From Reject to Legend

The morning after Málaga's historic 3-2 victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou, Adriano Riveiro woke up to a world that had changed overnight. His phone buzzed incessantly with notifications—messages from friends, family, and fans, as well as countless media alerts.

Social media was ablaze with clips of his two stunning goals and the pinpoint assist that had dismantled Barcelona's defense. Headlines hailed him as the "New Star of La Liga," and his name was trending across platforms. The weight of his newfound fame pressed down on him as he scrolled through the endless stream of praise, criticism, and speculation.

Adriano, still groggy from the celebrations the night before, sat on the edge of his hotel bed, trying to process it all. He had always dreamed of making an impact, but this level of attention was overwhelming. His teammates had teased him mercilessly during the post-match celebrations, calling him "Camp Nou's King" and "The Tomato King" (a playful nod to the upcoming Tomatina festival). But now, as he sat alone in his hotel room, the reality of his newfound fame began to sink in. He was no longer just Adriano Riveiro, the young footballer from a small town in Portugal. He was Adriano Riveiro, the rising star of La Liga.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. It was Samuel García, his young teammate and closest friend in the squad. "Hey, superstar! You ready for the festival? The guys are waiting downstairs."

Adriano smiled, grateful for the distraction. "Yeah, give me a minute. I'll be right down."

The Málaga squad had decided to stay an extra day in Barcelona to experience the famous Tomatina festival, an annual event in the nearby town of Buñol where thousands of people gathered to throw tomatoes at each other in a massive, messy food fight. It was a chance for the players to unwind and bond after their grueling match. Adriano quickly threw on some old clothes, knowing they would be ruined by the end of the day, and joined his teammates in the lobby.

As the team arrived in Buñol, the atmosphere was electric. The streets were packed with people dressed in old clothes, ready to be drenched in tomato pulp. Trucks loaded with ripe tomatoes rolled through the town, and the air was filled with laughter and excitement.

Adriano and his teammates joined the fray, laughing and dodging flying tomatoes as they hurled their own. For a few hours, they were just a group of friends having fun, far removed from the pressures of professional football.

But amidst the chaos, Adriano found himself separated from the group. The crowd was thick, and the constant barrage of tomatoes made it difficult to see or hear anything clearly. He wandered through the streets, trying to find his teammates, when something caught his eye.

A few meters away, a young woman was trying to ask for directions. She looked to be around Adriano's age, with dark hair, cute face and a nervous expression. She was speaking in English, but the locals she was addressing seemed more interested in her than in helping her. They exchanged glances and began guiding her toward a quieter, more secluded alley.

Adriano's instincts kicked in. He had seen enough to know that the situation didn't feel right. Without hesitation, he strode over, his tall frame cutting through the crowd. He grabbed the woman's arm gently but firmly and pulled her away from the group.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" one of the men demanded in Spanish, his tone aggressive.

Adriano fixed him with a steely gaze. "I've already called the cops. If you want to stick around, I'd be more than happy to give you a beating before they get here."

The men hesitated, clearly not expecting such a confident response. After a tense moment, they muttered something under their breath and walked away.

The woman, visibly shaken, looked up at Adriano with wide eyes. "Thank you," she said in accented English. "I… I didn't know what to do."

Adriano smiled reassuringly. "It's okay. You're safe now. Where are you staying?"

"At the Hotel Arts Barcelona," she replied, still catching her breath.

"That's not far from here. I'll walk you back."

As they made their way through the festival, Adriano shielded the woman from the worst of the tomato onslaught, using his jacket to block stray projectiles. Despite the chaos, they managed to strike up a conversation.

"I'm Hailee, by the way," she said, brushing tomato pulp from her hair. "Hailee Steinfeld. I'm from the States."

"Adriano Riveiro," he replied. "I play for Málaga CF."

Hailee's eyes lit up with recognition. "Wait, you're the guy who scored those amazing goals against Barcelona yesterday! I saw the highlights on TV. You were incredible!"

Adriano chuckled, a little embarrassed. "Thanks. It was a team effort, though."

