Interns at FC Barcelona

Chapter 28: The Big Decision

I barely got any sleep if any at all, yet I didn’t feel tired since all I could think about was whether or not we have got this internship. We have all been enjoying ourselves but the truth was if we didn’t get this internship, none of this knew what we were going to do. We all needed the holiday work for our degrees. I got out of bed and went to have a shower. Normally the warm water relaxed me but not today. As much as I wanted to know the answer about the internship, there was a part of me that didn’t want to know. There was a stronger part of me that thought it was too good to be true but there was still that other side of me that had some hope. Whether it was influenced by Cesc or just the positive energy of everyone, I honestly couldn’t tell. I stepped out of the shower and just put on a jeans, floral top and cardigan. We were overdressed the last time so might as well dress correctly. That’s if it’s not our last day.

I put on simple make up and packed my handbag. I took my handbag and went into the kitchen. I heard Elena’s door open and saw her walk in, sleepily rubbing her eyes with her pjs on.

“Really Jade?” she said to me as she yawned. I looked at her puzzled as she began making herself coffee.

“You do know we only have to leave in an hour right?” she said casually while getting the milk from the fridge. I looked at my clock. Oh great, I got ready an hour in advance.

“Seems like someone is stressed,” Elena said handing me her mug.

“DO YOU BLAME ME?!” I asked her a bit too loudly.

“Definitely stressed. Here you need the coffee way more than me,” she said giving her mug to me. “But no I don’t blame you.” For the first time I could hear a slight bit of worry in her voice. In a way it comforted me, that I wasn’t alone in my worrying.

“I guess I’ll watch some tv,” I said to her.

“Ok, I’m going to get ready,” she said happily and went to her room. I went to sit on the couch with my coffee and began switching through the channels. I forgot most of the channels were in Spanish. I was barely focusing on what was actually on until I came across the sports channel. They were showing highlights from Saturday’s game. For the first time when I watched the goals I looked at them differently. It was not just the players of Barcelona scoring, it was people we knew. People we have met and know who we are. I smiled watching Cesc celebrate with Messi. This time it was not from happiness of seeing my club score, it was a bit more personal, like seeing my friends score.

My friends. Do they even think of us like that? For all I know they just know we’re there to work at the club. Wait, but then why did Cesc ask to see me? If I was just a worker? Jade, stop you are thinking way too much. Think like Elena, enjoy what has happened and just go with it.

Who was I kidding? No matter what I did, I could never be like Elena, it was just never who I was but many times I wished it was. I was once again over thinking things. I decided to change the channel to keep my mind off the club which was ironic since I was about to go there. Time went by quickly and soon I got off the couch. I went to the kitchen to make the coffee that I owed Elena and some cereal for the both of us. Just as I finished with everything she walked out of her room ready to go. I handed her a mug of coffee.

“I stole yours,” I said.

“Thanks,” she smiled, “So how are you feeling?”

“Freaked out, so I guess for me that’s normal,” I said as she laughed slightly.

“Yeah I’m a bit worried too,” she admitted.

“The great Elena? Worried?” I asked her mockingly.

“Yes, Jade,” she said rolling her eyes. We finished eating and I waited for Elena to get her bag. Her phone began to ring.

“Hey Matt,” I heard her say, “Yeah see you now,” she said as she put down the phone.

“They are ready,” she said.

“And-,” I said.

“Demi is ready too,” she said reading my mind. We both walked out of the door and saw the others waiting in the hallway. For the first time I could feel a bit of nervousness within the group.

“Well let’s go!” Matt said obviously being the one to break the silence. We all took the elevator down to the lobby and then began walking to the metro station. We all weren’t speaking that much but I could tell finally everyone had come to the realization of how important this was for all of us. We all stepped onto the metro as it took us to the Collerblanc station near the stadium.

“At least you got the female,” Matt said trying to ease the tension.

“So?” Nate asked him.

“I mean you’re lucky,” Matt said.

“Why? Because I can hit on her? Look, Matt that’s what you do,” Nate said.

“Exactly the reason why you didn’t get the female,” Elena said to him as we all laughed a bit. We were all trying to lighten the mood but at this point I think we all just wanted to know whether we got the jobs or not. The train ride seemed extremely quick in comparison to normal and we arrived at the stadium even faster.

“Well come on guys,” I said and everyone could tell how nervous I was. I had that feeling in my stomach and no matter what I did it wouldn’t go away.

“Don’t worry Jade,” Nate said to me.

“I know,” I said trying my hardest to sound confident. I checked my watch and it was 8:58. We had two minutes till Alexander would begin screaming at us.

“We better go before that jerk starts screaming at us for being a second late,” Elena said. We all headed to the familiar office building and saw Ricardo at the reception desk.

“Amigos!” he said happily.

“Hey Ricardo! What’s up?” Matt said. I don’t know how Matt did it but he always seemed so composed. I guess that’s one of the reasons why he became a lawyer.

“So today is the big day,” Ricardo said seriously.

“Yes it is,” Demi said.

“Well I wish all of you the best of luck,” Ricardo said sincerely.

“Thanks,” we all said to him.

“We better get to the offices,” I said. We all walked up the stairs to open the door to where we all worked in the previous week but were in shock of what we found in there. There were 6 brand new desks all with laptops set up. There were fancy office chairs with a notepad and pen on each desk.

“Great they replaced us with professionals,” Matt said.

“Matt!? What happened to positive energy?” I asked him.

“Exactly!” Elena said as she smacked him.

“Buenos Dias to you all,” we all heard an old familiar voice say. It was Arbelado, the manager that first addressed us. “I assume you are all here to hear your verdict about the internship.” We all nodded.

“Well after much consideration and looking at all of your assignments, we have all come to an agreement. It is in all of our best interests,” he said and after that I didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t want him to make it official that we must pack up. I wanted to walk out so I didn’t have to hear him say no, so that I would not have to believe any of it. I looked around and I could see we were all feeling the same thing.

“We have decided,” he said with a pause so long I wondered if he was still going to say anything after that, “That,” and another long pause that just about killed all of us.

“You are all granted internships,” he said simply. I barely had time to think because all I heard were shouts of joy.