Every year on Christmas Day, the training session ends early.

Dzyuba and Mario are on the phone, one speaking Russian and the other speaking Portuguese. Hans didn't know exactly what they were talking about, but from their facial expressions, it wasn't hard to guess that they were all complaining that there was a training session on Christmas Day and that they were going to play the day after Christmas. Hans looked down and smiled, but the smile quickly faded. His parents and sister were both in Germany, and Mr. Beltz had returned to Germany the previous two days. This Christmas, he will spend it alone in cold London.

Patrick was putting on a clean T-shirt, and when he looked up, he saw the German looking a little melancholy. So he walked over and, in the midst of the noise, said to Hans, "Hey. ”

Hans heard the voice and turned his head.

"If you don't have a plan for the evening, come and eat at my house. ”

A flash of surprise flashed in Hans's green eyes, and then he glanced at Leon and then at the two teammates who were calling.

Patrick noticed his gaze and raised an eyebrow, "I'm not going to invite those guys, they all have girlfriends. ”

Hans coughed dryly and smiled, "Thank you for the invitation, Patrick." I would love to taste your mother's Christmas dinner. ”

"Remember, even if it's hard to eat, pretend it's delicious, or my dad might beat you." Patrick smiled and tapped Hans on the shoulder as he walked back to his locker. He remembered something again and turned around.

The Germans were changing their clothes, and when Patrick looked at him again, he said, "Don't worry, I can eat even the most unpalatable food." You haven't tasted the broth my mother made, that's disaster. He smiled a little childishly when he said this, he actually missed his family very much.

"Speaking of disaster, you haven't tasted Tina's sandwich. ”

When Hans heard this, he was slightly stunned.

Patrick's voice came again in the midst of the noise, "I just wanted to tell you that the boss is here tonight." ”

Hans opened his eyes, frowned slightly, and asked, "She won't cook tonight, will she?"

"No, she won't. Patrick grinned, "It's a disaster, but it's hard to taste. With that, he turned his head and took out his phone and sent a message to Tina.

[There's a guest tonight, don't be too late.] x】

****

In the evening, it began to rain in West London.

Lu Ling sat in Harrington's office, ready to check his mailbox and leave work. She received quite a few emails, mostly holiday greetings. She scratched her chin at the side, she didn't have the time or mood to reply to them all right now, but it looked like a lot of them had to be replied to.

She let out a small breath and decided to take ten minutes to do it. If you don't finish it in ten minutes, then go back and talk about it, anyway, just send it out before the New Year.

"Dear Alice, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! You know what I want to talk about. ”

Alice Brown is an alumnus of Lu Ling's university, having made it to the England women's national youth team, but ultimately chose to pursue an academic path. They had a good relationship in college and played football together, although Alice liked to laugh at Lu Ling's rough skills and went to a nightclub together on a cold Friday night in high heels and miniskirts. It's all very pleasant memories, but because we have been busy with each other all these years, we have rarely seen each other, but email contact has never been interrupted.

Alice went on to receive her PhD in sports medicine from the University of Cologne, Germany. He is now working at the clinic of Wolfart, an authority in German medicine, specializing in athlete-related fields and is often involved in the treatment of some Bundesliga players.

The thing she wants to talk to Alice about is very simple, she wants her to come to QPR to work.

After replying to this letter, Lu Ling moved his somewhat stiff neck and prepared to turn off the computer.

Your inbox shows that you just received a new email.

She clicked. I never thought it would be from Nick again.

"Dear Christine, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"

The signature is your sincere Nicolas Flores.

She stared at the word "sincere" and felt strange and inexplicable. She looked at the time in the bottom right corner of the screen again, it was almost seven o'clock, and the Amber family and a guest were probably waiting for her.

She quickly replied and tapped on the keyboard:

"Dear Nick......"

She thought about it and removed the darling.

"Thank you, Nick, for your greetings and Merry Christmas to you, and I've said that before, but again, Happy Birthday. ”

After clicking send, she turned off her phone.

Lu Ling received a call from Nicholas as he drove out of the parking lot.

"I didn't send it. He said on the phone.

