You Loved Me Once

08: Drunk

“You look nice, Alba” Eva mused as she stood in the door way, her eyes wandering over Alba who was still messing with her hair in front of the mirror. She had been at it for a while, it had taken her almost 2 hours to put together a complete outfit, and Eva knew it was just nerves. It had been a while, Alba hadn’t been on a proper date for a long time, and Eva could tell that she was apprehensive, even if Alba wouldn’t ever admit it, she knew that she was worried about the night ahead of her.

“You’re sure?” Alba posed “Because I was thinking of putting my hair up. I’ve been toying with it…”

“Alba, you look amazing” Eva mused, cutting off her babbling.

Alba shook her head. “I might cancel” she muttered softly.

“Alba…”

“Hector’s nice, he really is, but I am not sure about this, Eva. You saw his face” she murmured softly.

“Alba, the man is your ex” Eva reasoned softly “He’s bound to be a little irked, but that shouldn’t stop you, Allie. Hector’s a nice guy, a handsome one too, and you’re well within your rights to go out with him tonight. Leo will merely have to deal with it” she insisted gently.

Alba shifted a little.

“Alba, Hector’s gorgeous” Eva insisted “And you’d kick yourself if you didn’t go, even if you do only see him this once, it’s been a long time no?” she pressed.

“Eva” Alba warned.

“I’m just saying, so what if the guy is a one night stand? You need to start somewhere” she enthused before she peeked down at her watch “Come on, I said I’d give you a lift to the studio” she added, offering her hand out to her friend.

Alba eyed it dubiously before she took it, following Eva through the house towards the door. “I’ll go and grab my keys” Eva enthused before she skittered away. Alba watched after her friend briefly before she sighed, shaking her head quietly to herself. She knew that Eva had a point, she did need to start somewhere, but still the idea of a date left her feeling a little uncomfortable. She had never really done it before, with Lionel, they’d been friends first and so things had come naturally to her, but the idea of being out with a man she knew very little about made her slightly nervous.

“You look nice”

Alba, who’d been a little lost in her thoughts, looked up, her blue eyes mirroring Lionel’s. “Do you like sneaking up on me?” she posed.

“I was on my way out to collect some food for dinner. Oscar invited me to stay the night” Lionel retorted.

Alba frowned a little.

“You’re stood beside the door, Alba” he added, gesturing to the door behind her.

Alba nodded.

“You really do look nice, Alba” Lionel complimented softly “I did always like you with your hair down” he added.

Alba blushed, shaking her head a little.

“You’re going out with the dance instructor, aren’t you?” he posed softly.

“I am” Alba confirmed.

Lionel nodded his head quietly.

Alba watched him, not missing the slightly pained expression that moved over his features before Eva padded back into the room, her car keys in her hand. “You ready, Alba?” she posed, eyeing Lionel slightly warily.

Alba offered the footballer one more look before she nodded her head. “As ready as I’ll ever be” she noted.

“Be careful” Lionel noted gently.

Alba nodded. “I will be. Adios, Lionel” she noted before she followed Eva out of the house and towards her car. Lionel leant against the door frame for a moment, watching her before he let out a small sigh, trying his hardest to swallow the sensation of jealousy that twitched inside of him. He knew that he shouldn’t have felt it, Alba hadn’t been his girlfriend for years, but still it irked him. She looked amazing and he hated the mere notion that Hector would get the chance to kiss her or hold her.

~#~
“You look like you’re about to vomit, Alba” Hector smiled as he poured a glass of water for her “Are you OK?” he posed.

Alba, who was sat nervously across from him, shook her head. “You’re going to think I am being stupid” she noted.

“Try me” Hector enthused. It hadn’t been long, he and Alba had only been together for about 20 minutes, but it hadn’t taken long to notice that she wasn’t quite herself. She was quiet, unsure, and Hector wanted to relax her, even if their date was merely the start of a friendship, he wanted her to feel comfortable around him.

Alba fiddled shyly with the napkin over her lap before she shook her head. “This is, technically, my first date” she admitted.

Hector lifted his eyebrow. “What?” he posed.

“I dated…a guy before” she noted, stopping herself from adding Lionel’s name “But we were friends for years before we started to go out. I never really thought of the nights he took me out as dates, just us hanging out” she explained softly.

