A long while after….
Emma had taken a 4 month break from uni, and in those four months Sergio didn’t leave her side. He had done everything possible, he’d helped her with her rehab and he even got his teammate Ricardo Kaka’ to come and visit her. Kaka spoke to her about how he had been told he’d never walk again and now he was a famous soccer player and it was all behind him, that story inspired Emma so much that whenever she just wanted to give up she was reminded of his story.
Now her and Sergio had a bond, it was the kind of bond that was difficult to break, whenever Sergio left her side he’d be worried for her and if he was at training the first thing he’d do when he finished was to call her.
Today was Emma’s last session in rehab this was the session where she would have to walk without leaning on Sergio or the nurse. She’d have to walk independently.
“Come on Emma, you can do it, it’s only a few more steps. That’s the way to do it.” The nurse said encouragingly as Emma started taking her first steps. Sergio stood nearby bitting his lip, he was worried that Emma would fall and all their efforts would go in vain. But as Emma started taking her first few steps she was fine and Sergio let out a sigh of relief as Emma started to get the hang of it.

A while later…
“And this is Canales coming on for Mesut Ozil.” The commentator said on the television.
“Woot!” Yelled Canales’ number one fan Emma; she was watching the match in her studio and had been waving her crutches around in annoyance at the players. But she had calmed down once Sergio was substituted into the match.
From the other side of the room the phone rang. “Ouff! Just as the match was getting interesting!” Emma got up and answered the phone, “Hola” she said her concentration still on the match.
“Hola, Is this Emma?”
“Yes it is, why do you ask?”
“I am Ezequiel Garay’s manager, I’m calling to talk to you about the car accident.”
“Well I don’t remember anything about it.”
“That’s not what I meant, I meant as in if you are going to sue or not.”
“Oh..Well I don’t think I’m going to sue.” I said, “I’m pretty sure the accident was my fault as much as it was his.”
“That is great news, I don’t mean to sound pushy but could you go to the police station and formally state that you aren’t going to sue?” He asked.
“Yes, okay.”
‘And Canales SCOOOREEES!” The commentator screams.
“OH MY GOD!” Emma screamed into the phone, “I missed it!”
“What?” The man asked over the phone.
“Sergi just scored, I’m sorry I have to go.”
“I’ll ring another time okay?”
“Okay, bye.” Emma quickly hung up. But when she returned to her place on the couch it was too late, the match was over.

All of Sergio’s teammates slapped him on the back and words of praise were exchanged as they left the change rooms. He walked outside into the parking area and got into his car. As he was driving through the streets of Madrid he was thinking of how all he wanted to do was to whisk Emma away to dinner at a fancy restaurant to celebrate his first goal in Madrid colours.

He could imagine what she would say; she’d comment on the way he struck the ball into the left hand corner of the goal, the way the goal net shook with the force of the strike, And he’d tell her that his goal celebration was dedicated for her.

He stopped the car infront of Emma’s building and rushed up the stairs to Emma’s studio, he pulled out the spare key Emma had given him a while ago. He pushed open the door and spotted Emma sitting up on her bed deep in thought. He walked over to her as he heard the door click behind him.
“Hola” He said throwing himself down on the bed next to her.
“Oh..I didn’t hear you come in.” She still looked distracted, “Hola.” Sergio was surprised that she hadn’t mentioned the match yet.
“Dios Mio, is your back playing up again?” He started worrying.
“No, no.” She said, “I heard that you scored, I’m so happy for you!”
“Did you see it?”
“No, sorry.”
“Why not?” Sergio asked surprised.
“I was on the phone.”
“Gosh your mum always calls at the wrong times.”
“It wasn’t my mum.”
“Then who was it?”
“It was Garay’s manager..” Emma tried to choose her words carefully trying to not make Sergio angry.
“Garay’s manager? What did he want?” Sergio and Garay had quite a tense relationship since the accident, and Sergio was still ticked off about the fact that Garay didn’t even ask about Emma. At least Alvaro came and visited once in awhile.
“He wanted to talk about the accident.”
“But you don’t remember anything.”
“No, he wanted to know if I was going to,” Emma cleared her voice, “If I was going to sue.”
“Are you?”
“No.”
“Por Que?”
“I’m not going to sue Garay, if I sue Garay he’d make sure you go down with him.”
“Don’t give up your rights because of me!” Sergio angryily said as he stood up and walked out to the family room and sat on the couch. Emma picked up her crutches and tried to follow him as fast as she could. She carefully sat down next to him.
“I’m looking out for you.” She said.
“I don’t want you to.” Sergio took a deep breath, “I don’t want you to look out for me, you look out for yourself only.”
“Serg, this is my way of thanking you. You looked out for me.”
“No I didn’t, if I had looked out for you I would have seen you crossing the road.” All the guilt Sergio had been feeling over the past few months started rushing out at once, “It’s my fault you got hit as much as it is Ezequiel’s. I should get punished too.” He sighed loudly, “You not suing is getting me out of this easily.”
“Sergio let me do this one thing for you.”
“No Emma let me do this one thing for you,” He stood up and then he bent down and kissed me, his lips pushed against mine and I swear it felt like I was floating he suddenly pulled away, “I’m gonna leave you alone now. I’ve had some good times with you.” He said a look of pain on his face.
She sat there and stared at him it took a whole for it to process and then she let out a loud sob and started crying. “Sergio please don’t go, I need you.” It was no use Sergio left Emma sitting there crying on the couch and walked down the stairs.