My Lucky Strike (Louis Tomlinson)

Chapter 1

“How can you be so selfish?” The question resonated in the for a moment, lingering in their ears. He looked at her softly. He’d not meant to upset her, what he’d done he’d done for all the right reasons, or so he believed, but he’d not expected her reaction. He’d thought she’d at least understand, maybe even be happy for him. “Manchester United?” she spat darkly. She couldn’t believe what he was telling her. He was giving up on their dreams to pursue a career that had only just taken off in reality. Just as the men before him, he was deserting a team that adored him. He looked at her, his beautiful eyes pleading slightly as he moved towards her. “You have to understand” he breathed lightly. He’d never seen her so furious before. It scared him.

“Like hell I have to understand” she retorted bitterly but she could tell from the way his friends spoke that they loved him at that team. He was their hero, their captain, she couldn’t believe how little he cared about it in the end. He could say anything, he wanted to win things, he wanted to be a champion, but still she wouldn’t buy it. She knew her boyfriend, he wasn’t like that. Trophies, although nice, didn’t matter, love and passion did and that was what he had when he played for Doncaster, he played with a smile, he played with pride. He loved it there and she, like everyone else had thought he would stay. “You love your team” she told him tiredly. She knew her words would have no effect, but still she said them in the vain hope they would.

“I know I do, but this is my last chance to secure a club like this one. I’m nearing twenty two Navishaa” he told her strictly. He knew of course that he had no real choice. He needed to secure a deal that could make him a winner before retirement. “I don’t care how old you are. You cannot be serious about this move Louis” she told him. He merely nodded his head. “I am serious about it Navishaa. The deal’s almost done, I’ll be a Red Devil by the weekend. I could even make my debut against Everton on Monday night” he nodded softly. He didn’t want it, not really, but he knew it had to be done. Doncaster were the club he loved, but Manchester United would be the club that could gift him his much sought after trophy.

Navishaa shook her head in disbelief, not wanting for one second to comprehend what was happening. Louis moved towards her slightly, his hand grasping her elbow lightly. “I’m not doing this to hurt anyone” he whispered as he moved his hands to her hips. He knew she wouldn’t want to go, but he still held out some hope. He wanted his girlfriend’s support. “But still you are hurting those that love you” she retorted. Louis grimaced slightly. “The fans, the new coach not to mention, the boys. Me” she whimpered. Louis looked at her slightly, his eyes widening. “I know I I'm not at the football club anymore Louis, but I love watching you play for them” she admitted. The footballer sighed. He’d not known how his girlfriend felt, but even if he had he doubted it would have had an effect of his choice. It was for all the right reasons that he had chosen United and even Navishaa couldn’t change it.

“I’m sorry” he mumbled lightly as he wrapped his arms around her “But my mind is made up. I don’t like the direction in which Doncaster are moving and I have had to make a choice. I’m going to United Navishaa” he muttered softly. The brunette merely shook her head. “I want you to come with me” he muttered softly. Navishaa looked up at the striker darkly, her eyes not meeting his as they scanned his face. “I know it will be a big change” he said “But you’re my girlfriend and I want to know that I have you by my side. It’ll be hard enough with all of the Doncaster fans” he sighed. The mere thought of the fans who had once chanted his name made his blood run cold, but he knew that Navishaa could soothe that slightly, knowing that he at least had her support was the only tonic to the bad spirits of those he left in his wake.

Navishaa merely scoffed at the mere idea, it was bad enough he was leaving, expecting her to follow merely made it worse. He’d not given it a thought, how she would feel that was, and he didn’t appear to have taken it into consideration at all. She didn’t want to leave her home, she didn’t want to leave her friends or job. She was happy and he simply couldn’t see it. “Do you honestly think that I want to go with you to Manchester?” she spat darkly. Louis looked at her, bemused by her objection. He’d thought she’d be more than willing to accompany him. “I thought you’d want to come with me. It’s just another stepping stone in our relationship” he defended slightly. Navishaa merely rolled her eyes and pushed her glasses up her nose. “If you think that then you don’t know jack about me Louis” she spat as she moved towards their bedroom.

Louis watched her speechlessly before scampering after her, desperate to have her at his side when he left for Manchester in a few hours time for his medical. “Navishaa” he called as he spotted her laid out on their bed. “You cannot be serious about not coming with me. You love me, don’t you?” he asked desperately. The brunette merely sighed, fiddling with her glasses once more. “I do love you Louis.....so much” she smiled slightly at the truth. She did love him. “But I cannot just give up my life on this…this whim” she exclaimed “I don’t want to go to Manchester” she huffed. Louis watched her spellbound before shaking his head. “This isn’t just some whim Navishaa. It’s a calculated decision, thought out impeccably” he snapped. It’d taken weeks of deliberation for him to arrive at the conclusion he had. It wasn’t just plucked out of thin air.

Navishaa shook her head “Then you should have factored me in somewhere, because you clearly haven’t. You’ve not given what I want a thought and as I result, I don’t think this can carry on. I love you Louis really, but I’m done with this” she explained to him softly. The footballer attempted to object, but his former girlfriend never gave him the chance. “Your bags are already packed Louis. Load them in the car and go. I hope it works out for you” she whispered as she pressed a kiss against his cheek. Louis meekly nodded and did as she instructed with a heavy heart.

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Just a few days later, Navishaa found herself perched in front of her television, her light eyes darkened slightly as she watched the images that moved across it with distain. She was still a little upset with his decision, Manchester United were a good side, but Doncaster was where he belonged and both of them knew it. Watching as the striker placed himself beside his new boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, Navishaa placed a pale hand against her stomach, frowning somewhat as she felt the little mound that had grown there.

She knew that she should have told him, three months was a considerable amount of time to hide something so massive, but she’d searching and waiting for the right moment, a moment that hadn’t come before they’d parted ways for good.

“Louis” Navishaa turned her eyes back to the screen as a journalist in the gathered crowds stood. Just like him, she tweaked a slight frown, not wanting to hear what he didn’t want to say. “Can you explain why it was Manchester United when clubs such as Manchester City and Juventus were keenly interested in your signature?” the youngish man enquired. Navishaa leant forwards in her seat, her eyes filling slightly with tears as he placed his picture book smile back on his face. “I’ve always admired Manchester United and it was the little boy inside of me that has watched them growing up that told me that this was were I should go” he mused with a small smile.

Navishaa shook her head, staring down at the baby bump on her tummy once more. “He would have stayed for you” she whispered softly “He would have given up the world. I’m sorry I never told him” she apologized. She hadn’t meant for it to happen, it’d never been her intention, but her little boy or girl was to grow up without its father, chances were that he’d never even know that they existed.