Sure Thing • Gavi

Chapter 9: The Virus

🎶 Shivers — Ed Sheeran 🎶

Just a few minutes after I had gotten back, someone knocked on my door and I opened it to see a very happily grinning Pablo. His face changed when he saw me, still dressed in my evening dress and he whispered a quiet 'Wow'.
"Can you help me open it?" I asked and turned around. I felt his slightly sweaty hands moving away my hair from my back and that motion brought out goosebumps all over my body. He was a bit nervous as he fumbled around on my zipper, but eventually he opened it until its bottom. I quickly mumbled a thank you and ran into the bathroom, grabbing my pajamas on the way.

I didn't care much about him seeing me dressed like that, the pajamas were cute and girls wore stuff like that on the streets nowadays, so I didn't think think too much about it. When I got out, he was still standing around awkwardly and I quickly pulled out my computer from my bag and threw myself with it on the bed, patting the space next to me. He got over slowly and carefully also climbed in. I was about to ask him what movie he wanted to watch, when he apparently read my thoughts and said: "You choose"

I didn't have to think twice, opened up the gallery and clicked on Pearl Harbour. It was my absolute favourite movie of all time and I always cried at the end, even though I must have watched it a hundred times now. Pablo didn't know it, but he was heavily invested in it, eyes glued on the screen. Somehow our bodies had moved closer and at the point where the main character's airplane was shot down, he put his arm around my shoulders - what a typical guy move.

But it felt comfortable and he started stroking my upper arm or my shoulder lightly at times and it felt so good. With the plot getting more intense, also our bodies moved closer and closer and at some point I put my head on his chest and my hand on his abdomen. Fuck, he was fit, I could feel his six pack even over his hoodie.

By the end of the movie I was full on crying and I looked up to look at him, only to find his gaze already on me and I was sure to see a small tear in a corner of his eye. We held eye contact for I don't know how long, when his eyes fell on my lips, which I automatically parted slightly and then he started leaning into me. The butterflies erupted in my stomach - no, wait, those weren't butterflies.

I pushed Pablo quickly away from me, sprinted to the bathroom and arrived just in time over the toilet bowl, where I puked my guts out. He was quick to follow me and held back my hair while also rubbing my back. It just didn't stop and I felt so ashamed that he had to see me like that. After an eternity and me wondering how my stomach was able to fit so much, I leaned back against the tiles and took a few deep breaths.

"Are you feeling a bit better? Do you need something?" Pablo asked concernedly.
"Can you just put some toothpaste on my toothbrush?" I asked and after a few seconds he handed it to me and I started brushing around in my mouth.
"You should... leave, if it's a virus I don't want you to catch it. I'm so sorry, because it was such a wonderful evening" I said weakly, with my eyes still closed.
"I'll go when you're tucked into bed and have drunk a glass of water before sleeping" he said and stroked my hair. He opened up my loose ponytail and pulled back all the strands that had fallen out before tying the hair back together.
"Thanks" I said and smiled. I felt him press a kiss on my head.

Then, I gathered all my strength and stood up to spit out the toothpaste and wash out my mouth. I drank a glass of water, as he had said, and then I tumbled over to the bed. He was quickly back up on his feet and steadied me before I slumped down. He tucked me under the bedsheets and made a small cross sign on my front before whispering "Good night, text me at any time, if you need anything."
I just nodded and mumbled weakly: "Next time we can pick up right where we left off" but I wasn't sure if he had heard me as the door had already fallen shut.

Gavi POV

Shit, she had said something but I had closed the door too quickly and now I couldn't go back in to ask her what she said. I quickly checked the corridor and hurried back to mine and Pedri's room two floors further up. I opened the door and closed it quickly behind me before seeing my friend grinning on his bed, apparently expecting a full report.

"To be honest, I didn't expect you to get back" he chuckled and I threw a pillow at him.
"We almost kissed but then she had to vomit" I blurted out.
"What? Ok, I know that you may not be the most experienced guy in that field, but you cannot be that bad" Pedri said and laughed.
"You idiot. She felt really sick, poor girl, I hope she'll recover before tomorrow." I said concernedly.
"Well, I for my part hope that it wasn't a virus and we have to miss out on game time. I don't want to miss a single more minute after finally coming back from my injury" Pedri said and rolled over to turn his light off.

I stayed awake for I don't know how much longer. Everything about her was mesmerising and in that moment I knew, that I had fallen in love with her.

The next day didn't start off too bad and after breakfast we started our intense training day. But the more exercises and running I did, the weaker I got, which was very unlike me. Also Pedri was struggling and at some point I couldn't hold it in anymore and ran to the sidelines to puke my guts out. Shit, I had also gotten whatever Vicky had. Pedri hadn't been as quick as me and now his vomit was sprawled out on the training pitch. Fermín, Lewy and a few other players that we had sat with at breakfast were also experiencing nauseas and the training session was called off. By evening, half the squad was laying over their toilet bowls and vomiting as well. The game against Juventus was called off and I felt horrible knowing that I was the cause of that.

Of course I didn't blame Vicky, she had thankfully gotten a bit better and was able to take the next night flight back home, but I was blaming myself for being so reckless. There were reasons for rules and I chose to break them for a girl and now the whole squad was suffering from it. Hell, not even the whole squad, but also the fans who had spent their money to cheer on us. That made me feel even more awful, maybe I needed some space from Vicky and girls in general to get my head back into the game. The new season was starting soon and we had a clear goal: the Champions League. And I couldn't afford to get anything, or more precisely, anyone, between that.