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Noah walks up to Valerie, he looks like he's about to explode, and if looks could kill I would die on the spot, because he looks at me like he wants to tear me apart bit for bit.
Honestly the look he gives me scares the shit out of me. It's like he's mood can change the weather, because suddenly the clouds turn gray and the sun is gone.
"Get her down there and fix it!" He doesn't even bother shushing his voice as he almost shuts at Rie. Of course Rie doesn't take it and whisper shouts "how the hell is this mine and Katrine's problem" back at him.
"Please Valerie, this game is super important" he begs.
I hear the sign all the way from where she is standing to where I'm sitting.
Val strides over to me and I can already feel that I won't like to hear what she's about to say.
"Katrine remember how Lee did you a favour the other day?" She starts but I cut her off "you mean how he did YOU a favour" she sighs again. "Yeah how he did me a favour, I need you to do me a favour in exchange I'll do whatever you want." I think about it already knowing the answer.
"Okay I'll do it" Valerie looks ecstatic "come with me and hurry up, halftime is almost over"
We walk down the bleachers and onto the field, and that's when I start to realise what this is about, but still not why I'm here. Mateo has been playing like absolute garbage the whole game, and that's when it click.
"Val it's not what I think it is, is it?" I stop in my tracks, she rolls her eyes at me "you're so dramatic, god. But yes it's exactly what you think it is"
"I refuse" I state, much to my annoyance she brings up that I already said yes and drags me down to where Mateo stands.
"Katrine, do whatever it takes to get him to play better. I don't care what you have to do or say, just do it" she whispers in my ear before leaving me stranded in front of Mateo.
"Hey" I say and he looks up, his brows are raised in surprise "hi" he responds, "what are you doing down here?" He asks.
"Honestly I'm not sure, but apparently Noah thinks I can help you play better so I was dragged down here" he laughs a strained laugh, "of course you didn't come on your own accord" his smile stays although I doubt he's happy.
He moves and makes space for me to sit down.
"Mateo, you need to play in what, 7 minutes? What in the world is wrong?" I ask genuinely.
"You" he says like that would make any sense to anyone but him.
"Me?" I really have no idea how I'm supposed to make him play better if I'm what's wrong "do you want me to leave the game?" I wouldn't mind leaving but it's kinda cruel to say I'm the reason he's playing bad and then make me leave.
"Yeah you, that fact you're here but you aren't cheering for me, and no I don't want you to leave" he looks defeated, like he doesn't even want to go play anymore.
"Oh" I say, then sigh because what I'm about to do goes against everything I believe in "what would motivate you to play better? What can I do that would help the situation?"
His eye brows are raised again " you? Wanna help me?" His voice is filled with scepticism "look, I understand this is an important game, you're down by 5 goals and you have about 45 minutes to make those points up. If y'all don't win then Noah would actually kill me. Tell me what I have to do to make you play better"
"I would never let that happen" he mutter under his breath.
"What was that?" I ask not sure I quite understand it "nothing" he says "give me a kiss on the cheek, and write my number on your own" 'what the' he's not looking at me while I hesitate to answer his request.
"And that's all? That's what will make you play?" I'm sceptical because that's not at all what I expected.
"Yes, and I want you to come to my next game wearing my jersey" he quickly adds.
"I can do that I guess, but don't get any ideas, I'm doing this so Noah doesn't kill me, not because I want to" his smile is so unbelievably wide, and I can see just how much this means to him. It's like he had this all planned out because like clockwork William comes and hands Mateo the face paint and he writes #29 on my face in green and white.
I'm about to leave hoping he has forgotten about the kiss, but as always I'm not in luck because he clears his throat and says "so, where's my kiss princess" I hate him for keep using that nickname and he's gonna pay for it right after the game.
"You're gonna pay for using that nickname Lee, but right now you need to go play" I kiss him on the cheek hoping my lipgloss isn't smearing onto his cheek and then I walk away, on my way back I hear Mateo and I turn my head to look at him "thanks Katrine, see you after the game" and with a wink he's on the field.
⍣
We ended up winning the game, Mateo scored 2 goals and helped score the remaining 4 goals to win.
I haven't left yet as my promise to make Mateo pay for the nickname hasn't been for filled, I'm in the parking lot and to my surprise I don't see him.
Noah and William are going towards me, and I consider why they would come up to me, I helped them so it's unlikely that they want to kill me.
"Katrine!" They yell in unison, they laugh and William says "jinx" and then he laughs even more when Noah gives him a look that says "really?"
"I'm off the hook, right?" I only look at Noah saying this.
William gives him a look and then says "off the hook from what Noah?" Noah doesn't bother responding and just rolls his eyes. "Noah what did you say to her" and then in a hushed tone says something I don't catch.
"Katrine, what you did was questionable, but you did make him play better. Good job" I'm sure the confusion is written all over my face as I say "questionable? That was all you and Valerie. You forced me to go and she told me to do whatever it took to make him play. If you think what I did was questionable then you should question why you made me do it" he just stands there and takes it.
"Hey Katrine, think you could help me play better too?" William laughs at his own reference like it's the funniest thing in the world.
"We all know I was forced" I say "whoa someone has got an attitude" Mateo says on his way to where we're standing.
"Hey princess" Mateo says when he reaches us and throws an arm over my shoulders with a smile so wide that I question if he truly believes I did it for him.
"I told you not to call me that" I get angry and do something I shouldn't with an audience as it can get me kicked out of the club.
"Owww" Mateo is on the ground curling up in a ball while his hand connects with his rib cage.
