Somewhere in the Haze - Pablo Gavi

13. Good Luck Kiss

Sunday afternoon I slide Gavi's jersey over my head before heading to the match.

This time I've paired the red and blue jersey with some black leggings, tying it in a knot to keep it from hanging to my knees. The one I'm wearing is the first one Gavi gave me, not the second from after his match. I was going to wash it because it smelt horrible, but he told me washing the jersey could wreck it. So instead of wearing it I hung it outside so the breeze could carry away the smell. It has yet to work.

Even though Gavi and my brother had to leave to prepare for the game hours ago, Gavi still saw to that I had a ride. I thought that meant an Uber, but when I head outside I notice it's a regular car.

"Hey," Mikky says as I peak my head through the open passenger side window. "Gavi said you needed a ride."

I open the door and get inside. "Yeah, I do thanks." I click in my seatbelt. "I thought he called me an Uber," I tell her.

She chuckles softly. "He told me you hate Ubers."

I smile. "I do. They're always so creepy." I scrunch my nose.

"Agreed," Mikky says. "And always driven by old men."

"Exactly." 

We drive to the stadium making polite conversation. Mikky is as sweet as I pinned her, asking me about myself, and Gavi and I. 

At the stadium we go in together. I expect her to turn to the stairs heading up and into the stands, but instead she turns the other way.

"Over here," she tells me with a wave. I follow her without question. "This is the way to the locker room," she informs me as we take steps downwards.

"Are we allowed to be down here?" I ask, gazing around, taking in my surroundings.

Mikky nods. "Yeah. I usually come say good luck to Frenkie before their warm up. We're early enough I'm sure you could say good luck to Gavi as well."

"I'm not sure if he'd want--"

"Nonsense!" she exclaims. "You're his girlfriend, of course he wants to see you." She takes hold of my hand and leads me towards the changeroom. We stop short outside the door. "Frenkie will be out in a minute," she explains. "We can ask him to grab Gavi."

"That's not necessary," I try to tell her. Gavi is technically my boyfriend, but there's a difference between me getting in his way normally and me getting in his way when he's trying to focus for a match.

"Don't worry," Mikky assures me. "We're allowed to be down here."

A few minutes of waiting---hands clasped together in front of me---later, Frenkie comes through the door. Gavi's right behind him.

He smiles as soon as he sees me, and it spreads to my face. Frenkie smiles politely at me before passing by and embracing Mikky.

"Hola mi amor," Gavi says, coming over and giving me a hug. I notice Frenkie and Mikky take a few steps away from us; whether for their privacy or ours I don't know. "I see you made it here safely. Did everything go alright with Mikky?"

"Yeah," I assure him. "I'm sorry I came down here," I lower my voice, "she insisted."

"I don't mind," he says, pushing a hair out of my face. "I'm glad to see you."

"I didn't want to distract you from your game."

"Cariño, you're not a distraction." 

I press my lips together as I look up at him. I glance over at Mikky and Frenkie who are preoccupied before I go up on my toes and kiss him.