"Oh. She plugged in her headphones, "I do find it strange to be sincere." ”

The man on the other end of the line laughed, "My personal assistant probably sent it to everyone in the address book." I think I might fire him after the New Year. ”

"You reminded me that I should also hire a personal assistant. Either way, Merry Christmas to you. ”

"Thank you. ”

Lu Ling looked ahead, there was no sound in the headphones, she thought he was hanging, so she took off the headphones. At that moment, he said something, and she didn't hear clearly. She put the headphones back on, "Sorry Nick, I thought you hung up, what did you just say?"

"Nothing, Merry Christmas. Goodbye, Christine. ”

This time, he really hung up.

The rain was beating down on the glass windows, and it was a wet Christmas.

The weather in Liverpool is a bit harsher than in London, with strong winds and sleet.

Nicholas looked out the window, he really didn't say anything important. He simply said, "We never had the chance to spend a special day together. "Like Christmas, it's also his birthday, like Valentine's Day, like her birthday, like an unfinished anniversary.

Maybe you'll feel a little sorry too. Maybe.

****

As Zoe sprang out, Hans took a step back.

"Zoe. Zoe, good girl, you scared the hell out of Hans. Patrick beckoned at the pit bull. But Zoe seemed to have a keen interest in the Germans, always circling and sniffing around his long legs.

Hans then bent down his tall body, half-squatted and half-kneeled, and rubbed Zoe's chin, "She's beautiful." ”

"Of course. Patrick smirked, and he continued, "Zoe, come to me. ”

Zoe sniffed Hans's fingers as she turned around and rushed into Patrick's arms.

That's when the knock on the door rang out. Anna shouted from the kitchen, "Pat!"

"It's Tina, she must have forgotten the key again. Patrick went and opened the door with the bulldog in his arms.

Hans slowly stood up.

Lu Ling shook his slightly wet hair after entering the door, and muttered, "I forgot to bring the key." ”

"I knew it. Patrick put Zoe down and turned to go to the bathroom.

Lu Ling picked up Zoe again, and as soon as she looked up, she saw the team's first goalkeeper.

"Boss. Hans nodded at her.

It turned out that the guest Pat was talking about was Hans. She walked over to him, "Hey, Hans. ”

Patrick had come out of the bathroom, a towel in his hand. He walked over to the girl holding Zoe and helped her wipe her hair.

He wiped it and asked, "Do you want to take a shower?"

Anna walked out, and when she heard this, she hurriedly said, "Don't wash it, we'll eat right away." ”

"Okay, I wasn't going to wash it either. Lu Ling put down Zoe as she spoke, took the towel from Patrick's hand, and wiped it herself, she said to Hans while wiping, "I think this is the first Christmas you didn't spend with your family?"

Hans nodded, smiling all the time.

When Lu Ling finished wiping it, Patrick took the towel again, and then quickly kissed her on the lips. Lu Ling felt extremely embarrassed at this moment, but Patrick smiled indifferently, turned to Hans and said, "You'll keep it a secret, will you?"

"Of course. Hans looked away and replied stiffly.

Lu Ling was a little helpless. It's good that now there is one more person on the team who knows about her relationship with Pat.

****

Seeing Hans off, Patrick closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief: "It's finally just the two of us." ”

She laughed behind him and shook her head, "You're pretty much driving everyone away." Especially Hans, who went back alone so early. ”

"I invited him when he was alone. ”

"But you kissed me in front of him, you knew ......," she continued.

"I don't mean to show off. It's true. Hans is not a threat to me. I just don't think there's anything to shy away from. Besides, wouldn't it be nice for him to know?"

Lu Ling thought about it and felt that it was too. She laughed as she remembered how much Jack and Lucy had been so happy at dinner.

"What comes to mind?" asked Patrick.

"Your mom and dad are funny. ”

"Oh...... I told them, and Anna, not to ask anything about us. ”

"You're a bullying. ”

"They're always going to make things worse. ”

Lu Ling was still smiling, she knew very well that she had a good relationship with her parents, and she would be unscrupulous when she said these words. She walked to the door and went to get her coat.

"Are you leaving?" Patrick followed her.

"It's time for me to go back. ”

"Are you kidding?"

"I still have a job. ”

"Today is Christmas. ”

"There's a game tomorrow. ”

Patrick put his arm around her, "Can you go back a little later?"

