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( why is he so cute? also did anyone peep james, cristiano, neymar and marcelo throughout the mi gente ft. beyoncé video? )
NOTHING WAS MORE PERFECT than this. Than this moment. Was what James thought in his head as he watched Natalia smile at him, an awkward smile, but he still found it beautiful. James stared at her, at her beautiful smile. He was in some sort of trance, captivated by her beauty. She was the most beautiful girl on earth, to him.
Her voice, her beautiful smile and contagious but adorable laugh was all he ever thought about. Natalia was always on his mind, no matter what he did. The beautiful girl he had met in Colombia who had stolen his heart was the same girl, who was now much older, still had his heart.
"James?" she asked, repeating his name a few times before he was out of the 'trance'- her beauty had put him in.
"Yes?"
"I asked how training was this morning? Are you okay?" Natalia asked, noticing how he just seemed almost lost at the moment.
After training, James had called Natalia if they wanted to have lunch together, and she reluctantly said yes. It's not that she didn't want to go for the most part, she just felt like she didn't know if being friends was the right thing to do. But it had been almost a month since James showed up at her apartment and asked her if things could be fixed between them. He had given her some time, and the least she could was actually try to do what he asked for, to 'start over'.
But she felt that if they started over again, she felt like all their memories and them ever being together again would disappear. She didn't want that.
"Training was great," he chuckled as his cheeks began to turn a shade of crimson. "But I'm alright."
"Are you sure? You seem a bit out of it?"
James shook his head. "I'm perfectly fine. So how's work been for you?"
No matter what, there was always tension between them, an awkward feeling between them. I mean it wasn't like talking to your ex was the easiest and best thing in the world. But they also were best friends at one point, so they should at least try to act that way or at least not make things as awkward.
"Work has been the same like always- alright, I guess," she spoke.
James just wanted for everything to go back to normal. Normal as in the perfect couple they were, and as the couple who loved each other. They were, or used to be the couple who acted like best friends but loved each other as lovers. He missed everything about their relationship, from the little handshakes they would make up, their inside jokes, to the random kisses she would place all over his face.
They were so distant, they acted like strangers, like they had never dated or been best friends. He was so close to her, but he couldn't hug her, or even show how much he still loved her. It felt like he was being punished for his actions, and he felt like he fully did deserve it.
James kept a smile on his face, that smile would never disappear as long as she was around him. But it would easily be wiped away soon.
"James, is that Rapha?" She asked, as she saw someone standing in ordering-line who looked like Raphaël Varane.
"Hm?" He mumbled, turning around to look at who was indeed his teammate. "Yeah?"
"Rapha?" She called out, making the Frenchman turn around looking for who had called his name. He thought it was probably a fan because, who didn't know him in Madrid?
"Raphaël." Natalia said one more. He turned around and searched the café quickly until his eyes came across James and Natalia. Which made a big smile appear on his face because, it had been a years since he had seen those two together.
"Hey you guys," he said as he had reached the table where two of his friends were. James immediately rolled his eyes- was he jealous?
James told himself he had no right to be because it wasn't like Raphaël was flirting or doing anything with Natalia. But he still couldn't help but feel jealous at the fact that they had become much closer over the years he was in Germany.
"Sit with us, Rapha," Natalia smiled. "You don't mind right James?"
"No of course not," he mumbled. Oh yes, of course he did.
Raphaël smiled and took a seat right next to Natalia- which made James feel even more jealous. James knew it was childish but he couldn't help but think that he could steal his girl. But James had it all wrong- what Raphaël actually wanted was for Natalia and James to be together, more than anyone else.
"So what are guys doing around here?" Raphaël asked with a grin.
"Just hanging out as friends," Natalia responded.
Friends- was what played in James' head. We're only friends, that's all. But nonetheless it still hurt him.
"How's living in Spain again, James?" Raphaël asked, noticing that he had not been talking much. James and Raphaël didn't really talk during practice because, James had some sort of 'grudge' against him ever since he found out that Natalia and him had become so close all of a sudden.
"It's great," he replied. And that's how he would respond to all the questions he was asked, short and quick answers. Having no interest what-so-ever in their conversations.
At first he was extremely excited that he had the chance to talk to Natalia, but now he was dreading even being there.
Natalia could easily tell James didn't want Raphaël there at all. It wasn't that James hated his teammate, but all he really wanted was to be with Natalia, not have Natalia and Raphaël there.
That's pretty much how their entire lunch had went. Having Raphaël and Natalia talk just about anything and James there sitting (being jealous), not even listening to whatever they said. And when he would be asked something he would always reply with something short and simple, not caring or having interest in anything they said.
✧
finally an update haha! in this book rapha will be single, just because he's a very important character in this book and there is more upcoming for him in the book. - but happy holidays to everyone! and if you don't celebrate anything well i hope you have a great weekend!!
also, i've recently gotten a lot of ideas and motivation to write for my books, (a few weeks ago i barely had any inspiration or ideas to write) plus i'm on break right now. so i will hopefully update more this week!
