Chapter 19
NINETEEN
NOAH
They were in the locker room at Everton’s Goodison Park ground. Tito paced the room, which didn’t help with Noah’s nerves.
He understood Tito’s worry. Being an ex-Liverpool player, he’d been at the mercy of Everton’s fans before. As the two major clubs of the iconic city, the rivalry was very real.
“They might go easy on you now,” Colin said.
Tito shrugged and slumped down on the bench. “I’ve scored too many times here for that.”
Adam squeezed his shoulder. “You’ll have to do it again then, won’t you?”
If they won this match, they were in the quarter finals for the FA Cup. The tension in the room was palpable.
Noah had to be focused entirely on the ninety minutes ahead of them. However, his mind kept straying to Carmine. He still hadn’t heard from him. What he’d thought might be a lover’s tiff was now looking very much like the end of the road.
Edi sat next to him.
“Are you okay?”
Noah nodded.
“Carmine still?”
“I’ve still not heard anything,” Noah replied. “Everything is fucked.”
“Not necessarily. Have you tried calling him?”
Noah shook his head.
“Then perhaps now is the time?”
Edi had a point. Noah should prove to Carmine that he was the bigger man. Then perhaps he would stop banging on about how childish he was.
“Before the match?”
“If it makes you concentrate, then definitely.”
“I do need to tell him something.”
Edi raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
“I’ve decided I’m definitely going to dip into Malcolm’s trust to pay for the league,” Noah announced.
“I thought you were against that.”
This was the moment. Noah had wrestled with what to do all night. In the early hours, the solution had presented itself to him. No matter how distasteful.
“As soon as the house is built, I’ll sell it,” Noah announced. “Then I don’t need to disturb Malcolm’s nest egg for too long.”
“What did you say?” Tito asked.
Typical of him to be earwigging.
“You clearly heard.”
“That’s absolutely ridiculous,” Tito said. “You’ve been so excited about having your own place. Have you missed the part where we’re earning ridiculous amounts of cash for the next ten years?”
Everything came so easily for Tito. He and Jonas had taken pay cuts to move to Brockton. Tito still lived as though he were at the top. Designer clothes, cars, holidays. It was all disposable to him.
“Then I’ll buy another house once I’m done,” Noah fired back. “I knew it was too soon.”
He got up. He wanted to get out of the locker room. Some of the other lads were watching them intently. Noah didn’t care to hear their opinions on his life choices on top of Tito’s.
Instead he walked through to the treatment room. It was empty. Since Colin had gotten together with the club physio, Meg, they were often found sneaking off for a bit of alone time. Everyone was used to entering the area gingerly. Whether at home or away.
He connected the call. To his amazement Carmine answered almost immediately.
“Noah?”
“Carmine. I haven’t got long, so listen. I’m going to sort everything out. I’m sorry we argued.”
This was met by silence.
“Carmine?”
“Noah. I can’t talk right now. My father is in the intensive care ward. He’s had a massive heart attack.”
The words Noah had deemed to be so important mere seconds ago vanished into nothingness.
“I’m so sorry. Is there—”
“I have to go. I’ll call you.”
“Bye.”
He hated that he’d ended the conversation like that. What he really wanted to say was that he loved Carmine and would be here for him. But would he? Did Carmine even want that?
His reflections were disturbed by Edi peering round the door.
“The boss is here.”
The next twenty minutes passed in a blur. After Javier’s pep talk they went out into the tunnel. Players stared straight ahead as they stood shoulder to shoulder with their rivals. This was the time to block out all other noises. Nothing mattered except that ball.
Noah squeezed his eyes shut. He would have to put his feelings for Carmine into a box for later examination.
The crowd roared as they walked out. Chasing away any stray thoughts. This was where Noah came alive truly.
Today would be no exception.
By midway through the second half, Brockton had three goals to Everton’s one. The Brockton away fans were going crazy. This was unheard of.
The tension on the pitch was palpable. Noah braced himself as the ball hit the ground in front of him. Before he could take control, he was shoulder charged by Dylan Smith, a solid midfielder. The ref blew his whistle.
“Fuck’s sake,” Noah muttered.
“Sorry, did I knock you off your stilettos?”
Noah whirled round. The thug leered at him. There was no winning in a situation like this. If he stood up for himself, he’d be described as emotional. If he didn’t, the twat would get away with it.
He had a third option. To punish these fuckers the best way possible. He chose the third.
With minutes on the clock, Noah nodded that he would take the free kick. Usually Adam was the star of the show where they were concerned. He must’ve seen the determination in Noah’s eyes and stood back.
