Let Me In | Herophine Fic

Maybe Because We Won

HERO

Setting off from mum and dad's, I head along the main roads, winding further and further north until I realise my Maps is taking me the identical route I came from. Fuck's sake. I was hoping it'd cut through some of the residential areas to shave off a few minutes here and there. I don't know this route well enough to do that so I have no option but to follow it. I head back over Tower Bridge again, past the Tower of London, past Canary Wharf and the O2 Arena again before turning north and then east to head towards Rush Green. It's complete stop-start traffic all the way until I hit Rush Green Road and enter into the car park.

Heading towards my usual spot, I park up and switch the car off, sighing heavily. Like I don't have enough to concentrate on, right now? It's taken me over fifty minutes to get here which is crazy. Maybe I need to up my bribe to get mum, dad and Mercy to live closer. Offer them a wing of the house or something. They help me out so much so I can't complain, but I can definitely complain about London traffic. There's a reason people don't drive in central London, everyone I know avoids that idea like the plague and takes the tube.

I step out of my car and head to the boot. Popping it open, I reach inside and collect the small suitcase with all my things in. Our kit team will already be on their way to Old Trafford preparing everything for us. Specifically the jersey I'll be sending to Jo after the game. I'd love to be a fly on the wall and watch her open that but I'll just have to listen to her reaction next time I call her. I'm sure she'll tell me all about it anyway.

I pull the boot down, hearing it click into place before locking my car and wandering into the training centre. A few of the team is already here and Jack and Trent turn in unison as I approach, reaching for my hand to pull me into a hug, one by one.

"There's our skipper, you ready?" Jack sounds absolutely pumped. As he should be.

"Yeah, are you both?" They nod yes, looking in the direction of the entrance. More of the team arrive and we gather in a little congregation ready to get going. It always feels like we're school kids being rounded up by our teacher to go on a school trip on away days. With that thought, my mind wanders to Jo and how she'll probably be teaching right now. I bet she's a great teacher and her new class love her already... Fuck me, I'm distracted.

Making sure everyone is accounted for, we load our cases into the low hold-all and take our seats on the coach. I take a seat next to Jack at one of the tables, putting just one AirPod in so we can still chat. Through it, I've started my pre-match rap playlist that I always listen to. I'll just keep it on shuffle and repeat given we have some travelling to do before getting to Old Trafford. I feel Jack nudge me and ushers me closer, keeping his voice quiet.

"Have you heard from her, bro?" I smile, instantly remembering our conversation that day we ended up training together. I begin to nod yes before saying anything.

"Yeah, I have. And I know what she looks like now," his face lights up as I speak. He looks like a kid at Christmas, his excitement surprisingly about the same as Mila's. Is he really that happy for me?

"Come on, skip. Show me," I fish out my phone and scroll to the message with her picture on it. Turning my phone around, I explain to him that she was drunk when she sent this to me.

"She was drunk? Bro, she's... yeah. I'd tap that," he shakes his head in disbelief. What I don't expect him to do though is lean over to Trent and share our conversation. It was bound to get out eventually anyway, but they'll keep it to themselves.

"Skip, you've met someone?" I nod and recite what I've told Jack already to Trent. Trent likes his privacy like me so I know he'll be fine with this information.