Dark Moves Of Love ~ Neymar Jr

Chapter 65

I heard a loud bang as someone kicked a locker before I got inside the locker room.

"Pará-lo!" Scolari yelled, walking past me. "Não vamos fazer de bobos, pelo menos não mais do que já temos!" He barked and his face was red with anger. "Now get ready, the bus leaves in 10 minutes, with or without you." He said and walked outside again. **

The guys changed clothes quickly, no time to shower and we all headed to the bus. No one spoke, no one felt like they could say anything. I was at a loss for words too, I couldn't explain how it all went so bad. Ochoa played a hell of a game, saved all of Neymar's attempts at a goal. It seemed clear that what didn't work this time was our offense. It was like everyone had an off day. It's not to say they didn't try, Neymar especially ran so much to try and create chances but it seemed like something was lost in translation.

I sat next to him on the bus. He gave me a look that I interpreted as: I'm glad you're here but I don't want to talk right now, so I didn't push it. I took his hand in mine and stayed silent for the rest of the ride to the hotel.

"We have two hours before we have to leave for the airport." Mr. Alavas informed us when we got to the hotel.

"I'll see you then." Neymar said and got inside an elevator before I even had time to react. I got in the next elevator and walked up to my room. I showered quickly and made sure I had packed my stuff. I took my bag, left the room and walked to the room next to mine.

"Ready?" I asked Marina. She nodded. She grabbed her bag too and we headed towards the hotel bar to order drinks.

"Come to drown your sorrows too?" I heard a familiar voice. I turned around to see Oscar and Willian.

"That's what you're doing?" I asked as we sat on their table.

"We pretty much have to." Oscar said.

"It's not that bad." Marina said and they both looked at her in disbelief. "What? It's not!"

"You can still advance. You will advance." I offered as the waiter brought our drinks over.

"We have to win the next one."

"You will win the next one. You're determined. It will make a difference. You'll see."

"I hope you're right." Oscar said. "I overheard the coaches talking when we came back, I think they're gonna double the practices."

Marina almost choked on her drink. "So afternoon practices too?" She asked.

"It was bound to happen." I said. I remembered the coaches had discussed it before.

"It's gonna be a good thing." Willian said.

"I don't think my body can handle it." Marina said. "And we'll have virtually no time to go anywhere."

"We're not here on vacation." Oscar said but his tone was teasing. "But we'll probably have Sunday off."

"Yeah, even God rested then." I said absentmindedly and everyone started laughing.

After a little while people started coming down to the lobby and we gathered our things and joined them. The few drinks we had relaxed me and I was far more cheerful than I have been in recent days.

"You're drunk!" I heard someone yell. Turning around I saw David approaching us, his mouth open. "You're drunk! Without me!"

"I'm not drunk, I just had a few drinks."

"Please. Your cheeks are rosy and your eyes are glistening."

"It's just my naturally perfect complexion and piercing gaze." I said and everyone started laughing again. "Besides I don't get drunk that easily. I could definitely drink you under the table."

"Wanna bet?" He asked me. "I am taller than you and weight a lot more."

"But I've had a lot of practice."

"Oh really?"

"David do you know what I do when I have to solve equations and problems for my classes?"

"What?" He asked me, confused by the sudden change of subject.

"I have a beer. Helps with the ideas."

David chuckled. "No it's true." Marina chimed in. "Beer and physics go well together."

"Are you physicists or alcoholics?" Oscar asked.

"Actually alcoholics have less tolerance for alcohol because of their damaged livers. It's called reverse tolerance." Marina said and we all turned to look at her.

"That's a fun fact." David said ironically.

"Anyway, I don't get drunk. I always know when to stop." I said, trying to bring an end to the conversation. The way Marina had said that last sentence, it was tense. Like she had first-hand experience. I made a mental note to try and talk to her about it when I found the chance.

~

Arriving to Granja Comary felt like returning home. Everything was so familiar and the smell of the air itself felt comforting to me. Marina and I unpacked quickly and went to bed right away, it was after midnight and it had been a very long day.

A loud bang on the door was what woke me up in the morning.

"What is happening?" I heard Marina ask as she pulled up the comforter and looked towards the door.

"Come in." I muffled and the door opened.

"Good morning girls." Mr. Jones said. He was fully dressed in his athletic clothes. "I'm afraid we have an early practice today."

"But we were supposed to have the day off!" Marina exclaimed. "And the sun hasn't come up yet!"

"The coaches thought an early practice before taking the day off was a good idea. C'mon or you're gonna be late." He said again. "Come to the fields, you have 10 minutes." He finished and closed the door behind him before we could protest.

"The fields? Ten minutes? No breakfast?" I heard Marina whisper in frustration. "Barbaric. I wonder what they'll do if we lose a game."

I headed to the bathroom where I proceeded to wash my face as fast as I could since I didn't have time to shower. The ice cold water did the trick and I finally felt awake.

The same couldn't be said for Marina, who tripped twice, one time I think she had her eyes closed.

When we arrived at the fields, almost everyone was there. Some were awake and ready, others still sleepy.

Coach Tandres had a basket of energy bars and told everyone to take one and eat it quickly. "We don't want you to fall down exhausted. But a good breakfast will be served afterwards."

I saw David devouring his energy bar and looking at the basket longingly. "I reckon you'll be fine for a few hours." I said as I made a point of opening my energy bar soundly.

"Hate you." He said.

"Good thing I didn't take you up on that drinking challenge yesterday."

"Or you'd have lost."

"I'd have definitely won thank you very much. Where's Neymar?"

"I haven't seen him."

I looked around, trying to locate him but coming up empty. "They woke him up, didn't they?"

"They woke everyone up."

"Coach," I approached Coach Coto, "Neymar isn't here. Did someone wake him up?"

"No, Neymar isn't here."

"As in the practice?"

"As in Granja Comary. He left last night." Coach Coto told me before running towards Scolari who was just calling for him.

"What did he tell you?" David asked me, approaching.

"He said Neymar isn't here."

"Well where is he?"

"I have no idea."

**Scolari said: "We are not going to make fools of ourselves, at least no more than we already have!"