The Footballer

The crowd jeers as the ball fizzes over the top of the bar. Natalie, stoops to her knees and crouches with her face in her hands. A drop of perspiration trickles from the end of her nose and she can feel rivers of it seeping down her back.

Her shirt, a horrible green and blue football shirt feels heavy, it's wet and clammy as the uncomfortable hot sun beats down on her. She contemplates her shot. That shot was her opportunity to bring her team back in to the game, her only chance, of what has been a dismal performance by the 23 year old.

She stands and turns back to return to her position, glancing over at the bench as she expects to be subbed.

"What was that, Nat?" Dani growls at her as she runs past.

"It's not your game, in fact the last couple have been really poor." Jen the team vice captain looks at her concerned. The skinny centre back shakes her head as she runs backwards, her cheeks glowing red, and her face clammy and hot too.

Nat knows its not good. This will be spoken about at full time when the coaches dissect what's happened.

The game continues for another 17 minutes. In that time Nat has given the ball away, been booked, and was out of her position gifting a perfect through ball for the opposition to have an attempt on goal. If she didn't feel bad before, she does now, and she is mightily relieved as the full time whistle blows.

The gates at the corner of the pitch are opened and she makes a quick exit off field to a couple of jokes and jeers that she tries to ignore as she jogs to the dressing room, all eyes of the 400 odd crowd feel as though they are on her.

"If only you moved that fucking quick in the match, love?" Someone shouts, chuckles erupt and she drops her head trying to ignore it.

The dressing room is humid, the team joke between themselves and quickly goes quiet. Nat senses it and she feels everyones eyes fix on her as she walks out of the shower in her sliders to her peg. She turns her back to her team mates and dries herself before rubbing her towel through her long hair.

Some of the girls ignore her and continue changing and drying off. A couple stare at her with concern, ignoring her nakedness.

"What's going on, Nat?"

"You need to get back in the saddle since breaking up with Matt, you've been single too long."

A couple of the women chuckle. Nat shrugs and stays quiet. She runs a hand over herself. "I've dried... and this heat... I feel as though I've just stepped out of the shower. I don't feel like I've dried." She sighs and squirts Cocoa Butter into her hands and rubs it over every inch of her skin. "This won't soak in either." She shakes her head. Her knickers uncomfortably catch and scrape her legs and thighs as she pulls them over her bum. Her crotch feels uncomfortably warm and slimy from sweat and moisturiser.

She takes her bra out of her bag on the bench and her team mates start chatting and joking between themselves.

"A few of us are going for team drinks tonight. Does our fallen star want to get her twinkle back? Go on, a couple of vodkas and you'll shake it off." Dani taps Nat on the shoulder, and grins.

"No, I just want to get home."

"Come on Nat. Come out with us, it'll be fun. We can find you a new boy to take home."

"No, I'm really not interested. I want to go home and just scream into my pillow." She focuses on the shorts she pulls on, and then a cotton Palm Angels T-shirt.

"Somethings going on with you, Nat. You are supposed to be the one driving us for promotion, this is your season. We're three games on, and you're lucky if you start the next game. Do you want to talk?" Jen says picking up her bag.

"It's difficult."

"Oh, so there is an issue. OK!"

"I'll tell you when I'm ready, just not yet."

"Look, whatever it is, just tell us when you're ready."

"We're all here for you..."

Nat smiles to herself knowing that a few of them will understand and question what she was worrying about, in fact she knows everyone will support her, but if she let's them down on the pitch, they will be less than sympathetic.

The changing room door flies open, and the girls all turn in various states of undress as they see their coaches enter the room and slam the door behind them. "Right, dismal performance, LADIES. What was that freekick, Nat? We're supposed to be pushing for promotion this season, we're bottom after these games, and it's a cup game next week." Beth, the team manager shouts. Nat ignores her as she sits on the bench to finish dressing. Disappointment is written over Beths weathered face. This is her third season at the club, the pressure is on her to deliver, and she stares at Nat, a record signing, touted as one for the future. Her career started brightly enough with the club, but her future still seems to be firmly in the future. A Womens Super League team came to watch her a few times last season but an offer never came in the summer.

"There are a few fans with match programs they'd like signed. I expect to see you all there in your proper attire. Not dressed like that, Nat. I want smiles and pleasantries, PLEASE." Beth looks across the changing room as the girls all groan.