Noah and William both look at us in shock, then turn to each other still having the same expression then they back up with their hands in the air.
"Well it was good to see you Katrine, but um I think we have to go now" and then they run away.
"Call me that again and it'll be much worse. Got it?" I'm fuming. I've repeatedly told him not to call me that but time and time again he calls me it.
Memories I hoped not to see again pops up in my mind and I start tearing up. On my way to my car I bump into someone I didn't expect to ever see at a place like this, in front of me is Liam.
"What's wrong Katrine? What happened?" His voice is gentle and soothing.
I can't stop the tears from spilling and he hugs me so tightly as to say that everything is going to be okay, I don't say anything and we stay like that for a few minutes before I've calmed down.
⍣
His pov.
That same day.
I gotta put on a show
6 words I regretted as soon as I got out on the field.
My mind isn't in the game. Halftime rolls around and I have about 30 minutes to get my head in it.
Noah walks up to me and I know I'm gonna get a scolding.
"Where the fuck is your mind at? Do you even think about what this looks like to the other teams? We look fucking weak" I sit with my head in my hands, I can't believe what is happening. Katrine is here? Wasn't that the whole reason I was playing bad in the first place?
"I'm sorry Noah, my head is somewhere else" he gives up on me and starts yelling at William "what the actual fuck is wrong with him. I know you know, he tells you everything" William stands there frozen in place presumably questioning if he should tell on me or get beaten up.
He chooses the first option, I don't think William has betrayed me by telling on me, because Noah just wants what's best for the team and he cares, I know he does.
Before I can say or do anything, Noah is gone. And I know whatever he is about to do is a bad an idea yet I don't stop him.
About 10 minutes later I hear Valerie, someone is with her but I can't make out their voice. She comes into view and says "you better not screw this up" and then leaves as quickly as she came.
"Hey" the surprise hits me like nothing else ever has "hi" my eyebrows are raised "what are you doing down here?" I ask even though I could probably guess myself to an answer.
"Honestly I'm not sure, but apparently Noah thinks I can help you play better so I was dragged down here" I laugh I can't believe he dragged her down here"of course you didn't come on your own accord" my smile doesn't fall, because I live that he convinced her to come down here even though this was probably not what she had in mind when she showed up here.
I move and make space for her to sit down.
"Mateo, you need to play in what, 7 minutes? What in the world is wrong?"she asks.
"You" I say, I can't get any other words out.
"Me?" she looks at me like she can't believe what she's hearing "do you want me to leave the game?" I never want her to leave, especially since it's a miracle that she's even here in the first place.
"Yeah you, that fact you're here but you aren't cheering for me, and no I don't want you to leave" I don't even want to play anymore, I screwed the first half up so bad.
"Oh" she says and then she asks something I never thought I would hear "what would motivate you to play better? What can I do that would help the situation?"
My eyebrows shot up" you? Wanna help me?" The scepticism is more than noticeable "look, I understand this is an important game, you're down by 5 goals and you have about 45 minutes to make those points up. If y'all don't win then Noah would actually kill me. Tell me what I have to do to make you play better"
"I would never let that happen" he would never even dare try, he doesn't have the killer instinct, but even if he did he would have to go through me.
I hoped she didn't hear me but she ask"what was that?" Killing my hope "nothing" I say "give me a kiss on the cheek, and write my number on your own" I don't look at her because I know it's a bit far fetched.
"And that's all? That's what will make you play?" When those words come out her mouth I stare up at her. She would really do that for me? What else could I get into this deal?
"Yes, and I want you to come to my next game wearing my jersey" I add quickly.
"I can do that I guess, but don't get any ideas, I'm doing this so Noah doesn't kill me, not because I want to" I don't even care who she is doing it for because this might just be the best day of my life. I think William heard us because he comes up to me with the face paint and places it in my hand and I start drawing.
She's about to leave almost forgetting the last part about the deal so u clear my throat and say "so, where's my kiss princess" she truly looks like a princess so I can't help myself but call her that.
"You're gonna pay for using that nickname Lee, but right now you need to go play" she kisses me on the cheek and I can feel the lipgloss on her soft lips smearing onto my cheek and then she walks away, and on her way back I say "thanks Katrine, see you after the game" her head is turned to me so I wink and then I'm on the field.
After the game I feel like a new person, we won 5-6, which is an amazing comeback for the 0-5 after the first half.
Coach comes up to me immediately after the game and says "Lee I don't know what the hell you did during halftime but whatever it was you need to be during that before every game. I don't care if you beat someone up or what it was, just do it" and with that he walks away again not even letting me get in a word. I know Katrine will hate this so I need to figure out something else.
I'm about to get in my car when I see Noah and William standing around Katrine.
We all know I was forced" I hear her say as I approach "whoa someone has got an attitude" I say.
"Hey princess" I say as I reach them and throw an arm over Katrine's shoulders with a smile.
"I told you not to call me that" she gets angry and does something I didn't know her capable of.
"Owww" I'm on the ground curling up in a ball while my hand connects with my rib cage.
Noah and William both look at us in shock, then turn to each other still having the same expression then they back up with their hands in the air.
"Well it was good to see you Katrine, but um I think we have to go now" and then they run away.
"Call me that again and it'll be much worse. Got it?" She's fuming but I hear the break in her voice and I immediately feel like the biggest jerk to ever walk this earth. It was never my intention to make her cry.
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A/N
Hi loves.
This chapter feels longer than usual to me, but I kinda like it. If you want the chapters to be longer let me know.
I hope you liked it.
I'm back sooner than I anticipated but that's fine ig.
Only love.
SHM<3