STARGIRL, alexia putellas

18. return of the past

Well, dear reader, can you believe it's been six months since Alexia and I decided to stop dancing around the whole 'officially dating' thing and just, well, date? I have to admit, it's been a lot of of fun, surprises, and more wine nights than I can count.

First things first, yours truly packed up her bags and moved into Alexia's fancy apartment. Yep, you heard that right. It's worked out smoothly despite our fair share of debates about whether it's necessary to alphabetize the spice rack or if organizing the sock drawer by colour is, in fact, overkill. Let's just say that my chaotic organization methods sometimes drive Alexia a bit crazy. But hey, we're working on it. Me moving in also meant that unfortunately for her (and fortunately for me) she paid for a wardrobe extension, as the comparison in ratio of clothes we have is comical - and to her annoyance, bits and pieces and the odd stiletto still occasionally are scattered around the apartment. On the plus side, ever since I moved in her style has been heavily complimented, all courtesy to my fabulous finds, of course. 

Now, let me fill you in on Leticia, my dear sister. She's only gone and found herself a boyfriend, Carlos. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled for her. He's a decent guy and all, but let's just say I've had a few conversations with him that made me question his life choices. A bit of an asshole? Maybe. But if he makes my sister happy, then I can't complain too much. Family first, after all.

But, let's not forget the highlight of this year. I got the call-up for Spain's national team! It's a dream come true, and I'm thrilled to represent my country on the international stage especially as it'll be alongside both some of my teammates and Alexia. I know, I know, I'm excited too.

-

On a particularly sunny Saturday morning, I was getting ready to meet Ingrid and Mapi for coffee. Alexia was supposed to join us, but life had other plans. For the past three days, she'd been suffering a migraine from hell, and I - of course - was the lucky nurse on duty.

You see, when it comes to ailments and maladies, I'm not exactly Florence Nightingale. My approach typically involves offering tea, sympathy, and some ibuprofen. But Alexia is a special case, and I found myself thrust into the role of caretaker extraordinaire. The first day of her migraine was fine. I rustled up a pot of chamomile tea, fluffed the pillows, and set up a movie marathon. She seemed to appreciate my efforts and managed a small smile, despite the pounding in her head.

On the second day, things got a bit more challenging. The usual migraine remedies weren't cutting it, and I found myself searching "home remedies for migraines" at 3 a.m. I ended up giving her a neck massage, using lavender essential oil because Google told me to. Did it work? Who knows, but at least she smelled nice.

So there I was, heading out the door, ready to meet my friends for coffee and reclaim some of my lost sanity. But first, I had to check on Alexia, who was nestled under the covers with a fairly lukewarm ice pack on her forehead. I set some coffee down next to her on the bedside table, and as I turned to leave, she opened her eyes and smiled when she saw me.

"Leaving without saying goodbye?" And with a surprisingly strong arm, she tugged me down into the bed with her.

I landed next to her, and she wrapped her arms around me, snuggling in as if she had no intention of letting me go. "I thought you needed some rest," I protested, but the warmth of her embrace was hard to resist.

"I need you more," she murmured, nuzzling my neck and planting a soft kiss there. Well, who was I to argue with that? Coffee with Ingrid and Mapi could wait for another ten minutes or so. But I did feel guilty about being late. 

"Alexia, mi amor, I have to go."

She groaned in annoyance. "Fine. Promise you'll be back soon, though?"

I couldn't help but smile at her persistence. "I promise, I won't be long. And I'll bring you some pastries."

Her eyes lit up at the mention of pastries, and she released me from her grip. "Okay deal, have fun with Ingrid and Mapi - tell them I said hi."