It all started that one summer...
Chapter 24 - I can't ask for more, I have everything I ever wanted
Isco
It’s about an hour before the match and we are all grabbing out things and getting ready to get on the bus. I haven’t talked to Katie since Friday and I had left for her two tickets for the Sevilla match at home. I did her text saying that the was excited for the match and couldn’t wait. Right now I have to think about the match against Barcelona. I was anxious. We were almost out the door, when Pellegrini stopped me. I didn’t want him to tell me I wasn’t going to play. That would break my spirit because I’ve been working so hard for this. Harder than I’ve worked for anything in my life.
“Before you enter the bus, I have something to tell you.” I was nervous because this was what I’ve been waiting for all week. I felt my heart beating fast.
“Sure.” I said adjusting the bag on my back.
“You have proved to me… you deserve a spot on the starting line up.” He said and I was so happy, but I tried to keep my cool. I tried to not jump and kiss him. It would’ve been pretty funny.
“Really?” I said shaking Pellegrini’s hand. “I won’t let the team down.” I said grinning from ear to ear.
“I hope so.” I said and we both walked out the door and into the bus.
We arrived to Camp Nou minutes later. Like always I was blown away by the stadium. We arrived at the locker room and we all started to get ready. I felt the whole thing building up inside of me. After everyone was ready to go out and start stretching Pellegrini said who was going to play. When he called my name I was happy and everyone in the locker room congratulated me. We left the locker room and started to stretch. While I was stretching, I was looking for Katie, Emma and Alma. I knew they were sitting in the opposite side of the bench area. I looked at that direction one more time and found them all screaming my name. They made kissy faces and stuck their tongues out at me trying their best to make me last. I didn’t realize the whole team was looking at them too and laughing. They wanted to go over there and bother them, but we couldn’t.
When game time arrived, my nerves started to get the best of me. I knew where Katie was, she was to my right. She is facing our goal now. It all happened too fast for me. First they had the ball, then we did. At some point I see the ball go in… into our goal. 1-0 Goal by Messi… That was the score now. I took a deep breath, and looked at my teammates. We were all thinking the same thing, someone had to score.
I helped my teammates here and there. I passed it to Portillo and he passes it to me. We had at least 5 more close shots, but the goalkeeper stopped all of them. We needed a goal. We had to keep making chances. The ref blows the whistle and the first half is done.
I reach the locker room and I feel my blood boiling. I didn’t want to lose. I just couldn’t let that happen. While Pellegrini was talking I was thinking in my head how I can score or create more chances. The 15 minutes passed quickly and we were back in pitch. There was this hunger in me that I had never experienced before.
The second half starts and my eyes never left the ball. Ignacio passed me the ball and there I was, face to face with Marc Bartra. I pass him easily and then I am face to face with someone taller than me, Pique. I fake left and then go right leaving him behind and all I have to do now is kick it in. The goalkeeper touches it with the tip of his fingers and the ball changes direction. I took a deep breath and let Portillo take the corner. When happened afterwards was a blur. All I know is the ball was coming my way and I jumped and it went in. I ran to the corner were Portillo was and celebrated my goal. I couldn’t believe it. 1-1. I searched for her face in the crowd and there she was crying. I don’t know if it was of happiness or if she was angry that I scored. She was the only one in a sea of cules celebrating my goal. I point to her and blow her a kiss. She smiled at me. I just scored against her team and I think she was actually happy for me. My team was all screaming and as ecstatic as I was.
Once the match was done the first person to congratulate me was Pique. He was telling me how he couldn’t believe I jumped higher than him. He put an arm around me and messed up my hair. Everyone kept congratulating me and I was trying to make my way towards Katie. She had a poster asking for my shirt and I could see Emma and Alma with similar ones. I take off my shirt and as I got closer she quickly walked down the steps and once I was close enough she put her arms around me and kissed my cheek.
“Great goal.” She whispered in my ear and I handed her the shirt. “Call me when you get to Malaga.” She asked and I nodded. One of the guards started telling me that I had to leave so I pulled her arm and quickly kissed her on the lips. She smiled at me and waved goodbye as I started making my way out of the pitch and into the locker room. Everyone congratulated me once I was inside the locker room. Pellegrini told me how proud he was of me and I just couldn’t believe it yet.
I was smiling the whole plane ride home. I had scored against Katie’s team and she was happy for me. Also the fact that we didn’t lose against Barcelona is great. Once I was back home, I wanted to go to bed. I regretted agreeing to calling Katie, but I called her anyway. I laid on my bed and waited for her to pick up.
“Hey!” She said and I hoped she was still smiling.
“Hey” I said a bit worried that now she was mad at me. “Are you mad that I scored?” I said really worried. At the moment she was happy for me but how does she feel about it now?
“I don’t know.” She said and that was it. I was a bit sad. “I’m kidding.” She said laughing and a smile appeared across my lips. “I’m not, I am a bit mad that we didn’t win but at least we didn’t lose, you know?” I started to relax and I got comfortable in my bed. “and at least you didn’t lose.” and there it was for me, hop. I have hope that she will love Malaga more than Barcelona. Malaga is my childhood team.
“You enjoyed the match?” I asked then yawning.
“I did, thank you so much. You were amazing. You scared me millions of times.” She said making me really happy. “When you scored I didn’t know what to feel. I was happy that you scored, but I was mad that you scored.” She laughed.
“I understand.” I laughed with her. “I think i might shave soon.” I said touching my face.
“No you will not.” She said laughing. “I like it too much.”
“You think you are the boss of me now?” I said laughing.
“No, I’m just telling you that I like it, you can do whatever you want.” I smiled and I felt my body betraying me.
“Do you like my jersey?” I asked and I hoped she was smiling.
“I do.” She said. “It smells like you, the smell is weird but I like it.” She yawned and I started to smile.
“Are you tired?” I asked and I think I was the one that was about to fall asleep. I closed my eyes and tried my best to not fall asleep.
“A bit.” She said and I knew she was just saying that to keep talking to me. “You?”
“A lot.” I said yawning again. “I feel like I am going to fall asleep soon.
“Go to sleep.” She said and I couldn’t stop smiling. This girl is driving me crazy. “I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the match and how proud of you I am. Tomorrow morning I’ll be heading back. I’ll text you when I get home?” She said making the question sound more like a statement.
“I would love that,” I said with a smile. “I’ll see you for the Sevilla match.” I think we both wanted to say I love you, but we knew that saying it over the phone for the first time would be weird. We both hung up without saying it, but knowing how we felt.