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Chapter 3- Cat's POV

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

I groaned and rolled over in bed, pulling the sheets tighter around my body and burying my face into the pillows; trying and failing to block out the white sunlight piercing my eyelids without suffocating myself. I knew there was no way I was getting back to sleep now, especially with the alarm persisting to wake me. 

"Alright, I'm getting up now," I growled, untangling myself from the mess of sheets. I stared up at the ceiling for a few moments and willed my brain to start functioning. 

It was Saturday- my only full day off from work that I instead dedicated to playing football. I spent most of the morning down at the CEJG (Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, aka the FC Barcelona training ground) on my own- only leaving ten minutes before the team's training started.

And if you don't fucking move you're not going to get to train in peace because the squad will already be there and working.

Sighing heavily, I pushed myself out of bed and grabbing my training clothes- made for the shower. 

The CEJG was only a five minute drive and fifteen minute jog away from my house. I never usually used the car to get there unless it was pouring down outside, and even then- that was rare. 

The groundskeeper was already at the pitch when I arrived. He smiled at me as I jogged up to the gate and opened the lock. Since I turned up at the gates six years ago as a wide-eyed and hopeful teen, we'd kept up the arrangement that as long as I brought him a cake every Saturday- he would let me in to train and look after my football. 

"Good to see you again Cat," he greeted me as I handed over the paper bag with the sweet pastry inside in exchange for my football. 

"You too, Andres. How have you been?" I asked, shaking his hand. 

"I've been good thank you, yourself?" he said. I smiled and shrugged, placing the ball at my feet. 

"Same as usual. This job has me here, there and everywhere. I'm shattered," I replied. Andres smiled at me again and nodded, giving me a friendly pat on the shoulder, and went back to doing whatever he was doing before I showed up, whilst I headed off in the direction of the changing rooms. 

My training kit was the same as FC Barcelona's (being a proud supporter of the club, I had most of their kits and tracksuits). Training in the Ciutat Esportiva was the closest I would ever be to actually playing on Barcelona grounds- with or without a team. And although part of me still wanted more, I was happy with the little bit of the Azulgrana I had. 

I laced up my boots at the edge of the pitch and sighed as I straightened up. The air was already starting to warm. I closed my eyes as I shook off my limbs from the run and focussed on my breathing. It was something I did before every one of my training 'sessions'. I suppose you could go so far as to call it a ritual. 

"I'll be off now," Andres called to me from the gate. "See you later."

I waved to him and turned back to the pitch. 

"Let's do this," I said to myself. 

My training began with basics drills like dribbling and controlling the ball; keeping it close to my feet. Running onto a pass (which was difficult considering I was training alone and basically consisted of me kicking the ball far out in front of me and sprinting onto it) and taking shots at goal, before moving onto fancier skills like step-overs, rainbow flicks and then my Messi routine... It was practically the same as every Saturday, with extra pieces here and there to improve my game. I want my movements and sequences to be as seamless and perfected as possible.

An hour later, the ball hit the back of the net for the final time and I pointed to the sky in celebration; mirroring the celebratory stance of none other than Messi himself. 

That was when I heard the clapping. My heart dropped. 

"That was really something," I heard a familiar voice comment from behind me. I turned to look at Leo, who was standing by the gate alongside Pedro Rodriguez. 

"I learnt it from the best, I suppose," I answered. Leo smirked and crossed the pitch towards me, leaving his team mate where he was.

"Good to see you again," he said as he continued to close the space between us. I laughed and prodded him playfully in the stomach.

"So you decided to fulfil part of fangirl's utmost desire?" I said, lowering my voice. I saw him swallow and leaned in closer to him. "Are you going to go all the way and fulfil the rest or just leave it where it's at?" I added, my lips brushing his cheek.

"I can start by taking you out, right?" he answered. "Stay for the training and I'll take you out for coffee afterwards." 

"That would be an excellent start," I said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, and walking away to stand by the gate- all the while inwardly freaking out over what had just happened. 

"So you're the girl that practically wrote on his dick," Pedro remarked as I neared him. I stopped before him and smiled. 

"Writing on his dick won't be the only thing I'll do to it," I replied innocently. Pedro raised his eyebrows and laughed.

"I think I want to be friends with you," he said, offering me his hand. "Have I got to introduce myself or do you already know who I am?"

"Pedro, I know who you are alright," I said, shaking his hand, "Catalina Aracelle Sanchez. Call me Cat, though."

"Cat, cool. Has he asked you out yet?" Pedro asked, nodding in Leo's direction. I smirked and turned to look at the Barcelona number 7. 

"Does 'coffee after training' count?" I muttered. Pedro smiled and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Believe it or not, he's still kind of new to this," he said, "I don't even think he realises he likes you yet."

"You think he likes me?" I asked, surprised. Pedro turned his attention to Leo, who was jogging across the far end of the pitch. He waved to us both and I found myself waving back. Pedro made a noise that sounded like a sarcastic laugh, if that was possible. 

"Oh yeah, he likes you alright," he said, "one thousand and one girls falling at his feet, and you're the one he decides to pick up. You're special. He likes you." 

I felt my smile widening at the prospect. Leo Messi likes me?

"Well," I said aloud, "we'll just have to see how this develops from now. Won't we?"