Off the Deep End (Cristiano Ronaldo / Lionel Messi)

Chapter 19: Secrets Revealed

Wednesday 22nd April 2015

The rising sun colored the grass of the pitch in bright pink and golden hues, making it look like a scenery of a fairy tale. It was early in the morning at Ciutat Esportiva and Leo was sitting alone on the pitch next to a football. After a while, he stood up and started to juggle it, then let it fall to the ground, kicked it a little and sent it flying toward the goal, trying to hit the crossbar with it. A loud clang told him his attempt was successful, even though he was no longer looking at it.

He spotted another ball nearby, close to the sideline, and flicked it up with his left foot into his hands. Then he walked to the same spot, where he had been sitting earlier and put it on the ground in front of him, took a few steps back and tried to aim for the crossbar again. This time, however, it went slightly over the bar and he frowned, before starting to search for a new ball.

Leo had lost the track of time already. It didn't matter really, because he just wanted to forget about everything about the world outside the training ground. The leathery round object in his feet was the greatest consolation and joy he knew and all he needed to be happy, although – he had to admit – happiness wasn't really his predominant feeling right now.

Just when he was positioning a new ball for another attempt, he heard a door open in the distance and a voice calling his name.

"What the heck... Leo!" Luis exclaimed with his raspy morning voice, standing in the doorway in sweatpants, holding a gourd of mate in one hand and a thermos in another. "How long have you been here already? Come, take a break and let's drink some mate, boludo."

Leo obeyed a little bit reluctantly and the two Sudamericanos sat down next to each other on a wooden bench by the wall.

"The kids were going bonkers this morning, I barely escaped", Luis joked, pouring hot water into the gourd. "Benjamin was up all night long after I came home. Sofia had just managed to make him sleep and I tried to be quiet, but he has a sixth sense or something and was back awake after I got just one foot inside, 'papi, papi, papi is home!' You should have seen Sofia's face, she almost whacked me with a pan."

Leo chuckled dryly and thanked, when Luis offered him the cup.

"Do you usually get as warm of a welcome from her?"

"No, usually her choice of weapon is a sock. Speaking of which: look, what I found!"

Luis lifted his pant leg to show possibly the ugliest pair of socks Leo had ever seen: they were yellow and green striped and adorned with horrible-looking clown faces.

"Dios mio, gordo, they look absolutely disgusting. Well done."

"Thanks", Luis said proudly and took another sip of mate. Then he wiped his mouth with his sleeve and took a better look at Leo's weary appearance.

"You don't seem to have slept all that well either. When did you come here?"

"At four", Leo replied, not really willing to answer the question.

"At four??? Are you crazy??? And here I was thinking I'm the early bird. Have you slept at all after the game?"

Leo shook his head, resting his forehead against his hand and stared blankly in front of him, suddenly feeling like his eyelids weighted a ton. Luis studied his wrinkly clothes and the dark circles under his eyes with concern.

"Leo, what's wrong?" he asked and put a hand on his shoulder. "You look like shit. Is it Anto again?"

Leo started to rub the back of his neck with his right hand, still staring to the ground. Then he sighed heavily, leant his elbows on his knees and cupped his face with his hands.