Mix & Matches (Neymar Jr) ✔

#41, Best marketing ever

He stuttered, looking for words. Their eyes locked and for a moment it didn't matter that their parents were standing right there, watching them. "I'm... uhm. You know. That. I mean... are you?"

He looked bashfully at her, unsure of what to do now. Then – after what felt like an eternity to him – she smiled at him and he felt... relieved, delighted, lucky and just so damn happy and unstoppable; like he could lift the world and play a round of football with it, heart soaring and blood rushing.

"Me too," Tamira whispered.

"That's... great," Neymar replied, returning the smiling and feeling like an idiot for it.

No one said a word for the length of a heartbeat. Then the world came crashing back at him when he heard someone clear their throat. It was Emilia. "Okay, how about we start from the start," she said, having overcome the initial shock and surprise. "God, suddenly I'm so glad we didn't make that photo. Anyways, I suggest we sit down and... you tell us how this happened?"

Tamira nodded at her mother, grateful for the other woman's level head.

Unfortunately, the same could not be said about Pai.

"I don't care how this happened!" he said, clearly outraged. "Am I the only one concerned for what will happen if this got out?"

"Neymar!" Emilia exclaimed with a sudden sharpness in her voice that dared anyone to speak back. Tamira knew that tone; she'd been subject to eat growing up. Her mom had found her countenance again and was about to take things over. She wasn't sure if this was a good or a bad thing for her and Neymar.

Pai opened his mouth to retaliate. He glared at Emilia, irritated by being told off with the mere mention of his name. Tamira tried not to look too smug when she could see the staring battle going on between them. When Emilia added, "Go and get some fresh air. Now.", Tamira knew her mom had won.

Neymar's father threw Emilia a look that had the potential to kill, shook his head in pent up anger and, without even one last glance at his son and Tamira, stormed out of the house, muttering "unbelievable" before he forcefully threw the door shut.

Emilia heaved a heavy sigh of relief. One problem at a time. She turned to her daughter and the remaining Neymar. "Alright. From the start?"

—-

"So," Emilia summarized. She was still processing everything she'd just heard – the full story, unfiltered, much to Neymar's wonderment, but the Singer girls were usually always open toward one another. Tamira's mom was nursing a mug of already grown cold tea between her palms. "I take it the being in love part is new?"

Tamira didn't know how to answer that, so she just nodded.

Emilia sighed. "And... this is serious?"

Seeing her daughter glance across the table and find Neymar's reassuring gaze was all she needed.

"Well," she continued, leaning back in her seat and looking between the two football players.

After the initial shock and surprise had worn off they'd sat next to each other on the couch in the living room. Emilia still had a hard time watching his hand come to rest upon her daughter's knee during their explanation; but that was more due to the fact that it was all so new to her than anything else. She couldn't help but see how weirdly fitting the sight was. As if the two were never meant to do anything else with anyone else. It appeared natural. Like breathing. Tamira's hand had even come to rest on Neymar's, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Emilia took a sip of her cold tea. "I hate to say it but your father is right, Neymar. Have you two thought about what this might mean for you?"

Neymar sighed. "Trust me, we have. We even tried to ignore our feelings. Kind of backfired, obviously. I'm not even surprised by dad's reaction. He's always taken care of me and my football career, that everything's okay and I don't have to worry about the business side of things too much. He means well!" he added upon receiving nonplussed looks from both women.