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June. Euro 2016.
He watched as the ball flies toward it. Instinctively jumped up. He felt the impast. Header. Goal. For a second he heard nothing. A loud explosion of supporters sobered him.. Instinctively ran to the stands. He knew what he should do, but all what he felt was malicious satisfaction. But not only of goal. A few shocked fans faces flashed in front of his eyes when he felt hands on his shoulders. The weight of the body on his back and arm surrounds his neck. He instinctively grabbed someone's legs for safety. It was only a moment. He didn't even have time to think about it when a group of players gathered around him. Patting on the back. Hands on his head. Snapping. Congratulations connected with his name. Piston. And one look caught. Ramos. With pride in eyes. Pride, which he should feel. He felt strangely. Instinctively did his goal celebration. Until the final whistle, he remained stuck with what had happened.
He heard joy after winning. Saw smiles. Cesc ran up to him and hugged. "¡Qué golazo Geri!". Fabregas was full of emotions. He talked about the anticipated articlesand and what description he would give under their common selfie . Gerard managed to smile, the excitement of a friend slightly improved his mood. He let be led to the cloakroom.
.
"How you feel?” Gerard packed the last things in a bag when he heard a question next to him. Sergio Ramos, whom he hadn’t noticed before, stood near his locker.
"Fine" the short answer and a small smile. Reciprocated.
"You saved our ass today. I thought you would make a big party of this occasion, where I would have to pretend that I don’t see alcohol”. There wasn’t malice or irony, ordinary sentence ending with a short laughter.
"I'm tired, I don't have the strength to party today. Too much emotions”.
"That was my second thought. Are you overwhelmed by this historical achievement?"
"Yes". He shrugged. "There must be something about it".
He didn’t manage to hear the answer. The door to the locker room opened, and there stood bored Cesc. "Geriiiii are you packing for a trip?”. Cesc leaned against the door assuming hands. Moved his gaze from Gerard on the left side. "Have you not got bored yet? I think you've used your five minutes stealing it from Gerard moment”.
The words addressed to Ramos were full of pure irony. The atmosphere became hard.
"It’s called: sharing happiness. Team work . Something you don't seem to know about.” Sergio seemed oddly calm, although it was clear that it irritated him.
"Mhm. Sure. You did it only because you wanted to show yourself as a good captain".
"You are right, I am the captain, so even for you I would sacrifice myself and raise my thumb, maybe I'd give you a high-five. Oh no, wait…you're not shooting anymore.”
Gerard felt that he should say something, somehow prevent further exchanges, but everything happened quickly.
"You are so funny Sese”. The nickname was uttered in a dangerous tone, and Cesc’s eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to please others because you no longer have a friend? Ups spoiler, no one of us wants you".
Gerard looked at Cesc, but he ignored it.
Ramos shrugged. "Do you really think that I would consider you even for a moment?"
"You are dreaming about Geri, no?”
"What if I am? Are you afraid that I will take him out of you?"
Gerard felt strange. He doesn’t know what to say. He heard a burst of laughter, and felt like Cesc attracts him by the hand. His friend was honestly amused.
"Geri wouldn't even be friend with you to win the bet. And now we're leaving. We've lost enough time."
Gerard turned his head and wanted to send a justifying smile, but Sergio wasn’t looking at them anymore.
.
