Mr. Brightside || João Félix

F O U R T Y - S I X

"Babe, let's go," I hear but I don't even look.

"Sofia, snap out of it," I feel Nessa shake me.

"Matilde," Gio said shaking me harder.

I sigh snapping out of my thoughts, "what ?" I ask.

"What do you mean what ?" Cris asks, "you're supposed to be performing the national anthem."

"Oh, I forgot we played first," I sighed, "sorry, I just zoned out after you said 'bye, bye, Mase, I'm losing another one today."

"Oh baby," João says walking over to me and giving me a big hug, "you've still got us," he kissed the top of my head, "but we gotta go."

"Right, yeah," I say my goodbyes to everyone and head down to the locker room with João.

Everyone is getting ready to exit the locker room through the tunnel.

"What's got you down in the dumps ?" I ask my dad.

"I'm not starting again," he sighed.

"What ?" I ask in disbelief, "you've been giving it your all at practice after you didn't start last game."

"You're right," he sighed, "this World Cup is rigged, and I think he sold out," he whispered to me talking about the coach. "João is starting though, so maybe go give him some words of encouragement."

I walk over to João as everyone begins to walk under the tunnel.

"I'm so fucking nervous," he sighs, "I don't mean to talk shit on my friend because I know Gonçalo is good, but he had one good game, that's it, you can't just start him on every game expecting the same results, especially not when Morocco is out for blood."

"Breathe," I tell him. "Just do your job, take any shots you can, if you can't, pass to the striker, and play it close, be ready for tap ins."

I pull out my phone to text Cris.

Cris <3

Me: Dad isn't starting again
João is freaking out
This cup is rigged for Argentina to win and dad thinks Roberto has sold out.
Text about it, nothing can be said out loud, you don't know who is listening.

"You changed your case," João noticed as I put it back in my pocket.

"Just for the day, I'll explain later," I tell him.

"Now please, anything to distract me," he pleads.

"I fear it'll just make you more nervous," I say.

The team starts walking out and João stays behind.

"Hey, I know you're nervous, but you got this, okay," I tell him. "Bono is such an amazing keeper but tap ins may be your best hope. You know what to do, have faith in yourself."

"Have faith in me for the both of us, because right now I don't know if I can," he sighs and I nod.

"João," someone calls out to him.

"I love you," he kisses me and runs off before I can even process what he's said.

"Hey I know you're mad at me," Roberto comes up to me "but Gonçalo had a great game last time, how can I not start him. You have to understand that, João is pissed at me too, but can you help him see that I'm just working with what I'm seeing."

"I hope that you know that if we go home tonight, it's all your fault, for setting your shitty line ups," I push past him as my name is being called to sing.