Chapter 50 Extra T
Brandon
Offside; The Number #1 Source for all things for College Soccer
Bouncing back from injury and viral humiliation, few could have foreseen that Brandon Carter would round out his Wolves career with the captain’s armband, but, following an off-season vote by his teammates, that’s exactly what he did.
Despite a rocky start, any concerns that his horror injury or newfound status as an LGBT trailblazer might impact his game proved unfounded; Carter posted a career best 21 goals, 19 assists, with a 98% tackle win rate and a complete clean sheet.
Impressive performance aside, Carter won plaudits for deploying an effective charm-and-disarm strategy in his post-match interviews, effectively neutralising an often-hostile media. His approach generated plenty of viral moments, and alongside his on-pitch play, is widely credited with bringing renewed attention to the often-dismissed college soccer leagues.
With MLS teams clamouring to sign him for his full first professional season, Carter continues to keep the soccer world guessing as to his next move.
Spectrum Men of the Year: 30 Under 30.
Brandon Carter is a name that’s been synonymous with success since he was old enough to kick a soccer ball, but it’s in the last 12 months that he’s really cemented his place in history.
The first college soccer player to come out before turning pro, Carter has put in a masterclass season, silencing naysayers with a combination of on the pitch skill and sharp AF putdowns, whilst dedicating his off-season time to mentoring LGBT youth groups up and down the country. He remains silent on any potential boyfriend, although Insta sleuths have frequently spotted him in the company of Parker Di Rossi, who is becoming something of a player in his own right behind the scenes at Summit 434, his family’s elite training facility.
When quizzed about a potential boyfriend, Carter declined to comment, but sources close to him confirmed that Carter’s silence comes from a desire to ‘protect that which is most important to him’, rather than of any shame at having a public relationship. What can we say? We stan a pretty boy with morals.
At least four major league teams are clamouring for Carter’s signature, but they’ll have to wait a bit longer. Carter is jetting to Italy to attend the wedding of fellowhunky graduate and MLS signing Freddie Dyer, where he’ll be acting as Best Man in what many in Italian high society are calling the wedding of the year.
There might not be a blueprint for how an openly gay athlete should navigate through the first years of their professional career, but there are expectations. Carter’s refusal to capitulate, once confounding, is now admirable. That’s why he’s on this list. And why we expect to see him on it for many years to come.
****
Okay, so I might not have been super on-board with the idea of Freddie and Sabrina getting married straight after graduation , but even I have to admit, their wedding day is Final Boss level romance.
His parents have flown us out to their villa in Italy, which is so close to Lake Como that they had to hire security to keep out tourists who keep wandering in by accident. Every detail, from the personalised seat cushions at the 200+ person breakfast, to the floating rose petals that spell out the bride and groom’s initials, has been pulled off perfectly.
Not to mention, my Best Man game?
A+, if I do say so myself.
I swear, I worked harder on my speech than I did on my finals.
My dad helped me a lot. He showed me how to craft a story and work in some PG13 anecdotes about Freddie and Sabrina that got a few laughs without horrifying too many of their older relatives. Now that he’s free from Washington he’s setting up his own think-tank, working with organisations on things he really cares about.
Plus, he’s been to watch my games. All of them. Which is pretty cool too.
I sigh happily, looking around. The sun is setting. The cake has been cut, speeches have been made, and most of the guests are dancing the night away to the sound of a steel band.
The only thing that’s missing is Parker.
He’s hard at work rolling out the next phase of his initiative with Summit. His mentorship program, where professional athletes volunteer 10 hours a month to work with disadvantaged kids, is already a massive success. Now he’s onto Phase 2, which is an apprenticeship program for foster care kids to learn practical, on-the-job training to give them the best start once they age out of the system.
He’s already piloted it with Jack, who’s working at Summit and has basically become a surrogate younger brother to us, alongside his whole foster family. Parker even called my dad for advice on how to roll his scheme out state-wide.
It’s early days, but I’m so freaking proud of him. So are Simon and Zara, who are back together. They hosted a big fundraiser last week that raised a ton of money to help get the new project moving. He’s living in a rented house with Will and Archie, and I’m there most weekends. It’s been more than I ever dared dream of.
Still, I wish he was here.
I’d kind of been hoping for my first slow dance.
I reach inside my blazer and pull out my Best Man checklist. The only thing left is to decorate their going away car, but for now I'm happy to lose myself to the sounds of chatter and laughter.
“Uh, excuse me?” I turn to find Louis, one of Freddie’s many nephews. “You’re Brandon Carter, aren’t you?”
“Guilty”, I smile. “Nice to meet you, Louis".
His cheeks are flushed. “I was wondering, could I get a selfie? Me and my friends”, he gestures to the dancefloor where a group of thirteen-year-olds stand gawping, “Have got bets on where you’re gonna sign. I think it’s gonna be with Mercury, but Max thinks you’ll get picked up by the Premier League”.
This is a big part of what I’d hoped soccer would be like, and what I was worried being openly gay might deny me. But, so far, so good. All people wanna talk about is where I’m gonna sign. But the truth is, I haven’t decided yet. It’s a decision I want to make with Parker. When I finish posing for selfies, I hear a familiar voice.
“Corrupting young minds again, Carter?” Freddie tosses an arm around my shoulders. Sabrina is just behind, looking stunning in a simple silk white gown. “Come and have a drink. You’ve been non-stop all day”.
“All in a day’s work for the Best Fan”. I straighten his tie, “See what I did there?”
“Who knew my boy was such a wordsmith?” Freddie hands me a champagne flute. “Your speech was beautiful. You have a terrifyingly good memory for someone who can match me drink for drink. Thanks for not embarrassing me too much. And, for the other stuff you said”.
