Let Me Love You | Toni Kroos

Chapter 13 - Wake Me Up When May Ends

Gabi's POV

FEBRUARY
Dear Gabi,
Did you know that the Finnish word for February is helmikuu, which means "month of the pearl"? It's because when droplets of water re-freeze on tree branches, they form ice pearls. I wish you were here with me, searching for the last ice pearls as the weather warms up. Remember to keep yourself warm and drink lots of your favourite hot chocolate :)

I'll probably play my first game this month. I hope you'll be watching, although maybe it'll clash with a Bayern match. But it's okay if you aren't, because no matter what, you'll always be in my heart.

Happy Valentine's Day, baby. Even though I won't be there with you, I hope you'll enjoy yourself, maybe together with Bertha and Elisa while they stare at all the guys who walk past them? Also please accept any cards that any guys give you (I'm sure there will be a ton, just like back in secondary school), I wanna read them and I'll personally go up to those guys and introduce myself.

Have a great month, Gabi. You'll always be on my mind. I love you so much.

Yours,
Toni

I was smiling as I refolded the letter and put it back in its envelope for what seemed like the thousandth time. So much for waiting for a bad day to read it – I'd read It within the first week of February. And I kept taking it back out to read, because every time I read those lines in his handwriting, I felt so warm and comfortable inside.

I had to wait until the end of February for Toni to make his first appearance in a Bayer shirt, and fortunately it was one of those days when the match didn't clash with a Bayern match. They'd lost the match, but I was happy to see Toni, even if it was just on a TV screen.

I'd been spending a lot more time at Toni's place, compared to at my place. It was nice to be alone, and the entire house was just filled with his presence – the posters of his favourite tennis players on the walls; the Dallas Mavericks poster on the back of his door; the shirt he wore when he made his Bayern debut, which he'd draped over the back of his chair and refused to keep in the wardrobe together with his other shirts; the single Bayern scarf hanging over his bed; the dent in his wardrobe door from when he accidentally kicked a ball too hard.

After finishing the week's assignments, which I'd brought over to his house to complete, I decided to write him back for every month, just like how he'd prepared those letters for me. We'd been talking on the phone, but it wasn't very often, because I never knew when he would be too busy to take my calls. Although we had told each other about our current events, it just wasn't enough. It was the beginning of March, so I started my February letter.

Dear Toni,
I miss you so much. I've been sleeping on your bed for the entire month and I hope you don't mind. It smells so much like you. I can't wait till you come back and fill up the empty space next to me.

I kept all the Valentine's Day cards for you. And I told all of them I have a boyfriend. One of the guys is in our football team, and he said he'd like to challenge you! I told him he'll never beat my Toni. Nobody will ever beat my Toni. Not in my heart, not on the pitch.

I saw you play, and I'm really proud. Don't give up, baby. Never, ever give up. I'll always be here rooting for you, even if you don't know it. I'll never, ever give up on you.

It's just the start. There are many better things to come. I love you.

Gabriele

——

MARCH
Gabriele baby,
Did you know that aquamarine is a birthstone for the month of March? Aquamarine is the exact colour of your beautiful eyes. Your eyes are my favourite eyes in this entire world, and I wish I could look into them forever, because they never fail to take my breath away. My heart stops for a few seconds every time you look at me. Your eyes pierce right into my soul, you know? They almost glow in the dark. I love your beautiful eyes.