Connections

21

*

"I'm sorry what?! You have a twin. Since when and who is it?" Tash asks, not taking me seriously.

"Angharad James".

Earlier

Today is the day I tell Tash and Emily everything that's happened.

I'm quite nervous but I'm sure as soon as I see Tash and we start catching up, the nerves will go away and I'll be able to tell them both my big news.

The team bus left for London an hour ago and we've still got at least four to go which gives me longer to think about what I'm going to say and how I'm going to say. I'm probably overthink it wayyy too much but how do you tell someone that your long lost sister is a close teammate of theirs?

It doesn't lend itself to the job.

Everyone has kept themselves to themselves for the last hour or so but they're starting to get bored and mess about with one another now. Keets and Jill are up to no good, plotting away in the corner to carry out some god awful prank and scare the life out of one of us, Twadds probably because she's a complete wuss.

Sorry Twadds.

I'm busy trying to get some work done when all of a sudden I hear Twadds scream and then the laughs from the back as she reappears shouting about a spider.

"Sounds like Keets and Jill have outdone themselves this time" Alan says, looking down the aisle as Julie flaps about, Steph trying to calm her down and reassure the strength and conditioning coach but to much avail.

The girls laughter carries on for a bit and when Julie comes to sit down, we all take the micky out her, adding to her anguish.

"You do lend yourself to pranks" Chris says and we all agree, "you're just too easy to wind up" I add and Julie herself nods along with us. "You need to watch out when Keets and Jill are plotting, you know you'll always get caught out. It happened to Roya all the time" Nick adds.

Teasing over, I go back to my work but a text distracts me and gets my heart rate going.

From Stan:

I know you might not want to here this right now, but I have an apology to make. Ever since I set eyes on you, that first time you came to Sunderland to watch Luce, I felt something I knew I shouldn't but it soon became something I couldn't shake and that's when I knew that I loved you.

Yes, I was with Laura at the time and yes, it was wrong for me to fall in love with my best friends girl but I couldn't help it.

When Luce moved away, I found the only person to blame who I could really lay all my frustration and anger on when really I was angry with her for moving away and leaving me behind. I wanted her to stay and I wanted us to become the footballers we are today; together.

I was over the moon when she signed for City but then I found out you were around because of your dad and everything changed, I started to resent you. You started seeing each other and I was angry that you stole away my best friend. I thought 'how could she love you when you were the one who took all her happiness way' when in reality it was my happiness that had gone.

After you broke up and she moved on with Keira, I thought yes, this is a good pairing and they're happy but once Lucy moved away and I got called up, I saw a change in her, almost as though she missed you and I couldn't have that. She was with Keira and she'd moved on.

I apologise now for my behaviour after our game at your place and I sincerely apologise for poisoning Lucy against you. I told her lies and made her see that you were wrong when in fact I was and I shouldn't have spoken about your relationship in that way.