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I have never laughed so much in a football match.

Correction: I’d never laughed in a football match.

And we lost. Nine–nil. But it had never been more fun.

Nobody cared if you messed up. Missed a pass?

They just laughed at you and tried to get it back.

Own goal? They took the piss. But it was all in good humour, no side-eyes or straight-up balling someone out for missing a chance.

And when the game was over, I couldn’t shake the grin from my face.

Shane slung his arm round my shoulders. ‘Have fun?’ he asked into my hair, sending electricity the whole way down my spine.

‘It feels wrong to say yes,’ I replied and wiped sweat from my brow.

‘Nah, that’s what I loved about it here. Winning, losing, it didn’t matter. Everyone here just loves the game, even if they’re crap,’ he said and laughed.

But I barely got to talk to Shane because about six eight-year-olds had swarmed around him.

‘ Mister! You’re back! ’

‘ Are you going to be our coach again? ’

‘ Raj is shite at coaching; we need you back. ’

I laughed. Shane was laughing too, trying to calm them down.

‘I’ll be back when I have a bit of time, wee man. And maybe my friend Lexie will help me.’ Shane looked at me, his eyes sparkling.

The gang of kids looked at me. Sizing me up, scrunching up their faces.

‘But she’s a girl,’ one of the boys said.

Shane pointed to our teammates who were lying exhausted on the ground. ‘She’s better than any boy on that team.’

It was nice of him to say it, but I was still buzzing over how much I’d enjoyed the match.

‘Fine then,’ the boy said.

It was beautiful watching Shane coach the kids’ team. He was so invested, telling them where to stand, encouraging them, giving them team talks at half-time, and you could see how much they loved him.

But not as much as I did.

We went for a walk after the matches. Hands twisted in each other’s, we walked into Ferndale.

‘Oh my God, is that a milkshake bar?’ I spotted it a mile off. Fairy lights all round the door frame with a big luminous ‘Maggie’s’ sign glaring neon-pink.

Shane shrugged. ‘Yep. The Birch High kids kind of claimed it as theirs. I never go in.’

‘Until now,’ I said, pulling him towards the door.

‘Until now,’ he repeated, smiling.

The place was packed! It was full of teenagers, in groups, in couples, staring at phones, laughing over the music. Niall and Megan would love this place. I reminded myself to tell them.

As we stood in the queue, I read the noticeboard, my eye falling on a poster of some kid with a top knot. Massive smile.

Reigning Champion of Maggie’s Challenge

Michael Crawley

‘This guy has tried every flavour of milkshake. Every single one.’ I scanned the never-ending list of flavours.

‘Very impressive,’ Shane agreed. Then I noticed him look at his phone, read something, then put it away again. He saw me looking. ‘Oh, that’s just Mum asking when I’ll be back, but she said no rush.’

‘Shall we get them to take away?’

‘Sure, thanks.’

We left with my winter berry milkshake and Shane’s sugar cookie.

‘So where now? Do you want to go home?’ I asked.

‘No, I want to show you something first.’

I thought right then that I’d follow him anywhere.

We walked down the street and then Shane turned us up an alleyway where we went into an arcade.

‘I love arcades,’ I said.

‘My dad used to bring me here all the time when I was a kid. He used to give me loads of two ps and let me work away on the machines. It was, like, my favourite thing.’

‘Let’s do it,’ I said. I changed a tenner into pennies and Shane stood behind me as we put coin after coin into the machine, losing every single one.

‘I’m usually better than that,’ he said.

‘What are you trying to say?’ I asked, outraged. ‘That I’m bringing bad vibes to the party? Maybe, Shane O’Connoll, you can’t be good at everything.’

He laughed. ‘I’m definitely not good at everything.’

I rolled my eyes. ‘Had me fooled. Dodgems! We’re doing it,’ I said and pulled him towards the back of the arcades.

‘Get in, you’re driving. I’ve had enough of being everyone’s chauffeur.

’ Also, using the car pedals hurt my calf a bit.

It was technically ‘better’ but it still twinged now and again, especially after the match.

‘Yes, sir,’ he said and pretended to look scared.

We didn’t do much driving. It was too dark and there were two other couples who seemed content with crashing into each other, so nobody noticed us kissing in the corner.

We spent the next hour walking around Ferndale, hands twisted together. We walked through the park and towards the fountain that reminded me of that night at Zoe’s. We sat down on the edge.

‘Will you come to my house to meet my parents?’ he said. ‘They’d really like to meet you. Properly.’

I’d dreamed about this moment before. I’d thought about how nice it would be to see where he came from, to be part of his world.

‘I’d love to,’ I said, and he looked relieved. ‘Did you think I was going to say no?’

‘I just worry, you know. Dad, it’s such a big thing for some people. I’ve seen people’s reactions to him sometimes, making excuses to leave, awkward smiles; it’s really sad to watch, because I know how much he loves people.’

‘I’m more worried about what he’ll think of me ,’ I said. And I meant it.

‘He’ll adore you, Lexie. Just don’t tell him you support United.’

I laughed.

‘Oh, and I still haven’t told him I’ve gone back to Ferndale,’ Shane said, sounding guilty.

I squeezed his hand. ‘How come?’

‘It just never felt like the right time, you know? He was so sick, and then he was better, but everything’s still such a struggle and I couldn’t face disappointing him, not after all that.’

‘I get it. Does your mum know?’

Shane nodded. ‘She thinks it’s great. She never wanted me to leave. And she said Dad would be fine with it. But I’m still worried, you know?’

‘Yeah, I get it. Don’t worry, we can come up with a plan to tell him, I’ll help.’

‘Thanks.’

‘You still OK to come over tomorrow for dinner?’ I asked and my stomach flipped. I was so excited to show him off.

‘Wouldn’t miss it.’