Home is Where the Heart is - Pablo Gavi

Chapter 7: Not Where I Shine

I walk with Gavi down the hallway, needing him to lead me to the workout room. We only make it a few strides before Xavi stops me, putting his hand on my shoulder. Gavi stops with me but Xavi nods for him to continue on.

"Good job today," my uncle tells me.

We step off to the side of the tunnel to be out of the way of any passerby's. "Thanks," I say.

"Who knew you could shoot like that?"

Me, I think. I don't say anything out loud because my only comment is rude and unnecessary; it's not his fault. Everyone in my family has discounted my skill as something worth mentioning my entire life. Is it really a skill if it's not considered useful? I have come accustom to not talking about it, it's considered bragging unless I'm on the field showing what I can do.

"You do not need to join in on cardio," he conveys. "I won't do that to you. I can give you the keys and you can take my car home, I'll get a ride. The car is parked over here, I'll show you." He starts to lead me in the opposite direction the players went in.

I stop him. "Would it be okay if I did stay for cardio?" I ask. "Unless I'd be in the way." I've never used the expensive kind of training equipment I'm sure they have.

"No!" Xavi exclaims. "Of course you wouldn't be in the way, you're welcome to stay!"

We head in the direction Gavi and the others did.

Xavi and I walk a ways down a stone walled hallway until we reach a room off to the side. The room has floor padded with the rubber you'd see around ice rinks in Canada. Inside the team chaotically sets up the machines.

Gavi notices me as soon as Xavi and I enter the room. I wonder if he was waiting to see if I was coming or not.

Xavi doesn't have to announce anything for the players to get on the machines and turn up the speed. His presence alone is enough of an indicator.

Gavi comes over to me as I stand shyly behind my uncle in the door way. I've always been confidant in my ball control and shooting, my endurance on the other hand is not something I would flex to a bunch of professional athletes. It's not the area I particularly shine in. "¿Te unes a nosotros? (Are you joining us?)" Gavi asks me.

I nod and step out from behind Xavi who took up talking with one of the trainers in Spanish. I follow Gavi over to a pair of ellipticals and he directs me on to one. I wait until he gets on the one beside me and starts going before I start to move mine.

Gavi is casually working his legs, his hands resting on his thighs. He's listening to the conversation the other players are taking part in and keeps looking over at me to check on how I'm doing.

I am struggling, to say the least. Why is it taking so much effort to push the pedals? I swear the last time I was on one of these it was easy.

Gavi seems to notice I'm already breaking a sweat and slides of his bike. "Levántate, (Get up)" he instructs me. Glad to have a break, I watch as he fiddle with something on the bike. After a second he pulls away. "Eso debería ser mejor. (That should be better)" He steps back and waits for me to get back on. Hesitantly I step back onto the bike and start to peddle again. It's much easier. Still I can't sit back how he was.

I must look satisfied because Gavi gets back on his bike and goes a little bit harder, actually breaking a sweat this time.

To follow the theme of endurance Xavi set, we stay on the ellipticals for about half an hour before we switch to the treadmills. Now these I can handle. I do my normal running workout: starting out slow and working my way up.

Later, finishing up on the treadmill, I am very sore. My calves are burning and my back aches. The team returns outside where the trainers have set up an assortment of muscle building exercises. Knowing what do to, the team scatters. I do not know what to do so I stay in place.