Till There Was You

Chapter 9

Steven jammed his hands into the pocket of his windbreaker as he watched the Munich players practice, coach Pep Guardiola watching over them and occasionally barking orders in German. The practice was familiar and comforting, something that was the same wherever he played. I wish I knew more German than the curse words, at least the blokes speak English, he thought.

Guardiola blew his whistle for the final time and the team headed for the showers as Steven looked around the massive training ground. This is bleedin' huge compared to Melwood, Barcelona too. I feel like a yokel gone to town for the first time, he thought with a wry chuckle.

Xabi came over and embraced him, the Spanish man looking dapper as always in his gray slacks, buttoned-down shirt and long black trench coat topped off with dark shades. "Xabi, looking boss as ever", teased Steven.

"Verdad, mi hermano Ingles. It's a Spanish thing, I'm too old to wear jeans and trainers. Later on, some of the boys and I are going out for drinks and you're invited", said Xabi.

"Who's coming?", he asked.

"Me, Manuel, Thomas, Bastian and Tobias, the Basque, the Scooter and the crazy Germans", he laughed.

"I hope it's not going to involve a huge piss-up, I'm too old for that", said Steven.

"No, Germans aren't that crazy. We're just going out for drinks and maybe karaoke, the boys love that", said Xabi.

"You know I can't bloody sing, you big Spanish bastard", he retorted.

"Verdad, but after a few drinks you think you can. It's going to be fun, after all the mierda last year you need to have some fun", said Xabi as they walked to the car.

"Maybe you're right, Xabi. But tell the guys not to try and set me up, I got a girl back home", said Steven.

Xabi nodded as he clicked the button and the door opened, getting in the driver's seat and starting the engine. "I don't want to cause problems between you and your new novia, Steven. You need to find a new girl after your divorce and Aracelis sounds like a very nice girl, I don't want anything to go wrong in your new relationship", he teased as he turned to a station playing German techno.

"This is fucking horrible rubbish, Xabi. This is worse than Spanish music", said Steven in distaste.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do, mi hermano Ingles. German rock is very good and they also like heavy metal", he replied.

"Anything but this bloody fucking crap", he muttered.

Xabi laughed as he hit the CD button and Coldplay came over the speakers. "Much better, remember when we saw them at the Academy? Is he still married to that American actress?", asked Steven.

"No, they split up. Maybe they'll come to Spain", said Xabi.

"Hallo und herzlich Willkommen in Deutschland, Steven", said Bastian as they shook hands.

"Ahh, Danke. I learned some thing from those old war movies", he chuckled.

"Ja, we'll beat you Tommys next time", laughed Tobias as the brothers exchanged a fist bump.

"Don't mind those two, they are always being silly", said Thomas.

"Don't call me a Tommy and I won't call you Jerries, I'm just messing about. My grandda would have a fit if he saw me now", said Steven.

"Same here, it's not something to be proud of but he didn't have a choice", said Manuel philosophically.

"Amigos, this is not a place to talk about the war, this is a night to have fun", chided Xabi.

"And we know you can barely drink, Xabi. We look forward to seeing you get betrunken, können Sie Ihren Schnaps nicht halten", teased Bastian.

"Ich bin Spanisch, können wir nicht wie ihr Deutschen trinken", retorted Xabi.

"I don't understand any of that, I'm not bloody German", laughed Steven.

"Wir wissen, Steven. We are going to celebrate you having a new girlfriend", said Tobias, clapping him on the back.

Steven looked on dubiously as the waitress set down a tray of blackberry schnapps, the liquor gleaming in tiny green shot glasses. "Um unsere neuen englischen Freund, viel Glück mit seiner neuen Freundin. Prost!", toasted Bastian as they all drank their shots.

Steven felt the fiery liquor go straight down and burn his throat, hastily chasing it with a sip of beer. "Lucky your flight doesn't leave until the afternoon, we are going to teach you how to drink like a German", laughed Tobias.

"The strongest I've had is whisky, we're not crazy like you German bastards", he retorted.

"Ja, but sometimes you need to be a bit crazy sometimes. And you have a new lady", said Thomas.

Bastian took out his phone and snapped a picture of the group and handed him the phone. "Send a picture to your girl", he said.

Steven sent the picture and handed it back. "Good, they're setting up the karaoke", said Manuel.

"Just go up there and have fun, Stevie. Everyone thinks they can sing when they drink", said Xabi.

"I am not going to make a complete fool of myself, I'm not a bloody wanker", he grumbled.

"Too late", said Tobias with a grin.

" Das heutige erste sanger Steven. Kommen Sie hier", said the emcee.

Steven gave the German men a dirty look as he downed a shot and made his way onstage. The emcee handed him the mike and he sighed in relief when Clocks by Coldplay came over the speakers. Steven smiled a bit as he sand the familiar lyrics, even managing to hit some of the high notes:

The lights go out and I can't be saved
Tides that I tried to swim against
Have brought me down upon my knees
Oh I beg, I beg and plead, singing

Come out of the things unsaid
Shoot an apple off my head and a
Trouble that can't be named
A tiger's waiting to be tamed, singing

You are, you are

Confusion that never stops
The closing walls and the ticking clocks gonna
Come back and take you home
I could not stop, that you now know, singing

Come out upon my seas
Cursed missed opportunities am I
A part of the cure
Or am I part of the disease, singing

You are, you are
You are, you are
You are, you are

And nothing else compares
And nothing else compares
And nothing else compares

You are, you are

Home, home, where I wanted to go
Home, home, where I wanted to go
Home, home, where I wanted to go (You are)
Home, home, where I wanted to go (You are)


"Geben Sie es für Steven", he said as he took a bow.

"Great job, amigo", said Xabi, clapping him on the back.

"You're lucky I love Coldplay, otherwise I'd kick your arse", he chuckled.

"Ja, we don't hate you that much", laughed Bastian.

Steven was feeling much more relaxed after another beer and shot of schnapps. "It's your turn again, Stevie", said Xabi.

Steven flipped him off as he went onstage and took the mike from the emcee as Wonderwall by Oasis came over the speakers. A slight flush formed on his cheeks when he saw the guys filming him with their phones, standing tall and singing the best he could:

Today is gonna be the day
That they're gonna throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you gotta do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now

Backbeat the word was on the street
That the fire in your heart is out
I'm sure you've heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now

And all the roads we have to walk are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I would like to say to you
But I don't know how

Because maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall

Today was gonna be the day
But they'll never throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you're not to do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now

And all the roads that lead you there were winding
And all the lights that light the way are blinding
There are many things that I would like to say to you
But I don't know how

I said maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall

I said maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall

I said maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me


"Geben Sie es für Steven", said the emcee as the crowd cheered.

"You did great, mi hermano Ingles. And I just sent it your lady", said Xabi, a twinkle in his brown eyes.

"I ought to throttle you, but since we're mates I'll let you live", he said as the others laughed.

"It'll be worth it if your lady is happy", teased Bastian as he knocked back a shot.