I think the last week was the most exhausting one in my whole life. Jude showed me about whole Birmingham and I now know almost every tree and house by heart.
Nevertheless I enjoyed spending so much time with him and watch him talking enthusiastically about his life back then.
Today is finally Christmas Eve. It's the first time in 5 years that I'm spending Christmas with someone again.
The last years I sat alone in a hotel room eating dinner I just ordered from the room service. I watched all these Christmas films that actually run only for the people who are alone anyway. After the third time watching them they somehow get boring.
"Can I help you?", I ask Mark when I go into the kitchen. He's already preparing dinner. Denise wanted to eat traditional so we eat turkey and potatoes.
"You can set the table if you don't mind", he says smiling.
"Of course not", I answer and go to get the plates.
Jobe and Jude went out to play football and Denise is cleaning the whole house. I asked multiple times if I could help her, but she won't let me do anything.
"Leya my dear. Could you go and get Jude and Jobe? They need to help me with something important", says Denise when she walks to us in the kitchen.
"Sure. I'm just finishing the table", I say and put the last few flowers on it.
I then take on my jacket and my shoes to go outside.
It's so cold today. Maybe it starts snowing later.
I go to the football pitch Jude showed me three times. I can't see anything because it's already getting dark but I can hear loud voices.
In front of the pitch are standing about 50 boys at the age of 20 or so.
"What is going on there?" I ask someone who stands in my way.
I try to look through all of them but I can't see anything there are too many.
"Nothing you should care about", he says and looks at me a bit angry probably because I just interrupted him in whatever he's watching right now.
"It's important. What is happening there?", I ask again.
"6 of our friends are playing football against two famous footballers", he says not looking at me.
"Which famous footballers?", I ask again although I already now the answer.
"Jude and Jobe Bellingham", he says again.
"Oh lord", I say and take a deep breath.
"Excuse me can I get through, please?", I ask about 20 men's who are standing still in my way.
As soon as I reach the fence and have a free sight I see Jude and Jobe really playing against some random dudes.
"Sorry but I can't let you go through here", a man says and stands defending in front of the entrance of the field.
"Why not?", I ask him.
"There is a game and there are famous footballer on the pitch. I'm here for there safety"
"Okay. Cool that you take your job so seriously but I know them and I'm here on behalf of their mother so please let me go through it's really important", I say almost begging.
"No", he says.
"You fucking asshole let me go now", I say again.
"Nope" I see. He won't let me go.
So I just turn around pretending to go away but when his look rests on the pitch again I turn around again and run.
As soon as I am past him he notices and runs after me.
I run to the door from the pitch, open it as fast as possible and run onto the field.
Meanwhile, everyone, except Jude and Jobe, has noticed me.
"Jude", I shout across the field. Jobe and Jude both turn around at the same time and look at me in confusion.
But when they realize that I'm beeing hunted by a strange man behind me, they both start to laugh.
After I reach them I quickly stand behind Jude.
"What's going on here?", Jude asks the man.
"She just ran on here" he says and points at me.
"Chill man. They're almost married. Don't worry about her", Jobe suddenly says and gives him a little hit on the shoulder.
The creepy stranger looks at me once again with his dead gaze and then finally leaves.
I rest my forehead on Jude's back to get my breathing under control again.
"What are you doing here?", he then asks and turns around to me.
I wait for another few seconds and then finally answer.
"Your mom send me. She said that you two have to help her with something important and I'm here to get you", I say and look at them.
"Okay. Let's finish the game and then go home", Jude says to Jobe and he just nods.
"How long are you still playing? Denise is waiting for us to come back", I complain.
"Only ten minutes left", Jude answers.
"Okay. Do you at least win?", I ask again looking at the other people on the pitch.
"What do you think? We two don't lose", Jude says and puts an arm around Jobe.
I roll my eyes, laugh and go outside again.
The rest of the game goes exactly the way everyone was probably expecting anyway.
"How did you even get the idea to play against them?", I ask them when we walk back home.
"They said we're completely overrated and actually bad in playing football that's why", Jude answers.
"And you believe them when they say you are playing bad?", I ask again. I hope they don't.
"Of course not but we wanted to show them anyway", he says and I roll my eyes again.
"We are home", Jobe shouts as soon as we get in the house.
"Finally", Denise says coming in the hallway to greet us.
"It's almost time for dinner now", she says again.
"Jude and Jobe get ready immediately and come downstairs again. We need to take Christmas pictures for the cards so we can send them to all the relatives", she says excitedly and smiling.
The both of them just roll there eyes but then do as she says. I'm going upstairs too because I also have to get ready.
"Judeeee I don't know what to wear", I say coming in his room holding two dresses in my hand.
"Show me", he says and I hand him the dresses over.
"Wear that one", he says and points at one short, black dress with glitter all over it.
"Why that one?", I ask. I completely agree with his decision but I wanna know why this dress.
"The dress goes well with my suit. We look better together like this", he says smiling at me.
"We'll see us later then", I say hopping out of his room.
"How many more photos do we have to take?", I hear Jude complaining.
"Until they look good", she answers and I have to laugh a little.
I go into the living room to look how they're doing.
"You look so weird", I laugh when I sit down on the couch.
"No only Jude looks funny I look good", Jobe says and looks at him.
"Jude? You still alive?", Jobe asks him again but he doesn't answer but is just staring at me.
Jobe follows his gaze in my direction.
"Oh god. He's so in love. I wonder how he hasn't proposed to you yet", Jobe says grinning.
There is this awkward moment again.
"Jobe shut up", Jude finally says and looks seriously at him.
"I am already looking forward to Jobe bringing his first girlfriend", Denise says and now it's Jobe who is a bit embarrassed.
"Okay. Leya I want you to take some pictures with my son", I nod and stand up.
"No no. It looks like you're some old couple. If I got this card I'd throw it away", Jobe says.
"We take a short brake", Denise says and I turn around to face Jude.
"That's so awkward", I say and smile a bit.
"It is", he says and looks into my eyes.
"You look beautiful", he says and his expression becomes more serious.
"Thank you" I have to smile. I hate compliments. I never know how to react to them.
"Please don't kiss now", Jobe says and we are pulled out of our conversation.
"You little wanker. Can you shut up for one time?", Jude asks and throws a pillow in his direction.
We three have to laugh a bit.
"Jude please don't use such words", Denise says and rolls her eyes.
"But we are done. I have all pictures", she says happy.