“Hoping to win the league? Mate, yesterday I played the Champions with Carolina.” Suddenly, his expression changed. He’d just put his foot in it.
“Champions League! When was the last time I played the Champions... I’d like to listen to the anthem again at least,” fantasised Kiko looking out the window nostalgically.
“That’s it,” replied Oscar, relieved at having distracted his friend.
“Right. You!” Daniel pointed to Kiko. “Leave your fantasises for your own privacy, if you don’t mind. And you!” he pointed to Oscar, “don’t change the subject.”
Oscar looked at him pleadingly.
“What do you mean you ‘played the Champions’ last night with Carolina?” accused Daniel.
Kiko realised what Oscar had accidentally admitted having been accosted by his two friends.
“Jesus Christ!” exclaimed Kiko. “You do realise she is only sixteen, right?”
“Alright, no need to keep going on about it. I’m a big boy, I know perfectly well what I’m doing.”
Daniel sipped his coffee and leaned over the table.
“Oscar, you must realise that for a sixteen-year-old girl, even a mature one, it’s possible that you’re just an older guy with money that’s going to keep her entertained her for a while.”
Oscar frowned.
“With money? Mate, I flip burgers.”
“Even so, you’ve got a job. She still depends on her parents.”
He nodded, a bit offended.
“Well, seeing as you’ve got everything under control, let’s talk about you. How are things with Sofia?”
Kiko forgot his indignation and arched his eyebrows as if saying; yeah, tell us!
“There’s nothing to say. What do you want to know? Between her and I, there is nothing more than what you saw yesterday. She’s just a friend, that’s all.”
Oscar smiled at having deflected the attention of his little problem.
“We just want to know... if you’re thinking of... making love in the green grass, behind the stadium with you, my brown eyed girl,” he started singing quietly, slowly getting louder, “youuuuuu, my brown eyed girl...”
Daniel’s eyes grew wide and he started to blush when the other customers turned around to look at him.
“Do you remember when we used to sing...” Kiko joined in.
“Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da!” they sang in unison, with dance moves included. Someone in the bar applauded. When they were about to sing the chorus for the fifth time, Daniel interrupted.
“Alright! That’s enough!”
The bar sank into an awkward silence.
“Let’s go, I want to go home and make pasta and you two are bonkers.”
They paid for their coffees at the bar and went to the door. Daniel surprised himself by singing.
“Sha la la la la la...”
Kiko and Oscar looked at one another and burst out laughing.
“Damn it, you’ve got that stupid song stuck in my head.”
The pasta smelled delicious.
“Kiko, go and lay the table. This is almost ready.”
“OK, but first I want to see this shit you’re making” Kiko joked. “I have to say, it looks good and smells great!”
“Well, it will taste even better,” Daniel flashed a smile. Cooking had helped him find the good mood he had lost at the café.
“What is it exactly?” asked Kiko looking at the oven dish.
“An old recipe of my mum’s. It’s pasta with tomato sauce and chorizo, the usual, but covered in béchamel and a layer of grated cheese.”
“What weird combinations your mum used to make.”
“If you don’t end up licking your plate clean, I’ll do the washing up.”
“Let’s have a taste!”
Kiko was reaching toward the dish when he got a smack on the wrist.
“What are you doing? Hold your horses until I’ve finished and then you can try it at the table like an actual person, not a caveman.”
“Jeez! Don’t be so bossy. I just wanted to give you my opinion.”
The doorbell rang.
“Go and see who that is while I put this in the oven,” ordered Daniel. “And lay the table!”
Just as he closed the oven door, Daniel heard something from the other side of the flat that made him turn around. He went over to see what was happening.
“Kiko, you still haven’t laid the ta...Coach! What a surprise!”
Eric Miller entered the room with his hands in his pockets. He took one of them out to shake his star player’s hand and smiled.
“Am I interrupting?”
“Not at all, sir,” Daniel faked a smile while taking off his apron. Inside his chest, his heart sped up. He was not a fan of this kind of surprise. “What brings you here?”
“I wanted to congratulate you again on the game the other day. You were fantastic. If it hadn’t been for you, I don’t think we would have won.”
“Thanks a lot.”
“As I’m sure you’re thinking, I haven’t come to your house just to say that though.”
“No? Well, would you like to stay for lunch? We were just about to start.”
“He’s made pasta with tomato and some other weird shit,” added Kiko, Daniel scowled in his direction.
“No, thanks for the offer, but my family will be waiting for me at home. I just wanted to tell you something, something important. Can we sit down?”
Daniel had a bad feeling. They sat on the sofa.
“This morning, the president called me.”
Kiko frowned.
“The president?”
Daniel went through all the possible reasons for the most powerful man in the club to call Eric and what it had to do with him. Nothing came to him.
“Yep. The president himself.”
“What did he want?” asked Daniel.
“Tomorrow will be your last game with us.”
Daniel frowned. His heart was about to burst out of his chest.
What?
Eric smiled seeing him pale.
