PENALTY by Annika Sturm (best contemporary novels TXT) 📕

him into this house,' Tom stared at him in tears, 'did you think we welcome your new boyfriend to our family? Huh?' Marco shouted at him. Alex started feeling uncomfortable and out of place as Tom's parents were now both staring at him. 'Get out,' Tom's father stood up and looked at Alex, 'you're not welcome in this house.' 'Dad!' Tom jumped up and looked at him. 'No Tom, you will not see this boy again.' 'What?' Tom almost laughed. 'We can fix this illness you have and get you back on track. But until then you will not have any contact with him whatsoever.' 'What illness?', Tom shook his head at his father's words, 'I'm not ill. And this isn't Alex’s fault.' He shouted. 'Get out!' His father said again.

Alex got up and started walking backwards towards the lounge door. 'Dad,' Tom urged him, 'you can't talk to him like this. Please. He's my...,' he hesitated, 'he's my friend.' He said finally. 'It's okay Tommy,' Alex gulped at the threatening looks around him, 'I'll go for a walk,' he was breathing hard, 'hmm. Okay?', he nodded at Tom, 'I won't be far.' Tom stared at him. 'Okay.' He whispered apologetically. 'I would run as far as I could if I were you,' Marco was shouting at Alex again, 'you are ruining everything for him.' Tom shook his head and ran his hands over his face. 'The only ones ruining everything are people like you!' Tom shouted at his brother.

Alex shivered as he closed the front door behind him. He started walking across the fields close by their family house and imagined what a happy childhood Tom would have had here. So much open space to mess around and play in after school. No wonder he had felt homesick in Hamburg. After half an hour of strolling aimlessly, Alex felt chilly and headed back to the house. His heart sank as he got closer and he hoped Tom would be alright. He didn't dare ring the doorbell so he sat down outside on a step waiting for Tom to come and find him.

Then suddenly the front door opened. Alex had expected Tom to walk out but instead he watched in surprise as Marco stormed straight towards him with an angry look on his face. 'Did you not listen to what I said earlier?' He screamed at him and Alex jumped up feeling scared. 'Marco!' Alex saw Tom shout and run out of the house after him but he couldn't get to his brother in time. Before Alex could even react, Marco had grabbed him and punched him in the stomach. Alex gasped and moaned as he bowed forward in pain. 'No! Marco, stop it!' Tom screamed at his brother as Marco punched Alex again, so hard this time that Alex collapsed onto his knees and curled up on the floor. He was caught so off guard that he wasn't even able to defend himself. Tom managed to pull his brother away from Alex before he could hit him again.

The next thing Alex knew was Tom kneeling beside him on the floor holding his head. 'Alex.' He whispered in panic stroking his cheeks gently. Then he turned around to his brother angrily. 'You bastard,' he shouted in tears of anger, 'what have you done to him?' 'He's filth Tommy. He's destroying everything for you, everything! If it wasn't for him, you'd still be with Christine and not all over the press as a gay footballer! You are such an idiot!' His brother was furious. He was racing up and down in front of their parents' house breathing hard. Alex stared at him still lying on his side and then looked at Tom, who wouldn't stop stroking his hair. 'You are the idiot,' Tom spat through his teeth as he turned to his brother again, 'it's hardly Alex’s fault that I'm gay, is it?'

Angered by Tom's words, Marco made another attempt to attack and walked over to them. He was cursing at Alex but Tom held him in his arms protectively. 'No,' he gave his brother a threatening look, 'don't you dare hurt him again,' Alex was still breathing hard with pain, 'go back inside. Leave us alone Marco.' Tom said in disgust. 'You will go back with him?' Marco asked in disbelief. Tom didn't say anything and instead tried to help Alex get up. 'Come on,' he said encouragingly and started pulling his friend up carefully. Alex moaned quietly and Tom kissed his cheek in empathy, 'are you okay?' He asked him nervously and Alex nodded. 'Disgusting.' Marco said as he watched the boys. 'Where are the car keys, Alex, I'm driving us home.' Tom asked hectically and Alex slowly pulled them out of his pocket.

'Tommy,' Marco said warningly, 'if you leave with him now, you are choosing him over your own family, your own blood.' Tom stared at him but kept supporting Alex as they slowly walked to the car. 'We have done nothing wrong Marco. If you can't accept that I love him then I can't help you. Or mum and dad,' he paused, 'I had hoped you would understand at least,' Tom started crying, 'and I'm sorry you have proved me so wrong.' Marco bit his lip and tears started rolling down his cheeks. He had nothing to say to that in return.

Tom gently helped Alex sit down in the passenger seat and stroked his hair again as his friend was taking deep breaths. 'It's okay. I'll take you home now.' Tom kissed his forehead after he had secured the seatbelt and then closed the passenger door. He didn't look back at his brother as he got into the car and drove off at full speed. With Marco staring after them.

