DROPPING WALLS (MANXMAN) ~UNDER REVIEW~

Thomas comes out... on national tv.

On a Friday, two days before a very important friendly game where tryouts would play with the main team, Thomas was about to go live and give an interview, talk about his career and also about his sexuality. His heart was racing and his hands sweating, but there was a big grin of his face and he liked it.

Lucas was pacing, talking about his answers, and how he should act normal, not to normal though, a little bit of both and Thomas tuned out most of what was being said. He only paid attention to the moments where Isabella and Caca showed up and gave him instructions.

The boy didn't talk to vizanno, Sky was having a blast and begged to go to the network building with him, which he only said no once and ignored her following plea and arguments on why she should be with him.

He met the host of the show, the man was smiling broadly, his hair was perfectly neat and his skin covered on make up, he wasn't handsome, but on the screen he probably looked good. The boy didn't want to look fake but he followed the instructions and soon he was following the man to the main studio.

The place was pure chaos, staff running to all directions at all times, making sure everything was working and on schedule, Thomas tried to ignore every bit until Isabella showed up next to him and said he was going on live in a minute. He only nodded.

The host, introduced the boy and he walked in. He was ready.

Thomas walked to the man, greeted him as if they were seeing each other for the first time ever and sat on the couch under the big sign of the man's show that had his name. Super Night with Leon Moon!

"What a pleasure to have you here, Thomas..."

"Thomas S. Fitz..." corrected the boy and the man giggled.

"Formal still, we all thought fame would take that away from you. Mr. Thomas S. Fitz, you're the biggest name on the roster this year and people say on the top 5 of best tryouts of all time, how does it feel?"

Thomas practiced with Lucas and Caca, but it was different, now it was for real, and he needed to be raw, that was the point of the evening, he smiled: "it does feel good, I got to say. I've worked hard and skipped a lot of things people my age would usually be doing so I could be at the club I am today. It's been humbling, and also magnificent." Thomas replied and the live audience clapped in response.

"I can only imagine, but I can run and control the ball... I even think I've got myself only two left feet." Thomas smiled and the man laughed hard of his own joke. "This year Unity has the best tryouts in its history, some people give the credits to you. Do you claim that?"

"Well, I wouldn't claim being the reason. Unity only gets the best, so all of my teammates are great, I don't like how they like to party with the main players, but when on the field we're one, we play for the fans, we play for the team because that's what we have to do, if people leave their house to come support us or put things aside to watch us the least we can do is make them proud and win. I like to remember my teammates of that, and I see how hard they work, so I'm very protective of criticism towards them." Thomas said and he smiled. "It's the first time that a whole squad is expected to turn into professionals, most of the times the tryouts move on, find other things to do, some don't get offered but this year we all have plans b, c and even d... we're indeed the best tryouts because we play for the teams." Thomas concluded and the audience went on clapping and giving him their support.

"That's a very great place to stand. Te fans adore you, you are doing a great job, scoring goals like nobody else, but you took a while to debute, didn't you? Why's that? Was that planned? Usually the best players are the first to debute, but you were one of the last." Thomas nodded and focused on the man.

"It wasn't planned, in fact I was very unhappy with it all, as you said people expect the best players to debut early, with my debut being delayed people would think I wasn't worth a second looking... I don't normally mind other people's opinion unless it's about my performance on the field, so I was worried."

"Then what happened?" Asked the man.

"Well, Leon moon, the first game my jersey disappeared. The main team have a great number of spare kits, one for each half, and more in case it rips off or something, but that ain't the case for us tryouts, we only have one kit, and mine disappeared, they don't know what happened..." Thomas said chuckling, it wasn't a lie, he never told his coach that Vizanno was involved. "Then I was ready to play when I got hurt during training, it was unexpected and I went down a sad path to be okay with being out of the games, but I got better, my coach wanted me to debut with the main team, but it was unheard of and I am a tryout, so I wanted and should debut as such. And then I did." Thomas said.

"And everybody saw that you are worth of a second look, millions of it actually. You're skill is admired by people online and the tv can't get enough of you, you always give us something new. You are the first tryout to be invited twice, and we all know why now. You got our attention, you are just beginning, how are you handling all the fame?"

Thomas laughed and tried to think.

"I gotta say it's kind of hard... I barely know how to take a screenshot of my phone..." people laughed "seriously, I asked Tim, my teammate and I swear he was about to break my mobile when I finally got it... I'm not sure I can repeat that here. I didn't have any social media, but now a lot of people follow me, people recognize me on games, it's different and not private at all... but I'm learning, I have great people helping me."

"With all of that attention, it must make you a target to fans that want to be more than fans... how's your love life going after all the attention?"

That was the moment, they were cornering the moment Thomas was expecting and he was forcing a smile as he prepared himself. "At the moment I'm not seeing anyone. It's hard to focus on my training and still be in a relationship, you could ask any of my teammates, I'm not much fun..." people on the audience laughed again and this time the boy didn't feel like continuing with examples.

"But What does a lady have to do to catch your attention..." Thomas stayed silent for a few seconds and saw the smile growing on the host's face, that was it. "Or gentleman, we are very open minded and in a new era."

"That's more like it, Leon moon, but I'm not actually looking for any guy, as I said I'm pretty much only focused on soccer and it's enough for me now." Thomas said as casual as possible, he saw that some people on the audience were surprised and some were clapping, he focused on Leon again.

"I'm sure Mr. Right will show up, and when he does I want you here to tell me that you've changed focus." The man laughed and Thomas forced a smile.

The two of them ended the segment, they called the break and Thomas was free to go.

He turned to leave when Leon got to him.

"We're everywhere... the numbers were already good, but after people understood what was happening we monopolized everyone's tv... you wanted everyone to know, you got it boy, my bosses are rolling out of happiness... you should come back."

Thomas thanked the man and only nodded before heading to his people. Caca and Lucas were the first two to him, he let the two man hug him and rested his head on Lucas's shoulder. He didn't think his heart would come back to its original rhythm anytime soon.

Isabella showed up with a smile on her face and she only squeezed his shoulder. They did what they went there to do, it was time to go home.

Thomas was officially out of the closet and the whole nation, and soccer world knew it.

He was proud. No pun intended.