Tough Love - Chris Sturniolo

Tally

Anastasia

In the second half of the game, I still hadn't scored and it wasn't for lack of trying. I wanted it so bad, and not because of Chris' gift, but because my record was fucking stellar and I wanted that shit. I needed to score in each of the next 3 games to hold the record at my uni for longest goal streak. Sure, obviously I wanted a gift from Chris, but I wanted that record and I was gunna have it.

I couldn't enjoy the game at all. I wanted to look over at Ella and Chris in the stands and see them enjoying themselves, know I was giving them a good game to watch, but none of that was happening. It wasn't that I was playing like shit, they were just a really good team.

5 minutes left in the game and my right winger snagged the ball, carrying it up the line. As a striker, I hugged the defence and waited for the cross, the pass, whatever it was going to be. The play moved past the half line and I trusted my players to get it to me. She faked an incoming mid and I knew then she was gunna get it to me. As soon as I saw her wind up for the long pass, I was ready to take off, and when the ball soared right where I wanted it, I knew I had this one. I headed straight for the corner, trapped it, turned around and shot it straight from the corner like I had in my personal practices a thousand times. The goalie wasn't ready for that and I'd outrun the defence by enough time that they weren't there to help and I watched it swoosh to the back of the net, top corner. Absolute beauty.

I fucking raged. I threw myself down to my knees and screamed to the sky as I heard my girls screaming elsewhere on the field. There'd been no score the entire game and a goal in the last 5 minutes wasn't the end, but it was something.

After the game, I showered and changed, celebrating lightly with my girls. 4 games to go. I'll admit I checked my phone almost immediately when I got to the locker room because I knew there'd be a text from Chris waiting for me and I wasn't wrong.

Chris: see u tn

I smiled at my phone. He didn't say anything about the goal, our bet, nothing, and I was glad. Just see you tonight. I knew that meant he was saving the real celebration for in person and I loved that. He could be so extra and almost childish sometimes, and other times he was like a grown man, deciding when was the right time for things, okay waiting for the right moment. I knew Chris wouldn't be waiting for me after the game that day. He had a hockey thing and we'd be meeting at my place later, but Ella was waiting for me by the entrance of the stadium, sitting on a bench scrolling through her phone.

I said hi as I approached and she looked up with a smile, locking her phone.

"Only two more games," she smiled and I laughed a bit.

"Only two more," I agreed. Of course she knew about my record. I talked to Ella about almost everything. "It's happening."

"Oh I know," she looked at me with love. "You've always been the best athlete. This is gunna be the first of many records." I smiled as I pictured that.

"My biggest fan," I smiled as I pulled her in for a hug, wrapping my elbow around her neck and pulling her into me.

"I don't know, I think Chris has that title now," she smiled back at me and I laughed. "Come. Matt's waiting outside," she prompted as we pulled apart from our hug, grabbing her bag from the bench.