Cupid's Arrow Eddy Gaspard

It’s June, 2003 and Tommy Guiterrez. 19, meets the tennis players he will be coaching at Strong’s Tennis Ranch in Granbury, Texas.  One player, Seth Owens, seemingly reluctant to Tommy’s coaching abilities, proves that coaching teens might be more challenging than expected.  

Tommy reflects on the beginning of his world collapsing. 

Before playing in the NCAA Division 1 annual, end-of-year tournament, Tommy discovers his boyfriend, Renato Denoli, is ghosting him.  During a night of pregaming with his friend, Zoe Yip, at Stanford, Tommy opens his social media to find a video, sent to him, of Renato and a stranger having sex.  Later that night, Tommy bumps into Renato at a frat party.  Not only is Renato reluctant to talk about the video in his bedroom at the frat house, but Renato’s drug habit is revealed.  

Completely wasted, Tommy storms out.  Shortly after driving away from the frat house, he is pulled over and is charged with a DUI.  Tommy’s mother, Marci Guiterrez, flies in from Texas to pick him up.   

Two detectives, Anthony Jenkins and Poi Jacks, investigate and determine Renato’s cause of death, a cocaine overdose.

Tommy and his Mom drive from California back to the tennis camp he grew up at, Strong's Tennis Ranch, in Granbury, Texas.  

After Tommy learns of Stanford revoking his tennis scholarship as a result of the DUI, he bumps into an old friend, Darren Grider, at the Strong’s cafeteria.  Their friendship is complicated as they had a falling out that lasted 2 years.  Determined not to give up on his dream of going pro, Tommy begins applying for wild card positions at upcoming ATP-level tournaments. 

Tommy discusses with his mom whether to return to Stanford or not for the upcoming Fall Semester.  As he is to fund costs if playing in an ATP tournament, he asks Coach Bob for a job as a coach, but is denied as a result of the DUI.  

In desperate need of cash, Tommy secures a job as a dishwasher at the camp's cafeteria.  

Darren convinces Tommy to follow up with Bob about securing a coaching job, which Coach Bob eventually grants.  

Tommy is accepted into an ATP tournament.  

Coach Bob would like Tommy to attend Liberty Cup, a prestigious USTA tournament in New York, come August.  Tommy says he will attend even though he is determined to play an Open, ATP-level tournament that same weekend.  

Anthony questions Tommy regarding Renato’s death. 

Zoe, in possession of Renato’s phone, calls Darren in order to question him about his relationship with Renato.

Tommy attempts to connect more with one of his players, Magda Fleming, before catching her and Heather Kelley smoking.

As Tommy’s players don’t know each other as well as they should, Tommy plays an ice breaker game with them. At dinner that night, Tommy leaves, defeated, after overhearing his players discussing whether or not he is a legitimate coach.

At a tournament in Austin, Tommy coaches two of his players: Carl Hershey, German boy, and Heather.  Carl is grieving the death of a loved one while Heather struggles with boyfriend issues.

Coach Bob suspects Tommy is training for an Open-level tournament, which the latter denies as his upcoming ATP tournament date is the same weekend as Liberty Cup. 

Darren attempts to reconcile his friendship with Tommy, with the latter continuing to distance himself as a result of their past falling out.

Tommy and his mother further discuss his plans for the upcoming Fall Semester, still unable to reach any final decisions together.

As Tommy needs money to fund lodging and travel fees for his upcoming ATP tournament, he proposes private coaching lessons to his players.  Reluctant at first, they agree to book at least one lesson with him.

During his first private lesson with Heather, Tommy finds out she and Darren are hooking up.  His next lesson in, Tommy learns that Magda’s mom is promiscuous.  The last private lesson of the day involves Tommy meeting Seth’s dad, Ray Owens, who is in town for a short time.

Tommy advises Darren to not date Heather as players and coaches are not allowed to date.

A rainy day at Strong’s means soccer practice for the players.  There’s an altercation between Tommy and Seth after it seems the latter tripped the other during scrimmage.  Seth storms off.

After soccer practice, Tommy, Magda, Heather, and Carl jump into the pool with all their clothes on.  Seth joins them.  Tommy discloses to his players how his father passed away.  Ray arrives, picks up Seth to join him for the weekend.

Zoe calls Tommy and tells him that Darren and Renato knew each other before the latter’s death. 

Tommy and his mom go out for dinner where she makes some ignorant comments, specifically targeting gay people, which infuriates Tommy.   

There’s a dance at the Ranch that Thursday night, Tommy gets to know Magda better, and Darren later harrasses Carl on the dancefloor.  The latter event leads to an intense exchange between Tommy and Bob.   

Seth comforts an emotionally defeated Tommy.