“Wait, let me rephrase that. You’re not going to play with us from now on because you’ll be part of the first team. They’re promoting you.”
Daniel’s cheeks regained their colour. Even so, he was speechless.
Eric took a moment to enjoy the good news.
“Next weekend, you’re going to the game against Valencia. You might debut in first division,” he said eventually.
Daniel was trembling.
Kiko, on the other hand had his hands on his head.
“Come on, Danny, say something!” Eric put his arms out and laughed. “That’s what you wanted, right?”
Daniel swallowed and took a deep breath.
“Wow, Coach, thank you so much.”
He was so nervous he had to stand up and pace around the living room.
“I don’t usually do this type of thing, Danny. I mean, going round to players’ houses on a Saturday morning to give them some news.” Eric rubbed his hands together and stood up. “I’ve done it for you because I think you could go far. I believe in you. But the hardest part is down to you. Show them you’re good enough for the first team. Don’t let me down, OK?”
Daniel stopped pacing, put his hands on his hips and nodded. He couldn’t process anything that he was being told right then.
“I’ll let you boys get your lunch.” Miller went towards the door. “I hope you’ve got a bottle of cava handy, this deserves a toast.”
Kiko opened the door and the flatmates said goodbye to their coach. When they were alone, they looked at one another, frozen to the spot, without a word. Finally, Daniel clenched his fists and hugged his friend.
“Oh yeah!”
Kiko bear hugged him. Then they sang and danced around the living room. They were so excited that, by the time they smelt burning it was too late.
“Shit, the pasta!”
12
I saw you today in the street.
You were wearing that red turtleneck that I love. Amazing!
I read the note from the fifth Friday, disillusioned. I didn’t understand anything.
It was clear that this man didn’t have any bad intentions but that didn’t stop me from having mental breakdowns or personality issues. It was even possible that this was just a simple kid whose parents were clueless to the dangerous game he was involved in. No, impossible. No kid would have this modus operandi. A kid writing so flirtatiously? Yeah, right!
This was my response:
If you’re so keen to meet me, why haven’t you come up to me and introduced yourself?
As soon as I had penned my reply, I pushed my question to its now usual destination. Suddenly, I realised what I had written. Did I really want that to happen? How would I have reacted if a random man had stopped me in the middle of the street assuring me he was my Friday admirer?
I had spent a few days trying to guess what he was like. In my head, I saw a gentleman, taller than average with a few grey hairs nestled amongst a thick head of black hair. Yes, I decided, he would be older than me, a little at least. Perhaps, tired of being unlucky in love, he’d fallen for the loser on the third floor, that redhead who listens to Beethoven and bakes cupcakes on Friday afternoons, albeit not very well.
My daydream came to an abrupt halt when something touched the tips of my toes. A new reply:
I already told you, I’m not a stalker.
For God’s sake, this guy is getting annoying! I protested in my head. If he wanted to see me, why didn’t he simply just knock on the door?
That was what I really wanted deep down: to find out who he was, know his story. But I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of winning his game. If he wanted to meet me, he’d have to earn it.
I envisioned myself opening the door and immediately put my hand to my mouth.
What was I getting myself in to?
13
Sitting next to his locker, Daniel was deeply focused. He felt relaxed and anxious in equal measure. He could hear the clamour of the fans through the dressing room walls while he was picturing how the pavilion looked. The colour orange predominated the seating area, and a noisy band would be playing at the back far end of the court. The most loyal fans waved giant flags with the club’s crest, giving the game an almost epic feel. He loved those moments alone with his conscience, finally clean. Everything was going well, he was brimming with confidence. In a few seconds he was going to get up, he was going to play the sport that he had always loved and he would win the game for his fans. If everything went well, this would be his last game with them.
He got up slowly and looked at himself in the mirror. He slapped his chest a few times then left the dressing room. He levitated rather than walked down the dark, empty corridors. The following week he would debut in the first team in the first division, but what Daniel didn’t realise was that the truly important game was the one he was about to start. It was so important that it would change everything forever.
Several hours earlier, Ricardo Santos had answered his phone.
“Hi... Ricardo.”
“Sofia! What a surprise! I wasn’t expecting a call from you. How are things?”
“Good, good. You?”
“Well, at the moment, on the swings. Making the most of Sunday morning with my little princess. This little devil never gets tired of playing. You can’t imagine how much she tires me out!”
“That’s how you like it! You’re drooling, doting daddy.”
Ricardo chuckled.
“So, did you call for anything in particular?”
“Yes, sorry. I just wanted to ask you something quick.”
“Go for it.”
“Well, it’s just, it’s going to sound strange but... do you know what time the game is today?”
“What game?”
Sofia’s voice shook.
“Your brother’s”
“Danny’s? What’s with this sudden interest?”
“Nothing, I just wanted to ask him something after the game.”
“It starts at six.”
“Cool, thanks.”
“There isn’t something going on between you two is there, you little minx?”
“What? As if! Danny’s got a girlfriend.”
“A girlfriend? First I’ve heard.”
