Chapter 18 - Tomlinson

It is great to have Robin there with me as I stay in my extra practice. It makes me a bit nervous but at the same time it gives me more determination to do my absolute best, to show her how much I’ve improved. As I dribble she says from time to time some encouraging comments and even claps when I score. It really makes me happy that she’s here with me, smiling and paying full attention to me.

After the last game when that sparkle of hope lit up in me, I’ve thought of her a lot. I’ve thought of how to ask her out, how to tell her how I feel, when it would be the best time. I also panic sometimes, actually believing I can’t do it and I better give up before I make a fool of myself. When that happens, I focus even more on football and my studies. Just to keep my mind on other important things.

Football and Robin are not the only things in my mind, okay? I’m not that basic. It’s just that… football is my biggest passion and it’s what I’m working the hardest right now, because I have an important goal ahead. Robin… Robin is what I don’t have, that problem I can’t solve and of course it consumes a lot of my time. But I also worry about my studies, about my family and how my sisters are doing back in Doncaster. I also think about what I want to eat next. About where we’ll go with Harry this weekend, and other normal things. It’s just that those things don’t seem to bring any kind of trouble so they don’t use that much space in my mind.

Once I’ve been practicing for another hour I call it a day.

“I’ll go shower, okay?” I tell her grabbing all the implements I used and putting them in their bags.

“Sure, I’ll wait for you outside,” replies Robin with her lovely smile.

Since the last game I haven’t seen her, just sometimes in practice, but we haven’t talked since then. That’s why it’s so great to have her here. A lovely surprise. I’ve missed her and as I stare at her, incapable of tear my gaze away, I wonder if she missed me, too. I hope she did.

I finally break the eye contact and we head together inside the buildings where the showers and other rooms are, like the coach office and the equipment room. I go to the lockers as fast as I can and I also shower really fast. I don’t like making Robin wait. A girl should never wait for a boy.

Once I’m finally done, I meet with Robin and we go to a near café outside campus. It’s a lovely afternoon and we speak about different things and enjoy some good tea and biscuits. That’s a thing I’ve realised that happens with Robin. It’s just so easy. Yes, we have our awkward moments sometimes when I actually don’t know what to do with my hands or what to say next, but when it’s not like that it’s just so easy to talk to her, to spend time with her. Her biggest passion is my biggest passion, but we live it from different perspectives and it’s so great we can compare and contrast. Can you understand how amazing is to find a girl to whom you can talk about football and who loves it, too? It’s like too perfect to be real.

It’d be so easy to be with her.

Maybe I should ask her out right now, maybe I should tell her how I feel but I’m reluctant to make this moment awkward with a confession. I just… I just don’t think this is the right moment or the perfect place to tell her how I feel. I want it to be more… well, special. I know it’s silly of me but I think Robin deserves better. I don’t know how it’s been before with the other guys she’s been with, but I want her to remember me differently. I want to make a real impression in her. Even if it doesn’t work out, even if she rejects me, I want her to remember my confession as something different, you know? At least I can have that.

So I don’t tell her anything about feelings or wanting her to be my girlfriend, not even when I walk her to her room and we say goodbye. Not even when she kisses my cheek and I feel my heart stopping for half a second.

It just wasn’t the right time.

+ + + + +

The next game is in three days and we’re training hard. Coach Meyer tells me to take it easy because I won’t be of much help if I’m worn out. We’re all really focused on doing our best to win the next match. So far we’ve had two good games and I’ve played an important role so I feel the pressure for this game. I have to be even better. Plus, this time we play as visitants so it’s a different field and we’ll have to travel to get there. It’s not far, but still, it’s a minor inconvenient.

My teammates have told me they expect loads from me, that they are counting on me for this game too and I’m flattered but at the same time, worried. I hope I won’t disappoint anyone.

It is weird to be on the spotlight. When I decided to improve and change my current situation, I didn’t picture this part. I didn’t picture the pressure of the team or Connor’s jealousy. Oh yeah, that I certainly didn’t take in consideration but it’s obvious in the way he glares at me or how he bumps shoulders aggressively every time he can. The way he mocks me all the time.

“Those were lucky shots. If I were you, I wouldn’t put that much trust in Tomlinson,” he usually says to my other teammates.

I try to ignore him but he’s getting on my nerves.

“What happened, Tomlinson?” Connor asks when we’re facing each other for the practice game. After I tried to score a goal but the keeper blocked my shot. “Did your luck run out?”

“Shut up,” I say and walk past him, ignoring him.

We keep playing and there’s nothing else for me that this game, even if it’s just for practice. Connor just makes me so mad and I just want to beat him here. But he keeps being a pain in the arse and I just want to shut him up. Of course, I’m a nice player, I won’t play dirty just because I hate his bloody guts. I’m nothing like him. I don’t know how jealous he is, I don’t know how much he hates that I’m getting part of the attention that it was solely on him before, but to be honest, I’m not surprise that when I’m running to the net, he comes in my way and he doesn’t only try to steal the ball from me. I know what he plans when I see him, I know it by the look in his eyes and I still don’t stop, a part of me thinking he wouldn’t be such an idiot. But he is.

