We Took the Fall

"You really don’t have to drive me here every day, Fernando” Catalina mused as they made the familiar walk towards her classroom. It was sweet, the way that he would drive her to work every day, but Catalina still felt a little bad for it. She had been perfectly fine riding the bus before they’d gotten together and was sure she would cope now that they were a couple.

Fernando shrugged. “I kind of like doing it, Lina” he mused, settling the box she had had him carry down on her desk “It means I get to spend a little more time with you” he added sweetly.

“But you could lay in” Catalina responded, straightening out the pencil skirt that she had opted to wear that morning.

“Laying in isn’t quite as fun without you there” he replied, offering her a grin.

Catalina shook her head. “I am sure you could get by without me, Fernando” she mused, offering him a teasing smirk that made him roll his eyes.

“You’re lucky you’re cute, Miss De Marcos” he mused, stepping towards her.

Catalina giggled and placed her arms around his neck, gently pulling him into a kiss. Fernando smiled into it and set his hands on her hips, holding her close for a few moments before someone cleared their throat, causing them to pull away from one another, Catalina’s cheeks sporting an impish blush.

“Don’t stop on my account, Lina” Esther teased as she padded into the classroom “I can see you were rather into it” she grinned.

Catalina shook her head. “I am sorry for her” she mused to Fernando who had his head tilted. “This is my best friend, Esther Reyes. Esther, this is…”

“Blondie, I know” Esther grinned, jutting her hand out to the striker who shook it.

“Blondie?” he posed.

“Esther saw that picture of us that I still have up. She’s not called you by your name since” Catalina explained.

Fernando smiled. “That’s a good picture of us” he enthused, pulling Catalina into his side “Though, I think we could do better now” he teased, kissing her cheek affectionately.

Esther rolled her eyes. “I can already sense that I am going to have to turn the hose on the pair of you at some point” she mused, causing Fernando to smile against Catalina’s warm skin.

“I was just going” he mused, leaning back slightly “It was nice to meet you, Esther” he smiled politely.

“And you, Blondie” Esther smiled.

“I prefer Fernando” he noted.

“And until I can be sure that you’re not going to hurt my Lina, you’ll be Blondie” Esther replied, offering the most serious look that Catalina had ever seen on her face.

Fernando nodded. “Understood” he smiled before he ducked down, pressing a swift kiss against Catalina’s lips “I will see you later, querida. Try not to miss me too much” he teased before he stepped out of the classroom, leaving the two women alone.

Esther watched him go before she turned back to Catalina, noting the pale pink blush that played on her cheeks with a small eye roll. “So much for not still having the hots for him eh?” she teased, making the blush on her friend’s cheeks ten times worse.

“Shut it” Catalina mumbled.

“No way” Esther grinned “You look like a teenager who’s just slept with a guy for the first time” she teased.

Catalina shook her head. “Did you actually want something?” she mused, padding around to her desk.

“I was looking for that new batch of exercise books that we ordered last week, but this seems far more entertaining. How was the sex, Lina?” she posed bluntly.

“Esther” Catalina protested.

“What? I can only imagine what he looks like beneath that shirt” Esther grinned, her voice wistful.

Catalina shook her head. “I am not talking about this with you” she mused.

“And why not? I’m your best friend, Lina” Esther pouted playfully.

Catalina rolled her eyes. “It’s not going to happen, Esther. What….” Catalina’s voice trailed off as the sound of screeching filled the air, causing her to frown.

“What the heck is that?” Esther posed as she pushed herself towards the door.

“It sounds like Alicia” Catalina replied, following her friend’s movements towards the door.

“That would be because it is Alicia” Esther replied as they peeked out of the door, watching as the dark haired girl struggled against Fernando who had clearly run into her on his way out. Catalina blinked a little before she stepped into the hallway, her feet dragging her towards the pair.

“What the heck is going on here?” she hissed “This is the place I work and if my boss catches wind of this…”

“You’re a slut” Alicia snarled, cutting her sister off.

Catalina blinked a little.

“You couldn’t just be happy for me could you? You couldn’t just accept that I won and that he wanted me more than he wanted you, could you?” Alicia spat, still struggling against the grip that Fernando had put on her. “Just once, Catalina, just once you could have not been the little puta you are” she hissed.

Catalina’s expression was blank and her eyes remained set on her feet.

“She’s no puta, Cia” Fernando snapped, making another in vain attempt to drag her away.

“She’s got you well trained” Alicia snarled “Why don’t you let me go and we’ll see which one of us fairs better” she added.

“Alicia, you’re embarrassing yourself” Fernando muttered.

“She’s the embarrassment” Alicia snarled, swiping for Catalina who just about stood out of her reach “You’re a pathetic whiny little girl Lina. He dumped you years ago, but you couldn’t just let it go” she added.

“I…I…” Catalina stammered.

“You’re pathetic” Alicia snapped as she kicked Fernando’s shin, causing him to take a step back that allowed her the chance to lunge for her sister “You couldn’t just let me be happy” she added as she placed her hand against Catalina’s cheek, slowly drawing her slightly pointed nails down the skin before Esther pulled her away.

Catalina sniffed and lifted her hand, watching as Esther dragged Alicia down the hall and out of the building.

“Lina” Fernando whispered, his brown eyes noting the 4 marks that were on her cheek, two of them sparing a light trickle of blood that the blonde seemed almost unaware of “Lina, you need to get these looked at” he muttered, his fingers lightly brushing against the scratches.

Catalina blinked. “Huh?” she posed.

“She scratched your cheek, Lina” Fernando murmured “Now they don’t look terrible, but I still think we should get you looked at” he insisted.

Catalina nodded her head slowly. “Ok” she murmured.

“None of what she said was true, Catalina” Fernando noted as he pulled her into a light hug.

Catalina leant into his embrace and sighed.

Part of her couldn’t help but think that maybe Alicia had a point.