Messy Soccer Love

Chapter Two

Liam's POV

"Come on Liam! A little more effort! What's gotten into you today? Your motivation is usually higher than this!" Coach yells at me from across the field. I utter a few curses and try to run faster. I'm in a foul mood today if that wasn't already obvious. First yesterday and now today too.

     My day started off pretty lousily. I woke up late and had to skip breakfast. On my way to HQ, a couple of guys thought it would be funny to drench me with a bucket of water. I arrived at HQ soaked and chilled to the bone. I was lucky I wasn't wearing my uniform.

     When I arrived (on time, mind you), Coach sent me to the locker room to get changed. After wrestling my wet clothes off and finally getting changed into my uniform I ended up getting to the field late. All that effort to get to HQ and on the field on time was wasted.

     On the field, things weren't any better. All my teammates could talk about was the woman from yesterday, Nicole. She pissed me off. She came to Coach acting like our saviour. Like the only thing that mattered was her and her opinions. I bet nothing she said yesterday was true.

     Being a professional soccer player means you have lots of money. Having lots of money means that you have to mingle with the rich elites. I've met lots of rich people in my life and they all act like that. Like everybody else was below them and all that mattered was them.

     I knew Nicole was rich just by looking at her. Granted, she was wearing casual clothing and could be mistaken for any regular clothes from any regular store, but I bet that her clothes were made by some top fashion designer. Not that I know anything about fashion designers.

     "Yeah, Liam! What's up with you?" Cullen hollers from the other side of the field. Cullen is my best friend. We met five years ago at McMaster University where we both got our sports scholarships. He's from Ireland where he lived for 10 years before his dad got a job and moved here.

     "Nothing!" I yelled back, "Just didn't have a great morning."

     "Oh yeah! I saw you were drenched. What happened, man?" Cullen jogs across the field to me.

     "A couple of guys thought it would be funny to dump a bucket of water at a random stranger walking on the sidewalk."

     "Oof, that's pretty tough. My sympathies to you, man."

     He slaps me on my back.

     "Why do I have a feeling that you don't actually care?"

     He smirks. "That's 'cause I don't."

     I roll my eyes. "Thanks. Some friend you are."

     Suddenly, the field goes quiet. Which never ever happens. The guys on the team don't even know what quiet means. Suddenly I hear a laugh.

     It was beautiful, like little jingling bells. I stop running to look in the direction of the laugh. Once I see who it was I wish I hadn't.

     She stands at the edge of the field in front of the entryway. Her blonde hair is up in a high ponytail with a few strands left to frame her face. Her brown eyes twinkle with mirth. She's wearing jeans and a pink blouse. Sunglasses sit atop her head.

     "Come on guys! No need to go all flabbergasted on me!" Nicole jokes.

     Everyone laughs except me. I mutter a few creative choices of words, making Cullen give me a strange look. Nicole walks up to Coach. They greet each other and start talking. Nicole nods at something Coach says and follows him inside the building.