Enhance

Chapter 9 - Tomlinson

Chapter 9 - Tomlinson

I watch the game from the bench as my other teammates give their best. We’re on the second half and we’re tied at one. We really need to score another goal and I’m getting really nervous. But I have faith, we can do this.

I have all this energy bubbling inside of me. The coach normally doesn’t let me play the whole game, although he told me I was playing better and that if he decided to put me in, this time I was going to play as a midfield, which makes me even more excited.

I look at the bleachers at some point and I immediately see her, cheering, jumping and screaming for our team. She doesn’t even look in my direction and I smile, used to this. Yeah, she went to wish me luck which I never expected she would do, but it was rather awkward. This is more like her, to forget about everything just to focus on the game.

Seeing her is the only thing that makes me slow down a bit and breathe during this match.

Since that day she helped me with my injuries we’ve talked and we have friendly conversations when we run into each other, but it’s not like we became good friends and hang out every other day. I wish we could be close, but we are not. Still, it’s better than what we were before and I’m already happy about that. At least she knows my name and notices me at practice, she smiles and even waves at me.

If this is not improvement, then I don’t know what that is.

To be honest, things are turning quite all right to me lately. I’ve proved the coach I’m more than what he’s seen so far, and that I’m trying even harder. I got Robin to notice me. And I may play as a midfield today.

I really don’t have a reason to complain, but of course, I’m not satisfied. I want more. I want more as a player, I want more with Robin. But my mum raised me properly and she always told me to be a gentleman, to always treat a girl right. She recently broke up with Connor, and even if he is a dick, she needs time to move on from that relationship and I can’t push her or anything. I can’t just jump on her and ask her out when she hasn’t been single for a month. She needs time before she even thinks of a relationship and I’m giving her that before I even try to make a move. However, I’m a bit weary she only sees me as a distant friend, as an acquaintance only. Maybe I’m stuck in the friend-zone already.

“Tomlinson!” coach Meyer shouts and I snap back to reality, focusing on him. “You come in next. Get ready.”

It takes me three full seconds to realise what he’s said and when I do I literally jump up, taking off the hoodie and just staying in my team uniform. I start running from one side to the other, raising my legs, warming up for the game. I’m so excited and ready for this. I’m sure this time Robin will see me, the coach will pay more attention to me as I know he’s testing me as a midfielder, so I have to do my best. I will do my best.

After a few minutes I’m ready and the coach gives the instructions so I go in for Johnny Daniels.

As I make my way to my position on the field I take a quick look at Robin and I see her even more excited, yelling at her friend, Jamie. I can’t stop the smile from coming to my lips and I just get more determined to do my best now, to show that I’m a good player. Everyone will see it.

The whistle blows, indicating the time is running again and the games carries on. I’m a hundred and ten per cent concentrated on the game now, the ball is all I’m thinking about, and helping my team to score.

I steal the ball, I assist on many moves and in more than one occasion we’re so close to score it really feels like a punch in the guts when we don’t. But we don’t give up, we keep trying, we keep giving our best. But my teammates are tired, even Connor, who’s the star of the team. They are not as fast, they can’t endure as much. And the other team is the same, although they also made some changes in the team to keep it going.