Status: In Progress
A World Alone
Chapter 16: The Messi's
"Thalia, calm down." Lionel mumbled, watching his girlfriend pace back and forth in front of him. The tense game between Argentina and the Netherlands happened yesterday and the whole country of Argentina was elated with the victory - Argentina was finally going to go to the finals for the first time in years! And as a surprise, Leo's family was going to be flying out to Rio to watch the game. It was supposed to be a surprise but Maria Sol was too excited and accidentally blurted it out as soon as the Messi family set foot in Rio's airport.
"What if they don't like me?" Thalia asked, racking her brain for things to say to her boyfriend's family. She's only ever met her last boyfriend's parents and that hadn't gotten so well considering they were hung over their son's ex-girlfriend and wouldn't stop giving Thalia the cold shoulder. Eventually, he got back together with his ex and they're happily engaged now.
Just as Lionel was about to open his mouth to say something, some knocked harshly on the door. "They're going to love you, mi querida," Leo smiled reassuringly. He pressed a soft kiss to Thalia's lips and hugged her to him for a while, "Trust me." he said before opening the door.
A quick dark-haired ball of energy ran inside the hotel room and tackled Leo to the ground. "Leo!" she squealed. Thalia watched them with a small smile on her face. Leo chuckled and stood back up, "It's great to see you, Maria." he chuckled.
He pulled away from her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Maria, this is my girlfriend Thalia." he said. Maria grinned and quickly hugged Thalia as well. Thalia didn't hesitate to hug the younger girl back. "I've heard a lot about you. You're even prettier in person, Thalia! I don't know how my brother managed to score a gal like you." she joked, making Lionel roll her eyes.
"Lionel Andrés Messi! Come give your madre a hug." another voice said from the doorway. The three of them turned to look at Celia Messi who had a huge grin plastered on her face. Her arms were outstretched towards Leo, waiting for a hug. Lionel quickly gave his mother a long hug and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I've missed you, mom." he smiled. He moved to hug his father as well and brought them over to Thalia.
"Madre, padre, I want to introduce you to Thalia, my girlfriend." Leo muttered. He knew that Thalia was nervous since she was completely unprepared when Lionel told her that his parents were coming. She looked pale and nervous, but she had a big smile on her face anyway. "Hola, Mr and Mrs. Messi," she said nervously, "Lionel's told me so much about you." she added, her voice quivering at the end.
Celia studied the woman before her carefully. Antonella and Lionel had been together for a very long time and Antonella was really close to the Messi family and she got along very well with Celia, Jorge, Matias, Rodrigo and Maria Sol - it was a shame that she left. Celia knew very well that her children's happiness was hers so she was going to try to get to know Thalia first before judging her.
"Hola, Thalia. It's nice to meet you as well. Please, call me Celia." Celia smiled, shaking Thalia's hand. Jorge moved to shake Thalia's hand as well. He had a big smile on his face and he introduced himself and told Thalia to call him Jorge instead of Mr. Messi.
Lionel's brothers Rodrigo and Matias were going to fly in later in the afternoon and Thalia couldn't help but feel queasy inside.
-
"So, Thalia. Where are you from? Which part of the country?" Celia asked with a smile as she sipped on her water. "I'm from Buenos Aires," Thalia replied with a smile. She was slowly getting pulled out of her comfort zone and she was starting to become more and more comfortable with Lionel's family. Rodrigo, Matias and their families had landed in Rio and met Thalia already and so far everything was fine.
"Do you have any siblings?" Maria Sol asked. "Yes, I do! I have a little brother named Theo. He's playing for Boca Juniors." Thalia beamed proudly, remembering her little brother back home. Maria grinned, "He's into football as well?"
Thalia nodded, "Yep. He's been playing ever since he was around 4. He's really passionate about it." Celia and Jorge smiled when they saw how happy Thalia was when she talked about her brother - she was a family girl. "I remember when Lionel was really young. He was already into football…" Jorge started as he talked about his youngest son.
Thalia giggled as Celia and Jorge shared stories about Leo. He was scouted when he was really young and he spent more time in Barcelona than back home in Rosario so whenever the Messi family met up, they always cherished the time they had together.
Leo smiled as he watched Thalia laughing with his family. Her dimples were indented deep into her cheeks as she laughed at something Maria said to her. Leo felt his heart warm at the sight - he hoped moments like this would keep on happening.
