Off the Deep End (Cristiano Ronaldo / Lionel Messi)

Chapter 20: Bad for Stomach

Later that day

Leo checked his watch. It was twenty past four already. He was growing impatient and increasingly uncomfortable being in public again, even though the place he and Sergio had chosen for this meeting - a secluded café located at the outskirts of the city - was probably one of the least public public places one could find and he was again wearing the disguise he had used last night. The cafeteria had a beautiful, big garden and Leo had found a table a little further from the others under a big tree and surrounded by several flowerpots.

After he left home he had first texted Neymar, asking for him if he could stay with him for a couple of days. Then he had contacted Sergio and asked, whether he was still in Barcelona. Sergio had been overjoyed by his reply and they had agreed to meet him at four in this café Leo couldn't even anymore remember the name of. But - to his annoyance - punctuality apparently wasn't the Spaniard's strong suit.

After another five minutes or so Leo finally saw a new customer appear to the almost empty garden and looked up. First, he saw only the back of a dark-haired young man wearing a black t-shirt and ripped jeans as the man was still talking to the owner of the place, but then he turned around and began to look around, clearly searching for something, and Leo recognized him immediately. It felt like a stone had dropped into his stomach.

'It's now or never', he encouraged himself and as discreetly as he could, waved at the coal-haired man, his heart pounding in his throat.

It didn't Sergio long to catch him waving and with long strides he walked up to Leo's table and stopped next to the chair opposite to him, scrutinizing him. He glanced around in a surreptitious manner and when he was sure no one was listening he asked in a low voice:

"Are you FOOTBALLFAN87? Miguel?"

"Yes and... yes", Leo replied nervously, picking his nose with his thumbnail, not able to look the man in the eyes despite wearing very dark shades.

"Damn, you look quite different from what I thought", Sergio said, gave a little laughter and his demeanor relaxed visibly. He pulled the chair out and took a seat across from Leo. "Don't get me wrong, I don't mean it in a bad way, but for some reason I imagined you wouldn't be blonde and have a beard... Nevermind, that's not important, I'm sorry that I'm late, I took the wrong bus! I almost ended up in Mataró."

"Don't worry, it's okay", Leo reassured, chuckling internally at the chaotic babbling of the other man. "It's nice to meet you. Are you going back to Madrid today or when?"

"Sí, later today, the flight leaves around midnight or so. I actually postponed it for you", Sergio smiled broadly. "To be able to meet you face to face."

Leo's eyebrows shot up at this.

"You did? That's very kind of you, but you didn't have to do that."

"Naaaah, it was not a big deal, I could change it free of charge as long as it was the same day. Oh, thank you!" Sergio said to the waiter, who brought his tea and a new glass of coke for Leo. "You really like that stuff, no?" he asked, tipping his head at Leo's drink.

"Yeah I do. I shouldn't be drinking it too much, though, it isn't good for my stomach."

"Living on the edge, huh?" Sergio joked and winked at him. "So, what's up, how was your business trip? It's so weird talking to you like this, by the way. When did we start to chat, around February or something?"

"Something like that, yes. The trip was good, but I arrived a little bit earlier than I thought", Leo said vaguely. "How about you, how have your trip to Barcelona been so far, seen anything special?"

Sergio stared at him like he had lost his mind and for a second Leo thought he had screwed it up. But then Sergio just burst out into laughter and stretched up his arms.