"WHACK!"
I don't know when I fell in love with tennis. I didn't start playing until I was in high school and only joined the team because my crush was on it.
"SMACK!!!"
I never got a date with her but I did become good enough to win a few amateur tournaments and land a full scholarship to college.
"CRACK!"
I never thought it would lead me to anything, besides helping me go to college and find a career I enjoyed. And, it led to two. I had spent the last nearly twenty years as a history teacher for a high school in Salt Lake City, Utah, and I worked summers as a tennis instructor for a country club in Park City, Utah.
"POP!"
Although I wasn't working today, I was at that country club, playing a match against my friend, Alonzo. He lobbed an easy volley up for me, I smashed the ball back, he missed it, and the game was over. As we shook hands over the net, I noticed three people, one male and two females, enter the court area, and go to the opposite end of us. After setting his bag and racket down, the male came jogging towards us.
"Hey, guys, sorry to bother you, but we were wondering if one of you would be interested in joining us for a game of mixed doubles?"
I looked over at Alonzo, but he waved it off and said, "I need to get home to Molly and the kids. But, I know from personal experience that my friend Derek here is a phenomenal doubles player."
The guy looked at me and I laughed as I said, "Yeah, I'll come play. Let me get my stuff and I'll head over there."
The guy thanked me before walking back over to his friends. I walked with Alonzo over to the benches on the sideline to gather up my bag and water. "Thanks for that. You know I hate doubles with strangers."
Alonzo laughed before saying, "Hey, maybe one of them will be single and you could actually get a date."
I playfully punched him in the arm before giving him a little hug and saying goodbye.
I jogged over to where the three were getting ready and said, "Hey all, I'm Derek."
The male stuck out his hand for me to shake and said, "Hi, I'm Rick. This is my wife Susan." I shook both of their hands before the second female turned to me. She had been leaning over her bag, pulling her brown hair back into a ponytail, and placing a sun visor on her head.
"I'm Emma," she said in a British accent.
Holy shit.
Emma Watson.
"Hi, I'm Derek," I said, wondering if I was dreaming.
"I guess you're on my side, if that's OK," she said, picking up her racket.
"Um, yeah, of course."
I shook hands again with Rick and Susan before walking over to the other side of the net. We briefly discussed rules and scoring before settling on something simple, and I walked to the back of the court as Rick got ready to serve.
And I completely missed the serve, staring at Emma and making sure I wasn't going crazy. After she shot me a dirty glance, I knew I had just made a mistake, took a deep breath, and told myself to focus on the game.
I was able to keep my mind on the game, and I was fresh enough from beating Alonzo, that I was able to overcome the mishap and help our pairing to a victory. Rick and Susan asked for a rematch, I offered to switch sides but was turned down, and we won again.
After the second match, we all went to the benches to take a drink of water. As we drank, I looked at Emma again, laughing and joking with Rick and Susan and was almost paralyzed at the sudden realization that hit me.
I just played tennis with Emma Watson.
She gave me a high-five. Several.
I told myself to say a prayer of thanks to the tennis gods later.
"So, Derek, I think the only thing left, is for us to invite you to dinner. After that butt whopping you gave us, I feel like it's only fitting," Rick said, as all three looked at me for my answer.
I laughed a little and said, "Oh, no, no, that's OK. I appreciate the offer, but I don't want to intrude."
"I insist," said Rick over my protests.
"Please?" asked Susan.
"I would really like it if you joined us," said Emma. "Might be nice to have somebody a little closer to my age join us."
"Hey, now! I'm not that old!" laughed Rick.
"Alright, I'll join," I easily gave in after Emma asked, hoping it was actually me she wanted and not just anybody younger then Rick and Susan.
I met them about thirty-minutes later at the country club restaurant, quickly being seated, with me sitting next to Emma. After ordering drinks, including a round of wine for everyone, Rick asked me, "So, Derek, how did you become so good at tennis? Are you secretly a pro?"
I laughed and said, "Nope, not at all. Won a few amateur tournaments, but got destroyed any time I tried to go above that."
"You could have fooled me," said Susan. "If you're not a pro, what do you do?"
