[ four ]

Mariluz went out to the car where Ricardo was waiting for her, changed in the training uniform she had recieved from the Madrid team. Since she didn't have a car of her own, he would be her ride to practice for the time being. They had also agreed it would save them money and gas. Ricardo cocked his eyebrow in confusion when he saw her. "You know, you can change in the locker room. They'll prbably assign you one today." He informed her.

Scratching the back of her head awkwardly, she replied. "I don't feel comfortable changing in front of everyone."

He chuckled. "Didn't you do that back in Barcelona?"

"Well yes." She replied. "But I knew the guys on the team since I was a child. We all practically grew up together." She explained. Back home in Barcelona, she had been on the woman's team, but had been cut from the squad due to a lack of funding. Her agent had tried to get her a position on a different team, but female soccer wasn't doing its best all over the country. 

When it came to football, people would rather watch a bunch of men on the pitch rather than women.

That was why Mariluz had taken on the bet with Marcela. 

It gave her the chance to play football and to play on a prestigious team, even if it was Real Madrid.

And if things worked out for her, she could even continue pretending to be a boy for longer if she could earn herself a permanent spot on the Merengue squad.

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Mariluz waited on the pitch for the rest of the team to come outside for training. Mourinho was a few yards off, talking with a young woman Mariluz immediately recognized. She was the same one who was in the picture she saw at Ricardo's house. She approached them and the girl with long blonde hair smiled wide at the sight of the newbie who went by the name of Michael Bartra.

The blonde bit her lip, looking over Madrid's newest member. "Who is this young man?"

Mourinho gestured to the young man who had walked up to them. "This is Michael Bartra, he used to play in Barcelona B but then moved here. Michael, this is Florencia Perez, daughter of our club president."

Florencia offered Mariluz her hand and the girl who was dressed as a boy took it with a polite smile. If the blonde was an important person, then Mariluz wanted to make sure she'd make a good impression. "Oh, its so nice to meet you, Miss Perez." Gazing down at her feet, she saw the blonde was wearing a pair of floral patterned wedges Mariluz had wanted to buy. "Oh my gosh," She gasped, momentarily forgetting she was supposed to be manly. "Those are some lovely shoes." Crap, she thought seconds after she said those words, clearing her throat, the brunette deepened her voice and said, "I mean--nice shoes. They're alright."

From behind Mariluz, she could hear the steps of the other players' cleats on the wet grass as they stepped onto the pitch. They were joined by a familiar voice who spoke in a joyful tone. "Florencia." Ricardo breathed, "What a surprise that you came to visit."

She nodded with a friendly smile. "Yeah, my dad wanted to meet the new member of the team, but he had lunch with some important people so he asked me to take his place."

"Speaking of our newest member," Mourinho began, turning to Mariluz, "Don't think you'll become starter over night because you know people who called in favors for you. You need to work for a spot on this, and you'll begin on second string."

"I understand." Mariluz replied with a nod of her head.

She and Ricardo walked towards the rest of their friends who were gathered together in a small circle. Sergio, Gonzalo and Mesut grinned at the sight of them. But Cristiano seemed to ignore the fact the Bartra was even there. "Its the pussy magnet." Mesut said in his thick German accent, a smile evident on his face.

"Hey guys." She greeted them with a friendly wave. Ronaldo stood with them with a sour look on his face, keeping quiet the entire time. He had only greeted Ricardo with a fist bump, but he was clearly angry at the rest of his mates.

Sergio bumped fists with Mariluz like they had known each other for ages. But she noticed Gonzalo nudged her house mate. "Aren't you gonna go chat up Florencia?" He winked at the tall Brazilian standing next to him.

Bartra grinned, remembering the portrait of them together. "You like her?"

Ricardo scoffed.

But before he could answer the question, Gonzalo laughed. "Like her? Ricardo is in love with Florencia."

"Only she dated Cristiano for a few months last year and things didn't end too well between them." Sergio added. "And well Ricky thinks that trying to win over Florencia will upset Cris."

"I already told him I don't mind." Ronaldo spoke up.

Ricardo's lips came together to form a white line after saying, "You guys are so gossipy."

Walking up to the group of young men, Mourinho told the rest of the footballers. "Go get started on your warm ups, men." They all nodded, but as they jogged over to join the rest of the team, the coach stopped Mariluz before she could do the same. "Bartra," He began in an authoratative voice. Mariluz wasn't too fond of Mourinho, and that was because every time she would see him at El Clasico, he always wore a sour look on his face and often got into arguments with Barcelona's coach, Pep Guardiola. "You can skip practice today," He informed her, taking her by surprise. "I want you to keep Florencia company, she really seemed pleased with you."

Nodding, Mariluz went to join the blonde who was sitting in the stands, eyes trained on her phone screen. She passed her other teammates who asked why the new boy wouldn't be training with them today. She replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "Mourinho wants me to entertain Florencia."

