My Book of Fics

Prove Me Wrong - Mason Mount

Being the assistant librarian at your local library was just a side gig to help pay for Uni. You love books and always have, they calm you down but are also an escape from reality. It's after a hard day of lectures that your colleagues tell you about the whole campaign Chelsea Football Club are doing to promote reading. "Groundbreaking" you say in a flat tone, partly because you're exhausted and partly because you couldn't care less about some rich men who kick a ball around for a living. "Oh cheer up Y/N, this is a really exciting partnership for us" your supervisor chimes in, you sigh, "I know, I'm sorry, it's just footballers have never been my cup of tea, they've been nothing but rude to me whenever there's been any sort of interaction" you explain. The not so great memories of your teenage years of being called a prude amongst other things by athletes sending a negative shiver down your spine. "They're not all assholes" you shrug, "I'll believe it when I see it" you miss the eye rolls from your colleagues when you lower your head to focus on the books you're meant to be putting away.

"You're an angel Y/N, I owe you one for this" you hold your phone between your neck and shoulder  as you pull on some trainers. "It's not a problem, you didn't expect this so I've got it" you say to your distraught colleague, while leaving your flat to make your way to the Library to fill in for her. "I gotta go Y/N, thanks again, hopefully it's a quiet afternoon" she exclaims, you say a quick goodbye then focus on getting to your destination. What your colleague forgot to mention was the event that was going to be taking place involving a certain football club that holds no importance to you. The total opposite to what the group of children waiting with their parents at the library feel towards the blues.

The surprise is evident on your face as you walk up the steps to the library entrance. As you walk into the usually quiet building you see your other colleague running around. "Oh thank god you're here" she says while coming over to where you're standing, "what's happening?" You ask, "y/c/n (your colleague's name) didn't tell you?" when you shake your head she sighs. "Some Chelsea footballers are coming to promote their new reading is good campaign so we gotta set up" your eyes widen, "that would've been really nice to mention" she rolls her eyes then takes your arm, "doesn't matter now we have things to do before they come in half an hour" you let her direct you to where you need to be, silently annoyed by the event that is to come.

You're sitting at the main desk in the library when you hear your colleague talking. When you look up from the computer you see her with two men donning the Chelsea crest on their jackets. You hold back an eye roll remembering your promise to behave while the footballers are here. She talks enthusiastically while explaining how the event will work, stopping in front of the desk where you're sitting. "This is Y/N, if you have any questions and I'm not around she'll be able to help" you give them a fake customer service smile, "I'm sure everything will go smoothly" one footballer nods but the other frowns slightly at your lack of enthusiasm. "Alright let's go, I'll show you where you'll be set up with the kids" your colleague says making the two men turn to her, your tense shoulders relax when they're gone so you go back to your task.

••••

"You don't seem to be too thrilled about all of this" you jump at the voice that comes out of nowhere. When you spin away from your book cart that you've parked in an aisle of the library hidden from the excited children you see that it's one of the Chelsea footballers that has found your spot. "I have my reasons and shouldn't you be out there with your fans" you tell him with a bite to your tone. He lifts his hands in surrender which makes you feel like a horrible person. "Damn I'm sorry" you say quietly so that none of the kids can hear, "we all have bad days" he replies, you snort but don't voice your inner thoughts about your bad day lasting all of secondary school. "I'm Mason by the way" you lift an eyebrow at the introduction, "I'm Y/N but you already know that from earlier" he smiles in response, the expression leaving an impression. "It's very nice to meet you, now I better go before someone tries to find me, don't want to blow your cover" an unexpected laugh leaves your lips, making Mason smile even wider, "never mind me, go make those kids happy, they've been looking forward to this for days" he salutes you and it makes you shake your head while a smile comes to your face. You go back to arranging the shelves and stocking books, not thinking about the footballer that started to wedge his way through the barrier you've developed around athletes.

"Thanks again for doing this, they'll be talking about this for weeks" your colleague tells the two footballers and the club's social media manager. "Anything to see those smiles" Mason replies, his gaze flicking to yours for a couple of seconds, the double meaning dancing in his brown eyes. You look down at your feet to avoid his stare, finding the tops of your trainers very interesting as you scold yourself for feeling something in just one glance. Once they're finally gone you feel yourself relax, "what the hell was that?" you look at your colleague who is smirking at you with her arms crossed. "I don't know what you're talking about" she rolls her eyes, "you trying to fool yourself or me" you shrug innocently. "I saw the way Mason Mount looked at you" she says, you bite your lip and avoid her intense stare. "Holy shit Y/N did you hook up with him?" you shake your head rapidly, "no! God no y/c/n! He just found me when I was putting books away, we talked for like a millisecond and then he went back to the kids" you exclaim in panic. "That's where he was, we didn't know what happened" you nod and ignore the knowing look on her face. "I'm gonna go back to the stacks" you say before she can ask more questions about the Chelsea footballer.

The cart of books is still sitting in the aisle where you left off earlier. You go to move the cart but you notice a Chelsea autograph card sitting on the books. You furrow your brows then pick it up, rolling your eyes at what must be Mason's autograph. When you flip it over due to your curiosity a small smile comes to you lips at the handwritten note.

If we're going to be mates I need to know what football did to make you so angry so that I can fix it, text me sometime xxx-xxxx

"Y/N! You here?" you stick the card in your back pocket at your colleague's voice. "Yeah I'm here" you reply then smile when she appears around the corner. "Great, could you help me with something real quick" you nod, leaving the cart before following her. Having a feeling that Mason is going to try his hardest to prove you wrong when it comes to your feelings toward footballers.