Chapter Four

I smiled as I helped the three girls get ready in their respective dresses, helping them accessorize and get their makeup on perfectly. I knew there would be paparazzi hanging around, so I wanted them to look nice if they were going to be caught in the media storm. That was the benefit of being friends with a star footballer – you quickly learned how to live in the limelight.

Gerard’s house was quite large as they entered through the front door – I was leading the way, the other three girls following timidly.

I didn’t blame them as I greeted our host with the traditional besos, and followed suite with several of the other players. I grinned when I spotted Adriano talking with none other than Dani Alves, and quickly walked over to them. Both were dressed nicely in black slacks and white oxford shirts.

“Hello boys,” I said, both turning at my voice. “Laia! Neymar let you off your leash?” Dani joked, carefully hugging me so he didn’t rumple my dress or mess up my carefully arranged hair. I rolled my eyes, “Not without effort on my part, I assure you.”

“Is Sergi here?” I asked. Adriano nodded, “He’s with some of the younger guys in the kitchen, eating.” I laughed, “Of course. I’ll be back.”

I followed the smell of food to the impressive kitchen, and found my brother with his teammates going at the buffet.

He spotted me and grinned, setting down his plate of food so he could come and hug me. With my heels on I was the same height, making it easier to give him a proper hug. He squeezed, lifting me off the ground for several seconds as I let out a squeak of surprise. He chuckled, and we exchanged besos.

“You played brilliantly,” I said, kissing his cheek again. He blushed as some of his friends began whistling. “She’s my sister!" he called back, only earning more calls, this time directed at me.

“I don’t date babies,” I said over his shoulder, making Sergi laugh at my bluntness. Time with Dani Alves taught me well – you learned how to push back or else you’d get overwhelmed. That had happened a lot when I was younger, but I had toughened up enough, which was probably good, considering I was going into professional modeling. I definitely needed a backbone for such an objectifying career.

Glancing back, I saw the three girls were wandering around a bit senselessly.

Smiling, I headed back over, hoping to keep them from getting too overwhelmed by their surroundings, let alone the people they were with.

~~


I had never been in such a big house, surrounded by so many rich, talented people. Laia fit, but we didn’t. We were the people who’d be cooking for footballers if anything.

When our model city guide returned, she guided us out of the main atrium and to a quieter setting out on the balcony. “Sorry to leave you guys, I wanted to check on my brother,” she said with a bright smile. None of us had blamed her to begin with, and none of us were about to then either. We were pretty much stuck with our emotions in overwhelmed, and nothing else really registered.

“Laia, who are your friends?” a voice called.

We all leaned around the thin model to see a new man approaching, one that hadn’t been at the game. He carried a can of beer in his hand and a curious smile on his features. He was darker skinned than most of his teammates, and was dressed stylishly in black slacks, white shirt, and a fedora.

“These are all culinary students at that school on La Rambla – Luciana, Aisha, and Vera,” she introduced, pointing to each of us in turn. We all self-consciously looked everywhere but his face.

He laughed, “Nice to meet you. Any friend of Laia here is a friend of mine!”

“This is Daniel Alves, but he goes by Dani,” she told us, giving him a light smack on his chest for something he whispered in her ear.

I couldn’t help but admire the man. He wasn’t very tall, but he was well built like most footballers. His grin was teasing, yet amicable as well. We all felt at ease in his presence, unlike some of the players, who seemed to intimidate us with wealth, looks, or skill.

“So are you girls enjoying it in Barcelona?” he asked, and we all nodded honestly. Who would dislike the city?

“I love living here. It’s different from Brazil, but it’s got a lot of charm and warmth from the people,” Dani said, and we all could recall experiences to validate his words. It was a unique city, diverse and proud.

“So what position do you play?” I asked bravely, hoping to continue a conversation with this man. His gleaming eyes focused on me, “I normally play as a right back – a defender – but with the way Barça plays I normally end up pushing into an offensive position along the wing,” he answered. We were already curious to see the first team play, but his words only heightened that desire – a team on which defenders played offensively? That had to be unique.

Laia seemed to sense our thoughts, “Pep Guardiola, the manager, really revolutionized the way the team plays. They push for a strong midfield, and control the game by maintaining possession rather than a strong defense.”

The model then perked as we saw her brother motioning for her in the distance, and muttered something to Dani before darting in his direction. He watched her disappear before smiling at us, “So where are all of you from?”

~~


Sergi had gotten a call from dad, so he was heading off. We said our goodbyes before he caught a cab home, and I closed the front door after him.

“Where’s your brother going?” a deep voice asked.

I turned to find the host of the party grinning down at me. “Our dad needed him for something,” I shrugged, honestly not sure of what he wanted or needed. It was better Sergi than me though, since I was responsible for the foreign trio outside.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Gerard asked, seemingly genuine that I was having fun. I smiled, “Yes. It’s great seeing Dani and Adriano again after such a long time. It’s funny how they all seem to be coming here to Barça.” “Yes. There are rumors that your friend Neymar might be on the way too,” he teased. She laughed, “He’s still too in love with Santos at the moment.”

He grinned, “Just like all of us are in love with this team.”

She nodded knowingly, “I know. I see the way Sergi glows with pride playing for this club. I don’t think I understood it when I was younger, the loyalty that one can have for a club, but I do now.”

He cocked his head to the side, “Did you find a club to cheer for in Brazil?”

She shook her head, “No, it’s only Barça for me. No club ever really felt like home until I went to games during the summer with my dad in Sergi – it was the winter here. When I was a kid, football was their thing. But suddenly here I was in a strange stadium, but it didn’t isolate me like I thought. The passion of the fans swept me away. I loved them I think before the team.”

His smile widened, “Culés are very passionate.” “Just like their players,” she agreed.

~~


Dani Alves wasn’t just funny – he was an absolute riot.

I hadn’t laughed so hard in ages, and I was thoroughly enjoying it. Vera and Aisha had wandered off to talk with some of the other guys, especially the younger guys from the B-squad.

However, he and I kept talking about anything and everything.

He told me all about his home in Brazil, and his move to Spain before he transferred to Barcelona. He had fallen in love with the team, with the style of play, and the players themselves. He’s transformed into the player he was under Guardiola, improving his style and game.

I in turn had told him about my life at home, and why I was going into culinary school instead of an office job, or other career path. Both of us were driven by passion, only for different things.

“So why Barcelona?” Dani asked me curiously. I shrugged, “I wanted somewhere different. I didn’t want the traditionalism of Paris or Madrid, but I still wanted a European city. Barcelona just sort of spoke to me with its history and of course the location is ideal on the Mediterranean.”

“And the best football team,” he chimed in. I grinned, “That too.”

We both fell silent, looking out over the balcony, and into the foliage below. Plants were swaying in the warm summer breeze, the beach not far beyond. The waves were lapping gently on the distant shoreline, the moon illuminating the dark surface a silvery blue.

The sky was blanketed with faint stars, more apparent away from the abundant streetlights.

I glanced at the twinkling stars, smiling at the picturesque beauty that was before me, and how I might have never gotten to see this.

“It’s beautiful,” I whispered. Dani hummed in agreement, leaning against the stone wall that kept us from stepping over the edge. I bit my lip, unsure of what to say – what did one say in such a profound moment, where the beauty of the surroundings outweighed anything I could possibly say.

So instead we stayed silent, watching the waves and the twinkling stars. We watched the move slowly traverse across, its silvery shadow stretching further across the water.

The party continued behind us, but we’d left it far behind.