"There's a game tomorrow. ”

“hmmm... It seems that you told all the players that there is a game tomorrow and that you are not allowed to sleep with your wife or girlfriend tonight. ”

Lu Ling laughed out loud, she shook her head, "If I do that, I think there will be at least eleven women in the locker room tomorrow." ”

"So, let's go later, isn't it?"

She gradually put away her smile, "Pat, I really have a lot of work to do. And ......"

He observed her mood change, and quickly leaned in and bit her lower lip, "Call me before bed?"

Lu Ling looked into his eyes and muttered, "Of course, Pat." Of course. ”

****

On the afternoon of Boxing Day, QPR hosted Bournemouth. This is the final battle of the first half of the Premier League, and if you win, QPR will be the halfway champion.

Patrick touched the turf and ran to the field. The turf is wet and cracky.

Fans knew an hour before the start of the team's number one star that the team would be in the game, so when the announcer read Patrick Amber's name, the crowd erupted in a huge cheer.

Lu Ling sat in the coach's seat, her eyes fixed on the field, and she knew that this was a round of applause to welcome Pate's return. It's just that the TV camera is deliberately aimed at her, as if trying to find something out of her eyes. But her pupils were like a quiet starless night sky, and she couldn't see any waves. She just sat up straight and zipped up her down jacket.

It was very windy.

In the 4th minute, when Patrick Amber touched the ball for the first time in the game, the home fans gave another huge cheer.

For the first time, the festive spirit has landed on this brand new course. The blue and white scarf was waved to the accompaniment of the new song the fans had written for Patrick. Fans of Queens Park Rangers are expecting a big win.

veryoumaybe

ry

d,**city

he’ry

Pat, Pat, whatever you might become

You're making history right now

Manchester United and Manchester City fuck off

He will be our history

Patrick began to dribble the ball to Bournemouth's position. After a man, he shot straight at goal from 30 yards, but the ball was high and deflected, and there was no threat.

Still, the home fans gave a round of applause.

Patrick glanced at the ball flying into the stands and foamed. It's cold. He thought.

Lu Ling stood up from the coach's seat and walked to the sideline. The ball was a little impatient just now, but Pat hadn't played for a long time after all, and it was normal.

In the following games, QPR dominated most of the ball. Lu Ling didn't deliberately instruct, but his teammates tacitly agreed to find Patrick. They want him to get the ball and they expect him to keep scoring.

And Patrick just had the ball, and he tried to pass people.

But this time, it was tackled by Bournemouth's midfielder Suhrman.

It all happened quickly, and Suhrman took the ball and went straight to Stanislas, who cut in at high speed and was about to form a one-on-one.

Thankfully, Hans was shrewd enough to hold the ball in his arms before Stanislas could get it.

Patrick looked down at his left foot, his brow furrowed, and he glanced at the girl on the sideline from a distance.

Damn it. Oh, shit.

In the 36th minute, Patrick received Ian's long pass again, but he stopped the ball directly this time, and he didn't think too much, didn't even adjust it slightly, and just shot hard.

His most proud, golden left foot, once again kicked the ball into the stands, and it was ridiculously high.

At this time, even the fans at the scene could see that there was something wrong with Patrick.

Tim walked up to Lu Ling and said in a suppressed voice, "That person on the field is not Patrick. ”

Lu Ling was silent. Pat has had bad games before, but today it seems that there are other issues besides form.

On the pitch, Patrick began to stubbornly try out some unlikely dribbling routes, and failed many times, and even if he succeeded, it was difficult to have a positive effect on the field.

The first half of the hour passed little by little, and the whole of New Queen's Park gradually fell into an atmosphere of restlessness.

The expressions on the faces of many QPR players on the field also looked a little confused and overwhelmed.

****

Lu Ling entered the locker room with a cold face.

Before most of the players had their butts in their seats, they heard the coach's reprimand-

"What the hell are you thinking? This is our home stadium! Fans are buying tickets to watch the game at home on Boxing Day, not to see how you did in the first half!"

Tim walked up to Lu Ling and said something in her ear, and she couldn't help but nod and sneer.

"Good, good, Tim, tell them!"

Tim hesitated, not speaking immediately.

"I told them!"

The assistant coach then told the players: "Everton are already 1-0 ahead of Newcastle. ”

"Did you hear what Tim said?"

No one said a word.

"Did I ask you guys what Tim said??"

Immediately several players chimed in, loud or small.

