Rafa's POV
Sophie was sitting there in a sea of cans, her skin pale and bluish. She was having a kind of fit, coughing and spluttering and appeared to be hardly or very slowly breathing. About one breath every six seconds.
"Don't worry Sophie I'm going to call for an ambulance," I told her.
"In don't need an ambulance strange man," Sophie told me "I'm just a little tired that's all,"
"Do you even know who I am?" I asked her.
"Of course not," She replied "I don't even know where I am."
"Look, Sophie." I said "You've got alcohol poisoning. Confusion, seizures, slow breathing, pale skin. They're all sure signs. I'm just surprised that you haven't been sick yet."
I quickly pulled out my mobile phone and dialled 999.
"Hello, this is the emergency helpline service. Press 1 for the Police. Press 2 for the fire service or press 3 for the health service."
I pressed 3 with a shaky finger.
"You have reached the emergency health service. How can we help?"
"I have a woman here with alcohol poisoning. Please send an ambulance straight away." I said desperately.
"Could you please state your address so that the ambulance can reach you?"
"We're at the Hilton in Manchester in room seven. Please hurry!"
"An ambulance is leaving now."
I hung up and patted Sophie on her cold forehead.
"When you are at the hospital I need you to do everything that they ask you straight away or they will keep you in for longer. You could be let out tomorrow morning I think if you do what they say." I pleaded with her.
"Why should I listen to you? I don't even know your name!" She told me.
"Please Sophie just do it." I said "My name is Rafael Nadal and I am only here to help you. If you are not out of the hospital tomorrow morning then I will have to leave you by yourself. Now if you'll excuse me I need to make a phone call."
I dialled a number which I had not dialled in a while. It was the number of a good friend, a good friend from Switzerland.
"Hello Rafa!" I heard the voice of Roger speaking to me "What can I do for you?"
"I need a favour rather urgently." I told him "It's quite a big ask."
"Go on,"
"I am in England at the moment with a friend who has alcohol poisoning. I think that she will be out of hospital tomorrow morning. I need to get her to Mallorca from the hospital because I cannot leave her in England. Her family has just died and she has nobody to look after her. I think that she will continue drinking. So I need to get her to my house so that my family can look after her. But I can't use a public plane because she is a little deranged at the moment and lord knows what she would do. I have got to ask you to pick us up from England and take us to Mallorca in your private plane."
"Oh Rafa, I'm sorry but I do have to get to Halle in that plane. I don't think that I can help." Roger said apologetically.
"Couldn't you stop off in the UK and Mallorca on the way?" I suggested.
"They're a bit out of my way!" Roger laughed "I understand your situation but my plane can't really go for 5,500 kilometres."
"I'll do anything for you." I pleaded. Roger paused for a second.
"Well I suppose that maybe I could pick you up and take you to Halle but I'd not be able to take you to Spain." Roger suggested.
"Thank you so much," I said "I'll make this up to you."
"You'd better."
"Who were you talking to Ruffel?" Sophie asked me "Were you talking about me?"
"It's Rafael, not Ruffel and I was talking to Roger Federer," I replied.
"I think that I remember him, he's famous for something." Sophie said, her eyes misty with confusion.
"You'll remember everything after this is over," I reassured her.
"Are you my boyfriend?" Sophie surprised me my asking.
"No, no. We're just friends," I replied.
"Oh, it's just that you seem to care for me like a boyfriend." She said.
I planted a kiss on her forehead and shortly after the ambulance men came, put her on a stretcher and took her to the hospital leaving me alone. I was surprised to realise that there was a tear in the corner of my left eye.