by Anna Archer
“Right,” continued Kim. “I need these cones set up at three-foot intervals around both Ds.”
Eve stared at the offering.
“Hurry. I need you to lay out the agility ladders as well.”
****
Watching from the shadows of the bushes, Manny marvelled at Eve’s physique. She was bending down at regular intervals to place some brightly coloured cones around the hockey goal’s D and with each bend and drop her bottom was protruding marvellously. Manny smiled, she’d had a taste of something similar during their A-Level hockey lessons at the start of term but she’d had to work incredibly hard not to stare in case her stare was noticed by Eve, or one of the nosey A-Level girls, or even a reporter watching with a long lens from a tree somewhere. Manny smiled at herself. How funny that she was now the one stalking from a distance and how exciting that her sensible and standoffish behaviour had paid off to the extent that this was now allowed to happen.
Adjusting her rigid hat that had started to slip, Manny thought back to six weeks ago. Receiving that warning from her freelance friend had been a godsend, because the way her and Eve had been heading would surely have exposed them to the trained eye focused on spotting such things; but since she’d given them nothing to spot, there was nothing to see. Now, however, there was everything to see. Eve’s athletic, yet womanly figure was everything she dreamed of in a partner. She liked her partners fit for the simple reason she enjoyed working out with them and going on physically challenging adventures with them, but she also loved boobs and bottoms and Eve wasn’t in short supply of either. She had it all, naturally, and yes, while she’d had women like Eve before, she hadn’t had someone with Eve’s personality and it wasn’t even a case of wanting her just to have her, there was a genuine attraction there. Eve was like a wounded animal somehow and she wanted to pick her up and protect her, as well as fuck the absolute life out of her.
Manny gasped at herself, ashamed momentarily for her thoughts, but the more she’d had to put Eve out of her mind, the more she’d wanted her and needed her. Eve was a fantastic teacher, working hard to bring out the best in all of her classes, and she was kind and polite too. Manny stared at the floodlit scene. And helpful. She watched carefully as a gang of women made their way onto the pitch. Not one went over to assist Eve and not one shouted a hello her way. Manny stared as the women started knocking a ball about between themselves before turning her gaze to the other stragglers filtering under the floodlights. The coach seemed to be instructing them all to start a jog around the pitch before calling Eve over to distribute more equipment. Manny could see that Eve wanted to join her teammates by the speed at which she threw out the agility ladders and started to dash after the women before having to come back and straighten the ladders on Kim’s command.
Manny stepped further into the shadows as the group of women pounded by the barrier. Poor Eve was only now just starting her jog on the other side of the pitch. Manny watched with a smile as Eve’s breasts moved up and down in time with her fast pace. Lifting her hands to her mouth she let out an excited ca-caaaw-ca-ca-ca at the exact moment Eve passed her by, causing Eve to jump and sprint faster. Eve would no doubt be cursing her, but this was fun. Eve knew she was being watched and the fact that her bottom gave a sudden and unexpected, mid-jog wiggle told Manny she liked being watched. Manny woofed loudly in appreciation.
****
“Is there someone pissing around in the bushes?” barked Vicky to the gang of women jogging along beside her.
Eve’s fast pace allowed her to close the gap enough to hear the discussion.
Vicky continued. “I’ll jump the barrier next lap. Scare the shit out of them.”
“I’ll go!” shouted Eve. “I’m closer!”
“You couldn’t scare the shit out of anyone!” replied Vicky, continuing her jog.
“It’s fine,” said Eve, doubling back. Arriving at the barrier, she hissed into the shadows. “They’ve seen you already.” She stood still. There was no reply. “Manny?” she whispered. “They heard you.” Again, total silence. Eve squinted, struggling not to laugh as Manny’s face with her up-your-nose moustache popped out from behind a tree.
“Wiggle,” whispered Manny.
“Hide!” said Eve, spinning away and cutting across the centre of the pitch, ready to intercept the other joggers who were making their way around the outside, allowing her bottom to wiggle just once as she crossed the centre circle. “No one there,” she said with authority.
“Another lap!” shouted Kim.
“You didn’t even go over the barrier!” panted Vicky between breaths.
“As if she’d dare,” said another player, “a murderer would make mincemeat out of those looks.”
Eve laughed. Hockey banter was always such fun.
Chapter Twenty
Still on the pitch as she threw the last of the cones into the kit bag, Eve noticed the majority of her teammates exiting the clubhouse and getting into their cars having already collected their coats from the locker room. Players tended to leave bulky belongings inside only bringing their sticks and anything really valuable like phones and car keys to the dugout, much to coach Kim’s annoyance when trilling ringtones called players away to family emergencies or forgotten work commitments. Eve however always made sure her phone was switched off and tucked neatly inside her waterproof drawstring bag along with her car keys, purse and bottle of water. Smiling at Kim she nodded. “Anything else?”
“Yes, would you carry the kit bag inside, please?”