"No sneeking off. I want to see you all doing your post match duties. NO EXCUSES." Beth leaves the room and Nat grabs her bag. She puts her white socked feet into her Nike trainers and heads to the fire exit.

"Don't do it. You'll be lambasted and fined next week."

Nat looks at Dani. "Fuck it." She turns and presses the bar on the green door and walks into the dazzling hot sunshine.

Twenty minutes later, Nat pulls into the drive of the nice house, in the very nice suburb. Her new home of four weeks. Since moving in she hasn't been happier, it just seems her happiness has sacrificed her one passion, her football.

She jumps out of the black Golf. It locks automatically as she jogs to the front door. She feels like a different person, full of anticipation and eagerness.

"Hi honey, I'm home." She slams the front door behind her and kicks her shoes off, leaving them untidily by the front door. A smile beams across her face as she bounces through the lounge, the dining room and into the kitchen. A chicken roasts in the oven and she ducks to glimpse it through the glass door. She takes a sock off, rolls it into a ball and clutches it in her hand.

"Babe, where are you?" Her voice sounds a little despondent as she calls. Disappointed she runs into the hall and bounds up the stairs. "Hello." She stops and takes her other sock off as she balances precariously on the wooden tread stairs.

She runs to the bedroom. "I've been shouting you?" She throws her socks, one pings off her lovers head and the other misses it's target.

Vanessa laughs. "Eeww. That's disgusting, you'd better pick those up, I'm not your servant." Vanessa tears the plastic wrapping from items of clothing shes collected from the dry cleaners and places it on the bed before she swaps a wire hanger for a heavy wooden one that she slips into the Givenchy jacket, and clips a blue tag off the sleeve.

"The cleaner will pick them up."

"Will she indeed?" Vanessa turns to look at Nat, who stands behind her watching.

"Hang on. I don't get paid to clean anymore."

"Oh, so you make a mess and who is expected to tidy up?"

Nat looks at the socks and sighs as she picks them up and reluctantly places them in the laundry basket.

"I bet your shoes aren't put away tidily downstairs either?"

"Babe, who are you? My mum?"

"No,.." Vanessa carries on with her task looking back at the clothes. She catches Nats feet in the corner of her eye and tries to ignore them. She has a fetish for them. They are small, her nails are cute painted brown, and her feet are soft. Nat has them massaged and pedicured regularly. She isn't frivolous with her money in the slightest, but pedicures, manicures and her hair are well looked after and maintained. She would spend more on make-up and moisturisers but she can't afford to. Vanessa hangs the jacket in the wardrobe and starts on the next item, a smart dress.

There is a moments pause. Nat wants attention, but doesn't know how to ask for it, and doesn't want to disturb Vanessa and stands feeling lost.

"I heard you come in."

"Oh!" Nat places her hands on her hips and quickly drops them in frustration.

"Yes, I thought I'd let you find me." Smiling Vanessa hangs a dress up and closes the wardrobe door.

Nat drops backwards onto the bed.

"Good match?"

"No!"

"No? Why? Score any goals?"

Nat laughs. "That's not really my thing unless there's a fee kick. Or an open shot. No. I was shit..."

"...hey..."

"Sorry. I had someone on my mind, she's putting me off my game."

"Oh, who might that be?"

"You know very well, naughty."

Vanessa smiles as she sits on the edge of the bed, her hand rests on Nats smooth thigh, sliding up inside her shorts. Nat opens her legs a touch wider to give better access, but Vanessa stops short.

"Oh, don't stop Vanessa. It's that I was thinking of."

"Sex? Well, maybe you'll only get that when you score, sweetie. A reward for being man of the match."

"Don't tease me, you won't survive teasing me."

"Oh, no?" Vanessa grins and leans over to kiss Nat on the lips and quickly gets back up.

"Tease!"

"Yep, I'm glad you're early, dinners almost done."

Nat stares at Vanessa, she feels her heart pound in her chest and butterflies swarm in her belly. "Vanessa, hold me. Please?"

Vanessa turns and smiles, her blonde straight hair frames her face. Her fringe is brushed sideways over her forehead, and jagged straight bangs are fixed running down the side of her jaw and in front of her ears. "I've got to get the chicken out. No-one likes a dry bird."

They both laugh.

Nat sits up and takes Vanessa's hand. "I'm so happy to be with you babe."

"Are you?"

Nat looks at Vanessa and her smile broadens. "Of course. The girls think I'm still pining for Matt. Offered me to go out with them and get back into the saddle."

