Looking down at the pitch, Naomi bit her lip in nerves. In nerves of coaching the team and in nerves of seeing Aimee again. But thanks to Theo's reassurance and guidance she felt better, a lot better in fact. She just missed him. She wished he was here with her.
Just as she was about to text Aimee to see where she was, she saw her walking straight towards her.
"Hi" Naomi smiled, hoping to ease the tension
"Hi" Aimee frowned, which caused Naomi to drop her smile and get straight to the point
"Okay so first things first, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not telling you about me and Theo, but I have my reasons...Yes they may not be good in your eyes but I personally felt like it was best for me"
"Go on"
"Me and Theo are so fucking unpredictable and there was a point we were so fucking bad together that we almost ended things entirely and I just didn't need everyone knowing my business continuously asking how me and him were doing when we would get into arguments just about every other week...it was draining. And I know you. I know you would be invested and it would fucking drain you as well to realise how bad communicators me and Theo are"
"Aimee I didn't want to do that to you, Ollie didn't want to do that to you, we just thought that it would be best for you to find out when me and Theo actually worked out and I guess...I guess we left it too long because we actually have been getting on very well since November" she confessed, playing with her fingers, realising how bad of a friend she had been
"Be angry at me all you want, I don't care anymore because I deserve it, but please don't end yours and Ollie's relationship because of me" she pleaded
"Are you done?" Aimee asked
"Yes...No...I don't know...Aimee I don't want to lose you as a friend over this, I'm so sorry" Naomi apologised, she knew Aimee and she knew that the girl definitely did piss her off sometimes with her extremely hyper, over dramatic, lovey-dovey personality the opposite of herself, but she couldn't deny she was a great friend who she didn't want to lose
"Okay, we're okay" Aimee smiled, knowing that she was going to forgive Naomi anyway, but just wanted to hear her apology first, "But I'm not gonna lie I had my suspicions" she mentioned
"What?" Naomi asked, "When? How? I-"
"Well for starters - You've been taking your pill like it keeps you alive. I literally remember back in first year when your alarm would go off in lectures, you'd just say you'd take it when you got back to your accommodation cause you forgot it, but now you ensure you have it on you at the right time so I knew you were sleeping with someone"
"Two - you got really happy in November and have been acting like that since, despite us not really going to any parties, so I knew you were taking to someone, I just didn't know who..."
"Three - You were so anti Theo when I tried to set you two up and yet at the acrade I noticed him always looking at you when he won and then when you were forced to get a lift home with him..." Aimee laughed at the memory of her literally telling Naomi to ride Theo instead of ride with Theo, when thinking back on it now she wouldn't be surprised if she actually did 'ride' him that night, "I didn't get an angry phone call the next morning from you complaining, so I knew you two either spoke or got along during it"
"Four I saw the lingering glances you two made at each other when we made edibles, I also noticed how cuddled up to him you were on the sofa. I remember you telling me how you used to hate hugs, but seeing you and him like that was cute and I knew to keep my mouth closed so you two wouldn't move away from each other"
"Oh and five" Aimee smiled knowingly
"Five? What's five Aimee?" Naomi asked, wanting to know why Aimee was smiling at her like she knew all her secrets
"You guys were very fucking loud" Aimee snorted
"Loud? When you walked in you mean?" Naomi furrowed her brows confused because she was sure her and Theo weren't that loud when they hadn't even done anything yet
"No, I mean on the same night we made edibles" she smiled at Naomi's confused expression which turned to her being wide eyed, "I woke up from my weed coma, finding Ollie asleep next to me and I was hella thirsty so I went to go downstairs to get some water and then I hear moaning. So me being me, I started to walk downstairs to cuss Tiana and Elijah for not just going into their bedroom, when I see you riding Theo's thigh and I'm like go on then, you do you..." she smiled
"Oh god" Naomi cringed at how horny she got when she smoked and Theo was around her
"So then I was like I'll wait until you're done so I went back into Ollie's room and I heard you two come upstairs, so I went to get my water then and I figured if you two just want to sleep together and not tell anyone, fine, but sooner or later you will end up falling for each other"
"But then when I walked in on you two the other day, I had to act shocked. Well I was shocked because I didn't expect you two to be doing that, or for you to even be in Theo's room that morning, but when Ollie came in and said he knew I was so confused and hurt that this was some big secret that everyone but me knew"
"Everything just happened so quickly and my hormones were all over the place and I couldn't help but overreact. I dumped Ollie because he knows trust is a big thing for us. And then I fucking cried over all of it because..."
