Fever Dream ~ Neymar Jr

Chapter 93

2018

After the ceremony, things started to change. Photos of all of us celebrating, with our skin painted with flowers aiming to cover the ugliness not only of the bruises, but the world. It was a message of resistance and resilience and it wasn't just about what had happened to me. It was more than that. It was of people getting together, supporting each other and standing by each other, in a way only football could achieve.

This sport, that I loved so much, that gave me life, it was also my way out of darkness and depression more times than I could count. Football and an internship with the Brazilian team saved me after James died. Football gave me Neymar. And it was also my lifeline when Neymar wasn't there anymore.

And then, football brought us together again in France. And it gave me the strength and courage to fight for my life. Fight for it, when I kneed Ian to get away from him, when I reached for the broken CD piece and scratched him, trying to defend myself and then when with her help of all the people around me that loved me, I picked up the pieces and began to heal.

Football was the common ground to it all.

"Wait, so you guys are engaged again?" Rafaella asked me, bringing me back to reality. We were all gathered at Neymar's house, his family and all our friends and teammates, having a small party in the garden.

I nodded. She and I were in the kitchen, getting more glasses to bring outside.

"Where is the ring?" Rafaella asked me.

"It was a spur of the moment thing. There was no ring."

"He should have gotten a ring if he was going to propose. He didn't say anything."

"Technically, I proposed." I told her, and she opened her mouth in surprise. "But I did get him some earrings today, I just haven't given them to him yet."

Rafaella laughed. "You two are determined not to do anything traditionally. I give up."

"Where is the fun in that?" I asked her, as we walked back outside.

Neymar had rented a huge trampoline and Davi as well as the kids of our teammates that were here, were bouncing happily. And Neymar was the only adult inside the trampoline, bouncing only on his one, not injured foot.

"He's a perpetual child. Look at him. Do you really know what you're getting yourself into?" Rafaella asked me, pointing at Neymar, as we set the glasses on one of the tables.

"Totally." I said, grinning from ear to ear. "Are you coming?"

She rolled her eyes at me as I got in the trampoline and started bouncing too.

A few hours later, the party had died down. All the families with small kids were gone, except for Thiago and Belle, whose kids were sleeping in the living room inside, exhausted from an afternoon full of games and activities. Even Davi had been so tired that Nadine had taken him upstairs to sleep and she hadn't returned either.

Toly was here without his girlfriend today and I saw him, Luc and Kylian laying down on the grass, on the far side of the garden, with beers in hand, talking and laughing. I was happy to see Toly integrate well and enjoy his time at PSG.

Thiago and Belle were sitting in some lounge chairs nearby, talking to Clara and David. Clara was sitting on David's lap and the two of them looked completely at ease with each other, as if they were together for years. Clara kept playing with David's locks which I knew he hated, because every time I did it he'd shoo my hand away. But he looked happy now that it was her doing it. I smiled, looking at them.

Rafaella and Alex were sitting at the large table we had set up, with Marlena and Peter. Something told me Peter would have a hard time leaving Paris when the time came to continue with his PhD.