The sun shines on the padel court. Bright blue and yellow walls glow all around. Lucas stands with his dad.
Dad hands Lucas a racket that looks too big for his small hands. Lucas taps it once — boop — and the green ball bounces lazily toward him.
Lucas swings hard, but the racket whiffs through the air. The ball taps the ground near his sneakers.
He tries again — swing, miss, swing, miss — the racket clatters against the colorful wall. Ping, ping, ping.
Dad kneels beside Lucas and guides his hands on the racket handle. Together they wait for the ball, but it bounces wild — left, right, then straight back off the wall. Lucas stumbles over his own feet and falls onto the soft court surface.
Lucas gets up, wipes his palms on his shorts, and grips the racket tight.
When the ball bounces toward him, he swings with everything he has — CRACK! The ball rockets into the air.
The ball bounces perfectly off the blue wall and drops right on the court line.
Lucas throws his arms up and jumps. 'I did it! I did it!' he shouts, spinning in circles.
Lucas stands tall at the court, racket held high like a trophy. He bounces the ball once, twice, three times. 'Again, Dad!' he calls. The colorful padel court sparkles in the sun.