Electric Touch | Jude Bellingham

Chapter 18

May 2020
(we're pretending lockdown wasn't a thing)

Jude ran his finger along my arm as we lay on the sofa, the late evening sunlight streaming in from the open patio doors. The television was on, series 3 of Friends, but I wasn't really paying attention. I focused on Jude's breathing, my head on his chest, in my favourite blue jeans. We were 16 and it fell like life was just one endless summer.

The patio doors were slightly open and the curtains drawn back so you could see the sun setting over the estate, almost making it look beautiful. Almost.

"Do you ever wish you were born in Buenos Aires?"  Jude said as he noticed me watching the sun fall below the roof tops. "Instead of Birmingham I mean."

"Sometimes," I replied after thinking for a minute. "But I never would have met you."

"Nah, we would've met."

I twisted myself round so I could look at his face. He smiled when my eyes met his. I could feel his heartbeat  quicken slightly as I rested my head on his chest. "And how would we have met?"

"Well I would be playing for  England of course."

"Obviously."

"And at some point there will be a World Cup in South America, possibly Argentina," Jude continued as if he'd thought about this a million times before. "And you would go to one of the games."

"Why would I go to an England game as an Argentinian?" I laughed as he looked annoyed at my interruption.

"Well, because your dad dragged you to see the best team in the world."

"Yeah, right," I rolled my eyes.

"Do you want me to finish the story or not?"

"Fine, sorry."

"Anyway, after England beat Germany 6-0, and I score a hat-trick," I scoffed and he put his hand over my mouth. "We run into each other at a party afterwards, and after my amazing performance in the match, you can't help but fall instantly in love with me, and I can't help falling in love with you, well, because look at you."

I smiled behind Jude's hand and my cheeks flushed pink. "You're really cocky you know that?" I managed to say as I moved his hand away from my lips.

He grinned as if it were a compliment. "Why thank you, but the moral of the story is we're destined for each other, no matter what."

"Really? No matter what?"

He pulled me onto his shoulder and kissed my forehead. "I promise."

"You better keep that promise Jude Bellingham, because you made me fall in love with you and I'll hate you if you break it."

"I love you too," Jude replied, his hand resting on my arm again, naturally and comfortably.