Playing Pretend (Pablo Gavi)

Chapter 1

From Sevilla to Madrid and now from Madrid to Barcelona. Carolina knew her football career was likely to take her to different places and she loved the way it had already. Just 19 and signing for the reining Champions League winners after a great season at Atlético de Madrid, where she won a Copa de la Reina and caught the eye of a lot of people. Including Barça.

The smile hadn't left her face since arriving at the training ground but it became bigger, and meaner, when she saw him and his shocked face.

"Hola Pablito!"

"What are you doing here?"

Saying that Carolina and Gavi didn't get on well would have been an understatement. Born in the same city just a few weeks apart, they had been in each other's lives since both of them could remember. They attended the same school and both loved football. There weren't any teams for little girls back then so that meant they ended up playing in the same team too. And Gavi hated every second of it because Carolina was always so mean to him. So he had to be mean too. Or he tried to. She was better at it than Gavi.

"I work here now".

"No way. Where's the hidden camera? Is this a joke?"

No one got why Gavi reacted to her presence like that but Carolina had to bite her lip to hold a laugh. It was always so much fun to tease him. She had missed it.

"What is going on...", asked Raphinha, very confused. He didn't even know who she was but the Spanish boys did. And one did better than the rest.

"You don't want to know", said Fermín, approaching them and shaking his head. He had witnessed their fights way too many times already. "Hi Caro. Welcome!"

"Hi Fermín!", she said, hugging him back. "It's so good to see a familiar face here. Well, not good to see two familiar faces but you get what I mean. I missed you".

"I missed you too".

"I didn't miss you", muttered Gavi, forever bothered by his best friend's friendship with his enemy.

Everyone looked at Carolina and Gavi, almost expecting a bigger fight but there wasn't one at that moment. She just followed the guy who was showing her around her new workplace and felt the satisfaction of having annoyed her little enemy again. It was so easy.

"We didn't know you knew Gavi", was what Carolina heard as a welcome the moment she stepped foot in the dressing room.

"I wish I didn't", she sighed.

"Is he your ex or something?", asked Mapi.

"What? Why is that the first option you thought about? We've just known each other since we were kids and have always hated each other".

"Oh, that's more fun", that made her teammates laugh. "Can't wait to see how that evolves".

Carolina then turned to pick up her things but also to hide the way she was blushing. It wasn't even the first time someone insinuated something like that about her and Gavi but it always made her react in a funny way and she didn't know how to act. People had insinuated the same about her and Fermín but...that was different. Maybe because she was friends with Fermín and hated Gavi? She didn't really know but it bothered her. And she hated that it bothered her.

The first training session was good, despite the semi-distraction that was all that Gavi talk. Knowing some of her teammates from the national team helped Carolina a lot and her big smile was back on her face when she left the dressing room, ready to go home. Day 1 done. And it had been a pretty good one.

"Are you doing this to annoy me?"

"Are you stalking me?"

Gavi was waiting for her in the corridor, leaning against the wall with his arms folded against his chest.

"I should ask you that question. Weren't there other teams you could sign for? I hear women's football is pretty big in Australia".

"Sure. But why would I reject playing for the best team in women's football when they want me?"

"Because I'm here".

"Then you can leave, Pablito", she shrugged. "Easy solution".

Carolina walked faster towards the parking lot. The conversation had ended for her but not for Gavi.

"I don't want to be worrying about you being around, Carolina. I've got enough on my plate at the moment".
"Why should you worry? We don't play for the same team. I barely saw the Atleti male players during the time I played on that team. Unless you keep following me around...then I won't see you. So please stop following me around".

"I don't like this!"

"Go tell your mum and she'll get some milk and biscuits ready so you stop being upset".

"You're younger than me", it had always annoyed Gavi how Carolina treated him as if he was a child.

"But you are the one who always acts like a baby", she had now reached her car and put her bag inside before turning to stare at Gavi, who was still there. "Anything else? Do you want me to drive you home or did you finally learn how to do it yourself?"

"I can drive, thank you. And I'd rather walk than be in a car with you".

"We finally agree on something. Make a wish!"

Gavi kept looking at her car until it was just a little dot and he moved to find his. Her presence had always annoyed him. But it was also like having another part of home in Barcelona. The annoying part that was a bit like a bully but...home nonetheless. Barcelona was too different to Sevilla and even hearing her slight accent, which was stronger when she spoke to him, felt comforting in a way. Thinking that way made Gavi feel like he was going mad but homesickness was weird and didn't always make sense. But he guessed Carolina was right. They trained at different times most days and played in different stadiums. So they wouldn't have to see each other much. And yet...

Carolina started to learn about what feeling homesick was like when she moved to Madrid. And now, she had moved even farther away from Sevilla. Was it the right decision?

She knew it was. 19 and Barcelona want to sign you? Only an idiot would say no. They had dominated the league for years and were the reining Champions League winners. Most of their players were world champions now and, even if she didn't get as much game time as she did at Atleti, she could learn from her teammates every day. It was the right decision. It had to be.

"I need chocolate", she said after she finished her dinner. Chocolate always helped ease her anxiety.

Something, or someone, who also helped was Fermín. And when Carolina picked up her phone, she saw he had texted to offer his help. She didn't need it in a way. Her accommodation was sorted and she had done a lot of shopping to make sure she had everything she needed. But she loved hanging out with him, so she texted back telling him to meet in the next few days to watch a movie and catch up.

[Fermín]: should I invite Gavi? 😉

"No, thank you".