Hey guys! I've been flying and have gotten like no sleep for over 24 hours but I said I will try and keep this story updated weekly so here you all go :)
Also your comments and likes are so encouraging, it makes me feel bad if I'm late :p
Enjoy!
NATE POV
Cesc and I sat down on separate couches facing each other. I could see by the way he sat down and sighed heavily that he didn't even know what to say. I gave him a small encouraging smile.
“So,” I said seeing if he'd start the conversation.
“You need to tell she can't go,” he said bluntly with urgency. I looked at him confused.
“I know she won't listen to me and to be fair it makes sense, after everything I have put her through,” he said sadly. I knew there was only one person he was talking about and it was clear he was genuinely sorry about what had happened to Jade.
“Listen to you about what?” I asked still not sure what he was referring to.
“She can't go to work for Real Madrid!” he said angrily but it wasn't towards her. It was towards everything. To him the world was against him and things kept getting worse.
“Wait,” I said not fully comprehending what he had just said, “What are you talking about?”
“Jade was offered a job at Real Madrid,” he said helplessly his head in his hands.
“How do you know?” I asked shocked. There were also some other emotions, I didn’t want to feel them but I did. I was annoyed and hurt. This must have been what was on Jade's mind and she didn't tell me, she told him.
“It doesn't matter,” he said, “She can't go,” he said as if it was final.
“Why not?” I asked him a bit harshly. I know I should have kept my cool but I couldn’t help it. Ever since Jade met Cesc she had become a mess. I know they had feelings for each other but Jade always came out worse at the end of it. Not to mention I was upset that she could tell Cesc, a guy she knows for a few months compared to me, someone she knows for most of her life.
“What do you mean why not?!” he asked as if it was a no brainer, “It's Real Madrid!” he said as if he couldn't believe I was questioning him.
“I know that,” I said coolly. I needed to say calm since Cesc was clearly emotional. He looked at me with wild eyes for an explanation.
“Have you ever thought about what Jade wants to do?” I asked him and I could see he was thinking of retaliating automatically until he interpreted the question.
“She won't fit in there,” he said as an excuse but he knew that wasn't true.
“I mean we all help her here,” he said and that irritated me more than it should have. I shook my head at him.
“Do you have any idea how hard she's works?” I asked him honestly but I’m sure he could hear the anger in my voice. I knew it was not right of me but I couldn't stop myself. The words just started to come out.
“Have you ever asked her? All she has done is worry about you and she gets in trouble for it. People are saying she's the problem, not you,” I told him and I could see the guilt in his eyes.
“If there is one thing that she didn't need help in, it's her work. She works hard and she'll never openly admit it, but she's intelligent and will do almost anything to ensure she produces the best. You all might give her inspiration but everything she has done has been mainly her.”
I noticed I might have gone to far. This was his session not mine. This was not going to make his performances better, if anything I might have made it worse.
He stayed silent and I could see he had absorbed everything I said. I sighed trying my best to come up with a solution.
“Look I know you both have feelings for each other,” I told him and he seemed slightly shocked but carried on listening, “But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re made to be together.”
“What do you mean?” he asked quickly but this time he wasn’t defensive. He asked the question as if he never pondered the possibility before.
“Jade will give up everything for the person she cares about, I’m sure you know that by now,” I said and I saw him give a small smile, “But in the same way she deserves someone who is willing to do that for her. It’s not fair for her to be the only one giving while the other person just takes,” and I could instantly see Cesc’s mind going to work, trying to figure out where he fit in.
“Look,” I finally sighed, “All I’m saying is be fair to her.”
He nodded slightly and stayed silent. I could see his mind was all over the place and I had done anything but calm him down for the game. I needed to think of a way to get him determined for the game. After a while I finally got it.
“She really needs you to do well in the game,” I said finally and he looked up at me waiting to see where I was going with this, “If you do well, then people won’t say she was the problem. We can say that-,”
“She helped me,” he said realising just how important his performance was.
“You’re right, all I have to do is play well and then the club will keep her here and she won’t have to go to Madrid,” he said now happiness slowly starting to fill him. Although he might have not been fully correct I did not want to affect his positive state of mind.
“Thank you Nate,” he said appreciatively as he stood up, “It seems I must get back to practise.”