Vanessa sniggers. "Try getting you out of the saddle. I'm surprised you haven't worn my thigh out, rubbing yourself off on me. You're like a naughty puppy humping everything you see."

"No, I hump you. Scissoring with you is so sexy. That sticky mess we make..." She winks. "Come on." She turns and bends kneeling on the bed she turns and seductively looks over her shoulder at Vanessa, she lifts her left heel and bends her right knee and giggles as she tucks her thumbs into the back of her shorts and bewitchingly she slowly pulls them down over her pert round bottom. "Well? Can I interest you in anything, and I mean anything, at all?"

Vanessa composes herself. "Dinner will be ready in ten." She walks out of the bedroom. Nat pulls her shorts back up.

"Don't think I'll offer my arse on a plate like that again, you've blown it for tonight." She shouts after her and slumps back onto the bed. She lies there quietly as her left hand disappears under the elasticated band of her shorts. Her fingers slide unimpeded between her pussy lips as she thinks about being taken by her lover.

Vanessa smiles to herself as she walks downstairs. She feels young and wanted having a young woman in her bed lusting after her. She thought these days were long gone, and she now feels a renewed passion for life and sees things from a different light. She doesn't miss her ex, she doesn't think about her often, which surprises her, they were happy together and did so much together, but life had become steady, comfortable and routine. Spontaneity had all but gone, it was boring, but she never realised it.

Downstairs in the dining room, Vanessa is bustling between the kitchen and the table. Nat stands surveying the food, she's worked up a hunger having run almost 10k with not much return in the earlier match.

"You don't love me, do you? Go on admit it?" Nat pulls the chair from the table noisily.

"You're off your head." Vanessa shakes her head and checks that everything is on the table. She doesn't look at Nat, and Nat notices.

"This looks really nice, thank you." Nat, changes the subject temporarily as she examines her dinner as steam rises from her plate, the smell of the roast chicken is salivating.

"You're welcome, sweetie."

"You're real wife material, you know that don't you, Vanessa."

"I haven't been, but thank you."

"When you propose, I want it to be memorable and romantic, you on one knee, a nice big stone, a diamond that sparkles on my finger." Nats eyes twinkle as she tells Vanessa, and Vanessa sees in her big shiny eyes the romance and love her partner has for her and expects in return. The age difference makes her nervous, the fact Nats parents don't know the full extent of their relationship hurts, and the fact that Nat won't even tell her team mates about her, hurts still.

"We'll see."

"Maybe, you won't get on up in here, until you do, babe." Nat smirks and squeezes her breasts in her hand as she provocatively stares her down.

Vanessa grins, "If I knew you could go without, I'd believe that. But knowing you as I do. I think that's an empty threat." She sits down and reaches across the table for Nats hand. She holds it stroking the back of it with her thumb. Her luminous pink nails stand out on her white hands against the sun-kissed complexion of Nats. Vanessa notices the difference in their ages by looking at their hands together. Almost a quarter of a century between them. Vanessa was on her second marriage with her second child when Nat was born. She had struggled with her sexuality most of her life, and finally came out, after leaving her husband for another woman, the love of her life, or so she thought. She couldn't believe it when Nat, a fit 22 year old made her the focus of her attentions. Nats pursuit of her was quick and effective. She had some regret for asking her girlfriend to move out of her house for Nat, a formerly straight and now baby lesbian to move in.

Vanessa wondered if she was going through some sort of crisis allowing herself to fall for someone much younger. Her previous relationship was sensible, two similar aged women with life experience settling down to grow old together. Their love life had died long ago, much to her chagrin, it was an unconscious driver motivating her to try something new. Nat was the shiny new toy, a delight between the sheets, an experience she'd never known. Nat, didn't lie back and think of England, she was ferocious, demanding and experimental.

Butterflies would swirl, she found an excitement within her she'd never known, and the new orgasms, were long lost feelings barely remembered she'd swapped for love, companionship and loyalty. Nat wanted fast and often, and Vanessa was happy to oblige.

Nat liked the well manicured look that showed off her athletic physique. It fell short of perfect nearing clumsy. She tried too hard, her footballers legs, flat stomach and big breasts was a sexy mix. Her attitude to how she presented herself was less than committed. It contradicted the soft femme, sassy attitude that she emanated. The short skirts, and make up she'd flaunt all over Instagram and her short videos on TikTok to promote herself as an influencer was inconsistent and half arsed garnering few followers and not many views, the comments were mostly from friends laughing at her expense, or a groan from a club fan.