Hector nodded. “I get that” he noted “But there’s no need to be nervous, Alba. I am not expecting anything out of tonight, just to enjoy dinner with a beautiful girl” he enthused.

Alba’s cheeks warmed.

Hector grinned. “You’re not used to be told you’re beautiful?” he teased.

“It’s been a while, let’s put it that way” Alba mused, sipping on her drink softly.

Hector nodded. “Well, here’s to a good night” he mused, toasting his glass “And to your first official date” he added.

Alba smiled shyly and clinked her glass with his, pleased that he was as kind as he was.

~#~
“You have to be quiet” Alba giggled as she led Hector up the path “Eva and Oscar will be asleep and I don’t want to wake them” she added, slipping the key that Eva had given to her into the lock.

“You live with them?” Hector teased.

“I’m staying with them” Alba corrected “I go home to Barcelona in 3 weeks, after their wedding” she mused as she pushed the door open, tugging Hector alongside her. It had gone well, at dinner, Alba had found Hector intelligent and charming, and when he’d suggested they make their way to a bar, she had been more than happy to agree.

Hector nodded. “3 weeks” he mused as they stumbled into the living room “That’s not long” he noted.

“Nope” Alba quipped, popping the ‘p’.

Hector nodded. “So, I guess I will just have to enjoy what time we do have together” he enthused as he stepped towards her, his hand softly cupping her cheek.

Alba smiled up at him tipsily. “I guess you will” she teased.

Hector offered her a small smirk before he leant down, pressing a kiss against her lips, something Alba was more than eager to respond to before the light of the hallway was flicked on, causing her to jump back.

Hector blinked a little, his green eyes adjusting to the light before he spotted Lionel, not missing the expression on his features.

“I think you ought to go” Lionel noted.

Hector eyed the footballer briefly before he nodded. “I should. Buenos noches, hermosa” he mused as he pressed a kiss against Alba’s cheek, leaving her and Lionel stood in the hall way.

Lionel watched the dance instructor out of the house before he turned on his heel, making his way back towards the couch where Oscar and Eva had set him up for the night.

Alba shook her head. “You have some nerve” she shot as she followed after him, slipping her feet out of her shoes.

“You’re not exactly sober, Alba” Lionel noted, not looking back at her “I didn’t want you to regret it in the morning” he added.

Alba scoffed. “And what right do you have to make that call for me?” she spat.

“I’m looking out for you” Lionel shrugged, settling down the couch “You’ve never been the one night stand kind of girl” he added.

“Because you know me so well?” she spat, stepping towards him.

“I know you better than anyone” Lionel countered “5 years is a long time, but you’ve not changed. You’re still my Alba” he insisted.

“I’m not yours” she spat “You saw to that” she added.

Lionel shook his head softly. “You should go to bed, Alba” he noted gently.

Alba shook her head. “You know, I wish I had never met you” she spat.

Lionel lifted his head, his expression unreadable.

“I hate that every one of my memories is somehow connected to you. My first kiss was you, my first time was with you, and I hate it. I hate that I can’t just forget you” she hissed, a few tears appearing in her eyes.

Lionel was quiet for a second before he pushed himself to his feet, his hand gently resting on her cheek before he leant in, kissing her softly.

Alba startled at the feel of it, briefly contemplating pushing him back, before she leant into him, allowing him to pull her a little closer before he leant back, his hand brushing the blonde hair out of her face as he studied her expression. “Don’t tell me that you don’t feel that” he murmured “And don’t tell me that you hate what we had. I fucked up, Alba, I concede that, but for a long time, I made you happy and you know that” he insisted.

Alba blinked a little.

“You really ought to go to bed, Alba” Lionel noted as he stepped away from her.

Alba shook her head and stretched her hand out, catching his hand before she pulled him back to her, pressing her lips to his. “You ought to come with me” she babbled softly.

“Alba…”

Alba cut him off, kissing him softly once more.

Lionel enjoyed the kiss before he stepped back, offering her a small shake of his head. “Go to sleep, Alba” he murmured.

Alba pouted a little before she pressed another brisk kiss to his lips, making her way up the stairs.

Lionel watched her go and sighed, doubting that she would be so keen on him the following morning.
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Thanks to FootieJo and Jayme112234 for the comments :)