Tenacious Tackles

Chapter 8: New Place, New People

I am in the car on my way to our new home in Coventry which was paid off majority by the club, surprisingly. I am talking to my dad about school and that I would likely be bombarded with fans due to playing at professional level already. He says that if I want I could drop out to pursue my career in football but I will have a tester week first before this.

We arrive at our new home and I unpack and afterwards I see a message on my phone sent by Wright

Wrighty-O:
Some of the team are playing fc 25 and football at my house if you want to join. If so, be here, ** ********** ****, at 10:30.

Karl:
I shall ask my parentals now.

Wrighty-O:
Forgot you were a kid😂

I get permission from my parents and then head off. I decided to walkdue to the short distance and arrive at 10:25 am. I knock on the door and it is opened by Wright who greets me and lets me in. I sit down with some of my teammates and make the occasional small talk. You wouldn't even notice I was autistic. That was until I stood up and sat back down on the carpet.
"You can sit up here Karl, I wont bite."
"Nah, I am alright I like the texture of the carpet"
"Oh, okay?"
I start humming to the lyrics of 'Do you know the muffin man?' eventually, Wright starts singing to the lyrics and we both laugh as everybody is staring at us. Its nice that somebody can match my energy at times.
"You know, for somebody of your age you act quite mature",Sheaf says.
"I have been told that a few times, it is because I'm quite a big rule follower.", I respond.
"Has anybody got any plans tomorrow?", Simms asks.
"Yeah, school", I say, rolling my eyes.
"You might as well drop out, look at this headline"
'Coventry starboy lights up game with 2 assists' I read the headline with pure joy in my eyes.
"Yeah im having a tester week and then dropping out most likely"

Time Skip

It was now the last day of my tester week and I was right I could not make any friends due to them only wanting to be near me because of my fame. I obviously dropped out.

Another Time Skip🏃

It was gameweek 27 vs Watford, I started for the first time and was playing pretty well and have been for the other parts of the season I currently have for stats:
34 Matches (All 34 as subs)
0 Goals
11 assists
I was asked to take the corner we had just won in the 17th minute and whipped it into the box and Ellis Simms scored from the cross. Before I knew it, it was already half time. 1-0, the score. I turned around at the touch of a pat on my shoulder, It was Wright.
"Well played, Kiddo"
"Cheers, Wright"
We came back out for the second half and done some quick warm ups and then played. They had a few chances but we won it back and scored another this one being Wright. They now attacked fast from kick-off and were pacing with a left winger who cut in but i read him and slide tackled him. I won the ball just inside the box, his foot clipped mine on his tumble down."Aah!", I screamed at a slight pain on my ankle. Not this again.

I struggle to walk but refuse a stretcher. Wright helps me get off the pitch and Van Ewijk comes on to replace me. I sit on the bench and take my boot and sock off my right foot and then the strap supporting it. I tried to rotate it round but that hurt too. I limped into the stadium with some help from Jay who was on the bench and go to medical to get treated.

I watch the game on the TV as the doctor does what she can do to help and I answer the occasional question too. I end up being put into a boot and a crutch temporarily and go back to the bench to watch the last 10 minutes of the game. We ended up winning 2-0.

I told my gaffer that I was informed not to play for 4 weeks so I will not be able to play.
"That is fine was expected if you had an injury."

Time Skip 2 weeks:

Now I was dropped out of school I spent the majority of my time with my teammates. I joked around with them and we had a load of fun. I missed alot of my friends from school but, atleast I have some new ones. I usually hung out with the same bunch:Wright, Van Ewijk, Simms and Sheaf.

I was currently at a food place eating out with them. We took our orders and started talking.
"We gotta get you a girlfriend soon.", Wright said nudging my shoulder.
"No thanks", I responded calmly, "don't need one", I added.
"What do you mean don't need one?", Simms said.
"Well, what is the point?", I asked in response.
"U-Uhm" they all stuttered.
"Somebody to have fun with", Simms replied.
"I am having fun as I am", I proposed my side of the argument.
"Somebody to love", Wright said.
"No", I said rather deadpanned and without emotion, "What is the point of that"
"Just to make you feel happy and loved yourself", Sheaf said.
"That was cheesey and why a relationship is not for me", I said whilst emphasising the 'not'.

We ate our food and left. But left to a crowd of fans who figured out where we were.
"Why did you out it on your story Bob Ross", I said.
"Oops", Simms responded.
We quickly got to the car and get out of their. I was clicking my fingers yet again.
"You alright there?", Wright asked.
"Yeee course", I replied trying to sound like Stevie G.

I texted my parents that I was sleeping over at Wright's with the others, they didn't mind as usual.
"Put the phone down!", Simms said
"This is for my safety!", I respond and we both laughed.

We got to Wright's house and I instantly called dibs on the guest room with the mini fridge and Ewijk called dibs on the other bed in there. Everybody else groaned as they could not get the best room other than Wright's.

We decided played some games and started with truth or dare.  Ewijk asked to me and I said, "Dare"
Ewijk thought for a moment, "I dare you to race me in a 100 metre dash" "Weird dare but, okay", I responded.
We went outside and got ready. We ran as fast as we could and our judge (Simms said it was a tie) "And they gave me 78 pace on fc 25",I scoffed. Van Ewijk had 93."Right, Mr Afro, truth or dare.", I asked. "Dare", he responded, rather cockily. "I dare you  to down a 500 ml bottle of vodka" He ended up doing so and we played on a bit more and went to sleep.

Raaaahhh