Connor slides aiming not only for the ball, but my ankle. And he scores, his foot colliding with my bone and throwing me to the ground. I cry in pain, a low scream that makes all my bones vibrate with the resonance. I don’t even bother to push Connor away, the pain in my ankle is killing me.

“Fuck!” I curse, grabbing my ankle, hoping the pain will go away but it burns.

“Tomlinson!” Coach Meyer screams as he and other players run to me.

Tom, the other forward, grabs Connor and pushes him away, shouting at him. “Are you mental?! Why the fuck did you do that? What’s wrong with you?!”

“It was an accident,” Connor says nonchalantly but you can see in his smirks he’s not sorry at all, he wanted this.

“You okay, Tomlinson?” the coach asks me but I’m still in foetal position, grabbing my ankle.

“My ankle,” I mumble and he makes me lie on my back and examines my ankle.

It hurts like hell and I try not to make a sound or complain. Another mate comes with the first aid kit and Coach Meyer applies some spray on my ankle that calms a bit the pain. I swear, those sprays are miraculous.

“Rogers, Brown,” Coach Meyer instructs two of my teammates. “Take Tomlinson to the lockers. Make sure he gets rest. I’ll deal with Connor right now and then I’ll go to make sure he’s okay.”

“Yes, Coach,” they reply and help me on my feet. Well, foot as I go limping with one arm around each of them.

We’re on our way to the lockers when I hear footsteps and then someone shouting my name, but it’s a feminine voice. “Louis!” she shouts and I turn my head just to see her running towards me.

“Robin?” I hadn’t even noticed she was here. I never looked at the bleachers.

Rogers and Brown stop until Robin catches up with us, her hands flying to my face, worry written all over her lovely features. “Oh my God, are you okay? Did that caveman hurt you?” she asks and I know she means if it’s a serious injury.

“I’ll be fine,” I say with what I hope an encouraging smile.

“Let’s go,” Rogers says so we resume our way to the lockers. Robin is walking with us and I don’t know why, but having her here is soothing somehow. I like having her here. It makes me feel better.

Roger and Brown leave me at the stretcher we have in the lockers for cases like this. I honestly don’t think it’s a serious injury but still, I have to wait for the coach to tell me. Once my two teammates leave, Robin is immediately next to me, concern shining in her eyes as she caresses my face ever so softly.

“Connor is a twat,” she curses and I chuckle.

“That’s an understatement,” I agree and she even smiles a bit, still cupping my face.

I honestly don’t mind, I really like having her with me, making me company when my ankle is still killing me.

“That was so uncalled for. He’s just an arse who worries about his own ego instead of the team. Doesn’t he realise they all need you okay for the game? Ugh!” she complains and I laugh.

“I’ll be fine for the game, I’m sure,” I tell her with a smile and placing my hand on top of hers. I see her blushing a bit and I feel my heart racing at how close we are.

I lean a bit closer, not sure of what I’m planning to do but before I actually accomplish something the locker doors open and Coach Meyer walks in with strong and fast steps and Will, the nurse that’s always around in case of injuries, is next to him.

“Tomlinson,” he calls and Robin actually jumps away, startled and with a little scream trapped in her throat.

“Coach,” I greet, still on the stretcher.

“How’re you feeling, son?” he asks next walking up to me whilst Will examines my ankle. “Don’t worry about Connor. He’s a good player but he has serious attitude problems. I’ve taken him out of the next game for being so reckless and doing something that could actually hurt you.”

“You’re lucky,” Will speaks as I still process what Coach Meyer has said. “It’s not serious, not even a sprain so you’ll be fine. Just take it easy this couple of days. You’d be fine by the game.”

“Great,” I say and look at Robin just to tell her, “see? I’m fine.” She only smiles at me.

“Excellent, because you’ll replace Connor in the next game,” Coach Meyer says and my head snaps in his direction, choking on my own spit. “Now go and rest and you don’t have to come to practice tomorrow. Make sure you’ll be fine for the next game.”

“I-I… yes, Coach,” I reply, still too shocked.

He smiles shortly before he nods goodbye and exits the room, stays for a bit longer to apply more spray for the pain and give me some last indications before he also leaves. Then it’s only Robin and I again and she looks so happy when she looks at me, even grabbing my hands.

“You’ll play as forward!” she exclaims.

“I will,” I agree dumbfounded.

“Congrats! But before any celebration, let’s go to your room. You heard the coach, you need to take rest. Come,” she instructs and I follow her without hesitation. All I have in mind is that I’m gonna play as forward.

Oh boy.

-:-:-

I offer an early update if you get 3K votes before thursday.

Dedication to @anaisfangirl. And to answer your question, I write in advance. I have written up to chapter 21 of this story.

Bel, xx

NU: Thursday