The Night We Met

Part Eleven

''Well, how are you feeling?'' He asks me, slightly shifting from one of his legs to other. Almost like...he's nervous?

Yeah, you wish, my inner voice tells.

''I'm, honestly, really stunned and happy. You did a great job on the field!'' I respond, looking up to him. And I didn't mean it in a flirty way. He really did a super good job on the field, how he controlled the ball with his legs, how he leaded the players into their correct positions and how he figured out how to save the game. He's worth the captain's dignity.

''Thank you.'' He smiles and bows forward a little, giving me a gentle smile. Then my eyes fall on his shoulder. I remember exactly how he got hurt, because I was just right there on the other side of the board.

''Does it hurt?'' I ask, pointing to his shoulder. I want to get closer and check it out for any damage the other player could have done, but I can't.

''It's better. Nothing I won't overcome.'' He looks towards the team. They all are talking to each other, and giving congrats about the game.

Tyler quickly glances at us, standing a bit further away from the team, and he shots me a quick smirk. My cheeks start burn. I know that look. Again. I'm afraid to look at Jacob.

''You should go,'' I tell Jacob, after his coach comes in sight and starts walking towards the team.

''Yeah, I'll see you soon?'' He leaves with more of a question rather than a promise. I nod, escorting him with my eyes.

I'm back inside of my apartment, sitting on my small couch, eating a soup. It's my mom's secret recipe, that she only has shared with me. She reminds me each time to never ever share her recipe, and the only person, who will be able to hear it is my own child. Or else.

I just submitted my article about today's game on our site, and with that, I have a morning off of my work.

I'm watching the TV show 'Friends' on the background while I think about the upcoming trip to India. If I have to be honest, I've thought about that trip a lot. I've always dreamed to go around the world, even try backpacking around the Europe. See the elephants in Africa, fly with a helicopter over the New York city at midnight, see a sunrise in Hawaii and way more things to do and see.

I take the last spoon with the soup and empty out the bowl, putting it down to the floor.

I take the risk and lie down on my couch. My eyes threaten to shut, even though it's almost eleven p.m. My head feels heavy and nothing is more comfortable than the sleeping position I'm in.

I close my eyes, but just for a second.

A loud, annoying buzz is waking me up from my dream. I grab the phone from the floor and accept the call, murmuring a yes into the phone.

''Hey!'' A recognizable voice is behind the other phone.

I sit right up like a bolt. ''Hi! You called.''

Can't even hide the surprise. My heart beats fast, like I'm doing cardio.

I can't suppress my smile anymore. I stand up, walking from one side to another. My heart begins to beat like crazy, while I walk towards the other side of the room.

''Yeah, I have a precised date for our trip to India.'' He says. Sounds to me like he's smiling to.

''Oh, really?'' I press my hand up against my hip, smiling so hard that my cheeks hurt.

''Yes. Are you free from June fourteenth to June twentieth?''

I don't even need to check my calendar to know that I don't have any plans for June.

''Yes, yes I am.'' I say. A huge amount of serotonin just flew into me, filling me with warm flow of happiness and excitement.

''Okay, so we're going then.'' His voice is so easy on me, I almost fall in love with it. I could use it as my stress take away. But then it cracks, only a little. Is he nervous?

I chuckle into the phone.

"Why, what's so funny?" He asks, laughingly.

"Nothing." I smile into the phone like my mom always used to, when she talked to my dad. I can imagine her standing in the kitchen and looking outside of the window, and speaking on the phone for hours long with the only person she loved the most in the entire world.

''Alright, how are you feeling?'' He begins the small talk. ''You know, after yesterday's game.''

''I'm wonderful! You just made my day even better.'' I can't fight anymore to admit. One thing my grandma gaslighted into me is - always tell how you feel. If you love a person, tell them. If that person made you smile, tell them. If that person doesn't deserve you, tell them.

''That's so nice to hear.'' I can feel how he's smiling into the phone.

''And how are you?'' I ask. I didn't want to be polite, I'm actually curious about how he's feeling, what he's doing.

''You know, I had a terrible morning. Spilled my coffee and everything.'' He tells me.

''Oh, that's not so good.'' My mood shifts from happiness to compassion.

''But I'm all better now, thanks to you, Alaine Gallagher.'' Wow, damn. I blush so hard that I can feel my whole face turning red. I put my hand on the back of my head, staring at the tulips on my dining table.

''What are you up to today?'' I ask, shyly.

''Actually, nothing. I was wondering if you were down for a dinner?'' Oh. "I want to tell you more about the trip!"

''Um, yeah, sure.'' I'm gonna lose it. Any second now.

''Okay, how about I'll be at yours at seven?''

''Okay.'' I answer, holding myself back from screaming and jumping and poofing out rainbows and unicorns because that's how happy I am right now.

''Alright, I'm looking forward to see you.'' He says, his voice so charismatic.

''Me too.'' I almost whisper into the phone, and as soon as the call ends, I place it down on the counter and squeak from delight.

I still can't wrap my finger around the fact that this is actually happening. Me and my favorite footballer? HOW?

If you could imagine a yellow ball, it has a limit until popping. I'm close to pop from the amount of happiness.

I walk into my bedroom and open my closet doors. I'm looking at that one navy blue shoulder dress my mom shipped to me a month ago. It was long enough to go over my knees, and this dress flatters me the most of all.

I pick it out and lay it on my bed. Soon I'll be wearing it, facing one of the most handsome men in the whole world.