This is my first post in quite a long time so I hope you enjoy.
Soccer Marvel is a love story in 4 chapters and a little under 13,500 words. It is quite erotic and gets pretty raunchy, but nothing nasty. I would be delighted to hear your views on the story as it unfolds.
Soccer Marvel
Chapter 1
"Marcel, I'd like you to come with me to watch an academy game this afternoon"
That request was really the beginning for Luke Cross. He had been educated at a good private school, but, Soccer was not played competitively so there were no inter-school matches for his talent to shine. In frustration he had played the occasional game for a local junior team. In his last season before graduating and sliding off to university Luke played for this team in a home match.
Tom Anders Jnr. was a football freak and when his dad was home at a weekend, a rarity because Tom Snr. was a scout for Premier League team, Bedfont Rovers, he would drag him off to watch the local team play. On this Saturday Tom sat mesmerized by the incredible skill of Luke Cross. The score an embarrassing 16-0. Luke had scored 12 and assisted the other 4. It was a performance that had Tom's blood pulsing at an incredible rate. He intercepted the boy before he disappeared at the final whistle and made an appointment to call on him and his parents that evening.
"Luke, Mr. and Mrs. Cross. I won't beat about the bush. I think Luke is an amazing talent and I would like to sign him to the Academy at Bedfont. Unless I am very wrong he will be offered a seniors contract by the time he is 18."
The Cross family were blown away and once it was accepted that Luke would be tutored so that he sat his A Level exams on time a contract was signed.
"A car will come for you on Tuesday, Luke. That will give you the chance to clear all your gear from your school and say your goodbyes."
When Tom had left, Luke's father sat down to talk with his son.
"What are you going to do about your sexuality, Son?"
"I'll have to keep it hidden Dad, at least until I'm an established player, maybe even forever. I'll do it if I can play soccer at the top level."
"Good boy, but now you understand why I wanted you to finish school. University can be put on hold and you can take up a place in years to come if necessary."
Luke gave his dad a hug and with tears in his eyes spoke to both parents.
"I was so lucky when parents were handed out. I got the best friends I could ever wish for."
Understanding was not an adequate word to describe the Cross's. Luke had talked to his dad about his sexuality when he was fourteen. He didn't understand the feelings he had about other boys. Sex education had talked about boy/girl sex, but nothing about gay sex, and Luke hadn't been confident enough to bring up the subject. His father had given him enough detail for his curiosity to peak and he had explored on the internet. A year later he had his first gay experience when he and a friend had jacked off together. Followed a while later by doing each other. Things hadn't progressed beyond that but Luke wanted to try blowjobs and anal. His father had accepted it when Luke had confirmed he was gay.
"I'm sorry, Dad, however much I try, thinking about girls doesn't do anything for me, but I spend half my life erect thinking about boys."
"I guess we don't have much choice deciding who we find sexy, Son. I think that is decided at birth. Just make sure you are careful, legal doesn't mean accepted."
That was how it was left and Luke became comfortable in his skin, knowing that he would have a difficult ride if his sexuality ever became known but also knowing he would always have the support of his parents.
The Tuesday morning was the start of a meteoric rise to prominence. Luke was coached at Bedfont Youth Academy for nearly six months until he had sat his A Levels and celebrated his 18th. Birthday.
"Luke, Tom wants you to play in the reserves match this evening."
Tom had approached the manager of the senior squad and persuaded him to watch the reserve team match.
"Marcel, you can have my resignation if you think I have wasted your time at the end of the match."
That was good enough for Marcel Verona, Tom was the most successful scout he had ever worked with.
They watched the full 90 minutes with Marcel's mouth hanging open in shock at the performance of Luke Cross.
"I want him in my office first thing in the morning Tom. Has he got an agent yet?"
"Yes, his father has been studying to take on that job. He wouldn't allow Luke to do anything until he had sat his A Levels, but that's done now."
The next morning Luke sat goggle eyed as his father dickered with Marcel over wages, intellectual rights etc. The result was a five year contract at £20,000 a week for the first year and then renegotiation thereafter. Luke was blown away when the final figure was muted and the club offered him a £100,000 signing on fee.
