Strike It Right (Louis Tomlinson)

Chapter 15

I’m sitting at the table which is filled with blank expressions of the players. Yeah… I have some things to do right now…
I hear a knock and growled. I would appreciate if people will not disturb me right now.
Another knock and I sigh, threw the pen on the table and stood up. I go and open the door and Gerard  comes in. I close the door and nervously go back to the table. What does he want?
“I want to talk with you.” He says calmly and I show him to sit in front of me in the armchair.
“I’m listening.” I say coldly and take the pen back in my hand
“It’s about Louis.” He says and the pen drops out of my hands and I just nervously bite my lip “He didn’t tell anybody about that kiss except me. Then I told to the team and the one who told everything to journalists was Vince. You should blame him, not Louis.” Says Gerard and I just laugh nervously.

“It doesn’t matter who told to the journalists. The main idea is the most important. He purposely kissed me and that was a good reason to report about me that I’m having an intimate relationship with a player and that’s a good reason to sack me. I understand everything.” I say him a bit nervously and take a random blank reaction from him instead.

“We don’t want to get rid of you. You should have already understood that. We want you to be our coach and that’s why we are trying to get on with you well and that’s why we’re listening to you during the trainings. We already lived with the idea that you’re our coach.” He says and I look at him a bit angry.
“And after everything you think I will believe you?” I ask and laugh nervously “I already got burned a lot.” I say and shake my head and look back at the paper.
“I don’t know are you stupid or too stubborn.” He says and I look at him angry.
“Remember that I’m still your coach.” I warn him and Gerard just sighs.
“I don’t want to insult you or anything. I just want you to know that now Louis is as same hurt as you are.” He says and I laugh ironically.
“I don’t think so.” I say and shake my head.
“He has lost his girlfriend because of that stupid article.” He says to me and I just look at him coldly.
“If he had a girlfriend then why he kissed me?” I ask him and see how Gerard gets confused a bit but then his face quickly becomes serious.
“Because he did what his heart told him to do.” He says and this time I get confused. He stands up from the armchair and goes out of the room.
I just keep sitting and thinking about his words and then suddenly I threw the pen on the table
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I stand up and prepare to go to Xavier’s room. I need some blanks about physical appearance of some players. I go to my room’s door and open it when suddenly I find Vince standing behind it. Ah… Vince.
“What do you want?” I ask not hiding my anger for him right now.
He without asking any permission comes into my room and closes the door after him and I look at him surprised.
“You’re feeling too confident, don’t you think?” I ask nervously.
“No.” he asks with a smirk on his face when he turns to me.
”What do you want?” I ask angrily and want to open the door and show him to leave when he grabs my arm and presses me to the wall. I look angrily at him.
“I want to make sure that I will be playing in today’s match also.” He says and puts his left hand on my face and forces me to kiss him.
I hit him with my hand and after a lot of struggling manage to push him away.
“Are you crazy?” I shout with voice full of hatred but also shiver.
“Maybe now I will go and play also?” he says and I just slapped him on the cheek.
“Out!” I shout angry but he just keeps looking at me strangely “Out!” I yell and he goes out of my room and I lean against the wall and slide down crying.
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I’m standing in front of the sitting in their seats and with totally cold and emotionless face prepare to tell them what I want today.
“Today is another must-win match. If we loose then we will go back to England. If we win we go further and if it’s tie then it’s kind of a lottery so it’s better to take everything what you can from the game. Another thing which I want to say is that I made one change in the line-up. I bet everyone's cursing me right now in their minds. I look at all players and see smiling Vince's face. That disgusting worm… “It’s Gerard.” I say and with small victorious smile look at Vince again and find him not as happy as he was. Ha! I won’t let you to play with me.
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The game had already started and everybody see that Chile is not so easy opponent to be. We had some trouble with the strikers in our defense...I let out a sound of disappointment and then run with my palm trough the hair.
Another attack into our side of the stadium. A midfielder of Chile is running in the right side and Gerard  can’t catch him. The midfielder easily gives the pass into the box and… NOBODY TAKES THE BALL FROM OUR TEAM! Chile’s striker runs to the ball first and KICKS THE BALL! OH MY GOD… it flies wide…whew.
“They want to kill me…” I whisper and grab on my chest where my heart is beating hardly…
“Oh my God!” I shout and turn to Xavier surprised and happy at the same time “This is amazing.” I say and clap my hands.

