PENALTY by Annika Sturm (best contemporary novels TXT) 📕

the duvet off the floor and tenderly covered him again. He kissed his hair and got up to make them breakfast.

Tom sleepily appeared in the kitchen in his dressing gown about half an hour later. He wiped his eyes and yawned and Alex smiled at him. He grabbed him and picked him up, beaming. 'Alex, what the hell,' Tom giggled trying to get his feet back on the ground, 'put me down!' He shouted chuckling. Alex gently set him back down and held him in his arms. They smiled at each other lovingly. 'Good morning.' Alex whispered. Tom kissed him. 'I slept for hours,' he yawned again, 'must be almost time to get ready.' 'Breakfast first.' Alex said and served them some scrambled eggs. Tom stared at him with wide eyes. 'Since when can you cook breakfast?' 'Weeks of bachelor experience.' Alex winked at him and Tom laughed.

They ate their breakfast together and even though Tom was getting anxious about the match that afternoon and the fans' reactions in the stadium, Alex managed to distract him and help him relax a little. 'What time are you playing?' He asked him eventually, taking a sip of coffee. '17.30. At least we have a bit of time,' Tom hesitated, 'when are you going back to Hamburg?' 'Tomorrow,' Alex said quietly and Tom nodded, 'should be a good match this afternoon.' Alex continued looking at him. 'Yeah,' Tom forced a laugh, 'it will certainly be an interesting one.' He ran his hands through his hair as he was getting stressed again. 'Don't worry,' Alex smiled at his friend cheekily, 'I'll be there.' Tom looked at him confused. 'Where?' He asked him. 'In the stadium watching the match you idiot.' 'You want to come to the stadium?', Tom frowned at him, 'Alex,' he said gently and put his cup down, 'why do you want to do this to yourself? Isn't it enough if I get whistled at?' Alex took his hands. 'Tommy,' he whispered, 'you need me. Remember?' He grinned at him. Tom just stared at his friend. 'You really are a nutcase, you know that?', he sighed. Then he smiled at him gently, 'okay, fine. I can't stop you anyway. You never listen to a word I say to you!' He laughed in despair. Alex smiled and cast his eyes down. Tom sat down on his lap. He carefully opened Alex’s dressing gown and checked his bruise. His whole upper stomach had turned dark purple. Tom looked into his friend's eyes. 'No-one will ever hurt you again. I'll make sure of that.' He stroked his hair and kissed him.

Alex took a look around the sold out stadium after he had sat down in the VIP box. He could see various banners up and most of them made him feel sick and angry. Alex's and Tom's faces were on pretty much all of them. They were ridiculed by caricatures of them snogging, having sex and oral sex. Alex pulled his cap deep down into his face and tried to hide in his winter jacket. He was hoping Tom would be able to just blank them throughout the match. His eyes kept wandering across the stadium. Then he noticed a couple of smaller banners in the crowd. It looked like it was a group of girls holding them high up in the air. 'Now we love you even more!' The boys' faces were framed in a big red heart. Alex almost laughed when he spotted them but it gave him a glimpse of hope on this daunting afternoon.

As soon as Tom and his team walked onto the pitch the whistling started. Not only was it the fans of the opponent team, who booed him and sang abusive songs, but what was worse, it was his own club's supporters who started howling abuse too. Tom tried to keep his head held high and avoided looking at the crowds too much. But Alex could tell how stressed he was, he knew him too well. Kai and Felix stayed close to him until they had to jog off into their positions. Alex felt nervous for him. He was hoping Tom would be able to have a good match despite the humiliating messages around him. He wanted his friend to show everyone what a talented footballer he really was. And Tom did just that.

Alex watched in awe as Tom dominated his team and the match setting the pace. Kai and Tom played together perfectly. When Kai scored twice in the first half, he made a special gesture and ran towards him, pointing at him for having served him the perfect ball. Tom high-fived his friend but didn't overly celebrate, he just got on with his work instead. Alex turned his hand into a fist and encouraged him to keep going. 'Come on.' He mumbled under his breath as if Tom could hear him.

He briefly joined the team in the changing rooms at half time. 'Good work!' Alex said and patted Kai's head. He saw Tom sitting in the corner in front of his locker. He was resting his arms on his thighs and looked focussed. Alex walked towards him and slowly sat down next to him. 'Hey,' he said gently, 'you are doing great!' He smiled at him proudly. Tom looked at him with tears in his eyes. 'Have you seen the banners?' He asked him. Alex nodded sadly. 'Yes, of course I have,' Tom couldn't say anything. He sipped his energy drink and tried to concentrate again, 'but you are showing everyone what a brilliant footballer you are Tommy,' he took his hand briefly, 'you couldn't have responded in a better way,' he smiled at him again, 'I'm so proud of you,' he whispered. Tom just stared at him expressionless. Alex cast his eyes down, 'I better go.' He got up and was about to walk off when Tom grabbed his hand. He was breathing hard with stress as Alex turned to him. 'Thank you.' He mouthed at him and smiled.

