OFFSIDE

12

❝ I close my eyes and the flashback starts ❞
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2010

Elena's POV
"Cumpleaños feliz, cumpleaños feliz. Te deseamos todos. Cumpleaños feliz."

As I sit on the floor amidst colorful balloons and excited children, I can't help but feel a twinge of envy. It's Pablo's sixth birthday party, and everyone is gathered in his backyard to celebrate. Pablo, with his bright smile and infectious laughter, is the center of attention, as usual. A lot of attention makes me him shy and he avoids eye contact with the guests.

"Pablo, happy birthday!" exclaims his parents, presenting him with a brightly wrapped gift.

Pablo's eyes light up with excitement as he tears into the wrapping paper. When he finally reveals the contents of the box, a shiny new football, the other kids cheer and clap in approval.

"Wow, thanks, Mom and Dad!" Pablo exclaims, jumping up and down with joy. "This is the same ball with which Spain became world champions and defeated the Netherlands!"

I watch from the sidelines, feeling a pang of jealousy as Pablo shows off his new toy to his friends. It doesn't seem fair. Why does Pablo shows his present to the boy friends and not to me?

"Elena, why don't you act nice and are you sitting here acting grumpy??" asks my mom, placing a slice of cake in front of me.

I force a smile and pick up my fork, but my mind is elsewhere. I can't shake the feeling of being left out, of not being as special as boy friends. I know my mom notices because she shoots me a disapproving glance.

As the party continues, with games and laughter filling the air, I find myself drifting away from the crowd. I wander over to a corner of the yard where a lone swing set stands abandoned.

"Hey, Elena, what are you doing over here?" Pablo asks, bounding over to join me.

I shrug, kicking at the dirt with my shoe. "Nothing, just watching."

Pablo frowns, sensing my discontent. "Are you okay? You seem kinda sad."

I bite my lip, unsure how to express my feelings. "I just wish you showed me your new ball too," I mumble.

Pablo's face softens with understanding. "Oh, I see. Well, you can play with my new football if you want. We can share."

I look up at him, surprised by his offer. "Really? You'd let me play with it?"

Pablo nods, grinning from ear to ear. "Of course! Best friends share everything, right?"

I can't help but smile back at him, feeling a warmth spread through my chest.

"Can we play on the square next to your house?" I whisper eagerly, tugging at his sleeve.

Pablo's eyes light up with excitement. "Yes, let's go! But we have to be quiet so our parents don't hear us. I'm not allowed to leave my own birthday party."

Giggling, we tiptoe through the hallway, careful not to make a sound and hide from the guests. With each step, my heart races with excitement and anticipation. We are about to embark on our very own secret adventure.

Once we reach the front door, Pablo turns to me with a mischievous grin. "Ready, Elena?"

I nod eagerly, my pulse quickening with excitement. With a swift movement, Pablo unlocks the door, take my hand and together we slip outside, feeling the warm sunshine on our faces.

As we make our way to the square, I can't help but feel a surge of excitement. Playing football with Pablo is always the highlight of my day, even if he is much better at it than I am. After all, he was scouted by Real Betis last year.

When we arrive at the square, Pablo wastes no time in setting up our makeshift goalposts. With a confident grin, he kicks the ball towards me, his skills evident even at such a young age.

"Come on, Elena! Try to stop it!" he encourages, his eyes sparkling with determination.

I try my best to defend the goal, but Pablo's shots are too fast and accurate for me to keep up with. Before I know it, the ball has sailed past me and into the net, scoring another goal for Pablo.

Frustration bubbles up inside me as I struggle to keep up with Pablo's superior skills. Tears well up in my eyes as I watch him effortlessly outplay me time and time again.

Pablo notices my distress and immediately stops playing, his expression filled with concern. "Elena, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

I sniffle, wiping away my tears with the back of my hand. "You're too good, Pablo. I can't win."

Pablo's face softens with empathy as he reaches out to comfort me. "Don't worry, Elena. It's just a game. Let's play together and have fun."

With a shaky smile, I nod, grateful for his understanding. We continue to play, but this time, Pablo takes it easy on me, allowing me to score a few goals of my own. Even though he lets me win, I'm happy.

As the sun begins to set and our game comes to an end, Pablo turns to me with a playful twinkle in his eye. "You know, Elena, you're not so bad at football after all."

I giggle, feeling a sense of pride swell inside me. "Thanks, Pablo. You're the best friend ever." I look at him and give him a hug.

Before I know it, Pablo leans in and presses a gentle kiss on my lips, his lips lingering for a moment longer than usual. We both freeze, startled by the unexpected gesture, but a warm sensation spreads through me.

"Um, sorry, Elena. I didn't mean to..." Pablo stammers, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"It's okay, Pablo," I reassure him, feeling a strange fluttering in my stomach. "I think you're cute."

With a shy smile, Pablo takes my hand and together we make our way back home, our secret adventure coming to an end.

As Pablo and I make our way back home, I can't shake the feeling of disappointment at my lack of skill in football. Sensing my frustration, Pablo turns to me with a determined look. Why am I not good in it? Why can't I even kick a ball?

"Elena, don't worry. I can help you become a better football player," he says reassuringly.

I look up at him, hope flickering in my eyes. "You can? How?"

Pablo grins, his eyes alight with excitement. "Let me show you some tips and tricks. First, let's work on your dribbling."

With that, Pablo grabs his ball and leads me to a clear area in his backyard. He demonstrates the proper way to dribble the ball, keeping it close to his feet and using both sides of his foot to control it.

"Try it, Elena. Keep your eye on the ball and use small touches to guide it," Pablo instructs.

I nod, determined to learn. I mimic Pablo's movements, concentrating hard as I attempt to dribble the ball across the grass.

"¡Elena, ten cuidado con tu vestido!" (Elena be careful of your dress) my mother shouts. I look at her and nod. My sister is sitting on a rug in the garden with Pablo's sister. Her light pink dress is still in perfect condition and my white dress has a few grass stains

I shake my head and focus on dribbling the ball again. It's not easy at first, but with Pablo's patient guidance, I start to improve.

"Great job, Elena! You're getting the hang of it," Pablo encourages, his voice filled with pride.

Buoyed by his praise, I continue to practice, feeling more confident with each attempt. Pablo offers me more tips, showing me how to position my body and use my non-dominant foot to control the ball.

After what feels like hours of practice, I finally start to see some improvement in my dribbling skills. Pablo claps me on the back, a wide smile on his face.

"You're doing awesome, Elena! With a little more practice, you'll be unstoppable," he exclaims.

I grin back at him, grateful for his patience and encouragement. "Thanks, Pablo. I couldn't have done it without you."

"We can do it together!" he smiles.