Through the Dark

I walked down the stairs to be greeted by Xavi tackling me in a huge hug. Soon some others joined in and I recognized their voices: Cesc, Thiago, Andres, Puyi, Dani and Geri.

I chuckled and we all got out of the group hug and I gave them all individual hugs.

“Well, I feel left out.” Someone joked. I turned to see the one and only Neymar. “I’m so sorry,” I apologized with a smile, “I’m Ariana Messi.” I said, sticking my hand out for him to shake.

He smiled at me and shook my hand, then pulled me into his chest and gave me a tight hug. "I'm a hugger." he laughed.

When we pulled away, I got pulled into another tight hug and I quickly recognized him. “Aw, Geri.” I chuckled.

As he pulled me to his chest, I could hear his heart beating quickly and I felt my pulse quicken as well.

Shit. Not again.

As he pulled away we looked into each other’s eyes and he smiled at me, making my legs jelly.

No! Your legs aren’t jelly. You’re fine!

Gerard smiled and sat down next to Neymar and Puyi.

Xavi beckoned me to sit next to him and I smiled, plopping down next to him.

“How are you?” he asked me while everyone else was talking.

I shrugged, leaning into my other ‘big brother’. “I’m fine.”

“And he hasn’t tried to contact you…right?” Xavi asked me, looking concernedly into my eyes. I smiled,
“No, don’t worry.”

Xavi nodded and the two of us just chilled and talked to each other about everything else, completely taking the Lucas subject out of the conversation.

-Gerard.
I watched out of the corner of my eye as Xavi and Ariana chatted quietly, whispering in hushed tones.
What were they talking about? Did she have a thing for Xavi? Did Xavi have a thing for her?

Wait.

Geri, you idiot. He has Nuria.

I so badly wanted to sit with them and butt into their conversation but that would be plain rude and Ari would be pissed at me.

Truthfully, I liked Ariana Leila Messi. The way she laughed, the way her dimples popped out whenever she smiled, the way her brown eyes shimmered whenever she talked about something she liked.

When I first broke up with Shakira, she was the first person I talked to and she was the only one who could cheer me up.

I knew since then that I liked her.

I’ve tried getting with other girls to make these feelings go away, but when I was with any other girl, she was the only one I saw in my head.

But of course, she was Leo’s little sister (by three minutes) and she was strictly off limits.

-Ariana.
Soon, Leo and the boys had to go to Camp Nou to train…and like he said in the car, he wanted me to come along with them.

“Ana, please! Come with us.” Leo begged.

“I don’t even have cleats, Leo!” I frowned, looking at my twin brother. Leo scoffed, “Like that’s gonna stop me.”

He pranced into the shoe closet and I folded my arms across my chest, wondering what he was going to do this time.

I sat down beside Neymar and Andres and Neymar grinned at me, “Hey, little Messi.”

“Hey, Neymar.” I chuckled.

“So, are you going to come to Camp Nou?” he asked me.

I shook my head.

“Aw, why not?”

“Because,” I sighed, “I haven’t played football in two years.”

I saw Xavi look at me from the corner of my eye, giving me a sad look. I returned it with a smile.

“But, I’m pretty sure you’re good.”

“She is!” Cesc grinned, “I’ve seen you play.”

I groaned, I remembered that time when Leo had dragged me to play soccer with him and his friends and I had agreed, being the idiot that I am.

“Cesc.” I dragged out, groaning, making him laugh at me.

Soon, Leo came out of his ridiculously big shoe closet, holding up bright yellow cleats.

“Oh, I left those here? I looked for them everywhere back home.” I glared at Leo. He shrugged and gave them to me, “Now you don’t have an excuse!”