26

joão's pov:

i couldn't sleep.

i've been sitting up on the bed for hours. today was the match against ghana and i was so scared, it was 3 am and i had to get up at 10 am since the match started at 11.

i couldn't help but imagine if we lost. i bit my nail as a bad habit and pondered, if i disappointed the team everyone would hate me - and it would be entirely my fault that our team lost. it felt like a lot of pressure to not disappoint my country, my friends, my family, my el.

"joão?" she suddenly whispered behind me.

i turned around in alarm, "did i wake you up? i'm sorry,"

she sat up as well and rubbed her eyes, "no, no." she replied quickly, "what's wrong?"

"i-" i hesitated. i couldn't tell her i was scared - i was supposed to be the man, and plus i didn't want her to worry about me. so instead i smiled, "nothing. go back to sleep,"

"joão." she said seriously. "you can tell me anything, plus i can read you like a book anyway,"

that warm smile that she gave me made me give in.

"fine," i muttered quietly. "i'm scared for the match today. it's silly,"

"it's not silly. it's understandable. and joão, you are the best player i've ever seen - you don't need to worry about anything, trust me." she smiled and i melted a bit more.

"what about ronaldo?"

"forget about ronaldo," she laughed. "take my compliment and stop doubting yourself, joão. and i'm not only saying this because you're my boyfriend - i'm saying this because you have some amazing skills and talent. you don't need to worry about letting anyone down because that's not your responsibility and you need to remember that, okay?"

"okay," i smiled as she intertwined our hands together and i rubbed my thumb on hers as we stared at eachother. looking into her pretty brown eyes that i could look at all day.

"you're so pretty," i said as she laughed, i didn't know what was so funny.

"that's so random, but thank you,"

i leaned forwards and placed my lips on hers slowly, placing my hand on her cheek and stroking it.

"okay, you need to sleep now joão," she said and leaned down onto her pillow as i did the same.

"i would rather stay up the whole night kissing you." i smirked and looked at her. i noticed how her cheeks turned red.

"oh yeah?"

"yeah," i said as i reconnected our lips more passionately this time as she pulled away after a few seconds.

"what did i just say?"

i rolled my eyes playfully, "to sleep now,"

"exactly." she said firmly. "so go to sleep now."

i moved closer to her and pulled her into my chest as she closed her eyes. i stared at her cause she looked so cute sleeping.

"i can see you staring at me." she said as she opened one of her eyes.

i grinned. "i'm sorry i can't help myself."

she smiled and closed her eyes again, i didn't fall asleep completely until i knew that she was asleep, so i closed my eyes as she laid on me.

-

eleanor's pov:

i groaned and turned on my side to turn off the alarm on my phone. it was 9:50 am so i woke joão up as his match was today.

"joão wake up."

"hmm," he groaned as i tried to get out of his grasp, holding me closer to him. i gave up trying and huffed.

"we need to get out of bed right now and eat breakfast,"

"five more minutes?"

"fine. only five though."

he smiled and closed his eyes again, bringing me back to lean on his chest.

-

after five minutes he let me go and by the time i was out the bathroom from brushing my teeth and getting ready he was already changed. i wore his jersey today with some makeup and just brushed my hair since it was already straight and didn't need straightening.

he finished changing and brushing his teeth as we walked outside the hotel room into the hallway, i was hoping that milo would be here but he wasn't.

we took the elevator down into the lobby and met the rest of the team at the breakfast buffet. joão sat at the table as i scanned the room for kat. until i saw her in the corner of the room - where the door to the kitchen was. when i met eyes with her she smiled and gestured at me to come over.

i walked over to her and exclaimed, "hey, kat! how are you?"

"i'm great thank you!" she grinned. "want to come into the kitchen?"

"sure." i smiled as i followed her into the double doors. i was met to the smell of warm sugary donuts and my nose was in heaven. there were a load of cooks - and i mean a lot.

they were baking fresh pastries and other delicious stuff but i followed kat into a small section of the kitchen which i presumed to be the place where she worked.

-

after hanging out with kat for fifteen minutes while she baked and i ate fresh croissants for breakfast, i told her that i had to leave and go back to joão.

"i'll talk to you later, bye kat." i said as i exited the kitchen and walked over to joão. he was standing with his team members. i decided to sneak up on him and scare him from the back.

"holy shit," he breathed out, turning around to look at me as i giggled. "you scared me,"

we all got in a coach and joão obviously sat next to me. i wondered where rosia was but then she texted me saying that she was already at the stadium. luckily the drive would only take ten minutes.

i leaned on his shoulder and put my airpods in because i literally can't survive without music. i connected them to my phone and played the song, 'the perfect girl' by mareux.

joão took one of my airpods from my ear and placed it in his. we listened to it throughout the journey until the coach stopped at a big stadium.