We Took the Fall

“So, what exactly is it you wanted to talk about, Fernando?” Catalina noted as he politely pulled a chair out for her, setting her slightly damp coat over the back. It had been an awkward trip, after he had convinced Catalina to get coffee with him, Fernando had barely uttered a word and it made the blonde a little curious. There was clearly something he wanted to say and whilst she was almost certain she knew what it was, she wanted to hear him say it. She wanted to tell him that there was no way that she was rushing into something when things were still so tense.

Fernando, who had moved take his own seat, looked up at her, his brown eyes shy and nervous. “Do you remember this place?” he posed softly.

Catalina quirked an eyebrow. “What?” she posed.

“This café, do you remember it?” Fernando posed shyly. He knew that it was irrelevant, the café was just a building, but after the way she had yelled at him when he had visited the school, he wanted to ease himself in. He doubted she was going to be entirely thrilled that he had dumped her sister even despite her warnings not to.

Catalina looked around for a moment before she nodded, offering him the slightest of smiles. “This is where you bought me after we first had sex” she murmured gently, her hands playing with the spoon which had been provided with her warm drink. “You were wonderful with me that night” she added gently, her blue eyes briefly peeking up at him.

Fernando chuckled bashfully. “I think wonderful might be a push, Lina” he teased gently.

Catalina shook her head. “You were perfect that night” she insisted “You didn’t rush me into a thing, you waited 8 months before even attempting to get into my pants and then after all was said and done, you sat up with me and looked after me. You were adorable, Fernando” she mused.

Fernando smiled gently. “I am glad that you still remember that, Lina” he noted softly.

“I couldn’t forget” Catalina replied “But you didn’t bring me here to reminisce, so why don’t you just say it?” she posed, her eyes narrowing on him fractionally.

Fernando sighed. “I broke up with Cia last night” he murmured.

“I know” she replied.

Fernando tilted his head. “How?” he squeaked.

“She came by my place last night, drunk and rambling. She told me that I was the reason that you’d left her and then convinced Jonathan that I wasn’t over you so he threw a fit and dumped me” she explained, her tone slightly bitter.

“Jonathan dumped you?” Fernando questioned, his voice almost incredulous at the prospect of a man wanting to break up with Catalina. He couldn’t see why any man would want to lose her.

“Guys don’t tend to love the idea of their girlfriend carrying a torch for a guy she hasn’t dated since she was 21” Catalina replied, shaking her head gently.

“I am sorry, Lina” Fernando murmured.

Catalina scoffed. “You’re not sorry that he dumped me, Fernando” she quipped, a small quirked smile on her face.

“I am” he noted.

“No, you’re not. You made it clear when you came by the other day that you didn’t like me being with him and now I am not, I can see the happiness all over your face. You aren’t sorry that I broke up with him, you’re delighted” she pointed out, a smile on her lips.

Fernando wanted to refute it, but knew that he couldn’t. Catalina had it spot on and the look her on her face suggested she knew it too.

“Fernando, I am thrilled that you left Alicia, I really am, but if you think I am just going to fall into your arms, you’re mistaken” Catalina noted as she stirred her drink.

Fernando blinked. “What?” he posed.

Catalina shook her head. “I am happy that you got out of marrying her, she was always going to hurt you and I am glad that you spared yourself from that, but if you think that you dumping her opens up the possibility of you and I again, then right now, you’re wrong. We both know that there are feelings here, no matter how hard we have both tried to refute it, but I am not going to stoop to Alicia’s level and jump back into things with you. You’re just out of a relationship, as am I, and I think starting again, right this second, would be a mistake” she explained gently.

She knew it wasn’t likely to sit well with him, he’d been wearing a hopeful expression since he had sat down, but Catalina wanted to be clear. It had been hours since she had broken up with Jonathan, hours since he had dumped Alicia, and jumping into something, no matter how much they may have wanted it, would have been a mistake, one that Catalina didn’t want to make.

Fernando sighed. “You’re right” he murmured.

“I normally am” Catalina quipped, trying to lighten the suddenly tense atmosphere.

“I just don’t want to let you slip past me again, Lina” he added, his brown eyes staring over at her “I let you get by once and that is something I regret every day, I don’t want to make the same mistake again by not taking the shot now” he explained, his hand reach out to take hers.

Catalina blushed at the slightly amorous action. Even the smallest things he did made her nervous or shy.

“There is no need to rush, Fernando” she whispered “We’re both single now and we don’t have to rush head first into something right now. We could take our time, try being friends or something” she murmured.

Fernando shook his head, his thumb lightly skimming over her hand. “I don’t want to be your friend, Catalina” he murmured “I want to be the man who holds your hand and kisses your lips. I want to take you on dates and sleep in your bed at night with you. Catalina, I want you back” he admitted.

Catalina blushed, but still shook her head. “I am not ready for that” she whispered.

Fernando scoffed. “Where have I heard that before?” he murmured bitterly.

“You’re not going to push me into this, Fernando” Catalina refuted “I have just been dumped, you’ve just dumped my sister, and I am not going to just nod and smile and let us fuck up again, OK? We need to take some sort of break, to recover from relationships that we messed up over each other, and I am not going to have you talk me out of it. I am not saying never Fernando, I am just saying not right this second” she muttered.

Fernando sighed. “I just want us to work, Lina” he whispered, his thumb once more brushing her hand.

“And we might” she mused “But not right now, Fernando. You need to recover and I do too. Let’s just take some time, OK?” she posed.

“How long do you want to take?” he posed.

Catalina shrugged. “It’s not an exact science” she mused as she moved to pull her jacket on “But when I am ready, I will let you know” she added, offering him a quirked smile.

Fernando chuckled. “You said that before we slept together for the first time” he mused, an impish grin on his face.

Catalina smiled and moved to press a kiss to his cheek. “I will let you know” she murmured before she padded away, hoping she had made the right decision.