A/N: let me know if you want me to change the German part and enjoy this long chapter;)

*

"Sag diesem Idiot, er soll schneller fahren."("Tell that idiot to drive faster") Laura demanded, pressing the car horn again.

"Laura, nicht jeder fährt 80 km/h in einer 50er Zone. Wir sind eh schon zu spät. " ("Laura, not everyone drives 80 km/h in the 50 zone. We're late anyway") I laughed and leaned back in the passenger seat.

Thanks to the white Mercedes, Laura was forced to follow the traffic regulations for the first time since she'd picked me up and I finally felt safe.

"Ich glaube, dort ist es." ("I think it's right over there.") Laura completely ignored my comment and steered her car into the next parking space.

The area where Mapi's apartment was located was actually not too far from the subway station she had accompanied me to. Old, colorful houses rose up into the air and the streets seemed deserted, even though we were in the middle of the city.

I whistled through my teeth. "Nicht schlecht" ("Not bad.")

"Mapi verdient mehr als wir uns vorstellen können." ("Mapi earns more than what we even dare to imagine") Laura laughed, getting out of the car and slamming the door.

We walked to a house at the end of the street and Laura pressed the doorbell. A loud hum sounded as a sign that we were being let in.

"Why isn't there an elevator here?" I grumbled as we climbed up to the third floor.

"This is free training, stop complaining" Mapi's voice sounded from the floor above us.

"But I'm not getting paid" Laura complained in her bad Spanish, to which Mapi let out a loud laugh.

She awaited us, standing in the door, with her arms crossed, letting her gaze slowly wander over the both of us. "My apartment could get used to this view" she winked, visibly drunk. "If all Germans look like this, I need to talk to Jonatan about recruiting more of you."

Laura poked her in the side. "Save your flirting skills for someone who cares."

I suddenly remembered my nick name for Mapi. Snow whore. It definitely suited her.

"Can I offer you something to drink?"

Mapi led us through a small corridor with high walls into her living room. On the left there was an enormous black sofa, on which I spotted Lucy, Keira and Ingrid, all with red plastic cups in their hands. The kitchen was located right next to the living room with the two rooms being divided by a little built in bar.

Laura grabbed a beer and immediately disappeared onto the balcony, leaving me alone with Mapi.

"Well, what can you offer?"

"Anything your heart desires." Mapi pointed to the kitchen where she had seemingly set up her own little bar. She handed me a stack of cards with cocktail recipes. "I got this on purpose. I'm the barista here today" she announced proudly. "There's caipirinha, mojito, piña colada..."

"Then I'll have a piña colada. Can I help you with something?"

Frowning, Mapi looked at the recipe. "No, no. It can't be that hard, right?"

"Have you ever done this before?"

"A cocktail or a piña colada?"

"Uhm... a Piña Colada?"

"Well, actually... neither." Mapi chuckled and poured herself a red liquid from a glass bottle.

I pointed to it. "What's that?"

"Sangria, basically wine with fruits. Would you like to try?" She passed me her glass and I cautiously took a small sip.

"Not bad" I announced in surprise.

"Isn't it?" Mapi was pouring rum for my cocktail in a metallic cocktail shaker.

"Aren't you going to measure it?"

"Um...what? " She threw me a confused look and then starred back at the drink. "Oh shit. Never mind, it can never be too much anyway."

She forcefully shook the cocktail shaker and then poured the mixture into a red plastic cup.

"There you go."

Disgusted, I looked into the cup, in which white pieces of coconut cream were still floating, and put my little finger into it, which I then put into my mouth to taste the drink. Mapi was carefully watching my moves.

"Hey, this tastes really good!"I exclaimed in surprise.

Mapi laughed relieved. "I'm glad you like." Without saying anything else, she left to join the others on her balcony, leaving me slightly confused in her kitchen.

Indecisively I looked around and then joined Keira, Lucy and Ingrid on the couch.

"What are you drinking?" Ingrid curiously leaned toward me.

"Our barista Mapi made me a piña colada."

"Mapi as a barista?" Lucy slurred, putting her arm around Keira. "That's normally Jana's job. "

I shook my head with a grin. Mapi was seriously confusing.

"I know something better." Ingrid got up and disappeared into the kitchen only to reappear with a tequila bottle moments later.

"No, Ingrid please not again" Keira complained.

"A little shot has never hurt anyone" Ingrid stated, pouring the tequila into small shot glasses. She seemed to know her way around Mapi's apartment as she had even managed to find salt and a lemon and I couldn't help but wonder what was going on between them.

"I heard we were doing shots?" Alexia let herself fall onto the couch and greeted me with a quick hug.

"Yes, we are! One for you, capitana." Ingrid said while handing out the shot glasses.

"To us! Visca el Barça" Alexia exclaimed, holding her glass up in the air.

I quickly downed the shot, but it burned my throat nevertheless and I couldn't help but grimace.

