AllFreeNovel
Share Us
People gave millions upon millions each year to ULA just to keep the sports in good standing. If a team like women’s soccer, which was by far the most popular women’s team and the one with the best standing, started to falter, it stood to reason that folks would see it as a red flag for the rest of the athletics at ULA, and consider pulling their donations. Mind you, I was reasoning all of this out off the cuff, but I figured my logic made sense.
By the look on David’s face, I’d hit the nail right on the damn head. He seemed to pale with the realization that what I’d said was completely true — without a good season, his department was in trouble, and without me, there might not be a good season — the girls had said as much.
“But,” I continued, “if you let Simon stay, I’ll leave quietly. With him at the helm, the team can work, can succeed, can win championships. I’m saying if you send Simon off, I’ll go, but if you keep Simon on, I’ll quit and you’ll still have a team. Okay?”
That was it, that was my ultimatum. I’d given him a rock and a hard place. Either way, the team would suffer, but I felt confident that as long as they had Simon, they could still clinch the title. I’d be sad — no, devastated — to go, but it was worth it to let the man of my dreams pursue his dreams.
David gave me a long, hard stare, and then at last said, “And you know this whole thing, this standing up for your beliefs… that it might mean nothing? That Simon might have to leave anyways, or that you could still lose your scholarship?”
I took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes. I understand.”
Chapter 29
Simon
I loved Catya, but God almighty, she could be stubborn.
Looking at her, in that moment, I was so in love. Her hands were planted firmly on her hips, her chest thrust forward, and it occurred to me that she looked like Wonder Woman — fierce, determined, ready to take evil to task. Her stance reminded me, once more, of why I couldn’t let her do this.
“Catya,” I said quietly. “Stop. Just… you have to let me go.”
She turned and caught my gaze, and replied, “I’m not going to do that.”
“I’m an adult, love, I can make my own decisions.”
“So am I. And this is my decision — that I love you, and want to be with you. How complicated is that?”
David spoke up. “Simon, quitting this job means you’d have to leave the country, so I’ll ask one more time — are you sure?”
Catya whirled around on me. Shit. I’d still sort of forgotten to mention my immigration status to her.
“What?!” she cried out, and the girls behind us echoed her like the sheer walls of a mountain.
In a low voice, attempting to be discreet, I asked her, “Can we talk about this later—”
“No! You were going to quit this job and then have to leave the country, all because of me?”
I shrugged, looked askance, and replied, “I’m on a work visa. So, yes, if I left ULA, it wouldn’t be long before ICE caught up with me. I don’t think they’re exactly targeting British nationals right now, but they’re certainly on a tear. That is — yeah. I probably wouldn’t have much time left in the US.”
Catya’s eyes were red with tears. “No. No, you can’t leave. You can’t leave. I was pretty sure about my decision before, but now that I know this… of course I’m quitting the team. Getting deported is a way bigger deal than quitting a college soccer team.”
“This is your dream!” I shouted. “Love, you have to pursue your dreams! I can’t be the one who stands in the way of that.”
Without warning, Catya flung herself into my arms, and held tight to me. We clung to one another, scared and confused by our choices. Would I leave the country, or would she leave the college?
She lifted her head from my chest, wiped away a few tears, and to David, said, “My choice is final. I’ll leave the team.”
“Catya—”
She cut me off, replying, “It feels good to just follow my heart, instead of following a set plan. It feels… right.”
I wanted to kiss her so badly, but knew that that would probably be throwing salt in everybody’s wounds.
David’s face was inscrutable. Was he with us, or against us? He looked to be frowning, but then, he always looked like that.
“Anything else?” he asked us.
I gazed at Catya, and pulled her closer to me. To David, I said, “Sir, you’ll have to choose which one of us goes. It’s obvious to me that neither of us are capable of convincing the other, so it’s up to you. Who stays, and who goes? Personally, I think I should be the one to leave—”
