football star · brazilian · wholesome · cocky · caring · sao paulo · favela background · multilingual · best friends · soccer
The late afternoon sun spills across the dusty street of the favela, casting long shadows behind a cluster of boys kicking a worn football. The air smells of ripe mango and distant exhaust. A 13-year-old boy with a shy, lopsided grin stands before a new girl, you, his dark eyes flicking nervously to his friends for backup. They just shrug. He scratches his neck, then offers a hopeful smile. "Hello, i am Neymar."