It all started that one summer...
Chapter 22 - Perfect happiness
Isco
I arrived in Barcelona a September afternoon and felt alive again. I was excited for two reasons: first the game I had on Sunday, FC Barcelona vs. Malaga; and secondly that Katie was going to be there watching me play. Pellegrini and some of the other players were worried that my head won’t be in the game because I am playing against Katie’s team, plus it’s the first time she will be watching me. This, surprisingly, makes me even more motivated to win. We were about to reach the gates of the airport when I saw her. I looked towards the fans and then back at Katie.
She was at the shop with a mundo deportivo in her hands. Her light brown hair was now at her shoulders, and she was wearing a silver coat with a green v-neck shirt, she had a pair of blue jeans and black boots. I tell Pellegrini I was going to get some gum and that I’ll join them in the bus. He tells me to hurry up and I replied okay. I walk into the shop and stand next to her.
“Excuse me Miss, but can I steal a kiss.” I said and she finally noticed me. The joy in her face was amazing and the smile was even more priceless.
“Isco!” She said putting the magazine on the stand and then hugging me. “It’s so nice to see you.” She said kissing me on the lips and it was great kissing her again. It was an amazing kiss and just what I was missing.
“It’s so nice to see you again too. You changed your hair.” I said and then I kissed her even though she kissed me first, I had to kiss her again. Just like last time, her face after the kiss was adorable. It's hard to describe what her face was like, but with her new hair it suited her.
“You like it?” Katie said and then pushed back her hair with a warm smile.
“Love it,” I said pulling her chin up to look at me and kissed her again. She kept her eyes closed for a few seconds taking it all in and then opened them. “I told Pellegrini I was going to get some gum.” I said picking up a pack of gum. We both walk to the cashier so I can pay for my gum. “Where is Emma and Alma?” I asked. Katie told me all about her moving to Barcelona with Emma and, a friend of hers I had never met, Alma. They were going to check out the apartment this weekend. I was glad to see her and I knew why she picked this weekend.
This is pretty much one of her favorite matches. It was the two things she loves the most, me and Barcelona. She usually was a ball of emotions during these matches, her words not mine. I wish I had a front row seat but I had more important things to do, like win.
“Emma and Alma is in the bathroom.” She said grabbing my hand. “We are excited for the game on Sunday.” She grinned and then squeezed my hand.
“Really? Pellegrini probably won’t put me in the starting lineup.” I said with a frown.
“What? That is crazy. Is it my fault?” She frowned while looking away.
“A bit,” I said laughing, and paid for the gum. “But don’t worry. I’ve been proving myself to Pellegrini.” She was relieved when she heard this.
“Good!” She said kissing my cheek. “Good luck on Sunday, and you should head back.” I stopped for a second and turned to her.
“Sorry, that I can’t take you to meet the team.” I said and she just smiled at me.
“it’s okay, it’s not like I am going anywhere. I can wait.” She said with the most amazing smile. She was in complete bliss and I was enjoying this more than I should. I walk back to her and kissed her, she smiled at me when I pulled away. “Go to the bus Isco.” She said caressing my cheek.
“Okay,” I said giving her a quick kiss and then walked back into the bus. I sat next to Ignacio who was listening to music. I grab my iPod ready to listen to music when Pellegrini stands up and faces the group.
“Okay team, listen up.” He said and everyone started to take off their headphones. “Tomorrow we have the last training session before the match. It’s your last chance to prove to me why you deserve a spot on the starting line up. This is a big one, it’s against one of the best teams in the league.” He took a deep breath. “You have the afternoon off, but use your time wisely.”
Perfect, I thought. Katie, Emma and Alma were staying at the same hotel as us. I grabbed my phone and text her that I have the afternoon off. I put on my headphones and press play. I received her answer that she can’t wait to spend time alone with me. I was glad Jesus Gamez didn’t bombard me with questions about Katie.
I walked by the lobby until she arrives, she’s with Emma and Alma. Alma had curly dark hair and she looked a lot like Katie. She was short, thin and had a nice figure. They were laughing and stopped when they saw me.
“Hi!” I said to all three of them.
“Hello Isco.” Emma said pulling me into a hug. I was surprised by her hug because we didn’t spend a lot of time together in Ibiza. She did become great friends with my brother.
“Hi Emma.” I said smiling and then looking over at Alma. “You must be Alma, Katie told me a lot about you.” I said trying to be polite as possible.
“Yeah. Hi Isco,” Alma said with a warm smile. “Katie hasn’t stopped talking about you since the first time she saw you all those years ago.” Alma said and it made Emma laugh and Katie covered her face with her hands.
“YOU TWO MAKE THINGS WORSE FOR ME.” Katie said still covering her face and I could see her turning red.
“That is so cute,” I said pulling her into my arms. I kissed the top of her head and she just giggled wanting to shrug it all away.