Ricardo grabbed onto her arm to stop her. "Why do you get to hang out with her?" He whispered, clearly upset.

Her response came seconds later. "Coach's orders. I'd rather train, but I have to do as I'm told."

"Well," The Brazilian sighed in resignation. "At least talk to her for me, will you? Now that Cris said he doesn't mind, I'd like to ask her out on a date."

"So ask her." Mariluz said to him. "You have a voice."

"I can't." He frowned. "I get nervous whenever she's near me and I stutter like crazy."

The girl dressed as a boy rolled her eyes at that. "Fine," She told him, "I'll talk to her, but on one condition."

"Anything." He smiled gratefully.

"You help me train until I can become good enough to be starter by the next clasico game." She grinned at her idea. If the Barcelona coaches could see how great she had gotten, maybe they would contact her and then she could return to the land of her home. This dare was turning out to be a win win situation for the Spaniard brunette.

He thought about it. "But," He pointed out. "The next clasico is in one month."

"That's the deal." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Alright," He finally said, "But you have to get me a date with Florencia."

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The two had been sitting there, watching the guys practice in silence. Mariluz wanted to be out on the pitch so bad instead of sitting next to a daddy's girl who probably would never work a day in her life. Florencia made several attempts to make conversation with Mariluz, but failed every time. Mariluz wasn't too interested in talking to her.

That was until Ricardo shot her a look and she remembered she had to talk him up in front of her; make him look good. "That Ricardo is a great football player." Mariluz commented in the most casual way she chould manage.

Florencia nodded in agreement. "Definitely. And he's a great friend too, always so polite."

"Would you ever think of dating him?" Mariluz asked the blonde.

"Me?" Florencia's nose crinkled at the question. "I doubt we'd be good together. I mean, he's handsome, but he's not my type."

"Really?" Mariluz' eyes widened as she feigned being surprised. Her eyes darted back and forth between Florencia and the handsome Brazilian on the pitch as she said, "I can really see the two of you as a couple. You should definitely date him."

"No!" Florencia giggled, batting her eyelashes at Mariluz.

"Yes." Mariluz insisted.

Biting her lip, Florencia seemed to mull something over in her mind before finally sighing in defeat. "I'll consider it." The blonde said, "But to be honest, I've got my eyes set on someone else."

"Trust me." Mariluz patted Florencia on the shoulder. "No man will treat you better than my friend Ricardo. He's the kindest, most talented guy that I know. And that's legit cause I've only just arrived in Madrid a few days ago and I already know Ricardo is awesome."

Florencia smiled at Mariluz. "If you say so."

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Back at Ricardo's home, the Brazilian asked his new friend how the conversation with Florencia went. Mariluz smiled at him, showing him a thumbs up. "Okay, so I got her to consider it. That means you're halfway in!" She cheered. "Now all you have to do is ask her out on a date and she's all yours."

Ricardo's face brightened at Bartra's words. "Thank you so much, mate." His hand reached out to ruffle her short hair playfully.

"No problem." Mariluz coughed awkwardly, hoping he hadn't noticed he had shifted her wig to the side. She fixed it when he wasn't looking and told him, "When are we getting started with my extra training?"

"Ah," He remembered, "We'll arrive at practice one hour before and stay one hour after."

"Sounds great." Mariluz nodded. She pulled her cellphone out of her jacket pocket to set her alarm when something square shaped fell out of her pocket. Her heart stopped when his eyes fell upon the object. It was a pad because she was on her days.

His face contorted in confusion. "Is that a woman's sanitary pad?"

"Yeah," Mariluz wracked her brain for any sort of excuse. She ended up blurting out the first thing that came to mind. "Uh...I get really bad nosebleeds in the summer when it gets hot and I don't like to waste napkins it kills trees so I use woman pads. They absorb everything and I only use one pad per nose bleed." She informed him.

"Okay..." He still didn't seem convinced.

Mariluz gasped. "Wait. You mean you've never done that?"

He shook his head, letting out an awkward laugh. "No."

"Next time your nose bleeds, you are welcome to use one of my pads, friend." She knelt down to pick up the pad in white packaging and placed it in his hand. "You really must experience the absorbance miracle of pads. They also work on scrapes and cuts. You can also soak one in cold water and put it on your forehead when you have a fever. Those things are multi use."

Mariluz watched him with amusement, barely able to control her laughter as his eyes remained on the pad in his hands. "Uh..." He began nervously. "Thank you?"

"You're welcome." She replied before rushing to her bedroom and closing the door behind her.

Once in the safety of her room, she burst out laughing as she remembered the look on the Brazilian footballer's face. Though something in the back of her mind told her she would need to be more careful next time or she would end up getting caught.

-

i haven't updated this in ages.

sorry for taking so long, guys. 

i want to thank you all for the reads and votes on this story though. it makes me very happy to be at half a thousand reads.

thank you for all the support.

i love you.

-clary xx