Hauling the heavy load onto her back, Eve half expected Kim to wait and walk alongside her, but wasn’t surprised when she marched off ahead, allowing her time to grab her own drawstring bag and feel through the thin material for her car keys. She wouldn’t pull them out as that would be strange; she’d just press the button through the material when she passed the carpark en-route to the clubhouse. Glancing behind her, she stared into the darkness on the other side of the pitch. She had no clue if Manny was still there, but she was definitely going to do as Manny had instructed. Continuing her walk she discreetly pressed on the button, panicking as the orange lights in the carpark flashed twice. She felt her cheeks redden. This was so sneaky and secretive and she’d have absolutely no explanation if anyone were to ask why she’d just buzzed open her car whilst carrying the huge kit bag back to the clubhouse, but the fact was: no one was around to ask her, and even if they had been they probably wouldn’t have noticed or cared. Eve sighed. She’d scored some cracking goals tonight and the loudest congratulations she’d received had been a strange train-horn honking noise coming from the bushes.
“You alright with that?” said Vicky coming out of the clubhouse. “You scored some good goals tonight, let’s have the same tomorrow, please,” she said, before walking away.
“On it, captain,” replied Eve with too much enthusiasm, before realising that Vicky had already got into her car, with no intention of helping even if she’d requested it. Continuing her walk to the clubhouse, Eve wondered just how Manny planned on crossing the well-lit carpark and creeping into the back seat of her car dressed as she was with the odd player still exiting the building. They’d scream: murderer, or rapist, or psychopath and instantly call the police. Eve huffed. Or maybe they wouldn’t. Maybe they’d let the weirdo kill her. Dropping the kit bag onto the locker room floor she chastised herself, she’d put all of those thoughts to bed years ago when she’d first joined the club, constantly wondering if the gang of women actually liked her. She nodded. They did. They were just different to her, that was all. Even her self-pity at the lack of whooping for her training goals tonight was unjust as Vicky’s comment had just shown, and who cheered in training anyway? It was the matches that were important and she’d always get high fives from her teammates when she scored on a Saturday. She nodded. Constant over-thinking was a thing of the past.
****
Manny panicked. She wasn’t used to this overthinking. Either she took off the disguise a
nd marched to Eve’s car like a mate getting a lift or she kept the disguise on and crept through the shadows of the carpark like a freak from a horror film. What would be worse, she wondered, crouching behind a bin as another hockey player exited the building? Getting busted as Manny, or getting busted as a murderer? She paused as the woman got in her car and drove away. A murderer would have a reason for being here – to murder. She however had no reason to be here and the discovery of her presence would mean the past six weeks of perfect behaviour had been for nothing. She nodded. Murderer it was. Staying low she let her weaker leg drag behind her as it was less painful than walking in a totally crouched position. Admittedly it looked like she’d been tranquilised and no doubt drew more attention, but her knee was still a priority. She hadn’t worn her support for over three weeks and couldn’t risk undoing all of the progress she’d made.
Tilting her pork pie hat, she glanced both ways. It was now or never. She’d spotted Eve’s car when the lights had flashed and knew she had about ten meters in the direct glare of the floodlights. If someone came out of the clubhouse she’d simply drop to the ground and curl herself into a ball like a bag of rubbish. She nodded and started her low-down, shuffle-drag manoeuvre, suddenly forced into a backwards log roll as a car with bright headlights pulled off the road and into the carpark. Manny cursed herself as another two cars followed on. It was obviously change-over time at the club with another team scheduled on the pitch for the later time slot. Peeping out from her position behind the bin, she watched as the male drivers greeted each other in loud voices before congregating around one of the car boots and looking with interest at whatever was on display. A new boom-box system perhaps? Or a fellow murderer showing off his tied-up haul? Maybe she should just give them a knowing nod as she let herself into the back seat of Eve’s car before descending into the footwell.
Manny gasped. It was too late. Eve was on her way out of the building.
****
Trying to look as relaxed as possible, Eve nodded to the guys from the men’s team who were getting something out of their captain’s car boot. New winter training jackets perhaps? It was no secret they were champion fundraisers with slave auctions and yearly naked calendars allowing them new kit whenever they seemed to want it. She nodded again. She’d pass them by and get straight into her car, resisting the temptation to stare through her back window into the footwell.
“Eve!” shouted one of the men.
Eve hurried her pace.
“Eve! Wait!”
Eve stopped in front of her car. The last thing she needed was Rob Quinn trying to be a hero by noticing the weirdo in her footwell then rescuing her from said footwell weirdo. “Rob, hi,” she said, awkwardly trying to look relaxed whilst leaning up against the bonnet of her car.
“I’ve been friend requesting you on Facebook. I keep adding you and deleting you so you’ll notice me flash up. I thought we could arrange that date?”
Eve tried to unsuccessfully cross her legs at the ankle, sending her sliding down the bonnet. “Can’t you just text me?” she said, pulling herself back up.
“You haven’t given me your number. I asked for it, remember, and you said it would be easier to arrange through Facebook, but you’re not adding me.”
Eve stood tall instead. “Sorry, I don’t go on there much.”
“Shall I just take your number then?”
“I’m not sure I can remember it.”
“Haven’t you got your mobile on you?”
