i still do || n.h au

thirteen

the kick-off

The night after a win is Niall's favourite. An overabundance of energy erupts within the boys as if they haven't just finished a 90 plus minutes long match, adrenaline still running through their veins. The match was a tough one. Both teams played their best, but in the end, Chelsea ended the game with one extra goal. Their coach and manager were happy with the results (they would've been happier if they scored two extra goals instead of one), and now they're out celebrating.

Niall drinks his beer — it's his second drink — in silence as he listens to Tom reliving the goal The Foursome made a few minutes before they ran out of time, the one that gave them the win. At least he's not taking the full credit because everything they do out on the field is a team effort. Oscar would be livid if Tom takes the full credit, as if the mention of The Foursome isn't enough to rile him up.

Tom is about to get to the part where he passed the ball to Oscar when Niall feels an arm slipping around his waist.

His entire body freezes but when Astrid's familiar scent invades his senses, he relaxes and wraps his fingers around her forearm, squeezing it. He feels her lips on his cheek a second later and then a whisper, "Great match."

"Hey," he says as he turns around to face her. When she asked her if he had plans after their first match, he told her that he'd be heading to a bar to celebrate with his teammates and that she's more than welcomed to join them because he'd love to celebrate the win with her. He didn't expect her to show up, though, because she didn't reply to his text so he assumed that she's busy or that she already had a plan. As if the evening isn't already so great, seeing Astrid makes it even better. Makes his heart full. "You're here."

"Of course," she replies as she wraps her arms around his waist. "I have to come over here to celebrate with all of you. That was a great game, by the way. You were great."

His whole face lights up and he opens his mouth to thank her for the compliments when his eyes sweep over her and he notices that she's wearing a Chelsea jersey, similar to the one he wore a few hours ago. His breath hitches in his throat and he feels as though his entire being is on fire. He's surprised that this isn't the first thing he notices considering how he can't stop obsessing over it now. "Is this..."

"Mhmm." Astrid nods, grinning from ear to ear.

As though to prove a point, she removes her arms from around him, takes a couple of steps back and turns around. Niall can't describe the myriads of feelings that run through him when he sees his last name written in capital letters on the back of Astrid's jersey.

Ever since she told him that she has a Chelsea jersey with his name on it, he would always catch himself visualising how she'd look in it. Now he no longer has to imagine it. He's one hundred percent certain that this image will be forever ingrained in his memory.

Suddenly, Niall wishes he's not in a room full of people. He wishes he'd gone home like some of his teammates did, and he wishes that he and Astrid are at his place. Away from prying eyes and away from nosy friends.

"Astrid!"

Niall swallows the groan in his throat when Oscar and Matt walk over to him and Astrid. If he's lucky maybe he can pick up where they left off after this celebration.

"Hey!" Astrid exclaims as she pulls Oscar in for a hug. Then she turns to Matt and hugs him too. When she pulls away, she says, "You both were great today."

"Thank you," Matt says as he hands her a beer. She looks at it quizzically. "We saw you came in just now and thought you'd like something to drink."