On the balcony was silence. There were only a few stars, so the sky isn’t too attractive. Gerard sighed and looked down, where shining a few neons lights. Trees. Street. Some group of people. Already had to go back to the room, when the angle of the eye saw a person sitting on the adjacent balcony. Headphones on the ears and eyes staring at the screen of phone. Ramos. He remembered Cesc’s words "he wouldn't be friend with you”. Is it true? Yes, he don’t longer looking for friends. He had two. Plus a few from the team and from childhood. However, he always remained open to new acquaintances. At least that's what he thought. But this wasn’t entirely true. There was one factor that automatically lowers chances of being his friend. It was contained in a short warning: Real Madrid. Enemy club. It wasn't, as everyone thought, hated by his. Hatred requires constant attention. He would have to update it with new people, which was unnecessary. But he don’t like. Different thinking, approach, goals. Something that can’t connect them because it’s too different. But the situation was a different when it came to National Team. Here they have to be professional. Here they fight together. Emotions must have to go to the other side. The coach didn’t allow for arguments. So they learned ordinary courtesies or they avoided each other. It was like this until Ramos started wear armband and assumed the role of captain. If Gerard wanted or not, he had to interact with him outside the pitch. Conversation after the training, questions and answers, short exchanges of views. Sergio really wanted be like Iker. And somehow it didn't bother him much. . However, this never went further. But today… Common celebration… Sergio really was so influenced by emotions or actually did it because he felt that as a captain should do it? Or maybe he wanted do it? The curiosity overwhelmed Gerard mind, but he knew that he couldn’t ask for it directly. He still looking at him. Sergio raised his head from phone.
"Hi". This time Geri spoke up first. "You also can't sleep?"
Sergio seemed surprised. He got up and approached the railing, taking off his headphones earlier. Replied in a whisper.
"Your boyfriend will not be mad that you are talking to me? I don’t want the next stupid discussion with this kid"
Gerard sight. "Cescy sometimes can be a little ym… jealous?"
"A little.” Sergio repeated ironically.
For a while there was silence. Both of them are looking in different directions. It didn’t resemble a conversation from locker room. Gerard felt a strange need to change this.
"It is not as he said”. He saw the questioning gaze. "You know... You're right about the team. We are all here together. And... we don't have to be friends to be able to talk to each other or… something like that". Sentences were just as tangled as his current thoughts, but Sergio seemed to understand the meaning.
"I know. It is already late. Good night". Tthe shadow of a smile appeared on Sergio lips.
"Good Night”
Good. But Geri felt strangely empty. Again.
.
June. World Cup 2018.
Gerard revolved in his hands the keys to the room. There wasn’t Cesc. To be expected, but even so he was sad. There wasn’t also a Marc. Kid full of joy, which has always been funny. He had shared a room with Jordi, but he got up and now drank coffee at the bottom. Gerard has the same plan, but had to change in spanish national team jersey. Red, with the coat of arms of Spain. An amazing feeling. Difficult, but still amazing. And his friends knew it, he didn't have to explain it to them.
He walking along the corridor, when noticed a crowd of journalists. Captain arrived. Ramos answered some questions about his mood and about Selección, as and of course about Champions League. He didn’t want to eavesdrop, but the words reached him by themselves. Besides, he couldn't walk now because they could catch him and he didn't want to be interviewed. He waited a few more minutes.
"Hi!”
"Hi.”
A brotherly hug.
"Nice to see you”. Ramos was relaxed. "You know, journalists seem to be so overwhelmed with announced calling up that they really scared me as if there were no be old faces here".
"A little changed since the last big party"
"Yeah” Sergio looked at the watch. "We will catch later. Preferably in the afternoon. Now I have to do a few things. Eh, talk with trainer and other duties" he said, rolling his eyes.
"Sure”. Gerard answered quickly.
A thought swept in his head. Since when did they arrange a conversation?
Draw. Win. Draw. But they won the group. Continuous exercises. Different tactics. They had to work hard. That's how the days passe until the day of semi-final. He spent the entire trainings with Ramos and an additional half hour to train the receivers. During one of them, this topic must inevitably came up.
"Do you think we will win?”
"I am Captain, Geri”. He smiled. "I can't even have other thoughts.” It wasn’t a learned answer. In Sergio's voice could hear certainty.
"It’s World Cup. Everything can happen.”
"Yes, and we can win. We will win.”
"I would like to. That would be a nice ending".
For a moment Sergio seemed not to fully understand these words.
