Close - Ella Toone

Chapter 29

8:15

Ella's POV

The whole atmosphere was sad when I followed Madison down the stairs. Charlotte and a guy, who I assume is her husband, are sitting at the kitchen table with her parents. Hannah was playing games on her iPad.

After I said good morning to everyone, I headed over to the sofa to sit with Hannah because Madison said I didn't have to be involved in that conversation.

"Hey Hannah," I said.

"Hey Toone,"

"Toone?" I said with a laugh.

"Yeah. That's your name," She replied.

I just laughed, she looked at me funny then looked back down to her iPad.

"Charlotte? Can I take her outside and play football with her if she wants?" I ask.

"Yeah of course,"

"Does that sound like fun?" I asked Hannah.

"Yeah, it does Toone,"

"You can call me Ella,"

"Okay, Ella. Where's my shoes, mommy? I'm going outside with Ella,"

"They're by the front door, Hannah. Be good for Aunt Ella!" Charlotte replied.

"I will! Can I call you that? Aunt Ella?" She asked running to get her shoes.

"Whatever you want" I smiled.

"Are you going to teach me how to be amazing at football?"

"Well, I think you'll have to go to your Aunt Madison for that,"

"But you can teach me too,"

Madison winked at me as I opened the back door and Hannah ran under my arm.

There was a ball in the backyard that some of the girls were using last night, so we just played with that.

"Team me how to play football like you!" She said when I passed her the ball.

"Well, that's years and years of training. But we can practise the basic stuff first because that's the only way you'll ever be as good as Aunt Madison,"

"Okay!"

Turns out she is the best 4-year-old football player I've ever seen. She somehow has good ball control for someone her age and she seems to love it. She told me that her mom and Madison play with her a lot.

"You're my favourite coach," she told me.

"Awwww, thanks!" I said, giving her a hug.

"Don't tell Mommy or Aunt Madison,"

"I won't,"

"Do you promise?"

"Promise,"

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10:00

Madison's POV

I texted the coach and asked if my niece could come to camp today and watch a real training and she said yes.

"Hannah! I have a surprise for you!" I said walking out the backdoor to where Ella and her were playing football. They have been for the past 2 hours almost.

"What is it?" She yelled running over to me.

"Would you like to come to training today with Aunt Ella and me and meet our teammates?"

"YES! The ones on the telly?"

"Yep!"

"YES!"

"Well, you should go get ready because we have to leave soon!"

"YAYYYYYY!" She said running inside and screaming for her mom.

"Well I think you made someone's day," Ella said giggling.

"You did first,"

"She's the actual cutest. She asked me to come to her game on Friday. I didn't even know they had a little kids league.

"She is pretty cute isn't she?"

"Yes, she is. And you are the hottest," 

"Oh shut up,"

"That black eye is pretty hot. Makes you look really tough,"

I blushed and shoved her a little, "Let's go get ready for training,"

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At training

Madison's POV

Ella and I walked out onto the pitch, and all heads turned our way.

What was happening is kind of a blur, because all the girls came running towards me and I got lots of hugs and told and asked millions of things.

"Well let's not overwhelm her!" Georgia said, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards her. I must have had that look on my face and no one else noticed.

Everyone quieted down and apologised, and kind of just got back to doing their own thing and warming up.

"Girls gather round. Today we have someone coming to join us to watch our last day of training,"

"Who?" Lucy asked.

"My niece Hannah," I said.

"I think we're doing some hard training then just have a bit of fun because you girls have done great this camp,"

There were some cheers and then I turned to Georgia Stanway and high-fived her.

"Madison come with me. Everyone else start warming up,"

"What's up, coach?" I asked following her.

"I just want to check on you. Make sure you are actually okay to play tomorrow. Because I want to start you. You've showed up big for me so far, Madison and I want you to come back. I believe you are the future of this team. But I don't want you to play if you're in a bad place mentally and physically right now. This is a lot that just happened to you,"

"I promise I'm okay. All that hurts is my eye and my wrist,"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes,"

"Alright. I was also wondering if you wanted to be Mic'd up for training today. I was thinking that it could be fun and the media team wanted us to do it."

"Yeah sounds like fun," I said.

This made me really excited. I was definitely going to bring out my comedic side.

Once I was mic'd up and ready to go, I jogged over to everyone and started to warm up while everyone got a drink as they had finished. I saw the camera to my right and snuck up behind Ella and scared her. She screamed so loud.

"What the hell?" Rachel said.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Ella said.

"Hey don't touch her!" Alessia said standing in front of me.

"It's fine. Let her kill me. I'm not scared of her," I said laughing.

When we were stretching, I sat near Georgia as always.

"Nice black eye," she said.

"Thank's it's beautiful isn't it?" I replied.

"Definitely,"

Lucy then continued to ask me how to say a bunch of things in Dutch and tried to repeat them all. 

"Dutch is so hot," Ella said during the water break.

"It was until Madison spoke it," Georgia said rolling her eyes.

"And then Lucy spoke it as well," Alessia said sticking her tongue out.

I whipped my head round to look at Ella laughing.

"Is that funny, Ella?"

"Yep,"

"Miss Toone!" I said with a fake gasp and then I pretended to punch her so she added on to it and dramatically fell to the floor.

Needless to say, they would have some great entertainment for their video simply just from our warm-up.