The Player Swap Up

Chapter 26

It's been a week since the incident. Yes I'm calling it an incident. It's especially an incident because I almost choked on my own water and also spit it all over Cristiano's face all at the same time.

It was an overall pleasant evening.

Not.

After I spit all over him and almost died we headed back. With no conversation, and awkwardness so thick, you could cut it.

I didn't say it back.

And for that, I am the worst human being on the face of the earth. We are back in Madrid and training.

I can't seem to look Cris in the eye. Not of embaressment, of guilt. I didn't say it back.

I thought about this as I got ready for training.

Horrible person. You're literally terrible.

I didn't tell James what happened, I knew if I did he'd skin me alive. Literally.

I didn't put on shin guards, just socks and my sneakers and brought my cleats with me.

*shin guards are the death of me. Like THAT'S the only thing they are going to require for protection? I need hip pads dude. Helmets. Shoulder pads. Soccer isn't for sissy girls.*

I decided to walk to the stadium today, it was too nice. I also didn't trust myself to drive with all this in my head.

The paparazzi didn't much care for me when I got here. They aren't bad now but a few still followed me.

They asked me questions but they all spoke at once and I didn't understand any of them.

I arrived and security took over when I walked through and kept them out. I went into the locker room and sat down and exchanged my sneakers for my cleats.

I waited for a while before walking out. Telling myself no or never.

I'd seen him before this, it just gets worse every time. I feel so bad, but I wasn't expecting it!

And I don't even know if I do... feel that way.

I think I do. But why say it if I'm not positive?

"Alex?" James said waving his hand in front of my face. "I swear you're secretly deaf."

I narrowed my eyes at him and smacked his arm. "Shut up. I'm allowed to zone out."

"Yeah, but you zone out all the time." He joked poking me

If you didn't already know, James likes to poke people.

I pushed him as we continued to walk onto the field. "Alright, now that we are done waiting. Ancellotti stated as we walked up to the group.
"Let's get started! Two laps, stay together or it'll be three."

I scanned the group for Cris, we'd ran together every training day and raced at the end, like a preview for the final race at the end of this. I didn't see him. I looked to Marcelo "Where's Cristiano?"

"Oh, he's got a cold or something. I don't really know he didn't tell me much. I'm surprised he didn't tell you?" Marcelo answered confused

I started running to keep up with Iker who was at the head of the group. James dropped and ran beside me. "Everything okay? Cris never misses training. Unless it's like dire emergency."

I shrugged "He didn't tell me anything."

"Did something happen between you two?"

I bit my lip debating whether or not I wanted to tell him. "Okay, so what was it?" He pushed