Page 80 of King of Hearts
“Oh, please. We both know no one is holding you together. You are the toughest bitch I know. You’re going to soar in Melbourne and that imbecile who shall remain nameless, doesn’t deserve you. Need me to change my team?”
“Absolutely!” I joked. “From here on out we are following whichever team is versing the Hearts.”
Marlee laughed in my ear and I felt my eyes fill with tears, thankful when I heard the familiar lilt of a new notification so I didn’t start blubbering. Pulling away I reached for my phone.
“I’ll walk you out.”
I cleared the notification after seeing it was Felicity and threw the phone onto my bed. “Did I tell you Felicity has been messaging me? It’s been –” I paused, contemplating how to describe the interactions with my old colleague thus far. “Different.”
“Felicity, as in Pilates arse?” Marlee asked in shock.
“I know right. But I think I may have misjudged her.”
“You – misjudge someone – never.” Marlee giggled as we walked outside.
“I know, it’s very shocking.” I joked, knowing full well I was quite fiery and this was not an uncommon thing. “I always thought she was so far up Darren’s arse because she wanted the senior editor’s position. Turns out he was blackmailing her and when she found out he altered my article she called him out on it. She said he was always undermining me and she worried about losing her job so she tried to stay out of it all. She also said she lodged multiple complaints with HR but they were all intercepted by him which confirms him being able to read mine and Andy’s emails.” I shrugged, pulling my jacket tighter around my stomach, wondering if the deep chill was the weather, the onset of the flu or the lingering sadness which ached in my bones.
“Wow. I wasn’t expecting that but it makes sense he was also manipulating her. Sounds like he was doing plenty of things he shouldn’t have. I don’t feel even remotely sorry for him.”
Lucas arrived and Marlee walked over to the car instantly. She turned to me once she opened the passenger door and I bent down to greet him before standing up and facing Marls. When we hugged, I remembered how much I was going to miss her. The last week had been gut-wrenching as I alternated between staying and going and she played a significant role in my wanting to remain in Sydney. I knew I needed to leave though, and I was hoping that along with the fresh start, I also found the strength to go through at least one day without tears.
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Arns. Love you.”
I smiled and retreated as she hopped into the car, waving through the window as they drove away. Turning and heading back inside I mentally prepared myself to finish packing the rest of my life before my flight tomorrow morning.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Andy
Following what was a very one-sided match, we left the field and the disappointment of our fans behind as we entered the sheds. Sadly, we were only trading in one blood bath for another because we were going to be annihilated by Coach after that abysmal performance. Especially when the opposition were at the bottom of the ladder and beating us gave them their first win of the season.
It had been a long and gruelling week for all of us and it was clear that the pre-match motivational speech about ‘tough timesnot lasting’and ‘it’s not about the adversity buthow we respond to it’ did not have the effect Coach hoped. Because we played like fucking shit and that was led by me. No goals, no score assists and only a few tackles.
Between the two empty bottles of whiskey on my bench, the extra time spent on the training paddock and the infinite hours obsessing over Arna,I wasn’t doing well. Whenever I wasn’t completely distracted, I ruminated over her words, replaying like a broken record, each repetition deepening the ache of betrayal further. Normally, false accusations like this didn’t even pierce the surface but the little blonde editor was wedged so deeply under my skin that she was able to fracture my world much easier than most.
She was there when I tried to sleep, when I sat on my balcony and when I had a spa. What was once a place of sanctuary was now a brutal reminder of what we shared. The space itself now tainted as everything she did or said was a platitude. A fabricated act to get closer so she could craft the exposition of the decade.
It was no wonder I couldn’t lead the team when I could barely lead myself to shower. Because I saw her face in everything I did and with those images came flashbacks of that article. A reminder of the power of her words and how they so quickly devastated me and what we had, leaving a lasting imprint on my soul. She was in my head in the locker rooms where I pictured her haphazard outfit and uncertainty when she was first sent to interview me. And that was the best-case scenario. The alternative was picturing her standing there with my name across her back, hungrily watching me, before kissing her as if there weren’t twenty other horny blokes in the room wishing it were them. She was everywhere and nowhere and that was the part I couldn’t stomach.
I missed her.
Tonight, the post-game room was sombre, filled with smatterings of family and friends and only a handful of those who could only be described as a plague upon society – still infecting minds with their toxic narratives and fake news. They stood with their cameras out, pens, paper and smiles so broad you could almost fall for themifyou weren’t careful. Because if you did, you were blinded to their abandonment of any sense of journalistic integrity, blinded to them choosing to peddle sensationalism and clickbait rather than truth, and most of all, blinded to their ability to worm their way into your entire being only to savage you.
“Hey, kid.” Pup had the decency to look at least mildly sympathetic despite riding the waves of our losses along with us.
I didn’t respond, instead lifting my chin in acknowledgement before sliding down the wall to sit on the floor and take off my boots.
Crouched down next to me he sighed. “Andy, I know it’s been a tough week.” He consoled and I scoffed at what was the euphemism of the century. “But you need to pull your head out of your arse because your wallowing is impacting a lot of people now. I thought you were a grumpy prick before, turns out I had no idea.”
“Oh, fuck off, would you?” I was not in the mood for a lecture after a fifty-point loss.
“He’s right, you know.” I stilled at the familiar voice which, when I looked up, matched the familiar face leaning against the wall next to me.
“No interviews, Felicity.” I spat viciously before ripping my socks off.
“Good thing I didn’t ask,Andrew.” She retorted, emphasising my full name.
“I’m going to check on some of the boys.” Pup said, excusing himself from whatever the heck this was.
