Rating: This chapter is probably PG-ish. Slight language.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to the lovely people that are involved officially with Bend it Like Beckham.
Summary: It's a story about having some fun, and the romance that starts between Jules and Jess, and how they fall for each other despite everything they have to deal with first to realize it.
Feedback/Author's Note: Here's the next section of this story. My apologies if my British terminology is a bit off...I don't live there, I just have to borrow a few phrases from the movie to use. Thank you to those of you do send feedback…I do appreciate it, and it does give me incentive to update. Enjoy )
Jess was suddenly thankful for all of those laps that Joe always had them running in practice. Being able to run just a little bit faster, run just a little bit faster before getting tired…That was all that mattered right now. Before she knew it, her legs had carried her to the park. She made the mistake of slowing her pace, and that's when she faltered. That's when the tears came.
Jess had been huddled together on a bench, just out of the eyesight of the neighborhood guys that were still busy playing football as usual, for about five minutes. Some things don't change. This time, instead of playing against them, Jess was hiding from them and trying to sort through feelings. Some things do change. "Jess?" She heard the familiar voice and knew that she couldn't hide from it. Tony must have been on his way either from or towards the current game; either way that didn't matter now. Jess was his best friend. "What's wrong?"
Jess looked up at him with the tears still running down her voice. She made a sincere attempt to remove them with her sleeve, but it was to no avail. The brunette considered lying, but he was Tony, and she had to start talking sometime. "I'm in love," was her blunt reply.
Tony tilted his head the side confused. "When did that become a bad thing? Is it that coach of yours? Joe? I mean, I know he's English and all, but…"
"He's Irish." Jess answered mechanically as it had become a seemingly regular phrase for her to have to use.
"Yeah, well, I suppose it's all the same to some. Is that who it is though? Is that all that's wrong?" Tony looked at his friend skeptically. Sure, it would be hard for her family to understand…but it most likely wasn't worth crying about in a park, if that was all. Jess shook her head, and Tony frowned. "So, what's wrong then?"
"I don't think that she loves me back. At least, not in the way." It wasn't Joe. She said it. She wasn't in love with Joe. There was another attempt to swipe away the tears on her face. He doesn't seem to register quite yet that Jess had just referred to the person that she loved as, well, a 'she.' A girl. It was her turn to look at him curiously. "Don't you care that it's a girl? You did hear that part right?"
He chuckled sadly, but stopped when he saw the hurt flash across her face as she considered the possibility that he was laughing at her. His chuckle turned into a sad smile. "I'm not laughing at you, Jess. You've been my best mate for ages. You know me better than that." She sighed and allowed herself to be pulled into his warmth as he put his arms around her, comforting her.
"It's not fair. It's so easy for you." Jess complained mildly while still resting her head against him, basking in his warmth.
His eyes, although she couldn't see them, got even sadder for a moment. "It's not so easy for me either, you know."
"All you have to do is find an Indian girl though. That's not so bad." Jess continued, trying to reason with him. There was no answer at first.
After a moment of silence he continued, "I really like Beckham, Jess."
This confused the girl, and she blinked hard a few times trying to clear her mind. "So do I, Tony. I mean, Beckham's the best. I really don't get how you're relating all of this…"
"No, Jess," Tony gently corrected. "I mean, I really like Beckham."
This caused the brunette to lift her head off of his chest. "You mean…" He nodded. "Wow. But, you're Indian." He smiled. In the midst of all of this…he smiled? Jess must have looked confused because the next thing he did was explain himself.
"Aren't you being a bit of a hypocrite there? I mean, you're Indian too, Jess." Her eyes looked tear-laden once more and her head drooped.
"I know. That's part of it too…" She trailed off as she let herself be immersed into a hug by Tony again.
"Believe me, Jess. I understand…You won't tell anyone right?" He suddenly felt paranoid.
She snorted. "Yeah, I wonder what they'd do if they knew…" She gestured wildly with her hand towards the scattered young guys still naively playing football not noticing the two on the bench.
"You won't tell them will you?"
"Of course not. You know me better than that. Besides, I have to trust you not to tell anyone either." She shrugged hopelessly, and he laughed softly.
"Funny how that works, aye?" He shook his head smiling slightly as he wrapped his other arm around her too. She sighed heavily.
"You know, I wasn't going to anyone anyway." The feeling of being best friends crept back into their conversation as she explained herself.
Tony chuckled lightly. "I know. Me either."
"I know," Jess answered simply. "You know, my sister thinks you've been mad on me for ages," she laughed.
"I am. I just don't want to marry you." He answered as sweetly as a best friend can. It made her smile. "So…who is she?" Tony continued grinning to a Jess who now blushed and grinned as well.
"Is it that hard to guess?" She mumbled embarrassed as she pressed her face against Tony's chest. Suddenly, she felt as if it was painfully obvious to everyone who walked by that she was in love with her best friend. Wow, she had never admitted that even in her head before. Sure, her mind had been swirling around that answer for days, but now…It was out in the open. Well, out in her mind anyway. Tony was trying to get her to say it out in the open anyway. As open as telling your best mate as you sit on a park bench can be anyway, especially after he tells you that he fancies Beckham.
"Well, no, but it might be easier if you actually say it." He reassured her softly, and this clicked in her head some more. Maybe that's what she needed.
"Jules." She murmured softly, answering his question.
"Jules," Tony replied.
"Yes, that's what I just said." She lifted her head off of his chest again. Why was he so bloody confused? Who the hell else would it be? It's not like she hung out with that many girls that it could possibly be. There was one simple answer. Jules. It all came back to Jules in the end.
"No, I mean. Jules." Suddenly, Jess noticed that Tony wasn't looking at her anymore. He was looking over her shoulder. Jess twisted her head to her right to see what had caught his attention.
"Jules," she breathed out suddenly. Sure enough, standing about ten feet away was a girl. Blonde hair, still in the same clothes as earlier, slightly sweaty from running without a break, still beautiful…Yes, yes. It was definitely Jules.
Jules bit at her lip for a moment, her eyes watering. "Tony, huh?" She asked backing up slowly. Jess shook her head, but Jules was still backing up. "You could have just told me, Jess. You should have just told me." She wiped at the tear that was threatening to trickle down her check. Suddenly irritated at it.
Before Jess could regain her composure to stand up, Jules was already off and running, the opposite way. Jess was trying to put everything together in her mind. She didn't understand why Jules was upset, but she had to know somehow. She just had to because somehow things had to be made right. Jess looked down momentarily at Tony who nodded towards the girl that was already running away. "You're still standing here looking at me, why? Go talk to that girl." She smiled briefly, then took off running instead of answering. Or rather, that was her answer.