Secret Love

Chapter 1

"Alright girls, have a good session!" My dad yelled across the car park as me and Sophie headed down towards the pitches.

"We will!" I yelled back.

It was the middle of summer. Pre-season training had started. We walked across the tarmac, our studs making a racket as we did so.

Eventually, we reached the grass of the pitches. "I hear the Under elevens have got a new coach." Sophie informed me and we began walking towards our team.

"They have? What about Jemma?" I asked.

"He's helping Jemma out I think. She's gone away for a couple of months."

"Wonder what he's like." I said.

As we neared our pitch, Sophie took off at a jog. "Race you there," she called over her shoulder.

I smiled. Even with a headstart she wouldn't beat me. I started running until I was level with her. She was panting hard. I stayed neck and neck with her until there was only 10 yards to go. Then I started accelerating, leaving her behind. "Loser," I yelled.

I slowed down as I reached our coach, Dan. "Alright, Charlotte?"

I reached out and shook his hand, something we did before and after every session. "Yeah, good thanks, buzzing to be back."

"Glad to hear it." He nodded approvingly. "See you're still quicker than Sophie." He smiled.

"Of course," I returned his smile. "She'll never beat me."

Sophie sauntered over. "Dan, I swear I'll catch her one day."

He just laughed as he shook her hand. "Alright, alright. Just get a ball out of the bag and work on some long-distance passing."

I grabbed a ball and set it out in front of me. We had the whole pitch to ourselves, nobody else was here yet. It was perfect weather, the sun was hot on the back of my neck. I dribbled to the opposite side of the pitch, leaving Sophie standing far away from me.

As I reached the other side I turned around and knocked the ball out in front of me. I struck it with my laces and watched it sail across the air until it landed at Sophie's feet. A perfect pass.

I smiled. It was so good to be back.

~~~

2 hours later, and training was well under way. The rest of the girls had turned up and we were playing a match now. It was 1-1 with a couple of minutes to go. I received the ball in central midfield, took it round Katie, past Estelle and I was through on goal.

I pulled my left foot back and lined up for the shot. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Lucy charging towards me. Just before I brought my left foot forward to take the shot, my right foot was taken out from beneath me with a loud crack.

I landed on the floor in a heap. "Shit." I moaned.

"What the fuck was that, Lucy?" I heard Sophie yell as she came running over toward me. I lay on the floor. My ankle was throbbing.

Soph knelt down beside me. "You alright?"

I shook my head. "Dan, she's hurt!" She yelled, as Dan jogged over.

I slowly sat up as Dan reached us. "Alright, easy." He slipped his arm under my shoulders and helped me to my feet. I stood on my left foot, not putting my right one on the floor.

Dan helped me hop over to the side of the pitch and then sat me back down. "How bad is it?"

"I need Kev. It fucking hurts." Kevin was the team physio and dealt with all the injuries.

"Oi, watch your language. And he's not here tonight. Look I'll call Brooklyn, he used to be a physio." Dan sharply replied.

"Who's Brooklyn?" I asked.

"The new coach. Look just lie down, I'll get him over here... Brooklyn! Brooklyn! Oi, Caywood! Get yourself over here." I heard Dan shouting as I lay back and closed my eyes. The pain in my ankle was slowly increasing.

I looked up to see a man jogging towards us. The sun was shining bright behind him so I couldn't see his face until he knelt beside me.

He couldn't have been more than 22. His hair was short on the back and sides and thick, spiked slightly on top.

His eyes crinkled at the corners, like he smiled a lot and he had stubble outlining his sharp jawline. He was smiling at me. "Alright Dan, you can leave now." He commanded, not taking his eyes from mine.

Those eyes. They were a dark brown and I felt like he could see me, all of me.

As Dan, got up and returned to our team, the man held out his hand for me to shake.

"You alright? I'm Brooklyn."

~~~~~~~~~~~
#JustWriteIt #Sports
(Brooklyn pictured above)