Chapter Seven: The Date with Rafa

                                    

                                          
Meena chewed on her lip fluffing her hair for the final time, she was about to go on her date with Rafa Alcântara; it had been two weeks since Davi’s birthday and she felt a little bad about her date. 
                          
Meena had slowly grown closer to Neymar since Bruna had gone back to Brazil to film for her television show, the two were becoming great friends and she could tell he wasn’t happy that she had a date with his team-mate. 
                          
Meena had settled on a coral belted swing dress paired with black platform sandals for her date with the footballer. 
                          
Meena had no idea where Rafa was going to take her so she had dressed as nice as she could, she knew he made a lot more money did in a year than she made in a month. 
                          
“What time will you be back?” Neil asked looking at Meena, he worried for his female best friend since he didn’t want any footballers taking advantage of her. 
                          
Meena was a lot tougher than she looked at Neil knew that she had been hurt in the past, something that he nor Connor wanted to see again; she was their best friend and she was like a sister to them. 
                          
“I’m not sure,” Meena said shrugging her shoulders and walked out of her bathroom, she knew that Rafa was taking her out for dinner and that was it. 
                          
Rafa hadn’t said much only that he would be picking her up at seven, Meena knew that she was a little nervous about the date since she knew that Rafa was a friend of Neymar’s. 
                          
“Do you have your rape whistle and pepper spray?” Neil said looking at Meena, he didn’t trust the man that she was going out with since he didn’t know him. 
                          
Neil didn’t trust footballers and he didn’t want some idiot thinking that because he played sport professionally that he could do what he wanted with a woman. 
                          
***
                          
Rafa grinned leading Meena into the restaurant, he was thrilled that she had agreed to go out with him especially since he had seen the looks that Neymar had been giving her recently. 
                          
Rafa knew that it was wrong but he wanted Meena for himself and he wasn’t going to let Neymar take that away from him; his friend had a beautiful actress for his girlfriend and it was only fair that Rafa got to wine and dine Meena. 
                          
“So what do you think?” Rafa asked excitedly, he had asked his older brother for the perfect place to woo and show off to Meena; Thiago had been quick to suggest this restaurant and Rafa had reserved a table as soon as possible.
                          
 Meena nodded her head, she glanced around knowing that the restaurant was a little too fancy for her taste and she felt out of place since she knew that the meal was going to be expensive. 
                          
Rafa didn’t let go of Meena’s hand until they were at their table and seated, Meena feeling uncomfortable about the look that the hostess was giving her. 
                          
“What can I get you to drink?” the hostess asked smiling at the couple, she shot a jealous glare at Meena as Rafa collected the menu to select the perfect wine for them. 
                          
Meena sat awkwardly bouncing her knee, she hoped that the date got better since if it continued this way, she certainly wouldn’t be going out with Rafa again.
                          
 “We’ll have a bottle of the 2008 Rioja, La Cueva del Contador,” Rafa said proudly as he selected the most expensive wine on the list knowing money wasn’t a problem, it was €175 and he knew that Meena would like it.
                          
 Meena blinked, she didn’t have to guess that the wine chosen was the same about as her rent a week for her three bedroom apartment. 
                          
The hostess left leaving the couple alone, Rafa smiled as he looked at Meena knowing that the date was going perfectly; he had planned it all out and he knew that Neymar wouldn’t stand a chance. 
                          
“So what’s it like being a nanny?” Rafa asked looking at Meena, she was beautiful and he knew she would look good on his arm; he had thought that when he had first scene her at the stadium. 
                          
Meena set down her black textured clutch bag on the side of the table, her blue eyes watching Rafa as he rested his elbows on the table. 
                          
“It’s great, Davi’s a wonderful little boy,” Meena said with a smile, she loved working with Davi and she felt blessed to spend her days with the little boy; he was wonderful and she knew that she was a little jealous of his parents. 
                          
Rafa nodded his head, he watched Meena as she talked about working for his team-mate and he fought back the urge to yawn. 
                          
“That’s great,” Rafa said interrupting Meena as the waitress appeared with their wine, she smiled flirtatiously with Rafa as she opened the bottle before glancing at Meena. 
                          
Rafa grinned as he stared at the waitress’s cleavage, he was on a date but there was nothing wrong with looking around; Meena frowned knowing that it was going to be a long night. 
                          
***
                          
“I’ll have the 8oz rump steak with garlic and parsley butter, rainbow slaw & skinny fries and my date will have prosciutto and pear salad with pecorino, honey and rocket salad,” Rafa said ordering not only for himself but for Meena as well. 
                          
Meena stared at him that wasn’t what she wanted to order, she couldn’t believe that he had ordered her a salad; the date seemed to only be going from bad to worse in her opinion. 
                          
The waitress nodded her head and walked away before Meena could change her order, she looked at Rafa annoyed who didn’t even seem to notice that he was in trouble with his date. 
                          
“Why did you do that?” Meena asked annoyed that he thought it was okay to order for her, she wasn’t the type of woman that he usually took out and she hated salads; she had no need to watch her weight or count calories. 
                          
Rafa raised an eyebrow at Meena wondering why she was upset, he thought the date was going well and it was clear that she didn’t think the same. 
                          
“I don’t want a salad,” Meena said growing annoyed with Rafa, she had gone out with him because she thought that he was nice but she could see that this wasn’t going to work if this was how he was going to treat her. 
                          
Rafa stared at Meena as she huffed, this wasn’t working out and she knew that there wasn’t going to be any change from him. 
                          
Meena didn’t know why she had thought this would be a good idea, she had thought that Rafa was a great guy only for him to turn out to be a tool; she shouldn’t have expected anything less from a footballer. 
                          

                          
“I’m just going to leave… I’m sure the waitress or the hostess would be happy to join you,” Meena grabbing her clutch and got to her feet, she’d catch a taxi home and pretend that this date had never happened. 
                          
Rafa stared at her wide-eyed, he was surprised that she was walking out on their date; he’d spent most of it telling her about his life and he had thought that it was going well.
                          
 “I’ll see you around Rafa,” Meena said before she walked out of the restaurant, she took a deep breath as he called out after her; she wasn’t going to turn back now. 
                          
Rafa stared after Meena’s repeating form, he couldn’t believe that she had walked out like that; the footballer frowned wondering if Neymar had something to do with it. 
                          
Rafa had seen how his friend talked about Meena and had a feeling that Neymar might like her more than a friend.