"If you're still making that face you need another one" Ingrid demanded, filling up my glass.

By the time a clanging noise sounded an hour later, I could hardly feel my body anymore.

"Everyone, listen up" Mapi shouted as she slammed a knife against a glass again.

"I'm glad you all came, even if this is a mandatory event. Jonatan asked me to do some team bonding tonight and even though I think alcohol is enough, you know the drill. He can't know there was any alcohol present" Everyone laughed loudly as Mapi moved towards her TV which was located vis-à-vis the couch.  "As for the team bonding I had the best idea ever... karaoke!" While everyone around me started cheering, I buried my face in my hands. Singing in front of everyone? No way!

Ingrid slid me another tequila shot.

"For bravery" she whispered encouragingly.

Gratefully I downed it. Ingrid had been right, after a while it no longer burned in my throat.

Mapi whipped out two microphones and turned on YouTube.

"We'll start with We Are the Champions, because that's how we'll finish the upcoming season" Mapi decided. "Any volunteers?"

Ingrid pulled me up. "We're doing this."

"Are you crazy?" I complained loudly, but my objection was ignored.

The song lyrics popped up on the screen and I was handed a microphone.

"Three...two...one...let's go, guapas" Mapi cheered us on.

I took a deep breath and shot Ingrid one last desperate look, but she was already singing her heart out. After a few lines, I finally joined in.

"We are the champions, my friends." It was more fun than I thought and even though I was the one singing into the microphone, all you could here were the screams of our team.

We ended our debut with "No time for losers, 'cause we are the champions" and our team erupted into an applause.

Next, Keira and Lucy performed Sweet Caroline, which brought up bad memories from the EUROS finale in 2022 when they beat us. We did however repay them by knocking them out of the World Cup semi finale last year, so I couldn't really complain.

I didn't know how much time had passed when I checked my phone again, but after doing so, I frowned.

"What's wrong?" Ingrid wanted to know.

"Laura just went home without telling me" I complained, taking a big sip of sangria from the glass Ingrid handed me.

"Yeah, and? Aren't we good enough?" Ingrid teased.

"She was going to drive me home." I sighed and read the message again.

[30/08/2024 23:49:57] Laura <3: Em, es tut mir leid. Ich musste Lucy und Keira nach Hause bringen, Keira ging es nicht gut. («Em, I'm so sorry. I had to take Lucy and Keira home, Keira wasn't feeling well.")

[31/08/2024 00:32:43] Emilia: Wie soll ich jetzt nah Haue komjen? ("How am I supposed to coje hom now??")

[31/08/2024 00:32:54] Emilia: nach Hause ("Home")

[31/08/2024 00:33:01] Emilia: kommenm ("comem")

[31/08/2024 00:33:34] Emilia: kommen ("come")

[31/08/2024 00:33:56] Emilia: ?

The bright light of the screen was triggering a stabbing pain in my head.

"Oh shit, is it really that late already?" Ingrid cursed beside me. "Give me a minute." She got up and pulled Mapi into the kitchen with her.

Snow White and Snow Whore. I chuckled and looked around. Only now did I notice that almost everyone had left, only Jill and Jana were still sitting at Mapi's table, engaged in a conversation, while Alexia and Jenni seemed to be leaving as well.  

I was just about to get up to ask Alexia and Jenni if I could come with them, when out of nowhere everything around me started spinning. Shit. I staggered towards the balcony, hoping fresh air would counteract the nausea that was setting in. I wish I hadn't drunk that much.

As I was just opening the door to the balcony, I heard Ingrid yell a loud "Fuck you" and then moments later, a door was slammed. Great, now she was gone too.

On the spacious balcony I sat down on a sunbed and buried my head in my hands. It still felt like I was riding a roller coaster. Back in Munich, I could have simply called Klara, who would have picked me up immediately. But what was I supposed to do now? I had been left alone in a still rather foreign country by my new friends in an apartment of a girl who hated me. For the first time since my arrival a month ago, I allowed myself to think that coming here might have been a mistake. But what else what I supposed to do? I couldn't have stayed in Munich, it was hell. Slowly, I felt the tears gathering in my eyes. It was all that stupid alcohol's fault.

"Emilia? Are you okay?"

I quickly wiped away a tear and raised my head, looking directly into Mapi's face, who was looking at me with a concerned look on her face. Emilia. Hearing my name come out of her mouth was weird, since she'd normally call Princesa.

"I brought you a glass of water." She sat down next to me and handed me a glass, which I accepted gratefully.

"Thank you."

"What's wrong?"

I threw her a tiny smile. "Nothing, I'm fine. I just had a little too much to drink."

Mapi looked at me, her eyes wandering all over my body before she hesitantly put her arm around me and gently pulled me closer. "I understand that, I always get sentimental too when I drink" she admitted with a small laugh. Her hand stroked my shoulder so gently that I wasn't sure if I was imagining it. But why would I be imagining it? Was that what I wanted? I quickly shook off my drunken thought. What was that all about?

