The Runner and Number 30 (Charlie Curnow)

Chapter 6

Monique's Pov

i woke up the next day and got ready as usual, i was fully prepared for what today would bring, but i was also nervous, i didnt know what to expect, but the warning from charlie was very helpful.

i headed to the club and grabbed a coffee for myself and Lauren and then headed to her office to give it to her "hey Lauren" i said as i entered, "Hey mon, thank you" she said accepting the coffee "how are you feeling?" she asked "im nervous, but i know what im doing so i should be okay" i answered "thats good to here, if you need anything im only next door" she smiled as i walked out and to my room to get everything ready. i unlocked the door to my office and cleaned it a little and put my stuff away, then i headed to the washroom to grab some towels for my room.

i walked through the locker room and said hello to Matthew, grabbed the towels and then i headed back to my room. there was a knock at the door not long after "come in!" i called, the door opened "hey im Jack, i just needed some help with my quad, it pulled up sore after training yesterday" he said "hey Jack its nice to meet you, why dont you lay down on the table there and ill have a look" i said, he did as i asked while i sanatised my hands and then went over, i was feeling about for knots or any tightness in his quad "are you feeling any pain?" i asked "no not at all" he answered "thats great, i dont really feel anything at all either, you might have just overworked it, i can give you a quick massage if that would make you feel better and then you can head off to training?" i asked "yeah that would be great" he said and i walked over to grab some oil. i began massaging him "so what got you into sports therapy?" he asked "i dont know, i grew up watching sports with my dad all the time, and i always wanted to make a career of it, i really loved the AFL and i didnt want to play so i had to think of other ways to be involved" i answered "oh thats fair then, so youve wanted to do this for a while?" he asked "yeah kinda" i said "why Carlton?" he asked "what do you mean?" i asked "well you could have gone to any other melbourne club, why carlton?" he asked "oh my dad was a big fan, so i guess this was just always the one i was going to choose" I answered him again. "That's pretty cool" he said "alright you're all done" I said as I moved away from him. "Thank you" he said and walked out.

Well 1 of however many more done for today. I was doing some work on the computer, this system was very smart, I could click on player profiles and update their injuries and process and how they are going on there and save it and all the other officials have access to it if they have any questions. I think it's pretty cool. I had just finished updating Jack's file when there was a knock at my door. Before I answered I quickly saved and closed Jack's file. "Come in" I said in walked another guy I didn't know " hey I'm Tom, I just have some hamstring tightness, could you just give it a rub down before I head out to training?" He asked "it's nice to meet you Tom and of course I can lay down for me" I smiled and grabbed the oil as he took his place on the table "is there any place in particular? Or just overall?" I asked "mostly up high" he answered "alright no worries, are you okay if I lift your shorts up a little?" I asked, I was taught to always ask permission before doing anything just in case they didn't like it "yeah if course that's fine" he said and I grabbed the bottom of his shorts and rolled them up a little, I started feeling around the back of his leg "around here?" I asked "yeah about there" he said I smiled and then applied the oil and began massaging his hamstring, "so how old are you?" Tom asked "I'm 25" I said "oh so only a year older than me" he said "yeah I guess so" I laughed the conversation ended there with me ending the massage shortly after. As Tom was leaving he said "thank you, and by the way, you look really pretty today" and he exited closing the door behind him, I sat there still, did he just say I looked pretty... I guess that's what Charlie warned me about. I sighed and began updating my file on Tom.

Not long after it was time for lunch, I was so hungry so I made my way to the cafe and decided on what to eat then sat down at one of the tables with my laptop so I could do some uni work. I was happily typing away when someone came and sat in the seat across from me I looked up from my laptop "hi, I'm Sam, but everyone calls me Walshy" he said "hi sam what can I do for you?" I asked confused "oh um, I was just wondering if you'd like to have lunch with me sometime?" He asked "are you asking me out?" I questioned "yeah" he answered "sorry but no, I work here and it's not allowed" I said "no one has to know" he answered "but people will find out, plus you're not really my type" I said bluntly "oh right okay then" he said and got up and walked back to a ground of the guys who were all laughing, all but one, Charlie, I made eye contact with him and he smiled at me apologetically, I smiled back and then went back to my work.

I eventually went back to my room and continued my uni work waiting for players and there wasn't really anyone else for the rest of the day, it was reasonably quiet. About 2 hours later the whistles and noise on the oval outside stopped so training must be over. I settled in ready to be bombarded with people there was a knock at my door "come in" I said, it was Tom again, "hey how's your hamstring?" I asked " I don't know it's still quite sore, would you mind taking another look at it?" He asked "no worries" I smiled, I went to grab the oil and he laid down on the table, I asked his permission again to lift his shorts and he approved so I began massaging his hamstring again, it was quiet this time, neither of us making conversation, I was just doing my job. "Alright all done" I said and put away the oil "thanks again Monique" he said "no worries I answered as he walked out, and someone else walked in, wow I was busy now. "Um hi" I heard I turned around "Charlie, Hi, how are you?" I asked, my heart was racing, I began sweating "I'm good just thought I'd check and see how your first day was?" He asked "oh that's very nice of you, it's been good, did you need any help with anything?" I asked because I wasn't technically allowed to be talking to him otherwise "um.. yeah I guess. I injured my knee a couple seasons back and Lauren said that I would be having to deal with pain in my knee the rest of my career, I just want your opinion, if that's okay" he said "um yeah of course, so what happened?" I asked as I directed him to sit down in front of me. My heart was still racing, even more so now that he was basically a foot away from me. "Well it was pretty bad I had to have almost a whole season off and I've been struggling with the pain since. It comes and goes though not like all the time, it's like at the bottom of my knee cap" he explained "okay, are you alright if it have a feel?" I asked trying to remain professional "yeah of course" he said he went to stand up, "no this is okay" I said and he remained seated in front of me, I realized how bad an idea this was after I pushed my chair back and sat on the floor to feel his knee, I moved in in different ways waiting for him to give me indications of pain, I pushed in pressure sensitive spots, all while feeling his eyes watching me , my heart continued racing "movement seems okay, it going me an impact thing, so like when you land, you need to be careful or you could do some serious damage" I explained "okay, is there anything I can do to help it?" He asked and a sat back on my chair "I have a list of exercises at home that might help I'll bring them tomorrow for you" I said "thank you" he answered, suddenly there was another knock at the door "yo Charlie, hurry up man, we need to go" I heard a voice, "I should go, thank you" he smiled and walked out.  I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in and then began packing up for the day, I looked at my phone out of curiosity for what my heart rate was, and it detected that I was basically sprinting because of how fast it was going. I shook my head and grabbed all my stuff to take home and then made my way out of the club.

I arrived home that night and made myself dinner and sat on my couch to watch some Netflix, my phone went off it was another Instagram message from Charlie

Charlie: Hey, don't forget that exercise sheet

Monique: don't worry I won't 😊

Charlie: see you tomorrow

Monique: see you then

Charlie was so sweet, and there was just something about him that gets my heart racing, but I need to remain professional which is why I need to stop messaging him back. That is not okay. I sighed and turned my TV off and made my way up to my room and went to sleep.

HEY GUYS!
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ALL THE LOVE- M XX