Never Really Over

Chapter 46

England 1 Croatia 0

It's the perfect start to the Euros. John leaves the pitch buzzing with the dual euphoria of a victory and a clean sheet. He is so pumped up that he can almost feel his blood rushing through his veins. He knows now that he loves tournament football. He loves feeling that anything is possible, and already, he can hardly wait for the next game. Adrenaline has him thinking he could go out and play another 90 minutes right now and still come out on top. It's his confidence from the win that means he does not head straight to the dressing room, instead he goes straight to the press area to find Beth. On the pitch, he allowed himself to concentrate on nothing other than the game, but now he can only think about the burning urge to tell Beth about his pre-match epiphany.

Beth has just finished interviewing Raheem Sterling. As he walks away, she lets out a huge sigh of relief, working with people close to John makes her nervous. She is never sure how they will react to her, but thankfully Raheem was completely professional. She tenses again as she feels hands on her hips, her breath catching in her throat as she feels the heat of a body behind her. John's body. She knows it's him. Knows how he smells fresh from the pitch, the scent of the sweat that has soaked into the shirt clinging to his fit body mixing with the aroma of the grass stains that cover his shorts. It's a smell unique to him and it's an aphrodisiac to her, it always has been. But she doesn't melt into him like she usually does, she's too conscious of all the other people around them who would say that it's wrong, them being so close when she's engaged. Yet the smallest contact is enough for her to feel her body reacting to him and there's already a wetness between her legs.

Quickly she pulls herself together and turns to hug him, congratulating him on the result and a performance he made look effortless. She whispers in his ear how proud of him she is, and he feels his heart swell. Then he is tugging her hand and guiding her through the swarm of journalists in search of somewhere away from prying eyes. They head back towards the tunnel, stopping at the mouth of it. The stadium is silent now, the only people left are the groundskeepers attending to the grass and the stewards surveying the empty stands.

"So, John Stones," Beth gives John her best smile as she holds her phone up and starts to film him, just as she was doing to Raheem moments ago. "How would you rate England's performance?"

"Put the phone down," he rolls his eyes. He's been desperate to talk to her since before kick-off and he doesn't have time to play around now. He knows someone will soon notice he is missing from the dressing room.

"Please John..." There are those eyes that can make him do anything. "Just one quote," she pouts and cocks her head to the side a little, making her hair fall into her eyes.

"Beth, turn the camera off," he says firmly. "You don't want your fiancé to hear what I'm about to say."

Beth's smile disappears in an instant. The happy bubble she has encased herself in since John softened towards her bursts as she is reminded that there is a world outside of St. George's Park and Wembley. There is a different life waiting for her at home, one that John is not part of.

"I can't stop thinking about what you said the other day..." Beth's face is blank as she is unable to pinpoint precisely what John means. "You said I never chose you," he reminds her.

Beth bites her lip and nods. Despite the ring on her finger, John's rejection still hurts as much as ever.

"Do you remember Jade?" He continues as her eyes meet his. Her brown eyes have always reminded him of the chocolate she loves so much, he's seen baby pictures of her where her eyes were a vibrant blue, and sometimes, when he is lying awake at night trying to sleep but has a head full of nonsense he has wondered if it is her addiction to chocolate that made them turn so dark.