It's A Game, But Who's Keeping Score?

“Why do I feel like I’ve been run over by a car?” a voice groaned beside me, burrowing their head into the crook of my neck.

“It’s called being in an accident Nando.”

“What?!”

“The paparazzi followed us back here and we swerved into the ditch, so don’t be surprised if your car is no longer in pristine condition.”

Fernando groaned again and attempted to roll out of bed, but brought me along with him. We both laughed as we laid in a heap on the floor, our limbs entangled with each other’s and sheets from the bed.

“Thank you for taking a chance with me Rebecca,” Fernando whispered quietly, staring me straight in the eyes.

I nervously returned the stare and nodded my head; I was losing the love of my life even when they were right in front of me.

Fernando pecked my forehead and slowly got up and retrieved his clothes. “Come on, we need to inspect the damage on my baby.”

I laughed and followed after him. Surprisingly the damage on Fernando’s car was huge and Pepe had already called a tow truck to pull it out of the ditch and take it to the repair shop. The events that had transpired the night before still hadn’t seemed to sink in, until Fernando was about to leave.

As Fernando started for the door, Xabi was giving him a ride home; he stopped and jogged back to where I sat on the couch watching highlights from the game. He crouched down in front of me and gave me a huge grin and handed me an envelope.

“It would mean a lot if you came and you’re welcome to bring a date.”

I gave him a confused look and was about to ask what was inside the envelope, but he had already walked away. I looked to Pepe, but he was giving me a strained look. I slowly opened the envelope to reveal a wedding invitation.

Fernando José Torres Sanz and Olalla Domínguez Liste
Cordially invite you to their wedding on
May 27, 2009 in El Escorial, Madrid

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” Pepe finally said.

“No, Fernando is counting on having me there. He thinks we’re going to be best friends,” I choked out. “Too bad Olalla would rather have me dead then within a 100 mile radius of Fernando. Why is she so threatened by me?”

“Because you knew Fernando better than her in a matter of weeks, it took her several years.”

I forced back the tears and walked off to my room, I just needed time to reflect. As I laid on my bed, I realized that my time with Liverpool was winding down; we only had 6 games left in the season and we were still trailing Manchester United and I officially lost my chance with Fernando. I was alone in the world, while most of the team were married or seeing someone.

I needed to call Lukas.

The phone kept ringing as tears streamed down my cheeks and then I felt my breath catch in my throat as Lukas finally answered.

“Hey Bec, what’s up?”

“Everything,” I sobbed.

“Bec, what happened? Did Fernando do something?”

“He’s going to marry Olalla.”

“What did you expect him to do?”

“Leave her for me,” I said honestly. “But I was stupid to even think that, he basically wants to stay friends.”

“But you two can’t be just ‘friends.’”

“Exactly and he’s invited me to his wedding,” I said quietly and then the line went silent. I could hear Lukas breathing which meant he was still on the line. “Would you come with me?” I barely whispered.

“I’d do anything in the world for you.”

“You’re going to make a girl very happy someday Lukas,” I smiled before saying a quick goodbye.

The weeks pasted by quickly and we continued our win streak. I was ‘reinstated’ with the team and Rafa seemed to be pleased with my temper control when it came to game situations and not punching my team-mates out. Fernando and I were getting along, but I could still feel that tension between us. It just didn’t seem like being friends was the right option for us. Olalla was getting more and more pregnant and it seemed like Fernando was doing her every bidding.

I stared at my room, boxes were piled on top of each other; the season was over and we lost to Manchester United. My first season in the Barclays Premier League was officially over and it was up to Rafa Benitez and his management if they wanted me back. And to say that I was confident in coming back was an understatement, there was a rumour going around that Liverpool was trying to get Glen Johnson to join the team.

“Ready to go?”

Pepe’s voice broke my dream like state and I turned to him with a weak smile, “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“The movers will pick up the big stuff tomorrow and ship it to Madrid, your luggage is already in the car right?”

I nodded and took one last look at my room, the walls were bare, the closest was empty and the whole room felt unusually big. I was moving to Madrid to live with Pepe and his family for the off-season, until I heard the news whether or not I was going to return to the team. I’m not sure what I would have done without Pepe this past season; he was like an older brother to me.

The plane ride to Madrid was uneventful, too many memories came flooding back from my previous trip to Madrid; most notably Fernando saving me from Kevin. I stared out the window and watched the sun set, the colours reflecting off the clouds. I looked forward again and put my headphones on; watching whatever was on the TV.

I numbly followed Pepe through the airport, picking up our luggage and meeting up with Yolanda who was going to drive us back to their house. Spain almost felt foreign to me, England now felt like home to me instead of my birth country. I could see the concern on Yolanda’s face as she hugged me, she knew coming to Spain and to Fernando’s wedding was killing me.

“He’s meant to be with you,” she whispered to me.

I simply nodded and continued to follow her into the car, my surroundings all blurred together making my head spin even more so I closed my eyes and tried to relax into the seats. Sleep was calling me and I was letting it pull me. In the background I could hear a phone ring, but I was too far gone to hear the complete conversation.

“Hi Fernando, we just landed,” Pepe whispered, not wanting to wake Rebecca up.

“That’s great, is every planned for Tuesday night?” Fernando asked, concern laced in his words.

“Everything is planned for your bachelor party, that’s what a best man does,” Pepe said with a smile. “I know this is probably asking a lot, but don’t go over the top on Wednesday. Rebecca is slipping away.”

“Slipping away?”

“Stop all your bullshit; you know you shouldn’t be marrying Olalla. You’re meant to be with Rebecca.”

Fernando pulled his phone away and shook his head, “I’m sorry, but things aren’t going to work out between us. I still want to be friends with her.”

“You can never be just friends,” Pepe growled before ending the call abruptly.

I stirred from my sleep when I heard Pepe start yelling, coincidently we had arrived at Pepe’s and Yolanda’s house…scratch that, mansion.

“Everything okay?” I asked as we stepped out of the car.

“Yes,” Pepe said coldly, picking up all of the luggage and hauling it to the front door.

“He’s lying,” Yolanda said simply, slipping an arm around me. “Let me give you the grand tour.”

And it was a grand tour; I basically had an entire wing to myself which was a huge surprise. Yolanda had told me that it was originally the ‘guest’ wing, but now it was mine, for the time being. I collapsed into my bed and curled into the soft sheets. I drifted off to sleep again, but my sleep was plagued with nightmares.