"If we fall from the top of the list today, I swear to God, you won't have a good life in the next month!" Lu Ling glanced at Patrick after speaking, and this glance made her heart sink.

He stared at the floor, his pretty eyes devoid of sparkle. She suddenly felt that he might not have listened to a word of what she had just said. She quickly turned around and said something to Tim, and called Patrick to the shower next door.

In the locker room, Tim's calm voice sounded, and the arrangement of tactical details was handed over to him by Lu Ling just now. Now, she has to solve the problem of the man in front of her.

"Pat. ”

Patrick looked up.

"How's your body?"

"It should be fine. ”

“…… What are you thinking?"

He looked at her, and after more than ten seconds, he answered her like a robot: "I don't know. ”

There was confusion on his face that Lu Ling had never seen before.

****

In the second half of the game, there was a light rain.

Patrick is still trying......

However, mistakes keep coming.

Lu Ling inquired about the data, but even without looking at the data, she knew that Patrick's error rate was unusually high.

By 60 minutes, Lu Ling felt like he was on pins and needles.

On the field, it seems that all the QPR players have been affected by the form of the number one star. León's shot even flew towards the corner flag area.

Lu Ling walked back to the coach's seat from the sideline. The home fans were also quiet for a few minutes.

Tim covered his mouth, "There's no way we're going to replace him." ”

"I know, I'm not going to do that. Lu Ling looked at the back of the blue and white No. 7 on the field, and his heart was tormented.

He is the best player in the Premier League and no manager would have replaced him early because of his poor form in a game. That would only have a negative effect on him.

Bournemouth have gradually moved to full defensiveness, and away from home, if they can pick up a point against the top team, it will definitely be a good Boxing Day result for the Cherries.

But every attack by QPR is like a punch into the cotton.

The fans at the New Queen's Park looked restless in the rain. Their singing was staccato and staccato.

In the 81st minute, Lu Ling was standing on the sidelines in the rain, and saw Patrick slip directly during a back-to-back confrontation, which happened not far in front of her.

She closed her lips and gritted her teeth.

What's going on?

Time passed......

There was only one minute left in the game.

The score at the New Queen's Park Stadium remained 0-0.

On the other hand, Everton's away game against Newcastle has come to an end, and the Toffees beat the Magpies 2-1 to get the Boxing Day package.

This means that if the QPR side can't win, they will relinquish the top spot.

In the 93rd minute, Zixiang broke through on the wing, passed a player and then crossed immediately. León arrived at the front post and hit the ball towards the goal. Neither the Bournemouth goalkeeper nor the defender touched the ball and it bounced off the post and back into the six-yard box.

There were legs in the box, but the ball happened to land at Patrick's feet and it was empty...... He nudged and scored the ball.

The court was boiling, and the bad game left everyone too depressed, and the blue and white players on the field pounced on Patrick.

But the QPR coach's reaction at the moment of the goal was somewhat unexpected by everyone, and she was expressionless. Then, looking at the celebrating players, she seemed stunned for a moment before clenching her fists and waving them at the fan stands. And the whole time, she didn't give a happy smile.

Soon, the final whistle blew.

Lu Ling shook hands with disappointed Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe, gave the fans a brief round of applause and walked briskly to the players' tunnel. This lore before the end of the show is not sweet to taste. It was the three points she wanted, but not the process she wanted.

She looked back again, the hero of the goal, her secret lover who set a new Premier League record for consecutive goals before the end of the game, Patrick Amber, the look on his face that made her inner unease intensify.

Was it her fault? She ruined his excitement that lasted half a season.

****

Everyone left. Only Lu Ling and Patrick were left in the locker room. Last time, when it was just the two of them in the locker room, they started a secret romance.

At this time, one of them stood by the tactical board, and the other sat in front of the locker.

There was no conversation.

Silence is like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

The locker room can't be dirtier or messier. The smell at this time is like a treacherous perfume. Yes, perfume. The top notes are the smell of sweat, the middle notes are the smell of shower gel, and the base notes are ......

Lu Ling felt that he smelled blood.

She jerked her head up, and she saw that Pat had a nosebleed. She was about to go over when he walked into the shower by himself, then came out with a large roll of paper, plugging his nose as he went.

There were a few bits of blood on the floor.

