Foolish one

Chapter 22

The trainings that week passed quickly. What concerned me was the amount of praise I got from Jorge. He gave me tips on what to do to become better, something that no one else got. I hated that he did that to me, and the other players in the national team hated that I got special treatment. The only people who talked to me were my Barcelona teammates. The other players gave me dirty looks, I would have done the same if it was someone else who received the same treatment as I did.

I started the game that weekend. It was against Sweden, and we lost. Ottilia was doing her absolute best in the midfield as soon as she got on. I also played quite well, me and Mapí got to play the full ninety minutes. The goal which was scored came from a prefect attack from the Swedish team. It was a beautiful shot, and we were unable to defend it.

Jorge however praised me and Mapí in front of the team. He talked about how great we played, and how the other players should be more like us. It was the most embarrassing moment that entire camp. The rest applauded us, but we all knew that it wasn't a genuine applause.

I slept the entire flight back to Barcelona, my head was on Aitana's shoulder, and she did not complain once. Instead, she let me sleep like that, and woke me up as we began our descent. Going through the airport was not funny. People wanted us to stop and talk with them, they wanted to take photos, and for us to sign things. It was great that people liked women's football enough to recognize us, but after a long camp, and a long flight it was exhausting. I knew how tired I must look in all the pictures taken of me. And how they would most likely circulate on social media for a few days.

When Alexia drove us all home, I allowed Mapí to take the front seat. I had one condition though, and it was that I would be having the aux. Mapí complained after she had to listen to forty minutes of Taylor Swift. I loved listening to English music, way more than I liked Spanish music.

As soon as Alexia dropped off Mapí I made my way back to the front of the car and got back in. Alexia was laughing at me and how me and Mapí could never agree on who would be sitting in the front. For me the obvious choice was that I would be getting the best spot in the car. When I didn't get that seat I pulled the car sickness card, and then Alexia insisted that I should sit in the front, so I didn't throw up in her car. 

"How about you and I watch a movie tonight? I know how rough it has been at camp for you, and maybe we could talk about it?" Alexia asked as she started driving. "It sounds great, I really need to talk to someone about it" I responded while looking out the window. "Should we go past your place first, so you can drop off your stuff or do you want to come to my place directly?" she asked me. "It would be great to drop off my stuff and change into something else" I responded while still looking out of the window.

A second later I could feel her hand on my knee. It was a simple gesture, and it brought a sense of relief. I loved the way she cared about me, and I loved that she offered to talk about it. No one loved Jorge, he was a strange man and did strange things.

I started out the window and did not notice how we were already at my house. I did not notice it until Alexia told me we were there and that I needed to get out. I got out of the car quickly and dropped my stuff off while changing into a better outfit consisting of a pair of sweatpants and old Taylor merch. 

After that quick change, I got back out to her car and got in again. The music was on a high volume for the five minutes it took to drive from my apartment to hers. She led me to her apartment, the entire way her hand was resting on the small of my back, guiding me in the right way. That was strange. I knew the way to her place, and she knew that I knew that. I had walked that way many times, sometimes along with her and sometimes alone. 

She unlocked the door and slightly pulled me inside. "What are you doing Ale?" I asked when she did that. "Doing what?" she countered while spinning me around, so I was facing her. "You know what I mean" I responded to her. She must know what she is doing, there is no way any of that wasn't intentional. "No, I don't, enlighten me" she answered. "The touching Ale, what is going on with that?" I asked her, because I wanted to know why she was doing that. If she liked me that would be amazing.