Booked & Busy ? Devin Booker

Whitney stood in her room, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes traced the lines of the Team USA Nike tracksuit that fit her like a glove, then up to her perfectly styled ponytail, the braid hanging neatly down her back. Despite the flawless image staring back at her, she felt far from put together as she replayed the argument with Devin in her mind. She couldn't understand how they always ended up in the same place. No matter how hard she tried, it seemed like their relationship was cursed and they were doomed to repeat the same toxic cycle.

She hated that the moment had overshadowed her date with Tyrese. With the Olympics coming to an end soon, their time together was quickly running out. As soon as she returned to Dallas, she planned to jump straight into training for the U.S. Open. She wanted that next Grand Slam almost as much as she wanted this medal. But bitterness gnawed at her, knowing that too many of her moments had been tainted by Devin. Tyrese had been right to pull her away and she was grateful for his calm presence. Yet a part of her resented how easily Devin could still unravel her.

After leaving the café the previous day, Tyrese didn't press her to talk. He offered quiet support, staying by her side when he could but also respecting her need for space. Though his presence was comforting, it did nothing to erase the sting of her encounter with Devin.

Whitney sighed, long and loud. With her bronze medal match approaching the next morning, she needed to focus on the task ahead of her. This wasn't just about winning, it was about proving to herself that she could rise above all the noise.

Her phone buzzed on the dresser, breaking her from her thoughts. She glanced at the screen and saw a text from Tyrese.

Tyrese ⛹🏽‍♂️
WHITNEYYY! I HAVE A SURPRISE!!!

She smiled at the message, his excitement radiating through the screen. He had been nothing but kind to her since they met, and their connection was growing stronger each day. Whitney clicked on the video he'd sent and the screen lit up with the familiar faces of the USA basketball team. Their support was genuine and it lifted her spirits.

"It needs to be different than the first video. She's playing for bronze this time!" Tyrese said to the team before pointing the camera toward LeBron James.

"Whitney!" LeBron greeted. "You're going to crush it tomorrow!"

"GO GET EM CHAMP!" Steph Curry yelled over his teammate's shoulder.

The camera panned around to the other players, all offering their good luck wishes. Then she heard Devin's voice in the background, casually reminding Kevin Durant to call her "Whit." It was like a punch to the gut. Even when he wasn't directly involved, he had a way of breaking through her thoughts and complicating everything.

"Whitney—uh, Whit—" Kevin corrected. "Go out there and play YOUR game. We're all rooting for you, and I can't wait to see you bring home that medal."

She watched the rest of the video, her emotions a mix of gratitude and irritation. Tyrese's grin at the end did bring a smile to her face but the moment felt bittersweet. She was surrounded by support, yet she felt more alone than ever.

Her family wasn't in Paris with her and CoCo had left after their doubles loss. Whitney had banned her parents from attending any major tournaments after the debacle at the French Open in 2022, which had also driven her to seek a new coach. Tennis was a solo sport after all and she could always celebrate with her family after a win. But she'd be lying if she didn't admit she missed looking up and seeing supportive faces in the stands during her matches.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of training, media obligations, and photo ops. By the time the afternoon rolled around, Whitney was both mentally and physically exhausted, so much so that the fight with Devin was no longer at the forefront of her mind.