“We have to go check in,” Katie said and they all went to check in and I accompanied them to their room. She put her bag next to one of the beds and then waved goodbye to her friends. They were going to spend the afternoon in Barcelona. They were going to spend the day in Camp Nou, all three of them. Emma wanted to meet Jordi Alba, who is her favorite player, while Alma was Madridista getting dragged to Camp Nou. But since I have my afternoon off she is going to spend it with me while Emma and Alma are going to spend the rest of the day in Barcelona.
“have fun,” Emma said to Katie with a wink and Alma just smiled at her and waved goodbye.
“I have something for you,” I said pulling out the pink rose I had behind my back.
“Oh, my.” She said holding it in her hands. “It’s beautiful,” She said kissing me. “It’s so perfect.” She smelled the rose.
“I’m glad you like it.” I said and she opened the door to her room again.
“Let me get some water for it.” She said looking for glass and putting it in water.
I took her to the garden the hotel had. It was a very romantic garden and I was glad the whole team was off my back. They were leaving me alone with my girl and that made me happy. It was surprisingly a sunny day and it smelled amazing. A great day to be outside, especially with the person you like. We sat on the grass, and at first there was silence which made both of us feel uncomfortable. It’s been a long time since we’ve been alone like this.
“Did you see my goal against Racing?” I asked breaking the ice.
“I did.” She said relieved that I broke the ice. “I was freaking out because you guys wouldn’t score already, but then you came and saved the day. It was beautiful and perfect and I am fangirling.” She giggled.
“Yes, I am glad you were watching it.” I said moving closer to her.
“I never miss a match,” She said looking me in the eyes and I could see this was the truth. It made me happy that she never missed a game.
“Just like you don’t miss a Barcelona match?” I knew her love for Barcelona was unconditional. She started loving Malaga because of me.
“No. I sometimes miss Barcelona match, but at home I wrote on the calendar all the Malaga matches.” She smiled and then started closing the gap between us. “That match against Racing, I was watching it with my mom.” She started giggling and I waited for her to say more. “ My mom was asking who you were and I kept saying that one and she couldn’t tell who you were. I can tell who you are because of the funny way you run.” She continued to giggle at me. “Then you made the goal and I told her that’s the one.” Katie was enjoying this moment, she looked happy. “Then it was harder for her to see you because everyone was hugging you and I was about to give up.”
“really? and what did she say? well when she saw me?” I searched for her hand and our fingers interlocked.
“She had seen pictures of you before, but she didn’t remember you. When she saw you now, she said you were cute, and that you looked older than your age and she found it funny.” She looked at her hands and then smiled.
“Why is it funny?” I asked her and she looked at my face and started to bite her lip.
“Ok, well she finds it funny because I look young for my age and you look older with all that in your face.” She said and touched my cheek,I hadn’t shaved in a couple of days and she was touching my beard.
“My mom also wanted to know to whom you dedicated the goal to,” She blushed and looked away from me. “I told her it was probably for you uncle like always.”
“It was,” I said and then pulled her into a kiss. “But also you, did you see me making the heart?”
“I did,” She said and started to bite her lip. “I’m really flattered… it was an amazing goal.” She said and leaned in for a kiss. She traced her fingers across my cheek. It felt like she was taking it all in, like a picture. I was glad she didn’t have her camera with her. I felt so uncomfortable around that thing.”I like it when you are scruffy.” She said brushing her nose against my beard. “It tickles.” She said giggling.
“are you tickleish?” I asked raising an eyebrow at her.
“No, not at all.” She said but she started to crawl away from me.
“Really? Then why are you crawling away from me?” I said moving closer to her and tickling her. She started laughing and she kept asking me to stop, but she never could finish the word. I stopped, when she was out of breath.
“Why did you just do that?” She said laying on top of me.
“I just wanted to see if you were tickleish.” I said with a smile. “and you are. Now I can use it against you.”
“You are going to do what?” She asked and sat down on the grass next to me. She was looking up at the building
“No, I was kidding.” I said pulling an arm around her and pulling her closer to me. I kissed her neck and it made her look up at me. She bit her lip and started doodling things on my open arm. I could feel her drawing a K, then an I and a heart. She drew other things but she kept drawing the heart over and over again.
“Why did you chose the pink rose?” Her question took me by surprise.
“My mom loves roses, she would always tell me the meaning of each one so that when I decided to give one to a girl I could chose the right color.” She was looking away from me, she does this when her nerves start getting the best of her. I hold her face with my free hand because I wanted her to see her face when I said he next words. “The pink rose means thank you, and appreciation as well it means perfect happiness. I thought it fit, especially now because I appreciate you, and I want to thank you for the amazing weeks we spent together. I also want to thank you for coming this weekend.
“It’s perfect.” She said and kept doodling in my hand. She kept drawing the heart and I just let her. Not wanting to mention it. We spent the rest of the afternoon together, but I had to excuse myself early. Well at around 10, because I had practice early in the morning. We kissed in front of her door, but this one was longer than our other kisses. I pulled away from her and smiled. I kissed her forehead and walked away with the taste of her lips still on mine.