Strike It Right (Louis Tomlinson)

Chapter 4

>>>>Louis< <<<

“Is this a joke?” asks Zayn sitting behind to me and I turn to him and shrug my shoulders nervously. I hope it is.
“Navishaa Marie.” Finishes the director “The new coach of England's national team.”
“What?!” says half or even the whole hall. This really is not happening…

“Now we can answer the questions.” Says still happy director and our former coach while the whole team is looking at them like at mental. What they were thinking about when they accepted such a decision?!

>>>>Navishaa< <<<

I keep sitting in my seat and feel a lot of unpleasant looks especially from the team. Now I really understand that this was a bad decision to make. But now what is done is done so I can’t give up and I won’t show them that I’m a weak and fragile woman. I’m their coach! So I straight my back and raise my chin up. After all I was chosen to be their coach so I don’t have a reason to be shy or scared.
“Question for Mr. Angel Maria Villar.” Says one journalist.
“I’m listening.” Says my boss for a short period.
“Who made you to choose… a woman?” he asks not hiding the surprise and anger I think. Not pleasant but I just put on my face a small smirk. I won’t let them to humiliate me.
“We wanted something new. Something unfamiliar and then when we were talking with Vicente we though: hey! Why not a woman?! Then we searched for impossible options in whole Europe and then we found her.” He answers and looks at me “Sinjorita Brighton seems to be really perspective and we rely on her.”
“Don’t you think that because of this your weird choice people will stop watching football?” asks the same journalist still with anger in his voice. I think he will be from one of those who will stop watching.
“No. Because those people who really love football and the team will support them and anyone who is leading.” He answers and I secretly smile.
“Question for Miss Brighton.” Says a woman and I look at her curiously and nod letting her to understand that she can give a question.
“Do you believe that you can lead this team to a victory?” she asks with soft smile on her face. She’s one from the minority who don’t hold me as an enemy.
“I believe that if we work together we can really achieve a lot and maybe bring the trophy back home.” I answer and smile a bit victorious.
“Navishaa is ambitious and stubborn person.” Mr. Vincente starts talking “Also she’s very clever and smart and she will find the right decision even in the trickiest situation. That’s what a good coach has to have. I’m sure that she will surprise us all.” He finishes and I thank him with a smile.

“Miss Brighton?” says another man.
“Yes?” I respond and look at him.
“Had you ever been a coach of men team?” he asks.
“No. Only of boys and girls.” I respond.
“Is it hard with boys? Are they listening to you?” they ask and I really understand that everything is because of I am a woman and they are men. If they loose I will be guilty. If they win, they will be the main reason of it.

“No it isn’t. They respect me as a coach and I respect them as serious players no matter that they still are just boys. There were some problems with their fathers at first, but now everything is good because they saw that even a woman can train others no worse than a man.”

“Question for the goal keeper.” Says another journalist. A man. “What do you think about this?”
“I won’t comment.” He shortly responds and I turn my eyes down but quickly raise them up. I won’t show them that this sentence was quite hurtful.
It will be hard…

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The conference is over already and now everybody is going to the room where will be only me, Mr. Vincente, my boss and the team. When we enter it we all sit into our places. And I see that every player is really unhappy. I don’t even want to imagine what will be now. I take a deep breathe but like that no one would notice.
“Okay, now about tomorrow.” Says the boss and all the team glares deadly at him.

“What is that about? Is this a joke?” asks the captain angrily and I just mentally prepare for every word which will come out of their lips.
“Please respect your new coach.” Says strictly Mr. Vicente and now everybody look at him.

“She’s a woman!” shouts Louis Tomlinson. Another one young pretty boy in the team. A bit yuck. I don’t really like such type of guys who makes a crest on their heads and spends a lot more time in front of the mirror and isn't he from a band or something? “What can she know about how to train the best men team in Europe?” he asks and I raise my eyebrow. Woah, what a challenge…Pathetic.

“Listen.” The director almost shouts so loud that I even wince “She is your coach and she will be for the whole month while you will be in the league.” He says and shows at them with a finger “And now about other things. Tomorrow everybody puts on white training suits that everybody would understand that the team is coming. Understand?” he says and looks at me and I just nod.
“Good. Flight is at 12am.” He says and puts his coat on “Now rest well and have a good flight tomorrow.” He says and goes out of the cabinet. I stand up to go out too but some from the team almost roughly passes by me and goes out first. Oh my, what a gentlemen…Ah, those men with their egos… Nothing will stop them…
I'll wait till everybody will go out and then go the last and head to the car which will bring me to my hotel.
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>>>>Louis< <<<

“It’s bullshit.” I say nervously and Jessica softly strokes my cheek and I just sigh still nervous.
“Maybe it won’t be so bad as you think.” She says and looks at me and I just look at her with eyebrows raised.
“Honey, she’s a woman…” I say and she looks at me and withdraws her body from me.
“Excuse me?” she says insulted and I just sigh.
“Sorry… I didn’t mean to insult you…I wanted to say that a woman is not right for this job because it’s…” I want to find the right word that I won’t insult her again but now it’s not really happening.

“What?” she asks and moves her body totally away from mine.
“…It’s just not a woman’s job.” I say and look at her carefully and she just laughs nervously and stands up from the sofa.
“All of you think that you’re way better than a woman.” She says and goes to the other room.
“Where are you going?” I ask rolling my eyes and stand up too.
“To my room.” She responds angry.

“Jessica…” I whined “Stay here… It’s my last night before I will be out for a whole month. We could do something…” I say shyly and she just looks at me and smiles. Whew…

“Show yourself that you are better than me.” She says and goes out of my hotel room to hers.
I just look at the door and nervously laugh and go back to the sofa. I really can’t understand women. Say what you think and they will be angry. Don’t say anything and they will be angry that you’re not talking with them and that they are not reliable persons. Why is it so hard?