Valentin Barco

The national team's training camp was chaotic.
Some were playing cards, others were watching a movie, and in a corner Nicolás Paz was trying to read a book while ignoring the noise.
—Were you born old or what? —asked Valentín "Colo" Barco, letting himself fall into the armchair next to him.
Nico didn't even look up.
—I'm reading.
—I see... but it's incredibly boring.
—Because you're not reading it yourself.
Colo grimaced and slammed the book shut.
—Okay. Now talk to me.
Nico gave him a dirty look.
—You're unbearable.
—But you like me anyway.
—Don't get too excited.
From that day on, Colo found a new mission: to annoy Nico whenever he could.
He would hide his shoes, change his phone's wallpaper to an embarrassing photo, and even steal his water bottles just to see him protest.
"Don't you have anything else to do?" Nico asked one day.
-Yeah.
—And why don't you do it?
—Because it's more fun to annoy you.
Although Nico pretended to be annoyed, everyone began to notice that he was expecting those jokes.
If Colo took too long to appear...
—And Barco? —he asked without realizing it.
The others laughed.
—Look who misses him...
—I don't miss him. I just asked.
-Yes of course.
One afternoon, after training, they both stayed behind kicking balls at the goal when everyone else had already left.
"Don't you ever get tired?" Nico asked.
—To play?
—No... from making jokes all day.
Colo smiled.
—If I stop doing them, who's going to get that serious look off your face?
Nico let out a laugh.
A real one.
Colo stared at him for a few seconds.
—Hey... you look good smiling.
Nico looked down, a little embarrassed.
-Be quiet.
—See? There he is again, serious.
He gave her a little push on the shoulder and they started walking back to the hotel laughing and jostling each other.
Neither of them said anything more, but they both knew that, without realizing it, that friendship had begun to turn into something more special.