Spain's Brightest (Patri Guijarro)

New Life

December 2019

Patri's POV:

"I'm going out with some of the girls. Want to come?" I shook my head. "Patri. It's been a week since Jess left. You haven't left the couch except for practice and games. Please come out with us?"

I stared at the TV. I heard Leila sigh. "Fine. But at least go eat something." She walked behind me and leaned forward. "I know you're hurting right now. I wish I could take that pain away, but isolating yourself like this. Patri, it's not good. You don't even speak, please just say something."

"I have nothing to say." I looked at her. "I can't even text her. All her accounts have been locked, her number is no longer active. I have no idea where she is and I don't even know if she got there safely. Leila, what could you possibly expect me to say right now?"

She nodded. "I just wanted to hear you speak. I didn't expect you to jump up and down all happy. I know you're hurting, I know ALL of this, Patri. But I want you to TELL ME. Talk to me! Share your feelings with me that's what I'm HERE for." She sighed and walked away. "Before I forget," She grabbed something from her bag and walked back to me. "Jess asked me to give this to you. She said to wait a week, and it's been a week." She handed me an envelope. 

Patri

"Do you want me to stay?"

"No." I looked down at the envelope.

"Call me if you need me." She put her hand on my shoulder. "I'll be here as soon as I can."

I reached up and squeezed her hand. When I heard the door close I opened the envelope. 

Dear Patri,

I know this is a difficult situation and I hope you understand that I'm not just doing this for me. Being around me right now is a huge risk for everyone who knows me. Carmen, Lola, Virginia, Leila, Laia, all of them. And of course, you. Just knowing me puts a target on you. So as much as I hate this, I have to disappear. My lawyer got me set up in a program. That's all I can tell you. A new number, new name, new everything. I don't know where I'm going yet. Hopefully, it's nice though. I'd rather be with you. Everyone is going to call me by this new name when I'm able to go home, the first person to call me Jess better be you. It's always sounded better coming from you anyway. Whenever I come home, let's continue where we left off. Don't forget me, Patri. I know I won't forget you.

Jess

I folded it and looked at the ceiling, feeling the tears roll down my cheeks. 

"I couldn't if I tried." I mumbled.

February 2020

Jessica's POV:

Dallas. That's where I've been.

Dallas.

My lawyer sent me here with a new name, new life. Learning English was difficult, but I was managing.

My host family speaks Spanish so when I'm with them I feel somewhat normal. None of them know who I truly am.

"Rosa." I looked up. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Dinner." 

I looked at the tv one more time. "USA vs Japan. Spain vs England. The SheBelieves Cup in Frisco, Texas."

"ROSA! Come!" 

I ran downstairs and we left.

Patri's POV:

"SheBelieves? What is that?" I looked at Leila. 

"Some tournament in America." She shrugged. Mariona walked by us and Leila didn't acknowledge her. 

"What's going on there?"

"Don't worry about it." She said and walked away. 

"But." 

"Leave it." Alexia stood next to me. "How are you?"

"I'm getting there." I sighed. "I have a date tonight."

"With who?"

"Carla."

"From Bar-"

"Yeah." I nodded. 

"Are you ok?"

"She asked me out when I saw her at a game so. I said yes."

"And Jess?"

"Jess is somewhere safe. I'm just going on one date. Get out of the house, see people. It's fine. It's nothing serious."

"Any idea on when Jess can come home?"

I shook my head. "They said 3 months but it can extend. Depending on everything." 

"It's already been 2." She smiled. 

"Yeah." I nodded. "Hopefully just 1 month left."

Jessica's POV:

I finished my shift and walked home. America was an interesting place. "Rosa wait up!" One of my coworkers followed me. "Let me walk you home."

"No that's fine." I smiled.

"It's late. Please? I'd feel better knowing you got home safe." I nodded. "You don't talk much."

"English is new to me."

"Where are you from?"

"Not here." I looked down.

He laughed. We got closer to the house and I turned to him. I looked at my neighbor's house. "Here is good." I said. "Thank you."

"Ok." He nodded. "Good night." 

I watched him walk away and then walked to the actual house. When I was in my room, I was scrolling through Instagram.

Patri's Instagram.

Her story was updated and I watched it. She was with a girl, smiling and laughing.

"I know you're going to say you'll wait for me, and that's sweet. But if you meet someone as amazing as you, give it a chance. I just want you to be happy. Ok?"

"Ok but I doubt I'll find anyone worth my time."

"Looks like you did." I whispered. "I hope she keeps that smile on your face till I come home." I looked out the window. "If I get to."

So do you want the whole Coronavirus lockdown to occur in this???