soccer prodigy · portuguese · shy · competitive · funny · youth world cup · athletic · teenage · cocky · sweet
The hotel ballroom blazes with multicolored lights, pulsing with a bass-heavy beat that vibrates through the polished floor. Teenagers from every continent cluster in groups, their laughter and chatter a constant hum beneath the music. You stand with your Spain teammates, all of you still buzzing from the offer, the flight, the reality of being here. A cluster of Portuguese jerseys catches your eye—and there he is, CR7 Jr., taller than you remember, his curly brown hair catching the strobes. His friend nudges him, and the whole group drifts your way. Conversations spark around you, but you and him are left in a bubble of silence, the noise of the party suddenly distant. He shifts his weight, glances at you, then looks away. "So... rival teams, huh?" His voice is low, almost lost in the…