Reunion - Mapi Leon x Reader

Chapter 16 - Next Stop: America

I’m lying on the airport floor. It’s nearing the end of June and too warm for comfort. Alexia’s on the ground, lying adjacent to me. The way we’re sprawled on the floor and the fact we’re wearing sunglasses inside makes us look like fools, but I honestly couldn’t care less. There’s air conditioning and cold tiles in this building, and I am going to make the most of it. I just hope Alexia doesn’t get recognised by anyone because I’m not in the mood to deal with people at the moment.

“So what’s the plan?” Alexia asks as she slowly sits up.
“You’re the one who came up with the plan.” I remind her.
“No, not the whole get the two of you back in the same place plan. I mean the, what will you do when you see her plan.”
“Kiss her.” I say, and she hits me on the shoulder while rolling her eyes, so I protest. “What! You’d do the same if you hadn’t seen the girl you want to spend the rest of your life with for a few weeks.”
“I can’t believe you can’t last more than a few weeks.”
“As if you could!”
“I can.” She says simply.
“I’m not meant for long distance.”

A few weeks ago, I was in a good place. Football was going well, and I was able to play again, even the game I’d originally been benched for. My social life was back on track, and my cat no longer looked at me weirdly, but then I started missing Lottie, and my teammates noticed. One morning in the changing rooms, the team surrounded me.

“Okay Mapi, I know we never said anything when whatever was going on last week was going on, but now that you’re back to your normal self on the pitch, why do you seem so down off it?” Patri started.
“Ale won’t tell us anything,” Aitana continued, “but we have a feeling it has something to do with this girl you’re seeing.”
“What girl I’m seeing?” I asked while giving Alexia a look. She just shrugged her shoulders, equally confused as I was. I hadn’t said anything to anybody else, but then Salma’s face betrayed her.
“Parauello!” I questioned her.
“I may have seen you with someone the other day, and then I may have told Jana, and well, it all spiralled from there.”
Jana raised her arms as if surrendering. “Please don’t be mad, Mapi.”
“Her name’s Lottie,” I admitted, “although y’all might know her as Peyton Moore.”
The group went quiet for a second before Patri spoke up. "The Peyton Moore? Hilarious."
"Yeah?" I asked, frowning as she burst out laughing. "What's so funny?"
"Mapi, there is no way. You're pretty and all, but you couldn't pull Peyton Moore." Lucy butted in, and Keira sniggered.
I glared at Alexia, who was hiding a smirk behind her players.
"Well, I didn't pull a Peyton Moore. I 'pulled' Carlota Aguila. My best friend, and has been since I was 7."
Patri's face makes an 'o' shape before closing, chewing over her next words. I tried to leave the room before they could insult me more.

Aitana moved to block the door. “Mapi, we want to help you, and you are pretty enough to pull Peyton Moore, no matter what some people say.”
“Fine.” I leaned against the door next to Aitana. “Her name’s Carlota. Don’t call her Peyton, and I miss her, okay?”
“Well what are you going to do about it?” Lucy asked.
“I don’t know.” I replied honestly. Then Alexia stood up, and all eyes moved to her.
“I have an idea. I’m going on a little trip next month to Los Angeles - I will not be taking questions as to why - and someone has a football game there.”
“Are you suggesting that I go watch it?” I asked her.
“Yes. Surprise her. It’ll be sweet, and you won’t have to travel alone, because I’m going to the same place.” Alexia reasoned.
“Are you sure you just don’t want to travel alone?” I asked her.
“Maybe, but it works out for both of us, doesn’t it?”
“True. Okay, I’m in.”

And that’s how I ended up here, waiting for our flight from New York to Los Angeles, in what feels like a heat wave. I know it’s too early for that to be true, but for some reason, it seems warmer than summer in Barcelona. Perhaps we’re just dehydrated from our long flight.
“What does the departure board say?” I ask Alexia. She cranes her neck but still can’t read it from all the way over here.
“Come on. Get up. Let’s go look, and then see if we can buy some water somewhere?”
“Good plan.” I reach out my hand for hers, and she takes it, almost lifting me off the ground. I forget how strong she is sometimes. Especially after that injury of hers.

Backpack over my shoulders, we walk towards the departure board. It looks like there’s 20 minutes till boarding, so we make our way to the gate, stopping by one of those airport shops that sells practically everything. A few hours later, the plane is preparing to land in Los Angeles. Alexia made the decision for us to travel in economy, and still won’t tell me what she’s up to. So far we’ve been lucky that we haven’t run into any football fans. It takes us a while to get off the plane due to having to wait for everyone who seems to have forgotten aeroplane etiquette. It’s not that hard to wait for the people in front of you to get their stuff and start to depart the plane before you do the same, but you’d think it was a complex maths equation. 

While we wait, I try to question her for about the 50th time on this journey of ours.
“Can you please tell me where you’re going?”
“America.” She smirks.
“Yeah I know that.” I think for a moment. “Wait, America? America is two whole continents. Are you staying in LA, or is that just a layover point?”
Her face shifts, and I know I’m onto something. “Are you going to visit-”
“María León! Shut up!”
“So you are? You’re going to visit Jen-”
She puts her hand over my mouth to stop me talking. “You can’t tell anyone, Mapi.”
I point to her hand to tell her that I literally can’t say anything at the moment, but she rolls her eyes as she lowers her hand. “You know what I mean.”
“I do. Don’t worry. I understand. I don’t think I’d want the world to know about Lottie and I yet, and the more people that know, the more likely someone slips up.”
“Precisely.” Then she stands up, and I follow her off the plane.

Alexia leaves me at baggage claim once she’s got her suitcase. I collect mine, and find myself a taxi to take to the hotel I’m staying at. Once I’m there, Lottie calls me.
“Morning Mapi!” She says cheerfully down the phone. “How did you sleep?”
It takes everything in me not to laugh and tell her that it’s currently 11pm where I am.
“Slept well. How was your day, darling?”
“You know, practice, game this week, lost last time, trying not to again.”
“Alright well sorry I have to go. Got training soon.” I say. I need to get off this phone call before I fall asleep.
“Mapi, it’s 7am in Barcelona.”
“Very early training.” I reply.
“You’ve just got plans, and don’t want to tell me about them.” She says.
“Okay fine.” I pretend to admit that she’s right. “It’s just coffee with Ale.”
“You and your coffee.” I can practically hear her roll her eyes. “It’s fine. I have a life too, you know. I don’t feel like I’m missing out. You can tell me what you’re doing.”
“Yeah. I know. I just miss you.” I tell her.
“I miss you too.” She says.
“Love you.”
“Love you. Bye.”
“Goodnight.”

I put my phone down on the bedside table and don’t bother changing out of my clothes as I plonk myself down on the bed and promptly fall asleep. Travelling long distance really takes it out of you.

(YAYY!! Not me and does1tmatt3r shipping Ale and Jenni still 😭. This was all Em's chapter (with small inputs from me), but be expecting a chapter from me soon. Don't be a ghost reader - leave a comment! Love ya<3)