Single parenting came to be the biggest challenge that Neymar has ever faced in his life of 24 years.
He can't deny, he indeed loves his son more than he supposed that he would. The bond that they've been sharing ever since Neymar managed to escape from all sorts of media- the beginning of their bond took place there, and it's been growing ever since.
Neymar has never managed to emotionally communicate with anyone so deeply in a telepathic way as he's done it with his son just within the acquired knowledge of his son's babbles and made up words.
Even before Neymar's son, Thiago, came out of his womb, he'd already gotten used to talking to his unborn child by that time. The actual healing, surprisingly, happened there, without him knowing. He's been so preoccupied by the thoughts of re-enacting his actions of trying to rock a baby and hold a baby- what if he's wrong? What if he's not a good mother?
His parents and close friends helped him think all of these through. His mum tought him the basics and what a baby might mean by their actions, and his father helped him decorate the nursery and build the crib that baby Thiago now sleeps in.
It was only two years ago that Neymar was left a man with his heart in his hand, completely crushed.
It took him two years and eight months to recover from the trauma of being belittled by the person he loved and cherished the most. Now he is strong enough to stand his ground and face the media again, and be the controversial figure he is.
There is nothing that can hold him back now. He's raising a son with ease, and has parents and friends that are there to stand by his side.
If Neymar knew that his innocence would be taken advantage of, he wouldn't dare to trade his heart for it. But the Neymar in the past can't be changed, and that's why, all he can do is recall being heartbroken and all the tears he shed for being thrown away, out of the desperation from being hounded by negativity.
But looking at himself in the mirror now and comparing it with the Neymar from the past makes a huge difference. The person that he is now is aware of the mistakes his past self has made and that he'll never repeat it ever again, at least for the sake of his son.
Nothing but his son can be his first and only priority. Thiago is all he needs and all that he wants.
It irks him to think of Lionel's blood in his child. It feels so wrong, but he can't change anything. This is his son, and he loves him with all his heart.
Who he doesn't love is Lionel. Neymar will never forgive himself for loving Lionel. It's a sin he's already committed and he cannot do anything to erase it now.
Neymar was too stupid to realize that loving someone so much would only make it impossible for him to fall in love with anyone ever again in the future. He loved Lionel with all the love existing in this universe- almost as if he'd woven into one huge sweater, only for it to be called ugly and left unworn.
His heart clenched at the thought of recalling him and Messi together.
Even though he's living without Messi now in an isolated part of the world where nobody will disturb him and his son, his son will ask for his father at some point, and Neymar won't be able to do anything then.
But the last thing he wants to do is to ever see Messi again after what he did to Neymar when Neymar needed him.
He had left Neymar to suffer when Neymar needed him the most, solely because he wasn't being anle to cope with everything Neymar had to say in the end of the day. Even after that, Neymar was ready to compromise, but Messi had already made up his mind and kept himself away from Neymar's reach.
Thiago was still an unborn child in Neymar's womb when the unfortunate event occured. It became an unforgettable night. Neymar can recall everything vividly; starting from the crying to going completely radio silent, he remembers everything.
But this will be of no use to him. He has a son to raise now, and has attained mental peace after being able to recover from the past trauma.
It's his time to come out of his shell and bedazzle the unadorned world with his presence, again.
He'll be back to show them the diva he is, soon.
---
Messi grumbles and walks into locker room, placing his duffel bag down and openinh his locker to store away his belongs.
This is the start of a normal morning at Camp Nou for Messi, not anything very fascinating ir interesting. But noticeably, he seems quite grumpy, taking a seat and sipping in silence at his maté, before being hounded by notifications.
He's not phone person, so he never really pays attention to the notifications unless it's important. But all of a sudden, all his team mates barge into the room with their phone in hand, loud conversations immediately emerging from them, whilst their eyes gave Messi a weird look.
Messi noticed, and couldn't care less. He's not one to be bothered about someone giving him the look. But it started to concern him when his name started to be thrown around in the middle of their conversation, almost as if they're not happy with something that he did.
Messi can't recall of doing anything that'd hurt the club's prestige, except for cheating on Neymar. He'll never admit it but he regrets it til this day but he's kept his zip up. But that's not supposed to be related to what's happening now.
Unbothered by the sudden commotion, he carried on with his day by beginning to start practice without his team mate, as they're too engaged into something that Messi doesn't want to bother hearing.
---
It's been quite a few days since the commotion took place, and Messi's existence in training has been forgotten ever since.
None of his team mates bother to greet him or talk to him. And whenever any one of his team mates is training with him as a pair, he throws a dirty look. Messi doesn't know what he did that's bothering them so much but if they're so bothered they should tell him, right? No. Instead, they chose to ignore him.
Messi is fed up from being ignored. He grumbled and approaches Jordi, nudging him with his elbow.
