- Romance
- Broken Defence
- Page 11
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Click hereEngland won their second game which put them through to the quarter-finals with a game to spare. It would allow the manager to rest some players and let some of the other players have a run-out, including Olivia. We watched the 3rd match from the bar again but with the knowledge that we had tickets for the rest of the games which were all in our city.
Holly again missed out, the calf strain from the 2nd game still not fully healed. Caroline had gone to visit her to see how she was doing. I longed for a reason to join her but I didn't have one. It was one thing to be the manager of Holly's club but quite another to be the press person at her club when the National Team had their own team.
I found myself caught up in the excitement of the tournament after England won their 3rd game. I finished off a match report while drinking a pint of lager and sent it off to Georgia to proofread. The buzz of the tournament had certainly got to my writing as it was much more superfluous and flowery than normal, came Georgia's critical response. Dionne, Jake and I decided to stay on for a few more drinks. Caroline departed soon after the final whistle with her phone in hand.
I awoke to my hotel phone ringing. I sat up and checked the time. 01:12 am. The phone was on a table on the other side of the room which meant getting out of bed. A poor design which would lose the hotel a star on my review, I'd just decided.
I picked up. "Hello?" I said sleepily.
"Eh Mr Bradley, there is a woman 'ere to see you. 'Olly."
"Oh! Let her up please!" I said, surprised and excited. Maybe I should have been worried, it was 1 am after all, but my excitement about seeing Holly outweighed any rational thought.
I had the door open and I was hanging out of it when the lift opened and Holly walked out in her team tracksuit.
"Alright, calm down," she smirked, "you look like a lovesick puppy."
"I'm sorry, the man you're looking for is next door. It is a closed-off arsehole you're here to see, isn't it?" I responded lamely. I was tired.
Holly paused at the door and kissed me on the lips. She pulled away with her eyes still closed. "I needed that," she whispered quietly.
I let her pass and closed the door behind us. The hotel room only had a bed and a desk so I offered both and she chose the chair.
"So, as happy as I am to see you, what are you doing here? Isn't this risking a suspension? Wait, Holly, you shouldn't be here!" I added in alarm, my brain waking up and catching on.
"Stop, Tom. Just stop. Don't speak, don't interrupt. Please."
Uh oh. A million thoughts ran through my head so I sat down on the bed facing Holly before my head swam. She nodded at my compliance, her face paler than I initially noticed.
"I withdrew from the team tonight. It'll be announced tomorrow." I opened my mouth and then stopped when Holly flashed me a look.
"They'll say it's my calf but it's not." She swallowed. "It's morning sickness."
*****
Epilogue:
The commentator's voice was booming through the lounge in the stadium.
"And there's Holly Dane, her return for the start of this tournament is a welcome one for her manager Caroline Noakes who used to manage her at club level, of course."
The co-commentator joined the discussion.
"That's right, it's been 2 years since she withdrew from the European Championships and now she's back to captain England. Hopefully, it'll be all the way this time after the semi-final heartache at the last tournament. She hasn't played much football since returning from maternity leave and the well-documented complications following her pregnancy. If she's fit, England have a chance."
I walked out of the lounge and through the doors into the roar of the stadium. I was in the corporate area, the National Team had seen to that at Holly's request. No more missing her play. Lizzie was in my arms, her stroller with Sylvia who was sitting in the lounge with a plate of fancy food.
"There's Mummy, look!" I said to her sleeping face.
I watched Holly take her position in defence and crouch down. She rubbed the turf, grateful to be back on it. She stood back up and kissed the tattoo on her inner arm. I knew it well as I went with her to get it after she finally left the hospital and recovered, weeks after giving birth. It read 'never stay down'.
End.
- COMMENTS
Anonymous7 months ago4 star it was alright my bias is against it. But objectively speaking you made a masterpiece centered around never give up never give in. That said I don’t know how he would be able to see the love of his life as being untainted after what she did to him . She chose her dream and screwed no telling how many men over his love for her. I don’t see realistically a person holding out hope or careing for someone so selfish irl, man or women trampling on women’s love for you is a no no
Anonymous10 months agoToo many people don't seem to understand this powerful story of overcoming all adversity.
The Hoary Cleric, not a member.
Anonymous12 months agoWell enough written to merit a good rating in my opinion. Unfortunately the whole thing hinges on a self-indulgent slut and a gormless jerk as main characters. Simply ghastly.
