Judge My Skills, Not Me

Chapter 16: Very Shakespearean

La Ciruela by Nico Play & Algo Contigo by Rita Payes and Elisabeth Roma

"What does it even taste like?" Cristina asked as Leo and she entered the training facility. 

"Like a tea with bitter herbs," Leo said holding his mate in his hand. "Wait, you're Argentinian, how could you not have tasted mate before?" 

"My dad is more of a coffee kind of guy. He might be the most Argentinian guy in the world, but with coffee, he's a pure American black coffee type of guy," Cristina said shrugging it off.

After the celebrations of Cristina's first goals for Barcelona, everyone woke up hungover and exhausted scattered in Neymar's house. The 'almost-kiss' threw Cristina into an emotional rollercoaster that she did not want to unpack right then and there, so she did what any normal person would do in her situation. Get wasted and hope that she doesn't word vomit, or actually vomit, all her feeling to Leo. She woke up in one of Ney's guestrooms with a killer headache and no memory of how she got there. The only clue she had of what happened was a note left on the bedside table with apple juice, toast, and a bottle of ibuprofen. 

Hope you didn't die after last night. If you didn't, make sure you eat before you take the medicine. Got you apple juice because I know how much you despise orange juice in the morning. Ney's bathroom should have extra toothbrushes for you. 

- L

Cristina smiled to herself as she walked over to the bathroom, making sure not to step on Ney laying in the hallway cuddling a pillow with a blanket draped on him with a note from Leo next to him. 

Don't choke on your vomit.

- Leo

Cristina laughed which made Ney turn over and hit her with the pillow in his hands. They didn't see each other until the next training session which Luis Enrique gratefully made it Wednesday instead of the regular Monday. When Cristina drove in to park she saw Leo leaning on his car waiting for her. "Saved you the best spot," Leo said as she parked next to him. None of them acknowledged the emotional tension between each other, but it was there. Every once in a while, their hands would brush each other's and they'd try to hide their blushing like two teenagers. 

"I don't know, I might have to take your Argentian citizenship if you've never tried it," he said putting the cup up to her face. A smile crept onto Cristina's face as she accepted la guampa and sipped from the bombilla. "Soo, what do you think?" 

"It's not as bad as I thought," Cristina said as Leo pour more hot water into the guampa. "I actually think my mom used to make something similar when I was a kid and we went to Argentina for the summer."

"See, the power of el mate," Leo said holding the door open for her as they walked passed the entrance to the locker rooms.

"Lionel, can I have a word with you in my office?" Joseph said coming out of nowhere. 

"Sure," Leo said following him into the offices, "See you in a bit. Can you please take my bag and tell Ney not to go through my stuff until I get there?" 

Cristina laughed as she took his training bag, "Can't make promises on his behalf." 

___________________________________

Cristina entered the locker room and luckily no one was in there. She wasn't embarrassed about being in there while the guys were changing. It was just that Ney and Luis would try to make a scene about it and act as if they'd never seen her in the locker room before. Everyone would join in on their joke and throw towels on her until she left. She dropped Leo's bag in his locker area and made her way to the door when Luis Enrique walked in. "Hey, coach. How was your long break?"