Harbinger Of Glory

Leo glanced briefly towards Vittoria before continuing.

”She mentioned it to me a while back, but it seemed not doable after I checked, since I had a game today. I wasn’t really thinking about coming, but after the game, I figured with some luck, I could make it.”

Sienna’s eyebrows rose.

”After the match?”

Leo nodded.

”Yeah. I went straight from there.”

The surprise on her face slowly turned into amusement as she turned and looked at Vittoria.

Something knowingly pleased sat in her expression, the look a mother could give her daughter without saying what she was thinking.

Vittoria noticed it immediately but ignored it, and that only made Sienna’s smile grow.

”Well, your father is inside talking with a few gentlemen at the moment, so you two should find yourselves some seats.”

Leo and Vittoria both nodded.

”Of course,” Vittoria said.

Sienna gave them another approving look before turning back towards the room.

Leo waited until she had moved away before looking at Vittoria, and the latter already knew what he was about to say.

”Don’t.”

Leo smiled and then nodded.

”Yes, Ma’am.”

Vittoria gave him a look, though it couldn’t hide that she enjoyed him calling her that before she began pulling him along.

.....

Leo let out a long breath as he finally lowered himself into one of the chairs.

Vittoria watched him settle back, his shoulders dropping almost immediately now that he was no longer standing around greeting people or being dragged from one conversation to another.

She sighed as well, though hers was quieter.

”This should be enough for you to get some rest.”

They had found a table towards the back of the room, far enough from the main gathering that people didn’t constantly surround them, but close enough that Vittoria could still see what was happening.

Leo glanced around and then nodded.

”I think I can manage that.”

They spoke quietly for a while, mostly about the match and the journey over, with Vittoria asking how he had managed to get from the stadium to the airport so quickly and Leo admitting that most of it had been Noah figuring things out while he followed instructions.

At one point, Vittoria shook her head.

”I’m so happy that you were able to come, but seeing you this tired makes me feel like I burdened you.”

Leo looked at her and then smiled.

”But you did.”

At that, Vittoria’s mouth widened before Leo broke into a chuckle, and Vittoria just rolled her eyes at him.

”So annoying,” she said, though she couldn’t help but smile.

Their conversation continued until a staff member approached Vittoria and quietly called her name.

Vittoria turned towards the woman, then looked back at Leo after hearing the request.

She hesitated, but Leo shook his head.

”Why are you looking at me like someone might run off with me if you leave?”

Her expression turned wry as Leo laughed softly.

”Go. I’ll be fine.”

Vittoria nodded with a sigh, but it wasn’t until Leo beckoned her again that she stood to leave.

”I’ll be right back.”

”I’ll be here.”

She gave him one last look before following the staff member away.

Leo watched her disappear into the crowd, then leaned back in his chair and watched everything unfold.

Leo was content to sit quietly and take it all in, and that lasted until a small group of younger guests approached his table.

There were five of them, three men and two women, all around his age or slightly older.

They slowed as they reached him, exchanged a few glances, and eventually one of the young men smiled.

”Hi.”

At the greeting, Leo sat a little straighter.

”Hi.”

”I’m Alessandro.”

He gestured towards the others, who introduced themselves in turn, and Leo returned each greeting politely.

”Nice to meet you.”

One of the women looked at him for a moment, then smiled.

”I don’t think I’ve seen you at one of these before.”

Leo shook his head.

”No, this is my first.”

”That’s what I thought,” she said, tilting her head slightly.\

”But you look familiar.”

The others seemed to agree.

”You don’t look like you’ve been to one of the charities before,” another said, ”but I swear I’ve seen you somewhere.”

Leo nodded.

”Maybe.”

The first young man frowned as he tried to place him.

”Where might I know you from?”

Leo relaxed back into his chair again.

”I play football.”

There was a brief pause as the 5 persons looked at him.

Then one of them suddenly looked at him properly.

”Wait. You said you were Calderon, right? That Calderon?”

Leo nodded, not entirely sure what he meant by ”that Calderon” until the former spoke again.

”The one from the national team?”

When he said that, Leo smiled.

”Yeah.”

The young man’s expression immediately changed.

”I knew it.”

The others reacted almost at once, looking at Leo with renewed interest.

”You play in England, right?”

”The Premier League.”

”Which club?”

”Wigan.”

Another small burst of recognition followed as two of the 3 boys began talking eagerly about the strides Wigan had been making, surprising even Leo, who was a bit shocked by how well they knew.

”Premier League prestige, I guess,” he thought to himself as one of the men looked at him for a few seconds before narrowing his eyes.

”You look older on television.”

Leo laughed.

”I get that a lot.”

”How old are you?”

”Eighteen.”

The group fell silent for a moment.

”Eighteen?”

Leo nodded.

”You’re probably the youngest person here if we don’t count the children.”

”I might be.”

The conversation picked up again after that, with questions coming from different directions.

How long had he been playing in England?

Had he always wanted to play for Italy?

What was it like being called into the national team so young?

Had he expected to make his debut?

Leo answered as much as he could, initially enjoying the attention, but after a while the questions began to blur together.

He wasn’t annoyed, but he was starting to realise that sitting quietly had probably been the better option.