I'M NOT YOUR WOMAN. (✓)

22. stubborn.

|◁ II ▷|

berwyn — trap phone .

"OH LORD!" MAGDA'S FACE CAPTURED a resolute look of focus, tending to the athlete's sore spots using the balls of her fist to apply firm pressure.

"Oh. Oh. Oooh," Ebén's hoarse groan sounded out of his mouth as though he was somewhere else, doing something else — designed to work up a sweat.

As his long-standing massuese, Magda could recognise Ebén's verbal assents by the subtle inflections present in his gruffs and grumbles.

"Um, yes. That's the ... oh, fuck — the spot" he grumbled out, curling his leg upwards so that she could exercise better motion.

She balled her fist and pressed down on the tender region of back thigh muscles, and out of Ebén's mouth, he released another muffled growl — "Your thighs are tense for some reason. Lemme check in with the club doctor and have him prescribe something for the soreness. It doesn't hurt, does it?"

"Just a little bit" he winced, with his teeth clamped together trying to ride out the tightness.

"Bend your left leg for me please?" said Magda, deep in thought as the entire weight of his leg was shouldered against the dip of her shoulder.

A forced sigh escaped from the deep pits of Ebén's stomach as his plasma screen blared with bullshit.

Ebén Cástro's contract talks are set to rumble on. Reports from The Telegraph are that a deal in the region of £275,000 per week plus incentivised bonuses were put to the athlete by the club's hierarchy last month. However, it seems that his camp have yet to reach an agreement with the club.

The Athletic released an exclusive last week claiming that the player and his camp were courting offers from Spanish giants Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid but his camp have refused to comment. Cástro has less than two years left on his current deal with the Club intent on not allowing the forward to run down his deal and leave on a free. It seems absurd for the Club to build around a player who has made numerous attempts to force his way out and damage team moral both personally and publicly. His disciplinary issues both on and off the field leave a lot to be desired —

As she bore the weight of his leg on her shoulder, her eyes were engrossed to the television — stuck in between believing and not believing their outlandish claims, "They don't leave you alone, do they?"

"Unfortunately not. Talking 'bout me helps pay their bills" Ebén's body jerked at her firm fisted clench and the unfortunate reminder that he couldn't bask in complete privacy like others did.

People, like Corey Mack, would always have something derogatory to say about him.

Mack's rubber lips were ablaze with arrogance and luminous studio lights. His regular afternoon show gave him the licence to speak ill of anyone in the public eye — there was nothing that was off-limits, nothing that needed censoring.

His so-called candid discussions were incendiary, after all, causing offence was bound to stir up clicks.

"What about if it's not true?"

"It doesn't matter" The dispassion that lingered in his hoarse voice made his shoulders slump as he glumly accepted the fact that he had bid goodbye to his right to privacy the day that his dreams came true, "Click bait headlines helps to drive the engagement. But, it's somethin' I've gotten used to anyway"

Though, Ebén's tone seemed to accept that this was his reality, Magda could hear and sense a deep ache — inside him where he wished things were different.