Fever Dream ~ Neymar Jr

Chapter 99

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

This story kind of found a second life with the World Cup and I'm so appreciative of all the readers here giving it a chance and sticking with it so many chapters later! Thank you for all the lovely messages, it means the world for me and makes my day reading them!

2018

"So, this is it." David said, as soon as we reached the airport.

"This is not it." I told him, getting out of the car. "I'll be back after the World Cup ends."

"By which time, I might not be here anymore."

"But you may still be. And if not, you won't get rid of me that easy." I told him, reaching up to hug him. "Someone told me recently that good things are coming."

David chuckled, letting go of me. He turned to Peter and hugged him too.

"Take care of yourself curly. I love you." I told him, before Peter and I queued up at the security check. David smiled and turned around, and soon his curly hair was lost in the sea of people around us.

"He'll be fine." Peter told me, looking at me. "He's a great football player with a lot to give. He's gonna land somewhere good, I know it."

I nodded. Of course, that was true. But it broke my heart to see David like this, thinking that he wasn't wanted by either of his teams. "Everything is so up in the air." I commented, meaning David and also me and Neymar's future.

"Don't stress about it, Liv. If it's one thing this year taught us is that things can change just like that." Peter said, snapping his fingers.

"So, don't make plans?"

"No, make plans. Have dreams. But don't obsess over them, especially if they are out of your hands."

"You're right." I told him when we reached the gate and he smiled. "You know, I'm happy to go back home to my parents' house for a few days. It will be a good change of scenery."

"I know. Me too. But I'm also excited for the World Cup."

"Oh yeah." I said as we sat down and waited for our flight. "I can't believe we are getting to attend it again." I told him and we smiled when our eyes met. He and I had come a long way since the last one.

~*~

"Oi amor!" I exclaimed, the moment I saw Neymar. He walked, almost run to us, taking Davi in one arm and enveloping me in a hug with the other.

"Eu senti tanto a falta de vocês." Neymar told me and his son.

"We've missed you too." I told him, planting a quick kiss on his lips before freeing him to greet everybody else that was waiting. And there were a lot of people. His family, my brother, Peter, Carolina and Neymar's friends were all there.

And then I saw Thiago and Marquinhos and I went to greet them, and more than that, the people I knew from the 2014 World Cup, some of which I hadn't seen in years.

"Marcelo!" I yelled, seeing him there with his family.

"Livvie! I haven't seen you in so long!" He said, giving me a hug. "I'm so happy for you and Neymar." He told me, taking my hand and looking at my engagement ring. "He wouldn't shut up about you the whole time we were in Granja Comary. 'When Liv was here we did this and this and that.'" He said, imitating Neymar. "It drove all the new guys crazy."

I laughed. "But you don't know how jealous I was of you guys training together there again. I've missed that place."

Marcelo nodded and before he could reply I saw Willian and Paulinho, who came to greet me too. In shock, I realized that only five people, including Neymar were in both WC squads. Out of 23. It was insane how quickly football moved in Brazil, and unless you were a generational talent, like Neymar, Thiago and Marcelo, you were lucky to even have one WC under your belt.