Dezanove Estrelas

She sat quietly on her couch as Sergio sat in front of her, kindly tending to the wounds on her knuckles. Neither of them spoke a word since he arrived twenty minutes ago. He wrapped her up in gauze and medical tape until her hand. Sergio soon finished with a click of his tongue, turning to stand and put the first-aid kit away.

So embarrassed, Camilla remained still, not moving. Not looking Sergio in the eyes. She just sat, waiting for the tension to explode.

Sergio returned soon after and sat back down on the coffee table in front of her. She heard him sigh deeply, before speaking in a soft, yet stern tone. “Permite que llegue a usted.” (“You let him get to you.”)

Camilla tightened her jaw. He said that as if this was now her fault. Like she did something wrong. Mentally, she cursed her friend out. It may have been her hormones, but she did see his comment as siding with Cristiano on this one.

Sergio saw the frustration on her face and sighed again. He lifted a hand to turn her face to his, “¿Qué sucedió Camilla?” (“what happened Camilla?”)

She lightly smacked his hand away and turned her attention back to the floor. “Yo no quiero hablar de ello.” (“I don’t want to talk about it.”)

“Siempre que esté aquí, tendrá que hablar de ello,” (“As long as I’m here, you’re going to have to talk about it,”) Sergio demanded, turned her face again. But she stood up and walked away, towards the staircase. “¡Dónde le hace piensa que va!” (“Where do you think you’re going!”) he shouted after her. But she didn’t respond, “¡Maldita sea! ¡Camilla Rey Verano! ¡Contésteme cuando hablo con usted! ¡Dije que yo no salgo hasta que usted me diga lo que sucedí cuando Cristiano estuvo aquí! ¡Hola! ¡Hágale me oye! ¡Camilla! Cam-” (“Damn it! Camilla-Rey Verano! Answer me when I’m talking to you! I said I’m not leaving until you tell me what happened when Cristiano was here! Hello! Do you hear me! Camilla! Cam-”)

“¡Deje sólo Sergio! ¡Salga sólo! ¡Porque yo no le digo que nada!” (“Just leave Sergio! Just leave! Because I’m not telling you anything!”) she shouted back, retreating up the stairs. She was nearly at the top when she felt her body being lifted from the floor. Sergio had picked her up and thrown her over the shoulder. “Sergio!” she beat his back, but the man didn’t budge. He carried her to her bedroom and dropped her on the bed, before stomping back to the door to lock it. He then stood his tall frame in front of the door, guarding it.

“Ahora permaneceremos aquí dentro, la caja yo averiguo por qué es que es mano es cubierta en la sangre y rasguños. Y por qué es que usted me llamó aquí en el tiempo más aleatorio de fijarlo. Y por qué es que su espejo de cuarto de baño es quebrantado a pedazos.” (“Now we’re going to stay in here, till I find out why it is that you’re hand is covered in blood and scratches. And why it is that you called me over here at the most random time to fix it. And why it is that your bathroom mirror is shattered to pieces.”) Camilla sighed and sat back down on the bed. She hunched over, holding her head in her hands. She could already feel the tears forming. Sergio noticed the change in mood - from hostile to deeply saddened - and moved away from the door to sit beside her. “Venga querido, usted me puede decir. Prometo que yo no me enfadaré. No en usted, ni los Gritos. Yo sólo quiero saber lo que le molesta en este momento. ¿Qué le obligó para hacer lo que usted hizo?” (“Come on darling, you can tell me. I promise I won’t get mad. Not at you, or Cris. I just want to know what’s bothering you right now. What compelled you to do what you did?”)

It took her a moment, a long moment in fact, to figure out what she wanted to say. When it registered in her mind, she removed her face from her hands and lied on her back, with her legs dangling off the side. Sergio followed suit and lied back too.

“Hago ni sé si lo adoro ya Sergio.” (“I don’t even know if I love him anymore Sergio.”) She began. Sergio stayed silent, allowing her to just speak, without interruption, question, or thought. “Yo tan fui trastornado con lo que ha hecho. Con lo que ha dicho. Con él en general. Pensé atrás a los tiempos que tuvimos que tan adoraba. Entonces de algún modo, perdiendo todo eso, sin mí advirtiendo aún. Yo tan fui alcanzado en rabia y frustración que tomé fuera en la única persona que puedo actualmente…mí. Y honestamente, es parcialmente mi defecto…” (“I was so upset with what he has done. With what he has said. With him in general. I thought back to the times we had that were so loving. Then somehow, losing all of that, without me even noticing. I was so caught up in rage and frustration I took it out on the only person I could at the moment…me. And honestly, it is partially my fault…”)

Sergio raised an eyebrow, but still did not speak a word.