"I actually teach high school. History, to be exact. And I coach the tennis team," I explained to them.
"A teacher? And, not trying to sound elitist, but what brings you to the country club? You seem to be pretty known around here," commented Rick as he drank his wine.
I laughed again and said, "No, you're definitely right. If it wasn't for the easy access to the tennis courts and always knowing I can find a match, I probably wouldn't be here. As for how I got a membership, that's a funny story. You see, years ago, I beat the owner of this club in a match during a fundraiser I was helping with. He was so impressed, that he hired me to give private lessons to his son, who was wanting to learn to play. And, when his son won his first tournament, he gave me a job here as a tennis instructor, and a lifetime membership."
"Wow," said all three in unison.
The conversation quickly shifted to Rick, Susan, and Emma talking, with me merely nodding along. I learned that Rick and Susan ran a non-profit that helped with women's education and empowerment and Emma had helped them out at least once a year for the past decade.
I asked if there were any events happening that Emma was in town for, but was informed that she was just on vacation and the three of them just happened to be in town at the same time and wanted to reconnect.
With my background in education, I was able to provide my input to some of the conversation and by the end of dinner, I felt like I actually belonged and wasn't an outsider. I had a nagging feeling that I should say something to Emma as Rick was picking up the check, but couldn't think of the correct way to say it. As we all stood up to leave, Emma looked at me, and said, "Well, Derek, it was a pleasure to meet you and play tennis. I might just have to get in touch later for a private lesson. Wouldn't mind learning a few tips."
I told her of course and asked if she would like my information. She laughed and said, "If I find the time, I'm sure I can just contact the club here, right?"
"Yes, of course," I said, feeling a little dejected as I shook hands with everybody and left the restaurant.
It was about a thirty-minute drive to my home in Cottonwood Heights from Park City and I spent the entire time thinking about Emma. While I couldn't remember falling in love with tennis, I definitely remember falling in love with Emma Watson at a young age. As a child of the 90s, born in the 80s, and who loved fantasy, I started to read the Harry Potter series when the second book came out, and anxiously waiting for each book to come out. And, subsequently, the movies.
Along with that love of the books and movies, came Emma Watson. I had followed her career after the series ended, watching everything she was in, and listening to the rare interviews she was in. I thought she was a treasure to the world, so kind and smart, and always beautiful. Even during her short hair phase, while I wasn't a fan of the hair style, I still thought she was insanely attractive.
As I laid in my bed, thinking of her consumed my mind, and I felt myself growing in my boxers. I tried my best not to, but I eventually caved, looked up some certain pictures of Emma, and used them for my satisfaction, feeling a little guilt at it afterwards, having now met her.
The next morning, I woke up early and got dressed to head to a local yoga studio. I had started practicing yoga a few years ago after a back injury and it had become a part of my weekly routine. I said hi to the instructor and took my familiar spot on the floor, rolling out my mat and doing some light stretches while I waited for the rest of the class to enter.
The studio was just about full and the instructor was ready to start when she walked in. She looked around the room nervously, finally spotted an open spot next to me, and walked over to it. Nobody seemed to recognize her, or they just pretended not to, as they greeted her and wished her a good morning.
I was sitting on my mat, stretching out my legs and groin, watching her as she unrolled her mat. "Hello, Emma," I said, trying to stay quiet so nobody else heard me.
She whipped her head around, a look of shock on her face, until she recognized me. Her features soften and she said, "My gosh, Derek, you gave me a fright."
"I'm sorry," I said with a little laugh. "Couldn't resist myself."
"And here I spent hours researching, trying to find a small enough studio that I could practice in peace, and you're here," she teased as she started to stretch.
"You act like that's a bad thing. Should I leave?"
"Of course not."
We had to end our short conversation as the instructor called for attention and we begun our morning flow. I couldn't help but glance over at Emma as she dutifully paid attention and easily moved her body into the different poses and positions. She had her brunette hair pulled back into a ponytail with a white athletic headband around her head. A white oversized T-shirt hid the body I knew she had underneath it, but it was loose enough to let her body move freely. As we flowed into a pose called downward dog, her ass stuck up into the air, and I nearly fell over at seeing it in tight black leggings.
