Nico Cardona was standing in the training halls of the Young Lioness Programm.
A week ago she arrived in Japan to become a member of LAW, which the footballcrazed Catalonian took great pride in.
Spoiler
As always she had her football with her, which was given to her by her father when she was five.
The old, dirty leather had seen better days and colourful spots were seen all around it were Nico had to mend it.
Of course she could had another ball but this was her special ball, a gift from her father whom she had never saw as she was
the "accidental lovechild" of a catalonian factory worker and an austrian business man who had came to Barcelona nineteen years ago to
watch a game of the FC. Following the victory and the celebrations afterwards, he met Nicos mother at a local Taverna and after a night of drunken passion, Nico was conceived.
Her mother managed to find her father who was ready to take responsebility, but only in money and goods.
He had a family of his own in Austria, and two small children. He could'nt leave them for a drunken, crazy adventure.
The one and only time they "met" was when her father came to Barcelona a final time to be with her mother when Nico was born.
He held her for one time in his life and went back to Austria.
But he took good care of his daughter even if like three countries separated them from each other.
He called her on her birthday and christmas, he paid his all alimonies on a regular basis and helped Nicos mother where he could to get the girl a good education.
Nico visited the best schools in Barcelona, visited the FCs Academy and played with Barcelons female Jrs. , and even allowed her to get wrestling training.
All this he did for her, but he did'nt want to meet her. And even if Nico was thankful for the scarse contact, the presents and the education he offered her, she still felt unwanted, something that haunted her still. Her biggest wish to finally meet her father in person today, get hugged by him and getting told how proud he was.
But now she was here in Japan, trying to make name for herself.
And that was all that counted.
The pretty girl with the big, round glasses kicked her ball on her knees and head, always in constant motion as she went through the halls of the YL Gym.
She was here a week and already as infamous for being "The weird new girl with the football" as she was seen constantly kicking her ball and quoting Simpsons episodes, a series she loved to no end.
True, Nico was a little weird, but when you got to know her better you would find out what a charming, determined and caring girl she was. But as for now she had'nt met anyone, the other girls were shunning her a little, which hurt her.
Nico was'nt the best in starting conversations and friendships. She had a few friends in Barcelona but they were more like "People I know from School".
Nico felt a little lonely but did'nt know how to get to the other girls without freaking them out with her football crazyness and her constant quoting of animated sitcoms.
She sighed and looked into the big training hall.
It was empty.
Or so she thought as she caught her ball with her feet, balancing it there, getting it in the air and then kicking it in a wide bow across the training hall...
She followed its way..up....up...down....down...and suddenly...
"Oh, el meu!", she shouted as someone got hit directly into the head by the rogue ball she had shot.
