serendipity ≫ mario götze

026

"You know, it surprises me how romantic you are when you're not around other people and just with me," I say to Mario. He looks up from his plate and smiles.

"Why would that surprise you?" he asks and he stuffs a piece of meat in his mouth.

"Well it doesn't quite surprise me, but you know, I know you are romantic and you have been back when we were in Germany, but ever since I arrived in Brazil, I have been feeling rather alone and not quite as comfortable as I had hoped I would," I say, "And I think I really needed this date kind of thing."

"I know," Mario says and he waits a minute and then starts to giggle, "It's less than a week until the final and after that we'll go back, whether we won or not."

"Why are you laughing?" I raise an eyebrow.

"I'm not," he grins, "But you're right, I really do want you to come on holiday with me." I was surprised by him saying that. We had been dating for about 2 months now, I think, and we haven't been separated during that time, so I was assuming he'd want some time to cool down, some time apart, some time without me, but apparently he was looking forward to spending another week or two with me in some far away land I would never be able to go to because I can't afford it.

"Well, I'd really like that," I say to him anyways and finish off the salad.

I slip in a comfortable jersey that once was Mario's and some hot pants that make my legs look bigger than I want them to look. I smile and look in the mirror. I look good. I really do look good. I move closer and apply the tiniest bit of lipgloss to my lips to make them look a bit shinier and I smile. After a few romantic days without a bunch of training, it is finally ready for the finals. Mario is excited and so am I. We both barely slept last night, so we kept ourselves preoccupied doing something else. I smile at the thought of it, and grab my bag and walk to the lobby where the other girls have already gathered themselves. Some of the kids have arrived a few days ago. I've never been that much of a fan of children, but they're cute at certain ages. But I wouldn't want one in the next 10 years I think.

"Hey everyone!" I say when I take a seat next to one of the kids. We are still waiting for a few of the women to get ready, but the bus won't leave in the next ten minutes so there still is enough time to wait. I grab my phone out and text Lara and Carlie. After that I contemplate whether I should text Lars and Matthias, but I do so anyways. I'm sure they have been following Mario's every step, but I feel like I should inform them, since we haven't talked too much. The day has only just started and the sweat is already dripping off my forehead. It's hot and I'm not used to it. I'm not sure whether I like it or not. I should have been used to it by now, but I'm not. Everyone continues talking and laughing and most of it is in German, so I can only follow half. You would think that my German has improved by now, but it hasn't because most of the people talk to be in English, so I don't really have to try hard. And I tell them that it's fine to talk to me in German, but they continue in English anyhow, so I'm reading books in the language now. Books that I have already read in English, but that's fine. I know what the books are about so it's easier for me to convert the words to German. It's fun and it's a good way to kill time when it's too hot to go outside and Mario is gone. Ever since Lara left, I haven't spend that much time with the girls. They always seem to preoccupied and like a close group that I can't get in between.

"Let's go," I hear someone say. She gets up and everyone follows her lead. We walk through the doors of the hotel and get settled into the bus that will take us to a resort a little closer to the stadium where they will be playing tonight. It's a great place for the kids to relax and play in the huge pools and slide of the endless amount of waterslides, while the mothers will relax and the sun and tan. I'll probably volunteer watching the children with a couple of others that aren't into tanning as much as much as the others. The guys will most likely join us after a few hours of hard training in the afternoon. We are all very nervous and we're not sure how this will work out. Argentina is a great team with wonderful players, but of course we hope for victory on the German side this year. I sit alone this time, but that's fine. I take out my phone and reply to a couple of texts. I'm pretty sure my phone bill at the end of the month will be sky high. Oh well. I guess I'll survive that this one time. The bus starts moving and some music is playing softly. I'm wearing my bikini under this clothing. I thought it would be the easiest and just bring some clean underwear in my purse. I hum along with a Katy Perry song on the radio and look outside of the window. I see cars pass, but also trees and all the other environmental stuff. Actually, Brazil is one of the favorite countries I have ever visited. I love the food, the people, the nature and all that I have seen. I hope to visit the country once again in the future. I close my eyes, but open them again as some of the kids started to yell excitedly by seeing the big slides and the swimming pools in the distance. Even the sight of that excites me.

A few minutes later, the bus is parked and we walk inside and pay for our tickets. We are with quite a big group, which is nice, because that way we got a percentage off the original price. It didn't take all too long before I got out of my clothes and in my bikini. I throw a towel on one of the chairs and just walk through the resort and look at the pools that are filled with probably a hundred people. Perhaps even more. In the distance I see some of the kids run up the stairs and I walk after them when I feel a tap on my back that startles me. I turn around and I see a familiar face.

"Lara! What on earth are you doing here?" I ask as I pull her in for a hug.

"I didn't want to miss Julian's final," she says and lets go of me. She is dressed in a bathing suit that hugs her body the right way. She looks happy, really happy.

"Are you guys back together?" I ask her as we start walking towards one of the pools.

"I suppose," she says, "I'm not really sure." She sighs. "We have been talking a lot about everything that happened and he says he is sorry and that he misses me."

"I'm sure he is sorry, the guys have been talking to him a lot," I grin.

"I know, but he doesn't know I'm here," Lara says, "I was going to surprise him."

"You surprised me for sure," I say to her and we stand in line for one of the biggest slides. We both laugh and I think about how she could possibly surprise Julian. He is going to be here in a while, so that would be the best moment for her. We talk about it on our way up the stairs and we come up with a good plan to surprise him. After the game. Preferably when they are handed over the cup of course.