"Because?"
"Well because I thought I was pregnant-"
"YOURE PREG-"
"Shhh Jesus Christ Naomi" Aimee slapped her hand over Naomi's mouth, "I'm not, my period came this morning, but I thought I was because the condom broke the other week and my period is never usually late, so I was already so worried and stressed so walking in on you and Theo just shocked me. Then Ollie running in after trying to drag me out, saying that he knew just sent me over the edge because how was I meant to bring a possible child into the world when my friends and boyfriend are lying to me...How was I meant to trust anyone" she sighed, taking her hand off of Naomi's mouth
"I'm so sorry Aimee it's just that me and Theo aren't the best at our whole situation, and we didn't want to get your hopes up, because I know you and you probably would've started planning our wedding or something" Naomi laughed
"No, I would never pressure you two into that, I do like weddings and my friends being in couples but I would keep that to myself. But I must say it would be very cute...I can imagine already, you know. I think of it being a small wedding, definitely not outdoor, I think you two are more-"
"Aimee!" Naomi warned, knowing when she went off on a tangent about weddings it never stopped
"Sorry, sorry, but I will say when me and Ollie get married, you won't be maid of honour because of this, you've lost your place to Tiana. You'll only be a bridesmaid" Aimee told her
"Wait, when you and Ollie get married?" Naomi asked confused as to when this happened, and the fact that Aimee and Ollie were on good terms
"Yes, me and Ollie may argue but that doesn't mean I love him any less, we're back together now. We had makeup sex to confirm it and it was very good" Aimee smiled at the memory, immediately changing the subject as she noticed Naomi cringing as she knew she spoke about hers and Ollie's sex life in too much detail if someone didn't stop her, "But yeah, he's literally told me so many times that he will marry me even when I've just laughed it off. I thought he was just saying it because of how much I like weddings, but now I think he's being serious" Aimee smiled
"Please don't tell me he's proposed"
"Oh god no, he said he'd only do it when we were both financially stable in the future, with good jobs, but I think he's getting me a promise ring because I saw it open on his laptop the other week"
"Wow so your future is all planned out then?" Naomi concluded, realising how much Ollie and Aimee had prepared for the future, when her and Theo were the opposite and took things as they came
"Well not really, I just know that Ollie will always be there. And I'll always be there for him, but that's enough about me, I want to know everything, so how long have you and Theo been going on then?" She squealed, happy to see Naomi with someone who she hoped was better than her last situation last year because everyone knew how that ended
"Technically since first year but I'm going to assume Ollie's probably already filled you in on most of it but yeah, right now we're doing well..." she trailed off not really knowing what else to say
"I knew it! I knew you and Theo would suit" Aimee beamed
"I never denied we wouldn't, we were just both very stubborn and rude to each other and weren't listening to what the other wanted"
"Yeah but I bet it made the sex better"
"Oh my gosh Aimee!" Naomi laughed knowing that this is how basically all her conversations went after she made her big revelation about her and Theo.
"Sooo yeah I have to go now" Naomi rushed out, telling the half truth because she did have to go for the boys first training session, but also didn't feel like talking about her sex life with anymore people
"Why? I swear you said this is probably the most free you've been all year"
"Yes, it is, but Theo made me his replacement for the football team captain whilst he's at home, so I have to coach the team" Naomi nodded over at the pitch where the boys were doing warm ups
"Oh that's why you asked me to meet you here" Aimee connected the dots, "Fucking hell" she sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair as she looked back over at her friend
"What? I know football, this isn't a challenge, I just don't know if the boys will listen to me" Naomi admitted
"No, not that...just Theo" Aimee trailed off
"What about him?"
"It's just that, that boy is so in love with you" Aimee smiled
"What?" Naomi laughed, "what are you talking about?"
She knew Theo liked her, it was clear as day, but him being in love. Now he couldn't of fallen that quickly, right?
