If Only Tonight
Blurry Dividing Lines: Chapter Thirty - Home Sweet Home
Blurry Dividing Lines:
Chapter Thirty: Home Sweet Home
Walking down the hallway towards her apartment in the North West wing, with her laptop in hand, Mia was a little anxious to know how many of the guys on her roster were going to be present for the training camp that would be starting the next morning.
Having gotten stuck hearing all the rumours over the summer about who would be most likely to defect and get a transfer to which major club, Mia was more than a little apprehensive about any of her players leaving...especially one in particular.
She almost breathed a small sigh of relief when she saw who was standing at the door, unlocking it.
"Hey!" She called out, with relief. "What are you doing here?"
"Good to see you too!" said the tall player with blond hair. He opened the door, and then walked up to her to give her a hug.
"How was the U-21 tour?" Oliver asked.
"Do you really want to know?" Mia asked, with an eyebrow raised.
"Come on...they can't have been that bad." Olive reasoned.
"That's what I thought...until I met them. I can still hear them whining in my sleep..." Mia told him, only to hear Oliver chuckle.
"So how was your summer? I'm glad you're back." Mia said, as they walked in to the room.
"It was fine. Hello Nathaniel! Matthew! Should have known you'd both be here." Oliver said, distracting Mia from any further questioning.
"Hey!" Nathaniel came to greet both of them.
Mia was stunned to see Matthew coming out of the large room they all shared, dressed in a tight fitting black shirt, and a pair of jeans he looked amazing. His hair was shorter than she remembered when he had left for vacation.
"Hello, Oliver. Mia." Matthew nodded. His blue eyes sparkled as they settled on her.
He hadn't transferred! Mia grasped at the thoughts running around in her mind. Neither of them had left! She contained the urge to jump up and down.
"You didn't transfer!" Mia stated rather than ask, a surprised look appearing on Matthew's face.
"Neither of you transferred!" She could barely contain the urge to hug Matthew.
"No...I wasn't planning to. But you sound oddly relieved." Matthew noted, as he sat down on the couch.
"Yea, Mia. Were you hoping to have the room to yourself?" Nathaniel asked, grinning at her mischievously. He sat opposite to Matthew.
"Well no...I don't really care much about having the room...but all the other doctors were kind of ganging up on me. They were telling me how I had the most flight risks on my roster. 'Mia, are you sure that Felix said they hadn't transferred.' 'Mia, I heard two of your top players were signed on to Real Madrid, and AC Milan.'" Mia told them both, imitating some of the other doctor's voices. "It was kind of annoying."
"No wonder you looked so happy to see me." Oliver said, with a grin.
"You have no idea...so how were your vacations?" She asked, trying to move the subject away from her.
"Great...Next time remind me not to fall asleep in the sun. I was sunburned on the second day of my trip. That was painful." Nathaniel told her, making Mia laugh at his carelessness.
"Please tell me you wore sunscreen after that?" Mia shook her head.
"Yea...I should remember to bring that next time..."
"Nate!"
"Kidding, kidding! I swear I put some on after that." Nathaniel retreated hastily.
"Oh! Thanks for the emails, Nate. They kept me entertained...I actually looked forward to them while I was on tour." Mia remembered. They had been planning the trip to Italy in detail. Which pizzeria to hit, what store to shop at, there was a lot of thought Nathaniel had put into the upcoming trip. Mia saw Matthew look at her strangely...What? Mia thought. He looked away quickly.
'No problem...I've got to say those stories about the under 21's were quite funny." Nathaniel chuckled.
"They were all true." Mia muttered darkly.
"So, what about you, Matthew? How was your break?" Oliver asked.
Matthew seemed to come out of his silent reverie. His blue eyes focusing on Mia before moving on to Oliver. Mia couldn't believe how much she had missed those eyes...and that voice...The entire summer she had missed him, despite his jerkish behaviour at the beginning of the last season.
"It was fine. Beaches, seas, sand, sun...quite enjoyable." His eyes returning to meet Mia's.
"But I'm glad to be back for the season." He added, before looking away from her.
