We Took the Fall

“Esther, I really don’t think this is a good idea” Catalina mumbled as she pulled her coat a little closer around her, her blue eyes peeking at her friend would padded ahead of her excitedly. It had been weeks, Catalina hadn’t spoken to Fernando for almost 6 weeks after their meeting in the café, and she was starting to doubt herself, something which Esther had made it her mission to eradicate. It had been the right call, not jumping into a relationship with Fernando off of the back of her break-up with Jonathan, but with little to no contact with the striker, Catalina had started to second guess herself. It was a rational request, asking for him to give her a little time to get herself together, but the nervous side of her couldn’t help but worry slightly that he could have found someone else in the 6 weeks she had taken to get herself in check. She couldn’t help but worry that she had missed her shot.

“It’s a brilliant idea” Esther replied, leading her friend to the front of the queue “You need to stop fretting about blondie and this is the perfect way to take your mind off it” she enthused, mumbling something to the bouncer that made him nod his head, allowing the two women inside.

“You said that last time and all that did was get me hurt again” Catalina pointed out, handing over her coat.

“Yes, but that was when you didn’t have a sort of boyfriend that you don’t talk to. Now, you’re in a relationship that no one understands” Esther teased, padding towards the bar.

“I am not in a relationship” Catalina mumbled, her hand taking the glass of alcohol that Esther held out to her.

“But you’re not single either. You gave Fernando first dibs and until you speak to him, you’re not going to do anything because you’d hate yourself for screwing it up again” Esther pointed out, sipping on her drink.

Catalina shook her head. “Do you think I made a mistake telling him to wait on me?” she posed, shyly fiddling with the belt which Esther had placed around her waist before they’d left her home.

“Honestly?” Esther posed.

“No Esther, what I really want is for you to lie to me” Catalina replied, rolling her eyes a little.

Esther shook her head. “Honestly, I think you should turn around” she replied, gesturing over the blonde’s shoulder. Catalina offered her a little frown in return before she twisted around slightly, her blue eyes staring over at the group of men who sat a little away from them. “Do you think we came here by accident, Lina?” Esther teased, a smile on her lips as she watched her friend’s face tinge red as she stared at a certain blonde.

“You knew he would be here?” Catalina squeaked, moving to hide behind her friend.

“No, it’s a coincidence” Esther replied sarcastically.

“Esther…”

“I know you want this, Lina, and I know that you’re waiting on him to make the first move, even despite the fact you asked him to wait for you. It’s been six weeks, you’ve not even mentioned Jonathan once, and I know you’re done waiting to get over something I don’t quite know if you were ever into to start with. Stop stalling, stop playing safe and buy the guy a drink” Esther grinned before turned on her heel, padding over to Alex who waited for her with a drink in his hand.

Catalina blinked a couple of times before she took a couple of paces towards the bar, waving over the bartender who smiled at her politely. “What can I get you, miss?” he posed.

“Do you see the blonde guy over there?” she noted, pointing in the general direction of Fernando who talked animatedly with the group around him.

The bartender nodded.

“Is it possible that you could take a bottle of beer over to him?” she posed.

“I think I can manage that. What do I tell him if he asks who sent it?” the bartender smiled.

Catalina thought for a second before a little smile appeared on her face. “Tell him that this is Catalina letting him know” she enthused.

The bartender tilted his head questioningly, but nodded, skittering away.

~#~
“Sir?”

Fernando, who had been talking animatedly with Antoine Griezmann, looked up at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, his brown eyes settling on the bartender who stood ahead of them, a tray held in his hand. “Can we help you?” he posed.

“Do you know a Catalina?” the bartender posed.

Fernando cocked a brow, but nodded. “I do. Why?” he posed.

“Because she asked me to give this to you and to tell you that this is her letting you know?” the bartender questioned rather than stated.

Fernando mulled the statement over for a second before he blinked, suddenly recognizing why it sounded so familiar to him. “She said that?” he posed, his eyes narrowed on the bartender who had moved to place the beer bottle onto the table.

