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I SLAM MY LOCKER SHUT WITH more force than necessary, the metallic clang echoing across the changing room.
I should be buzzing. I should be over the moon that I’m finally cleared to play football again. But all I can think about is her.
How is she doing? Is she okay? Is she eating well? Does she think about me, even half as much as I think about her?
I can’t visit her, I can’t call her, she won’t be able to respond to my texts-all of that is driving me mad so I’ve decided to start sending her letters.
They’re random, I talk about my day, how football is going, how I miss her, and wonder if she’s okay. I hope she’s getting them, and if she is, I hope she’s reading them.
“How’s the ankle feeling?” Carson asks, leaning against the locker beside mine.
“Fine,” I sigh, grabbing my boots off the bench.
“Why are you always in a mood?” Jack chimes in with a groan.
“Pack it in, mate. He didn’t even say anything,” Hassan replies, coming to my defence.
“Oh, just go shag him already,” he scoffs, and Carson bursts into laughter.
I smirk despite myself. “Don’t project your fantasies onto me, lad.”
Jack scowls, arms up. “Why’s it always me getting ganged up on? I swear I’m the most hated here.”
His voice fades into the background as my eyes drift across the room, tuning him out completely. Everyone’s getting ready for practice-pulling on socks, taping ankles, joking around. Same old routine.
Then I hear it.
Liam Hollis. Loud, obnoxious, and as always, talking shit. “Nah, I heard that Carmen left the school because she got pregnant.”
My heart drops. And then it starts pounding. I don’t think. I just move.
Next thing I know, I’m standing in front of Liam and slamming my fist straight into his nose.
A sickening crack follows. He stumbles back, crashing into the lockers as the whole room goes dead silent.
“Shut your fucking mouth,” I warn, my jaw clenched.
He clutches his nose, eyes wide, before regaining his composure. “Who you talking to?” he spits, pushing me back.
Before I can react again, a voice cuts through the silence. “What’s going on here?” Felix. He walks in, his expression unreadable as he looks between me and Liam.
“Cap,” Liam blurts out, half-relieved. “Get your boy in check.”
“Me?” I let out a dry laugh. “Weren’t you just talking about his sister?”
The second the words leave my mouth, Felix’s entire body stiffens, his whole demeanour changing, and not for the better.
He doesn’t speak. Just moves. Fast. He grabs Liam by the collar and slams him against the lockers again, harder this time. The impact echoes across the changing room.
“It was just jokes!” he stammers, hands up like surrendering is going to save him.
Felix doesn’t hesitate on shoving Liam against the lockers once again. “Oh, yeah?”
I step back, watching as every single guy in the room falls quiet. And then I speak, “I better not hear a single word about Carmen from any of you lot.”
Felix follows that up, voice sharp and unforgiving. “If you want playing time on Royal United, keep your fucking mouths shut about my sister.”
Murmurs break out immediately. “Got it, Cap.” “Say nothing.” “No problem, lad.” “Alright.” Good.
Satisfied, I turn and walk out of the changing room, jaw tight, fists still clenched. It doesn’t take long before I hear footsteps behind me.
“Mate—what the hell was that?” Hassan asks.
“Liam is a fucking bastard,” I mutter, not slowing down.
“So…” Carson starts, eyebrows raised. “That mysterious girl–“
“Was Carmen?” Jack finishes for him.
“No,” I mutter under my breath, jaw clenching.
“Better start planning a double date,” Hassan says, directing his words to Carson.
I scoff. “You lot are annoying.”
Jack grins, nudging me. “You love us though, don’t you?”
“Do I, fuck?” I huff, and they all crack up.
But the laughter doesn’t stay with me for long. Liam’s words echo throughout my mind. The fact that someone could twist her pain into a joke, spread rumours like that-it makes me fucking pissed. So yeah, I punched him.
But I don’t regret it. Not even a little bit.
I mean, what did he expect?
We’re barely a few steps out of the school when Jack nudges me with his elbow.
“Be honest though, how good did that punch feel?”
I raise an eyebrow. “You wanna find out?”
“Careful, Jack!” Carson warns. “He’s still got that right hook loaded.”
“Nah, I’m just saying.” He shrugs, still grinning. “Liam’s nose practically exploded. That was proper cinematic.”
“Ten outta ten.” Hassan nods. “No notes.”
“Man’s about to go viral if someone had that on camera,” Carson adds.
“Shut up.” I can’t help the smirk that makes its way onto my face.
“Don’t lie, you’ve been dreaming about punching someone all week,” Jack says.
“Only when you start talking,” I counter.
“Prick.” He clutches his chest like I just stabbed him. “I try to be a light in people’s lives, and this is how I’m treated.”
Carson snorts. “You are a light. Like one of those dodgy flickering ones in a horror movie.”
Hassan loses it, slapping Carson on the back as he throws his head back in laughter.
These three are always making jokes, I swear.
We’re still laughing as we walk onto the pitch. The rest of the team’s already out there, huddled around Coach, who looks like he’s just about to launch into some motivational pre-training speech. Until he sees Liam.
“What happened to you?” he questions, brows pulling together.
Liam’s got tissue shoved up one nostril and dried blood crusting beneath the other. He glances at me and Felix, standing side by side with our arms crossed, saying nothing-but our stares speak for us. Everyone’s watching.
Liam clears his throat. “Bumped into the door.” The second the words leave his mouth, the whole team bursts out laughing.
Coach just sighs, long and tired. “Go to the nurse then.”
Liam mutters something I can’t hear and trudges off the pitch, still pressing his hand to his face.
As soon as he’s out of earshot, I feel Felix shift beside me. “Thanks for that,” he mutters, low enough for only me to hear.
I shrug my shoulders. “He deserved it.” And he did.
Anyone who talks about her like that does.
Now they all know exactly what will happen if they do.
Carmen’s name isn’t something you say lightly.
Not around me at least.
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