the last time | t. lasso

002

Rebecca Welton: Good Evening, Ted. I do hope you've had a safe flight. I have sent over one of my drivers to meet you at the terminal. He will drive you to your flats. The three of you will receive three envelops with keys to your respective flats. We will see you lot tomorrow bright and early. 

Ted Lasso: Thank you, boss! Sweet dreams. 

***

As we got off of the plane, the atmosphere immediately felt different. This felt like the perfect place for a fresh start. The air felt clearer, the people seemed nicer, and even better, no one here knew me. Not yet. 

As the three of us were walking through the airport, there was a gentleman standing there with a sign that read "Lasso et al" 

"Do ya'll think that's for us or do you guys think there's another Lasso around here somewhere?" Ted giggled. 

"If there's another Lasso around here, God help us all," I joked back. 

"Hiya, Sir. Were you sent by a Ms. Rebecca Walton?" Ted asked the man.

"The one and only. My name is Ollie, I'm going to take you to your flats." Ollie reached out his hand and made sure to shake all of our hands. 

Getting into the car was an absolute nightmare. It completely slipped my mind that everything was backwards. Coach Beard sat in the front seat with Ollie while Ted sat with me in the back. Ted kept trying to make polite small talk with Ollie but all I could focus on was the scenery of England. Being born and raised in Wichita, I didn't really get to see the world. But England was beautiful. 

After a twenty minute drive and Ted getting to know every nitty gritty detail of Ollie's life, we finally arrived to our flats. Ollie had to drop us off a little further away from the flats, since the flats were tucked away in a little side street. 

"Jesus Christ, this looks just like a Hallmark Christmas movie," my jaw was hanging open. The little side street was filled with shops and restaurants. There was even a pub that was filled to the brim called Crown and Anchor. 

Ollie gave the three of us envelops with our names on it. 

Lacy Waston

11B

Our flat keys had come with two sets of keys. One to an outer door and another to our actual flat door. The three of us strolled down the beautiful street until we found the door that said 11. 

"Alrighty, let's take a look at what we've got going on in here." Ted took his key out and opened the door. Inside was a perfectly sized foyer with three doors. A door to the left, Ted's flat. A door to the right, Beard's flat. And a door straight ahead, which was my flat. 

"Goodnight, guys," Coach Beard was already inside of his flat with his door slammed shut. A giggle escaped me. That man is always sleeping. 

"Do you wanna come inside for a minute?" Ted offered. 

"Wow, Ted. I would ask you to buy me a drink first but I guess I'll make a one time exception." I felt my cheeks get hot. Shit. Why am I flirting with him? 

"Actually, two time." Ted corrected. "If my memory serves correctly, you slept in my bed last night."

"Alright, Coach Lasso, let's not get too cocky." I smiled. Butterflies pooled in my stomach as I heard his breath hitch when I called him 'Coach Lasso'.  

The two of us desperately need to get some sleep, I thought. 

Ted opened his flat and motioned for me to go in before him. These flats were beautifully decorated. 

Ted and I walked into the kitchen, where he put his backpack down and immediately went searching in it. 

"Where'd ya go?" He mumbled to himself before screaming, "AH HA!" 

"You've got to be kidding me." I scoffed as Ted pulled out a jar of peanut butter from the depths of his backpack and immediately took the lid off and placed it on the counter. 

"Now it's home." He smiled. 

"Well on that note, I'm gonna go take a look at my place. I was thinking about maybe checking out that pub that's down the street. You wanna come?" Please say yes. Please say yes. 

"That's alright. I'm gonna call my boy and then probably go to bed. But you have a goodnight, Lacy Loo. Big day tomorrow." He flopped himself down on the couch and got his phone out to call his son. 

"Goodnight, Teddy." Teddy? Lacy Loo? Where the fuck did that come from?

I let myself out of his flat before opening the door of my own flat. My eyebrows raised as I was staring at the flight of steps that were before me. God, I love being upstairs. 

Other than the flight of stairs, my flat looked almost identical to Ted's. Maybe just a little cuter because it's mine. As I placed my backpack on the counter, a singular tear escaped my eye. Maybe everything will end up being okay. 

***

All I want to do is go to sleep, given I have a very important day ahead of me tomorrow, but the last thing my body will allow me to do is sleep. 

After freshening up a bit, I decided to head down to the bar. After stopping in the foyer for a minute, I could hear Ted's deep accent through the door, most likely talking to his wife. After a deep exhale, I left and headed down the street. 

Fairy lights littered the streets as people were walking back and forth. Even though it was late at night, there were still people walking the streets, conversing and having a good time. This area made me feel safe in a way Wichita never did. 

I opened the door to the bar and stepped in. It seemed like most of the people had left for the evening, but there were still about fifteen to twenty people in there. There were three men sitting at the bar with their eyes glued to me as soon as I entered the door. There was another man sitting at the other end of the bar with his hood up, quietly having a drink. I'd rather sit next to the loner than the guys that wouldn't take their eyes off of me. 

I sat a seat away from the loner, not trying to intrude. An older woman came up to me and asked me what I'd like to drink. "I'll just have a Guinness, please."

"Oh wow. Not from around here, eh?" the woman responded which made me chuckle. 

"That obvious, huh?  I'm here for work." 

"Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Mae." She reached her hand out across the bar, which I then shook. 

"Lacy." 

"Welcome to London, Lacy. That Guinness will be right up." Mae smiled. 

"Put that on my tab, will ya, Mae?" The loner said to Mae which made me head whip around to look at him. Whoever he was, he had a really thick accent. One that was more unique compared to Ollie and Mae. 

"As you wish," Mae winked. 

"You don't have to do that." I insisted. 

"Nah, it's alright. I'm hoping if I keep buying ya drinks that I'll get lucky." He smirked. What a prick...

 "I don't even know you." I scoffed. 

"I'm Jamie. Now you know me." 

That night I got to know Jamie all too well. He bought me a few drinks, and unfortunately I just proved his point. He did get lucky. It was my first night in a new country and I wanted to be messy, sue me. 

It all backfired when I discovered that he was the star player of the team I was working for... and he had a girlfriend. 

Fuck. 

authors note: hmmmm chapter 2 and the main character already slept with Jamie lol oops but now we get to see jealous ted yummy. also! I just wanna put out there that not everything is gonna be completely accurate. especially the whole set up with the flats. I just wanted to make that my own and have fun with it. xo