balls into nets in the last six months than any other player. He also modeled underwear for Sport X, the most expensive designer label to come out of London in the past ten years.
As the door opened further, the soft, wavy, almost glowing blonde hair, and subtle but prominent cheekbones were revealed. The contours of his face caught the shadow from the room lamp as he stepped through; it almost felt like Todd was looking at one of those touched up glossy billboard adds right now. However, there was something Todd could see now that didn’t come across on TV or a photograph. Daryl had a nose that was slightly crooked, not so much that it made him look disfigured, but enough to show he’d taken a beating at some point in his life.
Todd stood up and gazed at the man in his room, and those blue eyes flashed a mild beam. Daryl was an inch shorter than Todd. At five feet ten, he was, in fact, the shortest player on the team.
“I thought I’d introduce myself,” Daryl said, in a quiet, uncertain tone.
Todd’s heart raced. This guy had all the girls in Blackmoor frowning in pain whenever he was interviewed at the end of a match. He was easily the best looker in the squad, his broad smile and dazzling eyes had even taken the limelight off the rigid, handsome face of Eduardo Manila, and had made most girls forget about the cool, hard look of Sean Thompson. And he was the only Reds player that Cherrie said she’d sleep with, which Todd always forgave her for.
Todd’s mouth was dry as he looked into his eyes. They were amazing, even for a man to look at. “I don’t believe it,” he whispered. “Daryl fucking Atkins…”
Daryl chuckled softly and turned his face slightly downwards, as if not sure how to respond. It gave the impression that the guy was a little timid, and it didn’t seem to go with his star persona.
“I heard you’d come on board,” Daryl said with an almost childish tone. “The other players have been talking about you. Wayne speaks highly of your performance so far.” He stepped forward and graced Todd with the natural, cedar-like smell of his cologne during a brief hug.
“Thanks.” Todd’s cheeks hurt from smiling, and a tenseness had developed in his eyes from frowning. Something was oddly familiar, and yet completely alien about the in-the-flesh Daryl. “I’ve been hard at training already,” he said, wondering if it was Daryl’s shyness that was alien.
“Yeah,” Daryl said with a mild smirk. “I wish I’d been there but I had a photo shoot down south. I just got back and couldn’t wait to see our new intake. You’re just as cute as they say.” He laughed while rubbing Todd’s hair in a way that a childhood buddy might.
Todd laughed along. Many people had called him cute, and he thought that it was ok being thought of as such, but he was getting older now; cute didn’t mean anything.
“I’ll have to watch out.” Daryl winked. “You’ll be taking all those modeling deals off me.”
Todd laughed again - as if he’d outdo Daryl Atkins in a photograph. He shrugged as if to say, ‘you never know’.
“Are you gonna be training tomorrow?” he asked.
“No.” Daryl frowned delicately, staring at the carpet again. “I’ve just bought a new place and the boss is giving me time to get it sorted, but I’ll be back in training on Monday, so…” He grinned again and looked at Todd with something that seemed to be hope in his eyes. “We can get to see what we’re like on the field together.”
Taking a deep breath, Todd gave his arm a friendly pat. He couldn’t believe the warm welcome everyone had given him, and here was Mr. Model Hotshot taking time out to visit him personally. Something had to be wrong here.
“I think you’ll be with us for years.” Daryl smiled as he turned to leave. “Everyone I’ve spoken to said so.”
Todd watched, speechless, as Daryl left his room; he turned back once to show his smile with a nod of goodbye.
Todd sat down. His
As the door opened further, the soft, wavy, almost glowing blonde hair, and subtle but prominent cheekbones were revealed. The contours of his face caught the shadow from the room lamp as he stepped through; it almost felt like Todd was looking at one of those touched up glossy billboard adds right now. However, there was something Todd could see now that didn’t come across on TV or a photograph. Daryl had a nose that was slightly crooked, not so much that it made him look disfigured, but enough to show he’d taken a beating at some point in his life.
Todd stood up and gazed at the man in his room, and those blue eyes flashed a mild beam. Daryl was an inch shorter than Todd. At five feet ten, he was, in fact, the shortest player on the team.
“I thought I’d introduce myself,” Daryl said, in a quiet, uncertain tone.
Todd’s heart raced. This guy had all the girls in Blackmoor frowning in pain whenever he was interviewed at the end of a match. He was easily the best looker in the squad, his broad smile and dazzling eyes had even taken the limelight off the rigid, handsome face of Eduardo Manila, and had made most girls forget about the cool, hard look of Sean Thompson. And he was the only Reds player that Cherrie said she’d sleep with, which Todd always forgave her for.
Todd’s mouth was dry as he looked into his eyes. They were amazing, even for a man to look at. “I don’t believe it,” he whispered. “Daryl fucking Atkins…”
Daryl chuckled softly and turned his face slightly downwards, as if not sure how to respond. It gave the impression that the guy was a little timid, and it didn’t seem to go with his star persona.
“I heard you’d come on board,” Daryl said with an almost childish tone. “The other players have been talking about you. Wayne speaks highly of your performance so far.” He stepped forward and graced Todd with the natural, cedar-like smell of his cologne during a brief hug.
“Thanks.” Todd’s cheeks hurt from smiling, and a tenseness had developed in his eyes from frowning. Something was oddly familiar, and yet completely alien about the in-the-flesh Daryl. “I’ve been hard at training already,” he said, wondering if it was Daryl’s shyness that was alien.
“Yeah,” Daryl said with a mild smirk. “I wish I’d been there but I had a photo shoot down south. I just got back and couldn’t wait to see our new intake. You’re just as cute as they say.” He laughed while rubbing Todd’s hair in a way that a childhood buddy might.
Todd laughed along. Many people had called him cute, and he thought that it was ok being thought of as such, but he was getting older now; cute didn’t mean anything.
“I’ll have to watch out.” Daryl winked. “You’ll be taking all those modeling deals off me.”
Todd laughed again - as if he’d outdo Daryl Atkins in a photograph. He shrugged as if to say, ‘you never know’.
“Are you gonna be training tomorrow?” he asked.
“No.” Daryl frowned delicately, staring at the carpet again. “I’ve just bought a new place and the boss is giving me time to get it sorted, but I’ll be back in training on Monday, so…” He grinned again and looked at Todd with something that seemed to be hope in his eyes. “We can get to see what we’re like on the field together.”
Taking a deep breath, Todd gave his arm a friendly pat. He couldn’t believe the warm welcome everyone had given him, and here was Mr. Model Hotshot taking time out to visit him personally. Something had to be wrong here.
“I think you’ll be with us for years.” Daryl smiled as he turned to leave. “Everyone I’ve spoken to said so.”
Todd watched, speechless, as Daryl left his room; he turned back once to show his smile with a nod of goodbye.
Todd sat down. His
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