“Vi los signos. Supe que cambiaba. Acabo de hacer nada acerca de ello…adivino por eso yo estoy aquí en la peor situación posible jamás. Pero lo mirando hoy Sergio…estuvo como mirar fijamente en una pared. Yo no vi nada cuando lo miré. Yo no sentí nada.” (“I saw the signs. I knew he was changing. I just did nothing about it…I guess that’s why I’m here in the worst possible situation ever. But looking at him today Sergio…it was like staring at a brick wall. I saw nothing when I looked at him. I felt nothing.”)

Sergio sat up and looked down at her, to see if she was kidding, or maybe she just didn’t know if she saw something and is talking crazy. But he was sadly mistaken. Camilla was telling the truth. “¿Nada? ¿Usted no vio nada?” (“Nothing? You saw nothing?”)

She nodded, “Nada.”

Sergio stood and began to pace. This is not what was supposed to happen. Sergio saw the frustration in Cristiano’s eyes; he saw that this was killing him. When Camilla calls and tells him of all the stops Cristiano makes to their home, and her refusal to him, he sees that Cristiano is definitely trying. When Sergio passes him by in the locker rooms, or on the pitch, his focus is not on the game, and it’s not on his career either. Sergio can clearly see that his focus is all on Camilla and his unborn child. This is all he and Kaka wanted. They had hope that this plan was working…

But now, Camilla is feeling lost, and alone. So alone in fact, that she wants nothing to do with Cristiano period. Changed or unchanged. Sergio can see that just the sight of him makes her want to kill herself.

Not knowing what to do, he looked back to Camilla, only to see her sleeping. A small smile etched onto his face; she had to have been very tired. Slowly, and quietly, he slipped from the room and went downstairs. He pulled out his cell phone as he left the house. Getting into his car, he typed in a quick text message, and sent it. Sergio hopped into his car and started the engine. As he pulled away from the home and onto the street, his phone buzzed in his jeans pocket. He received a reply. Sergio nodded before placing his phone down on the passenger seat and speeding home.

-X-

Sergio arrived home ten minutes later than he had hoped because of traffic, and was surprised to see his guest already there, waiting. Sergio pulled into his property and parked in the driveway right next to the black Audi r8 that looked similar to his. Sergio got out of the car and looked to see him doing the same. Sergio walked over to him, and the men stood face to face beside the driver’s side door.

“Hola Cristiano,” Sergio greeted. No anger, no threatening tone. Sergio just wanted to talk.

“Hola,” Cris returned, “¿Así, de qué quiso hablar?” (“so, what did you want to talk about?”) Sergio gave him a knowing look, as if to say ‘we both know you know’. Cris nodded and looked down, shoving one hand on his pocket, and the other on top of the window of his open door. “Llegué en medio de su avería. Vine sobre, una vez más, para tratar y hablar con ella y con chillar oído desde el ventana. Corrí dentro, hasta el cuarto de baño magistral y el espejo fui quebrantado. Chillaba. Lloraba. Hizo ni sabe que estuve allí caja que la tiré del cuarto de baño.” (“I got there in the middle of her breakdown. I came over, once again, to try and speak with her and heard screaming from the window. I ran inside, up to the master bathroom and the mirror was shattered. She was screaming. She was crying. She didn’t even know I was there till I pulled her from the bathroom.”)

Sergio figured that much, but he wanted to know about their conversation afterwards. “¿Y?” he pressed.

Cristiano sighed, “y…”

-X-

She stared blankly into his pleading eyes. He had reached his brink. He was desperate. Desperate for her. Cristiano could honestly say that if she did not take him back, or at least forgive him, he would not know what to do.

The only noise that could be heard was that of their breathing, and the pounding of their hearts. At least that’s what it seemed like to Cris.

He still held her shoulders leaning forward so that he was face to face with Camilla. His eyes bore deep into hers, trying to find some sort of sign. But he couldn’t. In fact, he couldn’t see anything in those lifeless brown eyes he once adored - still adores, just not like this. He sighed, closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers, “Por favor Camilla. Diga algo.”

She stayed silent.

Camilla had nothing to say. Everything she wanted to get out…she did. She simply stood there in this embrace he had her trapped in. She stared at his eyelids as his eyes were closed. She scanned his facial features. He was paler than his normal tan self. He had bags under his eyes. He was tired. He was worried. He was lifeless. He was everything she had been. Been. She doesn’t want to feel that way anymore; she won’t.

