American Girl, Brazilian World

Chapter 9

     We begin to stretch.  Some of the players are staring at me every now and then, which is making me uncomfortable, but for the most part the team isn't treating me like I'm someone new.  I'm mostly thankful for that, but on the other hand, I am a little hurt.  At some times or another it feels like they are treating me like I am some little kid attending a soccer clinic.  I won't show that it bothers me.  I'm just going to do my own thing and do everything that they do.
On a different note, Dani and Marc are really nice to me.  I think if I keep coming to these practices, I will become good friends with them.  Marc smiles at me every now and then and gives me a thumbs up, while Dani seems to be more like a goofy guy.  He won't stop joking around and laughing at my mistakes, laughing with me not at me. I laugh with him as well. If you put all jokes aside, he tries to help me and gives me tips on what I can do better on and how to do better.  I feel they both support me, and I'm very grateful for that.
During all of this, however, I am of course observing Neymar's approach on things and his style during practice.  I️ notice he's very serious about his work.  He's also very goofy at times though, even more so than Dani.  He's very funny as he cracks jokes in the middle of drills and water breaks.  Some of the things he's says, everyone can't help but burst into laughter, including me.  He laughs as well, and then looks at me a couple times. 
What's that about? 
I look back at him again and he just smirks and then turns around and continues to do his own thing. I make a mental note in my head to ask Dani what his problem is later.
"Mackenzie!  Geez, you sure zone out a lot.  Come on!  We're going to do a shooting drill now!" Dani says to me, partially laughing.
I nod my head in response and quickly jog over to him, walking by his side.

*Neymar's POV*
I'm so stupid.  I totally humiliated myself. 
How could I freeze up and get tongue tied in front of a stranger?  I don't even know her. 
I don't even know why, but she made me nervous.  I️ saw her skills, that were amazing, then I come face-to-face with her, and she gets my nerves all rattled.  With her beautiful eyes..  Her gorgeous face and cute shy smile..WAIT what?!  What the heck am I saying?! As I said before, I don't even know her and I won't think like that about her.  Besides, she doesn't even know any of us besides Marc.  I guess it's because he's her sister's new boyfriend, who's sitting in the bleachers watching.  From what I see she doesn't seem too interested in watching soccer.  She just sits there and every now and then looks at Marc with googly eyes.  That's the type of girl who I'd never be interested in.  I like someone who has a serious love for the sport, and would do anything and everything to watch or play it.  I realize though that Mackenzie is very different from her sister, because she's like that.
Then I start thinking about that, and I actually am quite impressed with this girl.  I mean think about it, a woman playing with the best men's team in the world in a hardcore practice?  That takes some serious guts and a lot of passion for soccer.  I admit, I admire that about Mackenzie.
Everyone is mixing up their speech, switching what language they want to talk in every three seconds.  When they talk to Mackenzie, they speak in English.  When they talk to their teammates, they use English as well. However, when they talk about her and saying she's really good or is very pretty and are basically admiring her, they use Portuguese; so she's unaware of what they're saying.  I roll my eyes because the team is doing this a lot.  I look over to her and see Dani whisper to her and point over to a group of the players talking in Portuguese and looking at her.  I notice when he's done whispering to her she smiles and turns bright red and hides her face, and Dani starts laughing. 
She's so cute when she blushes...  WHAT?!?!  Ugh shut up Neymar. 
I begin to laugh as well when I realize Dani told her what they are saying about her.  Then she turns even more red when she hears me laugh and I smile.
     What was that about?  I look back at her again and then she just blushes again and then turns around, continuing doing her own thing. I make a mental note in my head to ask Dani what her problem is later.
"Neymar!  Geez, you sure zone out a lot.  Come on!  We're going to do a 1v1 drill now!" Suarez yells at me, laughing. 
I nod my head in response and then quickly jog over to him, walking by his side.