ARCADE | Rebić

7

"I couldn't have told you what blue is
'Til I looked into your eyes."

She was really doing this.

She was really doing what was right, for once.

"Don't forget about me. Bitch." Ljupka said as she hardly tried to hold back tears.

Ivana looked at her and smiled. "Are you really crying? I'm not going to war!" She laughed as she circled her best friend into a very tight hug.

"World is a war without my best friend!" The raven haired girl said as she hugged the blonde one back. "But I'm happy you're doing this."

"Thank you." Ivana said. "But you're not getting free of me that easily!" She laughed, messing with her friend's bob cut.

"That would be better!" Ljupka said as she took her friend's hand away from her hair. "Call me every day! Every afternoon, every night, every after sex, every fucking time!"

"For all we know, tomorrow in the morning you will be again using me as your personal dummy!" Ivana let out a nervous laugh, causing Ljupka to slap her on the arm. "You crazy?"

"You'd better not come alone then!" Ljupka said in a serious tone.

Ivana laughed again as the speaker announced her flight. She hugged once again the smallest girl. "I'll miss you, my little devil!"

"I'll miss you too, my favourite hoe!" Ljupka said, smiling back at her and waving her with the hand as she saw her best friend taking the right flight.

—

Since he left Croatia, Ante heard nothing more about the wedding.

Mirko tried to call him several times, but when he replied it was only for telling him he was busy with training.

Truth was, he was afraid Mirko could ask him to be his best man.

"It's yours!" Theo -Hernandez- yelled as he provided him an assist.

Ante gave a kick to the ball but, to his bad, Gigio -Donnarumma- denied him the goal, calling the corner kick.

"Bravo, Theo!" Their coach, Stefano Pioli, clapped his hands, recalling all the team for a little break.

Being a hot June day, they needed to be more hydrated than their usual. And that day, they were also training in front of some lucky fans in Milanello.

"Ante, what's wrong?" Pioli asked him in private, gesturing him to sit on the bench.

"Nothing." The Croatian said, taking off some sweat with his towel. "Maybe it's the hot weather."

"Ante, you can be my son, I want to know if there's something I can do help you." His coach said, side hugging the player. "So, what's wrong?"

Ante shrugged and looked down. He knew Pioli truly wanted to help him, and he appreciate him so much for that. Just like he appreciated all his teammates who managed to keep him distracted those last days. "Love problems." He admitted. "Apparently one of my friends is going to marry my ex-girlfriend in August."