Guests

El Macho

Waking up in the penthouse I rented in New York is hard for me. My bed feels immense and empty. I need Rick by my side, and this is just the first of many days until we see each other again.

Luckily, I have Kay with me for a few days more. Having her handle my affairs during these first months instead of Denise—my usual agent, who does a great job, by the way, but I needed my friend next to me—makes my return to activity easier. Well, I'm her best client, so she has to pamper me so I don't go with someone else... Just kidding, huh? That will never happen. I think I'd die if I don't have Connor and his team by my side.

"Look what I brought you!" exclaims Kay, appearing at the penthouse door, loaded with a tray of sweets.

"You know I've indulged in all the excesses of this year and the next in Egypt, Azores, and Los Angeles. I shouldn't..."

"Come on! They're Italian with names I can't even pronounce, but they're delicious!"

"Alright! But next time, I'll throw you out the window if you tempt me again."

My issue with excesses is that I have certain high levels in my blood—cholesterol and all that stuff—and I must keep them under control...

"What the hell is he doing on TV?" I ask as soon as I see Gareth being interviewed by Roland Litmanen in a replay of the highlights from his show yesterday.

"Y-You didn't see it?" I look at her with a surprised expression because I don't like her question. "Just mute it then."

"I have to watch it."

"Athena, you don't want to, trust me."

I ignore Kay's advice. If she's warning me, it's because it's serious. And that's exactly why I can't stay on the sidelines and let myself be caught off guard if someone asks me.

"Gareth, I understand what you've been through, and I know it's not easy for you to be on the set and talk about the ordeal of your relationship with Athena Diaz."

"That's right, Roland. Now she wants to blame me for all her problems, but all I did was give her the support she needed."

"Why now, Gareth? What made you break the silence?"

"Because of Anna. She's suffering the consequences of what remained after our relationship and the unorthodox way we started."

"He must be kidding..."

"Athena almost destroyed my career because of her drug addiction. Every time I came back from a match, she would tell me that we had to celebrate the victories or overcome the defeats with a few lines. You understand, right? The life of a footballer requires a lot of physical sacrifice, and we don't just control what we eat or drink—drugs can't be a part of it in any way."

"A-A-All that is a lie, Kay," I say, trembling, and look at her.

"I know, Thee. Please, stop watching."

I couldn't help but continue listening to the lies of that son of a bitch. There's the terrible balance I always talk about. After a blessing, a curse falls. Can't he leave me alone for once? Why does he have to torment me like this?

"I suffer from muscle dysmorphia, Roland. And you know what Athena did? She mocked me and told me that I wasn't remotely muscular enough to measure up to even the weakest players in the championship. It seems she enjoyed seeing me hour after hour in the gym, battling against my health, trying to gain muscle mass that would never appear in my life."

"Did you seek help from psychologists regarding this issue? It's very serious, and if you don't take care of yourself, it could cost you your life."