Spain's Brightest (Patri Guijarro)

A Mistake

June 2022

Jessica's POV:

"Yes. She broke it about April." I looked at Laia. "It's been healing fine. Haven't had any issues. She's recently started light training here under close supervision." I leaned against my desk. "I'll let her know. Thank you."

"Well?" She smiled.

"I got good news for you and I got bad news."

She sighed. "What's the bad news?"

"The bad news is, you're stuck on the sidelines for another 4 weeks. The GOOD news is in about 2 weeks you can rejoin the group."

"4 weeks?"

"Stuck with me." I softly cheered. "Watching those idiots," We looked out the window as Carmen and Virginia ran into each other. "Do whatever that was."

She laughed. "When you put it that way."

Patri's POV:

"We find out the roster next week." Leila sighed. "Time to know who's going to England."

"I think Carmen got you beat."

"Carmen hasn't made her debut yet." Leila crossed her arms.

"Yes but you're old now." Aitana said.

"Don't insult my best friend like that."

"Thank you Mapi." Leila smirked.

"Without me being present."

"You. Asshole." Leila said.

I looked at my phone.

"Waiting for something?" Mapi asked.

"Jess said she'd call me around this time. She hasn't yet." I shrugged. "She's been on edge since the whole situation with her father."

"I can't believe he was in Madrid that whole time." Aitana said.

"I can't believe her mom just gave him her number and didn't think Jess would be upset." Mapi said.

Leila nodded. "I can't believe it's not butter." She shook her head.

I looked at the ceiling.

"Read. The. Room!" Mapi yelled in her face.

"I. Can't. Read!" Leila yelled back.

My phone rang.

Lola

"Lola?" I answered it. "What's up, Lola?"

"It's Jess. My phone died, I forgot my charger at home. I had to BEG Lola to use her phone."

"MAKE IT QUICK, GUIJARRO!" Lola yelled in the background.

"I didn't forget to call you. I have a charger in my car. I'm almost at my car. I just wanted you to know I didn't forget."

"It's ok." I laughed. "Give Lola her phone back before she kills someone."

She hung up and a few minutes later called me again. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"Just left Leila's." I smiled. "How was your day?"

"Eventful. I'm Laia's full-time babysitter now."

"How is Laia doing?"

"I can't tell you. Because you're the enemy. But I will say that she's on the right track."

"I'm asking as a friend. Not a Barca player."

She laughed. "I know. I just like reminding you that you're my enemy."

"Speaking of enemies."

She sighed. "Here it comes."

"Jess."

"Patri." She said. "I don't want to talk about my father. Or my mother."

"You have to."

"I know. But right now, I still don't even know what the truth is anymore. I don't want to talk about it right now. Not to you, not to my mom, not to anyone."

"What happened to opening up?'

"That was before I found out that my father is apparently in Madrid and has been the whole time." She said. "Look. I don't want to fight with you. I'm just not ready to talk about this."

"Why? It's been a month, Jess. You clearly have feelings about it."

"Because I don't even know what THIS is!" She yelled. Then she groaned. "Patri. Please just drop it." She whispered. "Please."

I sighed. "Why can't you just talk to me?"

"I'm not ready to." She said. "Why can't you just accept that? Be patient with me! I just found out there is a guy who has been in Madrid for YEARS and he might be my father. I haven't had the time to process any of this. And maybe I don't want to right now! Maybe I just want to focus on the fact that in a few weeks, my girlfriend and best friends will be in England representing our country. I want to focus on how proud I am of my girlfriend, who I love very much. So when I'm ready to talk about who might be my father, I will. But for now, can you PLEASE just drop it?"

I closed my eyes. "Fine. But only because I loved that whole thing about you being proud of me." I smiled.

"I am very proud of you." She said. "You're my girlfriend. And I love you."

"Hearing you say it makes me happy."

"Well, I mean it. I do love you, Patri. I really do."

"I'll drop it. But please, when you're ready. Talk to me?"

"Of course."

I heard the car stop and turn off. "Are you home?"

"Yeah. And I'm going to take a nap." She said. "Because I'm tired."

"Have you been sleeping?"

"Yeah." She said. "I'll talk to you when I wake up."

"Ok. Get some rest. I love you."

"I love you too."

Jessica's POV:

I hung up and looked out my window. "Now or never." I whispered. I got out of the car and walked up to the door. I rang the doorbell and sighed. "Come on." I mumbled.

I went to ring it again when the door opened. "Jessica." He stood there. "Come in."

"I'm fine out here." I put my hands in my pockets.

"Ok." He stepped outside and shut the door. "You're so grown up."

I shook my head. "Why now? I lived here when I was 5. Left when I was 14. Were you here that whole time?"

"Yes." He sighed. "I live here."

"Then why not reach other then?"

"I didn't know." He said. "I didn't know you were in Madrid. I didn't know anything. All I know is your mother was pregnant. Then she went into labor."

"And you abandoned her."

"It wasn't that easy."

"But it was. You don't get to reach out to me NOW. Not when I needed you then."

"Jessica if you'd let me explain."

"I don't want to hear it." I backed away. "I shouldn't have come here. This was a mistake." I shook my head and got back in my car.

"Jessica! Please."

I started the car and drove off.