Nat had been cleaning this house for over a year, and it was cleaning this very house for Vanessa and her girlfriend that they got chatting, and she had started finding Vanessa more and more attractive with each visit. Vanessa would tell you that Nat was flirty, and showing off. She couldn't resist her. Nats story is that she was just here doing her job, when Vanessa came onto her. In reality, they were talking more, breaking barriers discussing how social media, especially TikTok was the Devils work. Vanessa a marketing guru was the devil's advocate to the skeptical young woman, explaining how it could be used more effectively to raise peoples profiles, mostly hers.

Vanessa had promised to help her, but Nat couldn't concentrate. She knew her way around her phone, and could type a thousand words in a second, but she didnt apply herself - give her a ball or talk about sport and you'd get her attention. One thing slowly led to another. Static shocks made them both jump when their fingers touched passing Nats phone to and fro. As Nat worked the glances they threw at each other would cause eyes to dart when realisation as to what was happening struck them. They became giddy as they shared little smiles caused by their subconscious. Physically they became closer during their chats. Vanessa's girlfriend was out, and one day they just kissed. A simple kiss on the lips, an automatic sign of affection, it soon moved to tongues, just tentatively touching, to full blown examinations of each other's mouths.

The first time they'd had sex was on the staircase in the hall. It started with talking, then kissing then Nat leaning back on the steps, her leggings and pants around her thighs, and Vanessa thumbing her clit and two fingers in Nat's wet hole. It was quick. It was a relief for Nat. The type of sex she liked and wanted, different to the sex she has with her boyfriend. It was sensitive, fulfilling and satisfying, the attention was on her having a thrill, not finishing before she'd even had so much of a tingle only to watch and feel her man ejaculate.

Vanessa felt vibrant and enthused, seeing the young woman's cheeks glow red and seeing her obvious enjoyment. Vanessa knew she still had the touch. She enjoyed what she'd seen, felt and smelled.

Nat was exhilarated, and depleted. This was the experience that changed her. Her mind was made up with an obvious clarity, the curtains of her life were fully pulled back. She felt no confusion and felt confident telling her partner that night, that things weren't working out. Two days later she was back at her mum and dads in her childhood bedroom.

She now knew, she'd always known that those little crushes on girls were more than just crushes. She knew that viewing women, seeing they were pretty, it was more than just an attraction. She fancied them. The fantasies that she had buried down deep floated to the surface, her realisation was like a weight being lifted, she felt free. The air she breathed was more pure, her thoughts had more clarity. The fog she'd been living with, never noticing or seeing, all of her life had dissipated.

Her feelings for Vanessa exploded. It wasn't just because she was the first woman she'd had, it was because she was the woman she'd always wanted.

The two of them sat talking, eating dinner cooked by Vanessa. They'd glance at each other smiling and grinning like school girls.

"What, Vanessa?"

"What?"

"You keep looking at me, making me laugh."

"No I don't."

"You do."

"Sorry, I'll stop."

"No, don't. I like it."

They both smile and continue eating.

"Can you hold me later? Well, when we're finished eating."

"Hold you, what your hand?" Vanessa laughs sarcastically.

"No, me. Cuddle me. I want to be held."

"Has no-one cuddled you before?"

"Yess." Nat turns red, momentarily embarrassed.

"Hah, your blushing." Vanessa looks at her. "Yes, I'm full now, anyway."

"Great, couch?"

"Aren't you going to finish chewing?"

"No." Nat drops her cutlery to her plate and gets up graunching the chair on the floor and walks round the table to take Vanessa's hand. "Come on then." She reaches for Vanessa who slides her hand into hers.

"What about the plates."

"I'll do them later."

"You mean, I'll do them later."

"I'll help, come on." Nat tugs at Vanessa encouraging her to get up and they walk into the lounge.

"Sit, get comfy." Nat plays music from the stereo with her phone, before joining Vanessa on the couch. She kneels into her and kisses her, sucking her bottom lip tentatively before sucking her tongue into her mouth. Vanessa complies, enjoying the affection being shown. They kiss and hold hands as Nat turns around and wedges herself comfortably into Vanessa. Nat brings Vanessa's arms around and wraps herself into Vanessa's grip and lays the back of her head into her breasts.