Would You Fall Too?

“What are your plans for Halloween?” Sergio noted tentatively as he pushed the last of his meal around his plate, his dark eyes peeking over at Emilie who was quietly reading a magazine. It had been a couple of weeks since Sergio had met Isla and he was pleased that things seemed to be going well, even if it was still a little awkward, he liked the way that things had started for him and Emilie.

“I didn’t really have plans for Halloween” Emilie noted, not moving her stare from her magazine “Don’t you have a game that day?” she posed.

“I do” Sergio commented softly, his feet shifting a little beneath his seat “But a few of the guys talked me into holding a party and I was thinking that maybe…”

“Sergio” Emilie interrupted, her blue eyes peeking up at the defender.

“I know you don’t exactly do social events, Emmy” he noted softly “And I know people are not a forte of yours, but I was thinking, that maybe you could just come along for a little while. I know a few of my friends are interested in meeting you” he explained softly. He knew that it was a big thing to ask of her, just a few months previous, she hadn’t been able to utter a full sentence towards him, but he was a little bit hopeful. Since they’d admitted that they had feelings towards one another, Emilie had come out of her shell a little more and he was all for encouraging her to keep getting better.

“Sese, I am not exactly comfortable being in a room with you, let alone with any of your footballer friends and their beautiful girlfriends” Emilie protested softly, her head shaking.

Sergio shifted his seat a little closer to hers and took her hand, squeezing the smaller extremity in his. “Firstly, their girlfriends haven’t got a patch on mine” he enthused gently, his lips brushing tenderly over her knuckles “And secondly, you’re a lot tougher than you give yourself credit for. I know that you don’t love people, the last few months have made the clear, but I think you could do it, even if it is only for a few minutes. I’d like for you to meet people” he explained gently. It shouldn’t have mattered to him, being with Emilie should have been enough for him, but a small part of Sergio was desperate to show her off. She was a beautiful girl and he wanted people to meet the girl who’d cheered him up immeasurably since his last relationship had ended.

Emilie chewed her lip a little. “You’re just saying that” she mumbled.

Sergio shook his head, placing another kiss onto her hands. “I am not, Emmy” he assured her softly “You’re a great person and I know my friends are itching to meet you. I’ve lost count of the amount of team outings I have missed just to come here and eat with you and I am sure they’d love to meet the reason that their captain is so quick to get away from them” he enthused softly.

Emilie peeked down at their interlocked hands and sighed, shaking her head. “I don’t think I can do it, Sese” she protested softly.

Sergio fought the urge to groan and merely tipped his head back, showing off his frustration. “I am asking for half an hour” he protested, his frustration clear in his voice.

“And I am telling you that I can’t do it” Emilie replied.

Sergio shook his head. “It’s next door, Emmy, you don’t even have to wear a costume” he noted, trying to convince her.

“Sergio, I don’t want to do it. Can we please just leave it at that?” Emilie mumbled she folded her magazine closed, taking the empty plates into her kitchen.

Sergio shook his head. “No” he protested as he followed her into the room “We can’t just leave it at that. Emmy, I’ve been around you for four months now and I am starting to get a little frustrated with your reluctance to leave this house with me or at least give me a hint as to why. I want to be patient with you, I don’t want to start rushing you into things, but I need something from you. I can’t be the only one who’s giving in this relationship” he protested gently.

He didn’t want to start a fight, he knew that it was a touchy subject for Emilie, but in brief moments, it got to him. He knew that there was something holding her back, Isla had made it abundantly clear to him, but with little to go on, he couldn’t help but get a little frustrated. Emilie was reluctant to open up to him and even more reluctant to be seen him with.

Emilie sighed gently. “Sese, I am not ready to talk about it, OK?” she mused as she turned on her heel, her blue eyes peeking up at him.

“I understand that” Sergio replied, his hands settling on her waist “I just need something, Emmy, a little more. I don’t want to be in the kind of relationship where I need to keep my life with my girlfriend and my life with my friends entirely separate” he explained softly.

Emilie sighed gently and rested her forehead on his, holding him close for a moment. “I had a friend” she murmured “A good friend who I trusted with everything I had and he took that and betrayed me in the worst way. I didn’t see it coming and because of it, I am reluctant to trust to anyone” she explained softly.

Sergio squeezed her waist gently. “You can trust me” he mumbled, his lips leaving a small trail of kisses down the side of her face.

“Deep down, I know it, but I just need time, Sese” she mused softly “If that’s not something you think that you can give me, then I guess we both know where this is going” she added.

Sergio shook his head. “I can give you time, but you need to give me more too. I want to be able to go out with you, Emmy, I want to go on actual dates or have you over to mine. I want us to be a proper couple” he enthused softly.

Emilie nodded. “Alright” she agreed gently “Why don’t you come to the bookstore tomorrow and we can go to lunch together and I will contemplate the party OK?” she posed gently.

Sergio nodded his head and placed a kiss on her lips. “That’s all I ask” he enthused.