We Took the Fall

“He really behaved like that?” Esther posed as she placed a sandwich box down onto Catalina’s desk, her eyes a little wide in intrigue. She had been surprised, when Catalina had admitted that she had boyfriend, it had caught Esther off guard, but she was even more surprised when the blonde suggested that she was taking Jonathan home to meet her parents, or more specifically, to meet Fernando. It had been inevitable, Fernando was never going to like Jonathan and Jonathan was never going to like Fernando, but still Esther was a little surprised that the striker had been so rude. She had thought that he would be a little more subtle.

Catalina nodded, taking a bite of her sandwich. “He was an ass” she muttered.

“And how did Jonny take that?” Esther posed.

Catalina shrugged. “He was fine” she noted “A little angry that Fernando had upset me, but he was really wonderful about it. He made some hot chocolate when we got back to mine and we just cuddled all night” she enthused gently. It had been sweet, Jonathan had been wonderful with her once they’d made it back to her place, and it only served to make her that little bit more smitten by him. She didn’t know of anyone else who would have been able to keep as calm as Jonathan had.

“He’s a sweetheart” Esther cooed “Alex says that about him all the time” she added.

Catalina grinned. “How is Alex, by the way?” she teased.

Esther blushed and shook her head. “Shut it, De Marcos” she muttered.

“What? I genuinely think Alex could be the first guy that has ever made you blush, Esther” Catalina giggled.

Esther rolled her eyes before there was a light tap at the door, causing her to turn around, her eyes widening a fraction as she spotted Fernando. “Lina” she noted, tapping her friend on the leg.

Catalina, who had been laughing, tilted her head at Esther before she looked up, her blue eyes narrowing on the striker who stood sheepishly in the door way. “What are you doing here?” she posed, pushing herself out of her seat.

“I wanted to talk to you” he mumbled out, his words a little muffled.

Catalina shook her head. “What was that?” she posed.

“I said I wanted to talk to you” Fernando repeated, lifting his head slightly “And I wanted to do it here so you can’t just walk of and ignore me” he added.

“I have no interest in talking to you, Fernando” Catalina mused, shaking her head.

“I think I am probably going to leave you two to it” Esther mused, shuffling past Fernando who quietly stepped inside the room, pulling the door shut.

“I told you to go” Catalina muttered, her arms folding across her chest “I have no interest in talking to you after the way you acted at dinner” she added.

Fernando sighed. “I shouldn’t have done it, Lina” he murmured “You’re entitled to move on and Jonathan doesn’t seem like the worst guy in the world for you to end up with, but it was odd. The way you smiled at him, the way you giggled at his bad jokes…”

“And you don’t think I feel that way when I look at you and Cia?” Catalina interjected, shaking her head.

Fernando sighed.

“You don’t think I hate the way she gets to hold you or kiss you? Fernando, I hate every single bloody second of it, I can’t bear to watch it, but I would never do what you did. I would never stamp all over it like some poorly behaved toddler. It hurts, I know it, but you cannot behave that way when I try to do what you so evidently have done with Cia. You got to move on, so why the heck was it so hard for you to afford me the same courtesy?” she snapped.

Fernando shook his head. “It was just strange” he murmured.

Catalina scoffed. “That’s a pathetic excuse” she muttered.

“What do you want me to say, Catalina?” he replied.

“I don’t know, Fernando, but you’re going to have to do better than it is strange” she shot in return.

“Fine” he muttered “I hate it” he grunted.

“It’s been 8 years and Jonathan is not your brother. If I can deal it, so can you” Catalina replied.

“But that’s just it, Lina, I can’t deal with it. I physically hate seeing Jonathan with you. I hate seeing him put his hands on you and illicit that flirty little grin you get when you’re on a date. I hated the way he charmed your parents and I can’t deal with that. I can’t deal with us” he spluttered.

“Fernando…”

“It was a mistake, not fighting for you when I had the chance, and it something I regret every single day. And I know that I came back here with your sister, and I know that that hurt you, and I know the way I acted last night was completely out of line, but you’re stuck in my head, Lina” he ranted “I can’t remember the last time I didn’t actually think about you and I know that it is completely out of line, but it is the truth” he muttered.

Catalina frowned.

Fernando sighed. “I regret not making us work, Lina, and I thought that that was something you ought to know” he noted gently.

“You’re getting married” Catalina whispered.

Fernando sighed. “I wish I wasn’t” he admitted gently “Come on, Lina, you can’t honestly think that I want your sister more than I want you” he added gently.

“But…”

“I love you” he murmured, cutting her off.

Catalina blinked. She couldn’t quite fathom that he had said it.

Fernando sighed gently before he took a step towards her, pressing his lips to hers.

Catalina stilled for a moment, not quite sure how to react, before she hesitantly placed her arms around his neck, holding him a little closer. “I miss you, Lina” he whispered gently, his lips leaving hers for a brief second “I miss you so much” he added, his hand lightly slipping beneath the hem of her blouse, resting against her warm skin.

Catalina kissed him back eagerly before her mind flicked to her sister, causing her to jerk away.

“Lina…”

“Go” Catalina retorted, pulling herself away from him.

“Catalina” he tried again.

“Fernando, just get out of here” she snapped.

“But…”

“This isn’t fair” Catalina snapped “You can’t march in here and spout all of that and just expect to kiss me and have things be OK. You’re engaged, to my sister, and I am not going to be the reason that that falls apart. You can’t come in here and just expect me to drop the world because you got all jealous. I am happy, Fernando, for the first time in a long time and you cannot just stroll in here and change that. It isn’t fair that I had to put on a fake smile and you can throw a strop and get your way.” she whimpered.

“Lina…”

“Go” Catalina noted “And don’t think about trying again” she added, her voice quaking slightly.

Fernando sighed. “Fine” he murmured before he turned on his heel, storming out of the room.

Catalina watched him go before she shook her head. In that moment, she wasn’t quite sure whether to love him or hate him.