We Took the Fall

“Please?” Fernando mused as he looked up at his girlfriend from his vantage point on the couch, his brown eyes wide and soft like a puppy. It wasn’t the first time, since Alicia had attacked Catalina, the striker had been reluctant to let her out of his sight, but in that particular moment, he was attempting to convince her to attend his match. He knew it wasn’t where she wanted to be, Catalina had always maintained that she had little to no interest in sitting in the stadium, but he didn’t quite want to leave her alone, no matter how irrational it seemed. He wanted to ensure that at least someone had an eye on her.

“No” Catalina replied, shaking her head softly.

“But you’d enjoy it” Fernando reasoned.

“We both know that I wouldn’t” Catalina replied, flicking through the exercise book that sat on her lap.

“But…”

“Fernando” Catalina quipped, looking up at him “I don’t want to go to the Calderon to watch the game. If I did, I would have asked you for tickets, but I didn’t. What does that tell you?” she posed, pushing some of her blonde hair away from her cheeks, showing off the faded marks that still stuck out against her pale complexion.

“That you were waiting for an invite?” Fernando posed more in hope than expectation.

Catalina shook her head gently. “I think we both know that I wasn’t” she replied.

Fernando sighed gently and rested his head against the arm of the couch, his brown eyes merely watching her for a second. She had been better, after a couple of days, she had gone back to being herself and Fernando had to admit that he was slightly relieved. He hadn’t liked the tearful side of her that had appeared after the altercation and would have done anything to ensure that he didn’t have to see it again, even if it did mean being a little overbearing or protective. He just didn’t want anything getting to her.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Catalina mumbled, not taking her eyes off of the book she was marking.

“Can’t I just look at you from time to time?” he posed, offering her a little grin.

“You can do, but it’s pretty creepy” Catalina replied, peeking over at him.

Fernando shook his head. “Is there nothing I can say that will convince you to come to the game tomorrow?” he posed gently.

“No” Catalina replied “And before you ask, no, I am not going to call my papa or Esther and ask them to come over to my place and baby sit me. I am 29 years old, Fernando, and I can take care of myself” she noted as he opened his mouth to speak again. She knew what he was going to say, it had become a common feature of their conversation since she had last seen her sister, but she wasn’t going to let him ask again. She was more than capable of looking out for herself.

“Catalina…”

“It was days ago, Fernando” Catalina refuted gently “And I haven’t heard from her or my madre in that period of time. I get that you’re worried, and trust me, I think it is incredibly sweet of you, but you need to let it go. I will be perfectly fine if you let me out of your sight for more the 10 minutes” she mused, folding the book closed neatly before she pushed herself out of the armchair, moving to sit at his side. Fernando sighed gently and placed his arm around her waist, ensuring that she didn’t slip off the slither of couch that he’d left open to her.

“I don’t want anything to happen” he murmured, his fingers lightly skimming over her side.

“Things happen” Catalina noted “And they’re probably going to happen whether you’re with me or not” she pointed out.

“And I cannot convince you?” he posed.

“I have work to do, Fernando, and I haven’t been home in nearly a week since you bought me back here and insisted on picking up my clothes for me. It’ll be alright” she mused gently.

“I will come by yours once the game is over” he murmured gently.

“I had little doubt about that” she quipped gently “And I will call you at the hotel tonight to wish you good luck” she smiled.

Fernando smiled at the little gesture before he reached his hand up, gently brushing the blonde hair off of her cheek. “You know that I am only trying to keep you safe, don’t you?” he murmured.

Catalina nodded her head. “I know” she mused “And I appreciate the gesture” she smiled as she placed a kiss on his head.

~#~
Settling the hold all that Fernando had collected for her beside the door, Catalina let out a little relieved sigh, glad to finally be home. She knew that Fernando was trying to look out for her, he’d been wonderful with her from the moment that it had happened, but she was a little relieved to finally be home. She just wanted things to get back to normal, something they’d not been since Alicia’s visit. Kicking off her shoes, she padded into the kitchen and set her satchel down on the counter before she padded towards the fridge, looking for something to eat.

Pulling the fridge open, she rifled through it for a second before the doorbell rang, something which made her roll her eyes. Sighing, she padded down the hall and pulled the door back, her forehead furrowing as she spotted Esther. “Please, tell me that Fernando didn’t ask you to come over” she noted.

Esther shook her head. “No, but I do have something you need to see” she quipped as she stepped into the house, pushing past Catalina who frowned.

“Esther, what the heck is going on?” she posed as she followed her friend into the living room, watching as she pulled something out of her bag.

“Your sister” Esther replied.

Catalina sighed. “What did she do this time?” she murmured.

Esther sighed gently and took Catalina’s hand, pulling her a little closer to the coffee table where a magazine was splayed, it’s double-page spread staring up at the blonde. Catalina eyed it briefly before she shook her head.

“Lina” Esther noted gently.

Catalina shook her head. “I should have seen this coming” she muttered “Of course she was going to find a journalist who wanted the story, of course she was going to out me and Fernando as a couple, but to this? This is excessive even for her” she muttered.

“You know how tabloids can be” Esther reasoned gently.

“She says I always meant to make her miserable. She’s pulled my parents into it, suggesting that I am the one who always took them away from her. She makes me out to be some petty witch of a woman who couldn’t give a damn about her and suggests that Fernando was just a vulnerable guy who I stole from her because I just couldn’t handle her being happy” Catalina snapped, her blue eyes burning with the tears that built with each word “She makes me out to be the worst sister in the world, Esther, and I can’t do a thing about it without looking desperate or pathetic” she added.

Esther sighed gently. “Do you want me to call…”

“No” Catalina refuted “I don’t want him to worry” she muttered.

“But Lina…”

Catalina shook her head. “He’s where he needs to be right now and I am not going to take his mind off of what he needs to be focused on” she murmured.

Esther sighed gently. “I could stay if you’d like” she offered gently.

“With the plans you told me you had with Alex? Esther, I will be fine by myself” Catalina mused, shaking her head gently.

“Catalina” Esther noted sternly.

“I am a grown woman, Esther” Catalina replied, guiding her friend towards the door “And I will be fine by myself. Contrary to popular belief, I can survive by myself” she mused, pulling the door open.

Esther tried again, but Catalina merely pushed the door closed, leaving her friend stood on the other side of her door, a little perplexed and mostly concerned. It had gotten to Catalina, it was written all over her face, and Esther wondered just how she would respond. She hoped she didn’t end up doing anything stupid.