I watched as he went out the door and just hoped I had done more good than bad. Still, I needed to find Jade and ask her about this Madrid job. I was in disbelief that she had not told me first.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
JADE POV
I sat at a table in the cafeteria. I had a plate of food but I hadn’t touched it and my coffee was already lukewarm. Real Madrid. They offered me a job at Real Madrid. Why could it have not been at any of the other teams? Would I even manage there? I would be there alone and to be frank the sound of telling Ronaldo how to possibly improve his shot didn’t really appeal to me. I'm pretty sure he would tell me, his shot is perfect the way it is.
“Jade,” Nate said coming to sit by me and immediately I knew something was wrong. I could see it in his eyes.
“Is Cesc okay?” I asked worriedly knowing he just had a session with him.
“That’s all you ask about,” he said irritatedly and I knew this was not normal Nate behaviour.
“Well-,” I began to explain but he cut me off.
“When were you planning on telling me about the Real Madrid offer?” he asked angry but I could hear he was more disappointed. My eyes went wide and I didn’t know what to say.
“How do-,” I said wondering how he knew.
“Cesc told me,” he said curtly and that made me angry. Cesc had no right to do that. I told him not to tell anyone.
“Nate-,” I said trying to explain.
“I just thought we were closer,” Nate said sadly as he looked towards the ground crestfallen.
“Nate I didn’t tell Cesc, I swear,” I told him and he looked at me for an explanation.
“I was speaking to my mom on the phone and he overheard. I told him not to tell anyone, I only found out a few hours ago,” I told him hoping he’d believe me. I could see he sat up a bit, his depression slowly fading.
“I’m sorry,” he said after a while regretting what he had told me but I wasn't angry. I understood where he was coming from.
“I don’t blame you,” I said and it only hit me now how involved I have been with Cesc. To a point where my best friend could actually believe that I was pushing our friendship aside for a man with a girlfriend.
“So, what are you going to do?” he finally asked honestly and I knew he was back to psychologist Nate.
“To be fair, I’m not sure,” I told him truthfully.
“Look-,” he said but I stopped him.
“I know what you’re going to say and that’s a part of why I didn’t want to tell you. You’re going to say it’s an opportunity of a lifetime and none of you were offered it. That I am good at what I do and deserve to be recognised for it. You’re going to say I should take the job,” I told him and I could see with the look he gave me that I was completely right.
“What job?” Leo asked out of nowhere and I didn’t know what to say. No matter how quiet I wanted to keep it, slowly people kept finding out.
Nate and I stayed silent for a while but Leo looked at the two of us for an answer. Nate was about to speak but I spoke first. I could never really keep my guard up with Leo anyway.
“I got offered a job,” I said and I saw Leo’s eyes light up, “At Real Madrid,” I said just loud enough for him to hear. I saw his eyes sadden slightly as he took a seat next to me.
“Have you thought about it?” he asked after a while and Nate and I looked at him confused.
“It’s Real Madrid,” I said to him as if that already decided the answer.
“So?” he asked not understanding.
“It’s our rival club, your enemy Ronaldo plays there?” I asked him still not believing what he was saying. He gave me a small smile.
“Ronaldo is not my enemy, he’s my rival,” he said simply, “He’s not actually that bad.”
“And Xavi, Iniesta and the other’s have friends in that team,” he said and I still could not fathom what he was saying. Cesc had just said no, he didn’t even let me explain. Leo who was the star of the club was telling me to consider it?
“I think I’ve entered a parallel universe,” Nate said echoing my thoughts.
“If it wasn’t Real Madrid, would you say yes?” Leo asked me.
“I guess it would be a bit easier to make the choice,” I told him.
“Look Jade, I understand what it means to have a passion for something and I don’t think anyone would blame you for wanting to follow it,” he said and I had no idea what to say.
“Even if it’s Madrid? You would be fine with that?” I asked before I could stop myself.
“I didn’t say I’d like it but I’m sure we would all support your decision,” he said “Or at least I would,” he added. I smiled at him. The guilt I had felt about the decision was not gone but I felt a bit lighter.
“Just make sure you make the decision,” Leo said, “Don’t let other people influence you,” and we all know who he was talking about.
“I just can’t believe you didn’t just tell me to say no,” I told him honestly. He shrugged.
“It’s like when I chose to play for Argentina, it’s where my heart was,” he said simply, “Follow your heart.”
It’s had been a while since I had heard that phrase and for the first time I didn’t know what my heart wanted, or more it didn’t know who I wanted.