"Can't you see, he didn't even think of Ollie or Elijah to be team captain, the first person he thought of was you and only you and you're not even on the team. Yes you may know about football and helped me out when we'd talk in lectures, with me asking you what hell Ollie did on the pitch so I could support him, but fuck, look at you..." Aimee attempted to explain as she watched Naomi have a distant look on her face
"...Look at how without a doubt in his mind he wanted you to apart of his life even more. He wanted you to be apart of the football team, he wants you there. You're his other half, if he can't be there, then he wants you to be" Aimee told her
"I-" Naomi furrowed her brows, trying to comprehend everything Aimee just said
She didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to think.
"H-How do know what love is Aimee?" She asked, playing with her fingers, "How do you- Fuck, I mean I hear you and Ollie say it to each other all the time, but what do you really feel for you to able to say it and mean it" she sighed, glancing down at the anklet clasped around her ankle
"Wow all this time I thought you saying that you didn't believe in love was some kind of joke, but you're serious, you only want to say it when you feel it, wow" Aimee hummed, finally understanding Naomi's lack of usage of that word. Of how she didn't believe in it. She didn't believe in it because she had never felt it.
"I'm going to honest with you, I would explain it but I can't...I'll do my best but not right now, I have a lecture to get to in ten minutes and I can't miss it since I stupidly didn't pick the internship option this term, but message me when you're next free and we'll talk more okay?" Aimee asked, searching Naomi's eyes for reassurance as she knew this conversation was a big deal for her
"Okay" Naomi mumbled, still in shock of what Aimee just said
"Now go and make Theo proud by being a great team captain" Aimee rushed out, grabbing her bag and checking her phone for the time
"Oh shhh" Naomi laughed making her way onto the pitch, trying not to let what Aimee said about Theo get into her head too much, because she needed to be focused on coaching the football team
Standing next to coach, she couldn't help but be intimidated by the five foot ten man, with an olive skin tone, dark hair and a beard. There was no denying he was an attractive man, if you went the older man route, but he was definitely scary with the amount of times she'd hear about him shouting at his players, or girls who used to sneak into training sessions to watch the boys play.
"I'm going to assume your Theo's girl?" Coach Hale asked in a gruff voice as he looked Naomi up and down, wondering if Theo was just pulling his leg by saying this girl had actual knowledge in football or he had just trained her in multiple phrases so he could get into her pants
"Yes I am, but I do have a name Coach" Naomi smiled sweetly, hoping to kill him with kindness
She had been warned by Theo that coach Hale wasn't to be messed with and he didn't take shit from anyone, so it was going to be hard for him to respect her.
"Naomi" she introduced herself, "Now you can sit back and let me coach my team, which Theo has kindly offered me to take his place on" she instructed him, earning a raised eyebrow
"Hmm we'll see about that missy" Coach mumbled, sitting down on one of the chairs, hands behind his head as he sat back, waiting for the boys to not listen to her
Just as Naomi was about to question what he mumbled under his breath and for him to say it to her face with confidence, Coach blew his whistle for warm ups to be over.
The twenty one boys all ran towards her and coach. Naomi didn't miss the furrowed brows as they noticed her small frame stood before them, wondering who she was and why she was here.
She didn't exactly look like she was joining the team with her wearing a straight black wig, with a white beanie ontop of her head, with one of Theo's jumpers on, along with black leggings and white Air Force ones on.
"Boys...This is your new team captain for the time being. I'm sure many of you may have heard Theo is at home tending to a family matter" Coach breifed the boys, keeping it low-key that he had been suspended for fighting because no one needed anyone connecting the dots
Just as Naomi was about to talk, she heard a wolf whistle, followed by, 'Coach is this your girlfriend?', causing her to roll her eyes.
She searched the crowd for Ollie and Elijah and saw them nod for her to start, showing that they'd support her.
"Alright!" Naomi shouted, "I'm Naomi, and your team captain Theo has personally selected me to be his replacement so if you disrespect me, you're disrespecting him and I'm sure you don't want to be on his bad side" she smiled
"Ohhh I definitely wouldn't mind disrespecting you" one of the players shouted, winking at Naomi
"Your name?" She asked, not taking his shit
"Finn Sinclair" he answered with a smirk
Of fucking course Theo knows his team too well
"How about you go and disrespect that bench over there Sinclair because that's all you'll be doing this session...Oh and I have a man so I don't need ANY of you trying to flirt with me thank you very much"
"Who?" She noticed one of the first years asking
Naomi took a leap of faith and said what she said, "Your team captain, Theo" she smiled, looking down at her anklet "Oh and before you even bother to make assumptions, no he's not doing this to get in my pants, he does that just fine, he just knows that I would be the best captain for all of you whilst he's gone" she told them
In all honesty, she wasn't sure where the hell this surge of confidence just came from, because she hadn't been this blunt with people since first year, before...well before everything.