“You’re welcome”, I scuff my shoe awkwardly. Normally I enjoy positive reinforcement, or, let’s be honest, any kind of praise at all, but there’s something about it from Freddie that means so much more. “I meant it. And I haven’t forgotten what you said to me after my accident. You changed my life”.
From the hug he gives me, I guess he hasn’t forgotten either. “You deserve it, Carter”, he whispers in my ear. He breaks off as Sabrina leans forward and kisses my cheek, then gives her new husband a light nudge in the ribs. “Honey, wasn’t there something you needed Brandon to do?”
“What?” Freddie stares at her blankly for a moment, then jumps like he’s been electrocuted. “Oh shit. Yes! Sorry. I did. Brandon!” He turns to me brightly, like we haven’t just been talking to each other. “Could you do me a favour?”
What in the See You At The Altar is going on here?
He thrusts his phone at me, “Could you check that my great-uncle made it back to the hotel safely please?”
“Sure. What’s his name?”
There’s a long pause before Freddie replies, “Freddie”.
I swear I see Sabrina roll her eyes.
“I’ve literally never once heard you mention a Great Uncle Freddie”.
“We’ve been estranged. He cut me out of his will, actually”. Freddie loosens his tie. “But we’ve made up now. And I’d be very grateful if you could check in on him”. Sabrina starts to pull him towards the dancefloor. “Thanks, Bran!”
I take an empty seat at a table overlooking the dancefloor, and scroll through Freddie’s contact list. Suddenly, his phone starts to ring. “Hello?”
“Could I speak to the Best Man please?”Parker’s voice makes my heart leap out of my chest.
“Di Rossi”. My whole body relaxes, knowing he’s just a phone line away. “What have you done with Great Uncle Freddie?”
“That’s between him and I”. His familiar teasing tone is music to my ears. “I wouldn’t normally resort to such shenanigans, except my boyfriend forgot his international plug adaptor and his phone has been uncharged for the last 24 hours. How’s the wedding?”
“Very wedding-y”, I shiver slightly. It’s cool, even for late summer. I’m regretting not grabbing my suit jacket. “Nobody objected during the vows section”.
“I told you they wouldn’t”.
“I still maintain literally asking people to object is an unnecessary risk”, I share a smile with Sabrina’s grandmother. She hasn’t touched her slice of wedding cake. My mouth waters just looking at it. “I’m heading back to the hotel soon. All the important bits are pretty much ticked off now”.
“By which you mean you’ve already smashed through your slice of wedding cake?”
In about three seconds flat. Caramel frosting and the softest sponge in the world. “How did you know?”
“You’re forgetting I know you better than anyone, Carter”, he says teasingly. “I’d be willing to bet money on the fact that you’ve spent the day running around after everyone else”.
I need to get out of these shoes. My feet are killing me. “You’d win that bet”.
“Delivering a humorous yet moving speech…”
“I was robbed of being Valedictorian. Robbed ”.
“And now you’re hanging out by yourself. The main character in your own movie. Debating whether you’d get away with swiping a slice of cake from the vulnerable elderly relative sitting next to you”.
“I wasn’t!” I say indignantly, although that’s absolutely what I was about to do. “If I had a date here, I’d like to think he’d have secured me a second slice already. Lovers make those kinds of sacrifices for each other”.
“Sighing wistfully as the steel band plays one of your favourite songs…”
“The band are on a break, actually. They’re not due to start up again until nine”, I break off, as the band begins to play. I recognise the chords immediately. That’s a coincidence.
“You mean to tell me the hottest guy there doesn’t have a date?”
“I’m flying solo”.
“Good. I’d hate to think a date would stand by and let you shiver without a jacket”.
“It’s not that bad… wait”, I glance around. “How did you know what I was wearing?”
“Or not wearing, as the case may be”.
He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. Could he? “Are you...Parker, are you here?” Excitement rises in my chest.
“That would be very See You at the Altar of me, wouldn’t it?” Parker says, conversationally, “Best friend comes swooping in to save the day at the last minute for a boogie through life. Terrible movie, by the way. I watched it on the plane”.
“The plane where?” I stand up.
“Here”, he says, but suddenly he’s not on the other end of the phone. He’s standing in-front of me.
He’s in a classic black tuxedo, crisp white shirt and loose black bow tie. He’s still holding the phone to his ear. His strong voice carries a playful undertone that reaches straight into my soul.
I’m hit with a wave of emotions, but the loudest is one I’ve become real familiar with over the last year.
I’m really, truly, happy.
“What are you doing here?”I can’t control the smile spreading across my face.
Parker begins to stride towards me, “You once told me that you loved that god-awful film because there was something amazing about dancing through your life with your best friend, even if you couldn’t have him in the way you wanted to”.
“I can’t believe you remembered that”. He’s in-front of me now. Handsome as hell. He smoothly slides around me.
“I remember everything, Brandon”, he murmurs in my ear. “I’m here to show you what it’s like if you can have him the way you want to. The way I want you”.
I can’t speak. But I don’t need to. He knows exactly how I feel.
“Dancing with your best friend sounds like a great way to spend an evening”, Parker continues, holding out his hand. “But dancing with the love of your goddamn life? That sounds pretty fucking perfect to me. Shall we?”
I take his hand, and he leads us to the dancefloor. The band is playing our song.
I’m overcome with a feeling that I’ve never had before.
That in this moment, for the first time in my life, I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Dancing with Parker, with him telling me that he loves me, and me saying it right back.
Because it is.
The End