“Yeah” the bartender noted.

“You’re sure?” Fernando posed, moving out of his spot between Griezmann and Diego Godin.

“Yes, I am sure, it was kind of an odd thing to say” the bartender quipped.

Fernand quirked a little grin. It was so Catalina.

“Where are you going?” Antoine posed.

“I need to talk to someone” Fernando replied, practically bounding out of his seat.

The rest of the group watched him and shook their heads, mumbling about just how odd the striker could be.

~#~
Nervously fiddling with the material of her bag, Catalina spared another look towards the booth, her blue eyes noting the lack of Fernando’s presence. She didn’t know why she was nervous, they were bound to have the conversation at some point, but the idea that she had taken the first step unsettled her. It wasn’t like her, Catalina tended to be led than lead herself, and she didn’t like waiting. The longer she sat alone, the more concerned she got that she had fallen flat on her face.

“You know”

Catalina jumped a little, her heart thumping in her chest.

“If you had wanted to talk to me, a phone call would have sufficed. We could have gotten coffee again or something” Fernando spoke slowly, the grin almost audible in his words.

“Th…That’s a little boring, don’t you think?” Catalina posed, her teeth chewing on her lightly gloss lip.

Fernando chuckled. “I wouldn’t want us to be boring, Lina” he teased.

Catalina shook her head. “I am sorry I left us in limbo for so long” she murmured.

“6 weeks is no time at all” Fernando dismissed with a wave of his hand “As long as you’re not here to tell me that you changed your mind and haven’t got it in you to do it to Alicia” he added, taking half a pace towards her.

Catalina shook her head gently. “I got over that” she murmured, her blue eyes surveying his expression. He looked excited, like he had done when he had told her about his move to Liverpool, and Catalina couldn’t help but get a little concerned, recalling just how quickly that look had been replaced by upset.

“That’s good, because I got over my break up with her 5 minutes after you left the coffee shop” he replied, another grin on his face.

Catalina nodded her head gently as a small silence fell over them.

“Catalina, the bartender said…”

“He told you this was my way of letting you know” Catalina interjected, offering him a little smile.

“And it is?” he posed.

“We can wait some more if you want” Catalina offered, a nervous laugh falling out of her mouth.

Fernando shook his head gently and lifted one of his hands, placing it gently against her jaw. “I am done waiting, Catalina” he whispered, closing the space between them “I want us to be an us” he added, his dark eyes peeking into hers.

Catalina swallowed, but didn’t break their eye contact, a little captivated by his dark eyes.

Fernando smiled. He had forgotten just how shy Catalina could be when she wanted. “You’re stunning” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of her jaw “And you’re adorable” he added, skimming along the skin slowly, ensuring to leave a light barely-there kiss on every inch of her pale skin. “Catalina, say the word and you have me” he murmured, his nose lightly brushing her jaw.

Catalina closed her eyes. “Nando” she mumbled.

“Say it, Lina” he encouraged, kissing the side of her lips.

“Take me back” she whispered.

Fernando smiled against her skin. “You have no idea how much I wanted to hear that” he muttered.

Catalina bit the side of her lip. “I think I do” she murmured “I’ve been itching to say it for the last 6 weeks” she added, offering him a timid look that made him smile.

“Why didn’t you?” he posed, taking her hands into his.

“Stubbornness and a hint of stupidity” Catalina replied “You should really thank Esther when you meet her properly, if it wasn’t for her then there is absolutely no way that I would be sat here right now…” Fernando leant forwards and pressed a kiss against her lips, cutting of the rambling that he was sure would have continued if he didn’t. Catalina tended to ramble when she was feeling unsure or shy.

“Stop talking, Lina” he teased as he pulled away from her slightly, resting his forehead on hers “Stop talking and let me get you a drink. We have a second first date to plan” he grinned.

Catalina blushed and leant into him once more, kissing his lips gently before she spotted Esther over his shoulder, offering the biggest grin and thumbs up.