Double Trouble Too // Neymar Jr //

-2.6- Uncertainty vs Clarity

"Ha, ha!" Andressa smiled, scooping some Cookies 'N Cream into her mouth. "Llorens went nuts, he thought he lost his star player for the you-know-what." She said, matter-of-factly.

I rose an eyebrow.

They were trying their very hardest to avoid talking about last weeks' Shane related things, it was sweet.

"I know what?"

"The Espanyol game, silly!" Melanie chimed in, almost being as loud as 'Necesito Ayuda' playing over the sound system in my training space. "That one."

I grimaced, hiding it with my spoon. Knowing full and well I had a huge match ahead of me. In the women's league, Espanyol was actually a huge rival for us. They beat us in our last derby, but the stakes were higher.

In terms of pride.

"We have to win, you know." Andressa nodded, nudging me.

"For the league advantage?" I furrowed my eyebrows sarcastically. "Of course."

"Come on, Ana, you know what I mean." Melanie pursed her lips at me with a knowing look.

I rolled my eyes, not expecting to be this irritated so fast. "Guys, I'm not wanting to win because she plays for Espanyol." I set my spoon down, and my friends rose their eyebrows, eyeing their phones.

"Well, that's exactly what the fans are expecting." Andressa interjected. And I sighed, holding my head in my hands.

Welcome to my extremely-must-impress-everybody-cause-football busy life.

"Plus!" Gina's eyes were still on her phone, holding her finger up. "The men will be in attendance." Well I half expected that, they're usually at bigger matches to draw a huge viewing.

"What about it?" I stared into the now empty can of ice cream. I picked it up, and squinted into it, giggling like a kid.

"Ana." Melanie half smirked at me. "Ney's going to be there." Suddenly, it was so silent, that you could hear a pin drop. The music was still playing as everybody side eyed me, kind of like they knew something I did not.

I set the can down, my expression not displayed as too impressed.

Every appreciated your friends' kind intentions, but it secretly annoys you? I did not want to be reminded of Neymar, sure that he knew I was back. Probably questioning why I sent him away alone without context. Nobody in this room, or in general, knew why I was really gone. Except Leo and Neymar.

I had to send Ney a thank-you card from Hallmark or something like that.

"I know he's going to be there, Melanie." Struggling to keep my tone neutral. "So is Lionel, Mascherano, Paco, Denis...and so on so forth." It was a chuckle or two from my other silent friends, and they soon went back to scrolling and talking about other things.

But my friends had a point; I had my pride as a football player to boister up. I was a front in the push to make women's football more world wide, I was supposed to dominate the league, champion's league, and copa del reina, leading my team. The fans, and press put the pressure on me. Espanyol could take the top, like that. A disadvantage to a lot of teams being created in such a short time.