| Chapter 10 – Imaginary friends, Anfield dreams and a secret kiss
Michael walked down the tunnel with Rick Parry and his mouth opened wide in shock as he saw the: This is Anfield sign. He touched it to give him good luck as he was about to meet his idols, Ian Rush, John Barnes, Robbie Fowler just to name a few. He breathed heavily and walked out onto the pitch and looked up and smiled. This was Anfield, the place the opposition feared the most. And if this goes well, he might even put on the Liver bird each week and play for his team he’s supported since a boy. He turned around and he felt like he was about to faint, Ian Rush was walking towards him. Michael wanted to faint, but he couldn’t if Wazza and Stevie found out he would get teased for life.
Penny pushed herself out of the canteen and the wind immediately hit her, the school physiotherapist was with her and they were going to work on some catching. Penny’s worse area of her physiotherapy program. They were working by the football area, she could see Steven and Frank begrudgingly warm up together. When she saw him her heart missed a beat and she felt happy, but she didn’t deserve to be happy, she was Penelope Rothe. Happiness happened to other people, and besides he had a girlfriend. Who was stunning, what chance did she have, she was just an ugly spastic whose own father left her when she was born. The ball came towards her and she couldn’t catch it, as she put her head down in disappointed she heard a voice. “Liverpool fan’s don’t quit,” he said in his gorgeous Liverpudlian accent. She looked up and groaned. “I can’t do it,” Penny said in frustration. “Yes you can, hey Margaret can you let me try with Penny during half time?” Steven asked Margaret, the Physiotherapist. “If you don’t mind,” Margaret asked smiling.
Jackie was in science with John Terry, Frank Lampard and Toni Poole. John looked at Jackie up and down and she looked at him disgust. “Oi, are you staring at my boyfriend?” Toni asked as she stood in front of her. “Not in a million years, I’d rather stare at a pile of dog crap than him,” Jackie said shaking her head. “What’s wrong with my man then?” Toni asked annoyed. “Nothing if you like the look of ugliness,” Jackie said sighing. “I’m not ugly,” John said ingignantly. “Yeah right, it looks like you fell off the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down,” Jackie said as she turned her head away and shock her head at Louise.
“Right, I want you too stop thinking you can’t catch this ball because you can,” Steven said as he threw it. Penny put her arms up and caught her first ball in her life, but as she did her sleeves rode up to show all her cuts and bruises on her arm. “What’s wrong with your arm?” Steven asked worriedly. “Mind your own business,” Penny said defensively. Steven looked at her walked towards her and lifted her sleeve up gently, just touching her made him jump nearly as he felt some sort of spark. As he saw the bruises and the cuts he gasped. “What happened, who did this to you?” Steven whispered as he gently rubbed a finger of the cuts. “No one,” Penny whispered back. “What a knife and a fist just magically stabbed and punched you,” Steven asked in annoyance. Penny looked up at him and the tears welled up in her eyes. Steven put his hand on her cheek and very gently wiped the tears away. “Now Liverpool fans don’t cry, so tell me what’s wrong maybe I can help,” Steven said as he pushed her towards the bench.
Nicola was behind the sports centre peeking through the fire exit door by the boys changing room. There she saw him, Jamie, she peeked sneakily as he took his shorts and pants off revealing a gorgeous toned bum. Kat wolf whistled loudly and Jamie turned around suddenly reveling everything. “Your certainly not cold,” Nicola said as she ran away laughing. “OI come back,” Jamie shouted as he put a towel around himself. “Who are you shouting at?” Rio asked as he came out of the shower. “There was this girl here, who I keep meeting,” Jamie said as he looked out the door once again. “Yeah sure there was,” Gary said laughing. “Jamie, sometimes I think you have an imaginary friend,” Peter said as he laughed with others.
Steven was sitting on the bench looking at Penny worriedly but feeling a warm feeling inside him. “So, who did this?” Steven said as he pointed to his wrist. “I did,” Penny whispered as she tried to stop the tears flowing. Steven gasped in shock. “But why, why do that too your self,” Steven asked as he looked at her worriedly. “Because I am nothing, I’m just this person in a wheelchair, I have no friends, no father, no boyfriend, I’m ugly, I’m useless, I’m a nobody,” Penny said quietly as she looked at him. “Lets get this straight first of all, your not ugly,” Steven said as he looked at her. “Yeah I’m beating men off with a stick,” Penny said sarcastically. “Penny, having a partner isn’t the be all and end all you know?” Steven said sighing. “Problems with Alex?” Penny asked laughing. “Oh she’s just pissing me off at the moment,” Steven said sighing. “Well she’s gorgeous,” Penny said trying not let the jealousy come through. “So that man wasn’t your father?” Steven asked suddenly. “Nope, step dad, my dad walked out on me 10 days after I was born,” Penny said sadly. “The bastard,” Steven said as he looked at her, “but he’s not worth doing this to yourself Penny.” Penny looked up at him and smiled. “Do you ever have dreams and ambitions?” Penny asked him as she smiled. “Oh yes, I dream of one day playing for Liverpool, winning trophies, captaining my club and country, playing in the Euros and World Cups, marriage, kids the works, you?” Steven asked as he drifted off into his dream. “Too be loved,” Penny said sadly. Steven turned around and Penny’s face broke his heart into two, he lifted her face up and very gently kissed her on the lips.
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