After the beginning flow was done, we took a short break so everybody could drink some water. After taking a drink from her water, Emma pulled off her T-shirt, folding it up nicely and setting it on top of her bag. She was wearing a beige sports bra and gave me a smile after splashing some water on her face.
The second flow was a little more intense then the first but I was proud of myself as I got deeper into a few different warrior poses then I had been able to do before. The instructor even called me out for it and I felt myself blushing when I saw Emma turning towards me, looking my body up and down as she admired my pose. Hopefully she thought the redness was just from the yoga and not her looking at me.
I took a break from the first part of the third flow, knowing my body limits, but rejoined the group as they went into cool down poses, and felt like I finished the session strong.
As we rolled up our mats, Emma asked me, "So, I take it you come here often?" I told her that I did and she said, "That's awesome. I miss my hometown studio. Can't wait to get back to it soon."
"How long are you planning on being in Utah and away from home? Where is home for you? London?"
"I'm not sure. I've been here for a week and really love it so far. Probably won't leave for at least a few more weeks, but nothing is set in stone. As for home, London, I guess."
A few of my fellow practitioners came over and introduced themselves to Emma, saying that it was nice to meet her. They were incredibly respectful and Emma was just as nice back to them. I took a step back, wondering if I should leave, but something told me not to.
After the ladies said bye to Emma, she turned back to me and asked, "So, how does a high school history teacher and tennis instructor spend his weekends off? Or whole summers off? Just by going to the country club and winning tennis matches?"
I laughed before saying, "No, I try to only go there once or twice a week. Or whenever I'm called for a private lesson. Today, I'm going to go get some coffee and probably just head home to do some chores, unless something else pops up. What are your plans with exploring this great state?"
"Actually, I was thinking of going downtown, exploring Temple Square a bit. I hear that the history and the architecture down there are amazing."
"They really are. I'm not a member, but have studied the religion quite a bit. It's a great place to visit, there is a lot to see and do," I told her.
"Great. So, what time are meeting there?"
"Meeting there?" I asked, confused by her meaning.
"Well, yes. I could use a guide and who better than a history teacher?"
We quickly made plans to meet at Temple Square shortly after noon that day. I offered to pick her up, but she declined, just saying she would get there. I hurried home, even though I had a few hours, to shower and get dressed. I also spent some time refreshing my memory on the history of the church, Temple Square, and anything else she might want to know.
I spotted Emma instantly as I walked to where I had told her to meet me. She had changed out of her yoga clothes, keeping her hair pulled back, but with no headband. I was amazed that with just wearing a plain gray T-shirt, short jean shorts, and putting on a pair of sunglasses, she was nearly unrecognizable, yet her beauty still shines through.
"Hi again," she said as I caught up to her. "So, where do we start?"
With the summer sun over our heads, we were both soon covered in sweat as we walked around Temple Square. Emma was an attentive listener as I gave her a brief history of the Mormon church, why they came to Utah, why they build temples, and anything else she asked about. We walked around the outside of the temple, as we were unable to get inside. We explored the visitors center, then walked across the street to the Church History Museum, and walked through that.
When we left the museum, Emma looked over Temple Square, squinting her eyes in the sunlight. "Is it always this hot in June?"
I nodded my head and said, "Yeah. But this is nothing. It'll get hotter the next two months, maybe three, before it finally cools off."
"I don't know how people survive in it. I'm ready to strip my clothes off and jump in a pool."
Emma noticed as I took a big gulp and hesitated before saying anything. Her laugh broke the brief trance I was in as she said, "What? I'm surprised I don't see more swimming pools around here."
I laughed and said, "I'm sure I could find one pool available if you wanted. Or, alternatively, I do know of a good restaurant with excellent air conditioning and we could relax there while eating."
"Yeah? And is this restaurant fancy enough that I should consider this a date?" Emma asked me as she turned to me, sliding her sunglasses off the top of her head and over her eyes.
I laughed and said, "That depends, would you go out with a guy like me?"
"What does that mean? You're intelligent, interesting, friendly. Just because you're not famous doesn't mean anything," Emma responded.
"In that case, then yes, it is a fancy enough restaurant that this would be considered a date."
