Las Estrellas (Alexia Putellas x OC)

COVID Free

January 10th, 2022, Barcelona

Alexia's POV

            Today is the day, I'm finally back at training, it's been the longest week of my life. I was doing nothing in my house, seeing my friends playing and having fun without me. Moreover, Vic couldn't spend time with me, so it was just Nala and me. Don't get me wrong, I love my dog, but I wish I could have seen other people.

            We are training with Ana and Jennifer today as we are only coming back for the first time. We are working on some technical things just to be sure we don't suffer from any COVID aftermaths. On the other side of the pitch, the girls are doing some 5 vs 5 with goalkeepers and it is getting very competitive. Yet, one team seems to be better as they are winning. Sandra is in goal, Leila and Irene are at the back with Patri in the middle, Victoria and Caro in front.

            I watch Victoria playing and it feels like she is already better than when I played with her in the Spain National Team. She thinks fast, she uses her speed when she needs it, she is strong offensively and defensively, she gets along very well with Patri and Caro, it is almost as if she has been playing with them her entire life.

            At some point, she is pressing high with Caro, and she manages to get the ball from Jana's feet, she dribbles Gemma beautifully before giving the ball to Caro in a stylish way. Caro easily finishes the play and their team cheer loudly.

"She is getting better every day, isn't she?" Jenni looks at her like a proud mom.

"It's impressive how quick she adapted to the team." Ana agrees.

"I can't wait to see how we will be able to play together." I state.

"Go for it, Vic!" We hear Patri shouting.

            Victoria pushes the ball a bit in front of her and shoots the ball powerfully right in the top corner, letting her opponents agape.

"Can someone stop that girl, please?" Marta jokes around tiredly. "She is going to kill us one day."

"I'll save that for our opponents, don't worry." Vic smiles and quickly taps Marta's shoulder.

            They keep playing for a bit before turning the game into an 8 vs 8 with players on the side able to participate too. Victoria's team is lining up like this; Sandra in goals, Irene and Jana in central defense, Leila on the left, Caro on the right, Patri as a defensive midfielder, Victoria as an offensive midfielder and Asisat and Lieke as forwards.

            At first, it is really fair, both teams create chances and develop a good play. But as the time passes, Victoria's team starts to be better and better, it's almost clinical, Jana manages to find some amazing passes between the lines finding Vic and Patri every time, those two are doing an amazing job at destroying the other team midfield, they are always in movement, trying to play for one another, using cleverly their teammates on the sides and forward.

            I look at Johnathan and he seems really happy with what the girls are doing, he doesn't want to stop the game.

"He is going to have some hard choices to do." Ana whispers while putting her elbow on Jenni's shoulder.

"Thankfully we will have enough games to all play a lot of minutes." Jenni chuckles.

"We need to get back asap, or else we are dead." I sigh seeing how good the team can be without me.

"You're dead." Jenni laughs and I hit her.

"Relax, Ale, you're still our best player." Ana joins the laugh.

            They keep teasing me a bit and then, we start to laugh again, and we take some pictures all together. We end the training before the others and go to the shower. Once I am done, I decide to wait for Victoria in front of the training center. While I'm waiting, my phone rings and my mother's picture appears on the screen.

"Hey, mama." I smile.

"Hello, mija." She smiles back. "How are you?"

"Great, I've just finished my training, it's good to be back."

"I can only imagine!" She chuckles. "Now that you are COVID free, you have to come dinner with Victoria, your sister is bringing María tonight, I want you to be there too."

"Are you sure about that?" I try to escape.

"Alexia, you are not getting away from that, we agreed on that in Dubai, I want to meet my daughters' girlfriends officially and we will have dinner all together."

"Sure, mom." I fake a smile. "I'll ask Vic about it."

"I asked Alba to do it already." My mom winks at me. "And Victoria said yes."

"Really?" I roll my eyes. "Why did you do that?"

"So, you won't run away from it." She points at me. "I see you tonight, with a beautiful smile on your face."

"You're lucky I love you, mom." I sigh but agree anyway.

"See you. I love you too, baby." She smiles and hangs up.

"I guess we have no choice then." I hear Victoria's voice behind me. "Are you ready for it?"

"Can I die quickly, or do I have to really do that?" I sigh loudly and Victoria walks to me putting her bag on the floor carefully.

"What's wrong with that family dinner?" She carefully wraps her arms around my neck, and I put my hands on her hips.

"I have never officially brought someone home and Alba is bringing María, which is going to make my overprotective sister side show, and I don't want to get mad at her." I explain.

"I thought you were good with them being together?" She wonders with a frown.

"I am, it's just... it's getting real now, she is going to meet our mother, she needs to understand what it means, she can't mess up now, there is no coming back from that."

"Oh..." Victoria is to tense a bit. "I feel suddenly very pressured too..."

"It's not..." I start but she cuts me.

"Yes, it is the same, Ale..." She sends me a small smile.

"You're not María." I dismiss.

"But I am your girlfriend, and I know for sure that I can't mess up either. It'll break your heart, which will break your mom's heart and your sister's heart too, which will make me a dead girl, just like Mapi." She chuckles nervously.

"Damn..." I sigh. "I really don't want to go."

"Or you can try to relax and not to make it look like the most important deal ever." Victoria pecks my lips quickly. "It is going to be fine."

"Who are you trying to convince?" I chuckle at her stressed face.

"Both of us." She laughs and it makes my heart melt.

"It's going to be fine." I state and kiss her. "Let's face this thing."