Double Trouble Too // Neymar Jr //

-1.5- "Is that Bold Enough for You?"

"Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

-1 Peter 5:7.

"If Dunga plays Luiz as a CDM one more time, I'm gonna fight somebody." I muttered to myself while looking at the lineup that Dunga wished to use for upcoming matches. My feet were planted firmly on on the turf, awaiting the arrivals of the players of whom I'm sure spread the news like wildfire. I was not thrilled either. John was due to arrive as well with some coaching staff.

The simplest plan that I could concoct was to accept this fact and keep my distance.

I know that I don't have total control of how the trainings would go, but at least I had some control.

We were going to do things my way, even if it were only for a little while.

That means no more Sra. Gentle and passive. With my serious looking face bare, sweat pants gracing my legs and my baggy sweatshirt with my home city's name "Campinas" scrawled across it, and hair in an extremely messy bun: I was sure that they'd get the message.

Cause I wasn't faking anymore.

Of course I had ranted about all of this to a less than thrilled Gina, who was too busy texting to be paying attention to me on the other line. In the back of my head I made a note to call Melanie and Laura later.

The sound of a footstep on the grassy pitch alerted me. My head snapped up, and my eyes spotted Marcelo, who just had his hair done, I could tell. He smiled and I smiled back, I checked off his name on the attendance sheet. Pleasantly surprised that he was 30 minutes early. He walked towards me with a proud look on his face, wrapping me into a friendly hug.

"Thank you for yesterday." He thanked me, pulling away to give me a dap. I chuckled quizzically.

"Don't mention yesterday to me, Marcelo." I put my hands in pockets. "Why the thank you?" I asked him, kicking at the grass. The wind blew in my face, and I felt the warm breeze of an incoming summer while the reminder of Spain's upcoming winter sent chills up my spine.

"Making Vala angry." He stated plainly, looking at me from the side of his eyes. I laughed nervously. "You don't have to worry with me, I can't stand her."

"Why is that?"

Marcelo chose not to answer, just staring off into the distance. I liked him, he was a calm personality with outbursts of excitement. There was something off about him though, there was something off about everybody those past few days.

"That was bad of you." He smiled with his teeth.

"Hm? Bad, like 'baddie'?" I asked, making air quotes with my finger. Marcelo shrugged with a half smile. "Spit it out. I wanna know." I pleaded, crossing my arms.

"You've always been a baddie, just moreso than I thought." He complimented me, making me chuckle nervously. "I don't mean it like that you know."

"I know."

"Cause I'm happy with my family...and in my mind: you're still Neymar's girl." My eyebrows went together in worry. He playfully swatted my shoulder. "I'm sure he is gonna avoid causing a scene today. So no worries, Ana." Some part of me wondered which one of them had a long talk with Neymar about last night. "I'm gonna go and change. Don't forget; if any of the guys gives you a hard time, come and get me." He tapped his chest.

"Heh. Thank you Marcelo, but I think that I can hold my own."

And I was sure of that.

//+//

I sat down on the grass with my legs crossed, taking in the breeze, trying to wind down the 10 minutes until training. Marcelo, Paulinho, Danilo and Dante were talking animatedly in a circle as if they were teenagers. Most of the staff would be there within five minutes, and I was sat by myself. My fingers were planted firmly on the ground as the wind blew my stray bangs.