[ sixteen ] 

Mariluz explained the situation to the President's daughter while they watched the teams go out onto the field. They were all surprised to see the entire team was changed, replaced by youngsters who had recently been moved up to the first string. Others were players who were normally on the bench. The commentators talked about Ronaldo and how he had refused to play because his mates were unable to. Since he was the front man of their group and most of the team admired him, the rest of the team was now refusing to play with the exception of eager youngsters.

The guys saw Cristiano on the bench, with arms crossed over his chest in annoyance. A couple of seats down was Mourinho, who remained unchanged in his decision to leave key players out. But there was a hint of worry etched across his face.

With his key players, he knew they could easily win in an embarassing defeat for A Corunya, but now he wasn't so sure. Cristiano, his goal scorer was refusing to play. The rest were left behind to protest their friend being left out of the starting xi.

Ricardo's phone rang loudly and he pulled it out of his pocket. "Its a text from Cris," He hummed, reading the words on his screen to them. "I know I took too long to decide, but I won't play if my best mates don't play. Besides, without all of you on the pitch, I'm sure they're gonna get killed out there. Get ready to watch a massacre."

"He's just looking out for himself." Mariluz scoffed.

The game began shortly after and it wasn't much longer when she recieved a response from Florencia. 

florencia: daddy says he can't do anything for you now. cause the game started.

florencia: but he said he'll talk to mou when they return to madrid and have him put you all back in the starting xi by the clasico game. 

michael: thank you, flor ^.^

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Mariluz and the guys all agreed there was a point in the game when it was even painful to watch. The team was an unorganized mess out on the pitch and were getting killed by the rival team. All the commentators could talk about was how the Merengues performance without its key players was pitiful, everything short of what Madrid fans were used to watching. They even compared it to babies playing against grown men.

By the end of the game, it was evident Cristiano's prediction was correct. And the final score was 6-0 in favor of A Corunya.

The guys left their television on to watch the post game show and Cristiano was interviewed. He was asked why he refused to play in tonight's match and replied with, "My mates were not allowed to play, so I thought I wouldn't play either. Honestly, the team deserved to lose after this injustice."

"We were all told the boys who stayed behind were sick?" The interviewer wondered.

Cristiano shook his head. "That was just a lie they said to hide the team's internal problems over something childish." He explained. "Our newest team mate--Michael Bartra--was late as we were leaving for the airport and Mourinho wouldn't let him on the plane. So Kaka, Gonzalo, Sergio, and Mesut, went on strike. I refused to play without my best mates." That was the one thing Mariluz actually appreciated about Cristiano Ronaldo--he wasn't a hypocrite or a liar. If he hated you--as he hated Mariluz--you would know. And if he loved you--as he loved Marcela and the rest of the boys--you would know. He wasn't one to hold back the truth.

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The team returned to Madrid that night and the next morning, the absent players, as well as Cristiano and Mourinho were summoned to a meeting with the Club President. The six players walked into the meeting room like scared children. They all expectd the worst.

Mourinho walked inside with a victorious smirk, for he thought they would all get punished for undermining his authority. They all sat around a long rectangular table and waited for the club President to arrive. Mariluz sat down with Ricardo and Mesut sitting at either side of her. Ricardo leaned towards her and whispered, "I feel like we're a bunch of school children getting punished for causing trouble." He chuckled.

Mariluz let out a girly giggle at his words. "Oh my gosh. Just imagine if Mr. Perez comes in here with a yard stick to beat some sense into us."

"Psst, Mari--" The German footballer whispered to get her attention. Only he stopped himself before calling her by her full name. "Michael..."

"Que pasa?" She turned, asking in Spanish. What's up? 

"I want you to know that even if we get punished, I'll keep fighting to get you back on the starting eleven." He swore.

"It'll be fine, Mesut." She assured him. "Florencia already promised she'll help me. Besides, even if she can't do anything to help, I'll just earn my spot back in the starting eleven, just like I did the first time. Its no big deal." She shot him a warm smile.

With that, Mariluz turned back towards Ricardo and the two spend the rest of their time making jokes with each other. The room went silent when in walked Florentino Perez with his daughter Florencia. He sat at the head of the table with his daughter next to him. The well-dressed Madrid man cleared his throat before speaking, "There was a problem that happened yesterday that came to my attention. My daughter Florencia and I were surprised to see several of our players were not on the field at the game against A Corunya. Would anyone like to explain everything to me?"

Mariluz raised her hand hesitantly. "I volunteer to tell you the story." Biting her lip, she began, "Its all my fault, Mr. Perez. I arrived late yesterday and the coach wouldn't let me on the plane. Then my team mates refused to go because they were defending me."

"So you started this uprising of defiant players?" Mr. Perez wondered.

"No," Mesut shook his head, "Each of us were not forced into this. We didn't want our team mate to be treated unfairly."

"Unfairly?" Mourinho scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "It would be unfair to give him special treatment for breaking the rules. Each time a player doesn't make it onto the bus by the designated time, they are not allowed to accompany the rest of the team."

"But we weren't even late." Mesut argued. "We made it to the airport a good two minutes before the flight was announced."

"And see where that got you." Sergio pointed out with a taunting smirk.

Gonzalo nodded at that. "Without us the team got slaughtered."

"I will not tolerate indiscipline in our first team." Mr. Perez said firmly. "Real Madrid is a prestigious institution, not some second division joke team. And with yesterdays performance...that was exactly what we looked like; a joke. We were unprepared, unorganized, there were players scrambling all across the field aimlessly. There was no planning, no one knew what to do. I will not let something like this happen again."

"With all due respect, Mr. Perez," Ricardo began in his ever-polite voice, "This wouldn't be happening if Mourinho allowed Michael to come with us. We can all vouch for him, he works harder than any of us. He deserves his place on the first team."

Everyone in the room nodded in agreement with the exception of Mourinho and Cristiano. From beside him, Florencia cooed in a girly voice, "Oh, please daddy. Let Michael play on the starting eleven for the clasico game. He works so hard to earn his place on this team and uncle Mou didn't even give him a chance to prove his skills on the pitch. Please, please, please."

Mariluz watched the older man at the head of the table and awaited his decision nervously. Florentino Perez sighed, "I cannot deny my little Florencia anything. So here's what we'll do; Mr. Bartra will be allowed to play in the clasico game, as well as the rest of you. But," He warned, "Any future forms of indiscipline will not be tolerated. If you all do something like that again, you will be benched for three games, a second offense will earn you a permanent spot on the bench, and further indiscipline will see you out of this club. Am I clear?"

The boys and Mariluz all nodded silently.

But Mourinho wasn't satisfied with the club president's decision. "But sir-" He began.

"Jose," Mr. Perez raised a hand to stop the team's coach. "Let's give the boy a chance. He's proven to be responsible with the exception of yesterday's incident."

Mourinho nodded, but he shot a quick glare at Mariluz. Her stay at Real Madrid was all but certain now.

-

yess.

another update.

i hope you all like it. there are like four more chapters for this story, plus the epilogue. so five in total.

thank you so much for reading.

i love you.

-clary xx