Chapter 16: Real Madrid
Chapter 16
May 24th, Wednesday.
But not just any Wednesday (even better than the loli goth).
Today was the final of the Champions League.
And I was hyped.
Back in my old life, I'd spent a year doing an exchange program in Madrid. I fell in love with the city—the food, the people, the energy. But more than anything, I fell in love with Real Madrid. Their stadium, the Santiago Bernabéu, felt like a monument. I'd never been the type to support underdogs just for the sake of it. That meant no Atlético nonsense. I was all-in on the kings of Europe.
This season? Vintage Real.
Casillas, Roberto Carlos, Raúl, Anelka—legends. I'd followed every step of their campaign: the hard-fought quarterfinal against Manchester United, the thrilling semi-final victory over Bayern. And now, they were up against Valencia. Valencia. A team I had completely forgotten made it this far.
The best part? We'd placed our bet before the quarterfinals—odds were 5 to 1.
Charlie and I were planted on the couch. He had a beer in hand, feet up, mostly watching for one reason: the bet.
Alan wandered into the living room just as the Champions League anthem echoed through the TV.
"So how much did you guys bet on this again?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.