Emma started to walk down the steps of the museum entrance, turning around to look at me as she said, "Well, are you coming? Can't be a date if I'm by myself."
I quickly jogged down the stairs to catch up to her. As I did so, I ran through a list of restaurants that I knew of in the area, eliminating them one at a time as I decided that they weren't good enough for a first date with Emma freaking Watson.
I finally settled on one as Emma asked me what way to my car. "Actually, there is a really good restaurant just a few blocks away from here. With traffic and parking, it would be easier to walk, if you want."
"In this heat? They better have the best damn air conditioning," Emma laughed as she let me take the lead.
We got to the restaurant right as they were opening for the night and were the first ones seated, with Emma asking for a private booth, which we easily were given. As we browsed the menu, we each ordered a glass of wine, red for Emma and white for me. I tried my best to neither look at the prices or what this might do to my bank account. I was on a date with Emma Watson, had spent most of the day with her, and screw it if I had to live on Ramen noodles for the next month.
Emma ended up ordering a roasted chicken, while I ordered an elk loin. While we waited for our food, Emma asked about my childhood and I asked about hers. She told me about getting into acting and the toll it took on her. We talked about the struggles of being a public school teacher, and of my tennis highlights.
Just as our food came, Emma asked me a question that I had been waiting for and I had had on the tip of my tongue as well. "So, why is there no Mrs. High School History teacher?"
I laughed a little, a nervous giggle. "Well, I guess that's a bit of a complicated answer. There was, at one point. But, she decided that instead of being Mrs. High School History teacher, she wanted to be Mrs. Executive Vice President for the Bank of Utah."
"Ouch," she said, her British accent easily showing the empathy she showed. "I'm sorry, Derek. Any kids?"
"Nope, luckily, so it was a pretty simple process. Besides the heartbreak and the trust issues since," I told her as we both started to eat.
"I hear you there. I've never been cheated. on or had somebody leave me for somebody else, but I totally understand having trust issues, especially after having something like that happened."
"Right? It almost feels easier to just have a one night stand, and be done," I confessed.
"Seriously, that is no joke. Get the satisfaction you both need without the emotional attachment," Emma said, as she cut her chicken into tiny pieces for her to eat.
The conversation quickly changed to her asking me more about myself as we ate and before I knew it, our plates were empty and our bellies full.
"My gosh, that was good. I might have to go on a walk in an hour to work some of it off," Emma said as we waited for the waitress to bring our check.
"If you're interested, I know of a pretty easy hike that's not that far away," I suggested to her.
Emma laughed heartily while flashing me her white teeth. "Why, Derek, if I didn't know any better, I would think that you were trying to extend out this day as long as possible."
"Guilty," I told her.
As I handed the waitress my debit card, Emma said, "I don't know about a hike tonight. Definitely not in these flats. I do want to go and I should probably get your number so I can get some suggestions where I should go. But, tonight, I'm thinking I'll probably just do an easy walk around a neighborhood or just the treadmill in the hotel room."
After the waitress handed back my card, Emma and I left the restaurant. We started to walk back towards Temple Square and I asked, "So, does this count as your night walk?"
She laughed and said, "It probably should. Between Temple Square and the museum, my legs are exhausted."
"If you'd like, I can give you a ride back to your hotel. I can just drop you off so I don't know what room you're in, if you'd like. Heck, we could even stop for ice cream, if you have room for dessert," I said as we waited at a crosswalk for the light to turn red.
Emma was silent as we crossed the road and I feared that I had pushed things too far. I went to apologize but Emma finally asked, "Do you know what I'd really like to do?" I asked her what it was and she stopped walking and pointed towards the mountains that surrounded Salt Lake City. "I'm sure I'll see it when I go hiking, but I would really like to see this gorgeous city from up there. Do you know anywhere we could drive to with an amazing view?"
I told her that I did know of such a view and that I would be more than happy to show it to her. In my mind, I wanted to tell her that any view was amazing, as long as she was in it, but I refrained from it. Emma said that she would love to see it. I lead us to my car, a mini-SUV that I was suddenly glad I had cleaned the day before. I opened up the passenger door and let her in before jogging over to the driver's side and getting in.