Numbers - A Ted Lasso OC Story

14 - the great asian pastime of...?

The locker room was almost tragic, energy at an all time low. They weren't winning this. Even with a good attitude.

Nessa kept her head down in her book standing around the corner by the door ready to head out. She wasn't writing anything, just outlining her past writings connection thoughts in her head. She flipped the page. Shit. There's only one more page, she'd have to get a new one. A shame. She starts setting up her chart as normal.

"... that you've been playing like a big, dumb pussy." Nates voice pulls her out of her thoughts, she peaks her head around the corner.

"What the fuck you just say to me bruv?" Issac says from the bench. Oh shiiiiiit! Actually, scratch that. Oh shit. This was going to be messy, what's happening again?

"You're more concerned about looking tough than actually being tough. There's a way to be intimidating without being physical." He pauses, "I hope you don't mind me saying."

Oh he definitely minds Nessa thinks, but keeps her mouth shut. Nate turns around.

"Sam." He looks right at him as worry fills his face. Sam was a good guy, he didn't deserve... whatever this would be. But maybe he did. Nessa hadn't been paying a lot of attention to the team off the pitch. "You're constantly getting beat on the wings. It's cause you're indecisive. You second guess more than a shitty psychic. The only African I know who's more imprisoned by his thoughts is goddamn Nelson Mandela." Rude. Probably.

But Nessa knew it was fair, but there were nicer ways to say it. At least somebody had said it though? It should have been someone else. It is not Nate's place, sure Ted asked him, but still. The team seams to think it's funny however, maybe Nessa just needs to lighten up, or maybe they only think it's funny because it's not their turn.

"You think that's funny, do you, Colin?" Nate turns to face Colin, gaining steam and confidence, rapid fire 'advice' ready to shoot out at anyone in the area. "You and all your fancy step over bullshit. Let me ask you this..." Nessa looked back down at her book and slinks back around the corner. She wants no part in this, this circle of insults and disrespect. Saying Dani's defence is death, though not entirely wrong, it needed work but damn. Nessa starts writing down names, or nicknames and abbreviations, in her book, blend back into the background, become invisible. That's something she can be good at.

But the room is quiet now. Too quiet. Creaking, creaking, Crack. Cheering, and the whole team running past her onto the pitch, she looks back and sees a bench flipped and ripped from the ground. The great Roy Kent. Is back.

She guessed anyway, he was sitting there and his anger was as recognizable as his name, used to be. Until now, his anger coming out on the pitch was remarkable, scoring a goal, filling the stadium with the same electricity it used to be. And like a domino game, when one fell, everyone else did to. The game was enjoyable to watch for more than just the numbers, it was enjoyable to see them play so well. Even if they hadn't won, which they did, 1-0 Richmond.

So here they were, chanting in a circle. Nessa stood at the side and watched, she was an observer, it was her job. She smiled at the win, the excitement was contagious. And then she was pulled in with encouraging waves, and she was in the circle, book on the bench, jumping around and laughing with everyone else. This team was more than just a team, and she was a part of it. She was glad she took this job, glad she had a second family across the sea while she couldn't see her first. But Richmond would do, they would do for now.

Nessa found herself sitting on a small couch between other Richmond players in the busy karaoke bar watching and trying to listen to Sam sing his own rendition of 'Wonderwall.' A hand on her leg, The girl with the big ponytail sitting on a couch across from Nessa had reached over.

"Vanessa right?" She asked. Nessa smiled. "I'm Keely, it's so nice to finally meet you!"

"My friends call me Nessa." She took a sip of her drink, water, maybe she was boring for not drinking in a bar, but, she really didn't want to.

"Well, my friends call me Keely, I've heard so much about you!" Keely smiled, Nessa had not met Keely before, but she'd seen her around, Keely had also dated Jamie Tart, and was friends with Ms. Welton- Rebecca.

"I've heard lots about you too. Ted says-" Nessa looked around, Ted was gone, where did he go? "Ted says you are really sweet." Maybe she just missed him to the crowd, bathroom, or to get another drink.

"Awwww, well I have heard that you are absolutely brilliant!" Keely smiled as Nessa laughed. "Oh don't be modest please!" Keely teased.

"Thanks..." Nessa looked down where her phone buzzed in her lap. "Ah, my rides here, I gotta go back to the hotel. Been nice meeting you." Nessa smiled and left before someone could draw her back into a conversation, she liked these people a lot, but she needed to be by herself now, and she was exhausted as hell. She caught the ride she called waiting on the road, it was too late at night to walk alone and she knew that.

She watched the street lights pass through the window. Collapsing into sleep the minute her head hit the pillow.