The next Saturday, Luke was on the bench for a first team game against Everton. With Bedfont ahead at half time, Marcel put Luke on. His debut game and one minute thirty seconds into the second half he scored his first Premier League goal. A new star had just burst onto the national stage. He scored another one before the final whistle to cement his position. The other two first team strikers had the feeling they were going to get very few games for the remainder of the season. They were correct. End of season and Luke had exceeded Luis Suarez tally for Liverpool in the previous season. Accolades poured down on him. Sponsorships made his head spin with the sums being offered, and the renegotiation of his contract saw his wages quadrupled. £80,000 a week.
Financial advisors were brought in and Luke found himself with a beautiful mansion on the Wirral in Cheshire, a new Lamborghini in the drive and a live in housekeeper and gardener/maintenance man. Parents bought a new house as well at Luke's instigation.
"You can afford it Dad, now that I have doubled your salary."
That was an excuse for happy laughter.
Luke took off for places east for his vacation and fell in love with at least a hundred boys in Thailand and Malaya. He had changed his hairstyle radically before leaving England and managed to avoid recognition until he returned to England to start pre-season training. He had expanded his gay sex experience exponentially, taking different boys to bed every day. Now, back home he thought about what he wanted out of life and a permanent boyfriend came high on his list. How he was going to achieve that was, of course, a complete mystery. If he had a same sex partner living with him it would soon be public knowledge, and as he would only socialise with his partner in tow it appeared to be a complete no, no.
The decision was taken out of his hands well into his second season when the team had an away match against Arsenal. Luke didn't go back with the team after the match. He wanted to see the gay scene in London. He had a couple of drinks in The Admiral Duncan', remembering it as the gay pub bombed by the IRA years before, and then it was off to Heaven', a night club he had heard about. He wore a cap to try disguising himself. That failed miserably as he danced with a beautiful Asian boy for most of the night and left with him. A freelance photographer, also gay, had recognised him in the club and as soon as Luke walked from the club with the Asian boy on his arm, he took several photographs.
Luke was blissfully unaware of this and spent the night with his new boyfriend, and most of the Sunday as well. Hudy was in England from his native Indonesia to do a modelling course. He already had some success and was under contract. His schedule was very flexible and money was no problem so Luke bit the bullet on the Sunday before he had to return to his home ready for Monday training.
"I don't know how this is going to work, Hudy, but I really want to see you again. If your modelling schedule allows it, would you come and spend the week with me to see if we have what it takes for a partnership. I live in Cheshire, a long way from London, but, I can arrange a helicopter to bring you back to London any time, and return you to me afterwards. I train most mornings but I'm usually free afternoons and evenings unless we have a mid- week match."
"I know nothing about soccer Luke, are you very good?"
Luke laughed, "Some people think so."
"Well, in that case, if we pick up a bag from my flat I will come back with you. I only have one shoot this week and that is Wednesday. You can send me home then and not bother to bring me back if you are fed up with me."
Luke looked a little cockeyed and queried that.
"Is that what has happened before?"
Hudy hung his head and replied.
"Yes, sometimes, when they have had enough of my body they just throw me out."
Luke felt horrible about that, basically that was what he had done in South East Asia on his vacation.
"I'm sorry, Hudy. I did something similar on holiday, but I really like you and hope this will turn out to be a long term thing. I have to be sincere with you because I am quite well known and I'm sure I won't be able to keep you a secret for long, which could damage my career."
"How famous, Luke."
"I'm one of the top soccer players in the country and I play for the league champions. I have also just been called up for the national team. I guess every soccer fan in the country knows me. If/when it comes out that I'm gay, I'm sure my boyfriend will be swamped with media intrusion as well."
Luke continued then trying to make a joke of it.
"It might do wonders for your career as well. You would get loads of exposure as my boyfriend."
Hudy laughed and hugged this white boy who appeared to be totally sincere.
Decision made, Hudy collected what he needed from his flat and was amazed that they had a limousine to take them to Luke's home.
"Let's see if we are going anywhere with this before we let the world in to our secret."