Jordi turns his head to Messi with a skeptical look, putting his phone down.
- "What's wrong?? Why have you all been acting so weird?"
Messi queried in slight desperation. It's true, since he can't stand anyone ignoring him for a long time.
- "What do you mean?"
- "You all have been ignoring me, but why?"
Jordi stares at him for a few seconds before suddenly lifting his brows and smiling and nodding his head from left to right before saying 'oh, that' and standing up and patting Messi's shoulder.
- "Well, you should check your phone, my friend"
Jordi replies, leaving Messi alone in the locker room.
Messi furrows his brows and takes his phone in his hands, not sure what to look for. But switching to the daily news website made his life flash before his eyes.
The article bore a recent picture of his now ex boyfriend, Neymar, with 'Starboy back from isolation' printed in bold italics.
This is the first time he's seen Neymar out, ever since the last time he saw Neymar- which was nearly three years ago. He still regrets mistreating Neymar.
But he never thought of Neymar letting himself get back into the limelight again. Now that he's back, Messi is sure that he'll try to win Neymar's heart back, although it's impossible.
He's ready to win Neymar's heart and admit his mistakes but he's not ready for the two year old little boy that'll soon become a big part of his mother's pictures that'll be circling media and shocking netizens more than they already are from Neymar's sudden return.
Although winning Thiago's heart is something near impossible, winning his mother's heart is something that'll be beyond impossible after how his feeling were played and manipulated. Only if he knew, then he'd probably sorted things out with Lionel for the better.
But things have happened and been left in the past, still not forgotten by media. It gives Messi trauma from his own deeds, but he yet doesn't realize what it has done to Neymar.
Messi is definitely in for a rough ride.
---
- "David, please."
- "But why not? Life is all about giving people a second chance! And trust me when I say that he's learnt from his mistakes. People change, Juninho"
It's been an hour since David arrived at the house Neymar bought in Barcelona. Neymar sighs, pressing his thumb and ring finger at the bridge of his nose out of annoyance.
Everyone would understand him better only if they got into his shoes. Neymar knows how lost, defeated and weak he felt with the world against him and his unborn child. He had nowhere to go, but thankfully, he had though quick enough to save the health of him and his unborn child growing in his womb.
He would hate to admit it but he has always adored Messi. He'll never love anyone more than he loved Messi but Messi played with his feelings and used Neymar's gullible personality to his advantage and never gave him the attention he deserved.
Without knowing, he was being manipulated through the last of his and Messi's relationship.
It's been a harsh road down to recovery, but he's recovered, for the most.
He understands that David is trying to be as sensible and realistic as possible about the fact that a man realizes once he's done a bad deed but Neymar doesn't want to risk everything for the sake of letting him 'realize' again.
But what if it does work out? But again, he'll never know unless he tries.
Fighting between with the voices in his heads; he's simply not ready to jump to a conclusion yet. He needs time to think.
This needs to be though through. I mean, he's deciding whether or not to get back with the man that completely belittled him in the past.
- "David..give me some time. I'll try and think about it,"
- "Yeah, you should. Because either way, me and you will never work out. Also, I can be your unpaid nanny! And if you happen to get back with that midget, and he happens to do something again, i'll be able to whoop his stupid ass this time. So, no worries!"
David finished, grinning ear to ear, carrying Thiago around while he giggles and tugs at David's curls.
- "Come on, David. Even you admit that you love me! Then..why?"
- "Because I know that you've still got something in your heart for that midget. I know that you do."
David stated, placing Thiago down, watching him crawl up onto the mattress.
Neymar looked defeated, and he still does feel quite defeated if he's being honest. But he's already confirmed his returned, and he wants to hold on strong for his son.
David kneels down and pulls Neymar's hands back from his face and rubs his thumb over the backside of Neymar's hands, looking at him reassuringly.
- "Just go for it, I know you can do it. And even if you can't.."
David pauses, takin a deep breathe and smiling.
- "..I'm still here at all times. Trust me."
Neymar feels convinced, but yet not enough to confront everyone that he left hanging nearly three years ago. He nods, smiling back at David.
- "I'll try, but I'm not sure how I'm supposed to explain to all those who I left hanging. Should I take it slow?"
- "I'd suggest that you meet whoever you think is the most mature and will listen to you without interrupting you. I think Suarez will be good to start with."
Neymar nods and decides to plan everything by tomorrow. After all, it's about re-starting his celebrity life all over again. He needs to take it slow, because he knows that from now onwards, wherever he is, he's bound to be hounded by paparazzi. He'll need to be careful, but most importantly, he'll need to be patient and consistent about his growth of fame. This will be his buildup.
But the main point of this will come by naturally, as it should.
Before long, he'll be reunited with his fate from nearly four years back, again to witness the new beginning.
_________