Gabi's POV
FEBRUARY
Dear Gabi,
Did you know that the Finnish word for February is helmikuu, which means "month of the pearl"? It's because when droplets of water re-freeze on tree branches, they form ice pearls. I wish you were here with me, searching for the last ice pearls as the weather warms up. Remember to keep yourself warm and drink lots of your favourite hot chocolate :)
I'll probably play my first game this month. I hope you'll be watching, although maybe it'll clash with a Bayern match. But it's okay if you aren't, because no matter what, you'll always be in my heart.
Happy Valentine's Day, baby. Even though I won't be there with you, I hope you'll enjoy yourself, maybe together with Bertha and Elisa while they stare at all the guys who walk past them? Also please accept any cards that any guys give you (I'm sure there will be a ton, just like back in secondary school), I wanna read them and I'll personally go up to those guys and introduce myself.
Have a great month, Gabi. You'll always be on my mind. I love you so much.
Yours,
Toni
I was smiling as I refolded the letter and put it back in its envelope for what seemed like the thousandth time. So much for waiting for a bad day to read it – I'd read It within the first week of February. And I kept taking it back out to read, because every time I read those lines in his handwriting, I felt so warm and comfortable inside.
I had to wait until the end of February for Toni to make his first appearance in a Bayer shirt, and fortunately it was one of those days when the match didn't clash with a Bayern match. They'd lost the match, but I was happy to see Toni, even if it was just on a TV screen.
I'd been spending a lot more time at Toni's place, compared to at my place. It was nice to be alone, and the entire house was just filled with his presence – the posters of his favourite tennis players on the walls; the Dallas Mavericks poster on the back of his door; the shirt he wore when he made his Bayern debut, which he'd draped over the back of his chair and refused to keep in the wardrobe together with his other shirts; the single Bayern scarf hanging over his bed; the dent in his wardrobe door from when he accidentally kicked a ball too hard.
After finishing the week's assignments, which I'd brought over to his house to complete, I decided to write him back for every month, just like how he'd prepared those letters for me. We'd been talking on the phone, but it wasn't very often, because I never knew when he would be too busy to take my calls. Although we had told each other about our current events, it just wasn't enough. It was the beginning of March, so I started my February letter.
Dear Toni,
I miss you so much. I've been sleeping on your bed for the entire month and I hope you don't mind. It smells so much like you. I can't wait till you come back and fill up the empty space next to me.
I kept all the Valentine's Day cards for you. And I told all of them I have a boyfriend. One of the guys is in our football team, and he said he'd like to challenge you! I told him he'll never beat my Toni. Nobody will ever beat my Toni. Not in my heart, not on the pitch.
I saw you play, and I'm really proud. Don't give up, baby. Never, ever give up. I'll always be here rooting for you, even if you don't know it. I'll never, ever give up on you.
It's just the start. There are many better things to come. I love you.
Gabriele
——
MARCH
Gabriele baby,
Did you know that aquamarine is a birthstone for the month of March? Aquamarine is the exact colour of your beautiful eyes. Your eyes are my favourite eyes in this entire world, and I wish I could look into them forever, because they never fail to take my breath away. My heart stops for a few seconds every time you look at me. Your eyes pierce right into my soul, you know? They almost glow in the dark. I love your beautiful eyes.
How are your final assignments going? I'm sure you'll do really well in them, and I'm sure you'll ace your final exams, you smarty-pants. I wish I could be there to massage your stiff neck. Study hard, okay? And remember to drink lots of water and take your meals regularly. Don't fall sick!
I know you're tired, but don't give up! It's the last lap, and then you'll have completed your first semester. Whenever you feel like giving up, just remember that in the end, it'll all be worth it. I'll always be there in spirit.
I love you so much.
Toni
~
Dear Toni,
My finals just ended two hours ago, and I just talked to you on the phone an hour ago, but I miss you already. The next time you leave, you should make a recording of your voice so I can play it every day.
Okay, wait, that's really creepy. Don't do that.
I changed your sheets today, because they began to smell more like me than you :( I'll wash them for you. I'll make such a good wife, amirite? How are you going to reward me?
Bertha scored a date with a guy today. She just went up to him and invited him to a post-finals party (which obviously didn't exist before she mentioned it to him). I guess she'll be dragging Elisa and I down with her. I wish you were here, then I could drag you along, too. To make it a double-and-a-half date.
Remember the colour of the seawater on the beach in Greece where we watched our first sunrise (like, the literal sunrise, you pig)? Your eyes are the exact colour of the seawater. And it's my favourite colour, because it's the colour of all the things I feel happy thinking about.
With all my love,
Gabi
——
APRIL
Dearest Gabi,
April's birthstone is the diamond. And you are the brightest diamond I've ever seen, the shiniest star in my sky. You are the most heavenly view in the entire of this universe, and in every other universe that exists. Don't ever stop shining, Gabriele, my beautiful Gabriele.
We're halfway there! I can't wait to see you again. I hope the flowers you planted along my driveway are already blooming. I'm sure they will, as long as they're taken care of by you and your cute green thumbs.
Happy birthday, darling. I'm sorry I can't be there to celebrate it with you. I hope you have a great day with your family and your friends. You'll get your present from me when I'm back, okay? Also, I feel it's really fitting that your birthstone is the diamond. You're the most precious diamond I'll ever own.
Don't stop smiling, Gabi baby. I want to see you smile as brightly as the summer sky when I'm back.
I love you.
Toni
~
My dearest Toni,
I love it when you do your spectacular debut thing. I'm so proud I saw your first assist and your first goal. Don't you dare say that it took too long – it was worth the wait. And I'm sure it's only the tip of the iceberg. More great things are on their way.
I've been sneaking into my dad's study to watch your matches whenever you play at the same time as Bayern. Although it means I'll miss the Bayern matches, I'm really happy that you're playing so frequently. But don't get too attached to them, okay? ;)
Bertha's guy kissed her today. Or perhaps, she kissed him. Anyway, they kissed each other, and I'm really happy for her. I wish you were here, so I could kiss you.
As I'm writing this, we're more than 75% done. I'm so excited. It's as if I'm waiting for my phone to finish charging. Except the battery of our love will never run out, because I'll love you forever.
Yours,
Gabriele
——
MAY
Gabriele darling,
The month of May was named after Maia, a Greek goddess who was associated with the Roman goddess of fertility, Bona Dea. I don't know why that was relevant, but the word fertility reminds me of you, and right now I'm just really sleepy, so...
Once you've reached this letter, I'll be back really soon. I really can't wait, Gabriele. I hope your summer is going well, and that everything is fine with your final results. I'm sure you'll do really well, because you're my cute little smartass.
And your ass is cute, too.
Okay, I'll stop here, my brain doesn't work anymore. I'll see you really, really soon, Gabi. Please take care of yourself. I miss you so much, even though right now you're just behind me, sleeping in my bed. I can't imagine how I would have survived four months.
I'm going to climb in bed beside you now. I'll see you in a while, beautiful.
With all my love,
Toni
I put the letter back in its envelope, and the envelope back in the box. I couldn't believe four months had passed, just like that. I couldn't believe that in just two days, I would be able to see my Toni again. I just had to get through tomorrow, and then everything would be fine.
The season had officially ended. Less than a day ago, I'd watched Toni play his first cup final, and lose it. He'd called me, and quietly told me that he was just happy he could have stepped onto the pitch. And that was enough for me.
Exhausted, I crawled into his bed in the jersey he'd given me. The last thought on my mind before I fell asleep was how I would wake up tomorrow, write him the last letter, clean up the mess I'd made of his house, and then it would be just one more sleep before he would be standing in front of me once again.