Anyone Else But You

Chapter 4 - A Not-so Typical Sunday

 

The Smiths – The Boy with the Thorn in his Side

Sunday mornings were always the worst for Maddie waking up, most of the time she just wanted to lie in but she had to get up and play a football match. This Sunday she felt even more tired than usual, her parents had questioned her even more last night after they’d finished their pizza. She was surprised they hadn’t broken out the investigation room lamp and shone it in her face.

The inquisition had ended as soon as she’d told them about her punch and they’d been disappointed in her. Thankful that the barrage of questions was over she’d gone up to bed earlier and consequently got very little sleep. Everything that had happened with Jasper and Ali and Teddy was on constant replay in her head.

She got up, showered and dressed in her football kit; red shirt, white shorts and red socks. Then she threw together a bag with a change of clothes, her boots, her shin pads and some toiletries, before heading downstairs. When she got into the hall she could hear whistling coming from the kitchen, her dad always got excited on match days and today he was replicating the theme tune from Match of the Day.

Maddie walked into the large kitchen, dropped her bag to the floor with a dull thud and slumped against the island in the middle of the room. The smell of bacon and eggs hit her immediately, waking her up instantly and making her mouth salivate. It had become a tradition that her dad would cook her breakfast and then come and watch her play.

“Good morning M & M, ready for your match?” He began to plate up huge servings of bacon, scrambled eggs and toast. Steaming cups of tea and coffee were already waiting at the table, as was her sister Kate eating a slice of toast.

“Yeah, I’m a bit tired but I think I’ll be able to run it off. The food smells great dad.” Maddie picked up one of the plates and sat down at the table opposite her sister. “What are you doing up so early? I don’t normally see you until I get back.” She shovelled some of the eggs into her mouth and sighed contentedly as they melted on her tongue. Her dad wasn’t the best cook in the world, but he knew how to make good scrambled eggs.

“I’m coming to watch you play, I haven’t been since I was little. Besides all of my friends are away or busy so I had nothing better to do really.” She smirked and tilted her head to the side playfully, before picking up her glass of orange juice. “I think mum wants the house to herself to get some cleaning done too.” Maddie was grateful she was playing football that morning, the thought of having to help her mum clean the house sent shivers up her spine.

All three of them sat in a comfortable silence as they finished their breakfasts, the only noises were the sound of furniture being moved and the hoover being switched on upstairs. They put their dishes in the dishwasher and picked up all their belongings. Maddie shoved her kit bag on the back seat and got in next to it, while Kate hobbled to the passenger seat.

Maddie went straight into the locker room when they arrived at the ground, her dad wished her good luck and then she was off for the pre-match team talk. She’d played for Stoke Newington Ladies football club since she was three years old, working her way through the age groups and now she was playing on the adult’s team. Ali also played for the team and the two of them had progressed together, she was the vice-captain and star striker.