Mr. Brightside || João Félix

T W E N T Y - N I N E

Saturday, December 3, 2022 7:15AM

"Wow, you look rough," Gonçalo tells me as I arrive to practice.

"Thanks Gonçalo," I smile at him.

"Sorry, at least you look better than Félix," he laughs, "it looks like you both got hit by a truck but it came back for seconds with him, and possibly thirds."

I don't laugh, my eyes land on João and see that Gonçalo isn't kidding. I sigh not really knowing what to say.

"Hey I was only joking, you alright ?" He asks me.

"I'll survive," I tell him.

"Why didn't you skip today ?" My dad asks as he approaches us.

"That wouldn't do me any good," I say, "besides, this is a nice distraction."

He grabs my shoulders, "breathe in," he says and I do as instructed, "and breath out," he says and again I do as told. "Again, breathe in," he says doing the exercise with me, "and breathe out, leave all of it off the field," he says and I nod.

We begin to practice and everything is going well. João and I have thankfully been separated which is good, because although I'm leaving everything off the field, my emotions are far from being in control at the moment and I could lash out at him.

We're given a small break and I rush to refill my water bottle and use the restroom. I walk back to the group to see my dad holding my phone.

"What is this ?" He asks.

"What's what ?" I ask confused.

"You shouldn't have gone through it, it's an invasion of privacy," Pepe tells my dad.

"It's fine, I don't have anything to hide, no secrets, remember," I tell my dad.

"So when were you gonna tell me you're speaking to that Grier boy again ?" He asks.

"What ? I just saw him last night when he locked us in that stupid room," I say confused.

"What's this then ?" He asks showing me my phone.

I read the messages on there, who the fuck gave him my number ?! "Dad I swear I have no clue, he didn't even have my number," I say.

"Well he does now," my dad huffs, "and what he wants to meet you ? For what ? What's he got to say that he didn't get to say last night ?"

"I don't know, I guess I'll find out later," I sigh.

"You can't possibly be serious, you're going to meet him ?" My dad asks.

"Well yeah," I shrug.

"You can't," he says annoyed.

"What do you mean I can't ?" I ask, "I want answers, I deserve answers. Besides, I'm not your little girl anymore, you can't tell me who I can and can't see."

That was a low blow, I shouldn't have said that. "Dad," I whisper, "daddy, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that, I- I'm just on edge," I say.

"That's fine, Sofía go meet him, go meet the idiot that broke your heart, run back to him, but when you get caught in his web again, don't come crying to me," he spat, "you're a big girl now, you can deal with the heartbreak on your own."

His words cut deeper than a knife. Tears begin to stream down my face as I snatch the phone from his hands, pack my belongings and go. I don't care about what's left of practice, I don't care about anything anymore, I just go. To where ? I don't know.

I hear both Pepe and my father call out behind me but I don't bother, I'm gone. I walk down the streets of Qatar to the tall hotel buildings until I find myself standing outside one that isn't mine. I walk inside and rush towards a specific room number. I arrive at the door and knock.