Love in Offside | Neymar

Chapter 2: Adeus Croácia, ola Brasil!

I sat in the airplane a bit scared but excited. Everyone around me was apparently used to flying but I wasn't. I thought I'd get motion sickness. However I was so happy I got to go to Brazil. Never in my life did I want anything so bad than this trip. 

''Buckle up, we will be taking off in one minute. Enjoy the flight.'' 

''Well, goodbye homeland. We will be back, don't worry.'' I said quietly, almost whispering. It was like my Croatia was crying for us. Maybe she thinks we won't be back. 

My friends were sitting right next to me. I said a prayer and we took off. I looked outside the window as we were taking off. Maria was really scared. I remember her telling us she'd never sit on an airplane but here we are now, flying to another continent, across the world. 

''Are you scared?''

''No not at all because I know that tomorrow, at this exact time, I'll be away, far in Brazil. Away from the yelling and treating me like a maid.'' I said to Barbara.
Sometimes our parents would treat us like servants just because it's summer break and we're not doing anything. I'm really tired of that. I've never been in really good relationship with my mom. We would always fight about something. She'd said she understands what's going on in my mind but never has she put words into actions. Actually that's the reason I'm going to Brazil. Just to get away for some time.  

''Yup, me neither.'' she looked away. I took her hand and said ''It's okay to be scared.'' 

We were already travelling about two hours. Because Croatia Airlines doesn't have a direct flight to Sao Paulo, we had to change at Frankfurt. A big, rich city. We changed and soon continued our trip. 

(...)

''Come on, wake up!'' I felt someone pinching me on my shoulder.

''I'm up, I'm up! What was that all about?'' I said while yawning so it sounded like a whale mating call.

''Fine. If you wanna go back home we'll leave you here. We're soon in Brazil dumbass!'' said Barbara.

''Soon? You were supposed to wake me when we're in Brazil! In!'' I was now completely awake and had no desire to go back to sleep. I was really tired because I got up very early and almost had no sleep the night before. I blame the excitement. It was my first school trip all over again. Well apart from leaving me in the bus sleeping, the trip was successful. For my schoolmates. I just travelled and slept.

''Whoa guys, check it out!'' said Mia and soon we were almost fighting on who gets to the window first. At the very start of the flight I called dibs on the window seat. And there it was. 

''Ola Brazil.'' i said admiring the majestic view.

''Ola Brazil indeed.'' smiled Maria.

''Olá os viajantes! Bem-vindo ao Brasil!'' 

''What?'' we were not familiar with the language so we were a bit confused.

''Hello something something something Brazil.'' I said because I was looking through an online Portuguese dictionary the other day just in case of the worse case scenario. 
We stepped out of the plane with our luggage we were hardly carrying. Barbara's cousin Joseph was guiding us on where we should go. He wasn't gonna leave us out of his sight. We took a taxi to a hotel. Outside it looked very luxurious. I've been saving a long time for, as we say back home, the dark days and now it paid off. Literally.

''The next three days we eat, live and sleep like kings.'' Barbara turned to us with a smile on her face.

''You mean queens?'' I corrected her. 

''Sure, whatever, we're in Brazil!'' she replied in joy. When we got in it was like a dream. The hotel lobby was cracked with guests and it was all clean, nicely decorated and the best of all, it had a big chandelier hanging from the ceiling. No wonder it had four stars. 

''Wait there 'till I check in.'' said Joseph. 
We sat on these chairs, it was like we were sitting on clouds. I looked around in fascination because we are from a small town and we don't get to see these things: grand hotels, big cities... 

''Okay girls, so... Let's see. You and you. Room 302. Here is the key.'' he pointed at me and Barbara. 
''You and you, room 301. I'll be staying on the same floor but I got room 315 so no sneaking out or stupid behaviour. Your rooms are next to each other so you can be in touch. Understood?'' he was giving us a small lecture on behaviour. 

''Now go unpack and come down for dinner at six.'' he said and walked away. Barbara and I rushed to our room. I'm deadly afraid of elevators so we had to take the stairs all the way up to the third floor. She agreed to come with me because what kind of a friend would she be if she denied? 

''So, you're still claustrophobic?'' she asked.

''Let's put it this way, if I was to take an elevator, I'd kill myself. You have no idea how terrifying it is for me.'' I explained my phobia to her. 
After an infinite long climb on the stairs, we finally reached the third floor. A person would say that the room 302 is on the very beginning of the floor. However, Brazilians wouldn't. It was all the way on the other side of the entrance, close to the very end of the hallway. 

''Thank Jesus and all the saints for bringing us here at last!'' she said while exhaling and inhaling as slowly as she could to calm herself.

''Let's go in.'' I unlocked the door. As soon as I unlocked it, Barbara was already on the big bed next to the great window with a glorious look. My legs were just about to fall off but the bed came to the rescue. 

''This is heaven.'' sighed Barbara.

''I get you.'' I sat on the bed and, as always, jumped a little on it. There was another bed just next to this one. It had two pillows on each bed so we could all fit. I don't mind, more room for me. 

''I really love Brazil.'' I went out on the terrace. A warm wind was blowing, typical for the mid-June. There isn't a happier person than me on this world. I smiled and lied down on the deck chair placed in the corner.

''Enjoying yourself there?'' came Barbara and leaned on the railing.

''Relax here, it's magnificent.'' I closed my eyes for a bit. The sun was just above the horizon so the city looked even more amazing. 

''Come on, we got to get ready for dinner.'' she said.

''I'll be with you in a minute.''