INTERTWINED | PABLO GAVI

[28] gift dilemma

GAVI's POV

four days.

that's how long i have to find camile a birthday party present but i've never been more clueless. i feel just like her when she came up to me to tell me the news.

"i thought you said you were against doing anything for your birthday?" i remind her as we were sat at some back table sharing her tray of fruit. "yeah but i got the news yesterday that they already booked a club so you and everyone else are coming."

so after practice when my dad picked me up, i asked to be dropped off at aurora's.

the perfect present always comes from a girl's mind especially when it's being gifted to another girl... right?

that's what i assumed anyways.

i thanked my dad and told him i'd just stay the night at hers since i have some stuff here.

i grab my bag where i have some clothes that need to be washed as he pulls out the driveway and i put the key she gave me. "rora?"

"gavi?" not aurora, but it is javi. he comes from around the corner and hugs me even though he's a bit confused to see me. "y aurora? (and aurora?)"

"ya esta en camino. pero que haces aquí? (she's on her way. but what're you doing here?)"

"necesito su ayuda. (i need her help)"

"con? (with?)"

"a gift for a friend." but javi isn't convinced. "what kind of friend?" he pokes at me even though i don't see what the big deal is. "this is why i'm here for my sister and not you." i move past him to sit on the island but i only hear him follow.

"okay, i won't make fun of you. who is it?"

listen, he's my friend. i can't not tell him after he's asked. "do you know camile santana?" i don't know what i expected his reaction to be, but if i had to guess, it was similar to the face he made as his brows furrowed. "who doesn't? but are you serious?"

why wouldn't i be is the real question. "yeah, her. she's the friend."

"i was not expecting that." should i be offended?

i don't even get to ask why before i hear aurora's voice shouting for javi.

we both go to see her hands full so i immediately grab all the stuff off of her so she can take her coat off.

"pablo? que haces aquí? (what're you doing here?)"

"no puedo visitar mi hermana mayor? (i can't visit my older sister?)"

"i didn't mean it like that. you know you're always welcomed." i'm finding it hard to believe from these surprised reactions. but i'll let it slide this once. "so what're you actually here for because javi's face is telling me otherwise."

i turn to him slightly to see exactly what she's referring to. "you have an awful poker face." he seems offended but so am i after he asked for clarification over camile and i's friendship.

"i need your help on a gift for a friend."

"a girl-friend." javi emphasizes. "quien?! (who?!)"

"camile." like that, i also get a surprised look from aurora. "if you guys are gonna keep giving me these reactions i'm just gonna leave."

"no wait! seriously?" that's not any better than her facial expression. "yes." i say slightly annoyed yet taking a seat back at the island because she's my only hope. "then i'd love to help! she seems like such a nice person. i love her style too." i remember when camile said something similar about aurora.

"she'd like too you. she said you looked sweet once."

"really?!" i don't know why aurora was getting overly excited over someone two years younger than her but whatever helped me come up with something.

so she pulls a stool from below and we slowly start to come up with ideas.

meanwhile, javi gets started in dinner.

it's good to know he's good for something. "look at her instagram, maybe she has something there." she suggest and i take out my phone as we scroll and that's when i realize she has a lot more posts than i imagined. "this is so much easier than i expected."

aurora seems to be having more fun than i am with this. "she's a gold girl, write that down."

javi looks back at us with a face of concern over the fact that aurora's face is all up on the phone to look for anything while i find a napkin and pen to write down on. "she loves taylor swift and frank ocean, this is good!"

with my messy hand writing, i try my best to keep up with aurora.

"i think we hit the jackpot on what you have to get her." i look at aurora confused till she hands me back my phone on one of camile's story highlights. it's an old picture of camile as what i think is a three year old in a barca jersey. just below are the words, "will forever miss this kit."

"it's done. as for the gold and taylor swift part, there are these beautiful floral gold watches on this shop i'll send you... and you can get her 1989 on vinyl. it's the only one she doesn't have in her collection."

"how do you do this?"

"i'm a mastermind, what can i say?"

clearly. she sends me the link right then and there and i see why she suggested these. they were perfect for camile so i placed an order as well as that vinyl she was talking about when i found one that can be delivered by tomorrow night.

"and it's deluxe? you sure she's just a friend?"

"can you not?!" i ask from her as she watches me fumble to put all these orders in that come in a matter of three days.

"how do i get that jersey though?" it's from the 10/11 season when they won the champions league. "and is it a player—"

"go to this store and ask if they have messi's ten. god, you're such a guy."

she scribbled something down and i hadn't even noticed when she slid the napkin back. "que haría sin ti? (what would i do without you?)" i ask out of pure admiration and thankfulness that she's even putting up with me right now.

"i ask myself the same thing."

we continue to talk for a bit more just about everything we've been meaning go catch up on till she finds her way back to camile.

"how long have you guys been friend's anyways? this has to be recent if i didn't know."

"a month now." i even find it hard to believe. "she's put up with you for a whole month? this has to be record breaking, no?"

sometimes i forget she's my sister and can get away with saying this stuff. "i think the same thing about how long javi's put up with you."

"te voy a— (i'm gonna—)"

"hold on. what's that smell?!" my nose started to burn all of a sudden... the same way javi's food was turning out.

"maybe it's the other way around." i think to myself as she runs to pull out the fire extinguisher.

☆

two days left and i had to go to the mall after school for last minute gifts 😭