Somewhere Only We Know

31: How Am I Supposed To Know If This Is Love?

“Sergio, I am going to propose to Ariana” Iker mumbled as he peeked over at his friend. It was a sudden admission, Ariana had only been living with him for a fortnight, but he saw no point in waiting. He wanted to spend his life with the brunette and didn’t want to put it off any longer. Even after only three months he knew she was his forever and he didn’t want to let her slip through his fingers. He didn’t know what he would do if he lost her.

Sergio, who had been quietly doing up his jacket, lifted his head. “What?” he spluttered.

Iker smiled timidly. “I am going to propose to Ari. I love her, Sergio, and I want to show her that” he explained softly. It had taken a lot of thought, Iker had spent days fixated on the idea, but he had at last reached a conclusion. He wanted Ariana to be his wife and wanted it to happen sooner rather than later.

Sergio looked at his friend dumbfounded for a moment before he shook his head. “Iker, you’ve known the girl three months” the defender mused softly “Perhaps you should give it a little more thought. You’ve only just moved into together” he explained softly. He could see that Iker was excited, there was a little smile on his face whenever he mentioned the idea of marrying Ariana, but it all seemed a little quick, especially according to what Pilar had told him. She hadn’t wanted to say anything, but when Sergio had asked about her coffee with Ariana, she had spilled everything, something which made Sergio want to put the brakes on Iker’s plans.

Ariana loved the goalie, there was no doubt about it, but she was starting to get a little overwhelmed and Sergio knew Iker proposing would only serve to make it worse. Ariana was only 26 years old and, until Iker, she had never been with a man, something which was sure to make the pace at which her relationship the keeper was moving a little scary.

Iker sighed. “Why should I hold off Sergio? I love her, she loves me, why do I have to wait?” he complained.

Sergio looked at his friend and sighed. “Because she might not be ready Iker. She’s 26 years old and until she met you, she was a virgin. Do you think she could be ready for something a major as marriage?” he explained as he sat down beside Iker, his dark eyes looking at the other man. He knew that Iker wanted to be with Ariana, every other word he said was about the brunette who had captured his heart, but he needed to be aware that there was a chance that Ariana might not be ready. Sergio didn’t want his friend to go through the pain of Ariana rejecting him whilst he was down on one knee.

Iker tilted his head slightly. “Has she said something?” he murmured gently. She had been quiet, even for Ariana, but Iker had thought nothing of it. She was in the middle of exams and Iker had put her quietness down to stress.

Sergio opened his mouth to refute Iker’s question, but the keeper cut him off. “I know when you are lying Sergio so skip it. Has Ariana mentioned something about not wanting to marry me?” he breathed softly

Sergio sighed. “She found the ring” he admitted gently “And then she asked Pilar if you had proposed to Sara. After that, she suggested that she wouldn’t know what to say if you did ask and that is why I am asking you to hold off. Iker, she’s scared and you ploughing in and proposing to her is likely to scare her even more” he mused.

Iker sighed and gently guided his hand back through his hair. “You think she could say no?” he posed, his dark eyes shyly looking up into Sergio’s.

The defender shrugged. “I don’t know, but I think you might need to talk to her before you get down one knee. You don’t want to scare her away” he mused as he slapped his friend’s shoulder.

Iker smiled weakly and nodded. “I will. Gracias Sergio” he mused.

The defender nodded and offered Iker a small smile. He hoped that it would work out, Ariana was the best thing that had happened to Iker for a while, but he knew that Iker needed to prepare. There was a chance, albeit a small one, that Ariana could turn her back on him and Sergio didn’t want the keeper to be caught unawares. He deserved the chance to prepare for the worst.

~#~
Toying with the ring box, Ariana nibbled on her lip, her blue eyes admiring the stunning ring that Iker had picked out for her. It was beautiful, Iker clearly had impeccable tastes, but still she was a little unsure about what to do. Iker was lovely, he had done so much to make her feel so much better about herself and she loved him for it, but she still didn’t know whether she could give her life to him. Iker was wonderful, but part of her thought there might be something more out there for her.

“You really did find it then” Iker murmured as he looked down at her, his face soft and a little sad looking.

Ariana jumped, but nodded. “I was looking for a shirt a few weeks ago. I thought it was one you’d bought for Sara” she mused.

Iker nodded his head and gently sat down beside her, his hand taking the box out of her grasp. “I thought you would like it” he quipped as he fiddled with the ring.

“I do, it’s beautiful Iker” she insisted.

The keeper nodded his head. “I spoke to Sergio earlier. He told me that you were having doubts” he murmured monotonously.

Ariana stiffened. She should have known that Pilar would tell Sergio and that Sergio would insist on telling her boyfriend.

“Ari, if you do not want to be with me, then just say, because I am not going to wait for you to do what Sara did and break my heart” he muttered.

Ariana’s jaw dropped. “Iker, I would never…”

“Sergio says that you are not sure that you want to spend your life with me because you have never been with anyone else. That sounds like you want to find someone else to me” he interjected, his voice stern and a little bitter.

Ariana flinched at the sound of it. She knew that what Sara had done had left Iker with scars, but they had never been more evident that they were in that moment. The look on his face was nothing but cold.

“If you want to find someone else Ari, just go. I don’t want to be led on” he muttered.

Ariana sat motionless for a second before she reached her hand across, gently cupping his stubble covered cheek in her palm. “Iker, mi amor” she whispered, turning his head slightly “I am not leading you on. I do love you, more than anything I have ever had in my life to date, but I am just a little unsure. I have feelings, but how am I supposed to know that this is love? I have no frame of reference and that scares me” she whispered gently, tears gathering in her blues eyes.

Iker sighed and leant his head forwards, resting his forehead against hers. “Ari, I just want to be with you, all of the time” he whimpered.

“And I want that too, but I don’t know if that is enough for you. I don’t want to disappoint you” she returned tearfully.

Iker smiled at her weakly. “Amor, as long as you and I are together, you will never disappoint me. I just want you, this version of you” he mused.

Ariana squeaked out a feeble laugh. “Iker, did you just propose?” she whispered.

The keeper shrugged. “I think so” he murmured “Badly” he added.

Ariana giggled. “Do you want a do over?” she whispered, tears still lingering in her eyes.

Iker smiled, but shook his head. “I think it is the perfect proposal” he teased “Ari, marry me” he grinned.

Ariana blushed and thought for the briefest of moments before she nodded. “As long as you promise to be my guide to this crazy thing called love” she mused with a soft smile.

Iker nodded. “Of course” he breathed before he took the ring from the box, delicately slipping it onto her finger.

Ariana smiled at the sight of it before she leant into him, hugging him tightly.

She hoped she had made the right call, she did love Iker after all, and she merely hoped it worked out.

She didn’t want to lose him from her life.
♠ ♠ ♠
Thanks to Jayme112234 for the comment :)