Las Estrellas (Alexia Putellas x OC)

The Best Night

January 17th, 2022, Barcelona

I am at Alba's with Mapi and Eli, we are waiting for the "The Best" ceremony to happen. Alba invited us over because we weren't allowed to go with Jennifer and Alexia. Alba is cooking tonight, and I can tell Mapi is getting excited about it.

"You'll see, if there is one thing Alexia is never going to beat her sister at, it's cooking." Mapi chuckles next to me.

"Well, Ale isn't big on cooking, but when she wants to impress me, she has her ways." I wink at my friend.

"They both learned from me, nothing bad can come from their cooking." Eli proudly smiles and turns on the TV.

We watch Christine Sinclair receiving her special award for her career and her goal record, she is truly a legend, and it is very deserved. I remember how Amandine Henry used to talk about her, and it's one of players I wish I could have played with.

Then, Christiane Endler wins the best goalkeeper award, pretty fair too. We don't care much about the men's trophies as we are discussing football thing with Mapi. Eli is surprisingly interesting in our talks while Alba is nervously playing with her fork.

"What are you stressing about?" I wonder.

"Do you think she is going to win?" Alba asks with worry all over her face.

"Of course, she will." I nod reassuringly. "She is the best player in the World, no one can deny that."

"She is right." Mapi agrees. "Not even Jenni and her sixty goals can compete with her."

"What about that Sam Kerr girl?" Eli frowns.

"I love Sam, she is my friend." I start. "But she can't compete, Ale is way over the World this year."

"We'll see that..." Alba whispers. "Oh, see, we can't be sure anymore!" She points at the TV.

"Wait, what???" Mapi almost chokes up. "Luis doesn't win the best manager trophy?? But he won everything and outclassed Emma during the Champions League Final."

"He is not a woman..." I sigh. "I guess football won't be the only thing to take in consideration tonight..."

We wait patiently for the Best XI to be named, the more the names appear on the screen, the more I see Mapi getting mad. Not a single player of Barcelona has been named in the team. I smile seeing Estefania has been named, even if I haven't thought she'll be in there, I'm glad she has some recognition. I've been playing with her for two years in Levante, and she was absolutely amazing.

"They have to be kidding me!" Mapi growls. "Llyod and Morgan is the best team? They didn't even play a major competition this year, how can they be here?"

"Wasn't Lucy Bronze injured for six months?" Alba wonders trying to recognize players.

"Yeah... sometimes I don't understand why they are doing those award things if they aren't going to highlight people who truly deserved it..." I admit.

"I hope Ale is going to win, or else I'll be going to the FIFA HQ myself." Mapi is dangerously mad.

"What if it's Jenni?" Eli laughs.

"Can work too." Mapi calms down a bit.

"Ugh..." Alba sighs and puts her head on my shoulder. "I hate waiting..."

"It's going to be alright..." I say as the Best Men XI appears on the screen. "What is that? This thing is a joke... And to say I thought they weren't watching women football... they aren't watching football at all..."

"Ale is going to be furious after that, you will have something to talk about when you go home." Alba chuckles.

"This is actually the moment when I'm glad we don't share an apartment already." I chuckle. "If I feel she is going to be too mad, I can leave and sleep at my place."

"She is really hard to calm, right?" Eli laughs. "You should take Nala with you... this poor dog has to stand that all night long..."

"What do you think about that, Nala?" I ask to the happy dog running to the couch and sitting on my lap. "Are we letting Mommy all alone tonight, so she won't get mad at us because some people don't know a thing about football?"

Nala barks happily looking at me and licking my face. This makes Alba laugh as she is recording with her phone.

"Ale is going to be jealous." Mapi tells the dog. "No one can touch Vic like this."

"Guys, look it's time." Eli gets our attention. "Alba, film." She commands.

"And it's time to announce again who is, or was, the best player of the year." Gianni Infantino smiles to the camera. "And the winner of the Best player 2021 is..."

"Say Alexia, say Alexia..." Alba whispers next to me.

"Alexia Putellas...." He finally announces and we all jump in the living room making Nala run away.

"She did it!!!!" Alba hugs me hard, and we are joined by Eli and Mapi.

We are all tearing up a bit as we see Alexia appearing on the screen. She looks beautiful with that outfit on, even if it's a bit short but well, I won't mind that tonight... We listen to her as she is answering the question from the two FIFA hosts.

"Is she ever going to speak English with them?" Mapi wonders.

"Definitely not..." Alba chuckles. "She doesn't trust her English enough."

"I can help her with that, if she needs to." I offer and Eli smiles.

"It could be good."

We turn off the TV after Alexia disappears from the screen, and we put on the Barça Channel as they are going to interview Jennifer and Alexia. We watch that but quickly we just start to talk about anything. Nala comes back to me, we cuddle on the couch, and the little dog falls asleep in my arms.

We keep talking for a while before we hear the door opening. Alba goes to the door and soon enough, she comes back with Alexia. I look at her and she seems absolutely tired. A smile appears on her face when she sees Nala in my arms.

"Exactly what I needed to come home to." She hugs her mother and Mapi before joining me on the couch. "Hola, baby." She says looking at Nala.

"Almost thought you were talking to me..." I roll my eyes playfully and she chuckles.

"Hola, amor de mi vida." She smiles even more and kisses me lovingly.

"So much better." I smile against her lips. "I'm proud of you, babe, you deserved it."

"Thank you, love." She hugs me and rests her head on my chest. "I'm mad though."

"Oh no, Ale." Eli points at her. "Not tonight. You'll be mad another day. Or else Nala and Victoria are staying here for the night."

"Eh..." Alexia pouts. "They are coming home with me." She looks at me sadly. "Right?"

"Only if we don't talk about that Best XI thing." I chuckle and she nods.

"I promise." She chuckles and Nala barks agreeingly.

We go home and celebrate her as we should, letting Nala all alone in the living room. Best night with the best player of the year. How lucky...