Teenage Fever // Jude Bellingham

54

I sat upright as I waited for the loading screen to disappear. I actually was in no mood to deal with whatever it would show me, but i couldn't ignore it either.

My screen brightened with the white newspaper-like layout of the website, my eyes immediately snapping to the top where the title was written in bold times new roman lettering.

'American football player said to have affair with teammates girlfriend.'

My eyebrows shot together in confusion, my head involuntarily leant more towards my screen to go over the statement again, thinking that i had misread it.

I didn't. The letters would threaten to be engraved into my brain considering how much i've read over them already.

Tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear, i tried not to freak out while i read through the short text.

'Is there more than just friendship between U.S. national player and Dortmund midfielder Gio Reyna and the girlfriend of teammate and friend Jude Bellingham?'

What the fuck?

I glanced at Jude beside me, who was luckily busy talking to Bukayo. Gio was staring on his phone on my right. I didn't want to ruin the mood for anyone.

I quickly returned to my own screen; anticipation rising within me as i scanned through the next few lines. This was bad.

'An insider reports that — although Reyna and Tiana Imani have always been considered being close by the public eye due to their shared acquaintance to Bellingham — the pair seems to be spending a lot more time together ever since having arrived in Qatar for the FIFA world cup. Like, together together.'

I almost wanted to scoff, but held back so that i wouldn't draw attention.

I've never read such bullshit. And there's been a lot of shit about me and Jude on the internet. But this was truly something else.

How on earth would someone draw that conclusion? Gio and i were close, yes, but there had never been a moment where either of us thought that there'd be more.

And until now, i also didn't believe that there could have been moments between us that could've made it look like there could be. To outstanders, i mean.

There had never been more than a hug or a playful slap displayed as a form of... affection, i guess you could say. Things friends do.

And also, what did they mean by 'insider'? Someone we know? Who knows us? Who often gets to see us interact with each other?

Everytime I've hung out with Gio while being here, Jude was with us.

And who was always with Jude...?

My internal monologe came to a abrupt halt when realization hit me. I didn't know why it took me so long to think of her, when she should've been the first person to come to my mind when i read that title.

Bree.

My jaw gritted as i tried to keep it down. This treacherous bitch.

Nonetheless, i looked back down into my lap to read the last few sentences of this goddamn article. I couldn't help myself.

'Sneaking around in the restricted areas of football stadiums, talking behind the England midfielder's back with pretty close proximity and giggling included, and not being able to keep their hands from each other is all programm between the two.
Bellingham is said to not even bat an eye, which leads us to believe that his relationship with the girl from Dortmund might just be a publicity stunt.'

I closed safari after that sentence.

None of this made sense, and none of this was true. I knew that, but something inside me still felt somewhat guilty.

Did it really seem like this to the public? Like we were betraying and ridiculing our friend — or boyfriend?

I hated Bree, and i knew she was a liar and a snake, but some of this wasn't even made up.

We had sneaked through the tunnels once, but we had been looking for Jude. Gio had to... well... hide a little bit since he obviously hadn't been allowed in the opponents area.

And we did hug, but wasn't that normal? Why would Bree use that as proof?

She did it out of spite, surely. She must've planned this the moment we got introduced to each other. I mean, not to sound arrogant or something, but she was terribly jealous of me.

When she had failed to get close to Jude because of me, she probably didn't think there was anything left to loose. It was why she had acted so calm and put together after our argument in the bar bathroom.

She knew what she'd do.

"Tia?" Gio's voice ripped me from my overthinking mind. He was glancing between me and my phone, his eyebrows just as furrowed as mine had been when i first read that title.

"What the fuck is that?"

tell a friend to tell a friend — she's baaack 🤭