Home is Where the Heart is - Pablo Gavi

Chapter 11: Gone Public

I'm really nervous. My knee bounces up and down while I sit in a secluded room, watching a tv screen with Xavi's live interview playing. So far they haven't gotten to anything to do with me.

During my endless waiting outside of their changeroom some guy with a legit looking lanyard approached me. He told me he had a room for me to watch the interviews in. I was glad for it, wanting to see his and Gavi's interviews live, but not wanting to be directly in the press conference room.

I've turned the subtitles into English so everything Xavi says is being translated for me and appears on the bottom of the screen.

"Yes, I am very proud of my team," Xavi says. "They worked very hard today and it was a hard earned win."

"As their coach, you inspire your team, who inspires you?" one of the interviewers behind the camera asks.

Xavi smiles. "My niece has always inspired and motivated me. Actually, she's currently staying here with me in Barcelona for the summer." The interviewer prompts him to continue. "Her name is Isla and she graduated from high school in Canada last month. She is spending the summer with me and has been keeping me company as well as getting to know and practice with the players from my team."

"Is there anyone she has taken a liking to?" the same interviewer asks.

"She gets along well with all of them and they have been very welcoming to her in return. Gavi especially, being close in age has allowed them to formed a friendship. He has taken up the responsibility of showing her around. I'm very proud of him for doing so without being asked."

The crowd starts to get a bit louder, shouting out questions in Spanish the tv can't catch to translate. Xavi closes out the interview and says good-bye. He walks out of the camera's sight, and Gavi comes in, sitting where Xavi had been. The audience only gets louder.

The interviewer starts off with easy, game related questions. Based on his voice, I can tell he's trying not to seem to eager about asking Gavi about what Xavi said. Gavi looks very nervous and keeps rubbing his hands together. I wish I could be there to help him relax.

The interviewer continues to praise him and his well played game for a couple more minutes before asking, "You heard Xavi telling us about his niece in his interview earlier, correct?"

Gavi nods, taking a deep breath, knowing what's coming. "Yes."

"He said you and Isla have gotten close in the week since her arrival," he prompts.

"We have," Gavi says. "We've former a friendship around our shared love for futbol."

"Fans are already speculating a relationship between you to, what do you have to say about that?" Everyone in that room goes quiet.

"Isla and I," he hesitates, "we're friends. Her and I, we enjoy practicing together and I admire the way she perceives the game. We will continue to be friends for the duration of her vacation here in Barcelona. Besides--" he begins to speak English "--futbol is my one true love." He smiles into the camera, and I can tell, he's smiling at me.

A grin splits across my face. Not only had he managed to evade all the inquiring questions, but he added in the dare I had given him if he lost our competition. He didn't lose, but he still chose to say it.

I get up off the seat I'd been put in and wandered out of the tiny room and in the direction Gavi would be coming from. His interview is coming to a close and I want to be waiting when he gets out.

I hear Gavi's voice answering another question. I pick up my speed as I round a corner, hoping I'm getting close. I'm not exactly sure where the interviewing room is, but it has to be around here somewhere. Rounding the corner, I walk straight into someone.