You could feel the tension before the match even started. Not the good kind—the “oh wow, look at their chemistry” kind. No, this was the kind of tension that makes you want to pretend you forgot your water bottle in the clubhouse just to avoid the impending train wreck.

It all started when Dani and Jason decided to team up for the club’s Saturday Mixed Doubles Invitational. Dani, newly single and notorious for “playfully” touching her partners’ shoulders a little too often, had been extra flirty with Jason in recent weeks. The problem? Jason’s girlfriend, Emily, also played at the club. And Emily was not amused.

Jason, for his part, seemed oblivious—grinning like a fool every time Dani laughed at one of his dad-level jokes. He soaked up the attention, which only fueled Dani’s confidence.

Their first two matches went smoothly, and they actually made a great team. Jason had a big serve, Dani had quick hands at the net, and the chemistry (on-court, at least) was undeniable. But by the time they reached the semifinals, the flirty energy had reached nuclear levels.

Dani started complimenting everything Jason did.

“Wow, that kick serve is so nasty!” she purred, twirling her racquet.
“Oooh, I love how aggressive you are at the net,” she cooed after he poached a volley.
Meanwhile, Emily sat courtside, arms crossed so tight she was cutting off her own circulation.

Then came the moment.

It was 4-4, deuce. A tight point. Jason hit a solid backhand down the line, setting Dani up for the perfect put-away volley. But instead of finishing the point, Dani turned to Jason and, in front of everyone, said:

“Ugh, I just love playing with you.”

Jason, caught up in whatever spell Dani had cast, smiled and said, “I love playing with you too.”
Silence.
Dead. Freaking. Silence.

Emily stood up so fast her chair nearly flipped. “Are you serious right now, Jason?” she snapped.
Jason froze. Dani, sensing the drama brewing, suddenly found very interesting scuff marks on her shoes.

“Emily, come on, we’re in the middle of a match,” Jason stammered, but it was too late.
“Right. In the middle of a match. And in the middle of what else, exactly?” Emily shot back, voice dripping with sarcasm.
At this point, the other court had stopped playing. The people at the clubhouse bar were now fully invested.

And then, the final dagger:
“You know what? You two have fun,” Emily said. “I’m done.” And with that, she stormed off, leaving Jason looking like a puppy who just peed on the carpet.

Dani, to her credit, tried to salvage it. “Sooo… should we just keep playing?”
Jason sighed, dropped his racquet, and walked off court—straight into what was sure to be the most awkward car ride of his life.

They defaulted the match.
Rumor has it Jason showed up to the club the next morning with puffy eyes and a very, very long text apology ready to send. As for Dani? She conveniently found another “amazing” male partner by the next week.
Because at this club, the drama never stops—it just finds a new court to play on.