The Little Things [Book 1]

Chapter Forty-Four: Hammer

Mark went home to tell his parents about everything that had happened as Thomas was trying to convince his friends that he didn't want to celebrate. After the thing with Hal, everything had seemed so surreal to him. He barely could focus on the game –and so he ended up not being able to remember anything about the second half-. When it finished, he went to the changing rooms and had a quick shower and then he had texted Mark.

Thomas wasn't sure where Mark was. For all he knew, he could have been on the first flight to LA. No. He had probably gone home, or to Sam's.

Right after he was done with the shower and he was about to go to the parking lot to find Mark –who had texted him he was there- Coach stopped him, with Evangeline Burner by his side.

It hadn't clicked at first when he met her, but Evangeline was a name few people in the soccer world didn't know. She had been a sports journalist for over a decade right after finishing college and having already gained a name for herself she had decided to become a soccer agent. And she was good at her job. Thomas wasn't exactly sure how many careers she had built up in the decade she had been working as an agent, but he knew the number was big.

"I have to say, I am extremely impressed by the potential I saw tonight. You have talent," she started saying, looking for something in her bag. "I really think you have a bright future before you, provided you stay out of trouble," she went on, looking at him. "If you're ever thinking about your future in the major leagues, give me a phone call," she finished, handing him her card.

"Yes, of course. Thank you!" Thomas said quickly and stayed there watching the woman elegantly walk to her car. After she drove off, he turned toward the Coach. "How did you manage to make her come here?" Thomas asked him. The older man laughed and clasped him by the shoulders.

"I've been trying to get in touch with her ever since your try-outs four years ago. I sent her a video of you playing a few months ago and she decided to fly out and see you up close," Coach told him.

"I can't thank you enough..." Coach shook his head. 

"Thank me by calling her and building a future for yourself," Coach's attention was drawn away from Thomas, to something behind him. One of his hands fell and he sighed. Thomas looked over his shoulder at what Coach had seen, and he saw Mark standing by his car, looking over at them. "I won't stand here and assume to know anything about your personal life... but you heard what Miss Burner said; stay out of trouble, kid".

Thomas nodded and turned around. He got in Mark's car after saying a soft 'hey', but his eyes stayed on Coach up until they were out of the parking lot.

"Where do you want to go?" Mark asked Thomas, looking at him from the corner of his eyes.

"I don't know..."

"My parents are home, but they are working in the library," Mark said and Thomas nodded. "What happened after I left?"

"We started the game again," Thomas said with a shrug. "We won. Did you go home?"

"I went to Reese's first. Then, I went home to tell my parents about the fight with Hal," Mark answered.

"His parents were furious. With you. After you left they talked about how you–"

"What are we to each other?" Mark interrupted him. "Are we boyfriends? Are we dating? Or are we just fucking around?" he went on. He had been meaning to ask these questions after they had gotten to his place, but he couldn't hold them in anymore. And he really wasn't in the mood to talk about the Coopers. 

"I don't know..."

"What don't you know? Do you want to be boyfriends? Make it official?"