Vull estar amb tu (I want to be with you): A Sergi Samper Fan Fic

Chapter 14

Ana María's P.O.V.

He pulled the covers up to our waists and pulled my body on top of his. My hair fell on his arm as he stroked my bare back with his fingertips. “I could do this all day.” He whispered. I agreed with a blissful sigh as I kept my eyes closed and lay naked on top of him. I’d never even kissed a guy before I’d met Samper even less give myself to him completely. But he had made me feel so safe that first time. I felt scared when he started taking off his clothes but he kept soothing me telling me that it was only human and that we didn’t have to if I didn’t want to. The thing is, I’d wanted to.

I came back from my reverie as he stroked my back and he suddenly kissed the top of my head. “You coming to the Mini Estadi with me on Saturday?” “Sure! You going against Ponfe, right?” “Yeah. Not to brag but we have this game in the bag.” He bragged, nevertheless, raising his eyebrows and putting his hands behind his head. I was outraged.

I sat up on the bed, wrapping one of the sheets around my torso, and looked straight at him. “What? Don’t say that. Don’t ever say that. You can’t think you have a game solved until you’ve played it.” “I know. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just…coach said I was doing well and that I would be on the starting eleven.” He said, embarrassed.

“Oh.” I said, even more embarrassed. “Congrats, then.” I shrugged, smiling sideways. He sat up on the bed too and started discussing the game plan for this weekend, which he is not supposed to do. “You’re mid-fielding with Espinosa?” “Yeah.” He answered simply and kept talking. After a while, I felt like I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to say something.

“Yeah but you can’t just stay there when Espinosa isn’t connecting. I know you're a defensive midfielder but you have to help him.” He looked shocked at my words. Stupefied is a better word. “You should put your clothes on if you’re gonna get that serious.” He chuckled, trying to turn it into a joke but I knew that it wasn’t. He turned his back on me and took his boxers from the floor, slipping them on in one swift move.

“Sergi I…I’m sorry. I didn’t…” He stood up and left the room without a word. I hid my face in my hands. I screwed up. I slipped off the covers  and took his shirt from the floor, putting it on over my otherwise naked body. I walked barefoot toward the kitchen and saw him propping himself up on the counter, looking down. “Sergi, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I shouldn’t have said anything. I just…”

“Don’t apologize.” He said, shaking his head while still looking down. “But…” “You’re right.” He admitted. I wrung my hands together behind my back and bit my lip until, after various agonizing seconds, he finally looked up. “I got mad because it’s not the first time I hear that.” After being rooted to the spot for while, I walked toward him.

“I understand, I mean, you’ve just been promoted from the young squads because the B team has lost so many key players. Second division is a lot of pressure.” When I was close enough, he wrapped one arm around my waist and pulled me to him. “I believe in you, though. I know you can deal with it. I know you can do it.” He sighed complacently, a wide smile on his lips, and pressed his against mine ever so gently. “What would I do without you?” I smiled and wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, standing on tiptoe to kiss him again.

…

I went to the Mini Estadi that weekend to support my culé boyfriend against all footballing veins in my body. I had decided to wear a red, spaguetti-strap camisole tucked into a short black skirt that had another long chiffon skirt over it. I completed the look with a high/loose bun, simple make-up that included elaborate black liner and red lipstick, black platform shoes, an arm cuff and many gypsy-like accessories like rings and ear cuffs that I simply did not leave behind. Suffice it to say that my student budget could not afford anything that was on my body right now.

It was the first time I went to the Mini Estadi to watch a match because all the other weekends I was either studying or in a meeting for a group project. And sometimes, yes, maybe insecurity that I could not face the fans that I would see there, supporting the club of their hearts with all their might. That would never be me because I just didn’t have it in me. I was awfully quiet in the Audi A4 Sergi’s parents had gotten him because they’d finally decided he could have his own car. I felt him looking over at me various times. “What’s wrong? Why are you so quiet?”

I looked over at him as soon as he talked, startled by his voice given the silence inside the car, and smirked, shaking my head at the same time. “It’s nothing. I’m fine.” “It’s not nothing. I know you.” I was not used to anyone outside my family knowing what went through my head. It just kept surprising me. “I’m just…I’m nervous that I won’t cut it with these people. I mean, I’m not…a culé. I can’t even pretend that I am.” He showed his credentials at the entrance and parked. As soon as he did, he looked over at me.

“First of all, none of that should matter because you’re my girlfriend, not theirs. Second, contrary to what you might think, not everyone is here just because they believe Catalunya should be independent. There are people, a majority of them, that barely ever think about that. They’re just here to support us as their players and all of this” he signaled our surroundings meaning La Masía “as their club. That’s it. I’ve never asked you to be a culé. I’ve never asked you to stop being a Madridista; to stop supporting the club that you love. I grew up here, I’ve been here for thirteen years, so if I picked you as a girlfriend, they should just trust my judgment.”

His speech left me speechless. “I…I…I don’t know what to say except I love you so much for being who you are and for choosing me. I am just so lucky to have you.” I was looking down as I said that because I’m always shy about expressing my feelings. He brought his hand up to my cheek and I looked up at him. “I love you, too. Thank you for letting me into your life and agreeing to stay here in Spain for me. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.” He took my hand in his and laced our fingers.

He pecked my lips and a calmness took over me: “Ok. I’m ready. Let’s go.” “Great.” He said as he let go of my hand and got out of the car. I did the same with a smile on my face. He had one of those bags that I hate that have to carry under your armpit and he draped his other arm over my shoulder. He greeted the security guard and the old man asked: “Is this her?” before we could walk past him. He was so cute. Sergi stopped beside him and nodded, looking over at me. I looked up at him thinking I must look really lovestruck so I huffed awkwardly, a sad excuse for a laugh, and looked down, wrapping my arms around his waist. “It is.”

“Woah. He finally brings you here. He hasn’t shut up about you. He says you’re the smartest girl he’s ever met, that it’s overwhelming how driven you are, that he’s so lucky to have you…you had to be here when he thought you were leaving. He was impossible to be around…” “Ok. Jordi, that’s enough.” He interrupted, a huge smile on all our faces. I had been chuckling at the man’s antics but all the while thinking about how much Sergi must care about me to talk about our relationship with literally everybody that worked here. “You’ll scare her off.” He squeezed my shoulder and I squeezed his torso in response.

“I don’t think that’s possible. You two have been together for, what, eight months now?” “Going on nine very soon.” I said to him, looking up at Sergi to be greeted by a beautiful smile on his face. “Well, I’ll tell you one thing sweetheart: this guy right here” he went over to Sergi and put his hand on his shoulder, the other one on his chest. “he’s a good kid. He does right by his family and friends. And don’t ever doubt that he loves you. Heck, this boy has never fallen this hard. Take care of him, will ya?” Sergi smiled sweetly at the man as he said all of this and then looked over at me for a response.

I looked up at my amazing boyfriend and smiled: “I will. I promise.” “Good, good.” Said the old man but that didn’t stop us from continuing to stare into each other’s eyes like two idiots.