see you later // Pablo Gavi

Chapter 112

𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

𝐈 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐔𝐏 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐎𝐑 𝐏𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐎 𝐓𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐀𝐓, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐘, 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐄 𝐌𝐘 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐌𝐄 𝐈𝐍. I stare at them in surprise, saying, "You're just letting me in...? What if I'm just some random fan...? Or if I'm like going in to kill every last Barcelona fan because I'm like some insane crazy Real Madrid fan or something weird? I mean, I don't know. I could see Real Madrid fans doing that. Not saying that I would do that. And I'm definitely not saying I'm a Real Madrid fan."

The two security guard exchange a look before both seeming to start laughing at the same time. The younger one with curly black hair, dark eyes, and an easy smile, says, "I think that's proof right there it's safe to let you in, miss. Plus, some of the Barcelona workers had a talk with us about your arrival a bit ago, and said your name and appearance and everything. So I'm going to assume you're fairly safe."

I grin broadly, and silently thank Pablo and whoever told these security guards this. The older one, who has straight hair, very pale skin, and a much more serious face and stature, simply unlocks the door, holding the door for me. "Directions to the pitch from here where the boys are practicing?" I ask him, meeting his tired brown eyes.

He gives me directions in a very boring, monotone voice. I decide that this poor man likely needs a raise, but who knows what they pay you at Atletico, now that I think about it. Probably more than what the Barcelona security guards get. Atletico is, after all, not going broke, like 'the Catalan giant' that my boyfriend plays for seems to be.

I thank him and walk through the door. Before he closes it, the young guy nudges my back, and when I look back at him in confusion, he's grinning. "Nice job at insulting Real Madrid, by the way."

"Listen, buddy," I say. "If you're an Atletico fan, we are not friends today."

He just laughs, saying, "We're gonna beat y-"

"Dude, be professional, Mr. Security Guard," I smirk, before waving and walking through the door, letting the other guard close it behind me. Ugh, that guy was weird. Weird, like all Atleti fans are. I bet he wants to kiss Antoine Griezmann on the lips.

I walk through the building, trying to navigate it with the directions I was given. I get lost three times, so that I'm in this stadium, having no clue about what my location is. I keep walking, and just as I'm starting to get really stressed, I suddenly end up in the stands of the Metropolitano, looking down on the pitch where the boys are practicing. I grin to myself at how lucky I became in finding it, and run down the steps until I get to the gate. I scan the field, watching them all train. It appears that they're just playing a training match- I'm sure I was wandering the building so long, confused and lost, that they already are all warmed up and stretched out. I call to one of the Barcelona workers, saying, "Hey, open the gate for me!"

The only one that hears me is a photographer, and he hops up to open the gate for me, not wanting to leave his camera that's all set up alone for too long. I thank him and slip through, closing the gate behind me. I try to sneak to just casual sit down on the side of the pitch without Xavi seeing me, but I fail miserable at that plan. "Why are you here?" he asks very bluntly when he sees me.

"Uh... the... someone let me in when they saw it was me."

"You got past security...?"

"We kind of had a plan. They knew I was safe."

"Good. You better be telling the truth, because I wouldn't want unsafe security putting the rest of us in danger."

I roll my eyes. "Jeez, Xavi, it's fine. The security is all good. Don't worry about it; you're not about to be attacked by fans."

"So," he starts, crossing his arms with a raised eyebrow. "How come, just because you and Gavi are getting into monkey business behind closed doors doesn't mean you suddenly have a free pass to just get into any place the players can whenever you want, you know."

I feel my skin flush at his comment, and I shift uncomfortably under his gaze, saying hopefully, "Listen, Xavi, you're a really awesome player, you know? I mean, you were. I was like your biggest fan, back in the day. Like, I've been a Barcelona fan for years, and-"

"Man, I didn't play that long ago. You're making it seem like it was in the ancient days. And you're just saying this to butter me up. How'd you even get in here, actually?"

I grin, shifting a bit. "Gavi let me. Spoke to some of the workers who spoke to the security guards who let me in."

"Ohhh, so you just admitted it's all Gavi's fault! Alright, then!"

"Wait, no, no, no, I didn't mean it like tha-"

"Gavi!" he calls. "Come over here!"

I sigh, shaking my head as I watch Gavi look up in confusion. He stands there, looking at Xavi for a few seconds, and I few of his teammates grin and nudge him in our direction. He shrugs, says something to them, and saunters over, before breaking into a jog to get here sooner. "Huh?" he says, totally not respectful of his manager at all. I mean, I can't be talking. It's not like I've been overly respectful. It's just that Xavi's not my manager. He's just, basically, to me, some dude. I mean, some dude, who just happens to be the star former Barcelona midfielder, Xavi. But you know what I mean.

"I hear it's all your fault that you're sneaking fans into the stadium before the match."

"Huh?!" Gavi asks in dumb confusion, wiping the sweat off his furrowed brows. "What are you talking about?"

Xavi just smirks and gestures with his head towards me with a shrug. "She's a random fan you let in before she's allowed to be."

"She's not a random fan! She's my girlfriend!"

I stare at him. I'm pretty sure this is the first time he's actually said those words to anyone but me. And especially the first time he's uttered them to Xavi Hernandez! For some reason, it feels really good for him to say those words so loudly, so proudly. Like he's not ashamed. Like he's not afraid to admit it. I just like that. A lot. A whole lot.

"How romantic," Xavi snorts. "Listen, if she's not got a job here, then she shouldn't be here. Do you see Frenkie and Ferran calling up their girlfriends for every match? Just because you're the youngest doesn't mean you get special rights."

I can't help but stifle a giggle at Gavi's annoyed face at getting scolded. "It's not every match, okay? And besides," he grins. "I may be the youngest, but the thing that gives me the most rights is that I'm your favorite."

"No, you aren't. I don't have favorites. And even if you were, which you're not, you wouldn't be for much longer with the way you're acting. I'm not gonna kick her out now, but unless she gets a job here, it's just not fair for her to be getting special rights, whether she's your girlfriend or not."

"Okay," Gavi sighs, but obviously he doesn't like this words one bit. He never talks about it, but I know how much he misses me when he's away. I know how much he misses me because of the way he always treats me when we see each other again.

"Now, what do you think you're doing?" Xavi snaps, but I know his harshness is half-joking. "Get back to training!"

As Gavi sighs and runs off, I get a spark of an idea.

I should get an idea at Barcelona!