Rising Stars (Sequel) (boyxboy)✔

R.S 2

Jake's POV 

Having an injury was the worst thing that could happen to a player in the middle of a season. There were other things, but for me having an injury was at the top. Sure I'd had injuries in the past- football was a brutal sport- but none of the injuries rendered me out for more than a month. I'd only been playing football professionally for three years; I was still regarded as a newcomer. I couldn't just disappear for two months. I had to cement my name in people's minds, hearts...in history. And I couldn't do that far from the pitch. I needed to be on the pitch, breaking people's hearts, shattering their dreams and hopes, but also making the millions of fans we had proud. It was what I did best. I loved being a part of my team. We worked well together, a very well-oiled machine. 

Although I wasn't happy about being injured, I was happy to go home. I hadn't been at home for two months and I missed everyone. Foremost I missed my boyfriend Chris. It was hard having a long-distance relationship. He worked 24 hours a day and I was all over the country. It would have helped if Carlton Galaxies' home-ground was in Maryvale, but we were based in San Pedro City, which was 5 hours from Maryvale by flight. I played every Saturday or Sunday, with the rest of the week taken by training and preparations for the game. 

Besides the distance, we'd survived for 5 and a half years, bearing in mind that I only became a professional football player only 3 years into the relationship, and he'd only started working at my father's company about six months ago. I missed him terribly whenever I couldn't be with him, but I got used to the distance. We were determined to make it work and distance wasn't going to stop us. 

"Mr. White?" I heard a voice. 

I was in my hotel room in the bedroom, lying on the bed and trying not to move my heavy plastered leg. I had fractured my tibia the previous day during training when I was tackled to the ground. It hadn't initially looked serious, but a scan revealed that it was and I was ruled out for two months. Immediately after the swelling receded I received a plaster and crutches. A talk with the medical staff and the club management ended with the suggestion I went home to recuperate. I welcomed it; it was better than staying there and not being able to play anyway. I elected to leave the very next day, allowing management to reveal my status to the media and deal with them. I was in no mood to face the media. I was disappointed with how things turned out and they were going to rub it in or feel sorry for me, which was just as worse. 

I looked up at the person who'd called my name. 

"You seemed miles away", the person said. 

He was a man in his mid-thirties, standing next to the bed. He had in front of him an open suitcase, which he was filling with neatly folded clothes. 

I shook my head, having no idea what to say. 

"It's unfortunate what happened to you. Carlton Galaxies is going to be lost without you", he said. 

I gave a quiet laugh. Carlton Galaxies was capable of winning games without me. We had some really good players. 

"Don't flatter me Steven", I said. "Pack that jacket too by the way, Maryvale weather is unpredictable". 

Steven worked at the hotel. He'd been deployed by the management staff to assist me with anything I needed since I was "immobile". He was at that moment packing my bags. He would take me to the airport later. 

"Certainly sir", he said. 

"Can you pass me the remote?" 

He did as asked and I changed the channel of the TV in the room, which was on but had been muted. I increased the volume and scrolled through the channels, finding nothing interesting. I came across AllFNL, a channel dedicated to the Football National League. It reported on the latest news concerning the FNL and its players. I was going to change the channel, but something caught my attention. A picture of me was plastered across the screen.