PATHS, JOAO FELIX

F I V E

[for the sake of the story please all pretend joao was not announced on social media and that malia is really fucking oblivious to the world around her xx]

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joao was pacing around the empty hallway as the media man of chelsea, ryan, watched the boy stressing.

"joao, please stop pacing, you are making me tired and stressed just watching you. it will all go smoothly" the guy tried to reassure the new signing.

all he could do in return is nod. joao was thrilled to be at the london club, he no longer wanted to be at atletico madrid as he just occupied the bench.

the media guy checked his phone before standing up from the floor and gesturing to joao to follow him.

the Portugal born boy followed, keeping his head down as he got to the door of the press room. he kept it down while keeping his stance confident before he took a seat. ryan had sat in the chair next to him and joao could feel all eyes on him and hear all the cameras desperate to get a photo.

he took one more breath before looking up. the lights were quite overpowering and it took him a moment to adjust his eyesight but as he did, his eyes instantly met a familiar pair.

he wasn't sure if the nerves had got to him or if that was butterflies that had just washed over him as his throat dried up.

'shit' he thought as he then readjusted his posture and gulped before speaking and trying to ignore the familiar person in the room.

malia sat at Cobham at the pre-match conference for chelsea. she sat writing up some notes and preparing to get faced with anything as chelsea were unveiling a new unknown signing to the media to build the hype and drama for the official announcement.

malia compared the room to the hunger games in her head. every journalist and reporter in the room was preparing to, metaphorically, run to ask the new player the questions they wanted before someone got there first.

she laughed in her head at the comparison as she sat in the middle row in the centre and looked to her left and right at all the serious faces around her.

it was a warzone but yet that wasn't reflected in the quiet room.

her head was down as her attention was on perfecting these questions and making them as versatile as possible. malia had always tried to ignore outside influence when it came to her job, she was a reporter and presenter and that was the main thing.

the silence was shattered as the click of the door sounded and the clicking of cameras took over. her head shot up and saw the person already sat in the chair at the front, his head was down so all the girl could see was a head of fluffy brown hair.

his head raised and instantly met those of malia.

joao felt his face flicker in emotion before he gulped a bit and spoke to the full room.

"hello, thank you all for coming. my name is joao felix"

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🫣