score - Pablo Gavi

chapter 8

GAVIS POV:

I lied. I had nowhere to go after I dropped her off, I just didn't want anything bad or awkward to happen. I didn't want to kiss her too hard, or her to tell me she didn't like me. I didn't want anything to go wrong. I don't want anything to go wrong. I like her. I like the way she makes jokes, and the fact that she goes places with me. I think I might love her.

After she got out of the car I waited for her to get in the building, then drove down the street and back. I parked in the parking garage, then went up to my apartment. I hate elevators. They make me feel trapped. Once I got inside, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, I couldn't move. I just stood there. Eventually, I started breathing heavily. I rushed over to the kitchen sink and splashed water on my face. I'm fine, I'm fine, you're fine, Gavi, just breathe.

CLEO'S POV:

I woke up at about 7:20, I had to be over to the fields at 7:40. I got dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a white crewneck. I brushed my teeth, fixed up my hair, and put on deodorant. I had a little extra time today, so I made a piece of toast. While the bread was toasting, I couldn't stop thinking about Gavi. He made me glad I decided to come to Barcelona, but I still felt... out of place.

I ate my toast quickly, put my plate in the sink, then walked over. Today I was just watching the boys A team again, I was supposed to tour La Masia, but there was an event there, so I'll be doing that tomorrow.

I headed over to the field they were practicing on this morning. I didn't have a chair set up, so I just stood over in the corner. I watched as the boys stretched, I didn't see Gavi, though. I didn't worry though, because practice didn't start for another five minutes, maybe he was just running late.

I was wrong. 10 minutes into practice he wasn't there. Then 30, then an hour, then 2, then 3, then the whole practice. I tried to write things down this time, anything Xavi or the players said or did that could make a difference, and I got a few good things down, but I was so hyper fixated on Gavi the whole time. Was he ok? Was it something I did? I couldn't have been, could it?

Once practice was over I called Gavi. No answer. I called twice more, and no answer. I texted him like 4 times and it stayed on deliver. Something was wrong. I wasn't exactly sure which apartment was his, so I found Lewandowski on the field after practice.

"Hey, Robert, this might sound weird but its really important. Which apartment is Gavi's?" I asked him. He looked confused, and I would too, but I just wish he would understand.

"Why?" He asked just like I knew he would.

"I'll try and explain it as best I can, but last night we went somewhere. The night went great, and I had good time, and I thought he did too. He dropped me off because he said he had somewhere to go, but he didn't, I saw him come back in like five minutes later, and then he wasn't at practice and I just really need to make sure he's ok, I called him like three times and I got no answer."

"Fine, fourth floor, eighth room. You can't tell anyone, I'm serious," He said.

"Thank you so much," I said, running towards the apartments. I practically flew up the stairs to his apartment. I knocked on the door like 20 times and got no answer.

"Gavi?" I called out. No response. I called him again, but it just rang through. In a panic, I checked under the mat for a key, and by the grace of God, there was one. I knocked one more time, and after I didn't get a response, I went in.

"Gavi?" I called out. I turned to the side to see Gavi passed out on his couch, "fuck."

I ran over to him and shook his shoulders.

"Gavi!"

"Cleo?" He mumbled, slightly opening his eyes, "Cleo what are you doing?"

"What am I doing? Gavi, it's noon. What happened last night?" I asked. He quickly sat up and a panicked expression grew on his face.

"Actually?" I nodded, "shit, I'm in so much trouble!"

"Gavi, calm down. Please tell me what happened last night."

"I- Well after- I'm- Sometimes- I- I- I- I had a panic attack," He muttered out, "and then I didn't know what to do, so I started- I- I drank a little too much," He said, looking down at an empty bottle of liquor on the floor.

"Shit, Gavi, are you ok?" I asked, pulling him into a hug. He didn't say anything, he just hurried my head into my shoulder, then started to cry.

"No," he cried out. I ran my fingers through his hair.

"It's ok, Gavi. It's ok now. You're not going to the afternoon practice, I'll cover for you." I said.

"Please don't leave me, Cleo, not till the afternoon practice."

"Ok," I said. We spent the next three hours just laying there. My head lay on his chest. Neither of us really spoke, we just stayed there like statues. It felt so alien, I was worried about him.

"Gavi," I at up, "I have to go. Please call Pedri, he was worried about you, too." He agreed, and I went over the the fields.

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"Has anyone seen Gavi?" Xavi asked. That's my que.

"Hi, excuse me sir, I saw Gavi this morning, he really wasn't feeling well. He looked very pale and sick." I said. I thought I sold it pretty well.

"Is that so?" He asked. I nodded. "Listen, I don't know who you think you are, but you need to stop interfering with my players. You've seen enough of the teams to write a novel. I want you to leave, and please don't come back. Write this article somewhere else."

I froze. That wasn't what I expected. I didn't know what to say, or do, so I just turned around and walked away. I could feel the gasps of the players deep in my soul. I wanted to hit him. I wanted to yell at him for embarrassing me like that. But I couldn't. All I could do was walk away.