Changing the subject from her sex life, Naomi continued "Now I'm sure you're all already doubting my knowledge on football, but don't. I know my shit and i know it well. Now I'm going to divide you all into two teams based on your positions and you're going to play a match, first team to five, wins - but it's not about that, I'll be watching every one of you and if I don't think I like something, I will change it, without any complaints, Okay?" She asked
"Okay" was murmured by a few whilst Naomi scanned the group of boys, not failing to notice Elijah and Ollie's raised eyebrows, nodding their head knowing that Naomi was definitely Theo's girl.
Looking over her shoulder, she looked over at coach Hale and didn't miss the small smile on his face, almost as if he was proud that Theo chose her.
"Boys you heard the girl, go on stand in a line for her to put you in your teams" Coach yelled at them, nodding for Naomi to do her thing
As the boys all lined up, including a coaching assistant she didn't even notice was there, to make it an even number. She then called out various names, placing them into two teams, ensuring that they were just as strong as the other and it wasn't unfair. She also wanted to give the third years a few good last training sessions and then gather where the first years were at with their skills and whether they had gelled well with the rest of the team yet within their game play and communication. She also wanted to ensure the substitutes weren't subs only because they were first years, she wanted to make sure the team was the best of the best.
As the boys began to play their game, Naomi couldn't help but notice clear faults in the team already. She didn't know whether it was because she was here or what, but they could definitely win every game they played with ease if they just made a few changes.
"Coach, do you see Taylor over there?" Naomi pointed at the other goal keeper, "yeah?" Coach asked, "Why is he on the subs bench? He's showing good initiative, has a good throw and good jumps" she listed off, watching him as she couldn't help but glance over at Hughes who wasn't even trying at this point and when he did, it was slow almost as if he was in the completely wrong position and merely relied on the team always keeping the ball away from him during their actual games
"Because Jimmy Hughes is..." Coach Hale trailed off, he was just about to say Jimmy was great, but in reality, was he? He had to question himself because from the moment his star goalie, Wright left the year before last because she graduated, they needed a replacement and quickly. Not many boys were offering to take the position as goal keeper because they wanted to actually run around the pitch instead so he ended up choosing Jimmy out of those who did offer and then it had always been Jimmy ever since.
"Look, if you want to change something then do it" Coach told her, realising that Theo was right in her pointing out things he had never even bothered to notice because Zack Taylor was a first year he didn't really give a second thought about.
Naomi nodded noting what she wanted down, as she continued to watch the game.
The game had been going on for forty minutes and Naomi felt like she had seen enough. "Coach can you blow the whistle, and call the boys back here please?" She asked
"Sure" he said as he blew his whistle, waving for the boys to know that they were done with the match, even though the score was 3-1
"Okay, so I'm going to be changing a few things" Naomi stated as the boys waited for her to continue, "Stone, Parker, Crawford, Gibbs, Young, Douglas, Bell, Miller, Edwards, Quinn and Taylor, I want you all to stay on the pitch, but grab some water or a snack if you want, first. Once you're done, you already know your roles so just stand in them and I'll tell you what to do after and for the rest of you I want you on the bench, watching until I tell you to get on the pitch please" she instructed, not missing a few surprised faces in the fact that she had switched out a few older players for newer ones and put a few third years back in, just because she knew that deep down they could manage football and their exams if they focused
Thankfully with no verbally spoken complaints, Naomi got the new team of eleven to play together, already seeing exactly how well they gelled despite it being their first time playing together as that team. Although, she did see some faults in Crawford and Quinn, but she was told by coach that it was probably because he missed Theo and Quinn was stuck up and actually pissed everyone on the team off.
Once training was finished, Naomi noted down the new team and the new substitutes, earning a "Good job, I'll see you at the next training session" from coach, which was a massive achievement for anyone.