EJ in Love

Connor

I would have tackled him. I imagined doing it and smashing his face into the boardroom table to wipe that innocent smile he had off his face. How did someone still look good whilst having a half beat face? He wore the look like it was eyeliner and he just had a slightly bad makeup look.

It infuriated me because Lottie had screamed when she saw my face this morning even though she had slept right next to me last night! She had given me such a scare that I had jumped off the bed thinking there was an intruder meanwhile it was her being an idiot. Every day I counted down the days until the season was over so I could break up with her because she was wearing my patience thin.

Edward had no sense whatsoever. He had the nerve to give me a smile when he saw me this morning in the reception waiting area! He must have gone mad. He had been playing rugby his whole life. Surely that had to have an effect on him because he was the definition of an idiotic 'jock'. He fit the American stereotype to the 'T' because everything about him was stupid.

"You have been suspended from the next four games and you have the nerve to smile!" Coach Bryan nearly popped a vein. His face was so red I couldn't tell the difference between his skin and the shirt he was wearing. I did not think I had ever seen him more mad in my life.

Edward leaned back in his seat then let out a sigh, "I apologize for my conduct yesterday but you have to understand sometimes in a match tempers run high. Surely we haven't been the first two players to get in a fight."

"Then explain why Connor pushed you down to the floor when I caught you both in the locker rooms," he deadpanned

Everyone's eyes turned to me and my heart nearly burst. I had completely forgotten all about that. Despite Edward being who he was I did not miss the way his skin paled as he looked down to his lap. This was one the golden ticket I had been waiting for.

The opportunity to finally get him off the team and removed as national captain. Confessing he had kissed me by force could count as harrassment and that could definitely get you dismissed.

Yet there was nothing appealing about telling everyone the truth. I was not sure what the intention was behind him kissing me but playing dirty to get what I wanted was never something I believed in. I would not feel proud knowing I had gotten captaincy because I had made something into something it really wasn't.

"It was the same fight as always," I lied, "just two egos clashing."

The execute director of the team, Paul, let out a sigh as he shook his head, "you both know not to tempt fans with a narrative. They already are fueled by this rivalry between you two that at any moment they could pop off. Yesterday that was exactly what happened. No one got killed luckily but there were a few in critical condition."

"That is why we have decided once you two do not look like you were run over by rhinos, you will both hold a press conference together to show you are deeply apologetic about what happened. You will act like the respectable captain and deputy captain you are

"From then on you will lie low for a few weeks before you are allowed to play again."

"Well that's excellent," Edward nodded, "Wouldn't be the first time Connor and I have to let out the fires."

If there was one thing Edward could never do was shut up and it seemed today he just had many of his blonde moments.

"We weren't finished," Paul frowned, "during this time you will both be sent away to a team building camp. Just the two of you to air out your differences."

"What!" Edward and I both screamed as we sat up in our seats.

"I can't go away with him!" I defended, "Some of us have our own lives to run."

"You will or you can say goodbye to your position on the team," Phil glared. "You will not be paid during your suspension and if you wish to not take part in the camp you are more than welcome to hand over your official letter of resignation. Trust me if you two weren't the best we have. We would have let you go a long time ago."

"How long is this camp?" I demanded.

"Three weeks," Coach Bryan grinned, "Three weeks to build your spirit, mind and body. Three weeks to actually see each other as human beings who are meant to support each other and learn to play as a team. We will have consolers assigned to you who will be tracking your progress.

"Let there be one argument. One fight during your training camp, we will be notified and you can kiss your positions on the national team goodbye. You will spend two weeks alone before the rest of the team joins you during your last week. They will be the ones to judge to see if you two actually flow or if you were just able to influence the consolers well enough."

Edward did not say a word as he sat next to me. For a moment I had even forgotten he was in the room as they broke down what camp would entail.

I was livid beyond belief. I was thirty years old. Old enough to not need a fucking camp to bond with a friend. What were they going to make us do? Sit around a fire, sing songs and make us burn marshmallows. We were adults. Grown men who could sort out our problems without being given an ultimatum.

Yet everyone knew there would be a cold day in hell before I gave up what I had worked for. Three weeks with Edward were going to push me to limits even I did not know I had.