Hudy wasn't unused to luxury, but Luke's house took his breath away. It was huge, beautifully landscaped grounds and an inside that would not have been out of place in an up market ideal homes magazine.
That night, Luke showed Hudy what he was capable of in the loving department. The boy was quite petite, only about 5 foot 5 inches, very slim with a shock of unruly black hair. He was also very pale for an Asian boy. The face was elfin in looks with jet black eyes, a small nose and very kissable lips. Luke had fallen for him the second he set eyes on him, and had spent the Saturday cementing his position. They had made love several times before falling asleep that night and Luke had blessed his God for giving him a reasonable size cock so that he wouldn't hurt this delightful boy. On the Sunday night in Luke's home, Hudy realised that Luke was serious about this relationship progressing. Despite being a very strong, fit, sportsman, Luke was as gentle as a lamb with his new love. Just touching six foot, Luke was well muscled and as fit as it was possible to be. He was also extremely handsome, very manly, but with beautiful soft dark brown eyes. Hudy had never experienced the sensual joys of being rimmed and opened up gently while his cock and balls received similar treatment, before Luke slid into him in the missionary position so that he could watch the eyes. The action brought tears to Luke's eyes, Hudy looked like a little boy laid out beneath him, it was difficult to believe that he lagged nearly two years behind this 21 year old.
Luke would have loved to make love to this little angel until dawn, but he had to be fit for training.
At the breakfast bar, Luke ate his wholesome breakfast and was amused when Hudy asked for Nasi Goring, an Indonesian rice dish with vegetables and egg. Mrs. Hanks had cooked it without batting an eyelid once Hudy had told her how.
"I will take my car to work, Hudy, but Mr. Hanks has an SUV, so you can go exploring if you want to, he will take you. Let me have your cell number and I will call you when I am finished work. We can have lunch together and then talk about us."
Hudy nodded his agreement and with a quick kiss, Luke was gone.
He walked into the changing rooms his usual happy self and couldn't understand why the conversation dried up and nobody would look directly at him.
"What's the matter guys, have I suddenly developed the plague, or something?"
Luke's closest friend among the squad was Chris Hartford who looked a little sad as he pointed out the Sun newspaper lying on a bench.
"Haven't you seen that, Luke?"
Luke picked it up and blushed crimson. On the front page was a large picture of him leaving the club with Hudy on the Saturday night and the headline, `Who is the lucky partner of football sensation Luke Cross?'
Luke read on and learnt that he had been seen dancing all night in one of London's most notorious gay clubs. He looked round, no one would look at him so he turned for the door deciding he was going to leave and talk to his dad. Marcel chose that moment to enter and tell Luke the boss wanted to see him.
Luke had only been in the chief executive's office twice, to sign his contract and to be welcomed to the club. No pat on the back or handshakes this time. He was handed the paper and asked.
"Would you like to explain this, Luke?"
Deny it was him, brazen it out as a voyage of discovery or come clean. Luke didn't have to think for long. He didn't want to hide Hudy away if, as he hoped, the relationship blossomed, and even if it didn't he had decided he wasn't going to hide his sexuality now. He wanted to be himself and although the money was fantastic he wasn't so obsessed with being rich that he would allow it to control his life. He looked between Marcel and the Boss before sitting down, to the surprise of the others, so they followed suit.
"You can have my resignation with no penalties and I'll leave the club immediately if you want. The boy is Hudy Suhanoko. He is an Indonesian national in this country to pursue a modelling career. We met on Saturday and he is now living with me in the Wirral house. I think he is going to be a long term fixture in my life, or at least, that is what I am working on. I'm not going to hide him away so if you don't want me I'm going to take up a place at university and keep out of the limelight."
"What if it doesn't work out?"
"It won't matter now will it, Marcel, I'm outed, that can't be undone."
"We can cover this up. Our backroom boys will come up with something."
Luke sighed.
"No, Marcel. It has happened, and I'm glad, I don't want to live a lie anymore. I've realised that fame and fortune aren't that important to me. All of my team mates have their wives and girlfriends, well I'm going to have my boyfriend, in or out of football."
The boss and Marcel looked at each other and Marcel shrugged.