“All yours, mate.”
In his mind’s eye, Noah had already figured out where he was aiming. All he had to do was follow through. He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer. At times like this he thought about his parents watching over him. Today this was mixed with rage at the shitty comment from Smith.
I’ll show that ignorant piece of shit.
The whistle blew. Noah swallowed hard and took his run. His foot connected with the ball and he crossed it perfectly to Ewen, who only had one defender marking him.
Always a deadly threat, Ewen took the ball at breathtaking speed. Even the goalie hadn’t time to ready himself before Ewen fired. The away fans screamed as one.
Now Brockton had four goals under their belt, Everton didn’t have a hope of catching them.
True enough, ten minutes later Noah walked off the pitch the victor. Dylan ran past him.
“Queer,” he muttered.
“Loser,” Noah replied.
Even though he’d had the last word, it hurt.
He hadn’t paid close attention to the Brockton fans.
Truthfully he didn’t want to see the protest signs which had blighted the season since Noah, Tito and Jonas joined the team.
A sizeable contingent of the supporters hadn’t taken too kindly to openly gay players invading their beloved club and never failed to turn up at a game with placards declaring this.
Howard tried to convince them that the group had shrunk. Even so, it was devastating to see that from their own fans.
“Noah,” Jonas said, running up to him. “Check that out.”
He pointed to the away stand. To his joy someone held up a sign which had Our Man is Farman written on it.
Then he noticed that a group of around ten supporters had rainbow armbands on.
He beamed.
Of course, the likes of Dylan Smith would take a while to catch on. Even the banner waving Brockton fans might struggle. Yet could it be that a new group of fans were forming who didn’t give a shit who kicked the ball as long as it went in the net?
With a spring in his step, he followed the lads into the locker room.
This elation lasted precisely thirty seconds when he saw Tito standing in front of him with a face like thunder.
“What’s your problem?” Noah asked.
“Why didn’t you pass that free kick to me?”
Oh for fuck’s sake.
“You had two defenders on you. Ewen had one. It’s that simple.”
“They were nowhere near me. Just because you’re having man trouble, don’t make it my problem. It’s unprofessional.”
Noah reared away. “Don’t you fucking dare call me that when you’re the one with a stupid rivalry that’s impacted us all season.”
Adam and Ewen came over.
“What’s going on?” Adam demanded.
“Nothing,” Noah replied.
“Doesn’t look like it. Tito?”
Tito seemed ready to explode. It clearly hadn’t helped that Ewen had come over with Adam.
“Have you told the lads to only pass to Armitage here?” Tito asked.
He was going a step too far. It was one thing to accuse Noah. To extend that to their captain was a seriously bad move.
Yet it was Ewen who stepped up.
“What did you say?” he said.
They were both so close that their chests were touching.
“You heard me.”
“That’s typical of you. Blame everyone else because you can’t find a decent spot. You stand there expecting the rest of the team to service you so you can tap the ball in. Get fucking real.”
Tito shoved him. “Fuck off, old man.”
Ewen returned the favour.
Then all hell broke loose. They became a tangle of limbs as they grappled with each other.
Adam threw himself in between them while Noah tried to drag Tito away.
Unfortunately, at that moment, Javier and Steven came in.
“What the hell is going on?” Javier shouted.
Steven hauled Ewen off Tito.
“I’m fucking sick of his antics,” Ewen raged. “He’s throwing his toys out of the pram because Farman passed to me.”
Javier glared at a sullen Tito. “Is this true?”
He could only nod.
“I’m done with this,” Javier said. “From now on if one of you plays, the other is on the bench. Maybe that will teach you we are a team. Everyone is equal.”
Tito wrestled himself free from Noah’s clutches and stormed into the showers. Noah’s heart was racing. They’d got through to the quarter finals. They should be celebrating, not fighting.
The coach trip home was going to be fun. Ewen looked furious.
Noah went back to his spot and sat next to Edi.
“Fuck,” he said. “That was a lot.”
Edi squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t get stressed. It wasn’t your fault. Those two have been building up to this since Lopes first walked through the door.”
“I hate drama. Why can’t we all work together?”
“You know some people don’t work like that.”
Noah nodded. Divas on the pitch were not a new occurrence. Still, it frustrated Noah.
“Did you get to speak to Carmine?”
“Yeah. His father is really sick. He couldn’t talk.”
“Shit. Sorry to hear that. What are you going to do?”
That was the big question.
“Not much I can do, is there?” he replied. “Carmine needs to be with his family now. I just hope I haven’t ruined things completely.”
Everything was going wrong.