(A/N: I know they did not really go to Dubaï, but I decided to be a little creative lol.)
The first few days of pre-season camp in Dubai was quite eventful so far, with two training per day, plus a fitness session and early morning run. My legs were on fire, just like my whole body was.
I was rooming with Josie this camp, which was making me very happy: she's been my best friend in the Tottenham team this past year, and I can safely consider her my best friend on the team.
As COVID cases were slowly rising across the planet, we were fortunate enough to leave for this camp, and we were measuring the chance we had quite well, although we had no idea what was about to come over our heads.
Either way, after the team morning run, Josie and I went back to our room to shower one after the other - her going first as always, since she uses much more time than me to have her make up done. This afternoon, as our off-day training-wise, our managers had organised a visit of a part of the city, where the infamous Burj Khalifa, the highest tower in the world, was located. And, I had to admit, the buildings were quite impressive.
Although this trip was going perfectly, I was quite disappointed not to have spent a single moment with Shelina: I mean, I was the one asking her out (in a friendly way) the other time, and it wasn't my turn to ask her to do something, again - otherwise people might think I have a one-sided crush on her.
And maybe it was the case...
As the whole team was in the gigantic Green Planet, an indoor rainforest, I quickly went inside to look around but, not too interested, I just went out of the building, sitting on a bench right outside, rolling my eyes: I just don't get why people would pay to go see an indoor forest and zoos in general.
While I am lost in my thoughts, someone touches my shoulders: I feel a violent shiver down my spine, jumping around, before rolling my eyes in exasperation.
"Gotcha!" Shelina exclaims, amused.
Shaking my head angrily, I sit back down, as she does the same. Her long, blonde hair were brushed away by the wind, while her very clear and intense eyes were trying to get mine's attention.
And she succeeds, while I just sigh.
"This fake forest sucks" I just say in bad faith.
That somehow makes Shelina laugh, as she adds:
"I knew you wouldn't like it, so I went to our managers and asked them if the two of us could do something else while the team was visiting."
"You did ?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.
She nods her head with a bright smile lightening her face and the whole park, it seems.
"Yah" she positively lets out, smirking. As she stares right into my eyes, I feel yet another shiver down my spine, as she joyfully adds, taking sunglasses out of her bag: "You and are are going for an adventure, if you want to of course."
I somehow cannot help but crack a smile in turn because of her infectious positivity.
"Alright, why not?"
We start walking in the beach's direction, talking about everything and nothing at the same time, even leaving room and time for long silences. We would see many different monuments, joke about the amount of money spent by cities in hideous buildings or abstract artwork, even almost walking on one of them.
In a matter of hours, my bad mood turned into the brightest I've had in years.
Realising that I was half-closing my eyes because of the sun, Shelina takes a cap out of her bag, before handing me her sunglasses.
"No, keep 'em, I shouldn't have forgotten mine" I say, setting my jaw.
But she nevertheless insists:
"I've got a cap so I don't need them: just let me..."
With that said, she starts trying to put them on my nose slowly, making sure not to hurt my ears or misplace the eyeglasses stems : in the process, she gets closer to me, and her hands momentarily touch my cheek, as she has a bright smile on her lips. I feel my breath being taken away from my chest, as my eyes look down at her lips for a microsecond, which she seems to notice.
Her alarmed eyes stare right into mine, as she freezes in that position for a minute. Her mouth slightly opens, until I look away and that she takes a step back.
"They suit you better than they suit me: they're yours." Shelina exclaims, blushing a tiny bit.
Frowning - I did not expect what just happened - I just shake my head, saying:
"No, She, you don't have to-"
"Consider this a little souvenir from Dubaï, I insist" she immediately interrupts me, smiling.
Nodding my head, I agree to keep the glasses.
After a moment, as we are walking through a beautiful park in the middle of the city of Dubaï, I see Shelina taking her phone out.
Rolling my eyes again, I just comment:
"Well, is this gonna become a tradition ? 'Cause I hate pictures."
"Oh, but you're gonna love 'em with me, I have faith" Shelina jokes, before taking the shot.
As I get close to her to actually take the picture, her smell invades my nose, which makes my heart jump inside my chest. Her hand was touching my shoulder, leaving me no chance to escape from this.
Goddamn it, just stop imagining things, I order to myself, while Shelina is staring at her screen.
As I am about to look over her shoulder to see the picture we've just taken, she suddenly takes it away. My phone rings as I am about to complain, only until I get the notification: shelinaz mentioned you in their story.
Shaking my head at her, I open the app and click on her story:
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I have, without realising it quite yet, a big smile on my face, which she notices.
"Wow, what an honour to be mentioned in a Canada's women national team player's story: I'll have to repost it." I ironically let out, openly mocking her.
She smirks, before pointing at the picture and saying:
"You gotta admit: we look pretty good."
"It's the glasses, I'm telling ya" I mock her again.
Afterwards, we realise by looking at the time that it was already 7 PM - we were late for team dinner, again.
As we call for a cab, we had the most amazing time and, once we got to the hotel, our managers did not dare to say anything to us, because were were such in a good mood.
As we sit down with our teammates, I could've sworn hearing some girl at the other table saying:
"I've never seen Rosie in such a good mood - Shelina's a wizard."
"Or maybe they're just crushing on each other" another of their teammate whispers.
I freeze: they can't be right, can they...? I ask myself, staring at Shelina from time to time.
