The Own Goal ✔️

Part 76

Jack walks into the changing room a bit late, but to be honest he's rarely on time so that's not what makes the room turn to him and hush into silence.

Everyone has seen the texts.

He looks fucked. Totally fucked. He's also got one hell of a black eye.

His face isn't hiding the fact that he's probably been crying all night.
His eyes are red and puffy and bloodshot. His skin is all pale and blotchy.

No ones exactly rushing to check he's ok though.

They were all talking about him, he's brought it on himself.

Bernardo is the first to speak. "What's wrong with your face, the bruise?"

Jack shrugs "Chelsea threw a mug at my head"

There's a few chuckles

"Some might say thats ironic" chuckles stones.

"Huh?" It's obviously gone over Jacks head, unlike the mug.

"You know, having a mug chucked at you.....you are a bloody mug, messing with a nice lass like Chelsea, you're a fool Grealish, a bloody fool" stones tells him.

And suddenly Jack's crying, really really crying, not even losing a cup final crying, but real end of the world crying.....no one knows what to do.

"But I didn't! It's not true!" He chokes on his own sobs.

"We've seen the messages Jack you sound ridiculous denying it" Kevin speaks up bluntly.

I notice Pep is in the doorway, how long has he been there? Not like him to be so quiet. I guess he's been there long enough.

"But it's NOT true, it's not" Jack looks around, no one believes him how can they? They saw the messages.

Jack's eyes settle on me. I just kind of shrug, I don't know what else I can do.
I see the hurt on his face. I look away, feeling guilty, because actually Jacks always been nice enough to me since I've started joining the first team.

"Come on Jack get sorted" Walks tells him.

"I love her walks, I love Chelsea so fucking much"

"Yeah" sighs Kyle "does hurt when you fuck around with the ones you do love, but you'll learn"

Jack coughs another sob away.

Peps obviously had enough and steps forward.

"Jack go to the gym or home please, you're not training with us or travelling tomorrow"

Jack looks distraught "ya don' wanna play me?"

"No Jack I don't want to look at you. I'm sick of your shit, get out of my changing rooms!"

Everyone puts their heads down as Jack gathers up his bag. He looks at me but I still can't meet his eyes. I know I should say something to him, but I just can't.

As he leaves I do notice Kyle give his wrist an apologetic squeeze as he walks past "you got somewhere to stay mate" he asks.
"Hotel" Jack whispers as he leaves the room.

***

I've called in sick. I've not taken Mia to nursery.

True to his word Jack did phone Jasmin and she's been here all night, picking up my broken pieces, yet again.

My phone rings. It's Karen.

"You don't have to answer it you know" Jasmin reminds me softly.

"I know"

I do answer it.

"Chelsea are you ok love?"

"No"

"No well it was a silly question.......look I don't condone what he's done. I'm fuming with him I am, and I'm here for you sweetheart because he's a fucking dickhead"

"Thanks"

"But......he is my son and no one can get hold of him and well......we all know what he's capable of"

"He's probably at training Karen"

"No, because I phoned them, I spoke to that Emily is it? She said Pep kicked him out, wouldn't let him train, and well that was first thing...."

"Well he's not here"

"No, ok, call me if you need me Chelsea, I'll speak to you soon.......and Chelsea?"

"Yeah?"

"We all love you know, you're family too"

I hang up and cry softly onto Jasmins shoulder.

***

Saturday and Jacks name is glaringly obviously missing from the team sheet. He isn't even on the bench.

I know Jack has now gone to his mum's. I checked with Layla that he hadn't gone to Ben's and Ben had said he'd spoken to Jack and he'd gone to his mum's.
Apparently Jack was still denying all knowledge of the texts, despite the fact the whole world has seen them.

Jack's name is mud in the media. Pep not playing him or even taking him to the game is only fuelling the flames.

***

Late Saturday night and I'm sharing a bottle of wine with Jasmin, we've video called Sian, who is currently travelling around India with Chris. Not only did they finally admit to their feelings to each other, they both chucked in their jobs in and went off on an adventure of a lifetime.

*Well I'm shocked, I really thought he had changed Hun, I'm so sorry...* Sian says over the dodgy connection.

There's buzzing noise emmiting from the panel on the wall "oh fuck it's the front gate, hang on!" I jump up *well actually I better go now, but I'll speak to you in the week yeah? We've sent another couple of cards through for Mia* they have sent Mia a little note from each town they've travelled through, it's building into a lovely collection.

I'm in shock when I see who whose arrived. I buzz them through.

"It's Layla and Ben!" I tell an equally stunned Jasmin as I head to the door.

A few moments later and the four of us are sat around the table.

Ben looks shattered "did you play today as well?"
He nods.

"Driving here was probably the last thing you wanted to do.....so what's brought you here"

Ben and Layla look at each other.

Ben speaks "Chelsea I don't for a minute believe Jacky sent those texts, nor does his brother, or his parents. I've been speaking to Kevan, Chelsea if he'd have done it he would have admitted it by now!"

"But the texts exist!" Says Jasmin before I get a chance to.

"Just because they were sent, and even sent from Jacks phone, that don't mean he sent them"

I roll my eyes. But Ben continues "his mum's really worried, he's not sleeping, not eating, not doing anything, literally he's just drifting around their place crying and saying he didn't send them"

"So who bloody sent them then Ben?" I ask.

"Well it's not difficult, we know the date so all I had to do was look up his fixture and then message around the city boys I know to ask who he shared with......I did ask Jack but he's so messed up he couldn't remember what match I was on about"

That gets my attention, because Jack remembers and knows everything about football, you can tell him a random date and he'll reel of matches and results.

"So, do you who it was?" I ask.

"Yeah" says Ben seriously, "and you're not going go like it"