they waited for the other players and coaches to grab their breakfast.

"Ah, God!" Carter exclaimed, rubbing his temples. "They better have extra-caffeinated coffee or I might kill some of the staff today."

Casey squinted at her brother, her eyes sensitive to the sunlight that was streaming through the skylights and chortled.

She was thanking every god in existence that she had enough sense to drink a bottle of water before she passed out last night.

Casey still had a hangover but nothing compared to what Carter was probably feeling.

"You better drink about fifteen cups then, 'cause if Dad sees that you're hungover he's going to make you work so much harder than normal," Casey said.

Carter looked at Casey, eyes wide. "Better make it twenty cups, just in case."

Casey nodded in agreement.

"Such lightweights," Andy said, shaking his head in shame. "I can't believe I'm even friends with you two."

"Hey now," Casey retorted, "You can't even make fun of us. Sam was the one throwing up all night."

Andy laughed as he placed a pile of egg whites on his tray. "Yeah, he's pretty lucky he and John got the late practice time."

They made their way through the breakfast buffet line slowly. Casey decided on a fruit salad and some hash browns while the boys pi;ed their plates with eggs, bacon, and toast.

Casey was making her way to the table her brother had claimed in the darkest corner of the restaurant when she felt someone bump into her and spill her steaming coffee down her shirt.

"OH MY GOD!" Casey yelled, looking down at her ruined white shirt.

She looked up at the person standing in front of her. It ws none other than Novak Djokovic. He had his hands up in the air, as if trying to plead his forgiveness as he stood with his mouth agape watching the coffee drip farther down the front of Casey's shirt.

Casey's eyes widened. It would be Novak!

She looked back down her shirt and then at Novak. His eyes were just as wise as hers.

"I am so incredibly sorry," he said as he moved closer to her. He grabbed napkins off the closest counter and began dabbing her shirt.

Casey stood dumbstruck. Her mind was racing and she couldn't come up with a single thing to say.

She watched him dab the front of her shirt and then looked up to see Carter and Andy struggling to contain their laughter.

Casey managed to finally say: "It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"No, I feel so terrible," he said.

Somehow she was able to balance the tray in one hand while she grabbed his wrist with the other. "Really it's fine. I have an extra one in my bag."

Novak looked up. "Let me pay for your food, it'd the least I can do. I can't believe I did that. Rough night, you know?"

"Believe me, I know," Casey muttered and then refused his offer to pay for her food.

"Then at least let me get you a new coffee."

"Fine, all right," Casey said, laughing. She figured laughing and acting like a normal human being was better than freezing up and looking awkward. "Only coffee."

Novak generously offered to hold her tray while she remade her coffee.

They were third in line and stood side-by-side.

"I've Novak, by the way," he said, extending his hand.

She took it. It was coarse in the spots that had calluses from repeatedly having a racquet stuck in his hand, but it was still warm.

"Nice to finally meet you." She smile brightly. "I'm--"

"Casey Savage. You looked amazing last night." Casey melted inside but maintained a neutral expression.

"Thank you," she said as she flashed him another smile.

"My girlfriend loved it. She couldn't stop talking about it all night," he said.

Girlfriend?

Casey blinked, then brought her hand to her ear and tugged--a nervous habit.

He just said he has a girlfriend.

She could feel the elation that had bubbled into her heart fade away.

"Oh, wow. Tell her thank you," Casey recovered. "She has very good taste."

"All right, now...I don't care what you say I'm gong to pay for your entire meal whether you like it or not." Novak said, once they reached the cashier.

Casey bit her bottom lip and shook her head. "If you insist."

Casey took her tray from Novak after her paid and thanked him.

"See you out on the courts," she said, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ears. She instantly wished that she had bothered to brush her hair before she left her hotel room.

"Yeah, I'm sure we'll run into each other again," Novak said, nodding.

"Oooooooh!" Carter and Andy squealed once Casey took a seat at their table.

Casey blushed furiously, burying her face in her hands. "Shut up, guys. That was mortifying!"

"Did you get a number?" Carter asked, looking more awake than he had before.

Casey shook her head."He paid for my breakfast." She took her face away from her hands and narrowed her eyes. "You both should have mentioned that he has a girlfriend!"

She pointed her finger at Andy. "You definitely should have told me that before you started this talk about 'hooking us up'!"

Andy pointed his fork at Casey. "I never advise listening to me when I've had a few drinks."

"Yeah, next time I won't," Casey said before she stood from her chair, grabbed the extra shirt out of her bag and walked off toward the bathroom to change.