Football practise lasted another three hours and it seemed rather boring. It was basically Sabrina and I talking from time-to-time and then me doodling some things on my notepad. I was quite proud of the cartoon drawing I did of Messi even-though he did kind of resemble a bulldog for some reason. All of the practise session, Neymar kept kicking balls towards me just to have a reason to come and ask for my name but I denied it each time.
I have to give him props for persistence though; but he refused to put shin pads on, I don't know what it was about this silly little thing but it annoyed me so much... it's like he's looking for an accident. Once it was all over the guys were walking over to the changing rooms but all stopped to introduce themselves. It was like they were just in a line each of them hugging me with their sweaty bodies.
"Hi, I'm Jeremy,"
"Hi, I'm Rafinha,"
"Hey! I'm Dani,"
"I'm Ivan,"
"Sergio, nice to meet you"
"Im Jordi Alba,"
"Javier."
"Jordi Massip, what's your name?"
"Hey, so nice to meet you, I'm Gerard,"
"What's up, My name is Andres,"
"I'm Luis... Suarez,"
"What's up, lil' cousin,"
"The name is Neymar... Though what is yours, babe?"
All of them had different greeting and it was awesome... if you ignored the smells because ew, gross. And finally the best one approached me and held me in his little embrace before kissing my forehead
"Hello lovely, I'm Lionel," he shook my hand and I was just staring at him. I didn't think I would freeze this bad but Messi is a multiple Ballon D'or winner, he is a hero to so many people and was a true inspiration behind my cousins passion for football and after watching his skill in countless football games and the number of goals he's scored... I just froze.
I was completely, I guess you could say, Starstruck. Also he's really short and adorable and when he chuckled I snapped out of it and went completely red.
"I am so sorry, wow, um" I cleared my throat making things a tad awkward. "I'm such an embarrassment aha... damn um. I was just, a little shocked," My voice broke at the end of the sentence and Lionel just looked at me with a smile.
"No, it's okay because it's even weirder when I get men react like this to me," he comforted me. "Plus, this will wear off and in two days you will be sick of me and my amazing sense of humour," he added and I laughed
"I doubt that," and with that one sentence the entire team began yelling the words 'no' and 'not again' and 'why!'... did I say something wrong? Well I found out when leo began telling a joke..
"Okay, how did the football pitch get all wet?" he asked and I shrugged so he carried on "Because the players dribbled all over it!!!" and he laughed... all alone with me because god damn, it was a funny joke! But all of the other members of the team where moaning like little kids.
"It's fine! I have a joke too!" I laughed and Leo straightened up. "What does a Lionel Messi and a magician have in common?" and Leo shrugged this time "They both do hat tricks!" and the two of us set off laughing again whilst the stadium completely emptied out, it was just the two of us with the sounds of our laughs echoing in the stadium. Once we calmed down we walked out and he put an arm around me.
"You know, We'll make good friends," Leo said before walking into the changing room and I stood there smiling... I just made friends with one of the most influential people in football. Oh my God.
I was walking out of the stadium and in to my car, Sabrina was there with someone on the phone but when she saw me she hung up and ran to me.
"Hey, what was that all about?" she asked me and I raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" I responded slightly confused.
"I mean, you and Lionel... you don't have a thing for him do you?" Sabrina asked and something about her tone pissed me off "Don't you think he's like really u-" and I cut her off.
"Really what?! What, Sabrina?! Don't you dare say ugly because people like you are shallow and pathetic and annoy me so damn much! Just because your daddy is rich doesn't make you better than me, or Leo or even a homeless person! So just grow up, Jesus Christ you're on an internship for a football club and you know you'll eventually have to become friends with all of those awesome guys in there, and I really don't care what you think of me because I don't want to make friends with someone as uneducated as you!" And with that I turned away from her and walked the opposite direction towards the restaurant I work part-time in. Sabrina infuriates me. How dare she say that? I don't have a 'thing' for Leo but I really hate people like that.
I walked in to the restaurant and went into the staff rooms where I got changed into my uniform and walked out straight in to a man.
"Oh I'm sorry!" I apologised and looked up to face Neymar, Of course it has to be him.
"I'll forgive you if you tell me your name," he winked cheekily at me and I rolled my eyes.
"Sadly, I don't think you're wearing shin pads right now are you?" I challenged him and he quickly threw his leg on a table and pulled up his jeans to reveal shin pads... he's a maniac.
"So, my darling, what is your name?" he repeated himself once me and I rolled my eyes.
"Erika, my name is Erika now please get your disgusting foot off the table, I can get fired for this," I pushed his leg off and walked past him.
