Back to You (An International Story)

Love Makes Us

October 2023

Alexia's POV:

Mapi stormed out. "She's just worried about Mariana." I said to Andrea. "She knows it was an accident."

I looked over at Patri as she put her phone down. "What did you do?" Leila asked.

"I texted Mariana." She mumbled. "What? Mapi's gonna go on a rampage! Mariana can calm her down." I laughed. "We had to do the same thing with Alexia." She said.

"What?" I sat up.

"Huh?" Patri shook her head. "No. I didn't say anything. It was Leila. Leila did it."

"Bitch!" Leila turned her head quickly.

Mapi walked back in. "I'm sorry." She said to Andrea. "I'm just really upset for Mariana and I'm taking it out on everyone around me. It wasn't your fault."

"Thanks." Andrea said.

"She wants to talk to you." Mapi held out the phone.

Andrea took it and walked to talk to Mariana.

"What are you thinking my friend?" I asked. 

Mapi sighed and looked at me. Jenni walked in and sat with us. "Why do you guys say me and Mariana are basically married?" She asked.

"Because you act like wives. Also when that lady thought Gabriel was your son, you didn't correct him. Mariana told us." I crossed my arms.

"What would you say if I said I was thinking about actually asking her to marry me?"

"I'd say I'm not surprised." Jenni smiled. 

I nodded. "I'd say damn at least SOME OF US are putting rings on it." I glared at Jenni.

"Thanks a lot, Mapi." Jenni sighed. We got up and walked away.

"Nicely done." Jenni put her arm around me. "They'll never figure it out."

I laughed. "We'll tell them. Soon."

"Soon." She smiled.

Jenni's POV:

"So I get why you're going to Portugal," I pointed to Mapi. "But why are you going?" I looked at Leila.

"I'm the distraction!" She smiled.

"Oh god." Alexia covered her face.

 "What's the plan then, distraction?" I crossed my arms.

"I'm going to distract Mariana while Mapi talks to her parents."

"Ok but Mariana has a broken leg." Alexia said. "How are you going to separate them?"

"We'll figure it out." Leila said. 

"I have it figured out already." Mapi said. "I've thought all of this through."

"Why don't you bring Alexia or something? Leila might blow it."

"How will I blow it?"

"I feel like you're going to try to give Mariana a piggyback ride up the stairs. You might kill the girl and Mapi will never get to propose." Alexia crossed her arms. 

"I'd never do that." Leila scoffed. "I'm a mature adult."

"Ok "mature adult" Alexia bought popsicles yesterday."

"I DON'T WANT GRAPE!!" Leila ran off. 

I smirked. "Your trusty sidekick."

"Leila loves Mariana and wants to go see her. It works, let it work." Mapi sighed. 

"Good luck."

She nodded. Leila came back with more food than planned and they drove off. 

Alexia's POV:

I called Mariana to check-in. "How are you doing?" I asked.

"You know." She said. "Broken leg. Can't play the game I love with my favorite people."

"You're gonna come back and be even better than before." I smiled. "I know you will." 

"Even though I play for Atleti and that'd be bad for you?"

"As your friend I want you to kill it. We'll leave it at that."

She laughed. "Ok. Thanks for calling and checking on me. It means a lot."

"What are friends for?"

 "I have to go to the doctor now. Tell Jenni I said hello."

I looked up at saw Jenni. "I will. Let me know how it goes." I said bye and hung up.

"Mariana?" I nodded. "That poor kid." Jenni shook her head. "I want to wrap her in bubble wrap so nothing ever hurts her again." 

I laughed and rested my head on her shoulder. "That's what I want to do with you."

"When we have kids we're showing them all of Mariana's injuries so they get too scared to ever leave the house."

I closed my eyes. "Deal." 

January 2024

Jenni's POV:

Alexia and I were relaxing on the couch when there was a knock. "I'll get it." I got up.

"Yeah, you are. I'm not moving." Alexia stretched out.

"Yep." I nodded as I got to the door. "That's my wife." I opened the door.

"Who's your wife?" Mariana stood there.

"MARIANA!" I yelled. "What?"

"Who's your wife?"

"Wife? Who said wife? I said that's my life. As in football. Alexia brought up football." I put my hands on my hips. "Jesus." I mumbled. "Come in! Come in! Make yourself at home." I shut the door. "Do you need anything?"

"Yeah, answers." She said. Alexia sat up on the couch and patted the seat next to her. 

"Come sit with mama Alexia." 

Mariana laughed and sat with her. "Why is Mapi being weird?" 

"You've been together for how long and you're just asking us that now?"

"For starters, we literally call her Mapi that should've been a red flag." I said. 

"Jenni." Mariana smirked. "I'm serious."

"I know. You're serious and she's stupid. It's a perfect mix."

"Yeah look at us." Alexia looked at me.

"You love me."

"Ehh." Alexia shrugged.

"Me now." Mariana said. "She visited me in Madrid and spent every second with Virginia. Now I'm here in Barcelona and she's spending every second with Leila. Which isn't a weird thing, I'm used to Leila third-wheeling, but I'm not even there."

"I wish I could help you, kid." I said. "But I don't know what goes on in that head of hers."

"Jenni's right." Alexia nodded.

"Did that hurt you?" Mariana smirked.

"So much you don't even know." Alexia gasped. "Anyway! Mapi is just Mapi. No one can explain it but her. You know she's a huge romantic when it comes to you, but she's also a total idiot." She looked at me. "Love makes you do stupid things sometimes." 

I smiled.

"Like leave for Paris without saying anything?" Mariana said.

"Ok really?" 

Sometimes a family is two Spaniards and their Portuguese daughter.

And we love that. 

Let's discuss those pictures from Atleti and Barca's UEFA photoshoots shall we? 

HOT!