pinky promise - jamie tartt

‟ DON'T BABE ME „

˗ˏˋ 'ˎ˗

Tate wasn't sure how she had fallen into the role of babysitter, but Henry's excitement was infectious as she led him through the clubhouse and towards the locker room.

Ted had asked her to bring him down before the game started, and Tate had agreed—mostly because she was his friend, but partly because she could feel the tension between him and his wife, Michelle.

"That door, right there, Henry." Tate directed the young boy, spotting Beard standing outside the locker room door. She saw the look on Beard's face a second too late, the young boy already barreling forward.

Her and Beard tried, futilely, to stop him from entering the locker room, but Henry's excitement must have given him super speed. Neither were able to reach him in time, but Tate tumbled into the room after him, finding only Jamie and Ted remaining.

"Woah, Jamie Tartt!" Henry cheered, racing forward to his dad's side. Tate narrowed her eyes at Jamie, who was doing his damn hardest to avoid meeting her eye. So clearly, he had just been arguing with his coach, something he knew she would probably curse him out for.

"Sorry, Coach. He's faster than I gave him credit for." Tate grinned, trying to lessen the tension in the room. She tousled Henry's hair, who grinned brightly at her for a second before turning his attention back to Jamie.

"Nah, it's alright," Ted waved Tate's concerns off, only cementing the fact that he had been about ready to blow up on Jamie.

The star player, who, had ducked down to sign Henry's Richmond kit.

"Next time I score a goal, it won't just be for me." Jamie told Henry. Tate, though annoyed at him, felt something twinge in her chest at the sight. It wasn't her first time watching Jamie interact with children, yet she still had not gotten used to just how different he could be. That was the Jamie Tartt the team needed. "It'll be for you. And for me. But just for us. Good lad."

Tate rolled her eyes.

"C'mon, Henry. I'll race you back to your seat." Tate winked at the young boy, not missing the grateful look Ted gave her. Henry's eyes lit up, and he took off before Tate could even react, racing through the halls.

Tate took the lead throughout the halls, only slowing once she was certain that Henry knew were he was going and let him pull ahead into first.

"I won!" Henry shouted, laughing, as he stopped to look at Tate. Her seat was in the press box, not in the VIP section, and Michelle was sitting in the middle of the row, past Rebecca, Keeley, and Higgins. "Do you think that Jamie Tartt is going to actually score a goal for me?"

"I bet he will." Tate grinned at Henry, urging him to take his seat. She waved politely to Michelle, caught the kiss Keeley blew her, and turned to head back to her own seat to prepare for the match to start.

Her smile faded into a frown as she thought about the ire on Ted's face, caused by his star player that his son idolized.

Jamie fucking Tartt.

「☺ ☺ ☺ 」

Six minutes into the game, and the opposing team was up two-nil.

It wasn't a good look, and Richmond FC was blowing up on Twitter—not for the reasons she wanted it to, either.

But then Jamie scored, of course, and her cheers were half-hearted.

"Me! Me!" She could almost hear Jamie shouting as he repeated the single word, using his thumbs to point to his name on his back. Tate rolled her eyes, hating that she needed to post the score update and credit him.