Different Games // John Stones

2

Stonesy

Sooo ... anyone's family coming today?

Mr Calves

Yeah, my parents and my sister. Are Bianca and the kids coming?

Philippa

Yes, they are.

Dec

Lauren and Jude are on the road already.

Jude

What? I'm in my bed.

Money Mase

Not you, dummy, he's talking about my godson. Can't wait to see him again.

Chilly

You literally saw him a week ago?!

Money Mase

And?

At 10_15 Raven pulls out of her parking spot. The radio is blasting old Fall Out Boy songs and the sun is shining. Her eyes are covered by a pair of sunglasses and a smile is plastered across her face. Manchester is looking extra fine on that Sunday morning and loads of people are already out and about. Leaving the city south-east bound Raven starts her journey to Sheffield.

After two hours she stops her car in front of the garage that Gareth and her mom had built a year earlier.

Her mom Claudia was already standing at the front door when Raven got out of her Honda: 'BOYS! Your sister is here!'

Raven smiled and pulled her mom into a hug.

'Hey there. How was the drive?'

'Pretty good. But we might run into traffic on the way down.'

'Oh, you'll be fine. Did you pack something to drink?'

'Yeah, I've got water and biscuits in the glove box.'

Then you could hear the running of four feet. Simon and Elijah, the 12-year-old twins, came flying down the stairs.

'RAVEN!' They screamed simultaneously and wrapped their arms around their sister's body. The three of them only rarely got together because of school and work, so they savoured every second they did get.

'Simi. Eli. Ready for a little road trip?'

'Yes. We created a special playlist yesterday,' Simon said.

'And we have so much to tell you,' Elijah added.

'Well, then let's say goodbye to mom and then it's time to hit the road.'

'... and then he scored the perfect goal. I'm telling you: Perfect run-up, perfect contact, perfect ankle. Even the wind was perfect at that moment,' Simi tells Raven about a free kick goal that Jack Grealish had scored a week ago.

'Sounds neat. Any other football news I need to know?'

'Ben Chilwell and his girlfriend split up. And Aaron Ramsdale is gonna be a dad,' Elijah said. He was always in on what was going on after full-time. That boy knew all the hot tea in the world of football.

'And Phil Foden dyed his hair blonde again,' Simon added.

'Really? What a shame. I quite liked the black.'

'Me too.'

'Same here.'

The three-hour drive was filled with stories, laughter, karaoke sessions and little quizzes the boys had found online.