MaverickX12 months agoNot gonna rate because I can't rate this fairly since I didn't really give it a chance. The moment I read that she left and slept around the US is what prevented me from even giving it a chance. So I mostly got my info from the comments, regardless if I was with someone and they left and got ran through for 8 years idrc who you or what your reasons are we won't be getting back together. Especially if the entire internet blew up over said stuff. Pretty lame tbh
Anonymousover 1 year agoThe story was well written and the spelling/grammar was fine. The content was weak however. Basically she leaves for the States hoping for the good life, it doesn’t work out partly because she sluts around. She then returns to London, does a number on the guy who has loved her for years and has a major pity party. The pitiful thing is, he takes it all and even forgives her. Sorry but really ?
Anonymousover 1 year agoWonderful story. Have no idea why people care what her sexual history was in America. They weren't together. She left when she was 19. She learned that she really liked sex and yet she pined over her lost love. She had a sexual side to her that she never got to explore with Tom in a loving relationship because of their early relationship dynamic and then leaving for the US. She was torn about leaving him. As she said in his flat, it should have been his equipment and only his. She fantasized about him. Yes some of her behavior that 8 years was destructive to herself. Think of it as a form of "cutting" herself. She lost the only man she would truly love. Tom could have fought for her and swayed her to stay but did not want her to have regrets and wanted her to live her dream. What hurt was being cut out of her life. She built a wall around her heart to survive. She felt enormous guilt. Was depressed on and off those many years. They had a weird relationship where where they becamse long distance soul mates, telling each other things they never told anyone else. He had commitment issues because of his childhood. He would have just liked to leave her amicably. She was 19 and thought she was being smart and finding a way to sever the relationship where he woukd not pine for her. She hated what she did not knowing that he knew as it happened. Yes during her time in America she got into bad relationships. Sex was inevitable. What you thought she would stay a virgin? She learned that she is hypersexual. The more emotionally intimate with a partner the better the sex. Some guys probably took advantage of that but again her own perception received self esteem was wounded. She was in a pressure cooker under the public eye and sex was a way to let off steam. Seeing as she only ever truly lived Tom but thought he hated her, she was trapped in an emotional vise. Then she was betrayed by her ex after a bad split. What she kept hidden, had come to light and she was constantly being cyber bullied. She had to get out of America. Only to end up in the UK close to Tom. She didn't know. Being close to him, wad tearing her apart and she fell back into old habits. She has a mental health disorder and Tom at a critical stage really helped her through it. Why do you think she was so worried and crushed when he all but rejected her by being himself overwhelmed. He became her friend, confidante, and emotional lover. Heck they sexted a lot. Before they could have physical sex, the offer to America showed up. It wasn't her seascapes that hurt Tom. He had some of his own experiences I am sure. Yes no man wants to think about it and the video was I am sure painful, but way less painful than whatbthe video meant to her. A breach of trust. A perception that because she gave herself to the man she was with that she is some depraved slut. All her negative psychological problems came back and she was close to killing herself or at least hurting herself bad enough that he career woukd be over. What hurt him the worst was her pretending as if he didn't k ow him. It was her barrier defense mechanism. She couldn't stand the thought of him being nice to her m, yet unable to be with him. Since she hated herself, how could he not hater her? In the end, Tom was a loving, patient man, who helped Holly to heal. He had always been her emotional rock, but for 8 years she thoughtshe had lost that. Her responses when first coming back were of someone who had been abused (cyberbullying is abuse) and loathing herself. Tom's love for her and providing am emotional safe harbor was wonderful to see as it got Holly back to being the real Holly. And who cares up about her "slut" past. Now she is in a positive life affirming relationship and the sex is the best they have had for the both of them, because Holly completely gives herself to Tom with an unbelievable passion, while Tom makes her feel safe and trusted and loved and accepts who the real Holly is. And now they get to live happily ever after. Wonderful story about vulnerability, depression, and the rejuvenating power of love.
Anonymousover 1 year agodamn, ignore the hate. i did hesitate a bit with the idea of her coming back after celeb debauchery, but a) she clarified it was only with partners, b) tom's sexcapades weren't mentioned but were obviously there, c) (last but not least) it's up to the person what they're fine with
i absolutely loved the care taken with her issues
Anonymousover 1 year agoI really enjoyed the read, well written for sure, besides the previously mentioned issues. I found it emotional and believable. It did turn me off because she left a virgin and came back a slut who fucked everything under the sun. Incredible turnoff. It's like fucking a whore, just why? Killed the romance of the sex scenes for me, sorry.
Rex0naover 1 year agoMixed feelings after finishing this one. In many ways, this reads like some kind of ultimate wish fulfillment about the one who got away and slept with a lot of people, but not you. It's especially noticeable in the sex scenes, which are more pornographic than erotic in my view. Not that my opinion is of any weight.
woodwardover 1 year agoGood story but had a hard time understanding the soccer language and understanding the importance of the games. Someone coming to the US to play soccer is not very convincing versus Europe.
