Just Friends - Neymar Jr

35

We drove for around ten minutes and then the car slowed to a stop outside a tall hotel. Joe assured me he'd be quick so I sat waiting in the car.

I was on my phone but my attention diverted to an argument happening across the street. It was a man and a woman, their figures being illuminated by the street light hanging above them. The man was getting in her face and waving his arms about, way too close to her. My instincts kicked in and straight away, I was out the car, jogging over to the pair.

"Oi, oi, oi! Why are you shouting at her like that? Don't be getting in girl's faces thinking that-"
The man with his hood up turned around and my eyes were met with his hazel ones. I looked back at the girl, recognising her features a bit more and taking a step back from the two.

"I didn't realise it was you guys. My bad," I laughed awkwardly and turned on my heel, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"Amelia, wait!" Neymar followed me across the road and we were both now stood next to Correa's car.

"What, Neymar?" I sighed, wanting anything but a conversation with him.
"How come you haven't been answering my texts? I thought we were okay now?"
I rolled my eyes, "I'm being civil with you. I didn't want to be arguing anymore but doesn't mean things are going to go back to how they were. Besides, you seem quite preoccupied right now."

"I'm not with her! How many times do I have to tell you? She keeps following me about, hence the argument we were just having. I don't want to be in a relationship with her. Why do you think I haven't posted her or commented on her post with me? I don't like her, she just doesn't seem to get that!" he stressed. I kinda felt bad for the girl to be honest.

"Whatever Junior, I don't have time for this. Excuse me," I said and I watched him take a reluctant step back as I opened the car door.

"Well you seem pretty preoccupied right now as well. This is Correa's car, I'm guessing?" He said angrily just as I was about to close the door.

"Yes it is Correa's car. I don't care what you think anymore Neymar. I'm done, done with everything and certainly done with you. Look how you treated me and how you're treating Bruna right now. When you broke up with me, you said we're not mature enough for a relationship without hurting each other but you're wrong. You're not mature enough to be in a relationship without hurting somebody," I closed the passenger door and he stood there, still trying to talk to me.

I rolled my eyes, using my hands to gesture for him to go away. He finally turned around, hands on the back of his head and approached Bruna again.

Typical, I thought. A few minutes passed and they had now gone and Joaquin was approaching the car.

"Sorry, I got held up. There was this massive group of people checking in and one of the kids recognised me and then everybody wanted a photo. It was way too-" he stopped, looking me over as I faked a smile and nodded for him to go on, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, course I am. Carry on."
He threw his pile of clothes into the backseat and looked at me unconvinced as he started the engine.

"What happened?" he pressed further.
"Well, I met Bruna," I laughed and he looked at me, his eyes wide.
"Why? How? What did you say?"
I laughed again at how stupid it sounded, "I was sticking up for her actually."
He looked beyond confused, "You're gonna have to explain, Marchado."

I told him the story as we drove to my apartment.
"That's not awkward at all," he laughed as he steered the wheel left with the palm of his left hand.
"Tell me about it. I wanted to kill myself right there and then," I put my head in my hands, laughing.

"Well, good on you for going over there. Even if it did turn out to be a mistake, it takes guts to go stick up for a stranger. Even if that stranger wasn't much of a stranger," He laughed, taking the piss and I pushed him playfully.
"Shut up! I didn't know!"
"Sure, Marchado, sure."
I gave him a death stare and he laughed, reversing into a parking spot not far from my house.

We took our usual photo in the elevator mirror before leaving it and walking down the corridor to my flat. My keys were in my bag that he was carrying so he found them and opened the door for us. We flicked off our shoes at the door and I flopped onto the sofa whilst he dumped his clothes in the spare bedroom, that was basically his now since he stayed here so often.

"Marchadooo," he dragged out my last name, trying to get me to look up from my comfy position. He carried on once he realised he was getting ignored, "Move up. How come I never get to lie down?"
I laughed, "Because it's my sofa."
"What happened to mi casa es tu casa?" he held his hand on his heart and looked away from me, pretending to wipe a tear.
I rolled my eyes, "You're so dramatic."

Nonetheless, I shuffled forward so he could slide into the gap between the back of the sofa and where I was laying. (idk if that makes sense soz lol). He got comfy and hung an arm around my waist as he propped his head up with his other to see the TV.

"What we watching?" he asked as I scrolled through Netflix.
"Hmm, I don't know. I don't wanna watch a whole film though."
"We are not stopping a film halfway," he said in disgust.
I laughed, "We can finish it tomorrow."
"No! Are you crazy? Just put an episode of something on," he shook his head in disappointment, which made me laugh even more.

I clicked on Fresh Prince and we watched an episode whilst we waited for our pizza to get delivered.

Correa jumped up and ran to the door when we heard a knock and soon returned, running with the pizza in hand. We joked around as we ate, barely paying attention to the TV in the background.

We laid back in the position we were previously in as we finished the episode. I felt my eyelids struggling to stay open and soon enough I was sound asleep.

———

The sounds of footsteps woke me up as I shuffled around in Joaquín's grip. I panicked, realising he was still behind me but somebody was moving around in the kitchen.
"Correa!" I whisper-shouted, shaking him awake.
"What?" he asked in his morning voice as he rubbed his eyes.
"Listen!"

We both went silent as he heard the same sounds I was. His eyes went wide in alarm and he threw the blanket we were sharing off him as he stood up.
"Stay here," he ordered me as he walked over, following the noises.

Once he wasn't looking anymore, I got up and tiptoed not far behind him.
"Oh for fucks sake!" I heard him and his laugh and ran forwards, trying to see what happened.
We were faced with Antonella's apologetic smile.

"Sorry! I didn't know he'd be here and you were both asleep so I was gonna make breakfast for you guys to wake up to," she explained as I laughed.
"How'd you get in? I definitely locked the door after the pizza came, I made sure I checked," Joe looked at her confused.

"She has a key idiot," I laughed.
"Ohhh, makes sense. I'm going to finish my interrupted sleep now, you guys do... whatever girls do," he walked off back to the living room, stumbling tiredly as we both laughed at him. I sat on the counter as Ant put a pan on the stove.

"So you and Joaquin, huh?" she smirked and I rolled my eyes.
"Not gonna happen. I don't wanna be in a relationship," I said bluntly, folding my arms.
She pulled out her phone and showed me a photo of me and him spooning on the sofa, "So you just sleep that close to random guys then?"

"It's too early for this," I laughed.
"I'm just saying!" she held up her hands, "Think about how long it took for you to finally admit your feelings for Neymar. Surely, you don't want to waste that much time again?"
She had a point to be fair.

"I don't know. Like sure he's fit and really nice, like really nice. But I don't even know if he considers me in that way. Imagine he says he sees me as a sister or something! That would be way too embarrassing!"

"Life's about taking that risk, Amelia. What's the worst that happens? If he says no, it's awkward for a bit but then you go back to being friends. I doubt he'd say no anyway, the guy is whipped!" she laughed.
"I don't know Ant..." I said, unconvinced.
"Just think about it, at least."

Little did she know, I'd been thinking about it for over the past month.