“No and I’m in a little bit of a rush actually. Let’s catch up another time.” Eve stared at the ruggedly handsome man. Mr January this year.
Rob nodded. “Right. Tomorrow. I’ll come and watch your match. We’re not playing until the afternoon. You can bring your phone, or not. You can add me on Facebook, or not. But I’ll be there cheering and maybe if we both win we could have a celebratory drink at the end of the day?”
“Or not.” Eve smiled. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that. I just thought it was funny.”
Rob grinned. “It was.”
“Come on you twat!” came the loud shout.
Rob turned to his teammates. “Coming!”
Eve spoke quickly. “But seriously, I think I may be busy tomorrow.”
“You’re always in the clubhouse helping Kim with something or other.” He smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Eve waited until he’d stepped away from the car before letting herself in. She stayed facing forwards as she watched his departure before speaking under her breath. “Do not say a word.” Buckling her seatbelt, she started the car. “He’s no one.” Pulling out of her bay she kept her focus forwards. “Stay down until I’m out of the carpark and if you pounce out on me, I’ll kill you.” Screaming suddenly, Eve slammed on the breaks. A bag of rubbish had rolled out from behind the bin at the side of the carpark. Screaming again she watched as the bag of rubbish began to wave. “Manny?!” she gasped, staring at the bedraggled figure in black now pulling themselves into a half crouch, half leg drag position. She turned towards the clubhouse, the men were almost inside and hadn’t noticed her emergency stop. Twisting to her rear-seat footwell she saw it was empty. “What are you doing?” she gasped to Manny who looked like she was struggling to retrieve her moustache from her left nostril. “Get in!”
Manny leg-dragged her way to the side of the car, flinging open the door and diving inside. “Go, go, go!”
“I was going!”
“Without me!”
“Shush would you!”
“They didn’t hear that near collision so they’re not going to hear this!”
“Just get your head down and be quiet.”
“Is that how you like it?”
Eve re-started the engine. “What on earth were you doing?”
“Making sure you didn’t zoom off without me.”
“You were meant to be in the car.”
“Your boyfriend and his mates stopped me.”
“He’s not my— wait, did he see you?”
“No. No one did. I’m the mistress of disguise.”
“You’re not, you’re a road hazard.”
“I should definitely come with a warning.”
“You should!” Eve managed to laugh. “What the bloody hell are we doing?”
“Well I’m face first in your carpet.”
“You wish.”
“Boom. Banter point to you.”
Eve glanced at the top of Manny’s reflection in her rear-view mirror. “Don’t you? And would you please get down lower!”
“Whoah! We’re just having fun! Stop pressuring me into sex. You’re my teacher!”
Eve laughed again. “Oh stop it would you?”
“Am I safe to get up?”
“No! Where are we going?”
“I don’t know.”
“This was your plan, Manny!”
“This was as far as I got. Should we go for a walk?”
“Where?”
“The Downs?”
“It’ll be full of doggers!”
“Perfect. Me and my disguise will fit right in.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Pulling into the gravel lay-by at the edge of the well-known woodland, Eve turned to her passenger who was now sitting on the back seat, albeit in a low down, hunched up position. “There’s a nice walk that starts just off this track, but it’s not lit and I’m not sure I’m dressed appropriately.”
Manny smiled. “Both of those facts are perfect because it means we can melt into the shadows and I can keep you warm.”
“What if there are weirdos in there?”
“Look at us! We’re the weirdos. I’m the man in the mac, you’re the page three model. We’ll fit in perfectly.”
“Is that how you see me?”
Manny pulled herself into the front of the car.
“What are you doing?”
“No one followed us. I was watching carefully. We’ve been on our own on this road for the past two miles, and no
, I don’t see you as a bimbo, but neither of us can avoid the fact that you’re built like a blonde bombshell who everyone wants a slice of if that jock at the hockey club’s anything to go by.”
“Rob?”
“Yes, and those women in your team are clearly jealous of you too.”
“They’re not.”
Manny shrugged. “They must just be bitches then.”
“They’re just a bit older than me, that’s all, with families.”
“Exactly, and it’s ruined their bodies and their faces were never anything to start off with, so of course they hate it when you trot over with your perfect pout and pert puppies.” Manny continued. “We’re very similar, you and I.”
Eve couldn’t help but stare at her student’s chest.
“Not in that way!” laughed Manny. “But please do look all you like!”
Eve shook her head. “We’re not similar. You’re crazy and adventurous and roll around in a black trench coat in a carpark, and I’m just…”
“Just what?”
“Normal.”
“You’re not though! That’s just it! Women like you are usually high maintenance. They know what they’re worth and they expect you to pay.”
“You’ve paid before?”
“I’d pay for your services.”
Eve frowned, unsure whether that was a compliment or not.
“What I mean is that people judge you unfairly, Eve.”
“And people judge you unfairly?”
“They think they know me, that’s all. Just like those women think they know you, and those guys too I bet. You’re a stereotype, as am I. I’m a cocky, love myself footballer and you’re a standoffish supermodel. The women hate you because they’re not you and the men hate you because they can’t have you.”