From Me To You

Chapter 44 - Friendly Match

Brazil vs. Colombia. Another heart wrenching match.

I spoke to James on the phone yesterday. We spoke about the match and I talked to some of the guys from the team, wishing them all luck and asking them to play their best for Colombia. When I finally got to speak to James after he went up to his room, I asked him about Daniela.

I had to read about it from a magazine while I was paying for a candy bar at a pharmacy. When the cashier handed me my change she asked if I was Neymar's girlfriend. I had to hold back my laughter, but it wasn't hard. Reading the words 'divorce' under a photo of a person I care so much about before ever hearing about it from him first concerned me. I thought I had nothing to concern myself about though, gossip magazines aren't trustworthy.

The half hour of feelings shared through the phone told me otherwise.

We're in the second to last week of November and I'm sat here in the bench as I look past the Brazilian national team training for the match tomorrow night and looking at the seats in the stadium.

I found myself imagining people sitting in the seats, a different back story to each of them, but they all gladly and happily make their way here to watch an enticing football match. Little kids watching their soon to be considered heroes do what they were born to do. Their lives slowly changing, yet all at once.

Then I remember my first soccer match and grasping onto my dad's hand so tight he had to ask me to let go a bit. The face paint I kept smudging with my little six year old hands trying to gasp along with the crowd.

I didn't realize I was clicking my pen back and forth until David took a seat next to me.

"The stadium interesting you?" he asks.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," I said as I turned to face him.

"How was Neymar's family?"

"They were great," I smile remembering the dinner from the night before.

"Now," David leans back. "How much crap have you been getting from Barcelona for dating Neymar?"

"I got some crap from my boss, not gonna lie, other than that the guys are just trying to annoy us," I tell David.

"As much as we are?"

"As much as you guys are," I nod.

As the guys finish up their drills I walk over to the spot Ludy just arrived at and I greet her and Júlia.

"Ready to go?" she asks.

"A quick good-bye first," I smile.

She talks with Oscar for a bit and I wave to the other guys as Neymar walks up to me.

"I won't be long," I tell him.

"I'll see you at the hotel," he smiles.

I leave a kiss on his lips and receive some whistles from David and Marcelo. I nod at their coach as if to say 'I won't be a bother anymore.' I grab my work things and leave a kiss on Oscar's cheek before leaving with Ludy.

We decided to take the day and spend some time together, Ludy insisted and I can never deny her.

I took the stroller off her hands for the day as the one year old wriggled the whole way to the shopping center. We took our time looking at clothes before heading out to get some dinner before the sun set.

We walked into some sort of bar-diner and ordered immediately.

"When can we come visit?" Ludy asks about Barcelona.