"Oh, so nothing has changed?"
"It didn't work with Se Queda, I don't want to risk it anymore". A joke, however, with some sadness. The end was coming, and to he was starting to feel it. He knew that this was the right decision and didn’t want to change it, but at the same time he didn’t want to leave. Not now...
"So this is our last days together". Sergio tried to fit into the tone of the conversation, but Gerard didn’t want to look at his face to read out his emotions.
"Quickly passed, no?”
"Nine years...”
"Story for a book”
"Thanks to God we didn't have a crime. We didn't manage to kill ourselves".
"And it was so close.”
"Probably some people have bet on who will hit first"
"And here's the plot twist and friendship". Gerard didn't think about those words. After just a second, realized what he had said. He stiffened, still didn’t want to look up.
"What happened to us? we can even joke about it". J o k e. What did it refer to? The whole conversation? Friendship? His heart started to beat faster.
"Mourinho would fall off the bench if he heard it”. He could always to handle the situation with joke.
"Only El Clasico will be left”
It sounded a bit sad? or only Gerard invented something out of these nerves? He wanted to say - unfortunately, but he still didn’t know if it wasn’t a continuation of jokes. It was safer not to be serious. It is also better to avoid club issues. Beter to make jokes.
"I will have to make an election to the admin of the group on the whatsapp."
Laugh. Gerard also tried to laugh, but only a crooked smile came out. Then there were only short words on the way to the building, in a slight tone of conversation. But he couldn't fully rejoice in taking this topic forward.
It was after the World Cup when he read a message from Sergio. "I read an article on PT. It's really good.” And then he decided to try it again. "Do you remember the suspended cooperation offer? I have an idea”.
He had to wait a bit for an answer. However, waiting was worth it.
"I will be at the tennis finals next week.”
Gerard started to feel joy.
October 2018
Facebook continued to receive new answers under the post of Gerard. There were more and more of them. At 6 pm. was a premiere of The Players' Tribune. Interview - bestseller - as defined by the producer. Gerard Piqué+ Sergio Ramos. Information about the new material was combined with a mysterious caption "half hour later live on Gerard Piqué facebook". This provoked fans to think. Why live? Will there be q&a with him? Persicope? Or will he not be alone?
Gerard looked at Sergio who knocked his fingers a little nervously on the table looking at coffee.
"What? Are you stressed?”. Winked at him.
Sergio only gave him a snort.
"Okay, I click it.” The camera turned on. Gerard raised his hand and waved to the screen. "Hello to everyone! How are you after the emission? Not informed yet, I would like to inform you have a new video on The Players Tribune. And now is live! Do you remember when I promised a Periscope with a some guy?" He looked at the wave of comments and smiled. "I keep my word. Ladies and gentleman, one and only, Sergio Ramos".
”The screen was rotated so that you could see two of them, together.
"Hi. Here I am.”
The first questions were simple. Gerard read the selected ones. At first, Sergio was only answering, but after a while, when he saw positive emoticons in the comments, he relaxed.
Gerard responded calmly, with a slight smile, when suddenly a one comment appeared, which he read with a laugh.
"We're with you, Capi!!!!. Snap your fingers if you were forced to do it!!!!"
Gerard didn’t even have time to react when he heard a distinctive sound. And he saw the serious expression on Ramos face, who was leaving his hand quickly.
"Stop! You are sillyl!," he said, hitting him slightly with an elbow. "It's a project where you tell the truth"
Sergio tried to keep his poker face, but Gerard's deadly gaze made him laugh.
"Exacly! Your offer forced me, it was sooo great". He added leaning against his shoulder and trying to stop laughing.
Gerard just shook his head in disbelief.
The rest time of live passed in a nice atmosphere, with memories, anecdotes. And with laugh. At the end, one of the last questions has been read by Gerard.
"So… are you really friends?!”
Exchange of glances. Smiles. There could only be one answer.
And Gerard felt happy.