When Does the Pretending End?

Cristiano’s Pov

“Lucy is Tío Cris’s girlfriend” Rodrigo says and my teammates look at me with stunned faces. Rodrigo” I hear Lucy says as she approaches the door. Oh crap. She’s not going to like this. “Hello” the guys says as one when Lucy walks through the door. “Your home early” I say. She looks annoyed. This isn’t going to be good. “We got tired” she says. “No Mama and Tía Elma got angry with each other” Rodrigo says. “What did I say about not telling Tío Cris” Lucy says crunching down to look at him in the face and he just smiles up at her. “Aren’t you going to introduce us Ronnie lad” Rio says. Couldn’t just leave it be Rio. “I’m Lucy. I know who ye all are” Lucy says. “Nice to meet a fan” Rio says grinning at me. Your not meeting one I think.

“Your not meeting one. I just know your faces” she says. “She’s only a fan of Cris” Nuno says grinning and Lucy looks mad at him. “Let’s start dinner Rodrigo” she says. More like get as far away from this room as possible I think. “Nice to meet Ronnie’s girlfriend. Especially since we didn’t know you existed” Wayne says looking at me while the others appear to me looking at Lucy. Idiots. “Nice meeting you all” she says walking towards the door. “Any news Cris” Rio says. “No nothing new” Nani says mimicking Cris. “She’s news” Wayne says as the door closes.

“What the hell?” Nani says. “Start talking. How come you never told us about her” Rio says. “I don’t know” I say. “You don’t know. Well start with how long you have been seeing her” Rio says. “Take it easy on him lads. He’s only been dating her since mid-September. His family didn’t know about her until a few weeks ago” Nuno says. Thankfully because I seem to have lost my voice. “September” Nani yells.

“What's wrong with her?” Rio asks. “What do you mean?” I ask. “Something must be wrong with her if you didn’t tell us about her” he says. “Nothing is wrong with Lucy. She is sweet, kind, beautiful” I say. “Hot” Rio and Michael say together. “Yes” I say. “I still don’t know why you kept her a secret” Wayne says. “They don’t want the papers finding out” Nuno says. “But still” Rio says. “Just leave it ok. So what if I have a new girlfriend” I shout. “She might not be around that long anyway. You know what Cris is like with women” Rio says.

“Relax Ronnie. She seems nice” Wayne says. “And she knew us so a football fan” Darren Fletcher says. “She’s a big football fan. Isn’t she Ronnie” Nuno says grinning at me. “She won’t mind you watching it on TV all the time so. Rebecca is going to hit me with the remote someday” Rio says. “No Lucy love watching football. Especially a certain red team” Nuno says. “What’s with the grin Nuno” Wayne says. “Lucy is a Liverpool fan ok. That’s what he is grinning about” I say. “I knew there had to be something wrong with her” Rio says. “Shut up Rio” I say standing up. “Take it easy Cris. Hey I’m marrying a Liverpool fan, so she can’t be that bad” Wayne says.

“We better be going. I told Lisa I would be home by now” Michael says. “Whipped” Rio coughs. “I like to keep my lady happy” Michael says back to him. “I keep my woman happy a different way” Rio says. “That’s why she was so happy with you after our night out for Wayne’s birthday” Darren says. “She’s happy with me now” Rio says. “Hold on what happened with you and that chick the night of Wayne's non party” Rio says to me. “Nothing. I was just chatting to her” I say. “He’s right. Cris spent most of the night looking at his phone. Now we know why” Wayne says.

“Let’s go” Nani says. “After we say goodbye to Ronnie’s lady friend” Rio says quickly heading to the door.

“So how insane are you?” Rio says to Lucy and she turns around from the fridge. “Excuse me” she says shocked. “Well your dating Ronnie here” he says pointing at me “and you’re a Liverpool fan” he says. “Well if I’m insane. Then you probably wouldn’t want to make me angry” Lucy says but looks at me. “I like to live dangerously” Rio winks at Lucy. Hold on is he flirting with Lucy.

“Ignore him. We should be going. It was nice to meet you Lucy” Wayne says. “Bye” she smiles back at him. “I like insane” Rio says and Lucy stops cutting the carrots on the chopping board. “Lucky for me then Lucy isn’t insane. She just has bad taste in football clubs” I say taking the knife from Lucy’s hand. “What did I tell you about dissing my team” Lucy says turning to me and I put my mouth to hers. “Thankfully she has better taste in guys” I say to the lads when I break away from Lucy’ lips. “See you later” Wayne says pulling Rio to the door.

“Insane. Better taste in guys” Lucy says to me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what to say. I thought you were going to hit him” I say half joking. “Rio shouldn’t be the worried one” she says walking towards the couch. “What was I supposed to say? You weren’t meant to be back for ages” I say. “It’s my fault your teammate called me insane?” she yells at me. “That’s not what I meant” I say. “I was only ever meant to meet your family” she says. “Well you did come home early” I say. “We came home early because your sisters and mother got into a fight in the middle of the shop. I don’t even know how. First I was trying on dresses they picked for me the next thing I know they are fighting over which one I should buy then their choice of men” she says. “It was bad so” I say. “Worse than bad. Jezz it was the same dress in a different colour for heaven sake” she says shaking her head.

“Insane. The little twat” she mumbles. “They liked you” I say moving closer to her. “Super” she says sarcastically. “I’m sorry” I say wrapping my arms around her waist. She sighs and rests her head on my chest.

“You should be” she says. “They weren’t happy I didn’t tell them about my hot girlfriend” I say. “Their words or yours” she asks. “Theirs and mine” I say. “I still think some of them are muppets” she says. “Well everyone think Rio is even his girlfriend” I say and she laughs lifting her head to look at my face. I take one of my hands of her waist and lightly touch her chin. She takes a deep breath and I move my head closer to hers.

“Oh shit the dinner” she says as I watch her run to the sound of beeping coming from the kitchen.