Sinbad

Chapter 157: Bruised Ego

December 13, 2014:

The cold pack rested against his ribs, but it did little to ease the sting beneath the surface.

Tristan sat slouched on the couch, shirtless, muscles sore and bruised from ninety minutes of frustration. One hand pressed the ice against his side. The other tapped absently against his knee, his fingers twitching like his body didn’t know how to sit still.

His legs ached. His back was stiff. His lungs still felt heavy.

But nothing hurt more than his p...

Chapter 156: Liverpool

December 2, 2014 – King Power Stadium

The King Power Stadium trembled with anticipation.

A sea of blue scarves waved beneath the bright floodlights, voices merging into one powerful roar. A brisk December chill filled the air, but no one in the stands cared about the cold.

This was a statement game.

The referee raised the whistle to his lips.

A deep breath—
A final glance between teammates—
Kickoff.

🎶 "LEICESTER TIL I DIE! LEICESTER TIL I DIE...

Chapter 155: No Rest for the Best

December 1, 2014 – Evening…

The coffee table was drowning in sketches, pencils, and loose sheets of paper, some half-finished, others abandoned mid-design. Tristan sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes fixed on the page, his pencil gliding across the paper in quick, confident strokes.

Barbara, curled up on the couch, was watching in mild amusement, twirling a loose thread from her sweater.

"You’ve been at this forever," she said, stretching her arms above her head.

Chapter 154: Shut Up and Play?

November 21, 2014 - Belvoir Drive…

The gym buzzed with life, players easing back into club mode after international duty. Some were on stationary bikes, shaking off stiff legs from travel, others halfheartedly stretching, more focused on bantering than actually recovering.

At the center of it all, Tristan was locked in, pull-ups in perfect rhythm, his body moving with calm control.

Lingard, rolling his shoulders as he strolled past, shook his head.

“Man’s locked ...

Chapter 153: Crowned in Gold

November 16, 2014 – En Route to the U.S.

The icy night air bit at their skin as they crossed the tarmac, Barbara pulling her coat tighter around herself as the private jet loomed ahead of them, its sleek body illuminated by the floodlights.

She glanced at Tristan, who walked beside her, hands tucked into his hoodie pockets, completely at ease. He didn’t seem remotely fazed by the sheer extravagance of it all, like renting an entire jet was as casual as ordering takeout.

...

Chapter 152: Under Wembley Lights

November 10, 2014…

The early morning light streamed through the windows, casting soft golden hues across the hardwood floor. The faint scent of coffee still lingered in the air, but neither of them was really paying attention to it.

Barbara stood near the couch, lifting Tristan’s duffel bag off the floor with both hands. She barely made it two steps before her arms wobbled slightly.

“Jesus—what do you have in here, bricks?” she muttered, adjusting her grip.

T...

Chapter 151: Full Circle

November 9, 2014 – Morning After Southampton

The early morning sun streamed through the windows, casting golden streaks across the hardwood floor. The kitchen smelled of fresh coffee, the faint aroma of breakfast still lingering in the air.

Barbara stood at the counter, wrapped in one of Tristan’s oversized hoodies, her bare legs peeking out as she scrolled through her phone with one hand and held a steaming mug in the other. Across from her, Tristan sat at the dining table, l...

Chapter 150: Dark Horses

November 5th, 2014 – Belvoir Drive Training Ground…

The tactical room at Belvoir Drive was darkened, illuminated only by the soft glow of the projector casting footage of Southampton’s recent matches onto the large screen. Nigel Pearson stood near the front, arms folded firmly across his chest, expression calm but intense as he studied his players, who watched quietly from their seats.

The screen paused on a tactical overview of Southampton’s formation—a rigid, disciplin...

Chapter 149: Back to Europe

November 2nd, 2014: The Morning After…

The soft hum of the morning settled over the house, golden sunlight slipping through the blinds, casting warm streaks across the kitchen counter. The scent of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air, though the only sign of Felix was the cleaned-up dishes by the sink and the note he had left behind.

