Let Me Love You | Toni Kroos

Chapter 33 - You'll never walk Cologne

Amelie's POV

It was one of those rare afternoons where I sat and watched the Bayern game with Gabi and my dad, because I had nothing else to do. I'd almost stopped watching, because Bayern were already two goals up by half-time.

I went into my room for half an hour when the second half started, but when I came back out, Köln were already 3-2 up.

"What the hell happened?" I asked, but neither my dad nor Gabi answered me. They were so engrossed in the last quarter of an hour of the match.

My dad sighed and left the living room right after the final whistle blew, but Gabi just sat there, staring straight ahead at the TV. Toni hadn't played; he wasn't even in the squad, but he'd travelled over to watch.

It took me a while to realise that there were tears running down her face. It wasn't the first time that she'd been crying ever since she had that fight (at least, I think it was a fight) with Toni.

"What's wrong?" I slid across the couch to her side. "Is it because they lost? It's okay, Gabi. They're still leading that...table thing, right?"

"We're fifth now," she whispered.

"Oh...sorry. Are you crying because of that? Don't cry, Gabi. Crying can't change anything."

She suddenly got up and shifted her gaze down to me. There was still a dazed look in her eyes. "I'm going to Cologne," she whispered again.

"When?"

"Now," she said, still in a daze. "I'm going now. I have to pack."

"Now?" I called after her as she started walking up the stairs. "Like, right now?"

"Yes," she said without turning back. "I'm...I'm going to meet Toni there."

"You guys are talking again?" I ran up the stairs after her and stood there as she started stuffing clothes into a carry-on. "Does he know you're going over?"

"Yeah, we are," she said, avoiding my curious stare. "And he does."

"Really?"

"Yes, Amelie. Leave me alone."

"Does dad know?"

"Just tell him. Help me tell him. I have to go."

——

It was close to midnight, and we hadn't heard from Gabi, so I decided to call Toni.

"Hey," I said when he picked up. "Have you met Gabi yet?"

"Gabi?" he asked, confused, pausing for a while. "Wasn't she...watching the game at home?"

"She was, but she already left for Cologne. You haven't met her?

"She came to Cologne? When?"

"She left this evening," I told him, standing up in shock. "She said you were going to meet her there."

"What?" he almost yelled. "She hasn't even spoken a single word to me since...since that day."

"What the hell?" I paced up and down the corridor outside my room, not sure what to do. "She told me you guys were talking again, and that she was going to meet you!"

He went silent for a while before he spoke again. "I'll find her. I think I know where she is. Don't worry, I'll find her. I promise."

He hung up the phone before I could say another word.

Toni's POV

Fortunately, the boss was kind enough to let me leave the team hotel in the wee hours of the night to look for Gabi, once I explained my reasons to him. I headed straight to Mülheim, to our old apartment, and I spent a good half hour walking the streets. It was already past midnight, and the neighbourhood was deserted, so it should have been easy to spot her, but she was nowhere to be seen.