“I cannot believe Pique spoke to you guys like you were his friends,” Nate said.
“I mean he knew you were studying medicine!” Matt said.
“I know! I can’t believe he actually remembered!” Elena said.
“It seems you are not crazy as you claimed,” Ricardo said giving us both a genuine smile.
“Oh my gosh!” I exclaimed.
“What?” Elena asked.
“We could possible see the Barca team training!” I said.
“You’re right!” Elena said.
“That would be crazy!” Matt exclaimed.
“I don’t think that will happen, by the time we go I think they will be done with training,” Ricardo said.
“Who cares?! We’ll be meeting the Barca team!” Nate screamed like a girl.
“And you guys tell us we must be calm,” I said with a smirk.
We heard someone coming from down the hall. We all looked to see Lorenzo coming towards us.
“They should be finished with the training session so I will rather take you to the locker room,” Lorenzo told us.
“Ahh!!! The locker room!” Elena whispered to me. I could not help but smile as well. We all began to follow Lorenzo as he led us through the building to the players’ locker room. We finally got there and could hear voices coming from inside the locker room. Lorenzo entered and as we were about to enter with him he turned around to stop us.
“I will call Leo for you. Please wait here,” he said as he went inside.
“What!? We were supposed to go in!” Elena said.
“Hello? They are changing,” Nate said.
“Exactly the point!” I said. We both sighed knowing we were pushing our luck. We saw the door open with Lorenzo and a short figure behind him. I smiled and felt myself get excited. It was none other than Lionel Messi himself. I still felt that crazy feeling when we met him the first time. We are all going to have to get used to it.
“Si?” Leo said as he looked at us and then gave a small smile.
Elena and I heard the boys freaking out. This was funny.
“I remember you two,” Leo said. Elena and I smiled broadly at him, the messiah remembered us.
“We came by because we had to return your jacket that you borrowed me,” I said still trying to act normal.
At first he gave us a confused look but when I showed him the jacket he seemed to have remembered.
“Oh, yes I remember when Cesc spilled the coffee. You didn’t have to bring it back to me,” Leo said.
“But it’s yours,” I said.
“I have more than one,” Leo said as he chuckled, “You can keep it if you like.”
Was the Messiah actually giving his jacket to me?
“You mean we can keep it for ourselves?” Elena asked excitedly.
“Si. I don’t think I know of anybody that would have actually taken the trouble to return it to me,” Leo said.
Elena and I squealed with joy and Leo just smiled until he noticed the boys. They all stood there in awe of him, frozen.
“You must be their friends,” Leo said as he spoke to them.
“Uh, uh-,” Matt stammered.
“Well this is new,” Elena said slyly.
“Yes they are,” I said trying to help them out.
“It is nice to meet you,” Leo said with a friendly smile as they all still started at him in shock. Elena and I giggled softly. Just then we heard someone at the door. We all looked to see who it was. It was Marc Bartra. Elena stood there in awe. He greeted Leo and began to walk away.
“Oh my word! It’s Marc Bartra!” Elena screamed before she could control herself while pointing at him excitedly. She then noticed what she had done and looked around embarrassed.
“Really?” Leo asked honestly and then he called him over. Elena began to freak out even more as he came over. He walked towards Leo and they spoke together in spanish. Marc then came up to us and greeted Elena.
“Ola, it’s nice to meet you,” he said as he flashed a charming smile and held out his hand. It looked as if Elena could not breathe. She was in another world, too shocked to even speak. She slowly lifted her hand to his and stared into his eyes. Just then we heard another person come out. It was Cesc. He looked over at us and smiled.
“Ola! Elena and Jade, it’s nice to see you but may I ask why you are here?” Cesc asked confused. I still could not believe that he had remembered our names!
“It’s Cesc Fabregas!” Matt said.
“Ola!” Is all Nate managed to say.
“I am such a big fan!” Ricardo said. Cesc went over to greet all of them.
“Gracias,” he told Ricardo as he shook all their hands.
“Ola, Cesc,” I said staring at his reaction to see if I could call him that. He turned to look at me and smiled. It seemed I was on first name basis with him. I could not believe it!
“We came to return Leo, um Messi’s jacket,” I said not too sure what to call Messi.
“You can call me Leo,” Leo said as he smiled at us.
“You actually came to return it? Ay yi yi, I don’t think any other girls would have done that,” he said shaking his head. I smiled back at him and then noticed Elena and Marc were still just staring into each other’s eyes. Cesc noticed me starting and he turned around to look at them.
“Hey! Marc!” Cesc shouted.
Marc and Elena both turned in shock to look at all of us staring at them. It seemed they were in a different world for a while but instantly dropped their hands when Cesc shouted at them.
Elena walked towards me.
“Que?” Marc asked Cesc.
“Just wanted to know if you are leaving now?” Cesc asked trying to act honest.
“Um soon I think,” Marc said but then turned to look where Elena had walked.
Did Cesc just do that for amusement? I wondered as I started at him. He was smiling shrewdly.
“You did that on purpose!” I said quietly so only he could hear me.
“Huh?” he said turning around to face me and acting oblivious.
“You called Marc’s name to stop them, um, well,” I said not sure if I sounded crazy saying that I think there was something between Marc and Elena. Maybe I was, after all she was star struck and Marc just a natural charmer.
“Yes?” he asked me looking at shrewdly.
“Nothing,” I said but I knew he knew what I was talking about. He smiled at me as if we had a secret.
“Well, we better get going, right guys? Hey Marc?” Cesc asked as he emphasized “Marc.”
It seemed like Cesc did think something was going on just like me.
“What?” Marc said as he scanned the room for Elena. When he finally found her next to me he let out a huge smile and walked towards her. Elena just stared.
“Well it seems I must go now but I would love to see you again,” Marc said speaking directly to Elena. Elena was in too much shock to say anything.
“Me either,” a voice said from behind him. It was Thiago. He gave Marc a look and walked towards Elena.
“It’s Thiago!” Ricardo said excitedly while Nate and Matt just stared too happy to speak.
“Ola,” Thiago said as he waved to them and flashed them a friendly smile. He then turned to look at Elena.
“It is nice seeing you again Elena,” Thiago said to Elena with a smile.
“You remember us?” Elena asked Thiago in surprise.
“Of course!” Thiago said, “ Oh um Ola Jade.” I could see he greeted me after Elena had mentioned the “us.”
“Ola Thiago,” I said with a smile and this time I noticed he seemed to be more focused on Elena. Maybe we didn’t overanalyze things last time. Maybe he genuinely likes her! Ahh!! That would be crazy!!
While I was deep in thought I felt someone tap me on my arm. I turned to look and saw Nate.
“Wow, you guys didn’t lie at all,” Nate said to me.
“Duh,” I said.
“Sorry?” he asked pleadingly. I smiled at him.
“Yeah, you’re forgiven,” I said.
“Adios everyone,” Leo said as he started to leave.
“Adios Leo,” I said feeling amazed that I could call him by his first name while the boys were still in awe and Elena still in shock with Thiago and Marc.
“Leo wait!” Cesc said, “Adios everyone,” he said and then he told me, “Keep an eye on them,” as he motioned to Marc and Thiago and then winked at me. I stared at him confused. Did Cesc just say that to me? Maybe he really did think something was going on.
“Wait Cesc,” I shouted as he walked after Leo.
“Jade?” I heard a voice say behind me. I knew who it was. I turned around and once again I was frozen just like Elena. Ibrahim Afellay stood in front of me but not just that. He knew my name, he remembered it! I stood there just staring at him until I heard him speak again.