Lu Ling wanted to change this oppressive atmosphere, so he told a joke: "I really want to borrow you a tampon, but unfortunately I didn't bring it today." ”

He looked up and smiled at her.

She looked at him, he was so handsome, even with a pile of paper stuffed in his nose. She walked over and sat down beside him. She looked back again, and she was sitting in Zixiang's locker.

"Do you want to talk?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"Anything. ”

He shook his head, "I don't want to." I just want to ......"

Lu Ling's mobile phone shook, she took it out and looked at it, pressed it off, and put it aside.

She said, "I'm sorry, Pat. What do you just want to do?"

“…… Back at the club, the night of the Christmas dinner, I should never have brought that box up......"

Her phone vibrated again, tirelessly.

Patrick stopped talking and glanced at Nathaniel Lawrence.

"Maybe you should take it. I'm going to wash it, and it shouldn't be bleeding. He went to the shower and there was a splash.

And Lu Ling answered the phone.

Because of the sound of water, Patrick couldn't hear what she was saying, his mind was confused, and he didn't want to listen carefully. The nosebleed was still flowing down, drop by drop, falling on the white pool wall, mixing with the water, and blooming scarlet blood flowers.

Like a narcissus in her lower belly.

He was stunned for an unknown amount of time, washed his face, and plugged his nose with paper again.

He walked out and saw her angry face. Her hand clutched her phone tightly.

"You should tell me!"

Patrick was about to ask something, but the next moment, he thought of it.

"You should have told me that if you really wanted to leave next summer, I should be the first person you told me! But you know what? I'm hearing it from Nate right now! I always thought the Guardian reporters were, because I believed you, I believed Steve...... I'm sure you won't hide it from me!" she continued, a little hysterical.

He looked at her quietly and said, "Tina, I can explain. ”

She nodded her head, "Of course you have to explain, I'm listening." ”

Steve just had a brief conversation with them to get a sense of their intentions. I didn't think it all through, so I didn't tell you. ”

"When?"

Patrick paused for a second and said: "We went to White Hart Lane to watch Tottenham play Everton. ”

"That's why you went out to answer the phone?"

"Yes. ”

"Why? I thought you wanted to stay here, I thought you wanted to win the championship with me, I thought ......"

Her voice was abruptly cut off by his: "Tina!"

Lu Ling looked at the beautiful man in a daze.

"I have to plan for our future. He lowered his voice slightly.

"What future?"

"We can't stay together like cheating forever. I thought that if one day, I was no longer your player, I could take you to my favorite restaurant for dinner and go on vacation with you...... Tell everyone that it means ll, the Chinese abbreviation of my most beloved girl. I love her more than anything else in this world. He saw the blankness on her face, and suddenly felt pain, "You never thought about it, did you? You never thought about our future, did you?"

“…… You're only twenty years old. ”

"Yes, I'm only twenty years old, but I'm sorry, I just want to be with you forever. It doesn't matter if you're married or not, I know you don't like marriage. ”

Lu Ling opened his mouth and was speechless.

After a long time, her voice fell on him like hail.

"If I knew that being with you would make you want to leave the club, I shouldn't have let it start at all. ”

Retract the sentence. ”

She didn't make a sound.

"Take that back, Tina. Patrick yelled.

She remained silent and didn't look at him.

"So, Coach and Tina, you're always going to pick the former, right?"

"Yes. It's never been a difficult decision for me. ”

Everything suddenly paled. Patrick ripped the paper off his nose and whispered, "You should go, Tina." I want to take a shower and go back to sleep. ”

"Pat ......"

"Let's go. ”

She left the locker room.

****

Three days later, the 20th round of the Premier League.

The half-way champions, the QPR, are still playing at home, with Swansea City coming as the visitors. Patrick Amber continues to start.

This is the last race of 2017 and the Christmas-New Year festive spirit continues. But the new Queen's Park Stadium was filled with something else before the game. In the past two days, more rumours have appeared in the media about the possibility of Patrick Amber leaving the team in the summer. Even the most die-hard QPR fans are aware to some extent that some of these news may not be groundless.

Ron Smith was interviewed outside the new Queen's Park stadium on a YouTube football self-media channel.

"I don't believe Pat is leaving in the summer, I don't believe a word," he said. He's our boy. He's going to stay here, he's going to be the king of the new Queen's Park. ”

But now, sitting in the stands at the new Queen's Park, Ron thinks back to what he said, not at all sure. Not at all.

