I Guess I Just Don't Get It

"We're in Group H, with Switzerland, Chile, and Honduras. I think Chile will be our biggest adversary within the group, but I'm sure we can pull this through. Our first match is the sixteenth of June, which gives us two weeks. Start packing tonight and tomorrow, we leave Monday for Johannesburg," Coach Bosque told us at the end of practice. "Rest this weekend, there's not going to be much of it until we're back home."
We dispersed soon after he finished and headed in the direction of the locker rooms. We were all thrilled to be getting ready to head to South Africa for the World Cup, and I could hardly contain my excitement. I was jumping around, talking way too much, and doing cartwheels whenever I had the space.
"Camry, stop being so hyper, you're making me tired!" Gerard said, lightly pushing me over as I did a handstand.
I fell to the ground with a small thud but popped up quickly all the same. "Well, sorry that I'm excited and you're being Mr. Grumpy Gills!"
"Mister Grumpy what?" They laughed.
"Oh boy, don't tell me you've never seen Finding Nemo!" I stood in front of them, hand over my mouth.
They all shook their heads slowly.
"Is that the one with the fish?" Carles asked, putting his hands up to his cheeks and waving them, mimicking a fish, I guess.
I copied him and nodded.
He snapped his fingers. "I've seen that!"
"Oh ja!" I yelled, giving him a high five. I managed to walk a little ways in silence before deciding I needed to run some more. "I wanna run more, who's with me?"
Everyone gave me looks, saying I was crazy. We had just finished running sprints, after running ten miles just before that. "You're certifiably insane," Cesc informed me. I just raised and eyebrow and shrugged, before turning on my heel and beginning my sprinting around the pitch a few times before cooling down by walking back to the locker rooms, where, by now, most everyone had changed and was heading out.
"That was refreshing guys, you should've joined me."
"Not on your life," Fernando, Iker, Jesus, and Xavi said simultaneously.
I shrugged. "Whatevs. By the time the World Cup comes around, I'll be so speedy you won't know what happened."
"Right, of course." They all agreed with me in order to drop it.
I took a fast shower before meeting Sergio at his car, an Audi R8, a car I'm probably going to end up stealing from him because I like it to much. It's just so beautiful. I admit it, I'm kind of a car freak.
"Take long enough?" He asked, kissing me on the cheek before turning the ignition and taking off.
"I'm a girl, I have a license to take as long as I want in the shower, thank you."
"Oh, excuse me, miss. I had no idea."

By the time Monday came around, I was practically everywhere at once. I tried many times to relax, but I just couldn't do it. Although I did finally fall asleep on the plane ride for a few hours, for which everyone was thankful.
Once we arrived and had gotten all our bags off the plane and onto the bus, we headed to our hotel, then dispersed in smaller groups to go walk around some our first day. Of course, we couldn't stay out long, because word would get out that the players were out and about, and that would be too much mayhem for our first day here. So Sergio, Gerard, Xavi, Iker, Carles, and I walked around as I took pictures. We even bought a few souvenirs to take back home before heading back to the hotel.
We decided to walk back, since it was only a few miles, and I wanted some more pictures, since we were kind of staying out in the middle of nowhere. I was bent over taking a picture of some flowers when I heard a sort of growling noise, then a yelp. I looked up just in time to see someone in the distance put up their arms, then a huge animal collapsed. I was too shocked to make any noise or do anything but stare as I listened to the lion cry out in pain as it died and the people went over to it.
I was jerked out of my stupor by a tug at my throat, which I realized was my camera strap. Thank goodness I had it on or my camera would be in pieces on the ground. Sergio put his arm around me and pulled me into him and we all simply stood there for a few minutes before Gerard quietly said it was getting dark quickly and we needed to get back, so we walked in silence. I hadn't realized I was crying until Sergio wiped a few tears off my cheek, which made me cry harder. People had often told me I care too much about things I can't control, people I don't know, pretty much anything sad. I can't help it. I couldn't even decide if it's a flaw or not. I don't think it is.
We returned to the hotel just in time for dinner, which was a native dish, Biltong. None of us had ever heard of it before, so the waitress informed us it was meat that had been dried, spiced, and salted. Quite honestly, it didn't look remotely appetizing, especially after what we had just seen. I had definitely lost my appetite. The whole meal I sat and picked at my plate, not really eating anything, but I did drink a few glasses of water, something I had trained myself to do.
I hadn't realized so many people had noticed my lack of appetite until Sergio nudged me softly and I looked up quickly; just in time to see most everyone else at the table divert their attention, hopefully before I could notice.
"Please, eat something. You won't have any energy for practice tomorrow," Sergio said quietly.
"I just can't eat. Especially not any meat," I replied. "I've just never really thought about it before."
He just nodded. "We'll find you something afterward, okay?"
I nodded, still staring down at my plate.

We were finally done about an hour later, everyone decided they wanted to talk strategy and such, but I definitely wasn't into it. I just wanted to go and get a shower, and go to sleep. Hopefully practice tomorrow will make me feel better. After dinner I followed Sergio upstairs to the team's floor, but stopped at my room instead of following him down to his. "I just wanna sleep right now, but I'll see you in the morning, okay? Bright and early," I gave him a small smile before kissing his cheek, then his mouth, then disappeared into my room before he could have a chance to reply.
I took a long shower, then climbed into bed and found some movie on the television about a gay couple who own some sort of bar/theatre. It even made me laugh a few times. I hadn't realized how late it was until the door opened to reveal our trainer, Maya, who I would be sharing a room with. From what I had talked to her, she seemed nice, so I didn't have any problems with the arrangement.
"Hey," she said quietly. "Are you okay? You were really quiet at dinner, and you didn't eat at all."
"You stalking me?" I gave her a small smile. "No, I just...on the way back we saw these guys shoot a lion, and we listened to it die. It just kind of...put a new perspective on things for me. I definitely couldn't eat meat after that."
She nodded understandingly. "That makes sense. But I'm sure you'll get over it, and if not, vegetarians are known to be very healthy people, so either way you're fine."
I smiled and nodded before turning my attention back to the movie before drifting off to sleep as Maya got ready for bed.

"Camry! Get up! It's already six thirty!" I heard a voice whisper in my ear the next morning.
"Whysitsoearly?" I asked, rolling over.
"You have to practice! Come on!" Maya nudged me again before returning to getting herself ready as well. She really had a busy job, making sure all of the players are okay.
I groaned, but got up anyway, and trudged into the bathroom, where I brushed my teeth, and put my hair into a messy bun before throwing on my Spain team sweatshirt. Very warm. I followed Maya downstairs to the breakfast area and found a biscuit and some yogurt before finding a seat next to Sergio.
"Better this morning?" He asked.
I shrugged before replying, "I guess. A little bit."
He nodded. "Well, it's something. At least you have seven thirty soccer practice to look forwards to!"
"Woo!" I faked enthusiasm.
"Five minutes to finish eating before we're leaving for the pitch!" Another trainer, Julio, called from the entrance, before disappearing again.
I sighed and finished my biscuit and yogurt quickly before running upstairs to grab my training gear and meeting everyone on the bus. Maybe a few hours of working my ass off playing soccer is what I need.