When Does the Pretending End?

Cristiano’s Pov

I thought I heard her wrong. I never thought she’d say yes. She begins to talk so fast I think she’s going to pass out. She seems so cold like and she can’t look me in the eye. We agreed to meet tonight. Wow. I think as I sit at the kitchen table. “Hey I’m heading out later” Nuno says “going to meet some friends. What are you going to do” he asks. “Think I’m heading over to Wayne’s” I lie. He shrugs and heads upstairs. Good I have the place to myself.

At 6.30 I decide to head upstairs to shower and change. Marosca my four legged best friend runs up in front of me and jumps onto the bed. I look at my watch as I sit on the couch. It’s 8.10. She’s late I think. “I should have guessed she’d back out, hey Marosca” rubbing his head. He barks. The gate buzzer has rang. I press the button to open the gate. I fix my hair in the mirror and head to the door to open it.

I open the door. She’s stood clutching her black coat.

Wow. “Hey” I say as I pull back the door and indicated for her to come inside. She steps through. “Can I take your coat” I ask. She begins to unbutton the black coat. “Marosca don’t” I say as he jumps onto her. “Hello cutie” she says bending down to tub his head. What the heck, he doesn’t like anybody. He’s not even this friendly with Nuno.

She stands up and begins to unbutton the coat. “Thanks” she says as she hands me the coat. I point towards the living room. As I follow her I take her in. Beautiful isn’t the word. The long black hair. The tight red dress that showed off every curve of her body. “Can I get you a drink, I have wine” I say looking at her standing in front of the fireplace. “No thanks, I don’t really drink much alcohol” she says. I see her small fingers pick up a photo frame. “Their my sisters” I say. “Their older, louder and crazy”. A smile appears and just as quick it disappears I notice I stand beside her placing the photo frame back on the table. “Let’s eat” I say as I gently take her hand. “You cooked?” she asks flinching as my hand takes hers but soon lets my hand settle around her. “It’s only Portuguese tomato rice, it’s the only thing I can cook” I say as we walk towards the table.

“Did your friend get settled” I say sprinkling salt over my plate. She frowns at my plate “Yes, she did though she won’t talk to anyone” she says taking a bit of the food. “It will get easier, she thinks everyone is abanding her, she’ll soon realise you are all doing this for her own good” I say. She raises an eyebrow. “How do you know”? I shrug “I just do”.

“Tell me about yourself” I ask. She shifts in her chair, clearly nervous. “I grew up in Madeira” I mumble. She sits up and appears to be listening so I keep going “I have two sisters and one brother all older. You’ve me Nuno. He and my brother in law Zé spend a lot of time with me thank God. “You miss Portugal” she asks playing with her food. “Everyday, but I get to play football here, plus my family do visit.” I say.

“You’re not bad at it either” she says. “Did I just hear I complement or am I hearing things” I say and she grins. “Is the food ok” I say pointing to her plate since she had been moving it around her plate. “Surprisingly yes, I’m just not that hungry sorry” she says. Marcosa who up to now had been sitting at Lucy’s chair began to bark and jump towards the table. “Sit” I say but he continues to bark. I see his toy nearby on the ground and I pick it up and throw it towards the hall. “Ouch” I say not meaning to say it out loud. “Are you ok?” Lucy asks with a concerned look. “Yeah it’s just my shoulder. One of my team mates hit me with his studs and I had to get stitches” I reply.

“Took Rooney long enough to get his own back didn’t it” she says trying to hid her grin behind her glass of water. “You know” taking her right hand “when your not angry at me you have a very beautiful smile” I say tracing my fingers over the hand. “Well I haven’t had anything to smile about lately” she says pulling back her hand.

“Where did she get the baseball bat?” I ask. “It was mine. My dad gave it to me for my birthday. It was signed by the Yankees.” She says. “Why baseball?” I notice her take a deep breath. “I lived in New York until I was 10” she says. It’s like getting Marcosa to do what he’s told trying to get her to tell me about herself.

“Why are you living in Manchester now?” I say “you asked about Portugal” I add when she shifts in her chair. She sighs “I moved to London with my mom. That’s where I met Tina” she says. “And Josh” I point out. “And Josh” she smirks. I moved here around 4 years ago. I think my mom’s still in London. “You don’t see her much” leaning back in my chair to watch her. I gather she doesn’t want to talk about it. “You can’t choose your family” I say.

“But you can choose when to talk to them” she finishes.