I've Got A Secret, Please Don't Repeat It

Rebecca couldn’t believe she had to stoop this low. After she quit, Kevin called every single physiotherapy clinic in Madrid. Talk about a downer. Rebecca was losing hope as she walked around Madrid handing out her resume to every business, knowing that her degree in kinesiology wouldn’t help. She could feel the tears brimming at the corners of her sad brown eyes. She walked aimlessly, until she found herself on the ground, with her resumes flying in the air.

She mumbled “sorry” to the unknown stranger she collided with, as she looked to see an elderly man in the same position as herself. Rebecca couldn’t believe her eyes, in front of her sat Luis Aragonés. She immediately went over to Luis to help him up.

“Oh! I’m so sorry Mr. Aragonés. Are you alright?” Rebecca said profusely.

“I’m alright, but are you alright?” Luis questioned politely.

Rebecca now noticed the tears running down her cheeks, wiping them away quickly she answered, “I’m fine. I’ve just had a bad couple days.”

Rebecca turned to pick up her resumes and continue on her way, not wanting to disrupt Luis Aragonés’ day even more. Until she heard the quiet man ask her, “Would you like to join me for lunch? I was just on my way to El Flamenco Rosa.”

Rebecca accepted, not knowing this man was part of her past and that he would help shape her future.

Luis and Rebecca spent close to two hours talking and eating, as if they were friends from the past. But in reality, they were; only the wise man knew this.

Lunch was coming to a close when Luis asked a surprising question, “Why were you handing out resumes, you seem like a qualified girl?”

Rebecca didn’t know how to answer at first, should she tell this complete stranger of her past sexual abuse? Or tell a white lie to save his pity?

“I was unhappy with my last position and I knew I could work in more qualified and professional areas, so I resigned,” Rebecca replied politely, knowing full well that was a big fat lie.

Luis nodded at her answer, reaching for resume to have a look. Rebecca looked on in wonder, wishing she could hear his thoughts as Luis mumbled to himself.

“I might have a position for you with my football team,” Luis said after a long awaited silence.

Rebecca sat there, with her mouth hanging open.

“Trying to catch flies mi queridoi?” Luis chuckled.

“No, I’m just dumbfounded. You’ve only known me for a couple hours and you’re already offering me a job,” Rebecca replied quietly.

“The time we have known each other has nothing to do with it, even though I feel like I’ve known you for a long time,” Luis said with a wink. “You’re quite qualified to come and work with the La Selección.”

Rebecca smiled at Luis’ response and then thought for a moment. Work with soccer players? Or work in a place that would be torture everyday? She turned to Luis and nodded, “I’ll take the job.”

“Great! I’m heading to the complex right now, care to join me Miss Cortez?” Luis asked with a large smile plastered on his face.

“You mean the Santiago Bernabéu?” Rebecca asked with wide eyes.

“That exact one. You have to meet the boys before we leave for Austria,” Luis said with a twinkle in his eye.

Rebecca couldn’t believe that this was happening, so much that she was in a daze. She didn’t remember the taxi ride over to the stadium, her photo being taken for her access card. Even the tour Luis was giving her of the grand stadium. It wasn’t until they were in front of a small office, when Rebecca realized where she was.

“And this will be your office until we leave for the tournament,” Luis said with a smile.

Rebecca couldn’t believe her eyes, then she stammered, “Th..this is for me? I really don’t need an office, I can just work right on the field.”

Luis laughed at her response, “But mi querido, you’ll need a desk to conduct your interviews.”

“Interviews?” Rebecca replied with a confused look drawn on her face.

“You don’t expect to treat clients that you’ve never met before?”

“Well, I suppose I should meet the team.”

“Very well, I’ll send in the boys in.”

Rebecca sat down at her temporary desk, pulled out her laptop and created a new file to store her new clients’ information.

Name:
Birthday:
Previous Injuries:
Position:
Club:

The players came in one by one, Rebecca was amazed but professional at the same time as she asked the same questions over and over again.

“Name…birthday…any previous injuries?...what position do you play?...what club do you play for?”

She met Iker Casillas (the captian), David Silva (the lefty), David Villa (who sent shivers down her spine like Kevin did), Carles Puyol (the caveman), Cesc Fabregas (the charmer) and many more. Rebecca was slowly losing energy as the day wore on. She heard a cough from the door and looked up to see someone she hadn’t seen in a very long time.

“Rammy?”

“The one and only,” replied Sergio Ramos with a huge smile plastered on his face.

“Rammy!” squealed Rebecca, jumping out of her chair and into Sergio’s arms.

The pair sat down and Rebecca continued her interview with her long lost friend. Rebecca had spent the summers in Spain, to not only learn the language but spend time in the country that her mother had grown up in. All of the Spanish kids made fun of the girl with the funny accent; Sergio was the only one to befriend Rebecca.

“Do you have any previous injuries?” Rebecca inquired.

“Oh, well. I’ve been getting a lot of action lately, if you know what I mean,” Sergio replied with a smirk on his face.

“Okay, I know for a fact that’s a lie,” Rebecca quickly countered, easily knowing that Sergio was lying.

“It’s been awhile since I last saw you.” Sergio replied quietly.

“I know,” Rebecca said with remorse in her voice. “We both had our careers ahead of us, it killed me every summer that I didn’t come back.”

Rebecca reached for Sergio’s hand, wanting to reconnect with the boy that made her feel the same way that Rafa did. The two sat there for a couple minutes, just looking at each, holding hands.

“Sorry to interrupt your love-fest, but I think my interview is next,” a voice said from the doorway.

Rebecca and Sergio jumped apart. Rebecca, startled as she was, said in the bitchiest tone ever, “Well why don’t we get started then? Right after I get Sergio’s number.” A smirk crept across both their faces.

“Oh, don’t wait on me. You’ve only been sitting there making eyes at each other for the last 5 minutes,” the mystery boy said.

After exchanging numbers, Rebecca gestured to the chair and the mystery boy sat down.

In a lazy voice, Rebecca asked, “Name?”

“Fernando, Fernando Torres.”

Crap.