ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ɴɪɢʜᴛꜱ

𝙵𝙾𝚄𝚁

The September camp seemed to fly by. It felt like as soon as the team got there they were basically saying bye and going back to club football. Mason had had the best time just being away with his friends, granted he did live near most of them, but it wasn't the same as sharing a room with his best friend and hanging out all the time.

Since him and Daisy had split in the summer he felt he hadn't seen some of his friends as much as he used to. He guessed it was because he was trying to find his new normal so was maybe branching out to other people, trying not to be reminded that Daisy wasn't around.

Him, Woody, and Benny had been out quite a bit, they had been his wingmen when he needed them to be, when he was just trying to find a way to stop thinking about her. He had even been out with Tom a couple of times, who was more Chilly's mate. But he had recently stopped sleeping with one of the girls in his friendship group, Sadie, so he wanted to find some way of forgetting things too.

However, with Ben he hadn't seen him as much, he had been busy most of the summer with family, as well as helping Harri, his best friend from school, move to London. She had been living with him for a couple of months, but she had decided she needed some independence, however Ben saw that as a way to buy her a place, he called it an investment for him and her rent was 'continuing to be his best friend and putting up with his shit' he said.

And as for Dec, he had been a little bit disappointed with how their friendship had been going recently. When they were in Dubai everything was sweet, they did so many things together, making memories to last a lifetime. But then things went a bit strange, he couldn't put his finger on why. The last day Dec had basically spent it sleeping in the shade, listening to music, he wasn't sure if he had felt sea sick when they went on the boat trip the day before, which would explain why he was acting so weird, so he didn't question it.

However, when him and Daisy split he kind of thought Dec would rally around him but he didn't. He knew he would be in an awkward position, especially with Laura, his girlfriend and Daisy being best friends, but he still presumed he would be there. He received texts from Dec, calls to make sure he was alright, but he hardly saw him.

He only started to notice something was up when they got to SGP for this camp and Mason put two and two together and was sure he found the answer. He had overheard a conversation between him and Laura late one night when they first arrived. He heard the tone in Dec's voice as well as the way Laura was speaking to him.

"Listen I am actually trying to work" she had remarked when he was filling her in on his day, having the phone on speaker "And when I've finished me, and Matt and a couple of the others are off out for some food and drink so I'll have to catch up with you tomorrow"

He heard Dec ask her if she was coming to the match at Wembley at the end of the camp and she remarked "Now Daisy doesn't go anymore what's the point?" And Mason could tell when he came out of the bathroom, where he had been hiding and saw Dec's face that he had been hurt by that comment and that things weren't right with them at all.

Dec did admit later on that things weren't great and that he was currently just going through the motions with Laura and Mason couldn't help but feel sad. He had been so caught up with his own break-up that he couldn't see that his best friend was on the verge of going through the same.

He felt like as he was getting ready to leave camp now that him and Dec were probably back on track, that they wouldn't neglect their friendship ever again or keep things from one another. He didn't like them having secrets.

*

Sophia filed away all the paperwork from this September, the notes, and graphs that she had printed for each of the players were placed neatly in each of their pockets in her filing cabinet. She always loved to have things organised, she wasn't the type to be messy and this was so therapeutic for her.

She had loved having the team here again, even if they were a handful at first.

After her initial punishment the lads had all been on their best behaviour. A few had remarked how they didn't want to piss her off in future and she felt rather smug about it all. She hadn't liked showing that side of her, but she knew she needed to. She had already become so friendly with the boys, but she needed them to remember that even though she was their friend, she was also their coach and that needed to be respected.

She checked around the room once more, before she collected her laptop bag, her mini suitcase already in the car as she too stays during the camp, as she heads to the door. She clicks the lock and heads into the corridor, hearing the eerie silence that tells her that most of her other team have left already.

When she makes it down to the reception she can see a few of the players and back-room staff still milling about, saying their goodbyes as she clocks Mason grinning at her. She walks towards him as he leans against the smoothie counter getting himself a drink for the journey home.

"Want one?" he asks as he points towards the team making the drinks.

"Yeah just not sure what" she remarks as she frowns looking at the selection. Her normal go to was Banana and Strawberry, she thought it tasted like a drinking yoghurt she had as a child and even though she knew it wasn't the most healthiest, she couldn't bring herself to drink one of the green concoctions they made "what have you got?" she asked as she watched him bring the straw to his mouth.

"Mango, banana and raspberry" he smiled "I call it Mounts mix up" he chuckled to himself, he always felt like he could be himself around Sophia, not like how he was around Josh or Liam. He knew they didn't care about him off the pitch, he was just a number to them. Number 19 who had to perform and if he didn't they weren't impressed, whereas with Sophia she actually wanted to get to know the players and he appreciated that, it made him work better.

"Sounds delightful" she laughed as she ordered her usual from the counter, if it ain't broke don't fix it she thought to herself.

"Thought you'd have something like super healthy and gross" said Mason as his mind flits to the drink he caught Jack drinking earlier. It was something Jack's ex had sworn would be the best thing for his health. He was sure it sounded like a blended up salad and the smell made him want to vom. He just kind of thought Sophia would be similar.

"Why's that?" she quizzes back as she picks up her freshly made smoothy.

"Well, you're fit so thought you'd drink something healthy" he doesn't even think about the words until they leave his mouth.

You're fit? What the hell was he thinking?

He meant it in the sense that her fitness levels were insane, they had to be to have her type of job, not the fact that she was fit as in looks. Although he did think that too. Maybe his subconscious was just letting go and causing him to say the thoughts that were actually inside his head.

Sophia bursts out laughing as she lets Mason's words linger in her head. Firstly, she was flattered that a boy who was a lot of years younger than her would even look at her that way but mostly she was feeling her cheeks blush as she watched him turn an ever-deeper shade of Red than the England Kit.

"I just meant..." he goes to say before bursting out laughing.

Sophia draws her drink to her lip as she turns to look at him "Thank you Mason" she giggles "see you at Christmas" she replies before turning on her heel and heading out to her car, Mason's words ringing in her ears as she steps out into the cold air.

Mason stands there and watches her leave. He can't believe what he has just said. But most of all he can't help but notice that Sophia didn't seem repulsed by the idea that he might fancy her. Maybe there could be something there, only time would tell.