Home is Where the Heart is - Pablo Gavi

Chapter 27: Too Long

I wake up the next morning with a headache and a sore throat. I groan, I do not have time for this today. I do not have time to feel like shit, my schedule is already full. I stumble over to the bathroom before conquering the outside world and stepping out of my room.

I get to the staircase, about to take a step down them when I hear a knock at the front door. I quickly hide behind the wall beside the staircase, my back hovering against it. I'm not sure who's here, but whoever it is I'd rather them not see me like this; tired and woken up only minutes ago.

I hear Xavi's footsteps headed towards the door and the creek as he opens it. He exchanges a quick greeting with the person before they say, "I brought over Isla's phone, she gave it to me last night to hold." It's not only what he says, but the sound of his voice that makes me recognize him. The person at the front door right now is Gavi.

"Thanks, she'll need it," Xavi says, presumably taking my phone from Gavi's grasp. I don't dare glance around the corner and take the chance of being seen by either of them. "I'll tell her you dropped it off."

A moment of silence takes over and I feel the urge to take a quick peek around the corner. I resist it. "Can I see her?" Gavi asks. My back makes contact with the wall behind me; his voice sounds so pained. It hurts that I've caused that.

"I'm sorry son," Xavi says, "I don't think that's a good idea." Another silence ensues before the door opens again and Xavi says, "I'll see you at training this afternoon."

I'm guessing Gavi nods in reply because there are no more audible voices before the door is closed firmly. I hear Xavi sigh and his footsteps retreating to the kitchen. I wait a minute to catch my breath before hopping down the stairs, trying to act like I'm in a good mood. "Hey tio," I say as I get to the kitchen.

He looks up from his phone. "Hello sobrina." He glances at the main door and then back at me. "Here's your phone, Gavi dropped it off a couple of hours ago."

I don't challenge his lie. "Thanks, I hope you thanked him for me, I'll need it to go pick up Alana and Evie from the airport."

"Thank him yourself," Xavi says, not unkindly, "at the training session this afternoon. You are still coming to that aren't you?"

"Yeah, remember I asked if I could bring A and E to watch in the stands?"

"I remember." Xavi isn't exactly giving me attitude, but something is off with him and I can only assume it is because he has registered there is some sort of barrier in between Gavi and I right now.

Feeling judged, I head back up to my room and decide I'll find something to eat either after he leaves for work or I'll pick something up on my way to the airport. I have approximately an hour before I am required to leave and since Alana and Evie are on a plane and Gavi and I are... taking time to ourselves, I don't have anyone to talk to. I throw on an old Barca game on my phone while I tidy my room before getting ready to see my bestfriends again.

I'm at the airport waiting in the section I believe my friends are meeting me in. I grabbed Subway on my drive over because I've been craving it ever since I debated getting it yesterday. I ate it in my car before coming inside, knowing I have plenty of time. I tend to stress over being late to things, so I leave excessively early.

Now, they should be coming out of the gates at any second.

"Isla!" someone screams from behind me. I turn around as Evie and Alana crash into me.

"Guys!" I exclaim, wrapping my arms around both of them.

"It has been too long!" Evie yells, squeezing me way too tight. I'm sure everyone in our vicinity is looking at us weird but I don't really care. I'm glad to have something normal in a confusing time.