So Neymar had a kid, but not a girlfriend, I thought as I was taking my shower. To be honest I wanted to know more about Davi Lucca. But my only options were to ask Neymar, which I couldn't do or to resort to the internet. But that wasn't an option either, I had learned my lesson. And I couldn't ask David, it wasn't right.

I washed my hair and dried it with a towel, so that the water wouldn't drip down my clothes. I got dressed and hurried to the restaurant.

When I got there people had started clearing out.

"You're leaving?" I asked David.

He nodded. "I need sleep. To get ready for tonight."

"Okay, I'll see you later." I told him.

Peter and Alex were sitting across the room. Alex motioned me to join them but I discreetly denied, pointing at Marina. She was sitting with Bernard, Hulk and Thiago.

I picked a tray and started filling it with food. I looked around but there was no sign of Neymar. I joined Marina and the others.

"We have to do a full day of sightseeing then." Hulk said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked sitting next to Thiago.

"We were talking about tonight." Marina said. "Maybe doing a little sightseeing, but the guys said we should take a full day for it."

"Do we even have a full day?" I asked.

"We will. After games we have one or two days. We could do it then."

"Don't we have any before?" Marina asked.

"I have no idea." Thiago said.

As the others kept talking, I focused on my food.

"How are you?" Thiago asked me, quietly so the others wouldn't hear.

"Fine. You?"

"I'm good actually. The practice went great."

I chuckled. Football players.

"Sorry about tonight. David can be a little..."

"It's no problem. I like hanging out with you guys."

"We ruined your date, I heard."

"No it wasn't even like that." I told him.

"Still Neymar won't be there, so you don't have to worry about that."

"He isn't coming?" I asked.

"Yeah, he didn't want to make it awkward for you."

"He wasn't. It's just a big group, hanging out."

Thiago shook his shoulders.

"We're going to the game room, are you coming?" Marina asked us.

"Nah, I will take a nap. I am exhausted." Thiago said.

"Me too." I quickly added.

When everyone left I asked Thiago: "Where is Neymar's room?"

He looked at me surprised for a second before he said: "C'mon, I'll take you."

When we reached Neymar's room, Thiago left me to go to his own. I took a deep breath and knocked the door. I hadn't thought about what I'd say to him, winging it worked better for me.

The door opened and I came face to face with Neymar Sr.

"Boa tarde." I said awkwardly. "É Neymar aqui?"

Neymar's head popped from behind the door. He exchanged a few words with his father before stepping outside. He closed the door behind him.

"Do you want to talk to me about something?" He asked me.

"Yes." I nodded. I felt weird talking in the corridor, while people passed by. "Do you want to take a walk?" I proposed.

He nodded and we started walking. We didn't have a destination in mind but somehow ended up heading for the pond. It had turned into our go-to place.

"I was talking to Thiago earlier..." I started, "And he...umm kinda mentioned that you won't be coming to Rio tonight." I said.

He started to answer but I cut him. "Because of me."

"No, no it's not your fault." He said, trying to sound reassuring. "I just thought I shouldn't impose."

"You aren't. It's a big group of people going and if you want to go, you can. Seriously, don't stay here because of me."

"Are you sure? Because I don't want to make things difficult for you. You said we can't be friends and while I hate it, I respect your decision."

"Maybe we..." I started. It was all confusing in my head. At this point it felt like I had forgiven him in my mind but I was holding out for some reason.

"We what?" he asked me. He stopped walking and turned around to look at me.

"Maybe we could be. In time."

~

A knock on the door disrupted my nap.

"C'mon in." I said.

The door opened and David came in. He sat on the side of my bed.

"Did I wake you? Sorry!"

"No, it's okay." I said looking at the time on my phone. "I should start getting ready for tonight."

"That's why I'm here." He told me. "Tonight's cancelled."

"Cancelled? Why?"

"There's a team dinner for tonight."

"Us too?" I asked.

"Of course! You are a part of this team! Get it through your head!"

I gave him a small hug.

"What was that about?" He asked but hugged me back.

"You are kinda awesome. When you want to be." I told him.

He pulled his tongue out. "We leave in an hour."

As David left Marina came in.

"Did David tell you?" Marina said.

