I woke up abruptly in the morning when a loud crashing noise came from downstairs. Neymar muffled something about burglars as he got up to check it out. I was still too beat to move.

A few minutes later he came back inside with two mugs of hot coffee.

"Those idiots are trying to make breakfast. As if that would appease me." He said, handing me one of the mugs. He opened the windows and the bright sunlight came in.

After a few sips I felt my body wake up. "So what's the plan here?" I asked Neymar who had sat back down next to me.

"We were supposed to be alone. But no, we can't even get two days! And they've been hauled up in here for a week! In my house!"

"Gee brother! It's your house, we get it!" Rafaella yelled.

"Stop listening in on my conversations!" Neymar yelled back. "Okay, we definitely have to get rid of them." He said to me.

"I know I'm gonna regret this..." I started, "but what about the yacht?"

A big grin formed on Neymar's face as he turned to look at me: "Perfect."

~

"Liv this is Lucas. He's our captain."

"Nice to meet you." I said to the middle aged man who stood in front of me as I shook his hand.

Half an hour later we were on the yacht and the engine started roaring. It was considerably smaller than the one we had rented in Rio but still big.

"So what do you think?" Neymar asked me when we reached the top and sat on a shaded bench.

"Extravagant."

He laughed.

"You're gonna love it. We can jump in the water from here."

"No way!"

"Or from below." He quickly added. He hadn't stopped grinning since we boarded the yacht.

"No, I'm not getting in the water."

"Why not?" He asked me quizzically.

"It's the South Atlantic Ocean. There might be sharks."

"I'm sure we'll be fine." He said laughing.

"Yeah that's what the people in Jaws thought too!"

"Liv that was a movie." He said, rolling his eyes at me.

"Inspired by real life events!" I exclaimed. "There's no way I'm going in the water so far away from the shore. I mean look at the sea, it's so blue and endless. I need to be able to see the bottom."

"I'm going in." Neymar declared.

"Suit yourself. I'll be sure to speak of your bravery at your funeral."

He gave me a shocked look before climbing up the railing. I quickly got up to join him. "Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked him.

"I've done it a million times before." He said and in one swift move he did an 180o turn and faced me, each of us standing on opposite sides of the railing. "C'mon join me." He said before planting a quick kiss on my lips.

"No." I shook my head.

"C'mon." He said again and gave me one of those looks that would make me do anything he asked.

"Fine." I said. I took my shirt and shorts off as quickly as I could and climbed up the railing before I changed my mind.

"Just try not to land on your belly. It would hurt." Neymar said as he caught my hand.

"I'll try to keep that in mind." I said, looking at the water below us. It was silky and calm. For a brief moment I wondered who that girl was that without thought agreed to this. That wasn't the typical me.

"On 3." Neymar said, squeezing my hand. "1... 2..."

"Here goes nothing." I said.

"3!"

For just one second it felt like I was weightless. And then I dove, feet first and before I knew it I was in the sea. I opened my eyes below water and saw Neymar submerged next to me.

The water was colder than I expected but it made me feel awake.

"Did you like it?" Neymar asked me when I emerged.

I chuckled. "It was fun." I conceded.

He approached me and was just about to kiss me, when I tackled him underwater and pushed him down. He was quick to fight back, dragging me down with him.

"Oh you wanna be like that?" He asked, spraying me with water. "Two can play at this game!" He said as I swam away from him.

We stayed in the water long enough for my hands to start wrinkling when Neymar asked me if I wanted to go back up.

"Wanna jump again?" He asked after we got towels to dry off. "Okay, okay, not again." He said after seeing the look I gave him.

We settled on the top deck again and had lunch. It was a beautiful day and the sun made me happy. We usually spent all our time together hiding and it felt good to be out in the sun together.

I hadn't even realized what a difference it would make. I just felt lighter and I suspected he felt the same way because it made a difference in his behavior. He seemed more relaxed and content than I had ever seen him. Like the World Cup and our problems were a million miles away.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked me and I realized he was watching me watch him.

"No reason. I'm just thinking it's kind of nice. Sitting here like this."

"Yes. It absolutely is." He said and wrapped me in a hug.

"But..." I started.

He sighed. "Why does there have to be a but? Always."

"There doesn't have to be..." I said, trying to get my thoughts in order. "It's just that we have to go back and that means go back into hiding."

"I know baby. And I hate this too. You just have to hang in there for a little while longer. We both do. And then when the World Cup is over we won't have to worry about it anymore." He said, looking at me expectantly, waiting for me to agree.

"Neymar when the World Cup is over we won't be together anymore."

"You don't know that."

"But I do. I'm leaving."

"It's summer. I don't have to go to Barcelona for another month. I'll come with you."

"And then what? We get one more month and then you'll be across the globe from me."

"So what do you suggest?" He snapped at me. "Break it of now and save ourselves the pain?"

"I think we're past that. And no, of course not." I said, taking his hand in mine. "It's just... I don't know how not to think about it. I don't know how to shut the thoughts out of my mind. It makes me nervous, so I'm always nervous now."

Instead of saying anything he kissed me lightly and I tried to push the thought out of my mind. It wasn't easy.

~

"Hey, I forgot to ask you, did your brother call you back? Are we meeting them later?" Neymar asked as he came out of the bathroom, drying his hair in a towel.

"Yeah he did. Unfortunately they are not here. They're up in Fortaleza, I'm forgetting about which game."

"That's too bad. I thought we could take the yacht out again. Or not." He said when he saw me roll my eyes at him. "I'm sure our paths will cross again. Especially if we make it to the finals. I really want to see that girl Haley again." He said.

Once the words registered in my brain I took the pillow closest to me and threw it at him. He caught it in the air, an amused expression on his face. "You don't like that, ha?"

"I don't like it one bit." I told him, looking up at him.

He stared at me for a second, focusing on my face. "I would be an idiot to mess this up." He said, pointing his finger at me and then himself. "I'm not an idiot.

"Good." I told him. "So, we have the evening to ourselves."

"And for the first time, we are finally truly alone." He added taking a step towards me.

"Do you know when Alex and Rafaella will be back?" I asked him.

"Not for a few hours." He said, finally standing in front of me.

I grabbed his shirt and pulled him down. "Good."