My gaze wandered over Mapi. Her hair was slightly messy and under her left eye I could see a little bit of smudged mascara. But I had to admit that even like that she was looking absolutely stunning. There was a reason she was so good at her role as a snow whore who pulled everyone.

"Mapi?" I murmured, burying my face in her shoulder.

"Yes, Princesa?"

"I don't know how to get home. Laura just disappeared."

"I figured" Mapi snorted.

Carefully she stroked a strand of hair out of my face. I hardly dared to breathe.

"You can sleep here, it's not a problem at all."

Sleep at her place? I may have been drunk, but I wasn't stupid.

As if she had read my mind, she broke away from our embrace, leaving me with a weird feeling. I would have loved to have her arm around me again, because it had made me feel safe. Stupid alcohol.

"Don't worry. I don't do anything with people who are in a relationship."

Was she talking about me? I let out a loud laugh. "I don't know where you're getting this from again, but I'm definitely not in a relationship."

She looked at me confused. "No? I saw you with a blonde woman two weeks ago after practice. Ingrid said she was your girlfriend."

I frowned and straightened up. Why would Ingrid say that? "It was nothing more than a date" I clarified. "I'm sure she picked something up from Lucy and misunderstood."

"Who knows. Honestly, nothing this girl does surprises me anymore." Mapi shrugged and once again I was left to wonder what had just happened between them when Ingrid stormed out. "But I can't let you go home like this." Mapi got up and offered me her hand, which I thankfully took. Her hand felt warm, but not too hot, and she grasped mine tightly. We went back to the apartment together, where we found Jill and Jana asleep on the sofa. Jill's arms were wrapped around Jana while Jana's head was resting on Jill's chest.

"I would have been all too happy to offer you the couch, but it looks like these lovebirds beat you to it" Mapi chuckled.

"They're adorable. How long have they been dating?" I wonder.

"They're not dating. This has literally been going on for two years, but they both swear they're straight, it's ridiculous." Mapi explained while rolling her eyes. "Are you comfortable with sharing a bed with me though? Otherwise, I'll wake them up."

I quickly weighted my options and came to the conclusion that Mapi had been right, I couldn't go home in this state. There was no subway at this early hour in the morning, Mapi was far too drunk to drive me, and I didn't trust any taxi driver. The danger was too big that he might recognize me and photograph me in this state. I could already see the headline before my eyes. This is what Emilia Cortes, the newest addition to FC Barcelona Femeni, does in her free time. Don't get me wrong, I knew the odds of someone recognizing me were probably around one in a hundred thousand, I wasn't famous like Alexia or Mapi whose faces were literally on the outside of Camp Nou. Nevertheless, I didn't feel like spending money on a taxi and quite frankly, I didn't mind spending the night here, so I just nodded.

Mapi led me to her bedroom which was located close to entrance door. The closer we got, the louder a weird noise got as if someone was scratching the door trying to escape.

"Are you holding someone hostage?" I joke.

Mapi looked at me confusedly and then she turned her head to the door. "Shit" She exclaimed. "My stupid cats are still in my bedroom!" 

"You locked them into your bedroom?"

"I didn't want them to get scared when 23 footballers have a party in my living room." Mapi defended herself and opened the door. Two cats, a black one and a black and white one, quickly escaped and ran into the living room.

"They seem mad." I chuckled while following Mapi into her bedroom. It wasn't big by any means, but it held a king-sized bed, a closet, and a small shelf. A huge mirror and a few caps were also hung up on the wall with many shoes lined up below.

Mapi opened said closet and threw an old pair of sports shorts and a washed-out Barca t-shirt in my direction. "Here, put this on."

"Barca really is your world, isn't it? "I asked her as I took my skirt off.

"Yeah, it kind of is. I've been playing here for around 7 years."

I looked up, only to lower my head again with flushed cheeks. Mapi was standing in front of her closet in nothing but underwear.

"That's a really long time" I replied almost a little too quickly, slipping into Mapi's clothes. "Don't you get bored here?"

Mapi, now in an oversized T-shirt, jumped onto the bed and motioned for me to do the same. I carefully laid down on the soft blanket, trying to leave enough space between the two of us.

"If you had asked me just two years ago, I would have answered that I could never imagine playing anywhere but here. But now..." Mapi suddenly stopped speaking, as if she had already given away too much of herself.

"I literally just cried on your balcony; you can trust me" I assured her with a grin.

She returned a little smile. "There's just too much that has happened in the last two years. Barca used to be my home, now it's nothing more than my work. But after all, football is my job, so I try not to worry about it too much."

Her words hit close to home because that's what had happened to me with Bayern. What had once been my home became the place of my greatest fears. "I can understand you, but..." But what? It gets better eventually? I knew all too well that it wouldn't get any better. "But we can get through this together, as a team. I bet you're not the only one who feels that way."

"Thank you, Princesa. Good night."

"Sleep well."

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