Cause and Effect

Four

"Are you lot ready to go?" Asked Thierry. "There's fans here to welcome us, but don't spend too long with them. We've got a bit of time, but we do need to get to the hotel by noon, they have a team dinner prepared for us and I have a meeting to attend."

"Can we go out tonight?" Asked Hector.

"Yes, if you remain sober, and get enough sleep," Thierry replied, reasonably. "We have a friendly against Sevilla tomorrow evening, and training in the morning."

"Got it," I murmured. "Don't get drunk, go to bed early."

Alexis chuckled.

One of the flight attendants was having a few words with the boss, and he nodded, turning back to us.

"We're ready to disembark, let's go."

Thierry hadn't been wrong when he said there was fans here to meet us. They were crammed in either side of the walkway, and there were photographers everywhere. There was a lot of Spanish players on Arsenal's first team, including Hector and myself, so it made sense that we had a lot of Spanish fans. It was a good quarter of an hour before we made it to the bus, and thence, the hotel. We did get there eventually, however, and soon we were checking in to our luxury hotel rooms. I collapsed onto the soft bed with a sigh. A good sleep on a comfortable surface was exactly what I needed at that moment - not that I was complaining about Alexis on the plane. That was a different kind of nice. I was just on the point of deciding to sleep until I had to get ready for the team dinner, when there was a loud knocking on my door.

"Hec if that's you go away, I'm sleeping," I yelled.

"It's not Hector," replied Alexis' amused voice.

I was immediately on my feet, and at the door. I twisted the handle, and pulled it open. Alexis' expression went from laughing to concerned within an instant.

"Were you actually asleep?" He asked. "I'm so sorry Nia, I'll leave you alone..."

"No no, it's fine," I laughed, interrupting him. "Wow, do I really look that tired?"

"You should have slept on the bus to the hotel," he chuckled. "But no, you look beautiful, like always."

I felt my cheeks redden at his words.

"I was just coming to ask if you wanted to go and do some touristy stuff, since it's been a while since we've both been in Barça," he continued, saving me the embarrassment of responding to his compliment.

"Um, sure," I nodded. "What's the rest of the guys doing?"

"They're all staying here, as fast as I know," he replied. "Lunch will be here at like, one, so we can get lunch whilst we're out if you like."

I raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Are you asking me on a date, Sanchez?"

He chuckled.

"Maybe?"

"Let me go put some shoes on, and I'll come," I smiled.

His brown eyes lit up, and he nodded wordlessly. I returned inside my hotel room, and put on some converse. I grabbed my phone and sunglasses, and my key card, and left the room, locking the door behind me. I slipped the key card into the back of my phone, to avoid loosing it. Alexis was waiting in the hall, and he smiled when he saw me. He held out his hand, and I took it, and followed him down to the lobby, and out of the hotel, into the Barcelona sunshine.

The two of us ended up at the beach, after visiting various popular tourist sites. Alexis hadn't let go my hand the whole time, which I was glad about. It made me feel happy, and strong enough to admit to myself that maybe, I did like him.