Dark Moves Of Love ~ Neymar Jr

Chapter 83

The traffic to the stadium was once again terrible. People, those with tickets and those without them, seemed to gather and fill the streets surrounding the stadium hours before the game began. I knew from the first game when I wasn't on the bench that it was an ordeal to get into the stadium, it was a long walk and then a lot of waiting in line to get in. Coming out was even more time consuming.

Once everyone was dressed and ready we headed to the pitch for the last practice. After a quick warm up Scolari gave the last instructions and we split up for a quick practice. When that was done we headed back inside to wait until the game started.

The locker room was so silent while we waited, you could hear a needle falling on the floor. After a while the doors to the stadium opened and the silence turned into a light buzz as the people got inside and found their seats. As the time passed the light buzz transformed into laughter and hopeful anticipation. I felt the charge in the atmosphere, as if everyone's heartbeat was synchronized.

I realized I was so caught up in my Neymar bubble or stressed about the game that I hadn't paid attention to that positive energy all the other times. I wondered whether the players did because it was a powerful motivator. Being nervous about the outcome and existing only inside your head was the worst thing you could do.

As the clapping on the stadium intensified and formed a distinctive beat, I let it fill me up, making me excited. Boom, boom, clap. Boom, boom, clap. Boom, boom, clap.

It seemed like the whole stadium shook in the same beat. The walls, the floor, the benches. Boom, boom, clap.

"What are you doing?" Marina asked me. I opened my eyes and realized I was doing it too, knee slap, knee slap, hand clap. Everyone was looking at me, eyes wide in surprise.

And then across the room David with a big smile in his face slapped his knees twice and clapped.

Returning the smile I joined him. Boom, boom, clap. Boom, boom, clap. Neymar, Hulk, Dani joined in. Marcelo and Fred. Bernard. Marina. Coach Coto. Everyone.

We were one team. We were beating as one. Boom, boom, clap. We were ready.

As the players got ready to go out into the pitch, I saw Neymar clutching the hand of a little girl in his. When he saw me he smiled brightly. I followed the coaches and we settled on the bench. Marina who was by my side seemed to be in a better mood as well. Peter was whistling something that seemed an awful lot like the beat we were clapping to before.

The referee blew the whistle and the game started. It was intense from the get-go. Scolari was pacing around the bench and yelling like a lunatic at times, but no one could hear what he was saying even if he was near us.

7 minutes in and Neymar was at the side of the pitch clutching his knee. After the medics looked him over he got up and went back in, limping.

"This doesn't look good." Marina said to me and I hoped she'd be proven wrong.

And then at the 18th minute David scored! The stadium shook as the crowd erupted in cheers and I saw everyone running towards David, hugging him and then falling on him, making a big yellow pile of limbs.

14 minutes later Chile evened the score by way of Alexis and Hulk's defensive error.

Soon the referee blew the whistle for halftime and everyone headed for the locker room, exhausted. I followed the coaches inside as well.

I felt a sweaty hand on my wrist as I walked and suddenly I was pulled inside a dark room.

"Neymar! Are you serious? There's a camera out there!" I yelled because even though I couldn't see who was there, I knew it.