Interns at FC Barcelona

Chapter 15: How Is this happening?

We stared in shock. Right in front of us was Cesc and Gerard looking guilty and behind them were Thiago, Lionel and Ibrahim looking as if they have been shouted by their mom. I did not know what to think. Elena and I stood frozen and eyes wide. We were all silent until Gerard spoke.

“Lo siento!” he said apologetically.

“We’re so sorry,” Cesc said honestly.

“Um, it’s ok,” I said dazed.

“We didn’t know you had drinks in your hand,” Gerard said.

“It’s ok,” I said still in complete shock. The burning of the coffee was far from my mind and I was much more focused on who I was seeing at this moment. Was I hallucinating?

“Um, are you, er, are you ok?” Elena asked me. Clearly she was still in shock like me.

“Yeah um I’m fine. I’m ok, it’s fine.” I said though I could feel a slight twinge of pain.

“You’re sure right?” Elena asked concerned.

“ Yeah, I’m ok, I didn’t burn that badly, it’s just my shirt is messed up a bit,” I said.

“No problema! I have my shirt from training today! It might be a bit sweaty though,” Gerard said happily handing me his shirt from practice. We all looked at him confused as we could all smell the sweat. Clearly they practiced a lot today. Cesc shook his head at Gerard.

“Gerard put that away,” He said as he looked at us giving an apologetic look for his best friend.

Elena and I then looked to see Thiago and Ibrahim looking through their bags but before I could process that, I saw a Barcelona jacket being handed to me.

“Here, use this,” Lionel said. The legend of football was talking to us. I stared at him unable to focus.

“You speak English?” I asked confused before I could stop myself. What was I thinking? That was my first sentence to the God of football?

He smiled.

“I do, the whole team is teaching each other.” He replied. Elena and I finally broke out of our trance.

“Wow, I’m such a big fan of yours!” I said.

“I watched you from young!” Elena screamed.

“You are so talented!” I said.

“You’re so amazing to watch!” Elena said.

“Your skills!” I said.

“Your goals!” Elena said.

“What about me?” Gerard asked. We all turned to face him. Elena and I just realized we were fangirling over Messi. Clearly we needed to get used to this.

“Um, you defend really well,” I said.

“Yeah, you are one of the best in the world,” Elena said.

Gerard smiled and nodded. He seemed really happy that we complimented him.

“Gracias,” Leo said as Elena and I both turned back to face him.

“I just put this jacket on now. After practice,” He said as he looked at Gerard. I was frozen for a moment before I actually reacted. Was Lionel Messi giving me his jacket?

“No, it’s ok I’ll be-“ I began to say.

“Its fine you need it,” Lionel said with a smile.

“No really it’s not a big-“I began to say again.

“Here,” Leo said as he put it in my hands. I stared at him in shock. It was a situation where I could not say no. He really had such a big heart.

“Um thank you so much. Gracias, thank you,” I said taking it with shock.

“You should go change,” Cesc said.

“Um,” I said.

“The bathroom is just through the door on your left,” someone said. I looked to see whose voice it was. It was the Ibrahim Afellay. I was captivated and stared at him in a like dreamlike state. It felt like forever as he just stared back but soon enough Elena saved me.

“Uh, Jade, um come on, let’s go,” Elena said as normally as she could.

“Um yeah ok,” I said as I shook myself out of my dreamlike state

We walked to the other side to get to the door and could feel everyone’s eyes on us. After what felt like ages we got to the door and went through and like Ibrahim said, the door was on the left. We both went into the bathroom. We both stood there for a minute in silence trying to process what had just happened.

“What the hell just happened?!” I asked after a while.

“How must I know!?” Elena said.

“This is crazy!” I said.

“I know!” she said.

“I mean we just saw Messi! And Afellay!” I said.

“This is just insane!” Elena said.

“I am actually holding the Messiah’s jacket!” I said.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!” we were both squealing.

“Wait! They are still there!” I said.

“Yeah you’re right! You better change quickly otherwise they will think something is up! We have to act as normal as possible!” she said.

“Elena, I think we’re way past that,” I said as I began to change.

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Back in the cafeteria

“Nice going guys,” Thiago said to Gerard and Cesc.

“I had no idea she had coffee!” Cesc said.

“Yeah it was supposed to be funny,” Gerard said.

“Well it was,” Ibrahim said with a smile.

“What do you mean?” Gerard asked.

“Did you see the way she screamed at you guys?!” Thiago said as Lionel and Ibrahim started laughing with him. Cesc and Gerard looked at them.

“Hey Cesc, were these the girls you saw the other night?” Gerard asked.

“Si, they are,” he replied.

“Interesting,” Gerard said.

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“What are all of them doing here anyway?!” I asked.

“I have no idea!” Elena said.

“But it’s sooo cool!” I said.

“I know! Come on! Let’s go!” she said.

“Wait!” I said.

“What?!” Elena asked.

“I’m wearing the Messiah’s jersey!” I screamed.

“I know!” she said,” This is so crazy! But we have to keep calm, or they will think we are crazy.”

“Elena?! Firstly, we are crazy! And you, telling me to keep calm? How?!” I asked.

“I don’t know just we have too! We already went a bit crazy with Messi! Let’s at least pretend we’re sane!” she said and I knew she was right.

We began walking back to the cafeteria.

“Maybe they already left, and then we don’t have to worry,” She said.

“Yeah you’re right,” I said.

When we went back to the cafeteria they were all still there and once again everyone watched as we walked in.