A Bet That Changed Us ︱Pablo Gavi

3

Isabella's Pov

Ready for another day of work, I was getting more comfortable with the routine, and I was beginning to feel like I was truly part of the team. The players were starting to recognize me, and I even had few casual conversations with some of them during their sessions. But I was careful to keep things professional. I had worked too hard to let anything distract me from my goal.

I noticed Pablo's increasing presence in my daily routine. During his physical therapist appointments, he began by keeping conversations going and make jokes, asking about my interests, he actually seemed interested in what I had to say. He was kind, thoughtful even, but I kept a respectful distance, reminding myself that I was here to work, not to get caught up in the complicated world of professional athletes. Still, it was hard to ignore the attention, and I found myself wondering what his intentions were.

Then, one afternoon after an exhausting training session, I was sitting alone on a bench near the training grounds, going over my notes for some players and packing up the medical equipment. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm pink and orange glow over the sky, and most of the players had already headed to the locker room to take a shower.  In the corner of my eye, I saw Pablo approaching, probably for another small talk.

"Afternoon Isabella, you look deep in thought, is everything okay?"

I glanced up, slightly surprised but offering him a polite smile. "Just reviewing some notes from today's session. How's your ankle holding up?" I spoke trying to keep my tone neutral.

"Much better, thanks to you, Seriously, you've got some serious skills" he said, walking over to the bench and sitting on it as well. 

There was a brief, comfortable silence as he sat down beside me, leaving a distance between us. For a while, we both watched the sun begin to dip below the horizon, it was quiet but not awkward.              

  "I actually wanted to ask you something."   

   "Oh?" I raised an eyebrow, curious.

"I was thinking," Pablo began, keeping his voice quiet, "we've talked a bit for my appointments, but we've never really had a proper conversation. You know, outside of the whole 'Gavi's injured again' routine."I chuckled softly, closing my notebook and giving him my full attention. "What did you have in mind?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to grab lunch sometime, as my treat" he said, his tone casual, but I could see a hint of something more in his eyes. "I know a great place nearby. It could be nice to talk without all the, you know, football stuff, we could get to know each other more."

"Lunch?" I repeated, a little taken aback by the invitation. It wasn't unusual for players to be friendly, but this felt different, more personal. I hesitated a little, I'd always been careful to maintain a professional boundary, but there was something about Gavi's easygoing manner that made it hard to say no."Yeah, just lunch," he said, nodding. "I mean, we're working together all season. It'd be good to know each other a bit better, right?"I looked into his eyes, searching for any hint of insincerity. To my surprise, I found none. "Okay," I finally said, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "That would be nice."

"Great" His face lights up with a genuine smile "I know a great place nearby, how about after training, it ends at 12."

"I'll see you then Pablo"

As I walk towards my car, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Pablo's invite than just lunch. I reminded myself that it was just a friendly gesture, nothing more. But for now, I decided to go with the flow. After all, it was just lunch. What harm could come from that? 

Pablo's Pov

After training, I headed to the locker room, where Pedri, Frenkie, Ansu, Fermin, Balde and Lamine were waiting. We made a habit of using the time in the locker rooms to unwind and, to tease each other about the day's events. Today, though, they were all keenly interested in whether I had made my move.

"So?" Pedri asked as me as I walked in, barely giving me time to take off my boots. "Did you do it?"

I grinned, taking my time to sit down on one of the benches before responding. I know they were all waiting for an answer, but I like  keeping them in suspense. "Do what?" I ask, faking my innocence as I unlaced my cleats. "Come on, Gavi," Lamine chimed in, leaning against the lockers with a smirk. "Did you ask her out or not?"

"Lamine, aren't you too young to be listen to this, go and finish your homework" I joked                  "Your only 3 years older, Gavi" Lamine says as he crosses his arms.

"Bro we're waiting for an answer did you or not" Fermin asks showing his impatience. I leaned back, stretching my arms. "Relax, guys. It's just lunch, nothing special."

The room erupted in laughter, making many heads turn their way and Pedri shook his head, clearly amused. "Just lunch, huh? And how did she respond?"

"She said yes," I replied with a shrug, but I couldn't hide the small smile that crept onto my face. I tried to play it cool, but the truth was, I was pleased that Isabella had agreed. It wasn't every day that someone like her, focused, determined, and seemingly immune to the charms of fame said yes to coffee with a football player.

"Well, well," Pedri said, raising an eyebrow. "Maybe you've got a shot after all."

 Balde chimed in laughing. "Just don't screw it up, man. You've only got a month, remember?"

I rolled his eyes but couldn't help but laugh. The bet had started as a joke, but now that I was in it, I can't help but feel competitiveness. Not just because of the bet itself, but because Isabella was proving to be more of a challenge than I would expect. And I like that. 

"Don't worry about me," I said, grabbing a towel and tossing it over my shoulder. "I've got this, it won't even take me 1 month."

Frenkie leans into my ear, "You know, if she finds out about the bet, it's over. She's not the type to play games or mess around."

I nod, as my expression becomes more serious. I know Frenkie was right. Isabella was different, and I don't want to mess this up. Not just because of the bet, but because there was something about her that makes me want to get to know her for real. Its a strange feeling, one that I hadn't expected when I agreed to the bet.

"I'll be careful," I say grabbing my bag. "It's just lunch. I'm just getting to know her."

 As I head to the parking lot, I couldn't help but wonder how Isabella was feeling about the whole thing. Shes professional, dedicated, and probably more focused on her work than on anything else. But I hoped that, at the very least, she'd enjoy lunch and maybe see that there was more to me than just being a footballer.