I didn't say a word after the game. I was also wondering where to give Mason his jersey back. Since the Chelsea team was staying at the same hotel as Sophia and me, I assumed that I should give it later.
Most of the stadium was cheering, those surrounding me stood there in silence. The two boys (the idiots) behind me were complaining.
"That's why Mount shouldn't go on!" one of them yelled.
I slid my arms into my jacket and put it on. My back was officially covered.
I heard one of the boys whisper, "She's embarrassed."
I really thought that wearing my jacket to cover up the back of the kit would help prevent them from saying mean shit, but no.
"Let's go now," Sophia said, tapping my shoulder.
I nodded my head, agreeing. "Yeah," I mumbled.
We started to exit out of the stadium, through the crowd of people, through all the noise. Some fans were raging because of this loss. I'm just hoping Chelsea makes a comeback, I already heard so much this team has been through.
Once we got to the parking lot to our rental car, we drove back to the hotel. The first few minutes of the drive was silent, Sophia and I didn't say a word.
"Did you hear what those two kids kept saying behind me?" I asked her.
She turns the steering wheel. "No, what did they say?"
"They said some shit about Mason Mount since I was wearing his kit," I explained clearly. "They were like saying, 'He's so rubbish! Get out of my club! He deserved to be suspended from the second leg!' and stuff like that."
She let out a deep sigh. "If they were saying that about my favorite player I would throw a punch."
"But he isn't my fav player though, he literally just gave me his jersey."
She shook her head. "I mean, also if I'm wearing the player's kit I would throw hands if they talked shit."
"I don't know anymore, I just feel so bad for him. Does he know about this? I can't imagine the crap he's been dealing with for the past season."
"Just ask him," she suggested. "Ask him when you give back his kit."
"When?" I asked.
"When you can, maybe when you actually have the balls to," she teased with a smile widening on her face.
"We're going back to London tomorrow so I guess it would have to be later tonight."
She nodded, "Good idea."
So then later that night when we got back to the hotel, Sophia had texted Kai to find out where Mason's room was. They were both in the same room.
While she texted him, I changed my clothes into a random t-shirt, also with sweatpants.
____
KAI
SOPH
Hey, are you guys at the hotel
yet by any chance???
KAI
Yeah, why?
SOPH
im js wondering where ur hotel
room is, nora needs to give
something back to mase
KAI
216, just knock on the door
and we'll let whoever is going
in.
SOPH
thanks ily💗
_____
"It's room 216," she informed me. "So it's on the second floor. Just take the elevator."
I sighed, "I never said I wasn't going to take the elevator, but okay girl."
I left our hotel room and grabbed the jersey. I headed into to the elevator and clicked the button which read "2."
As it lifted me down 1 floor, I walked down the hallway searching for the number "216" on one of the hotel room doors.
When I finally saw it, I knocked on the door. I stood there for a few seconds and then someone opened it. It was Kai.
"Hey," he greeted and then turned to call over Mason who was sitting on a bed. "Mase! Nora's here!"
I saw Mason speed-walking up to the door. "Hey," he said, slipping the jersey out of my hands. "Thank you."
"Oh, no problem," I said. "But thank you for lending me it for one game."
He chuckled, "I hope to see you watching another game with Soph."
Kai sighed, "I'll let you two talk, I'm gonna go take a shit." He walked over to the bathroom and closed the door.
I bursted out an ugly laughter, "Too much info mate!"
Mason was also laughing too, but his laugh wasn't ugly like mine. "I didn't think he would say that out loud."
I shook my head in shock, still laughing. "Neither did I."
We both stayed silent awkwardly for a few seconds.
To break the silence, I asked, "How do you handle all the hate?"
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah," I said, "there were these kids talking about how a shit player you were right behind me."
"Oh," he mumbled to himself in a sad tone. "I... I don't know what to say to that like actually."
"Did you know about it?"
He nodded his head. "Of course, I receive hate comments especially on Instagram everyday. I just ignore it, even though it makes me feel like I'm not good enough."
"Oh, you don't deserve all of that hate," I comforted. "I can't imagine all the shit you've been through. If you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you because I actually feel so bad."
"Thanks, I know we just met yesterday, but you seem like one of the most trustworthy people I've ever met," he admitted with a smile widening on his face. "It's sad to know we're probably never going to see each other again."
"Oh," I murmured. "We could always like hang out or something, I don't know. I mean, I can try to attend the Chelsea games with Soph."
He nodded his head. "I'd love that idea."
I smiled, then said, "Well, I guess I have to go back to my hotel room now. Nice talk mate."
He waved goodbye and got ready to close the door. "Bye Nora, I hope to see you again soon."
I waved back and then started walking to the elevator to get back up to my floor.
As the elevator lifted me up, I thought about if I was actually going to attend more of the Chelsea games. I should, but it would feel wrong since I didn't have the best opinion about them for a long time. Man City is my home, but I guess supporting other teams is fine.
I really missed living in Manchester, that was where I was born. I grew up loving Man City, I always thought they were the best ones there. I moved to London when I was 15 because my dad received a better job opportunity. Now I'm 23, living on my own in my own modern apartment. My parents are still living in our old house in London, but it's spacious since it's only the two of them.
Anyways, I went back to the hotel room. Once I entered, I saw Sophia on her phone on the bed, then looked up at me once she heard me walk in.
"How did it go?" she asked, turning off her phone.
I approached her and sat on the bed. "It was fine."
"That's good," she said, nodding her head. "You took longer than I thought you would."
I chuckled, "Well, we had a conversation... that's all."
She raised one of her eyebrows in confusion. "About what exactly?"
"Football," I said, but it wasn't entirely about football. I mean, I guess most of it was.
"Oh, like what? A goat debate?"
I laughed, "That would've caused chaos, Messi on top though."
She stood up from the bed all of the sudden. "Well, I'm gonna get ready to go to sleep."
"Okay," I said, also getting up.
After all that, we both brushed our teeth and washed our faces. Then, we fell asleep on our hotel beds. A part of me wanted to stay awake. The TV was on, which distracted me from wanting to sleep. My mind forgot all of that without realizing it, so then I fell asleep soundly.