Red Secrets (Marcus Rashford)

Jadon's house

*4 weeks later*

The car ride back to Jadon's place was filled with laughter from another wonderful date. The past few weeks had been full of excitement, each date bringing us closer together. Jadon was charming, thoughtful, and made me feel special in ways I hadn't expected. But, beneath the surface, there was something else—a subtle tension that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

We pulled into the driveway, and as we stepped out of the car, Jadon reached for my hand, his touch familiar and comforting. "I had a great time tonight, Sofia. I feel like every time we're together, it just gets better."

I smiled up at him, genuinely touched by his words. "I feel the same way, Jadon. Tonight was really fun."

We walked up to the front door, and Jadon fumbled for his keys, clearly still caught up in the glow of the evening. As he unlocked the door and we stepped inside, the familiar sound of FIFA blaring from the living room greeted us.

"Marcus is probably still up," Jadon said with a chuckle. "He practically lives on that couch."

Sure enough, Marcus was man spreading on the sofa, controller in hand, eyes glued to the screen. The living room was dimly lit, the soft glow from the TV casting shadows across his face. He glanced up briefly when we entered, giving Jadon a casual nod before his gaze flickered over to me.

"Hey," Marcus said, a slow smile spreading across his face. "How was the date?"

"Hey, Marcus. It was great," I replied, feeling a bit shy under his gaze.

Jadon started toward the kitchen, completely oblivious to the brief exchange. "I'm just going to grab us some drinks. You guys want anything?"

I shook my head, but before I could respond, I felt Marcus's eyes still on me. As I stepped further into the room, his gaze lingered, and then—he winked. It was so quick, so subtle, that for a moment, I wondered if I'd imagined it. But the heat rising in my cheeks told me otherwise.

Caught off guard, I tried to play it cool, but I could feel the blush spreading across my face. I shot him a quick, questioning glance, but Marcus's expression was as unreadable as ever, his attention back on the game as if nothing had happened.

Jadon returned with two glasses of water, handing one to me. "I'm glad you enjoyed tonight. Maybe we can catch a movie this weekend?"

"Yeah, that sounds nice," I replied, though my mind was still thinking about what had just happened.

Just as we were about to sit down, Jadon's phone buzzed loudly on the coffee table. He glanced at the screen, his expression shifting from relaxed to concerned in a matter of seconds.

"Sorry, I need to take this," Jadon said, stepping away as he answered the call. I watched as his face grew more serious with each passing moment. "Okay, I'll be right there," he finally said, ending the call with a sigh.

"What's wrong?" I asked, noticing the sudden change in his demeanor.

"It's my parents," he explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "They need some help with something at their place. I'll have to head over there right now."

"Oh, okay," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Do you want me to wait here, or...?"

"No, no," Jadon waved off the idea, grabbing his jacket. "You can stay as long as you want. Marcus will keep you company, right, mate?"

Marcus looked up from the game, a smirk playing on his lips. "Of course, Sanch. I've got it covered."

Jadon flashed me an apologetic smile. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Sofia. Sorry to cut the night short."