Reunion - Mapi Leon x Reader

Chapter 5 - America

"You've got your answers. Tell me about America now."

I scan my head for a good place to start, but I cannot find one. My time in America is blurred and hazy, a rush of days all consisting of get up, play, home, repeat. It's nothing like Barcelona, my days chasing around a ball with Mapi long gone and replaced by the whirr of American life. Its overwhelming and loud and it makes my head spin. I grew up around the Spanish accent, my mum is fluent and my dad.. partially. I lived in Spain for 14 years of my childhood, having spent only 4 years in the states before we replaced the concrete jungle for the sandy beaches. The move back to America and the American culture came as an initial shock and definitely took some adjusting to - especially the accent and their weird way of pronouncing words.

"I didn't move straight to San Diego. I went to UCLA under a scholarship for soccer-" I begin, before being cut off.

"-football." She corrects, giving me a grin and gesturing to me to continue.

"Yes, football. Uhm. I spent 5 years there before graduating with a degree in physiotherapy and journalism." I pause as she nods and smiles.

"And then.. Well I didn't really know what else to do. I got offered a contract with the wave and I moved to San Diego for 3 ye-" I'm cut off again.

"No you didn't." She says, frowning deeply and  shaking her head adamantly.

"How do you know?" I ask her.

"Well, I looked for you like you looked for me, the difference is I found nothing about you making it into the footballing world. Carlota Aguila did not make it to the NWSL. I would have known." As she speaks, I can't help but keep my eyes focused on her facial expressions, my mind only just spanning to what she's saying. Mainly, however, my attention is on her gorgeous eyes as they scrunch up with confusion, and the crinkles by her mouth surrounding her frown. Her sculpted cheeks are puffed out slightly with the pout she dons and a red paint on the tips of her ears.

"Maybe you didn't look hard enough." I say simply, forcing the topic to change by bringing up something else. "I met Lucas while at UCLA. He's the older brother to a girl on my team and he is the literal definition of hot Surfer boy."

She snickers, finally having recovered from her previous confusion but I continue anyway. "It took us a while to get together, the distance from Cali to San Diego was a big bummer and the fact I was mates with his sister was a bit difficult."

I can see that she's contemplating asking her question, so I roll my eyes and tell her to get on with it. She opens her mouth, then shuts it again immediately, before finally going to speak. "And.. how recently did he start being a dick?" Mapi asks, not at all sugarcoating her anger. I chuckle slightly, actually thinking back to when it began. "Maybe 7 months back."  I nod slowly as I say it to solidify my point.

"7 fucking months of his shit? Why haven't you left him?" I watch her clenched knuckles turn white as she bangs her hand on the table angrily. Slowly, I reach out and interlock my fingers with hers, in a gesture that probably looks romantic from afar, but to us it was just the norm. I feel her physically relax into the hold and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"And like I said, I'm good friends with his sister. If I break up with him, then I'll lose her as a friend and she's like.. the only one I have." I reason, knowing full well I should have left him the second he raised his hand at me.
She makes a 'hmph' sound and releases my hand, standing up before looking at me expectantly. "You're not just gonna sit there forever, are you?" Mapi laughs at her own joke before grabbing my wrist and pulling me up. She slips a couple euros under the tray for the waiter before leading me out of the restaurant.

The streets were now crowded and busy and it was all one big maze of bodies. The clock had ticked over to 5, rush hour had begun and people came scurrying out from work to get home. As soon as we stepped out, I felt Mapi's grip tighten on my hand, her desperation to leave almost as high as the middle aged man who keeps on shouldering us all to get passed. She didn't say a word, just held on and pulled me closer, trying to make it easier for herself to steer our way through the crowds. Her breathing was ragged and unnatural as she pushed her way through the people, using me as a barrier until we reached the deserted alleyway we used this morning.

"I'm gonna have to go." She murmured into my ear so that I could hear her over the crowds not too far away.

"Why? We haven't eaten yet. Can't we go eat first?" I frown, her grip yet to loosen from around my wrist.

"I have training tomorrow, Lots. I'll see you soon though, won't I? On the special day?"

I pout slightly at her words and pull her into a hug. The warmth is familiar to me, a comfort that I've missed while in the states and I listen to her breathing even put again, her heart thumping tirelessly in her chest.

"I hope I see you again before that, Marìa Leòn."

(Another short chapter - whoops. My chapter.. can you tell? Don't forget to leave a comment and tell us (me and does1tmatt3r) what's good! Love ya<3)