An awkward silence settled on the four of them. Mia cleared her throat before asking another obvious question.
"So are you guys ready for the training camp?"
"Nathaniel and I are ready, as always." Mia couldn't help but roll her eyes. "How about you, Oliver?" Matthew asked the older player.
"I only came to pick up some things and paper work...I'm not going to be able to stay for the camp...I'll be here for the start of the season but Felix said I can take some more time off..." He told them, looking a little guilty.
Mia looked at him puzzled.
'What are you talking about? Picking up what things?"
"I left some documents last season...and only Matthew cleared out before the summer. I just didn't bother. So I have a few things I need to take home."
"Hold on...what are you talking about? Why are you taking extra time off? You never take time off!" Matthew asked the blond boy.
"Okay guys...and girl...well...Ariana and I...we're going to be having a baby."
-----
"Okay guys...and girl...well...Ariana and I...we're going to be having a baby."
The room exploded with cheers. As they settled down, Matthew watched as Mia sat down on the couch opposite to them.
Oliver moved to sit in between himself and Nathaniel.
"Okay spit it out...how long have you been keeping this from us?" Matthew asked, he was more than a little annoyed at being kept in the dark.
"Almost four months."
And he didn't say a word all this time! He knows about my feelings for Mia! Matthew could barely hold on to the thought. How many times during their time off had he asked Oliver what was new? Yet, he hadn't given him a clue.
"And you didn't think to tell us, why?" Matthew asked, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice.
"I would have but Ariana wanted to be sure...it was just one surprise after another." He told Matthew.
I'll bet, Matthew muttered in his mind.
"So ...boy or girl?" Mia asked him excitedly.
"We decided to be surprised...Ariana doesn't want to know." Oliver told her, looking sheepish.
While the others spoke, Matthew was lost in his own thoughts. A part of him understood the position Oliver was in...He just couldn't believe Oliver would keep something so big from him. After all, Oliver knew about his feelings for Mia...and a lot of other things...like Luciana...
"You're still going to stay for the games...right?" Mia asked. She looked a little worried.
"As much as I would love to join you and Matthew for your movie marathons...I'm not going to be staying very often. I'll be here on match day, and for training. But at the moment, I'm taking this training camp off." Oliver told her.
"You're leaving me with him?" She asked, Matthew could hear the woe in her voice.
"Hey! I'm right here! Besides, I haven't done anything!" Matthew defended himself. He looked over at her once more. She had a smug grin on her face, but she looked happy to see him, it was strange. He had never had that kind of response from anyone. Her green eyes glowed with warmth.
Summer had gone by with him thinking about her.
Though he knew she was teasing him...but still he couldn't help being a little offended.
"Yet...you haven't done anything yet..." He heard Nathaniel mutter.
"Shut up! Whose side are you on?" Matthew turned on him. He was already a little annoyed that the two of them had been keeping in touch over the summer. Nathaniel smirked at him.
"The winning one!"
"Real smart, Nathaniel." Matthew muttered viciously.
"Don't worry about Matthew, Mia. I'll be around to check up on him." Oliver told her.
"Again, I'm right here. You don't have to talk about me like I'm not." Matthew told Oliver, who was already laughing at annoying him.
"Sorry Matt..."
"Yea right, you're sorry..."
Talking a bit more about Oliver's upcoming absence, Matthew watched as Mia got up to leave.
"Where are you going?" Nathaniel asked, before Matthew could get the words out.
"I have to get some files from Jon. I'll be back soon." She told them, as she put on her shoes. Her light purple sun dress billowed around her.
Before she left, turning to see them from the door, she locked eyes with Matthew. I've got to be imagining this, he couldn't breathe for a moment.
"I'm glad you guys are back. It's going to be an awesome season! Here's hoping we're number one in the league!"
Her eyes didn't leave Matthew until she finished. And for a second, he believed her...we're going to be number one...he thought. Of course there was something else that he was hoping for...Matthew couldn't help but anticipate she meant more than she was saying. Her eyes were saying something to him that she wasn't. You're fooling yourself, his brain tried to interrupt him.
