It was a lovely morning in America, and Nick was excited, as he had found out that he had won a trip to England in a competition he had entered a month ago, and he was allowed to invite up to ten friends with him. He was excited as the trip included a football game between Manchester United and Liverpool. Liverpool was his all-time favourite football team- well, he also liked West Brom. So he pulled out his cell phone and quickly called all of his friends to let them know about the trip, and they were very excited.
"That sounds great, Nick!" His best friend, Caitlin, squealed as he told her the news. "I can't wait to come!"
"I know- it'll be fun!" Nick assures. "We get to go to England by plane and watch a football game between Liverpool and Manchester United!"
He quickly spread the word to the others: Alex, Lauren, Beth, Julia, Katie, Kerri and Angie, his close friends.
"So what will we do when we get there, Nick?" They asked curiously, and he told them about the football game.
"Brilliant!" Alex cheered. "I'm looking forward to it, bro!"
"Same," Nick replied.
They all made arrangements for the day, and then they hurried to pack. There wasn't a moment to lose!
...
Once they arrived in England after an approximately 9-10 hour long flight, Nick warned his friends to stick close to him.
"It'll be busy," he warned. "I don't want to lose you guys in a crowd like this."
The others nodded, and they all followed cautiously through the busy airport, trying not to trip over suitcases or spill anyone's coffee- unfortunately, Beth accidentally bumped into a guy and spilled coffee everywhere.
…
Meanwhile, Niamh was having a hard time. Her friends were being annoying and she couldn't cope with them much longer- and that was saying something, as she had had to travel by train down to England, where her friends Cameron Andersen and Nicolas Kettle where. Dana Sanchez had to fly in from America and Haley Andersen and...Someone else had come in from the Island of Sodor. She felt that she would lose her will to live.
"Haley, will you stop winding Nicolas up?" She huffed, for what felt like the hundredth time. They hadn't even left the airport yet!
"Do I have to?" Haley Andersen whined. She let go of Nicolas' sides for the time being- she'd been 'tasering' Nicolas' side for the past hour.
"Yes!" Niamh snapped.
"…Fine. Though seriously, why did you have to bring her along? She's not exactly a friend of ours." Haley added, as she pointed to a crone dressed in a red cardigan with gold trim, a black skirt and knee high boots. She was wearing a pentagram on her neck and carrying a ginger and white cat wearing a football shirt.
"Yeah," Dana agreed, looking up from her camera. "She turned me into an engine once!"
"Well, true- but she threatened if we didn't take her to see this game, she'd turn us into fish vans to add to the 'Flying Kipper.'" Niamh said raising an eyebrow in disbelief at the group as someone sniggered.
"Oh, the cursed train!" Cameron, Haley's older brother, laughed. "I've heard every time an engine takes it, they crash!"
"Edward told me that Duck, James and Henry have all had accidents on their turn to take it." Haley added ominously.
"I'd rather not be a fish van- I…I'm allergic to fish." Nicolas said nervously, turning green in the face.
"Ha, you're alright mate- if she tries anything I'll nick her cat." Cameron assured, putting an arm round Nicolas' shoulders in a friendly manner.
Niamh hadn't been willing to bring the old witch either- but the old woman wasn't called the 'Wicked Witch of Wellsworth' for nothing. She watched as the witch pulled at a string on her hat, activating a 'Man Utd,' flag which was surrounded by red and yellow lights.
"Nicolas, is your...aversion to fish worth our dignity?" She asks.
Nicolas ignored her.
"Well, I better get the...oh, Haley, why did you nick my handbag?" Niamh asked suddenly and with no new exasperation.
"What? I'm hyper- I like winding people up!"
"That is clearly evident- now give it here!"
Niamh lunged for it, but missed altogether and instead fell forwards- right into the back of a guy!
"Oh man!" She gasped, as Cameron and Haley burst out laughing. Nicolas sniggered weakly, and the witch cackled so much that little children asked why a crazy old lady was ready for Halloween when it wasn't.
"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry- I didn't mean to bump into you." Niamh gabbled as Dana helped her up.
"That's alright."
"Hey, you okay, mayor?" Alex asked as he helped Nick back up to his feet again.
"Yes, I'm fine." He turned to Niamh, who was flushed scarlet from her mishap. "Seriously, it was just an accident- let's just forget about it."
"Yeah, good plan. I'm Niamh, by the way."
"And I'm Nick. Pleased to meet you, Niamh."
"I'm pleased to meet you too, Nick."
So Nick introduced her to: Alex, Lauren, Beth, Julia, Katie, Kerri, Caitlin and Angie, and then Niamh introduced him to: Nicolas, Cameron, Haley and Dana.
