Crossing Paths: A Love Beyond the Pitch - Jamal Musiala

04 A Glimpse Behind the Curtain

Dina spent the rest of the evening replaying her meeting with Jamal in her head. Every word, every smile, every small moment between them seemed etched into her memory. It felt like she had stumbled into a parallel universe where things like this—meeting football stars and connecting with them on a personal level—were possible.

The next morning, as the sun streamed through her window, Dina stretched in bed, feeling the lingering warmth of yesterday's encounter. She reached for her phone, wondering if Jamal had texted again. But when she saw nothing new, she quickly shook the disappointment away. It wasn't like they were supposed to be talking all the time. He had a life—an incredibly busy and public one—while she was just... well, Dina.

As she scrolled through her messages, a notification caught her eye—one from Laura.

Laura: DINA! I need details. How was it with Jamal? Call me ASAP.

Dina couldn't help but smile at her friend's impatience. She dialed Laura's number and waited for her to pick up.

"Finally! I've been dying to know how it went," Laura said, skipping pleasantries as soon as she answered.

"Morning to you too," Dina teased, her voice still a bit groggy from sleep. "It went well, actually. Like, really well. He's super nice, and we talked for hours."

Laura let out a squeal of excitement. "No way! You talked for hours? That's insane. What did you even talk about? Did he, like, hint at anything? You know... romantic?"

Dina laughed, though her cheeks heated up at the thought. "No, no romantic hints—yet, at least. It was just... I don't know, easy. He's way more down-to-earth than I expected. We talked about football, his life, my work, and just random stuff. He's really easy to talk to."

Laura's excitement was palpable. "Oh my God, Dina, this is huge! So, does he want to see you again? Are you guys going to hang out more?"

"He actually mentioned meeting up again," Dina admitted, her voice soft. "But honestly, I'm trying not to get my hopes up. He's got a crazy life, and I don't want to expect too much."

Laura sighed dramatically. "Dina, come on. He asked to see you again. That's a big deal. Trust me, if he wasn't interested, he wouldn't have said that."

Dina knew her friend was right, but part of her still felt unsure. This whole thing felt too good to be true, and she didn't want to get caught up in something that might just be a fleeting moment in Jamal's busy life.

Before she could dwell too much on it, her phone buzzed with a new message. She glanced down at the screen and froze.

It was Jamal.

Jamal: Hey, I know it's last minute, but I'm heading to a team event later. It's kind of low-key, just some of the guys hanging out. I was wondering if you'd want to come along? No pressure, just thought it'd be fun.

Dina's heart skipped a beat. A team event? Meeting more Bayern players? She quickly turned her attention back to Laura, who was still talking excitedly in the background.

"Uh, Laura?" Dina interrupted, her voice laced with disbelief. "Jamal just asked me if I want to go to a team event with him today."

There was a pause on the other end before Laura shrieked loud enough to make Dina wince. "Are you serious? Oh my God, Dina, you have to go. You can't say no to something like that! You might meet the whole team!"

Dina bit her lip, her fingers hovering over her phone. "I don't know. It's just... meeting Jamal was one thing, but meeting his teammates? That's next level. I don't want to embarrass myself."