Just Friends - Neymar Jr

1

Flashback to June 2003 (both aged 11):
Neymar POV:

"Pass!" I shouted running forward, "Diego! Pass! I'm open!"
The same fat kid hogged the ball yet again, causing us to lose it which was becoming a regular thing. I put my hands in my hair and covered my face, cringing at how bad we were.

I didn't bother to get on defence and let them score another goal as I ran over to the curb, where I had placed my water around forty minutes ago. It was a hot day in brazil, which wasn't a surprise, and me and a couple kids in the area played our usual game of football that we did whenever we could in the street just outside my house.

"Neymar," one kid in the year below me at school caught my attention as he tugged on my shirt and nodded over to the left of us all. A girl who looked to be around my age approached us.

"Can I join?" she asked, scratching her head awkwardly.
"Sure-" I was about to say before the fat kid spoke up, making me roll my eyes.
"No, you're a girl! Go play with your barbies!" he taunted her as the other guys laughed along with him.
"I just saw you lose the ball mate," she laughed as her head rocked back a little and she showed off her pretty smile. I chuckled at her confidence and Diego's hurt look on his face. She spoke Portuguese well, considering I could tell she had an accent not similar to ours.

I agreed with her, "Yeah, it sounds like you're scared a girls gonna show you up." I raised my eyebrows at him and now me and the girl were the ones laughing.

The rest of the boys were hesitant as I kicked the ball to her and we started playing. I ran up the left side and she was on the right. Diego tried tackling her but she nutmegged him and went round his left before passing to me as I gaped seeing her skills. Nonetheless, I ran forward and passed to her again as she was further ahead and she scored as the goalie went right and the football hit the top left corner.

"Simmm!" We both shouted in unison as I put my arm round her in a friendly way.
"You've got some skills-" I paused realising I don't know her name.
"Amelia," she said smiling, "And you?"
"Neymar, Neymar Jr"
"Well Neymar, I think we make a good team," she said laughing.
"So do I, you're much better than Diego over there," I said pointing to the same large kid that was telling her she couldn't play, who was now sulking with the rest of the boys.
She smiled before her face turned pale as a tall man walked towards us.

"Amelia! Qué te he dicho?" He shouted angrily.
"Amelia what have i told you"
"Lo siento papá," she said looking down.
"I'm sorry dad"
I could make out what they were saying as I realised they spoke Spanish, which is pretty similar to Portuguese. I hoped she wasn't in too much trouble, her dad looked scary.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her up the street. She turned around and gave me a sad smile which i returned and waved. I hoped I'd get to see her again.