Change of plans

The day to pay the debt that I have with Leonel has finally arrived. After a long time, I'll have to watch a full soccer game.

I'm very scared because I don't know how I'm going to react to the soccer environment, the only good thing about this is that I convinced (with tricks) my cute little sister to come with me, so I won't be alone.

I didn't care much about how to dress, I just wore the first shirt with the first pants I found in my closet. I didn't even take a shower, just sprayed on myself some deodorant so Marin wouldn't tell me I stink.

“Marin, hurry up, we are going to be late.”

I yelled at my sister, who had already been in her room for quite some time on the phone. I understand that it's normal for girls to spend a lot of time talking to each other, but this call had already gone on too long and I was worried that she wouldn't be ready on time.

I took the last thing I needed to be ready to go: keys, wallet, cell phone and courage to endure this day. I was already at the door with everything I needed when I heard that Marin finally left his room.

“Forgive me Robin, but I can't go to the game.”

Why do bad things always have to get worse?

“Don't be kidding Marin, why can't you go?”

“My friend broke up with her boyfriend, and I have to go support her.”

The one you have to support is your brother, you ungrateful girl! I internally screamed.

“It's not something serious, you can't cancel a plan we had since a week because of childish nonsense.”

“It's not nonsense, she is a dear friend who has helped me a lot to improve in tennis. I must make up for everything she has done for me.”

My silly sister had a point, but… I don't want to go to the game alone, so I'm going to have to go into dramatic mode.

“Listen carefully Marin, I am not going to tolerate this insult; You have to choose: your friend or me.”

“I choose her.”

“YOU HAVE TO DOUBT A LITTLE, DUMMY!”

In the end, Marin returned to her room to finish getting ready and go with her depressed friend. I remained standing at the door without knowing what to do; I don't have the enough courage to go to the game by myself.

“Well, Leonel will understand.”

I lay down on the sofa in the living room and turned on the television. After a few minutes, my annoying sister came over and stood in front of me.

“Are you serious? Are you going to disappoint your best friend like that?”

“You left me without options.”

“Just invite someone else, idiot.”

Marin turned off the television and stormed out of the house.

“As if it were so easy, silly…”

I lay on my back looking at the ceiling of the room. I kept thinking about the only person I could invite, but I was very afraid that she was going to reject me.

After our meeting at McBurger Jr. things haven't changed much between us. It is true that barely a week has passed, but during our tutoring sessions I have noticed her less participatory, incredibly quieter and above all very distant.

“I wonder if she's upset with me.”

I was thinking out loud. I looked at the screen of my cell phone and looked for her contact, I had my finger right on the call button, but I didn't dare touch it.

“Come ooooon, don't be a coward!”

I tried it for a couple of minutes until finally my right thumb gave in to my desire and touched the call button.

“Damn, damn, damn...”

I got up from the sofa and began to walk around very nervously. I hadn't prepared anything to tell her and I didn't trust my improvisation very much. It was the most intense 15 seconds of my life, but in the end…she didn't answer.

“I'm safe.”

A part of me was relieved, but the other was a little sad that she ignored my call. In order not to deal with my feelings, I decided to turn the TV back on and watch the first thing it will find, but after about 5 minutes, my phone started ringing: it was Andrea.

“Hello?”

I answered just before the call went to voice mail, in those seconds I calmed down and mentally prepared myself for this moment.

“You called me?”

“Yes, sorry to bother you. I guess you're busy.”

“Not really, I just got out of the shower.”

An image of Andrea dancing harmoniously in the water from the shower took over my mind, leaving me drooling for a few seconds.

“Hello? You still there?”

“Oh, I… I'm very sorry, I have a bad signal.”

A blatant lie, but a necessary one.

“I understand, don't worry. Well, tell me why did you call me?”

“Y-you… are you free today? ... you see, Leonel has an important soccer match and I don't want to go alone.”

“ …”

Andrea was silent for a few seconds. She was about to reject me and didn't know how to tell me?

“Hello? Andrea? Can you hear me?”

“What time is the game?”

“I-it's in an hour, at the school's soccer field.”

“All right.”

“So you will go?”

“Yes.”

“O-ok, I'll see you there then.”

Andrea hung up the phone without saying goodbye. I kept looking at the cell phone screen for a moment. Did she feel compelled to go? In any case, I felt very happy because I achieved my goal.

“There is only one thing left to do…”

I went for my towel and ran to the bathroom. I took the fastest shower of my life and tried to improve my outfit.

Finally, I left my house for what is possibly my first date with Andrea.

I arrived 15 minutes before the start of the game. I was very surprised to see so many people gathered for a high school soccer game; what Leonel said was true, this was truly a vital game and it was reflected in the enthusiasm of the public.

I waited for Andrea at the entrance to the soccer field, I tried to call her a couple of times, but she didn't answer; will she really come? I wondered every minute.

I shouldn't have arrived before her, my 'little problem' hadn't shown up yet, but I was already starting to feel a little nervous.

“I just hope this day ends well.”

I mentioned that quietly while still waiting for her. There were 5 minutes left for the game to start.

The closer the start of the match got, the louder the shouts of the fans cheering on the home team (in this case, the Golden School) were heard.

The teams warming up, the coach giving instructions to the players, the sound of the studs hitting the grass... all of that, for a moment, was heard as clear as if it were only a few steps away.

One after another, the painful memories of my past were projected into my head without my permission: the endless days in the hospital, the pain I felt in the therapies, the impotence of not being able to do anything to change my situation.

My heart started racing suddenly

“No, wait, please God don't do this to me.”

I started to hear the palpitations of my heart, my hands and legs were shaking without being able to control them. I despaired, I felt like I was short of breath.

“Please, someone...”

I couldn't speak, words wouldn't come out of my mouth. I was starting to go crazy, all I could do was crouch to try and calm down.

I lowered my head and saw how the floor began to get wet; they were my tears that without realizing it began to flow from my eyes.

“I want to go home.”

I said crying on the floor, but I didn't have the strength in my legs to get out of that place.

Please someone help me…

“Robin, are you alright?”

I knew that voice, it was a beautiful tone that I loved to listen to, although I didn't do it very often; it came from the most beautiful woman I have ever met in my life.

I felt like time stopped when I looked up and saw those beautiful black eyes worried about me:

“Andrea...”

I hugged her and started crying like a little child in her arms.

I couldn't stop sobbing, I guess it was such a pitiful scene that even people stopped to ask Andrea if they could help her, which she politely refused.

Forgive me Andrea, but I'm already tired of life always changing my plans.