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Chapter Three

 

 

 

I opened my eyes confused. Where the heck was I? Sitting up slowly I winced. My head was pounding from all the crying I had done and my eyes were practically glued shut with dried tears.

 

 

 

“Hey. You’re awake.”

 

 

 

“Oh Xabi, I am so sorry.” I said sitting up and rubbing the sleepiness from my eyes.

 

 

 

He sat down next to me with a smile.

 

 

 

“You needed to sleep. No big deal,” he said

 

 

 

I yawned and stretched out.

 

 

 

“What time is it?”

 

 

 

He glanced down at his watch.

 

 

 

“7pm,” he replied.

 

 

 

My jaw dropped.

 

 

 

“I slept the entire day away?” I exclaimed.

 

 

 

He laughed.

 

 

 

“Time change will do that to you.”

 

 

 

I stood up straightening my top and smoothing down my hair.

 

 

 

“I should get going, I have taken too much advantage of you,” I said looking for my shoes.

 

 

 

“Well you are probably hungry. Want to grab some dinner? Together?” he asked holding my shoes.

 

 

 

I hesitated. I figured I could use a friend.

 

 

 

“Alright but my treat,” I answered.

 

 

 

He laughed putting an arm around my shoulders.

 

 

 

“Deal.”

 

 

 

I slipped my shoes on and took my purse to the bathroom to freshen up my hair and makeup. I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t thought about Taylor for hours, well sure I was asleep most of them but I wasn’t plagued with nightmares.

 

 

 

Xabi and I headed to a cute little place for a fantastic dinner. My chicken and rice dish was amazing and his fish looked great. We split desert and decided to head to a club.

 

 

 

“You are a great dancer!” I shouted above the music as he spun me around the dance floor.

 

 

 

“Not too bad yourself,” he said into my ear pulling me up against him grinding.

 

 

 

Suddenly, I felt someone press up against me from behind grinding in time with Xabi and me. I looked over my shoulder and was shocked to see Sergio Ramos.

 

 

 

“Sup guys!” he called out loudly.

 

 

 

I gave Xabi a weird look but went with it in my hot Madrid sandwich. The song finished and Xabi took my hand leading me to a table where a couple of other Madrid players sat. Iker Casillas and Angel Di Maria smiled at me as I sat with Xabi and Sergio.

 

 

 

“Who is this lovely lady?” Angel asked Xabi.

 

 

 

“My new friend AJ,” he answered squeezing my hand under the table.

 

 

 

“New friend?” Iker asked eyebrow raised.

 

 

 

“Friend.” Xabi and I said together firmly.

 

 

 

I leaned back against his side and his chest with his arm around my shoulder. I snuggled against him sipping water and relaxing. The guys talked about returning to practice the following week.

 

 

 

“So AJ, how did you and Xabi meet?” Sergio asked.

 

 

 

I grinned up at Xabi who blushed.

 

 

 

“He cursed at me in Spanish and called me a crazy American,” I laughed.

 

 

 

The guys looked at each other confused.

 

 

 

“You American girls are sure turned on by strange things,” Angel said.

 

 

 

I burst out laughing.

 

 

 

“Not exactly.”

 

“Loco,” Xabi laughed pulling me out of the booth.

 

 

 

I danced mostly with him but joined the others for a couple of dances each. Around 11 pm we decided to leave.

 

 

 

“It was a pleasure meeting you senorita,” Iker said kissing my cheek, followed by Sergio and Angel.

 

 

 

I returned the sentiments and walked slowly with Xabi to the car.

 

 

 

“Are all the Madrid players nice?”

 

 

 

“Yeah, pretty much.”

 

 

 

My thoughts drifted to one particular player and that caught Xabi’s attention.

 

 

 

“Any one in particular that you want to know about?” he asked teasing.

 

 

 

I rolled my eyes.

 

 

 

“No.”

 

 

 

He backed me against his car blocking me.

 

 

 

“AJ,” he started, his face serious. “If you do not tell me who, I will be forced to do something drastic.”

 

 

 

I raised my eyebrow, eyeing him.

 

 

 

“Alright, I warned you,” he said and began to tickle me.

 

 

 

I was squirming and shrieking with laughter.

 

 

 

“Stop! Please stop!” I begged him, tears falling from laughing so hard.

 

 

 

He stopped with a grin and I was panting to catch my breath. He was silent waiting and I began to blush.

 

 

 

“No! Say it ain’t so!” he pleaded clutching his heart.

 

 

 

“I didn’t say anything!” I protested.

 

 

 

He shook his head in a mocking sad way.

 

 

 

“I see it in your eyes chica. You are one of the CR7 followers.”

 

 

 

“Whatever,” I said pushing him away.

 

 

 

He spun me under the moonlight and smiled.

 

 

 

“It’s ok. I won’t make fun of you,” he answered.

 

 

 

“What does it matter? I’m a recently, broken hearted, divorcee. Not his type.”

 

 

 

“You are pretty, smart, sexy, a good dancer, nice… you’re any guys type. Most of all Cristiano’s,” he insisted.

 

 

 

“You bug me,” I muttered.

 

 

 

He laughed letting us finally get into the car. I put my feet on to the dashboard suspecting he was a guy in love with his car and I smirked to myself as I saw him wince, but to his credit, he didn’t say anything about it.

 

 

 

“Want me to introduce you to him?” he finally asked.

 

 

 

“NO!” I shouted horrified.

 

 

 

He laughed again. I shook my head annoyed and gave him my address. He pulled up to my casita and faced me.

 

 

 

“AJ?”

 

 

 

“Yeah wasabi?”

 

 

 

He blinked confused. I giggled.

 

 

 

“My nephew calls you Wasabi Alonso,” I explained.

 

 

 

He smirked.

 

 

 

“Look this won’t be the last time I see you right? We are friends?”

 

 

 

I studied him in the moonlight.

 

 

 

“I would love to be friends. I was terrified of being here alone not knowing anybody.”

 

 

 

“See you tomorrow at 9 am then,” he said.

 

 

 

“What for?”

 

 

 

“You need an official tour of the place so you won’t always get lost,”

 

“Oh you rock! Thank you!”

 

 

 

He got out, walking around to open my door. We hugged and he kissed my forehead.

 

 

 

“See you in the morning,” I agreed.

 

 

 

Walking inside I silently thanked God for sending Xabi to me.