Alex didn't know what to say. He watched Tom as he drove them both home as fast as he could. His friend kept crying quietly, trying to wipe the tears off his cheeks at the same time. Alex was still in shock about the fact he had actually been punched and while his stomach was still hurting, the pain thankfully wasn't as strong anymore. He stroked Tom's thigh gently. Tom reacted immediately and took his hand and kissed it again and again. Alex could feel his friend's wet tears on the back of his hand. 'Hey,' he smiled at him, 'pretty shit day, huh?' He said quietly and Tom laughed. 'You could say that.'

Once they had arrived at home, Tom shut the front door behind them in relief and helped Alex sit down on the sofa. 'Top off.' He demanded as he walked into the kitchen. 'Excuse me, that's a bit forward, don't you think?' Alex giggled and then winced again in pain. Tom came back into the lounge with a bucket of ice and a towel. He watched Alex struggle with his jumper and smiled sadly. 'Come on, let me help you,' he said gently and kneeled down in front of him, 'arms up.' Alex stretched his arms in the air as far as he could. Tom carefully pulled his jumper up over his head and placed the ice cubes into the towel.

As he was about to cool Alex’s stomach, he stopped short looking at him. Alex gently stroked his cheeks and kissed him lovingly as Tom put his arms around his neck, relishing his kiss. Alex smiled shyly. 'I was worried for a bit you'd listen to your dad,' Tom looked at him, unsure as to what he meant, 'you know. Not to see me again.' Tom tutted and shook his head. 'Lie down Alex.' He gently pressed the towel onto Alex’s stomach as he lay down flat on his back. Alex moaned briefly in pain. 'Did I hurt you?', Tom stopped and looked concerned. Alex smiled at him and started stroking his hair. He shook his head gazing at him, 'this is going to bruise Alex. I'm not even sure if you can play on Saturday now.' Tom sounded stressed but Alex didn't care about this injury. 'Thank you for looking after me.' Tom looked at him. 'I'm so sorry Alex,' he said quietly as he kept cooling his friend's upper body, 'they haven't understood anything. And to make you the culprit for all of this,' he shook his head and sighed, 'I blame myself. I should have not taken you with me. It was irresponsible and stupid of me.' 'Hey,' Alex grabbed his head and kissed him again, 'it's okay. Give them some time. Hmm?’ He stroked his cheeks and Tom rested his forehead against his'. Alex kissed and hugged him tightly. 'I can't believe he beat you up.' Tom said angrily and pressed the towel onto Alex’s stomach again. 'Twice as well!' Alex giggled but then winced again as he remembered that laughing actually hurt. Tom stroked his hair and looked at him lovingly. 'If they could just see.' He whispered. 'See what?' Alex asked him. 'How happy you make me.' Tom said and smiled as he kissed him again.

It had snowed overnight and Dortmund was braced for another bitterly cold winter day. Tom struggled to get any sleep. He kept getting up and turning the television on in the lounge and then switching it back off again. Alex registered Tom's restlessness and held him whenever he crawled back into bed and made another attempt to get some rest.

It was early morning when Alex woke up and noticed Tom was in the lounge again. He sleepily ran his hands over his face and was about to get out of bed when he almost screamed in pain. He tried to carefully sit up and checked his stomach, which had already started bruising. Very gently he managed to manoeuvre himself out of bed, threw one of Tom's dressing gowns on and joined him in the lounge.

He found Tom curled up in a blanket on the sofa watching a boxing fight in the States on television. He had a huge mug of tea in front of him and held the remote control as if it was a magic stick. Alex carefully sat down next to him and put Tom's legs on his lap. 'I didn't realise I snored so much that you felt banned to the sofa in your own home,' Alex stroked his thighs and Tom laughed, 'it's 5 in the morning Tommy. Don't you want to try and sleep a bit longer?' Alex asked him quietly. Tom sighed and shook his head. 'I've tried. I can't.' He turned off the television and stood up, slowly making his way towards the window. Alex watched him stare outside. He wanted to get up and join him but moved too fast and this time he did scream in pain.

'Alex?' Tom hectically turned around and stormed back towards the sofa. He sat next to him and held his head. 'I'm okay, I'm alright. It's... nothing.' Alex smiled at his friend but was breathing hard. Tom gave him a look. He gently opened Alex’s dressing gown and stared at his bruise. 'Oh man,' Tom was shaking his head, 'I'll never forgive him for that.' Alex looked into his sad eyes and stroked his hair. 'It'll heal,' Alex said and smiled again. Tom threw his arms around his friend and hugged him tightly taking deep breaths. Alex kissed his cheek, 'everything will be alright Tommy,' he looked into his eyes, 'I promise you.' Tom smiled at him nervously. 'I'm so glad you're here.' He gasped for air.

'Who knows about this story?' Alex asked him carefully. 'My agent, Felix and Kai,' Tom gulped, 'and now my family.' He forced a laugh and ran his hand over his hair.' Alex looked at him. 'So your manager will find out today as the story breaks?' 'Yeah. Although Felix was going to warn them yesterday that something big is about to happen.' He gulped again. 'What about Winter?'