You Loved Me Once

Placing the last of her newly bought clothes into her wardrobe, Alba folded up the bag in her hand, a small sigh falling out of her mouth. She knew that Shakira hadn’t meant it, the other woman had merely being trying to start a conversation, but still it had gotten Alba thinking, something she didn’t necessarily like. She knew that it was a good point, the longer she held onto her previous anger towards Lionel, the less chance there was of them moving on with their lives, but she still found it a little hard to let go of, even if it had been years, part of her would always hate him for the way things had ended.

She understood it, the reason that they’d broken up, but that didn’t make it any easier to take and the idea of moving forwards with him worried her. She knew it was different, they were different, older, but still it concerned her. She had thought that things were perfect the last time and she doubted she had the heart to be wrong again.

Stowing the bag in the pile along with the others, she turned to leave the bedroom, only to startle as she spotted Lionel in the door way, his crooked smile on his face. “How long’ve you been there?” she spluttered.

“A couple of seconds” Lionel mused “You looked to be in your own world though. I didn’t mean to scare you” he added.

Alba shook her head. “I almost regret giving you a key” she quipped “You sneak up on me far too easily now” she added as she stepped towards him, greeting him with a brief kiss.

“I didn’t mean to” Lionel mused, settling his arms around her waist “But I finished up with my press stuff early and I figured you’d be home by now. I didn’t intrude, did I?” he posed softly.

Alba shook her head. “Not at all” she smiled “Did you want to do anything tonight?” she posed gently.

“We could go out to dinner” Lionel noted “We’ve not been out in a while” he added, his fingertips drumming at the base of her back.

Alba nodded and offered him a small smile. “That sounds like a plan” she enthused as best she could. She didn’t want to bring it up, talking about it was likely to end badly, but she couldn’t swallow it entirely. The idea that she could ruin their new relationship weighed heavily on her mind and had left her feeling a little less certain than she had before.

Lionel tilted his head, not missing the slight off tone of her voice, but he didn’t say anything, instead opting to offer her a small smile. “I’ll set about making us a reservation somewhere. Do you have a preference?” he posed as he moved one of his hands, tucking some of the loose blonde hair behind her ear.

“I’ll eat whatever” Alba noted softly.

Lionel nodded his head gently before he pecked her lips, moving away from her.

Alba watched after him briefly before she let out a little sigh, her stomach twitching slightly. She didn’t want to mess up, for the first time in a long time, she felt happy and content, but she doubted that they could put off a conversation about their future forever. It was a rite of passage that their relationship had to go through and whilst she wanted to put it off, it was one that needed to happen sooner rather than later.

~#~
“How was your day with Shakira?” Lionel posed as he sipped on his drink, his dark eyes fixed on Alba who sat across from him, quietly pushing her food around her plate. She had been quiet, since he’d arrived at her apartment, he doubted that she had said more than two words that hadn’t come as a result of him asking a question, and it was getting at him slightly. That morning, they’d been fine and it irked him slightly that she wouldn’t just tell him what had changed all of a sudden.

“It was nice” Alba mused, pushing another piece of meat around her plate “She seemed to enjoy it and I had a nice time. She’s a nice woman” she enthused quietly.

Lionel nodded his head. “I’m glad you spent time with her. I sort of like the idea of you making friends with her, then you and me could go on double dates with her and Gerard” he suggested.

“Perhaps” Alba agreed softly.

Lionel rolled his eyes slightly before he set his cutlery down, leaning a little towards her. “Are you going to tell me what the problem is or am I just going to have to guess?” he muttered, his dark eyes meeting her blues.

“There’s nothing wrong” Alba countered.

Lionel scoffed. “Alba, I have known you since we were kids, I know when there is something up with you, so why are trying to lie to me? What could be so awful that you don’t want to talk about it?” he pressed, trying to keep his voice down to avoid causing a scene in the moderately full restaurant.

Alba shook her head. “There’s nothing wrong” she noted.

“You’re lying” Lionel noted “And I don’t understand why. We were fine this morning, Alba, and now all of a sudden you’re being off with me. Did something happen whilst you were out?” he posed.

“Leo…”

“Alba” Lionel cut in “Nena, I know that there is something on your mind, so why don’t you just tell me what it is? Maybe I can help you fix it” he suggested with a soft smile.

Alba studied the warm expression on his face for a second before she shook her head. “There’s nothing wrong” she insisted “I am just having an off night I guess” she added.

Lionel let her words resonate for a moment before he shook his head, tugging himself away from her. “I have an early training session tomorrow” he muttered, carefully pulling the napkin off of his lap and setting it down on the table “I should get out of here. I’ll see you when you decide you want to talk about whatever it is that’s bothering you, if you ever do of course” he muttered as he stood up, settling a generous amount of money down the table.

“Leo” Alba sighed.

“You don’t want to talk” Lionel noted “And I don’t want to watch you sit there and tell me there is nothing on your mind when there so clearly is. I don’t appreciate you lying to my face, Alba” he noted softly before he ducked across the table, kissing her head gently “Buenos noches” he mumbled before he stepped away, leaving Alba sat at the table, her expression a little surprised.

Watching him go, she let out a quiet sigh before she peeked down at her hands, her stomach still twisting a little. She knew that they had to talk, there was no way that they couldn’t, but the idea of admitting that she wasn’t as sure of them as Lionel was unsettled her. It wasn’t ever going to be something that he took well and she didn’t want to upset him. She wanted him to be happy.