THAT NIGHT

Chapter 2

My best friend Gavi
PEDRI
After tying my shoes I pull the number eight kit over while rushing out of the lockers, my eyes meeting Ferrans who is apparently a little late too. "Let's do this Pedri, right?"- he nodded to me while we were heading down the hallway. It wasn't a question, more a statement. "Of course, those three points are ours tonight."- i say confidently. I kind of got used to it, not as nervous as I was a year ago when starting my first games for the club of my dreams, Futbol Club Barcelona. Although I would of course still get nervous for big games like an El Classico or in European Competition.

We reach the tunnels and I position myself in the row of our starting eleven. I can already hear the loud cheers, screams and make out a few fans sing Barca's hymn a capella, even though we're not out there yet. It's getting better again, the clubs situation, the whole team notices. After winning five consecutive league games in a row the supporters believe in Xavi and the club again, get hope that we will actually win some titles soon. Just thinking about it I get this tingling feeling, like every time before a game starts. The excitement builds up and I'm ready to show my best. Naturally I have bad days too, like every footballer, it's part of the sport, but I still try to give all I got in those minutes I play. I talk about this in interviews often too because it's true and even though I'm not that old yet, I guess I've learned how to deal with the setbacks and failures.
Some of us have not, so I can't help my mind wandering to him and feel that familiar worry rising. I know I shouldn't and focus on myself right now. Concentrate. My eyes search for him amongst our men. There, right in front of me a little to the left i can figure out the number thirty amongst the other Blaugrana shirts. His shoulders are tense, his posture a little to upright for him, I can basically see his train of thoughts racing without coming to halt. He's extra nervous this game, don't know why honestly. It already showed when he was unusually quiet on our drive here, he was also the first who finished changing and arrived at the tunnel. Unlike me. Slowly I make my way over to him knowing I'll scare him and snap him out of his daze if not approaching carefully. My hands reach out to his shoulders giving them a squeeze, then rubbing down along his arms. I hear him release a long hold breath. He knows it's just me. I grab his hands and sneak our intertwined arms around his front into a hug from behind and rest my chin on his left shoulder. I feel him lean back against me a little. "It's okay, you can do it, we will win"- I whisper beside his ear. "I know"- he simple answers sounding a little more sure and at ease."Thank you"-he adds as we release our embrace. It's nice that he's being vocal about appreciating me. That's one of the many things i like about my Best Friend. Pablo Paez Gavira.

I've heard of him before we actually met in person back then. A few of the elders talked about wanting him to come to the our team. At first I was a little bit, well not jealous, but intimidated. Thinking someone who is even younger than me, grown from the clubs own roots could easily replace me. That changed when i saw him standing right in front of me, all in that shy demeanor, brown locks falling on his forehead and big nervous eyes looking anywhere but my me. And how could anyone with some sort of sensibility ever have any negative feelings towards such a precious thing. I realised he's just another football player, like myself, eager to prove himself. What surprised me even more was that when he was playing it seemed like the guy is changing personality, his only focus on the ball at his feet and his game. Gavi throws himself into reckless tackles and gives a hundred percent every session, buzzing with energy. We are very compatible on the field. His passes always manage to find me. Over time he also seemed to warm up to me on a personal level. Since then I started to take him to training, I don't mind, we live close to each other and he doesn't have a licence yet. Pablo is really passionate and expressive person, like the press calls it: He wears his heart on his sleeve. Sometimes he argues about little things and gets riled up because of it, childlike almost. Maybe that's the reason why I have the urge to take care of him, protect him. I can't help to still see him as this little boy who loves football so much, although we're only two years apart. I guess I see him not only as my best friend but as my little brother, part of my family. At least that would explain why I always felt that 'friendship'is not a strong enough word to describe us.
The hymn starts to play out of Camp Nou's boxes and the line before us start moving. It's time for the game. I take in a deep breath before I steht up the last stairs onto the pitch.

The ninety minutes went in a blur. It was a dirty, uncomfortable game, we struggled a lot, definitely not how we would have hoped for. Somehow we still managed to squeeze out a 1:0 win due to a late goal from Raphina. I don't feel satisfied, not only because of the result but something else was clouding my mind. Around the 70' minute, gavi through himself head first into a low tackle, bringing the opponent down, his boot brushing Gavi's head. He just stood up like nothing happen and received his yellow card. We're heading to the locker room and I am really angry like i haven't been in long time. I can't help but confront him. He's changing when i start: "Gavi what were you thinking"- i tried to say as calm as i can. Of course he immediately talked offence. "It's just a yellow card, not a big deal"- Gavi answers halfhearted. Something inside me snapps, how could he be so careless? "This is not about the yellow card Gavi, You could have gotten seriously injured. This just shows that your behaving like a child not thinking about your carrier nor others feelings, when you do things like that." That came out louder than I intended. And only now I realise the locker room has fallen silent, some looking at me with a shocked expression for a moment before returning to their previous doing's. I'm well aware that it's because I'm not like that, i normally don't scream, don't lose control over difficult situations I think I can solve rationally better than emotionally. One of the reasons when this belief of mine falters is Gavi. Gavi just has a way to geht under my skin so easily and don't even think that he's aware of that.