I nodded.

"We'll go some other night." I told her.

"Will we? We'll start having afternoon practices too soon." She said as we started getting ready.

I wore a black skater dress with a wrap in the front and my black flats and opted for a natural look with minimum make up.

Marina also wore a dress, but it was a floral one.

"You look great girls." Alex told us when we met them in the hall. Everyone was starting to gather, ready to go.

When everyone arrived we started walking outside. The CBF bus was there to transport us to the restaurant.

"Technically we are still going to Rio." Thiago said.

"Yeah, we just won't do what we had planned." David said mischievously.

"The way you just said that, I am starting to think it's a good thing." I said.

He laughed. "You are tarnishing my good name."

"As if you need my help." I said.

We boarded the bus and took off towards Rio. The ride was fun, it reminded me of school. Everyone was talking and laughing.

I spotted Neymar who was sitting with Dani a few rows ahead of me, he was laughing at something Hulk had said. As if he sensed me, looking at him, he turned his gaze towards me. I quickly averted my eyes but I wasn't sure whether he'd seen me looking or not. This was definitely like school, I thought.

After about an hour the bus stopped in front of a fancy steakhouse.

"That's a terribly long drive for dinner." I commented.

"It's worth it." Fred said. "This place has the best steak."

As we started coming off the bus I noticed the commotion. It seemed like the press knew we'd be there and it was mayhem. There were fans and cameras everywhere.

"Oh my God." I heard from behind me and recognized Marina's voice.

"It'll be okay." David said and I focused my eyes on the back of his head, deciding that following him was my best chance of making it inside the restaurant.

When I descended the few stairs and hit the ground a camera was almost shoved in my face. They were asking me questions in Portuguese and the lights were so bright, they blinded me.

There were so many people around me that I couldn't see David anymore.

"C'mon." I heard as someone grabbed my hand. It was Neymar's voice, I knew it even if I couldn't see him. With him next to me the paparazzi went even crazier. People were yelling his name and asking him questions but we walked through them.

When we made it inside the restaurant I realized that the stuff had come out to help us, as did two assistant coaches. We never would have made it inside otherwise.

"Obrigado." I told them trying to catch my breath. I realized I was still holding Neymar's hand- pretty tightly.

"Thanks." I told him, letting go of his hand. He nodded, a small smile appearing on his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked me.

I nodded and we walked inside. They had linked about a dozen tables together, like they did in the compound for all of us but there were also a few tables for regular guests. We were the last to enter and sat on the far end of the table, next to Maicon and Dante, both of whom I didn't know very well.

David who was sitting in the middle of the table gave me quizzical look. "I'm fine." I mouthed.

"How do you do it?" I asked Neymar, finally relaxing in my chair.

"You get used to it."

"I don't think I ever could. Good thing I won't ever have to." I said.

The food came a little later and it was just as good as Fred had said. When we were done eating, Scolari stood up and started giving a speech in Portuguese. I looked around awkwardly until Neymar leaned towards me and started translating in my ear.

It must have been an emotional speech, because by the end some of the players were tearing up, but honestly I didn't hear half of it. I could only focus on his hot breath, on my neck.

"Thanks." I told him when Scolari finished. He nodded. Marina a few seats away gave me strange look.

"Podemos tirar uma foto juntos?" I heard from behind me. A little kid asked Neymar for a photo.

"Sim." He said. The kid handed me the camera and I took a photo of them. Soon people from the tables around us started asking some players for photos. They all obliged.

Players started taking selfies too and I looked at everyone grinning from ear to ear. They were taking photos and chatting happily with each other and it felt like a dream. I was also a part of a few photos with the guys from the university and the players, even Scolari and Mr. Jones took photos with us.

By then everyone had changed seats, but Neymar and I still remained at ours. David and Thiago were sitting from either side of us and they were arguing over what had happened in practice today.

I was watching the conversation without talking, mentally taking pictures. I wanted that memory never to fade away.

"I'm going to the bathroom." I said. Walking in, I looked at myself in the mirror. My cheeks were flushed from the wine and my hair was a little all over the place but I decided I liked it like that.

I headed towards the table but midway I froze.

 A girl was sitting on my seat.