-
"See, they liked you." Leo grinned as he crawled under the blankets. "I was really nervous, though." Thalia chuckled. Lionel had a really nice family and it was amazing getting to know them. Lionel's siblings were hilarious and they all loved sharing embarrassing stories about Leo when he was little. "You don't have to be," Leo smiled, "They love you anyway. And so do I." Leo whispered, pressing his lips to Thalia's cheek before holding her close to him as they both drifted off to sleep.
"What if they don't like me?" Thalia asked, racking her brain for things to say to her boyfriend's family. She's only ever met her last boyfriend's parents and that hadn't gotten so well considering they were hung over their son's ex-girlfriend and wouldn't stop giving Thalia the cold shoulder. Eventually, he got back together with his ex and they're happily engaged now.
Just as Lionel was about to open his mouth to say something, some knocked harshly on the door. "They're going to love you, mi querida," Leo smiled reassuringly. He pressed a soft kiss to Thalia's lips and hugged her to him for a while, "Trust me." he said before opening the door.
A quick dark-haired ball of energy ran inside the hotel room and tackled Leo to the ground. "Leo!" she squealed. Thalia watched them with a small smile on her face. Leo chuckled and stood back up, "It's great to see you, Maria." he chuckled.
He pulled away from her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Maria, this is my girlfriend Thalia." he said. Maria grinned and quickly hugged Thalia as well. Thalia didn't hesitate to hug the younger girl back. "I've heard a lot about you. You're even prettier in person, Thalia! I don't know how my brother managed to score a gal like you." she joked, making Lionel roll her eyes.
"Lionel Andrés Messi! Come give your madre a hug." another voice said from the doorway. The three of them turned to look at Celia Messi who had a huge grin plastered on her face. Her arms were outstretched towards Leo, waiting for a hug. Lionel quickly gave his mother a long hug and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I've missed you, mom." he smiled. He moved to hug his father as well and brought them over to Thalia.
"Madre, padre, I want to introduce you to Thalia, my girlfriend." Leo muttered. He knew that Thalia was nervous since she was completely unprepared when Lionel told her that his parents were coming. She looked pale and nervous, but she had a big smile on her face anyway. "Hola, Mr and Mrs. Messi," she said nervously, "Lionel's told me so much about you." she added, her voice quivering at the end.
Celia studied the woman before her carefully. Antonella and Lionel had been together for a very long time and Antonella was really close to the Messi family and she got along very well with Celia, Jorge, Matias, Rodrigo and Maria Sol - it was a shame that she left. Celia knew very well that her children's happiness was hers so she was going to try to get to know Thalia first before judging her.
"Hola, Thalia. It's nice to meet you as well. Please, call me Celia." Celia smiled, shaking Thalia's hand. Jorge moved to shake Thalia's hand as well. He had a big smile on his face and he introduced himself and told Thalia to call him Jorge instead of Mr. Messi.
Lionel's brothers Rodrigo and Matias were going to fly in later in the afternoon and Thalia couldn't help but feel queasy inside.
-
"So, Thalia. Where are you from? Which part of the country?" Celia asked with a smile as she sipped on her water. "I'm from Buenos Aires," Thalia replied with a smile. She was slowly getting pulled out of her comfort zone and she was starting to become more and more comfortable with Lionel's family. Rodrigo, Matias and their families had landed in Rio and met Thalia already and so far everything was fine.
"Do you have any siblings?" Maria Sol asked. "Yes, I do! I have a little brother named Theo. He's playing for Boca Juniors." Thalia beamed proudly, remembering her little brother back home. Maria grinned, "He's into football as well?"
Thalia nodded, "Yep. He's been playing ever since he was around 4. He's really passionate about it." Celia and Jorge smiled when they saw how happy Thalia was when she talked about her brother - she was a family girl. "I remember when Lionel was really young. He was already into football…" Jorge started as he talked about his youngest son.
Thalia giggled as Celia and Jorge shared stories about Leo. He was scouted when he was really young and he spent more time in Barcelona than back home in Rosario so whenever the Messi family met up, they always cherished the time they had together.
Leo smiled as he watched Thalia laughing with his family. Her dimples were indented deep into her cheeks as she laughed at something Maria said to her. Leo felt his heart warm at the sight - he hoped moments like this would keep on happening.
-
"See, they liked you." Leo grinned as he crawled under the blankets. "I was really nervous, though." Thalia chuckled. Lionel had a really nice family and it was amazing getting to know them. Lionel's siblings were hilarious and they all loved sharing embarrassing stories about Leo when he was little. "You don't have to be," Leo smiled, "They love you anyway. And so do I." Leo whispered, pressing his lips to Thalia's cheek before holding her close to him as they both drifted off to sleep.