Gypsy: An Álvaro Morata Fan Fic

Chapter 7

After we've moved everything and she's explained the situation to her housemate (who was thrilled to be rid of her, for some reason), we sat on the sofa and talked like we always did at the park. After some two hours, I stood up, said goodbye, kissed her forehead and left. On my way over to my house, I was bracing myself to face my mom who would ask me where I spent the night as soon as I walked in.

I took a deep breath and turned the key in the lock. I stepped in and, as expected, my mom came rushing over from the kitchen. "Álvaro, where the hell were you last night?" I felt like messing with her: "I spent the night at Alicia's." "What? You're lying." "But I'm not. You wanna ask her?" I offer her my phone and she just gives me a disapproving look. "I'm disappointed in you, Álvaro." "I'm an adult and I have a right to live my life. Stay out of it, mom." With that, I rush upstairs and into my room.

Shortly after, there's a knock on the door. "Go away, mom." "It's me. Let me in." I recognized my sister's voice and let her in, closing the door behind her. "Are you here to lecture me too?" "Yes and no." She answers. I give her a dubious look and we both sit on my bed. "I have nothing against Alicia, you know that. In fact, I think she's a better human being than Carla by far." I'm sort of shoked my sister would say the exact same words I'd used to describe Alicia in my mind. "But you have to make a choice. You can't play with that girl. She doesn't deserve it."

"I know. She let me know today that she couldn't do it anymore, be more than my friend when I had a girlfriend, so I apologized and stepped away." "Ok. Good." She stands up, smiling at me. "Now you have something else to think about: did you make the right choice?" She squeezes my hands and lets herself out of my room, leaving me deep in thought.

There was a match this weekend. Not just any match. El Clásico. The first Clásico I would play as an official first team member and I would be part of the starting eleven. The coach said I'd been training well and that I deserved it. Sure, not much was riding on this game. Just pride. All-important pride. So Carla said she'd come cheer me on. That Friday, I went to training and then straight home. I didn't meet with Alicia that day. And I felt such an emptiness. The same one I'd felt the days she'd disappeared without a trace. I really liked her and her absence made me realize how deep my feelings were.

I was drying some dishes and I felt my mom come into the kitchen. Marta was out with her fiancée so I knew it couldn't be her. "No Alicia today?" "Nope. Came straight home from practice." "I'm glad, son. You made the right choice, you know?" Goddammit. Why did she have to say that? I put the plates away and faced her. "Oh yeah? And why is that? Because Carla exhibits her body while Alicia just presents her talent? How is that morally superior?" "That's not what I mean. You know it's not. Alicia's a nice girl. She is." "But?" I press her, wanting her to say whatever she wanted to out loud. "You can take the girl out of the ghetto but you can't take the ghetto out of the girl." She said, matter-of-factly.

"What? Why would you say that, mom? Why would you disrespect her like that?" I'm seething. How could she? I throw all the plates in the sink loudly and prop my body con the counter, breathing deeply and not able to look her in the eye. "Let's face it, Álvaro. She may be a nice girl but she doesn't come from a family like Carla's." "All the more reason to applaud her on her achievements." I counter-argue fast, giving her the look of hell. "Fine, Álvaro. You said it yourself. You're an adult now so you're free to make your own choices. You know what my opinion is." She puts her palms up and turns to leave the room.

She then looks back and says: "Oh and I need you to go and clean the apartment. I rented it." Shit. I hadn't told my mom about Alicia staying there. "Uh, I sort of moved Alicia in this week. But you should've seen where she lived, mom. Her life was in danger. It was a really horrible place." "Oh, good. So you rented it already." "Uh, well..." "What? You're not charging her rent?" "No. I just really want to help her out. I'll pay her rent." "It's not about the money. Álvaro, the amount of feelings you have for that girl are starting to worry me. You find her someplace else this week or I will have her evicted." "What? You can't do that!" Could she? "Oh yes I can. It's my apartment and she's staying there without my consent." "Fine." I spat as I ran up to my room.

The day had finally come where I would play what could be considered the most important match of my career. I stepped out with such confidence. These Barça players didn't know me so I had an advantage... I found a space in the left wing, ran it down like a maniac, cut off Dani Alves and centered the ball. Somehow, Karim caught it and put it in the back of the net. My first Clásico and my first assist. I knew the only other 'canterano' who had been able to do that was the eternal captain Raúl González Blanco.

I leaped for joy and ran to my teammates. Kakà and Benzema pointed at me as if saying that it had all been me. I smiled and hugged everyone. I looked up at the stands and was startled by something: I was completely disappointed at seeing Carla there. I wanted Alicia to be the one I dedicated this to. She was the one that heard all my complaints, all about my hard work and my passion for this sport. But she wasn't here. I fist-pumped toward my family and realized that this sole fact was enough...

I made my way to my house where everyone (mom, Marta, her fiancée and Carla) was already setting the table for a family dinner. Francisco shook my hand and said: "Congratulations, man. You played an excellent match." "Thank you." Marta then hugged me and congratulated me. Carla then came in the room, saw that I'd arrived, put the plates down and wrapped her arms around my neck. "Congrats." She said before pressing her lips against mine. It's not that I didn't like her, I was just suddenly sexually repulsed by her. Maybe it was because Alicia was a much better kisser.

We sat at the table, I waited a reasonable amount of time and cleared my throat to make an announcement. Everyone smiled, probably thinking it would have to do with the game. "If you will all excuse me, I have something very important to say. It may not be very pleasant for everyone but I have to think of myself and respect those around me." I turned in my chair to face Carla and just came out with it. "Carla, I can't be with you anymore. I'm sorry."

She looked stupefied. I glanced at my mom and she mirrored Carla's expression. "Now, son. You don't really mean that, right? You're joking, aren't you?" She tries to chuckle but the whole table stays serious. "I do mean it." "You better not be doing this for her, Álvaro!" My mom warned, standing up from the table. "Who? Alicia? That whore. I knew it!" Carla interrupted. She stands up and then slaps me across the face and I felt like I deserved it.

"I'm sorry, Carla." I say after her as she rushes off to the bathroom. I stand up from the table and Marta looks at me as if she knew all along. She probably did. "Please take Carla to the airport safely tomorrow." As I say this, I look directly at Marta and she nods once. "Where are you going? I forbid you to stay in that apartment with her!" I scoff. "So you're going to evict your own son out of your apartment?" "I swear I will if you don't come to your senses right now!" I ignore her, take the keys to my car and rush over to my mom's apartment. I need to see her. I need to tell her. I need to touch her. I need to kiss her...