You Loved Me Once

13: I’ll Let You Know When I’m Over You

Staring at her reflection in the mirror on the back of her hotel room door, Alba let out a small sigh, trying her hardest to prepare herself for the night which sat ahead of her. It had been a few days, after her talk with Eva, Alba had taken to hiding away slightly in her hotel room, but with the rehearsal dinner planned for the night, she knew that she couldn’t shy away. It was a big night, the last before Eva and Oscar got married, and she wanted to be there for it, even if she was a little perturbed by being in the same place as Lionel, she wanted to celebrate her friends’ relationship.

Smoothing out the material of her dress, she offered her reflection another gander before the sound of a tap at her door echoed, causing her to jump a little before she set her hand on the handle, tugging the door open to Lionel who smiled at her shyly. “Lionel” she squeaked.

“Oscar sent me” Lionel noted gently “He would have come and gotten you himself, but he and Eva were rushed off to the restaurant by his parents. You don’t mind, do you?” he posed gently. He had tried to get out of it, he knew that the last thing Alba would have wanted was to be stuck in a car with him, but Oscar had been insistent. Someone needed to collect Alba and Lionel, who had nowhere else to be, fitted the bill.

Alba listened to him babble for a moment before she shook her head. “I think we can handle a car journey, no?” she posed.

Lionel nodded quietly.

“I just need to put on my shoes and we should be ready to go” Alba noted “Do you want to wait inside?” she posed.

Lionel offered her a slightly unsure look before he stepped over the threshold, closing the door quietly behind him.

“How is Oscar feeling?” Alba posed softly as she moved to slip her feet into her heels “This time tomorrow, he’ll have a wife” she added.

“I think he’s OK” Lionel mused “I mean, he seems to be pretty confident, but that’s just Oscar. He tried to walk off a broken leg when we were kids” he added.

“A broken leg?” Alba posed, moving to collect a light cardigan and her bag.

“He broke it playing football. He ran around for another 20 minutes just because he was close to scoring a hat trick” Lionel enthused.

Alba shook her head, trying to mask the little smile that tugged at the corner of her mouth before she padded towards the door. “You ready?” she posed softly.

Lionel nodded and pulled the door open, allowing her to walk out ahead of him before he pulled it closed. “You know, you’ve always looked amazing when you’re dressed up” he enthused softly as he padded along beside her.

Alba tilted her head, trying her hardest to keep the hint of pink away from her cheeks. “I don’t look amazing normally?” she countered.

“Of course” Lionel spluttered “I mean, you’re a stunning woman, Alba, you always have been, and it’s not changed. You’re beautiful” he babbled.

Alba shook her head, desperately trying not to smile. He’d always been cute when he was babbling.

Lionel, who’d dropped back a couple of paces, let out a muted sigh, slightly embarrassed. It wasn’t usually like him, even though he was shy, talking to people wasn’t an issue, but Alba was a special case. One right comment or look and she had him babbling, something which made him want to curse himself.

~#~
“Alba, sweetheart, it’s been years”

Alba, who’d been sat comfortably in her seat, looked up, her blue eyes fixed on Oscar’s mother who grinned at her widely. It had been a long night, with most of Oscar and Eva’s relatives milling around, Alba had tried to keep herself out of the way, but it was clearly not working. She had already dealt with Eva’s parents who had spent almost 20 minutes cooing over her and was in little mood to deal with Oscar’s.

“It has been, Mrs Garcia” Alba agreed “The last time I saw you must have been at…”

“Oscar’s birthday party about 6 years ago” the older woman finished for her “You came with that lovely boyfriend of yours” she added.

Alba nodded, not wanting to correct the older woman.

“I was sorry to hear about the two of you” the older woman fussed “I did always like the two of you together” she added.

Alba nodded. “It’s been a long time, Mrs Garcia” she murmured “He and I…”

“I thought you two would make it” the older woman interrupted, not picking up on Alba’s apprehension “You were always so cute together. That boy used to look at you like you were the greatest thing in the world” she cooed.

“Used to” Alba murmured “Not anymore, Mrs Garcia. Now, if you’d excuse me, I need a little air” she excused herself politely before she pushed herself out of her seat, making her way towards the exit of the restaurant.

Lionel, who’d been watching from a distance, stepped towards the older woman, offering her a small smile and a quick apology before he followed after Alba, finding her sat on the steps outside.

“If you’re Eva or Oscar, please go away” she muttered, not turning around.

“I’m not” Lionel mused “But I am probably less welcome than them” he added.

Alba scoffed. “For once, maybe not” she mused.

Lionel smiled and sat beside her. “You OK?” he posed.

“I thought I had gotten through the pitying looks” she mumbled “After you left, wherever I seemed to go, I used to get this look where people would tilt their head to the side and ask if I was alright, and I thought I had gotten through it, but Eva’s parents and Oscar’s madre, they’ve just bought it back, that, and the whole cooing over what we used to be” she complained, dusting something off of her shoe.

Lionel sighed. “I wish I could have prevented it” he murmured.

“You could have not left me” Alba countered, peeking at him slightly.

Lionel nodded. “I could have done” he murmured “But I was trying my best to give you every shot at being happy. I know it seems like I wanted to hurt you, Alba, but I simply wasn’t ready to be what you wanted me to be and I didn’t want to hurt you further down the line when we had more to lose. I wish I could change it, fix it, but I doubt that that is going to happen, especially since you can barely look at me” he mused, not missing the way she stared down at her feet.

“Do you know how long I took to get over you?” she murmured.

“I’ll let you know when I get over you” Lionel countered, rubbing his neck shyly.

Alba shook her head. “The stupid thing is, even though I want to be angry at you, I’m not” she murmured “I know why you did it, I know that you thought you were doing the right thing, and whilst I hate that it hurt me like it did and that you thought it was your only option, I don’t think I hate you. I don’t think I can hate you” she admitted, peeking at him briefly before she looked back down at her feet.

Lionel frowned. “You don’t hate me?” he posed.

“How could I?” Alba posed “You’re Leo, my Leo, and I could never hate that guy. Part of me still cares about him far too much for that” she mumbled.

Lionel allowed her words to linger for a moment before he leant a little closer, his hand tilting her face so that she looked him for a second before he ducked in, preparing to kiss her. Alba stilled a little, not quite sure what to, before she allowed her eyes to close, preparing to feel his lips against hers.

Lionel admired her face for a second before he leant in, brushing the lightest of kisses against her lips before the door opened behind them, causing them to jerk apart, sheepish looks on their faces.

“Eva’s getting ready to leave, Alba” Oscar commented, trying not to smirk “She’s looking for you” he added.

“I ought to find her” Alba babbled before she pushed herself up, skittering away from Lionel who watched after her, shaking his head slightly, hating that they had been interrupted when they had been.