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Chapter 9- Leo and Cat

Cat's POV

I looked different. 

But not a bad different- it was far from that- but it wasn't me.

Me was football strips and quirky t-shirts, Hollister hoodies and shorts. 

Not whoever the heck this was with my name and my body. 

I actually felt beautiful and I looked it too. 

Chaise stood behind me, smiling proudly. She was the only one of my sisters still in Barcelona with me, everyone else had to return to their respective jobs. I smiled back at my older sister in the mirror and turned in my chair to face her. She sat on the edge of the bed, hands clasped in her lap, tears threatening to fall. 

"Thank you for this," I said softly. She nodded, her bottom lip quivering with the effort to restrain herself from breaking down. I reached out and placed one of my hands atop hers. 

"It's no problem," she struggled to say. I felt my heart sink at seeing her on the verge of crying.

"What's wrong?" I asked, pulling my chair over to sit in front of her. She gave a teary laugh and punched me gently on the shoulder.

"Nothing's wrong, stupid," she said, not unkindly, "you're just not the little thirteen year old that came to us all those years ago. You're dating Lionel Messi, just like you always dreamed of, and you're about to attend a Ballon d'Or ceremony."

I grinned at her. "You'll be with me," I said. Chaise had been nominated for a new award for sports journalist of the year. I couldn't honestly think of anyone else who deserved that award more than she did. 

There was the sound of a car horn down below and Chaise stood up, brushing down her dress  and then fanning her face with her hands. "Oh I'm a mess!" she laughed. I shook my head and stood up as well. 

Chaise looked amazing. She was wearing a black dress that accentuated her curves perfectly with matching black heels, her hair tackled into a bun-shape with two of her natural curls falling down either side of her face. She had little makeup on; mascara, some eyeliner and a peach pink lipgloss. She looked every part the superstar she was.

"Shall we go?" she said, offering me her arm. I nodded, linked my arm with hers, and joined her as we made our way out to the limo parked out front. 

Manuel Neuer grinned at us both as we slid into our seats and the chauffeur slid the door closed after us. "You look lovely, girls," he complimented and then with a nod in Chaise's direction, added; "Every part the Goddess you are."

I felt my heart warm at his words to Chaise and I nudged her in the side. She smiled, a faint pink tainting her cheeks and leaned across to kiss her boyfriend gently on the cheek. 

But of course, he turned his head at the last moment and I was forced to sit in their company as it turned into something else. 

"You're going to mess up your hair which we so expertly attacked into that bun," I warned my sister but she waved me off, still occupied in Manuel. I groaned loudly and leaned my head against the window, watching as the scenery sped by on our way to collect Leo and trying to block out the sounds of them trying to swallow each other.

~

Leo's POV 

I checked my reflection one last time and straightened my tie. Xavi chuckled behind me. 

"That's the seventeenth time you've checked yourself in a span of twenty minutes," he commented. I rolled my eyes and shrugged on my waist coat as I turned to face him.