score - Pablo Gavi

chapter 17

After the game, I decided to walk home. The streets outside of Camp Nou were very crowded, and people kept shouting at me. One girl even asked me to sign her jersey. I felt so special for no reason. Once I finally got home, I decided to make a cake to celebrate going to the finals.

I ended up going with a basic circular cake with the pattern of a football iced on. I turned on my playlist then started baking. I made the batter and put it in the pans, then baked them. While they were baking, I prepared the white and black icing. Once I got done with that the cakes were done and cooled. I put the cakes together, then frosted it with all white. I let it sit for a bit, then frosted on the black pentagons, then the cake was done. Not even two hours after the game, Gavi called me.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey, watcha doing?" He asked.

"Well what are you doing?"

"Can you please come to dinner with me? We're going to moments, Xavi is paying. He said I could bring you."

"Shouldn't you celebrate with your team?"

"I will, I just want you to be there." I couldn't say no.

"Ok, when?" I asked.

"I'll pick you up in like 30 minutes?" He said in the form of a question.

"30 minutes?"

"I know it's short notice, but please?"

"I'm kidding. See you then."

I was absolutely not kidding. 30 minutes would be enough time for me to get ready for work, or a regular day, but going to one of the most fancy restaurants in Barcelona? No. I ran to my closet and grabbed a cute red dress and put that on along with a pair of black heels. I ran into my bathroom and put on mascara, concealer, and lip gloss. I brushed out my hair and quickly blowdried it for volume. I sprayed my perfume, then waited for Gavi.

"Hey, you look beautiful," Gavi smiled as opened the door. I grabbed my purse.

"Hey, thank you," I blushed. Gavi was wearing a nice sweater and some dress pants as well as dress shoes.

"Ready?" He asked. I nodded and we went to his car parked out front.

"Did you bake a cake?" He asked while driving.

"I was bored, ok," I defended myself.

"Hey, it looked good!"

"Why thank you," I said. We were talking about how crazy the locker room gets after they win on the way there. He pulled into the fanciest restaurant I ever did see.

"We get a private room in the back," He said, sounding proud. He parked next to Pedri and we walked in. "After you," He said, holding the door. I walked in and was greeted by a young woman. She showed me the way to a room in the back. When Gavi and I walked in, the boys cheered. My face turned as red as my dress. I sat down next to Frenkie, and Gavi sat next to me.

"It's nice to see you," Frenkie said.

"Thank you! It's good to see you as well," I smiled. Gavi squeezed my hand under the table.

"What are you getting?" Gavi asked me.

"The garden salad, what about you?"

"The white fish sounds really good." He said. We all ordered our food, which took forever because of how many people were there. A few minutes after, Xavi walked in. The whole team cheered.

"Thank you guys for coming," he said, and everyone quieted down, "I'd like to make a toast to the reason we are out celebrating." He raised up his glass, and we all followed. Everybody knew he was talking about Gavi. "To Gavi," he said, and we all repeated and cheered. Gavi's face turned so red.

Our food came about twenty minutes later. The salad was good, but I wished it was still acceptable to order the kids chicken strips. I felt kind of out of place since the only other person with a plus one was Lewandowski and his wife, Anna, but then she started talking with me, and I felt a lot less awkward. Anna was so nice, and very easy to talk too. Gavi was talking with everyone, but mostly Pedri.

Once Gavi and I were done eating, we decided to cut it short and leave. We said goodbye and thank you, then left.

"Hey do you want to go on a walk downtown with me?" Gavi asked.

"You know I do," I replied, and we started walking, "so everything is good with you and the boys now?"

"In theory," Gavi said.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well yeah, they've all forgiven me, but the thing is, I never did anything in the first place. They should have never been so mad at me, but now that I've gotten them into the finals they love me again. I feel like I can only trust Pedri," he explained. I felt really bad for him. I knew what it was like to be in that situation all too well.

"I'm sorry, Gavi. You didn't deserve to be treated the way you were. I'm glad that you decided to be the bigger person, it's not easy."

"I just get so angry, not just when I'm playing. I make a lot of mistakes when I'm mad."

"It's ok, Gavi. I promise you things are gonna get better soon." I squeezed his hand.

"I really like spending time with you," Gavi said as we reached the end of the street, then turned around. "You're nice and funny, and you're a great person to talk to, and you just make me feel... good." He explained. I wanted to cry. That was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to me.

"Gavi, I love you. Thank you for saying that." He put his arm around my shoulder and rested his head on mine, then we walked back to his car and went home.

"Thank you for everything today, Cleo," Gavi said, letting me out at the front door.

"Of course, Gavi. See you tomorrow."