Chapter 1027

It didn't take a genius to figure out what happened.

Tch.

Juniper let out a soft, mocking laugh. So this was the game she wanted to play.

Originally, Juniper had just planned to run her around the court until she collapsed from exhaustion.

But now, she was changing her mind.

Sheryl's smug face was really starting to piss her off.

Juniper tossed the broken racket onto the ground and started walking off the court.

"Is she forfeiting?"

"What else is she supposed to do? There aren't any rackets, and we can't seriously wait around for a locksmith."

"Whatever, it's just an intramural tournament. Nobody actually cares. A loss is a loss."

"Yeah."

The computer science students sighed in collective disappointment. "It's not her fault. It's fine if she loses this way."

"Miss Payne, are you officially forfeiting?"

The referee asked with a relieved smile, offering her a clipboard. "Just sign here."

The early spring air was biting cold, and he was more than ready to wrap this up and get back into a heated building.

"Who said I was forfeiting?"

Her cool, even voice made the referee freeze, his pen hovering in mid-air. "Wait, you're not? But you don't have a racket."

There were still other matches scheduled after this; they couldn't just stand around freezing to death.

"I'll figure it out."

Juniper stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets and casually scanned the area around the courts.

No one had any idea what she was looking for.

A racket?

Sheryl frowned, eyeing her suspiciously.

What the hell kind of stunt was she pulling now?

Just trying to buy time and look cool.

If she actually managed to conjure a racket out of thin air, Sheryl would eat a tennis ball.

"Juniper, there's really nothing," Hattie called out, her face pale with stress.

"I know. Stop looking."

Juniper smiled faintly. Her eyes had locked onto the base of a large oak tree near the fence.

More specifically, they locked onto a large plastic watering can.

It was made of dense, lightweight plastic, had a solid handle, and offered a surprisingly decent flat surface area.

It would do.

"Ref, can I use this?" Juniper asked, holding up the green plastic watering can by the handle.

"Huh?!"

The referee stared at her, utterly bewildered. He scratched his head, completely lost. "Are you saying..."

"Exactly what it looks like." Juniper strolled back onto the court, giving the watering can a few practice swings. "Isagamst the rules?, hot,

let's keep playing.

"I... suppose not."

The referee was still buffering. He

been officiating college

matches for years and had no net

seen anyone try to play witho gardening equipment

Absolutely wild.

Seeing Juniper's weapon of choice, Sheryl felt her jaw drop.

A watering can?

Where did she think she was? A circus?

There was absolutely no way she could hit a tennis ball with a hollow plastic jug.

"Any objections, Miss Yardley?" the referee asked.

"None," Sheryl replied immediately.

If Juniper wanted to make a monumental fool of herself, Sheryl was more than happy to help her do it.

The match resumed.

The final was a standard set format-first to six games wins.

Sheryl had already dropped three, but now she was overflowing with confidence that she was about to sweep the rest.

Sheryl tossed the ball up, her eyes locked onto Juniper, blazing with pure mockery. She served.

To her absolute shock, Juniper fluidly shifted her weight and brought the watering can up in a perfect, sweeping arc.

THWACK!

With a sharp, hollow echoing sound, the plastic surface connected flawlessly with the ball.

Sheryl's brain completely short-circuited.

Impossible.

How did she hit that?!

By the time Sheryl snapped back to

reality, the neon green ball was already blurring across the net, hurting toward her at a terrifying,

speed Content belon

Her face drained of color as she flinched, desperately trying to dodge.

She was too slow.

"AGH!"

The ball slammed directly into her forehead, her shriek echoing across the entire

sports complex.