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Chest Pains

Johnny

“Be at the Academy training grounds Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. sharp,” the head coach of the U20s said over the phone on Monday morning. “I’ve cleared a session with your coaches and secured a pitch for the morning, so we’ll see how it goes.”

“I will.” Nodding like a deranged lunatic, I paced the floor of the gym, clutching my phone tighter than necessary, excitement and panic flooring me. “I’ll be there.”

“Bring your gear, Johnny,” he added. “But don’t get your hopes up. I don’t care what your doctors have said, you won’t be stepping foot on the pitch for me without my own team doctor’s go-ahead. Dr. Malachy will be giving you a full examination, so bring any notes you have with you.”

“Understood.” I nodded again, heart hammering wildly in my chest. “I have everything from Dr. Quirke—Dr. O’Leary, too. I have all the reports from my physiotherapist and trainers.”

“Good,” he replied briskly. “Bring everything with you.”

“I’m ready, Coach.”I’ve been ready for weeks.“I’m good to go.”

“I hope you are, kid,” my coach replied. “I sincerely do.”

“If I am—” Pausing, I grimaced, trying to find the right words to phrase my next question. “If Dr. Malachy gives me the go-ahead, do you think I’ll—”

“Let’s just get you through this next round of medicals, and we’ll talk about the squad then,” he cut me off by saying. “You have a lot of conditioning to catch up on. But I will say that O’Donnell and Gilbert will be traveling down with me. They’re interested in you, Johnny. They want to make their own assessments—” He paused for a long moment before adding, “I don’t have to explain what an opportunity this is. It’s not every day the senior management travel down for a U20 player. With Daly and Johnson both out on long-term injury, they’re down two centers for the summer tour next month in South Africa. If they’re coming to watch you, I need you to take it seriously. If you’re not fit, then you need to tell me now, kid. Wasting their time isn’t going to bode well in your favor—or mine.”

Shite.

Jesus Christ.

It’s happening.

It’s fucking happening, Johnny.

Keep the head!

“I understand,” I replied, batting Gibsie away as he bounced in front of me mouthing “What’s he saying?” “Back off,” I mouthed at my best friend before turning my back on him and giving the man who held the key to my future my full attention. “And I am fit—one hundred percent. I know what this means, Coach, and I promise I’m all in.”

“Never doubted your commitment for a second, Johnny,” Coach replied. “I’ll see you on Saturday.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you then,” I said. “Thank you again.”

“Good luck, kid.”

The call ended and I stood there for several moments, both reeling and reveling from the phone call I had been waiting my whole life to receive.

“Well?” Gibsie demanded. “Are you back?”

“I’m back,” I confirmed, blowing out a shaky breath. Swinging around to face him, I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face. “I’m fucking back, Gibs!”

“Damn fucking straight, you are.” A huge smile spread across his face. “You fucking did it, Cap!” Enveloping me in a hug, Gibsie laughed. “Looks like I need to buy a ticket to France this summer because my best friend is going to the fucking U20s!”

“Nothing’s confirmed yet,” I replied, trying to keep a steady head and not lose the run of myself. “I’ve got a lot of work to do and only two weeks to do it.”

“Pssh,” Gibsie countered, waving me off. “You’re going to France with the U20s next month and I’m going on the piss in celebration!Vive la France.”

“O’Donnell is coming to see me on Saturday, Gibs,” I whispered, feeling my heart race at a hundred miles an hour. “Gilbert, too. They’re down a couple of centers for the senior campaign in South Africa.”

Gibsie’s eyes widened. “Holy shit, Johnny!”

I nodded, feeling a huge wave of emotion wash through me. “Iknow.”

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