Cristiano opened his eyes and Camilla saw something she had never seen before. Cris’s eyes were red and glossy. He blinked quickly and a tear slipped down his cheek. He was crying. She had never seen him cry. Honest to god, Camilla was in surprise. But what completely baffled her was what he did next.

He dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his head on her growing baby bump. He kissed there, before Camilla heard a sniffle.

“Camilla. Eu sei. Eu sei que eu falhei-o como um noivo. Como um amante. Como um amigo. Eu entendo isso. Eu sei que coisas nunca serão as mesmo daqui em fora. Mas por favor…eu o peço. Camilla que eu necessito-o. Eu necessito-o mais que eu já necessitei algo.” (“Camilla. I know. I know I have failed you as a fiancé. As a lover. As a friend. I understand that. I know that things will never be the same from here on out. But please…I am begging you. Camilla I need you. I need you more than I have ever needed anything.”)

She sighed, and he felt her hand go to the back of his neck, “Cris. Paragem. Eu posso.” (“Cris. Stop. I can‘t.”)

Her shaking voice only brought him over more. He held her tighter. “Camilla, por favor.”

“No, no. Cristiano paragem!” she tried to push. But he stood up and grabbed her face in his hands.

“Tá bom. Eu pararei.” (“Okay. I will stop.”) he said, “Eu pararei só se…só se, você me conta você não ama-me.” (“I will stop only if…only if, you tell me you do not love me.”)

Camilla looked at him with wide eyes.

Cristiano nodded and told her, “Camilla que eu amo você. Eu acredito que nós podemos fazer este trabalho. Eu sei que nós podemos. E eu sei que em algum lugar dentro de de você, que você acredita isso demais. Mas se eu estou errado e você não acredita que nós podemos trabalhar…eu respeitarei isso. Mas não sem audição você o diz. Porque se você diz que eu sei que será verdadeiro. Diga que você não ama mais e eu deixarei você em paz. Eu prometo. Mas eu tenho que ouvi-lo.” (“Camilla I love you. I believe that we can make this work. I know we can. And I know that somewhere inside of you, that you believe that too. But if I am wrong and you do not believe we can work…I will respect that. But not without hearing you say it. Because if you say it I know it will be true. Say that you don’t love anymore and I will leave you alone. I promise. But I have to hear it.”)

A soft, a very, very soft almost inaudible sigh left her lips. And just as softly as that sigh came her words, “Eu não amo-o mais Cristiano Ronaldo.” (“I don’t love you anymore Cristiano Ronaldo.”)
-X-

Sergio’s jaw almost dropped. This was definitely not supposed to happen. He adverted his eyes from his teammate and looked down. Actually his eyes glanced to the passenger seat of Cristiano’s car - just by chance. There, he noticed a stack of papers. Nearly all of them had the pressed Real Madrid Crest somewhere on them.

Sergio cleared his throat grabbing Cristiano’s attention, “¿Qué es ésos?”

Cris sighed and reached into the car grabbing them. He handed them to Sergio mumbling something along the lines of: “Might as well let you know. You’re going to find out sooner or later.” Sergio was a little confused at first before he read over the papers and pure shock came through his body, “¡Deja el equipo!” (“You’re quitting the team!”) Cristiano nodded. But Sergio refused to believe it, “No. no. no. no. no. no. NO. ¿Debo ser leído mal…deja Madrid Verdadero? Estoy el derecho equivocado. Dígame que estoy equivocado.” (“No. I must be reading wrong…you’re quitting Real Madrid? I’m wrong right. Tell me I’m wrong.”)

“Es verdad Sergio.”

“¡Por que!” he yelled…though he already knew why.

Cris knew he still wanted an answer so he replied, “No vale la pena ya Sergio. Sólo no es valor.” (“it’s not worth it anymore Sergio. It’s just not worth it.”)

“¡Pero!-”

“¡Pero nada Sergio! Camilla me dejó porque fui un bastardo egoísta. Cuidé demasiado acerca de mi imagen y acerca de fútbol que hice para ella. Cuidé demasiado acerca de yo mismo. Y soy hecho consigo. Esto no es mi mundo ya Sergio. Es ella y nuestro…la significo, el mundo de bebé. Entonces no tenga objeto a seguir algo inútil si yo no soy una parte de ese mundo.” (“But nothing Sergio! Camilla left me because I was a selfish bastard. I cared too much about my image and about soccer than I did for her. I cared too much about myself. And I’m done with it. This isn’t my world anymore Sergio. It’s her’s and our…I mean her, baby’s world. So there’s no point in pursuing something useless if I’m not a part of that world.”)

With that, he grabbed the papers back from Sergio and got into his car. Sergio couldn’t do anything but watch him drive away.

This was definitely not supposed to happen.