Chapter 14

The first thing he did as he left the room was to let out a long sigh, shut his eyes tight to hold back the longing, that almost superhuman longing to yell it to his face, to tell Dominik how he felt.

He had loved him since childhood, and he had to live in the shadow of a friendship where he had to conform to a hug or a "well done, buddy." It was so frustrating and he was about to burst, but he could not dare leave. Thinking of not seeing him at all, simply terrifying. He would have to keep conforming to the brotherly love the man that made him lose his breath had to offer.

«It won't be long, Friedrich», he said to himself, trying to find courage.

He decided he would come out after the World Cup was over, let whatever had to happen, happen. If he was not corresponded, at least he had been brave enough to say it. His only hope was to keep their friendship after telling him. Now, if Dominik gave signs of feeling something more than friendship, that would be a completely different story.

Friedrich kept a halo of hope, his friend treated him in a very special way. Besides, Dominik never showed any real interest in a woman, the few who had been in his bed were nothing but “the girlfriend for today” or “the summer fling”. Dom was very sweet to his team mates and his publicist noticed.

He smiled at the memory of his last birthday and how Dominik gave him a weekend getaway to the Caribbean Islands. Both friends had a ball swimming, eating seafood, windsurfing. Friedrich wished once more to fall asleep in Dominik's arms or getting lost in his lips, but he did not try any moves, scared of rejection.