OFFSIDE

1

❝ Feel that summer breeze in Barcelona. ❞
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Elena's POV
"This is our new home," Pablo proudly declares, swinging open the massive door of an even more colossal villa. I glance at him, and he gestures enthusiastically for me to enter.

Carefully stepping over the threshold, I traverse the hallway, assuming it leads to the living room. I open the door and step into an enormous living room. I believe this living room is even larger than my childhood home multiplied by two.

"How beautiful. Elena, do you see this? How magnificent!" my mother's voice echoes through the space.

"What do you think, mariposa?" Pablo asks, looking around. I smile when I hear my nickname. Pablo has been calling me that ever since I got the little butterfly tattoo in my groin when I was sixteen. My parents absolutely forbid tattoos, but I wanted to be rebellious. Only Pablo and I know that I have that tattoo, because it's pretty hidden. But now stranger Pedro knows it too. "Beautiful," I force out of my mouth.

It is beautiful. It is magnificent. The living room is fully furnished, and as we continue, I spot a kitchen with an island. "A kitchen island. That's what you always wanted, right?" Pablo says excitedly. I nod and run my fingers over the kitchen countertop.

"How beautiful. How beautiful," my mother trumpets. I look at her irritably. Can't she be quiet for just two minutes?

"Come. Let me show you the bedroom," Pablo says, taking my hand and leading me back into the hallway, up the stairs. Upstairs seems almost larger than downstairs. On the first floor alone, I count six doors.

"Here's one bedroom, here's another, an extra bathroom here, that's another room, here's your walk-in closet, and this is the master bedroom," my boyfriend says, opening each door and then pulling me towards the one in the corner.

We enter the bedroom, which, like everything in this house, is enormous. There's a large king-size bed, and it has an open bathroom. It's truly beautiful. I walk through the room and gaze out the window. The room also has a large balcony with a lounge couch.

I turn around and see Pablo looking proudly around. My mother has joined him and is marveling at everything. She immediately starts exclaiming how amazing it all is.

"But do we have housemates?" I ask. Pablo looks at me in surprise. "Housemates? No, of course not," he chuckles. My mother starts laughing along with him.

"But what do we need such a big house for?" I ask, surprised. I genuinely think I need a floor plan, or I'll get lost.

Pablo shrugs. "All of this is for us, Elena, the two of us," he says. I look at him and nod softly. "Aren't you happy?"

"Of course she's happy," my mother intervenes, glaring at me. "Elena just needs some time to adjust to the move. She'll feel at home here soon enough."

I look at my mother and nod softly. "True. Sorry. I find it all very beautiful," I say. Pablo starts to smile and walks towards me. He wraps his arms around me and gives me a kiss.

"Our own place together. I never thought I could give you all of this," he says happily. I look at Pablo and smile. He is so proud of himself, and it's beautiful to see.

Pablo and I have known each other since we came out of our mothers' wombs. My older sister, Valeria, has been best friends with Pablo's older sister, Aurora, since childhood.

The footballer and I practically grew up together and have been in a relationship since the first year of high school, around thirteen years old. You could really call us childhood lovers, especially since Pablo turned twenty-one just two weeks ago.