Fever Dream ~ Neymar Jr

Chapter 29

2017

I spent the rest of the evening with Neymar and his dad and Davi, and we spoke more about what me having Neymar Senior as an agent would look like. For one, we'd meet at Camp De Loges on Monday morning to have a meeting with the deputy general manager. Neymar Sr had told me to send the email requesting that meeting but not to mention him, so it would be a little bit like an ambush.

I also had a chance to spend some more time with Davi again, which made me realize how much I had missed him. We played games and painted together and by the end of the night, my hands and arms were covered in watercolor flowers that David painted. Even Neymar caved when Davi insisted and he got one, which Davi told me to paint on his hand.

And I also stayed for dinner with them, just the four of us. It felt surreal. At moments during dinner I felt so happy, forgetting all that had transpired and almost being transported back to two years ago. I had a great time, which was made bittersweet because it stung to be reminded how beautiful life could have turned out to be if...

"Your Portuguese really is a lot better than I remember." Neymar told me, waking me up from my day dream. It was almost midnight when Neymar put his foot down and ordered Davi to go to bed. Davi refused and pleaded for a good 10 minutes before his grandpa took him by the hand and they walked upstairs. At that point I said that I should go and took out my phone to call a cab but Neymar offered to drive me home.

"Well... there's actually an explanation for that." I told him.

"Has David taught you?" Neymar asked.

"No... I took some classes. Before."

"Before?"

"When I was in Barcelona with you."

He glanced at me briefly and then looked back to the road. "I didn't know that."

"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise. I wanted to be able to speak your language too. So that you wouldn't be the only one always speaking in another language. I was going to surprise you, for your birthday. Before... you know." The breakup.

"How were you going to surprise me?" He asked me.

"It's stupid really. Forget I said anything."

"No, I want to know." He insisted.

"Do you remember that book you gave me? That we found in that antique shop in Brazil?" I asked him. I saw realization hit him. Did he remember that I never gave that back to him, when I shipped all of his other presents to Barcelona after the breakup?

"Yes. It was a poetry book, wasn't it?" He asked as we reached my apartment and he parked the car.

"Vinicius de Moraes. It was a first edition in Portuguese. I... well I learned one of the poems. I was going to recite it to you, on your birthday. I am cringing hard now, just thinking about it."

"You were?" He said, turning to look at me again. "That's not cringy, it's...amazing. I always felt that every gift I ever gave you, it failed in comparison to yours. They were always so well thought out and meaningful."

I looked at him surprised. "It's strange to hear that. I thought my gifts couldn't compare. For the record, I loved each gift you ever gave me. Anyway... I should go. Thank you so much for today. For your dad and... and for inviting me to your house. I know it was to see Davi, which I really, really appreciate."

"He wanted to see you too. He's asked many times." Neymar said, reaching for my hand. He took it in his and looked at the flowers that Davi had painted. "He has seen all your games on TV but wants to come to one too."