Reunion - Mapi Leon x Reader

Chapter 34 - A Goodbye Night

Carlota Aguila is "utterly infatuated" with me. She is also sitting opposite me at my apartment's dining table. Time has flown by too quickly, and tomorrow the girls are off to the world cup. So, my teammates from Barça who are on the Spanish team, and Lottie - she is temporarily living with me until she figures out what club she's going to next - are all having dinner here. Cata, Irene, Ona (who just recently signed), Laia, Aitana, Maria (who is soon going on loan), Alexia, Mariona, and Salma - what feels like an entire team's worth of people, are currently crowding the room.

In an attempt to not be horribly sad, I've been socialising the entire evening. It's not that hard to find someone to talk to when there's so many people around, but I'm already beginning to feel the loneliness of what I imagine the next few weeks will feel like. All I want to do now, as I look across at Lots, is have a moment of alone time with her before she leaves. Ale's on the other side of the room chatting to Ona, but I don't miss the way she glances over at me and smirks. Admiring your girl, she mouths, in Spanish obviously. I roll my eyes and shake my head at her, but I know she notices the way I don't deny it.

Tomorrow, after I've dropped Lottie, and Ale off at the airport, I'm going to my brother's place. I'm staying a couple of nights, before we head to our parents. It's taken me forever to make the decision about what to do while the world cup is on. I know Lottie wants me to go and support her, even though she's never said it outright, but I just don't think I'll be able to cope with that.

I'm shaken from my thoughts to find that Lots is now standing behind me. She's put her hands on my shoulders, but is in conversation with Cata. This gathering has given her the opportunity to use more of her Spanish, and I must admit it's definitely coming back to her. Her growth in the language has been immense over the last few weeks. I can see Ale still looking at me, but she smiles sincerely when she catches my eye again.

"Here, you can sit if you'd like," I turn around and tell Lottie, as I get up to walk over to Ale. Lots casually places a delicate kiss on my lips before I walk to the otherside of the room. Oh goodness, I am going to miss her.

"So," I say, my mood dramatically changing, "how are things going with you know who? Looking forward to seeing her?"

"Don't," Ale hisses back, "too many eager ears around."

"Okay, but I will be expecting answers later," I say, and then Ale's called over by Mariona to join in with some sort of... I'm not entirely sure what they're doing, but I don't think I want to find out quite yet.

Aitana comes and sits down next to me. "I know you've already got Ale looking out for her, and that Carlota doesn't need anyone looking out for her, but I will be there, and we are friends now, Lottie and I," she tells me. I smile at my friend.

"Thank you Aitana." I would say more, but there's something off about her. She didn't just come over here to talk about Lottie.

"Do you think you're in love with her? Like, do you want to spend the rest of your life with her?" she asks me. Or, maybe she did just come to talk about Lottie. It doesn't take me anytime at all to answer her question.

"Yes. There's no doubt in my mind that I want to spend my life with her."

I begin to think about that future. What it would look like. How amazing it would be to have her around all the time. I think we both agree we've spent enough time apart.

"So do you think she's going to be living with you more permanently?" Aitana questions.

I nod. "I think, hopefully, if all goes well, that she'll end up at Barça with us. Well, that's the dream. It may not happen quite yet, but I think she wants that. We haven't actually talked about what club in Spain she wants to play for, or if her agent is in talks with anyone, but she wants to play in Spain."

"And do you have any fears about what it will do to your relationship living and working together?"

I start to answer her next question before I have a thought, "Aitana?

"Yes," she says meekly.

"Have you found someone that you like?" I ask her. She obviously doesn't want to tell me, but true to her nature she lets out a giggle.

"You have," I say, "who? Does he play football? For Barça?"

She just motions zipping her lips, and blushes. "Thanks for your thoughts Mapi."

"Aitana, we've not finished with this!" I try not to yell as she walks away. Thankfully the rest of the guests are too busy to notice. She turns around for a second.

"Two questions, Mapi. That's all you get for now."

"Spanish?" I start with, thinking it might narrow people down.

"Speaks very good Spanish," she says with a laugh, like it may not be true.

"I meant nationality!"

She shrugs, "that's not the question you asked though."

"Okay," I learn this time and ask, "what position does he play?"

"Midfield." Then she finally leaves me to join the suspicious group in the corner.

I decide to make my way over to the group, but Ona cuts me off, and leads me into my own kitchen.

"Okay what is-"

"I was wondering what recipe you use for this chicken dish?" she cuts me off. I am so confused, but I show her my recipe book anyway. She keeps glancing over at the girls in the corner, and then, when they all seem to disperse, she pulls out her phone, takes a picture of the recipe, thanks me, and goes on her way. Strange.

Then Ale brings the room to attention. "We're gathered here this evening to celebrate, but also to say goodbye before we leave for the world cup, and we wanted to take a moment to honour Mapi and appreciate what she's done for women in football in Spain. So as a little thank you gift, we've put together a box of some of your favourite snacks, in case you decide to watch the games. It's totally fine if you don't, but you get to keep the snacks anyway. Um, yeah. It's not much, but it's our way of saying thank you for supporting us to do this, even though we know that it must be really hard for you to watch us go, knowing that you're missing out. But, Mapi, you'll be with us in a way. You've helped to shape the players all of us are in some way or another. Anyone who's trained with you learns from watching not only the way you play, but the commitment and focus you put into making yourself a better player. Thank you Mapi. We all love you."

I blink back a tear as I go over to hug my best friend, before going around to make my way around the rest of the group. The last person I get to is Lottie, who holds onto me for a moment longer than the others. The group's mainly focused on other things now, all gathered into their own little groups to talk.

"Shall we leave them?" I ask Lottie.

"Leave and go where?"

"Not very far," I reply as I start to pull her down the hallway towards my room. Our room.

"What about-"

"Ale will sort them out. Big day tomorrow. She'll get them all out of here by a reasonable time."

Lottie takes my word for it, and soon enough I'm lying on my bed, her falling down beside me. I roll over to kiss her. It's my last night with her for a while, but then we get to be together for good. I'm looking forward to it.

(WELL DONE MY FRIEND  @does1tmatt3r for yet another incredible chapter. Back to me and i ACTUALLY have an idea. However.. i do have a oneshot i want to get out in the meantime (its just whether i can be bothered to finish it!) Love ya<3)