Off the Deep End (Cristiano Ronaldo / Lionel Messi)

Chapter 15: Five Goals

Saturday 4th April 2015

To say that recently things hadn't been going very smoothly between Leo and Antonella would be a grave understatement. For some reason, ever since Antonella came back from Argentina, she had been pretty much giving Leo a silent treatment. The situation at home made Leo both sad and frustrated and he simply couldn't understand, where it came from. He tried his best to be a good boyfriend, attentive and caring, but nothing seemed to work.

Even today, when Leo was about to leave for Barca's trip to Celta Vigo and there was 15 minutes to go, she still hadn't made a single effort to let him know he would be missed during the weekend nor did she help him to get ready.

"I'm leaving soon", Leo said finally in a last attempt to catch her attention. To his relief, Antonella indeed tore her eyes from the book she was reading, lying on the couch, and sighed loudly.

"Where are you going now, if I may ask?"

The cold tone to her voice sent shivers down Leo's back and he was genuinely shocked at her ignorance. Didn't she know he had a game tomorrow?

"To Vigo, of course."

"Oh I see. I guess I forgot."

Her indifferent answer made Leo boil inside, but he tried his best put down the feeling. It was no time to start a fight as they wouldn't see each other for the next couple of days.

"But amor, you can find my schedule in at least three places in this house including your cell phone, how can you forget about it?" He winced inwardly at how whiny he sounded.

Antonella shrugged and went back to staring at her carefully manicured nails.

"I had other things in mind. You know, not everything in the world revolves around you and your football."

"Right. So is this how you're going to say goodbye to me, no?"

Antonella snorted, but – nevertheless – put the book aside and stood up to embrace him quickly before taking a step back, examining him. It was like she wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words.

"Have a good trip, I hope you win. I just wish you'd spend more time with me, you know", she added quickly.

"What do you mean?" Leo said, looking at her genuinely puzzled. "I'm at home all the time!"

Antonella smiled tiredly and shook her head.

"That's not what I meant. You're here, but you're not here, you know? I feel like these days your mind is always wandering somewhere else, when you're with me."

Leo cringed. Maybe she was right after all. He was trying to be a good father and boyfriend, but was he really? He spent time a lot of time with Thiago, tried to do little things around the house to make Antonella happy, but for God knows how long he hadn't even asked how she was doing with the pregnancy.

"I'm sorry, it's just that there's a lot of important games coming up, I can't stop thinking this may be the last chance for me to bring home the treble and we're so close this time, so close."

"I know all that, don't worry", Antonella said and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "Just don't forget about me, that's all I'm asking. But you must be in a hurry, see you on Monday. Love you."

"Love you too", Leo whispered and kissed her on the cheek, a lump forming in his throat, before grabbing his suitcase and rushing into the garage.

***

"Looks like someone is having a rough day", Luis greeted him as soon as he slumped down next to him in the airplane. Leo replied with a sarcastic smile.