The World (Sequel to International)

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I will continue writing and will post when I have the time.

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June 2032

Mariana's POV:

"Happy birthday to you!" We all sang to Mapi. She blew out the candles and looked at me. 

"How do you feel?" Alexia smirked.

"Old." Mapi sighed. 

"Don't sigh too hard." Virginia said. "You might break a hip."

"Ha. Ha." Mapi glared at her. I rubbed her shoulders. 

"I think you're the hottest 37 year old I've ever seen."

"Of course you think that." Leila said.

"You sleep with you." Virginia scoffed.

"Nahikari permission to slap your wife?" I looked at her.

"Permission granted."

"Babe!" 

"Think before you speak. Slap away, Mari." 

I laughed and turned to Virginia. "Slap away." 

"No." Vir ran off. 

I stood there and laughed. "I have no motivation to chase after her." 

Mapi laughed. "Thank you guys for this. Means a lot."

"Well, we love you. You little shit." Lola crossed her arms. 

Carmen rested her head on Lola's arm. 

I looked down at Mapi. "I'm gonna go check on Jordana." I whispered.

"Ok." She nodded. 

I walked into Jordana's room and smiled. She was awake. I picked her up. "Hi, baby girl." I whispered. I brought her outside. "Look who woke up to see her mama." I carried her to Mapi.

"My baby." Mapi took her. "Hello." She kissed her whole face. 

I smiled and looked at Alexia. She gave me that look. I shook my head. "Mariana, can you come help me real quick? Thanks." She walked to me and dragged me away.

"What?" I looked at her.

"What? What! That's how you want to start? Did you tell Mapi!" She whispered angrily.

"No!" I stared at her. "Wait. Tell Mapi about what?"

"About going back to Sporting?"

"Oh! No! Why would I tell her that? It's not happening!"

"What? I thought it was!"

"I want it too but I have to talk to her FIRST. Then try to get the deal to happen." She sighed. "What? Don't sigh at me, Alexia. You haven't told ANYONE yet."

"Don't flip this on me!" She pointed at me. 

"I'll flip it all I want." I walked away.

"Everything ok you two?" Aitana smirked.

"Alexia has something to tell everyone." I turned to her and smirked.

"Oh, you son of a bitch." She glared at me. 

"What's going on, Ale?" Leila looked at her.

"This season at Barca was my last." She said. "I'm officially retired." 

"What!" Jenni screamed. We all looked at her. 

"Jenni. You knew." Carmen said.

"Actually she didn't." Alexia sighed. "She knew I was thinking about it. She didn't know I actually went through with it." 

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because part of me thinks that I'm gonna play next season. But I know that I won't. I'm still not used to being retired." She shook her head. 

"You're gonna have to get used to it now." Mapi said. "It's really just me left at Barca huh?" She crossed her arms.

"Am I invisible or something?" Aitana said. 

"Yes." Mapi said. Patri laughed.

After Collerense got promoted to the top league, Patri and Mariona signed contracts with them. They both said they wanted to go home. No one stopped them. We couldn't be prouder of them.

"Maybe Mariana will leave Atleti and join you." Mariona said.

I looked down. 

"Um. Mapi can I talk to you?" I looked at her.

"Yeah of course." She got up. We walked to our bedroom and I paced around the room. "Babe? Are you ok?"

"I do want to leave Atleti." I said quickly.

"Ok?" She laughed. "Where do you want to go?"

I took a deep breath. "I want to go home. I want to back to where it started. So I can retire there." I nodded. "Mapi I want to go back to Sporting."

She smiled and got off the bed. "Then go." 

"Really?"

"I'm not the idiot I was. Will I miss you? So much I won't know what to do with myself. But will I be the proudest wife in the world? Always." 

I smiled. "Then I guess I should call my manager?"

"I'll go entertain our guests." She kissed me and left. 

I looked at my phone and smiled. Hopefully, I can go home.

July 2032

Mapi's POV:

Preseason was underway. Alexia and Leila were head coach and assistant coach of Barca's academy. Jenni was coaching the senior team. 

Virginia announced that this year would be her last professional season. Stating that she wanted to start her family. Nahikari deciding to do the same.

After annoying injuries, Carmen officially retired last month. She spent her days with the twins while Lola continued her job as Atleti's goalkeeper coach. 

Mariona was the captain of Collerense with Patri as her co-captain. They were carrying the team on their backs. 

Aitana and I? We were doing alright for Barca.

As for Mariana? Today was the day.

I looked at the tv as we sat around in Jenni and Alexia's living room.

"Breaking news out of Atletico Madrid. They have announced the transfer of Mariana Mendes. She has been transferred to Portuguese champions, Sporting CP on a one year contract. Atleti thanked Mariana for all her years at the club but stated that they had to honor her wishes of returning home. Sporting are very happy to welcome back Mendes to the club where she started her career. Her nephew, Gabriel Mendes Leon currently plays for their youth academy." 

I smiled and looked at my friends. 

"Are you ok?" Alexia asked.

"I'm so happy for her." I said. "I'm gonna miss her but she wanted this. She's been in Spain with me for years. I've been selfish. As much as she loved it here, this was never her home. Portugal is and always will be where she belongs."

"So you aren't going to be stupid about it this time?" Lola asked.

I stood up and unzipped my jacket. I wore Mariana's Sporting jersey under. "Stupid? No. Not this time. I'm her biggest fan."