"Don't sell yourself short," Hailee said, smiling. "You were the star."

As they walked, Adriano couldn't help but notice how effortlessly charming Hailee was. She had a warmth and openness that made her easy to talk to, and her laughter was infectious. Despite the tomato-stained chaos around them, he found himself enjoying her company.

"So, what brings you to Buñol?" Adriano asked, curious about her story.

"I'm here for work, actually," Hailee replied. "I'm an actress. We're filming a movie in Málaga, and I thought it would be fun to check out the festival while I was in the area. But I didn't realize how overwhelming it would be."

Adriano nodded. "Yeah, it's definitely intense. But it's also a lot of fun once you get into it. You just have to be careful, especially if you're alone."

Hailee smiled. "I'll remember that next time. Thanks again for stepping in. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't shown up."

Right then , a bunch of tomatoes were hurled towards them by some random kids. Adriano instinctively put his arm around Hailee and shielded her . Hailee also hugged him unknowingly, feeling safe in his arms. Their eyes met and they stared at each other for a few moments.

Then Adriano awkwardly let go and said , " Sorry if that was a bit forward."

Hailee also came to her senses and blushed. She shyly replied, " It's alright. It seems you keep saving me."

"It was nothing," Adriano said modestly. "I couldn't just stand by and do nothing."

They continued to chat as they walked, sharing bits and pieces of their lives. Hailee told him about growing up in California and how she had always dreamed of becoming an actress. Adriano shared stories about his childhood in Portugal and how he had worked tirelessly to make it as a professional footballer.

When they reached the Hotel Arts Barcelona, Hailee turned to Adriano, her expression grateful but shy. "Thank you again for helping me. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't shown up."

"It was nothing," Adriano said, brushing it off. "Just be careful next time, okay?"

Hailee nodded, then hesitated. "I know this might sound forward, but… are you free tomorrow? I'd love to take you to dinner as a thank-you."

Adriano shook his head apologetically. "I'm heading back to Málaga tomorrow. The season's just started, and I need to get back to training."

Hailee's face fell for a moment, but then she brightened. "Actually, I'm going to Málaga too! I'm filming a movie there. Maybe we can meet up?"

Adriano smiled. "That sounds great. Here, let me give you my number."

They exchanged contact information, and Hailee waved as she disappeared into the hotel. Adriano stood there for a moment, a strange feeling in his chest. He hadn't expected the day to take such an unexpected turn.

As Hailee entered the hotel lobby, she was met by a stern-looking woman in her fifties. "Hailee! Where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Carter," Hailee said, her tone apologetic. "I got caught up in the festival and lost track of time."

Ms. Carter, her director and mentor, sighed. "You're a rising star, Hailee. You can't afford to be careless. The press would have a field day if something happened to you."

Hailee nodded, chastened but still smiling. "I know. But I met someone amazing today. He saved me from a really bad situation."

Ms. Carter raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"His name's Adriano . He's a footballer. You should've seen him, Ms. Carter. He was so brave and kind."

Ms. Carter's expression softened. "Well, I'm glad you're safe. But let's keep this between us, okay? The last thing we need is gossip about you and some footballer."

Hailee nodded, but her mind was already elsewhere. She couldn't wait to see Adriano again. The thought put a smile on her face as Ms. Carter shook her head while muttering something about, "Teenagers and hormones."

As Adriano made his way back to the festival to find his teammates, he couldn't stop thinking about Hailee. There was something about her—her warmth, her smile, her beauty—that had left an impression on him. He didn't know what the future held, but he was looking forward to finding out.

The next day, as he boarded the train to Málaga, Adriano received a text from Hailee.

Hailee:Hey, it's Hailee. Just wanted to say thanks again for yesterday. Let me know when you're free in Málaga!

Adriano smiled and typed a reply.

Adriano: No problem. I'll let you know. Looking forward to it.

As the train pulled away from the station, Adriano felt a sense of excitement. The season was just beginning, and so was a new chapter in his life. He couldn't help but wonder where this unexpected connection with Hailee would lead. For now, he was content to let the story unfold, one day at a time.