Reunion - Mapi Leon x Reader

Chapter 2 - Missed You

“You haven’t missed me? Not at all?”

She looks at me but doesn’t respond. Despite how blatant she’s being about not wanting to see me, I return to the same seat I used earlier. I honestly hadn’t noticed that Lottie was here until Amalia, her sister, pointed it out, and I think Lottie knows that. Tonight was supposed to be a break from everything football related, but when I snuck away to check a team group chat, I’d sat down right where she was and hadn’t recognised her. She’s changed a lot since she was that kid fresh out of high school and ready to go explore the world. Her appearance is different, of course, but the most obvious change is the way she carries herself like she’s experienced the real world and doesn’t like the messed up place she’s found it to be. The Lottie I knew was a fighter who wouldn’t give up, and you could always count on to make you laugh no matter the situation. Now she looks so defeated, a shell of what she used to be.

“It’s not like you’ve missed me.” She finally speaks in answer to my question. She raises her eyes from the empty glass on the bar to look at me.
“That’s not true.” I say almost instantly.
“How come you never called then?”

I’m the silent one now. When I left home 10 years ago to move to Barcelona, we’d managed to stay friends with each other. 3 years later, when she left home for another country, she hadn’t exactly made herself an easy person to contact, so I thought she wanted to be left alone. I’m realising now that I never really tried. I’d hoped that she would continue playing football and that one day I’d see her name somewhere. That way, I would at least know she was safe, but the name Carlota Aguila never made its way into the football world. I guess I had eventually moved on from her as my life moved on. Football had been my main focus and safe space and provided me with so much joy for years. This is still the case, but things have been changing recently. I’m not supposed to think about that this evening.

“I didn’t think you wanted me to,” I reply, “and, well, I don’t exactly have your phone number.”
“You could have gotten it from Amalia.”
I want to argue with her, but I know she’s right. Besides, I don’t think she would argue back. Just ignore me.
“I’m sorry I didn’t make more of an effort, Lots.” Then I smile mischievously at her like I used to, hoping that she’ll warm to it. “Now will you tell me who you sent that message to because I’m dying to know?”
She rolls her eyes at me like she can’t believe what I’ve just asked her, but her reply isn’t cold (well, in tone, at least).

“Fine. It’s not like I’ve got anything better to do.”
She grabs her phone out of her pocket and begins to unlock it, a lockscreen donning herself and 2 others that I can't name. I ignore the pang in my chest, knowing full well that the lockscreen used to be her and I teasingly kissing each other's cheeks in the sunset so we were just shadows. I remember that day clearly. It was the day she graduated high school. She'd called me at 2:59 and begged me to come pick her up, saying she wanted nobody but me there to see her finish "the second biggest milestone of my life" as she'd said it.

I'd driven Lottie away from the building, all the way to Barcelona, until we were parked about 25 metres from the top of a cliff. She'd dragged me up, carrying a workbook in her hand. She got me to count down with her, "3,2,1" and then she cheered and let go of the paper into the ocean. A moment later, she grabbed my hands and started to dance with me, a stupid, goofy looking dance. But neither of us cared about what the random dog walker thought as they passed by our made-up routine. "Come on! Let's take a photo." She said, running and balancing her phone against a bench. Lottie had set up a 10-second timer, running back to me as I picked her up into my arms, swinging her about as she kissed my cheek. It was so.. ridiculously Spanish.

It's also one of my fondest memories.

I shake my head, my focus immediately returning to here and now. In a bar, in Barcelona with my best friend. On her screen, I see the same message from earlier, followed up by at least another 10 from the recipient. She keeps her screen to herself, reading the messages before sighing. I try not to peek, seeing as she’s already agreed to tell me who she’s talking to.

“His name’s Lucas. We’re dating?”
“You don’t seem very sure of that.” I reply before finally giving in and looking over to read her phone screen. Messages such as, you need to calm the fuck down, and, I didn’t even do anything that bad and it’s really pissing me off how selfish you’re acting, are a few that pop out, instantly making my blood boil. Nobody is allowed to talk to Lottie like that.
“Let me talk to him.”
“Mapi no! It’s fine.”
“It’s obviously not fine.” I’m yelling now, but this place is so noisy I could be whispering.
“We’re not kids anymore. I can look after myself!”
“Fine.” I huff, hurt by her words. I go to stand up, but she reaches her hand out and grabs my wrist, pulling me back into my seat.
“I know I need to end things with him. I just don’t know how.”

Before I came over to talk to Lots, I was having a good time, but it was tainted with other worries of mine. Since I’ve started talking to her, she’s been my soul focus. It’s fairly obvious she’d rather not be here, so when an idea springs into my mind, I don’t hesitate to ask her.
“Do you want to go somewhere else?”
She looks at me slightly hesitant at first, but when she glances over towards her sister and sees that she’s with her friend once again instead of that rather immature looking guy she was with earlier, she surprises me by nodding.
“I can’t exactly think here, and if you’re anything like you used to be, you always have ideas.” she explains and then adds with a smirk, “no matter how stupid some of them used to be.”
“Excuse me. I am actually the master of ideas. Every word that comes out of my mouth is wonderful.” I protest while standing up. We take a brief detour towards Amalia before heading towards the exit.

Outside it’s cooler than I expected it to be, and as we wander down the street, I start to shiver. I’ll admit my plan was only halfway made before put into action. Neither of us knows where we’re going.
“Yeah this was a great idea,” Lots rolls her eyes sarcastically, “really well thought through.”
“My place is a good half-hour walk from here. I don’t really know this area.” I reply.
“Alright. My hotel room it is.” She pulls out her phone and types the address into google Maps. “Come on. This way.”
I follow after her, as she starts to speed through the streets. This certainly isn’t how I envisioned my evening going, but having Lottie back in my life may be exactly what I need.

(THERE YOU GO MY DEARS. CHAPTER TWO ALREADY THE TAG TEAM ARE BURSTING THESE PUT! THIS CHAPTER WAS MOSTLY WRITTEN BY does1tmatt3r BUT THERES ALWAYS A SPECK OF EACH OTHER IN THE WRONG CHAPTER. HOPE YOUR ENJOYING AND DONT FORGET TO LEAVE A COMMENT!! LOVE YA<3)