Bewitched (Neymar Jr) ✔

#5, Enter Neymar

Getting settled into her new living quarters took even less time than packing all her meagre belongings had. Especially since Avalon benefited from having a man help her carry all her stuff from the basement's car park up to the second floor into her room: Neymar's best friend, Gil.

They chatted amiably while they unloaded her Drummer and Avalon immediately found a liking to the man. Gil was unbelievably sweet, had a good sense of humour and was very easy to talk to. By the time they'd carried up the last of her things up to her room, she'd found out that Gil was not only Neymar's best friend residing with them. He also worked for the corporate body functioning behind the footballer. That meant organising events or acting as a photographer for projects, shootings or interviews that Neymar had to go to.

All in all, they got along right away. Which made it all the easier for her to agree on a refreshment and sit outside on the terrace instead of unpacking. Besides, the weather was too nice to remain stuck inside.

They occupied two of the sun loungers standing about the vast terrace. The autumn sun warmed up Avalon almost enough to get out of her leather jacket; but not quite. It was still October, after all. And the breeze was quite chilly.

The garden was, to put it bluntly, huge. So was the whole area surrounding the house, which sat in the middle of the property. Adjoining the terrace (facing south-west) was a long and wide swimming pool on ground level as well as a grass field wide enough to play a mini football match; if the two small opposing goal posts were any indication. Behind the pool and field, the rest of the outside area began - in form of a pine forest, bushes and other outside plants. No kidding. With little gravel walkways leading through it. Avalon couldn't wait to take a stroll.

The downside was the lack of a wide view from anywhere on the property, especially since the house sat on a gentle hill. But who needed to gaze at the ocean when you could look at beautiful greenery and nature wherever you looked? With not a soul looking back from the street or the neighbour's garden.

A private paradise, that's what it came down to. Besides, you could see the ocean from the upper floor balconies just fine.

"Ah, yeah, I know that restaurant!" Gil said after she'd told him about her previous workplace. He took another sip of his soda and tilted his head in thought. Then he wrinkled his nose. "Not the best of food if I remember right."

Avalon sighed, fighting the shudder at the memory. "Yeah... I better not tell you about the conditions in the kitchen there."

Gil chuckled. "You better not! Not that we ever plan to go there again."

Zelo took precisely that moment to hop onto Avalon's sun lounger with a frantic meow. His sudden appearance caught her by surprise. She'd "freed" him of his box upon arrival and he'd immediately set to discover his new territory, so she hadn't expected him back so soon.

Avalon sat up and was about to greet him but she didn't get to it.

Because the cat hadn't come alone.