The Tortured Poets Department

Timeless

A promise is a promise!!

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The next game for Spain was the quarterfinals, which they won after some problems. The game was a tie when the final whistle blew, but after extra-time, Spain managed to win. It was incredible to see them win, but I was still a bit unsure about the management. Jorge was still their coach, and the rules were the same. The same rules that kept Mapi and so many other girls away from the national team.

I couldn't believe that they allowed the management to continue, and not caring for the players. It was insane to me that they could treat their players however they wanted without consequences.

That was the reason Mapi no longer played for the national team, because how could anyone feel safe under that management.

For some reason I wanted to boycott the World Cup. I wanted to boycott the national team because of it, but I could not do that because my girlfriend was playing. So, I was cheering on them from the stands. Love made you do crazy things, things that went against most everything you believed in.

After the game against the Netherlands, they had a game against Sweden. It was a game where I didn't know which team to support. My friends played for Spain, but Sweden was my country, my home. I felt an obscure amount of pride towards my country, and that made it difficult for me to even think about supporting the opponents, even though my girlfriend played for them.

It made me feel uneasy and anxiety was brewing inside me. All those worries would be erased when I talked to Alexia. Yeah, that was crazy. I had not yet had any time with Alexia, which was foolish. Alexia had been busy with training and games, but today she had a free day. We were supposed to go out for coffee and then just spend time together.

I was excited about that. To spend time with my girlfriend and finally relax. I had written some music while I had been here in Australia. Some incredibly romantic songs, and some more anxious. One of my favourite songs were about Alexia, "So High School" I was planning on calling it. The song was about love, the love I felt for Alexia. That was not the only song about Alexia, and I was planning on writing more. She was the one for me. I knew that. In the same way I knew my mother was the best person to ever walk this earth. In the same way I knew that I loved music. In the same way I knew where my home was, Arjeplog.

Writing songs was not the only thing I had done in Australia. I had also spent a lot of time with Eli. It was nice that she wanted to get to know me outside of Alexia. To me it was a sign that Alexia and I would last. Her unwavering faith in me made me miss my mom.

During the past year I had been struggling. I was not afraid to admit that. Alexia knew how hard it had been for me. I couldn't count on my fingers how many times I cried in her embrace. It was probably somewhere around fifty. Losing a parental figure was harder than I could have ever imagined.

Grief overcame me in the strangest moments, like at dinner with Alexia's entire family. I spent fifteen minutes in the bathroom, ten of them with Alexia. She was my rock in life, and it was strange that I had only known her for a year. It felt like a lifetime and seconds at the same time. The flies past us, but at the same time it winds its way past.

It was all strange like that.

Now, all I wanted to focus on was my upcoming date with Alexia, with my girlfriend.

I changed into a pair of black suit pants, along with a matching west, put on over a long sleeve. I did my makeup, very simple and nothing too exciting. My hair was curled, and I wore gold jewellery, refusing to wear silver for a date.

Before I was done, Alexia knocked on my door. "Give me a second and I'll open, love" I called out and stumbled through the room. All I needed to put on was earrings.