>>>>Louis< <<<
I keep looking at her. I follow her every move and see how she’s into football and how much this team is important to her. Not her job, but the team…
And no matter what we try to do to make her believe that our hatred has disappeared she still feels hatred for us…because every time someone has to ruin everything.
Suddenly she grabs her head and explodes her eyes but then quickly sighs in a relief and says to Xavier something.
“What had just happened?” I ask confused Zayn and he looks at me as confused as I am.
“Chile almost scored.” He says slowly still not believing that I asked that.
“Oh…” I say and turn back my look to her…

>>>>Navishaa< <<<

Gerard runs with the ball in the left side of opponents’ penalty box and a Chile’s defender runs to him. Gerard tricks him and he passes to Charles…HE SHOTS…GOALLL!!!!
“YES!” I shout and jump from my seat. I hug Xavier strongly and happily and look at Charles dancing in joy.
This is the important moment for all of us. 2-0 we are leading and if it continues like that we are going to the round of 16. Can you believe that?!

>>>>Louis< <<<
Second half has just started and I’m looking down and thinking about Jessica. I feel such emptiness in my heart. I can’t say now what I feel for Jessica and what I feel for Navishaa. Everything is mixed in me right now. I can’t stop thinking about neither of them…
I hear happy shouts in the stands.

“Oh… for the love of God.” I hear Zayn saying nervously and I look at the game.
“Louis.” Someone calls me and I raise my look and find Navishaa’s assistant talking to me “go and warm up.” He says and I frown and look at him nervously.
“What?” I ask a bit unbalanced.
“Warm up.” He repeats and I slowly nod and run to the warming up place…
She will substitute me? I thought that after that article I won’t play ever again… Maybe that shows that she doesn’t mix her feelings with a job. That’s a quality of a good coach… I keep thinking while running and sigh.

>>>>Navishaa< <<<
Louis comes to me and I don’t raise my look at him.
“You’re going to the pitch because we need to score more goals.” I say the only line to him and show that he can go already. 2-1… I can’t risk conceding more goals so I need to think of something…
“Tell Zayn to warm up.” I say to my assistant while Tomlinson is running to the field.
Zayn is with a ball and he tricks few opponents and makes a long pass to the penalty box where Tomlinson is.
Show your worth. Louis… I think but he can’t reach the ball and it just flies away.

The final whistle is blown and I look to Xavier happy with sparkles in my eyes. We are going further!
I squeaked like a little kid and jumped in one place.
“Congratulations.” Says Xavier and wraps his arm around my shoulder.

>>>>Louis< <<<
I slowly go out of the field looking down but when I raise my look I see Navishaa and Xavier going out of the stadium smiling and talking happily… A strange feeling appears inside me and I think that it might be a small jealous bug…

>>>>Navishaa< <<<

I’m sitting in the conference hall next to few players. The journalists are whispering something to each other when someone’s voice announces the start and everybody shuts up and looks at us.
“Question for Miss Brighton.” Says one journalist and I nod letting him to talk.
“How do you feel going to the round of 16 when the whole world was waiting for your mistakes?” he says and I just laugh nervously.
“It’s good to break stereotypes. I showed them that even a woman can go further than a group stage.” I answer with no emotions in my voice at all.
“Miss Brighton.” Says another journalist and I look at her “Did you let Louis Tomlinson in the match because of your more than friendly relationship?” she asks and I sigh in my minds. Here we go again…
“I don’t know about what kind of relationship you are thinking because our relationship is like with everybody else.” I say and probably not lie… I hate him as same as others “And I let him in the game because I relied on him and thought that he can help us.” I respond formally and finish my talk with a smile.
“But the papers say that…” she starts to say but I interrupt her politely “…you should know the best from all of us that what the papers say is not always true. And by the way… we’re here to talk about match not about mine and players’ relationship.” I finish and she shuts up and I feel a lot calmer inside myself.

>>>>Louis< <<<
Navishaa, Zayn and Gerard were sitting in their seats in the bus and we’re driving back to our hotel. Everybody is wondering what will Jessica say this time but she keeps sitting and doesn’t even turn her look to us. Probably she’s really hurt so much…
Suddenly Charles comes and sits next to me.
“I talked with others already and you’re the last.” He says to me and I just look at him boldly “We want to show Navishaa that we’re really not as bad as she imagines and to make something to thank her for the help of going to the round of 16. I know that it’s just a round of 16 but maybe this could help to strengthen our relationship.” He says carefully “Of course I will understand if you don’t accept.” He says but I just poorly smile.
“I totally agree with you. I think we really should do something.” I say and look forward where she is sitting.