Throughout the first half, the QPR coach sat in the dugout. She held her chin on her hand, and the TA whispered something in her ear, but she rarely responded.

QPR's players naturally have a lot of physical load – and that's always the case with a hectic Christmas and New Year schedule.

Mentally, everyone felt an inexplicable weight and extreme exhaustion.

The lead of the whole season is already a super record, but it still can't get rid of the chasers. The media spotlight may have been an honor at first, but now, it has become a burden.

It was overcast and it didn't rain.

The QPR were in complete control of the game, but none of their shots could hit the back of the net.

In the 42nd minute, though, the ball flew into the back of the net – it was a header from Hoel Campbell.

But referee Anthony Taylor blew the whistle to signal Campbell to foul first.

The usually mild-mannered Costa Rican yelled excitedly at the referee. Ian and Leon rushed over to pull him away.

Taylor gave Campbell a yellow card.

The number one star in the QPR team, Patrick Amber, continued his sleepwalking form from the previous game in the first half.

In the second half, Patrick's footsteps continued to be heavy. He had never felt so distracted. He glanced at the figure on the sidelines again. He realized in despair that the vortex in his brain wouldn't go away so easily......

However, he still wants to try.

Patrick suddenly broke the ball from the feet of Swansea midfielder Phil. Then start slamming the ball from the middle to the opponent's goal.

He imagined him to get past all of Swansea's defenders and then send the ball into the back of the net with a heavy shot. It was almost happening, but after he had passed two men, he went limped on his right foot and lost his balance against a third Swansea player.

Patrick was about to fall to the ground when he kicked the ball hard towards the goal.

The ball was not kicked at all.

The ball bounced, rolled off the baseline, and dangled weakly a few times under the billboard.

****

At the same time, the riverside pitch at Middlesbrough.

Nicolas stood on the touchline, and this match was another reunion between him and his old man Aitto Karanka.

And now, Everton are leading 1-0. The goal was scored in the 71st minute by centre-back Mori.

In the north-east of England, the weather is unusually cold, even worse than Liverpool.

There are five minutes of stoppage time. Everton are making their final defensive efforts to fend off their opponents' desperate attacks. And Nicholas's facial expression was extremely indifferent. He was patiently waiting for the referee's final whistle.

Although the referee gave an extra 30 seconds of stoppage time, Nicholas said nothing. He waited for the moment the whistle blew, then turned back to Juan with an inquiring expression.

Juan excitedly said, "We're at the top of the list. ”

Nicholas smiled, he knew, it was fascinating.

He then methodically completed the process of shaking hands with Aitau, hugging the players one by one, and finally greeting the Toffee fans in the away stands with the players.

It's just that the whole process, he wonders, will she be doing the same thing with him now, and how is she feeling?

****

Lu Ling walked into the court, and on the opposite side was a scoreboard that said 0:0.

In the last race of 2017, she threw away half a season of top position.

She was a little wooden, but she did her duty as a manager. Shake hands with Swansea coaches and players, hug the players and say a few words of comfort. In the stands, the fans of the QPR have retreated.

And on the Sky Sports screen, Kristen Lu, after hugging and shaking hands with other players, staggered past Patrick Amber.

****

At 9pm, when social media was full of praise for Everton and doubts about the QPR, and when everyone was still speculating about what really happened between Kristen and Patrick, the tweet of Guardian reporter Sid Lowe was back in the spotlight.

[For the latest progress on Patrick Amber, I will reveal the details in the Guardian article tomorrow morning, it will be very shocking......]

And at 11 o'clock, the official website of the Guardian put out Sid Lowe's article, and this time, it was a real uproar. (Typically, a newspaper op-ed in the morning is placed on the website the night before.) ）

****

Four hours ago, Harrington Training Base, Head Coach's Office.

Patrick locked the door, and then he leaned against it and said these words:

"Something happened to me, not physically, I am well aware. It's also not something that can be solved by going to a psychiatrist, or taking a week off. I can't go on like this, it's not good for you, it's good for me, it's not good for the team. And, six months later, it's the World Cup. Tina......"

She didn't look up, but she already knew what he was going to say.

"I don't want to leave, but I can't stay either. 166 Reading Network