"You had better go and get changed, you don't want to miss a coaching session. Tell Jack I won't be taking it this morning. Contact your father and ask him if he can come for a meeting at 1400."
Luke went wondering what was going to happen. He talked to his Dad who was already on to it, and asked Hudy to join him at the club at 1300. Might as well get it all over at once. He knew several of the team would eat at the club at lunch time, particularly the bachelors.
Training was a disaster. No one passed balls to him because they didn't want to call him. It wasn't that all of them were homo phobic, it was just embarrassment, they didn't know how to handle it.
Showered and changed after training and still no one had talked to him. He went out to reception where Hudy was waiting for him.
"We are going to eat in the restaurant here, Hudy, and then you are coming to a meeting with me. My dad will be there and we are going to discuss my future. I want them to see you and understand why I am prepared to walk away from this so that we can look to a future together."
Hudy was blown away by this, asking Luke what he would be giving up.
"I earn £80,000 a week and have millions of pounds in sponsorships. If I give it up I will have to manage on what I have while I go to university, so most of my luxuries will be gone. If you still want me after this I will sell my house and go to university but spend as much time with you as I can. If you don't want me I will understand."
Hudy couldn't believe that after only three days Luke would commit himself so fully to this relationship. He had tears in his eyes as he replied, not caring that almost every other person in the restaurant was watching.
"I think I love you Luke. We are going to make it together because I don't believe I will ever have a boyfriend prepared to give up so much for me."
Luke was delighted and leant across the table to give Hudy a quick kiss on the lips.
"Now they will all have something to talk about."
Luke's dad chose that moment to enter and saw it.
"Well, I know it pays to advertise, but I'm not sure this time it is quite right."
"Oh, hi Dad, this is Hudy, we are not going to hide this so people can like it or lump it."
"You know this could finish your career?"
"Yep, I sell the house, plague you and Mum with my presence when I'm not at uni. Oh, and Hudy is going to feature pretty large in my future, I hope."
Hudy stood and shook hands with dad.
"Well, if I was going to blow a career for love I don't think I could do it for a better reason than you, Son. Now, shall we go and see what your bosses think."
The boss and Marcel were shocked when Luke walked in with Hudy and his dad.
"This is Hudy Suhanoko. His future is going to be affected by what happens here so he ought to hear it first-hand."
The boss sat down and tried to be imperious as he delivered his decision.
"I don't think the time is right for an out first class footballer so we have decided to release you from your contract, Luke."
Luke couldn't believe his ears when he heard his father speak.
"Luke doesn't want to make a fuss so he will accept that provided you make an ex gratia payment of five million pounds for him to do so."
The boss haggled until it was pointed out that sum only covered a little more than one year's wages. He then hit home even more.
"That sum will be forthcoming, tax paid as well. To make it less embarrassing for you and your club he will make the announcement to the press. I already have a draft copy."
The boss and Marcel were both given a copy.
`I have known for some years that I am gay. It has never mattered before, but I have now met the man that I want to spend my life with. I am not prepared to hide this relationship so, after a long talk with my dad and the boss here at Bedfont Rovers, I have resigned my contract and with mutual acceptance I will be leaving the club and giving up football. My intention now is to go to university and work very hard to make sure my partner remains with me wherever we go.'
Sighs of relief, the details formulated and signed for. Luke actually felt a sense of relief that he was now free to love who he liked.
"I'll just pick up my gear, Hudy, and meet you back at reception. Will you come home with us Dad for a talk?"
"Yes Son, we need to sort your future."
Luke was surprised that most of the team were in the changing room when he walked in. They watched as he emptied his locker into his sports bag and as he turned to the door again, Chris spoke.
"What's happening to you Luke?"
Turning to answer, Luke brought his shoulders back and making a serious attempt not to cry he replied.
"I've been released from my contract. I'm going to university so that I can live with my boyfriend without being under the spotlight of the press. Soccer isn't worth being miserable for."
"He must be pretty special."
Luke could see the concern in Chris's eyes so he walked up to him and gave him a hug.
"He is, I know I'm going to love him forever. He is worth anything I have to suffer to be with him."
Chris returned the hug and then Luke turned again and left.