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"Cass, what the fuck, you were supposed to be ready at 7! It's almost 8!" Mélissa groaned when her best friend opened the door.
"I am ready."
"You can't come to the party in your pajamas, Cass."
"Why not?"
"Because it's New Year's Eve!"
"And?"
Mélissa sighed.
"Stop being stubborn for once and just wear a dress. Any dress."
"Fine. But do I have to wear makeup?"
"Nope. Just a dress. You don't have to wear heels nor make up if you don't want to."
"Thank you Liss. You're one of a kind," Cassie said before leaving her best friend in the living room to change.
"Yeah. And you're really not okay," Mélissa sighed. She looked at the tulips that were on the table.
At least, she didn't throw them up, she realized. She didn't know about the chocolate, though.
"Cass? Where are the chocolates that you got?"
Cassie reappeared, wearing a simple black dress, her Converses in her hand.
"Can I wear those?" she asked, ignoring Mélissa's question.
"Yes. So where are the chocolate?"
"Trashcan."
"What? Were they expensive chocolate?"
"I don't know, Liss. But probably not."
"You mean probably yes! The guy is rich, Cass."
"So you know who it is from," Cassie remarked, crossing her arms.
"I guessed. I swear I didn't know. And I know you're mad at him, but I wanted to eat those chocolate."
"Sorry. I just didn't feel like seeing them in my kitchen or anywhere else."
"And the flowers?" Mélissa raised an eyebrow.
"I like flowers and I can pretend that they are from Girl Boss."
She had a point.
"Are you ready? We are almost an hour late. I have like 100 texts from Ro asking where we are."
"He's just looking for you."
"Shut up, Cass. He's looking for the both of us. Now let's go. And please try to pretend that you're having fun there, alright?"
_
"And this is my watch. Gold just like the rest of my outfit. What do you think?" Dani smiled, and Neymar raised an eyebrow.
"It's very Dani."
"I'll take that as a compliment because I am amazing," Dani shrugged. "It's our first New Year's Eve with the team, I want it to be unforgettable."
"It will. Which doesn't mean that you have to be drunk."
"Drunk? Me? Never!" Dani smiled, and Neymar laughed. He had pretty clear memory of a drunk Dani during a new year in Barcelona.
"You don't need alcohol, you're crazy enough being sober."
"Are you coming dressed like that?" Dani raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah? What's wrong with my clothes?"
"They are your everyday clothes," Dani mumbled. "Okay, sit down," he patted the place next to him on the bed, and Neymar frowned.
"What?"
"Just do it! Aha, Nike."
Neymar obeyed, and Dani sighed.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing. I just feel like wearing that."
"I mean really. What's up with you?"
"I'm fine. I love the team and Paris and--"
"I'm not talking about football. You know you can tell me everything, right?"
Neymar lowered his head.
"I know. Thank you, Dani. You're my bro."
"Of course I am. Now let's see if Joana is ready so we can leave."
_
"Cassie?"
"Mmhm?" she raised her head to look at Mélissa and frowned when she saw that her best friend had a big smile plastered on her face.
"This is Océane, you know, my friend from Victoria's Secret," she explained, clearly insisting on the fact that she still haven't talked to the girl. "Océane, this is Cassie, my best friend in the world. There is also Romain but I don't know where he is."
"Drinking," Cassie replied. "Nice to meet you, Océane."
"Likewise."
"So, um, we are going outside real quick, will you be okay on your own?" Mélissa asked, and Cassie smiled.
"Sure. Take all the time you need, really."
"Thank you, Cass."
I didn't get the guy so she better get the girl.
She sighed and looked around her. Just like every year, they were celebrating New Year's Eve at Romain's, who had invited around twenty people that he knew from work and from all his trip around the world.
"Cassiiiie, where is Liss?" Asked a tipsy Romain, a drink in his hand.
"Outside, why?"
"Don't stay here all alone. Come with me, we are gonna have fun."
He's right. You can't stay here and be sad about Neymar. You need to party.
"Okay. Sure. Can I have a drink?"
"The answer to that question is never no."
She smiled and followed her best friend into the kitchen.
_
"What the fuck is that?" asked Mbappé, trying to guess what was in the glass in his hand.
"Do you mean that you just drank in a glass that isn't even yours?" Neymar said as calmly as he could.
"Yeah," Kylian shrugged, "I don't know where's mine."
"Stop doing that! You're too young to drink alcohol and most of the glasses are filled with alcohol!"
"I am not. And it was not alcohol. I think."
Neymar shook his head. He was pretty surprised to see that most of his teammates were sober. Most of them were there with their kids--but Davi was celebrating New Year's Eve with Carolina--, which made sense. It was actually nice, to be able to have actual conversation with everyone without alcohol being on the way.
And he was enjoying it.
You'll think about Cassie tomorrow. New year, new choices. You'll knock at her door and talk to her. But don't think about that now. Tomorrow.
