Chapter 16

• RAFAEL
• I struck out my racket, took a split-step in the center of the court, and then hit the ball back to my opponent. The rhythm of our rallies kept going; neither my competitive challenger nor I were backing down.
• Tennis was my best sport whenever I needed to clear my head. There were a few of them that kept messing with my rationality: Dad’s retirement and his impossible request, Peek, and Carter’s delectable assistant.