The second half was less noisy. The majority of fans had got bored of whistling and the celebratory atmosphere of their team currently up 2-0 was thankfully more prominent now. The supporters of the opponent team on the other hand, angered by the score and Tom continuing to play sharply and faultlessly, tried to put him off his game by commencing the booing and whistling again whenever he had the ball. But he fought defiantly and delivered. He managed to set up another goal in the second half and his team went on to win the match 3-0. It was the perfect result and response to Tom's tough week. Alex jumped up at the final whistle and clapped and cheered. The cameras had finally spotted him and didn't miss the chance to take pictures of him smiling, clearly admiring his boyfriend. Tom was looking at him and waved his fist high up in the air in victory and relief. Alex nodded at him, taking deep breaths. He was the proudest man in the stadium.

Back in the changing room, Kai and Felix tried to convince the boys to come out and celebrate their win that evening. Tom was unsure and hesitant. 'Come on,' Kai said, 'you had the game of your life despite those twats out there giving you such a hard time. You deserve a drink man!' Tom shook his head as he was putting his shoes on. 'I don't know Kai. It might be a bit too soon to be out celebrating, don't you think?' 'Why?', Felix intervened, 'you have every right to be out with your team mates after a 3-0 thrashing! Besides, we'll be a 10 minute walk from your house. We're only going to our local bar.' Tom looked at Alex for some support in making a decision. 'What do you think? You need to fly back to Hamburg tomorrow.' 'Ahhh, do the love birds fancy a romantic night in? Is that what it is?' Felix mocked them and giggled. Tom slapped him. 'Idiot!' He laughed. Alex smiled as he was leaning against the lockers with his hands in his pockets. 'I'm easy Tommy, it may be a good way to take our minds off things a bit though?' Tom took a minute to consider the options. Then he laughed. 'Oh what the hell, let's go out.' Kai and Felix cheered and high-fived each other and Tom stood up and gave Alex a kiss.

The atmosphere in their local bar was relaxed and happy that evening. Tom was chatting to all his team mates, who kept expressing their support for him and felt proud of his outstanding performance that day. Alex also enjoyed a couple of drinks with them but cursed at the match result of his own team. They had lost yet again in the afternoon and were now seriously in trouble. He checked the news on his phone and rubbed his forehead in frustration. Tom joined him and put his arm around his shoulders. 'Perhaps it's time you came and played here.' Tom winked at him. Alex stared at him at first and then laughed out loud. 'Move to Dortmund?', he took a sip of his beer, 'I don't think so,' Tom smiled but Alex spotted some disappointment in his eyes, 'obviously I'd love to be back in the same city as you,' he added hectically, 'you know that, don't you?' Tom nodded and kissed him. 'Dortmund is not Hamburg though, hey?', Tom winked at him, 'sure, I understand.'

All of a sudden they could hear some roars and cheers and the whole team had turned towards them without them realising. 'Here's to the couple of the year!' Kai shouted and the team cheered again. The boys giggled embarrassed as they realised they had been caught chatting and kissing each other. Tom beamed at Alex and kissed him again, which imminently resulted in the roars turning louder. And Alex had never felt prouder.

They decided to stroll home at the end of the evening. It was a short walk and they both felt they could do with some fresh air. A thick layer of snow still covered the pavements and streets and Alex and Tom were wrapped up in coats and scarfs. They were in a good mood and chatted as they were walking side by side. Only a few minutes from Tom's house Alex stopped, picked up some snow and formed a giant snowball, which he threw at Tom. He managed to hit him right between his shoulder blades. 'Ouch, you bastard!' His friend turned and chuckled, grabbed some snow himself, and hit Alex on his left thigh. They laughed and continued their snowball fight in the middle of the street. There wasn't anyone around.

Then, suddenly, they could hear someone shout. They turned and saw a group of four young men staggering down the road a few metres behind them. 'Hey,' one of them shouted, 'can we join in?' The others laughed. Alex and Tom stopped and looked at each other. 'Shit,' Alex mumbled, 'let's go.' They turned and started walking faster towards Tom's street. 'Hey,' the same man shouted again and the boys could hear them run up behind them. Alex and Tom exchanged a look but before they could run off, the men had caught up and stood in their way, 'no fucking way man,' they shouted, 'it's the fags!', they roared with laughter, 'today is our lucky day after all!'

Alex and Tom were like paralysed. It was obvious that they were supporters of the opponent team against which Tom's club had played earlier on. They looked like they had been drinking all day. Two of the men had blond hair and were strongly built, the other two were slightly slimmer with darker hair. 'Get out of our way.' Alex said annoyed and tried to push them aside. 'Wow, easy.' One of the blond ones said and stood