hey lover - c.g. (on pause)

37.

17/2/2024 - saturday
hilton hotel, manchester

"SO, IS THIS A DATE?" Levi asked, watching Conor as he rolled up the sleeves of his sweater. The midfielder quickly turned around, an annoyed look already on his face.

"It's not a date; other people will be there," Conor explained, smoothing out any wrinkles on his outfit. Levi lay on the footballer's bed, tossing his phone up and down in the air, catching it.

Conor looked over his outfit one last time, smoothing down any flyaways he spotted in his hair. Feeling more confident, he brightened and turned around, holding his hands out to the side, revealing his outfit.

"How do I look?" He asked. Levi sat up from his reclined position, taking in the footballer's outfit.

"Very smart," he said sarcastically, holding his thumb up.

Conor's eyes widened slightly as he shook his head. "Fuck, that's bad," he mumbled, pulling the sweater over his body, now shirtless.

"Why?" Levi chuckled, looking at Conor confusedly.

"Well, what if it's casual?" He shook his head. "And I go over there looking posh."

"You're already posh, Con." Levi chuckled, collapsing dramatically back onto the bed. "Wouldn't that be that surprising?"

"You're no help." He sighed, digging through his carry-on. He pulled out a simple white tee and pulled it on. He completed his new look with a basic grey hoodie.

"Okay, I think I'm done." He confessed, giving himself one final look in the mirror.

Levi nodded and gave him a lopsided grin, approving of the new outfit.

The two players turned to the left when they heard a knock on the door. Levi was quick to get up, walking towards the door. Looking through the peephole, he saw Chandler standing on the other side.

He smirked as he opened the door, leaning against the doorframe.

"You look stunning," he commented, making the girl beam.

"Thank you. Is Conor ready?" She asked, looking past the defender. Just over his shoulder, she could see Conor making his way to the door, a dimpled grin on his face.

"Hey," he breathed out, taking in the girl's outfit. She was wearing a basic tracksuit, going for a more comfortable look. "The car is waiting outside."

"Perfect," he commented, looking back at Levi. "I'll see you later, mate."

"You two have fun," Levi commented, crossing his arms over his chest. They bid him goodbye and walked towards the elevator, heading to the lobby.

____________________________________

THE CAR RIDE to John's was smooth. Chandler and Conor cracked jokes as they talked about the game. At one point, the two were huddled close together, the girl's chin resting on Conor's shoulder as they watched game highlights, the screen from Conor's phone illuminating the dark backseat of the Uber.

"You played well, you know," Con commented, glancing at the girl ever so slightly. She smiled and made eye contact with him, noticing how close their faces were. He felt the urge to kiss her.

"Thank you," she whispered. She took the time to notice the subtle features on Conor's face.

She felt the urge to kiss him.

"We are here," the driver said, pulling just outside of John's fence. Chandler peeled her eyes away from Conor's, taking the familiar house. She thanked the driver and ushered Conor out of the car, eager to see her brother.