The Rising Star - Alexia Putellas

Part 67

It was our second to last day and we had spent it at the beach. After breakfast we went to the city to stroll around a bit and then we eventually ended up at the beach near the house.

Around five we decided to call it a day and went home so we could change and go to the shop because we were in desperate need for some food.

Alexia and I were passing a small football pitch that was located near the shop we had just gone to when suddenly I saw a ball pass by me. Before the ball could go too far, I stopped it and looked around for its owner.

"Ellie!" I turned around, the ball still at my feet with groceries in hand. A few meters in front of me stood an eight year old boy that over the course of the years I've got to know pretty well.

"Ivan!" A smile instantly broke on my face. I didn't waste time walking over to the boy. I placed down my bags right on time before he jumped into my arms.

"Nedostajao si mi." (I've missed you.) He mumbled on my shoulder.

"I've missed you too buddy." My heart fluttered at his words. I let go of the boy and looked around for the boy's parents, waving when I spotted them.

I immediately walked over to them to catch up a bit. Alexia introduced herself and got along great with the people that I grew up with. After a while I ended up playing football with the kids, who happened to love the game almost as much as I did.

Alexia's pov:

While the kids had abducted Ella a while ago to play football, I stayed with her friends. We had settled ourselves at the Cafe close to the field where the kids were playing. From where we were seated we had the perfect view of them playing football.

"It's nice to see her smile like that again." Ana, Ivan's mom said with a small smile on her face while she was watching her son play with her friend.

Ella was showing off, there was no doubt but she was letting the kids win eventually. It was really cute to see but Ana's statement grabbed my attention.

"What do you mean?" I asked them intrigued.

"After Jacob and Mason she came here a couple of times. I don't think we have to paint you a picture of how much she was struggling then. Definitely after Jacob, not necessarily because of the break up but what that son of a bitch did to her. After that she lost her spark for a while and now it's finally back." Josip explained with a smile on his face, happy for his friend, that she was finally happy again.

"Yeah, I've noticed it too. The stress from the world cup and all must not have helped either. Everybody looked at her, I can only imagine the pressure she was under." I sighed.

"She doesn't talk much about that part of her life here. Here she is just Ellie, not Eleanore Queen. So it's hard to know what she's really going through sometimes." Marijana breathed out, clearly worried about her friend.

I looked back up, the younger brunette immediately catching my eye. She was laughing and chasing after a boy, picking him up and throwing him over her shoulder. The sight made my heart flutter.

"So, how long have you guys been together?" Ana wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, a big grin on her face.

"Oh no, we're not together. We're just teammates. Well, good friends, best friends." I rambled on, surprised by the assumption. Her friends just laughed at my awkwardness.

"But you call her Ella?" Josip asked confused, clarifying if he heard right the other time.

"Yeah." I shrugged, not really seeing the big deal but the others seemed surprised by my answer.