Barbara sat atop the marble counter, her legs dangling lazily, dressed in one of Tristan’s hoodies that practically swallowed her frame. He...

Chapter 148: West Bromwich Albion

November 1st, 2014 – King Power Stadium

Leicester City vs. West Bromwich Albion…

The King Power Stadium hummed with anticipation. Fans packed into their seats, the sea of blue and white scarves creating a wall of color, voices already rising into chants. The cool November air carried the scent of hot pies, beer, and fresh-cut grass, while the players moved through their final warm-ups on the pitch.

Up in the Sky Sports commentary booth, the broadcast picked up as the sta...

Chapter Update

Please go read chapter 147 again. Sorry, lmao. I added up about 10k more words, making the chapter almost 22k in total.

I could have made it a different chapter, but I didn’t want to drag out the slice of life in this story. The next chapter will be today; it will be about games, mostly as Tristan returns after a week. 

I will have the next chapter out late; not sure about the exact time, but there will be another chapter today.

Peace

Chapter 147: A Night of Reflection

October 25th, 2014 – Early Morning

…..

Chapter 146: Back to Action

Next Morning…

Barbara stirred as the first hints of sunlight seeped through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room.
Her entire body ached.
Not just sore—wrecked. Every muscle protested, a reminder of how she had spent the last twenty-four hours.

At some point, Tristan suggested a break—a dinner date, because apparently, he still wanted to be romantic after all that.
Then they came back.
And did it all over again.

Barbara let out a breathless chuckl...

Chapter 145: Off the Pitch

Belvoir Drive….

The rhythmic hum of machines echoed through Leicester’s training facility, blending with the clatter of weights being racked and the occasional buzz of a treadmill. The gym was nearly empty—most of the squad, along with the coaching staff, had already flown out to Turkey for the Europa League fixture against Trabzonspor.

Tristan, left behind, sat on a mat near the corner of the gym, a resistance band looped around his foot. Each stretch sent a dull, lingering...

Chapter 144: Sidelines & Headlines

The morning fog clung to Belvoir Drive, a damp chill settling over the training ground. Players filtered in, boots crunching against the frost-laced grass, but inside the manager’s office, the mood was far from routine.

Pearson sat behind his desk, fingers tapping against the edge of a freshly printed newspaper.

The headline on The Guardian’s front page stared back at him, bold and damning:

"The Curse Strikes Again!"

Pearson exhaled sharply, tossing the paper aside...

First-Poll

How are you guys liking the relationship in the story so far? Did I overdo it? Should I go back and change it?

Chapter 143: The Fallout

The atmosphere was thick—a mix of exhaustion, frustration, and quiet rage.

The only sounds were the rustling of kit bags, the low hum of the showers, and the occasional clatter of studs against the tiled floor.

Tristan sat with his foot wrapped in ice, his head tilted back against the wall. The pain was still there—dull but persistent. He honestly wondered if this is how Messi felt every time he played against Real Madrid. 

‘Hey, system, why didn’t the injury ca...

Chapter 142: Newcastle

October 18th, 2014 – St. James' Park….

The roar of 50,000 voices crashed through the stadium, rolling like a wave across St. James' Park. Under the glow of the floodlights, the pitch gleamed—pristine, untouched, waiting for war.

Martin Tyler's voice carried across the airwaves, smooth and commanding.

"Welcome to a charged atmosphere here in Newcastle, where Leicester City, the surprise package of the season, take on the Magpies in what promises to be a fascinating cont...

Chapter 141: Back to Business

October 14, 2014 – London, England……

The private jet touched down at Luton Airport, taxiing smoothly along the runway as the England squad prepared to go their separate ways after another successful international break.

From the outside, it looked like just another return flight—players gathering their belongings, stretching their legs, checking their phones.

But inside the cabin?

It was a mix of exhaustion, relief, and quiet satisfaction.