It's definitely going to be an awesome season, Matthew silenced the doubtful part of him, as he watched the object of his affection leave the room.
Chapter Thirty: Home Sweet Home
Walking down the hallway towards her apartment in the North West wing, with her laptop in hand, Mia was a little anxious to know how many of the guys on her roster were going to be present for the training camp that would be starting the next morning.
Having gotten stuck hearing all the rumours over the summer about who would be most likely to defect and get a transfer to which major club, Mia was more than a little apprehensive about any of her players leaving...especially one in particular.
She almost breathed a small sigh of relief when she saw who was standing at the door, unlocking it.
"Hey!" She called out, with relief. "What are you doing here?"
"Good to see you too!" said the tall player with blond hair. He opened the door, and then walked up to her to give her a hug.
"How was the U-21 tour?" Oliver asked.
"Do you really want to know?" Mia asked, with an eyebrow raised.
"Come on...they can't have been that bad." Olive reasoned.
"That's what I thought...until I met them. I can still hear them whining in my sleep..." Mia told him, only to hear Oliver chuckle.
"So how was your summer? I'm glad you're back." Mia said, as they walked in to the room.
"It was fine. Hello Nathaniel! Matthew! Should have known you'd both be here." Oliver said, distracting Mia from any further questioning.
"Hey!" Nathaniel came to greet both of them.
Mia was stunned to see Matthew coming out of the large room they all shared, dressed in a tight fitting black shirt, and a pair of jeans he looked amazing. His hair was shorter than she remembered when he had left for vacation.
"Hello, Oliver. Mia." Matthew nodded. His blue eyes sparkled as they settled on her.
He hadn't transferred! Mia grasped at the thoughts running around in her mind. Neither of them had left! She contained the urge to jump up and down.
"You didn't transfer!" Mia stated rather than ask, a surprised look appearing on Matthew's face.
"Neither of you transferred!" She could barely contain the urge to hug Matthew.
"No...I wasn't planning to. But you sound oddly relieved." Matthew noted, as he sat down on the couch.
"Yea, Mia. Were you hoping to have the room to yourself?" Nathaniel asked, grinning at her mischievously. He sat opposite to Matthew.
"Well no...I don't really care much about having the room...but all the other doctors were kind of ganging up on me. They were telling me how I had the most flight risks on my roster. 'Mia, are you sure that Felix said they hadn't transferred.' 'Mia, I heard two of your top players were signed on to Real Madrid, and AC Milan.'" Mia told them both, imitating some of the other doctor's voices. "It was kind of annoying."
"No wonder you looked so happy to see me." Oliver said, with a grin.
"You have no idea...so how were your vacations?" She asked, trying to move the subject away from her.
"Great...Next time remind me not to fall asleep in the sun. I was sunburned on the second day of my trip. That was painful." Nathaniel told her, making Mia laugh at his carelessness.
"Please tell me you wore sunscreen after that?" Mia shook her head.
"Yea...I should remember to bring that next time..."
"Nate!"
"Kidding, kidding! I swear I put some on after that." Nathaniel retreated hastily.
"Oh! Thanks for the emails, Nate. They kept me entertained...I actually looked forward to them while I was on tour." Mia remembered. They had been planning the trip to Italy in detail. Which pizzeria to hit, what store to shop at, there was a lot of thought Nathaniel had put into the upcoming trip. Mia saw Matthew look at her strangely...What? Mia thought. He looked away quickly.
'No problem...I've got to say those stories about the under 21's were quite funny." Nathaniel chuckled.
"They were all true." Mia muttered darkly.
"So, what about you, Matthew? How was your break?" Oliver asked.
Matthew seemed to come out of his silent reverie. His blue eyes focusing on Mia before moving on to Oliver. Mia couldn't believe how much she had missed those eyes...and that voice...The entire summer she had missed him, despite his jerkish behaviour at the beginning of the last season.
"It was fine. Beaches, seas, sand, sun...quite enjoyable." His eyes returning to meet Mia's.
"But I'm glad to be back for the season." He added, before looking away from her.
An awkward silence settled on the four of them. Mia cleared her throat before asking another obvious question.