"What about her?" Katie asked, adjusting her white and silver tank top. "She's dressed all...well, very Man. Utd. Colours." She finished lamely, unsure of how to disregard her fashion choices politely.
"That is Elsie Mares, also known as the Wicked Witch of Wellsworth." Dana informed them, stepping beside her friend. "She haunts the cupboards of Wellsworth Station on the Island of Sodor. Oh man, she is not a woman you want to cross!"
"Why?" Asked Beth innocently.
Dana raised her eyebrows at Nick, who shrugged, but Julia stepped in.
"Well, she's a witch, Beth- she obviously hexes people. But why does she exist?" Julia asked, pushing her glasses up her nose. "It doesn't make any sense."
"Let's put this way...Julia, is it? I have stayed with relatives on Sodor, and I have witnessed trains that can talk to each other." Haley intervened. "Trust me- that witch should be the last thing on you mind right now, girlfriend." She said, fluttering her arms round in what looked like it was meant to be dismissive but it instead made her look like a lunatic trying to fly up and out of the airport, and many, many people shot her glares.
"Excuse me?" Julia asked, shocked.
"So sorry- but my sis is hyped on coffee. She goes all weird when she drinks the stuff." Cameron apologised. "Don't take any notice of her."
"Well, that's decided our next move- we better get to the game before Haley does something she'll regret." Dana and Niamh chorused, and they each grab an arm.
"Wait, you're going to see the game?" Nick asked, holding out a hand.
"Yes- why?" Niamh challenged.
"Well, that's why we're here! We're here for the game too, to support Liverpool!" Nick told her, ecstatic. "Why don't we go together?"
"You know, I think that is sensible." Dana agreed. "What do you guys think?" After six minutes conferring, they all agreed to head to the football stadium together.
...
The football stadium was called Wembley Stadium, and they all took a bus in order to get there. During the trip, Dana and Julie ended up talking about photography; Cameron started flirting with Beth- and got nowhere for Beth said she wasn't interested; and everyone else (except for the Wicked Witch of Wellsworth- or WWW, as she became known as- was busy hexing people who either dared give her judgemental looks, or had goatee beards) was busy discussing the game and its potential outcome.
"Okay, how about a wager, Niamh?" Haley challenged. "You and Nick see which team wins, and whoever loses, their group buys lunch?"
"Haley! We're just going to the stadium with them!" Niamh protested.
"Well, a little competition couldn't hurt, right mayor?" Alex suggested. "We could get pizza."
"Okay," Nick conceded. "Even though I'm not sure why I'm agreeing to this,"
"If you guys are okay with it, then I guess we'll go for it," Niamh agreed, glaring at Haley.
...
Once they had been admitted, they sat down together and waited for the game to begin.
"Woo, go Man Utd!" Haley, Niamh and Cameron cheered.
"Guys, the game hasn't started yet"- Nicolas reminded them, only to shrink in his seat when the WWW raised her wand threateningly.
"YAY FOR LIVERPOOL!" Nick and his group whooped eagerly.
Once the football players had assembled, a loud shriek filled the stadium, drowned by the gargantuan cheers bellowing from the fans of the two teams.
...
"Come on, Marouane Fellaini! Don't let him beat you!" Dana screamed.
"Take it from him, Sadio Mane!" Julie and Nick called out encouragingly.
So far, it was a 0-0 draw and they were wondering if there was going to be a goal in the match at all. The Witch had had to have her wand confiscated by the time the break rolled up, so she settled for screaming in an ugly banshee fashion at the footballers below.
"Don't take any notice," Dana whispered to the others. "Trust me, she was worse last year- she made her accomplice!"
"For what?"
But the question was interrupted by the whistle to resume the game, and the two gangs watched on. Soon, they witnessed Loris Kauris, a Liverpool player; accidentally kick the ball to Paul Pogba, a player for Man. Utd.
"Darn, man!" Alex and Angie echoed at the sight. "That was in our team's favour there."
Pogba kicked the ball to his teammate; Zlatan Ibrahimović- except the latter player missed the goal, which resulted in Niamh and her friends groaning. And by the end of the game, no one had won, with the match ending on a 0-0 draw.
"Hey, it was still fun, even if none of our teams won." Nick admitted.
"I agree." Niamh added. "So, you guys still good for pizza? We'll all contribute, seeing as neither team won."
"Yes!" Everyone else cheered.
"Well get you phones out, everyone- cos I have no idea where the nearest pizzeria is!" Dana declared.
"Hang on- sis, do you remember the pizza place we went to before you went to Sodor?" Cameron asked.
"Oh, hold on- yes I do! It's only a fifteen minute walk from here! We'll lead!" Haley declared importantly.
And so the group of friends headed off to get pizza, knowing that this was a day they wouldn't forget in a hurry.