Tristan pulled ...

Chapter 140: England’s Crown Jewel

October 10, 2014 – En Route to Estonia

The quiet hum of the private jet filled the cabin, carrying the England squad from London to Tallinn for their next Euro 2016 Qualifier. The players were relaxed settling into their usual mid-flight routines—some watching movies, others dozing off, a few locked into an intense FIFA tournament on the plane's console.

Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart were near the front, bantering with Cahill, while Jack Wilshere had his headphones in, nodding alo...

Chapter 139: From Farm Boots to Football Boots

October 8th,2014…

Tristan stretched out on his bed, muscles still loose from training, as he lazily reached for his phone with it buzzing. He knew he should probably head down for dinner soon, but when the screen lit up with an incoming FaceTime call, food could wait.

 FaceTime – Babe

He accepted the call, expecting to see Barbara's face—maybe lounging in her childhood bedroom, or sneaking outside to talk privately.

Instead?

The entire Palvin family di...

Chapter 138: The Attention

October 7th, 2014 - St. George’s Park...

The crisp autumn air carried the scent of freshly cut grass as England’s squad jogged onto the training pitch. The afternoon sun hung low in the sky, stretching long shadows across the pristine field.

For most, this was another session—sharpening movements, maintaining rhythm, getting ready for the qualifiers. But for Tristan, it was another step forward in a journey that had started in Brazil.

At just nineteen, he had carried E...

Chapter 137: Last Day

October 5, 2014 – Morning…

Barbara stirred, her face pressing deeper into the pillow, reaching instinctively for warmth. Instead, her hand found empty space.

Her brows furrowed slightly, sleep slipping away as awareness settled in. Tristan wasn't there.

That was… strange.

She was used to now waking up wrapped in him—his arm draped over her waist, his chest warm against her back. Even in sleep, Tristan clung to her like he was afraid she'd disappear if he didn't...

Chapter 136: How to Break Records

October 4, 2014: King Power Stadium 

..

Just days ago, Leicester had eased past their Europa League opponents—now they looked to solidify their place near the top of the Premier League table.

King Power was alive with energy, and the home crowd was eager to watch another brilliant showing from their team. 

As the teams lined up, Rob Hawthorne's voice carried through the Sky Sports broadcast.

"A big night for Leicester City, and they come into this one...

Chapter 135: Best Fan in the World

The next morning, Tristan and Barbara arrived a

Chapter 134: An Adult

The day drifted by in an unhurried rhythm, neit

Chapter 133: Third Day (End)

September 28, 2014, Early Morning

….

Tristan moved quietly as he unlocked the door to Barbara's hotel room with the key card she'd given him the day before. 

He expected her to be awake—she'd told him she always was, long before the clock hit seven. But when his texts went unanswered, he assumed she was just busy or in the shower. Even as he stood in the quiet room, the thought of her oversleeping seemed unlikely as it was already nine.

He set his duffel bag d...

Chapter 132: Second Day

Barbara lay sprawled across her hotel bed, staring at the ceiling, a smile playing on her lips.

Soon, sleep began to pull at her; there was no need to fight to stay awake any longer, so she let her body sink into the mattress, when—

BZZT. BZZT. BZZT.

Her phone rattled aggressively on the nightstand.

Barbara groaned, wrapping her pillow around her ears, hoping whoever was calling would take the hint.

Alas, she had no such luck. Once the first call ended, it was ...

Chapter 131: First Day

[ This chapter is currently in the process of b

Chapter 130: The Life of a Model

Barbara ended the call but for some reason, she didn't put her phone down right away. 

Instead, she sat there, staring at her screen, her thumb hovering uncertainly over Tristan's name in the call log. Her pulse pounded incessantly in her ear—an occurrence that had begun just recently, yet left her frustrated each time.

She blinked.

What the hell was she doing?

Hadn't she been the one to tell him that she wanted to take things slow? She'd meant it as well. Or so...