The Unknown Road

26 - Tessa

THE LAST THREE DAYS have been tough for both of us. But these next few hours were going to be the make or break of me when it comes to keeping my mouth shut about Archie and me. Both with Charlotte and Dee.

Dee was here, and she'd apparently been off on Monday and Tuesday with a stomach bug, but I didn't believe her. Charlotte didn't believe her either, but if that was story she was spinning then... whatever. I couldn't be bothered to care.

I managed the whole session without telling Charlotte, which was the hardest thing I'd ever done, but I knew something would kick off. I had a feeling, and with a combination of Dee's venomous sideways glances and a particularly nasty tackle, a storm was brewing.

Archie had been a bit more distant with me today, but I think it was only because he's just as sick of hiding this as I am.

But he wanted to talk to Matt first, which means talking to Dee, and I was beginning to think that particular conversation may take a while. I had every faith that he'd talk to her eventually, but I was starting to wish I hadn't told him to take his time.

Granted, it wasn't his fault that she hasn't been here, but I still think he needs a push. He's too kind, despite what she's done to him, and I personally don't think she deserves it. I get that he doesn't want to embarrass her, to make things worse, but she did cheat on him. For months. So if he wanted to do that, he'd be well in his right, and I'd be fully behind him.

***

WHILE I WAS SITTING with Charlotte, I could hear Dee was in a particularly bitchy mood, so I thought she must be sensing the impending conversation.  After her tackle in the warm up, I was dreading being in her group. But thankfully I'd managed to avoid it.

But when I see her lingering behind as I help Coach pick up the balls, I know she's lagging behind on purpose. And I don't think there was any more avoiding it.

"Tessa!" I hear him call from across the other side of the pitch.

"Are you okay to put these back up there?" I hear him shout faintly, pointing up to the clubhouse.

"Yeah sure," I shout back, grabbing the last two balls.

"Thank you!"

When I grab the second bucket of balls to pick up the rest of them, I ignore Dee sitting there. She doesn't say anything either, so I just take my time, storing up the things I wanted to shout at her in my head.

And by the time I get back to her, we're both just as blue in the face as the other with anger, and I'm definitely ready to rip her a new one.

She's tapping her foot impatiently when I drop the balls at her feet, being unhelpful as always.

"You talked to Archie earlier..." She gets straight to the point as I bend to slide my new stick into my bag.

"So?" I shrug, trying to remain calm whilst feeling anything but. It's none of her business anymore.

"He didn't waste much time then," she scoffs.

I spring upward, ignoring the head rush I get from standing too quickly.

"Leave him alone Dee. You're being judgmental, which is completely out of order given what you've done to him."

"How? How am I being unfair?"

I scoff. "You're kidding me right? You mean you don't remember cheating on him for months with Callum?"

It's her turn to scoff. "Please. He's been parading around with you for months... and then he has the audacity to say that I've cheated on hi-"