One Night in Santiago/Football Under Flashing Lights (Neymar Jr. Fan Fiction)

99.

Spotify Playlist (listen in order): https://tinyurl.com/2xcbbx7h

-Katerina POV-

My hands ran cold as soon as he let go of mine. His words felt like a sharp knife twisting into my chest. But I couldn't argue with it. I knew I had no right to. Instead, I watched him walk away and get on the private plane as tears welled up in my eyes. I turned around before a tear fell and tried my hardest to blink them away as I walked toward Javi's g5. He was standing on the steps of the plane and had seen everything. He shifted in front of me and blocked my path to getting on the plane. "Javi, I'm not in the mood for jokes right now," I frowned at him, sniffling and failing to hide the crack in my voice.

He ignored me and put his hands on my shoulders, forcing me to stop avoiding the look he was giving me. "Are you sure about this? I don't want you to get on this plane if you're going to regret it," he frowned.

"Getting on this plane isn't what I'm going to regret," I sighed. What I regretted was not being honest with him. It was no one's fault but my own. I couldn't even admit the feelings I had for Oscar to myself so it was no surprise I couldn't admit them to Neymar but this was the ultimate price. Damon had finally gotten his wish, to ruin my relationship with Neymar and it wasn't even him who was responsible, it was me and my own self-destruction. Javier understood what I meant and looked away like he was contemplating something. "Weren't you just rushing me to get on the plane? Let's go. I'll be fine," I said, nudging him to move. He let out a very unconvinced sigh but nodded and obliged, stepping to the side for me to go into the plane first.

I glanced out the window as the plane started moving toward the runway and I watched Neymar's jet take off in the opposite direction on its way to France. How symbolic. I watched the runway get farther and farther away as we ascended next.

.

"Katerina," I heard my name and felt a tap on my shoulder. I jumped back to the present and out of the endless memory loop I'd been torturing myself with for the last 3 hours since leaving Santiago. I turned my head to see Javier standing there with a mug in his hand, offering it to me. "I said here you go. You're going to be needing this," he said with a half-smile. I grounded myself in the fact that we were all sitting in his living room in his penthouse overlooking the Pacific ocean. It was the view of the waves through the large windows that had captured my attention and initially caused my mind to wander in the first place. It was well after midnight when we'd gotten here and the view of the water, though dark, was iridescent under the full moon.

I drew in a sharp breath silently and unclench the fist I hadn't realized I'd balled in my lap and took the coffee from him. "Sorry. Thanks, Jav. So, why exactly are we in Antofagasta?" I raised an eyebrow, turning my attention back to everyone. Both Oscar and Anada were glued to their laptops. By Javier's sense of urgency, I had no time to dwell on my feelings.

"Life is always less stressful by a beach," Javier answered lightheartedly. He glanced up at me because of my sigh and answered more seriously, "1. my PI is in Antofagasta and 2. I think it's best for us to be as far away from Damon and Clara when we put this plan in motion."

"I'm sure my mom would agree with that first thought," Anada muttered and rolled her eyes.

Javier furrowed his eyebrows at her inquisitively. "I've been meaning to ask what this family drama is?" he wondered aloud.

She sighed and tossed her hair to the side. "In the last couple of months, I found out that, not only was my mom hiding the fact that Katerina and I share a father but, she has been having a secret affair with our father for the last 20 some years, got him out of prison and is currently shacking up with him in our family beach house in Valparaiso. So, on top of all of this bullshit, there's also that bullshit," she groaned.