Victoria and Pablo meet by chance when she has to interview him after the Nations League final 2023.
He's immediately infatuated by her, but due to a few years age difference, she only sees him as a younger friend.
Will he make it out of the friendz...
The warm California air hit me as I made my way outside of LAX airport. Immediately, I searched for the cabs and got into the first one I saw and gave the driver my hotel name. It was in Santa Clara, as the conference was held at Berkeley university, which was just around the corner.
I arrived at the hotel, checked in and rode up to the room that the receptionist had assigned me to. It was five in the afternoon and I was quite exhausted from travelling on the uncomfortable economy class seats, so I decided to take a short nap before just going down to the hotel's restaurant for dinner. I indeed managed to rest, and after showering, dressing into a casual dress and putting on some light make-up, I went downstairs.
"Excuse me, where's the hotel restaurant?" I asked the receptionist when I passed the lobby. "Oh, you go left and right, then two times right, then one time left. Please note that in the food hall on the left we have a closed group, so use the one on the right." she explained and I looked at her confusedly. I had understood absolutely nothing, but didn't want to appear dumb in front of her, so I just wandered around aimlessly, until I finally found the entrance. Which door was the group, left or right, I couldn't remember anymore. I shrugged and pushed the door to the left one open.
Everyone looked at me in the doorway and went quiet. I stood there in horror as I was met with familiar faces while scanning the room, I recognised Xavi obviously, Pedri, Fermín and also... Gavi. "Sorry, wrong room" I mumbled, closed the door quickly and ran to the other food hall, where I quickly sat down at the furthest table in a corner. Why was the whole Barca squad staying at the same hotel as me? Why... oh shit, their summer tour, there it hit me. I should start reading sports news more frequently. After eating a Chicken Caesar salad, I quickly walked back to my room, hoping to cross no footballer or FC Barcelona employee after my infamous appearance during their dinner.
I went to sleep immediately, as I had to wake up early tomorrow in order to make it perfectly dressed and prepared to my conference. The alarm clock for that rang at 6am and I took my time while getting ready, I shaved, did my morning skincare, out on my make-up, curled my hair loosely and put on a navy pant suit before going down to have a quick breakfast before leaving. I repeated the words 'Food Hall on the right' continuously throughout my whole elevator ride, when it suddenly dinged and the doors opened. I set a step outside but yelped, when a strong arm pulled me around to a dark corner.
I was pushed against the wall, and just a few centimetres away from my body leaned Pablo, whose biceps must have doubled in the few days I hadn't seen him. "Are you stalking me?" he joked. I scoffed. "I could ask you the same thing." "Yeah, it was easy to convince all of the team's players, the coaches and all the planning people back at home to choose exactly this hotel." he said and rolled his eyes. "What are you doing here?" "I'm going to a journalism conference at Berkeley University" I replied proudly. "Smart" he said and grinned. "Do you even know what that is?" I asked. "Sure. It's one of those places the La Masia people threatened to send us if we didn't play good enough" Pablo joked and I laughed. "Do you want to do something tonight?" he asked. "I doubt that you're allowed" I replied and raised an eyebrow. "I'm not allowed to leave the hotel, but since you're staying here... We could watch a movie or so. I'm staying with Pedri, if you fancy a ménage à trois" he chuckled. "Yeah, no thanks, you can visit me. I do have this gala dinner conference thingy, but I guess I should be back by 10 or so, I can text you." I replied and he nodded, loosening the grip around my waist. He checked if the air was clear and walked away. I waited a few minutes and then also walked to the breakfast hall, where I quickly stuffed a croissant in me before ubering to Berkeley.
The conference had very interesting panels and in between, I was able to network with lots of colleagues from around the world. In the afternoon, I participated in a writing workshop, that helped me immensely and taught me lots of new things. After that, I got back to the hotel to get dressed for tonight's dinner. It was a more formal affair, so I pulled out an elegant outfit and got going:
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The dinner was very pleasant, but I only wanted time to pass faster as I just wanted to see Pablo. That guy had really pulled me in and I was afraid that I would fall for him. Around 9.45 most people got going and so did I. I still didn't have his phone number, so I reduced myself to sending him another DM and hoping that he would read it.
vicky.hernandez Omw! I'll text you when I'm in my room
pablogavi 🥳
The cab brought me back safely and I walked to the elevators, when another guy walked up to also wait for one. No freaking way. "Hey, you're the girl that broke into our dinner!" Xavi said and laughed. "Erm, yeah... sorry about that, I got lost" I said and smiled weakly. "Don't worry, oh my gosh, now I recognise you, you were at the Nations League final interviewing players!" he exclaimed. "Yeah, I'm not a sports journalist though, don't worry. I do politics, I'm here for a conference" I clarified, not wanting him to think that I was a reporter spying on them. By now we had stepped into the elevator and clicked both our floor buttons. "Ah, still fresh. Were the players nice to you? Especially my guys?" he asked and laughed. "I only had Gavi of your guys, very clever he is. The others were all nice, except for Laporte, he was straight-up rude." I replied. "Ah, Gavi, my boy. Don't worry about Aymeric - karma hit him and now he's playing in Saudi!" he exclaimed and laughed at his own 'joke'. I smiled even though I didn't know why it was funny. "This is me. Good luck with your team!" I said and waved him goodbye.