"So are you guys ready for the training camp?"
"Nathaniel and I are ready, as always." Mia couldn't help but roll her eyes. "How about you, Oliver?" Matthew asked the older player.
"I only came to pick up some things and paper work...I'm not going to be able to stay for the camp...I'll be here for the start of the season but Felix said I can take some more time off..." He told them, looking a little guilty.
Mia looked at him puzzled.
'What are you talking about? Picking up what things?"
"I left some documents last season...and only Matthew cleared out before the summer. I just didn't bother. So I have a few things I need to take home."
"Hold on...what are you talking about? Why are you taking extra time off? You never take time off!" Matthew asked the blond boy.
"Okay guys...and girl...well...Ariana and I...we're going to be having a baby."
-----
"Okay guys...and girl...well...Ariana and I...we're going to be having a baby."
The room exploded with cheers. As they settled down, Matthew watched as Mia sat down on the couch opposite to them.
Oliver moved to sit in between himself and Nathaniel.
"Okay spit it out...how long have you been keeping this from us?" Matthew asked, he was more than a little annoyed at being kept in the dark.
"Almost four months."
And he didn't say a word all this time! He knows about my feelings for Mia! Matthew could barely hold on to the thought. How many times during their time off had he asked Oliver what was new? Yet, he hadn't given him a clue.
"And you didn't think to tell us, why?" Matthew asked, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice.
"I would have but Ariana wanted to be sure...it was just one surprise after another." He told Matthew.
I'll bet, Matthew muttered in his mind.
"So ...boy or girl?" Mia asked him excitedly.
"We decided to be surprised...Ariana doesn't want to know." Oliver told her, looking sheepish.
While the others spoke, Matthew was lost in his own thoughts. A part of him understood the position Oliver was in...He just couldn't believe Oliver would keep something so big from him. After all, Oliver knew about his feelings for Mia...and a lot of other things...like Luciana...
"You're still going to stay for the games...right?" Mia asked. She looked a little worried.
"As much as I would love to join you and Matthew for your movie marathons...I'm not going to be staying very often. I'll be here on match day, and for training. But at the moment, I'm taking this training camp off." Oliver told her.
"You're leaving me with him?" She asked, Matthew could hear the woe in her voice.
"Hey! I'm right here! Besides, I haven't done anything!" Matthew defended himself. He looked over at her once more. She had a smug grin on her face, but she looked happy to see him, it was strange. He had never had that kind of response from anyone. Her green eyes glowed with warmth.
Summer had gone by with him thinking about her.
Though he knew she was teasing him...but still he couldn't help being a little offended.
"Yet...you haven't done anything yet..." He heard Nathaniel mutter.
"Shut up! Whose side are you on?" Matthew turned on him. He was already a little annoyed that the two of them had been keeping in touch over the summer. Nathaniel smirked at him.
"The winning one!"
"Real smart, Nathaniel." Matthew muttered viciously.
"Don't worry about Matthew, Mia. I'll be around to check up on him." Oliver told her.
"Again, I'm right here. You don't have to talk about me like I'm not." Matthew told Oliver, who was already laughing at annoying him.
"Sorry Matt..."
"Yea right, you're sorry..."
Talking a bit more about Oliver's upcoming absence, Matthew watched as Mia got up to leave.
"Where are you going?" Nathaniel asked, before Matthew could get the words out.
"I have to get some files from Jon. I'll be back soon." She told them, as she put on her shoes. Her light purple sun dress billowed around her.
Before she left, turning to see them from the door, she locked eyes with Matthew. I've got to be imagining this, he couldn't breathe for a moment.
"I'm glad you guys are back. It's going to be an awesome season! Here's hoping we're number one in the league!"
Her eyes didn't leave Matthew until she finished. And for a second, he believed her...we're going to be number one...he thought. Of course there was something else that he was hoping for...Matthew couldn't help but anticipate she meant more than she was saying. Her eyes were saying something to him that she wasn't. You're fooling yourself, his brain tried to interrupt him.
It's definitely going to be an awesome season, Matthew silenced the doubtful part of him, as he watched the object of his affection leave the room.