◖SWIM◗ Neymar Jr.

17

Paris, France

It had been a few days after the game in Saudi Arabia. Serafina had gone back to her busy schedule in the clinic and today, it was more hectic than usual. She felt a persistent ache traveling through her body. She had been feeling a little weak since returning from her trip to Riyadh but she had been pushing away those feelings. She was exhausted but she still had a few more patients to go through and it was already 4 in the evening.

One of the patients she attended today was a PSG player who had injured himself in their practice for the upcoming French Cup. They were going hard with their practice to the point that she and Neymar had barely talked the past three days. It might not seem long but it was for Serafina, who had gotten used to him always making time for her. Call her weird or clingy but ever since that drunken night she spent taking care of him, it almost seemed too addicting to have his presence around her.

When they journeyed back to Paris from Riyadh with the club's private jet, he had even dropped her off to her home instead of going back straight to his own house. Her mother had still not arrived home from work and she had invited him into their house. After she prepared a cup of coffee for both of them, they had enjoyed each other's company for a few more hours before Neymar finally headed home. The trip had really brought them closer to each other. Both of them had opened more to each other, Neymar had told her more about his family and about his father- it used to be a sensitive topic for him and he would shy away whenever she or someone else would ask about him.

And she didn't blame him. She understood the pain of living in a family that was falling apart. She remember the constant fear that gripped her heart whenever she went home from school and she could see their house from a distance. The uncomfortable clench in her guts as she questioned whether her mother and step-father would have another round of arguments, insults thrown at each other and the depressing air that loomed over their house in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro.

Serafina had, too open up about her childhood. How her mother and her Spanish biological father had conceived her out of wedlock, how her real father left them and broke all contacts because his family didn't approve of her mother. She narrated her story of living with a step-father from the age of 7 till when she was 12 in a toxic environment. His step-father had lost his job a year after his marriage to her mother because of alcoholism and they had lived on Gloria's monthly paycheck as a physiotherapist at the local government hospital. Her step-father, who used to be a good father figure, gradually peeled his persona and turned more bitter and bitter each day after he was let go from his job.

He blamed Gloria and Serafina for everything that was going wrong and was physically abusive towards Gloria. Though he didn't hurt Serafina as much, the emotional damage he implanted with his words towards her and her mother, and his abusive actions were long lasting.

Serafina had been extremely sensitive about that portion of her life. She rarely opened up about it and only Alexie and her two best friends in Brazil, Cami and Yara knew how it all went down. So, it was a big step for her to provide Neymar with the whole story.

She was a bit worried about how her feelings had taken turn towards Neymar. She knew that it was considered unethical for a doctor to pursue a close personal relationship with their patients.  But the trick is that Neymar was not exactly her patient and more of someone she worked with. Whether it was wrong or right, it was in a grey area.

Serafina shook away her thoughts and focused on the paper she was writing. The injured player she had just treated would need several therapy session if he wanted to play in the match. She had to finished scheduling his sessions and send them to him and Galtier. She quickly glanced at the clock and realised that she only had 10 minutes before the next patient. After quickly finishing up the routine, she greeted the old man who had came for his appointment. She sighed quietly to herself. She felt an aching pressure building up on her nasal and throat area and felt a sick shiver flowing through her body. Was she getting sick? No matter. She still had some more work to do before she could leave. She couldn't wait to go home and fall asleep on her bed.