"Erika, what a lovely name... Eri-Ka!" He said it in an enhanced Portuguese accent. I decided to just ignore him and maybe he'll leave me alone. But that strategy wasn't working as I went to wait on tables and Neymar stood beside me the entire time greeting the customers whilst all of them began freaking out.
Once it was break, I went out back and just stood outside. Not long passed before Neymar walked out there too.
"What do you want from me?!" I asked annoyed "Why don't you just leave me alone you're so annoying I want to punch you!" I yelled and he laughed.
"I just want to get to know you better... and thank you for something," he spoke losing this aspect of humour in his tone.
"Well, what is it then?" I was very impatient with him.
"First of all, thanks for my leg.. and second of all I'd like to thank you for what you said to Sabrina, she's been hanging around here for months and no one wants to put her in her place because her dad sponsors the club," he looked down "also Leo, Marc and I heard your conversation out in the car park, we were standing by our cars talking and Leo really appreciates it... you're really cool, I don't think I've ever met anyone quite like you," he was speaking and speaking and speaking and something about it was calming yet still annoying. "You're so honest with everyone and I've only known you for a portion of today but I admire you. You have a lot more balls to be straightforward than most people, I could learn a thing or two from you," he smiled at me and I smiled back.
"Thats all very sweet, Neymar. But, please be honest with me... what do you want from me? Sex? is that what it is? because it's NEVER going to happen," I sighed and Neymar laughed.
"No, I think I just want to be your friend, all of us could use a person like you around," and that was what caught me off guard.
"Really?" I wasn't too sure about it.
"Yeah, really. Listen, if you're not too busy tonight, some of us guys are having dinner, you can come if you want... it'll be fun, and you'll meet my son," aw, he really loves his son, the proud smile on Neymar's face got to me.
"Yeah, sure... where?" I was hesitant... making friends with a group of fully grown men...
"I can come pick you up at seven and we'll all go to my house, I just need your address or something," he suggests and I'm having a hard time believing this is just it.
"I'll give you my phone number and text over the address or something.." and he smiled at me, just a smile, after a while it got slightly creepy so I got up and sighed. "Okay right, I'll write my number on your arm and just call me or don't, I don't care; just leave." I pulled out a pen from my pocket and jotted down a number on his arm before walking back in to the restaurant and I was happy that I didn't see Neymar anywhere for the best of three and a half hours.
After finishing my shift at the restaurant, I was signing out but Ian held me back a little. Ian is my work-mate, I guess you could say...
"Hey, Erika! I was thinking we could have dinner sometime... like a date. I really like you and you're really nice and I want to get to know you better," he looked at me and I wanted to say no but the hopeful yet nervous look in his eyes made me stutter out a 'yes' and now I have a date next saturday with Ian, my co-worker.
I don't need this right now! Urg! I was walking home and once I got in, I saw a text message from an unknown number
'Hi, it's Neymar! Dinner at mine just got put in the oven so I'm gonna have to pick you up now, Marc, Leo, Gerard and Dani are here so what's your address? :-)'
The first thought I got was, wow this is formal. Beside the point I sent over my address and then I began rushing about trying to get ready in time. I made the mistake of thinking I'd be done with my shower in time but that wasn't the case, I just managed to put underwear and a bra on before there was a knocking on the door so I wrapped my towel around my and ran to the door almost falling on my face, typical.
After looking through the peek-hole and making sure it wasn't some kind of murderer waiting for me, I opened the door and Neymar was stood there and he immediately said:
"Hi!" rather enthusiastically before his eyes went wide at the fact that I was barely clothed.
"Urg, stop looking ,just go in. Um the kitchen in there, the living room is there... there are the bathrooms and I'm going to my room, stay out of there at all times," and I ran to my room and shutting the door as well as locking it, I've got a little trust issue.
I saw Neymar was dressed pretty casual so I looked in to my wardrobe and put shorts and a vest top on, good enough.
I dried my hair and put it up and did minimal make-up, I'm not a big fan of the whole applying process, it makes me break out. I walked out to find Neymar watching TV whilst comfortably drinking wine... out of a mug.
Wait, isn't he driving?!
"NEYMAR PUT THAT DOWN!" I reacted and he jumped at the sudden noise spilling the red liquid down his top. I put my hand over my mouth and laughed. "You're an idiot oh my god!" I laughed even harder and Neymar gave in and laughed with me before he suspiciously got up and opened his arms and I realised what he was doing. "NO! Get away from me you alcoholic!" He almost got me but I jumped back and I kept walking back with him taking steps towards me. "Neymar... no, stop it, pleas-Ah!" he leaped at me and we both fell on to the floor in fits of laughter, he isn't so bad, I guess.