The Little Sister

Chapter 8

The first day back at camp, after one glance at Lola, you felt yourself crumble from within. You manage to keep a neutral face the whole meeting, you go straight to your room at the end of the meeting. Not wanting to bring any attention to you, Leila and Ona stay like they usually would. But Alexia and Jenni called upon Leila. That wasn't out of the ordinary so no one paid attention to it.

-What's wrong with Short stuff ?

- What's wrong with Lupe ? Jenni and Alexia asked at the same time.

Leila pondered a minute, looked at Lola, Alexia followed her gaze. A flash of recognition passed through her eyes.

- Lupe Gallardo, she is Lucinda Lola's sister right ? Jenni's jaw dropped

Leila glared at Alexia and signaled to speak lower to Alexia. And she nodded.

-Oh my god! Okay I know what's going on, I need to talk to Lola.

With that Alexia was gone.

- Ale ! Don't !

Too late. She had grabbed a hold of Lola and was walking out the door, she was not stopping till the both of you would be in speaking terms again. Jenni prevented Leila to follow, and reminded her that Alexia was really good at the whole emotional bullshit stuff. Which calmed Leila down.

Leila and Jenni came to your room to find a disheveled Ona and a form on the bed under the cover. Leila pushed through and found you under the blanket face stained with tears marks. She got in the cover with you and hugged you. Ona and Jenni joined on the bed to hug you.

In another part of the hotel, Alexia let go of Lola.

-I want to talk about your sister.

-You recognized her. Alex, I don't want to talk about her. Lola began leaving.

- MARIA DOLORES GALLARDO NUNEZ!

That stopped Lola, she turned around and looked at Alexia.

- Sit. She waited, looked at the chair and back at Lola, who sat down. You don't have to say anything, just to listen.

You and I remember that when you came out to your family, your sister didn't say anything and made a weird face, you thought she disliked the fact that you were lesbian. You thought she was disgusted, and you decided to let her time, but when she never brought it up again. You told me it was eating you up, and you decided to stop talking to her.

Well I don't know why she made a weird face that day, but put to the light that Lupe is your sister. I just want to remind you how awkward socially your sister is. And if you hadn't noticed ... well buy glasses Lola.

Oh and I am pretty sure your sister has nothing against the fact that you are gay, since she is too.

With that said Alexia left the room, she found Virginia and Irene Paredes at the door.

-Let's leave her a second to absorb everything.

When Lola got out, Irene told to call her mom. She needed to reconnect to her sister before trying to fix anything. Irene left and Virginia and Alexia led her to Alexia's room, her roommate being Jenni, there was no chance of an outsider trying to get the gossip.

-Lola, is everything okay ?

-Mom, I know but I want to know more, tell me about Lupe, everything that I don't know. Please ? Lola had a hard time keeping her tears at bay. Your mom decided to not twist the knife in an obvious wound.

- Your sister left Chelsea to go to Atletico even though she had a better offer from Barcelona in 2017, revealed your mom. She wanted to play alongside her sister. She never stopped adoring you since she was a baby. She has always been so proud of you, when we saw you on TV during the Olympics, she was always grinning or saying that's my sis.

-Then why did she leave for Manchester ? Asked Lola sadly.

-I don't know sweetie, I really hoped you would know, your sister doesn't speak about you anymore that's all I know.

Maybe Carmen or Jenni knows, they were really close at Atletico. Then you could also ask her g... or not I think it's best if she tells you that herself.

Lola video called Carmen, who answered quickly, said hello and when she saw their faces, asked what was going on ? Lola began explaining when she got cut by Andrea appearing on screen.

-Holà Lola.

-Hola Pipsqueak... Lola turned white. Carmen, Andrea I have to go bye, she hung up. She got up, and said, I know what's going on, she thinks I replaced her. Pipsqueak was her surname when we were kids. Seeing me and Andrea must have hurt her so much. Ale do you know in which room she is ?

- Si, I am gonna ask Jenni to get everyone to leave.

When Lola arrived at your door, Mapi, Leila, Patri, Ona and Jenni were there.

-If you hurt her, you might be my friend Lola, ... Mapi was stopped by Jenni who raised her hand.

-Make it right, Gallardo, you both need each other.

- See, you are also good in the emotional bullshit department, teased Leila while Lola entered your room. You were still in a burrito inside your blanket. She sat beside you and put Mulan while waiting, it had always been your favorite Disney movie.

When you woke up, you were blocked in your blanket cocoon. When you looked up you expected to see your girlfriend but instead you saw your sister. You asked yourself if you were dreaming.

-You aren't. Since you were little when you woke up, you would always say the first thing passing through your mind, Lola called it the "no-filter=not awake".

- I am sorry, I thought you were disgusted by me because I was gay. When I told you, you made a weird face. The thought was eating me up so I preferred cutting you off my mind. I am so sorry, Pipsqueak.

I promise you are the only one, I didn't realize I was calling Andrea that. You know, at every single one of your birthdays I buy your favorite Muffin, put a birthday candle on it, light it up, wish you a happy birthday and blow it.

If you would let me, I would like to get to know the new you. Will you ?

You jumped on Lola, well throw yourself at her and hugged her. Ask me anything. Lola asked you if Mulan was still your favorite disney, if you were still a big fan of Marvel. You talked about your favorite place in Madrid, the place you visited, the one you preferred, your tattoo, which you showed Lola; it made her cry. You talked about your cat Shanyu, you didn't talk about Leila, you were both so invested you missed dinner and fell asleep in the middle of your conversation.

In the morning, Ona came back to your room to wake the both of you up. Irene had asked that exceptionally, Ona and Lola exchanged rooms. So you spent the entire camp reconnecting with your sister. With some stolen moments with Leila and your friends, Virginia, Lola, Alexia and Mapi came more regularly to your table. At the end of camp, you promised to call and visit each other during the winter break. Just before leaving at the airport,

-Pipsqueak! I want to meet your girlfriend, that is a complete mystery.

- She won't be available the first week of the break, she has a family event that she must attend. But when you come see us in Barcelona, you will meet her.

And you were gone.

- Barcelona, but you live in Manchester ? Lola looked at Vir dumbfounded. Those Barcelona's girl they are lucky they are gone. I would have passed every single one of them under pressure while interrogating them.

-Who said she was a Barcelona player ?

-Vir, really ? I am pretty sure half of Barcelona's player knows.