“He told me himself.”
“Well, I had no idea. Did he tell you her name?”
“No, he mentioned her in passing. I didn’t want to ask.”
“Maybe you should have, because he isn’t going to tell me.”
There was silence for a few seconds. Then someone shouted Ricardo in the background. It was his wife.
“Darling, we have to go!”
“OK, coming!” Ricardo answered. “Sofia, as you can hear, I have to go.”
“No worries,” replied Sofia.
“Take care, squirt.”
“Same to you, Ricardo. And thanks again.”
As soon as she had hung up, Sofia looked up Daniel’s number in her contacts and sat looking at it for a few seconds. She took a deep breath and wrote him a message.
“How’s it going, little bro?” Ricardo smiled amicably. Daniel’s mouth opened in surprise at seeing his older brother on the other side of the door. That wasn’t very usual. To tell the truth, he couldn’t remember the last time that.
Ricardo had come over to his house. He looked him up and down. Should he invite him in or slam the door in his face?
“I’ve come to give you my lucky charm, so you can wear it for the game.” Ricardo said, holding a well-used wristband.
“Thanks. Do you want to come in or are you just passing.”
He was only being polite. Apart from the nice thought of the wristband, he wasn’t in the mood to put up with his brother’s company. He needed to be focused for the game.
“I thought you’d never ask,” he said as he took off his blazer. Daniel heard a note of arrogance in his words. He reminded him of the typical Hollywood gentleman with every hair in place. He clearly must have a hair gel dispenser, if such a thing existed.
He led him to the living room and they sat on the sofa, a metre apart.
“I see between basketball and the shop you haven’t had time to redecorate,” Ricardo commented looking around.
How do you always manage to make me feel like a cockroach? Daniel would have liked to have said.
He knew that his brother didn’t say it with malice, but he couldn’t help feeling small every time his brother spoke.
“Well, it does seem clean,” Ricardo went on.
“Thanks, I was cleaning ... erm... yesterday.”
Ricardo nodded his approval.
“Do you want something to drink? Beer? Soda?” Daniel Asked, hoping once again for a ‘no’.
“Beer, thanks.”
Daniel grabbed a bottle of beer and a bottle of mineral water from the kitchen.
“How are Teresa and the little one?”
“Well, very well, as always. That kid grows at a dizzying rate.” Ricardo grinned with pride.
Daniel felt like a complete stranger at the side of his brother. He realised that he knew nothing of his brother’s life, and they barely had anything to talk about. It had been a long time since he shared his daily life and anecdotes with him, and maybe it was too late to recover that part of their lives.
“So, anything interesting to tell me? Like, for example, what are you doing here?” Daniel realised how rude he sounded straightaway. “I mean, in this dark and dangerous neighbourhood in the south of the capital?”
“No, nothing especially. You? Anything new?”
“Not really, no.”
Ricardo sipped his drink and cleared his throat.
“What about this fake girlfriend you’ve made up?”
That question felt like a kick in the balls. He looked his brother in the eye but didn’t answer him.
“Danny, you know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Stop looking at me like you’re different from the rest.
Daniel felt insulted. He wasn’t in the mood to even be polite to his brother. He had no reason to try and make that perfect mind of his understand the complex emotional situation he was in. Really, what he wanted was to see his smug brother out of his house.
“Nothing to do with you,” was his limited response.
“Well, it is something to do with me when Sofia calls me completely thrown off. Do you have something to explain?”
“No, Ricardo,” Daniel said trying to stay calm. “I don’t have anything to explain to you because, I repeat, it’s none of your business. And make that the last time you talk to Sofia about me behind my back.” His voice was shaking. It was the first time he’d ever stood up to him.
Ricardo sighed deeply. Then he said:
“If you want to be a dickhead, then that’s up to you. But don’t mess Sofia around.”
“I appreciate the advice,” Daniel replied with sarcasm. “Will that be all?”
Ricardo looked at him helplessly.
“I think I ought to go,” he said finally.
“Yes, I think so too.”
“Good luck in the game.” Was that sarcasm? “And thanks for the beer.”
“Thanks for the wristband.”
Ricardo quickly crossed the flat to the door without turning his head. Daniel slammed the door, grabbed the wristband his brother had given him and threw it into the corner of the sofa with contempt. He wasn’t going to wear it during the game, that man had gone too far.
It was around three hours before the game started. Daniel and Kiko were packing their sports bags. Kiko, more nervous than usual, chatted to Daniel to help them think of something other than the game.
“Let me get this straight,” he said while putting a T-shirt into his bag. “You have a great time with a girl who, from what I can tell, you like.” Daniel pulled a face. “So, you don’t deny it. Anyway, it seems like she’s single and it’s obvious she’s interested in you.”
“Mm-hm. So what don’t you understand?”
“Dude, are you kidding? You told her you had a girlfriend, one that doesn’t exist!”
“She does exist.”
Kiko looked at him confused and shrugged his shoulders.
Reflections in the Mirror Page 5
