If You Love Me

Tossing onto his side, Gerard let out a small groan, his blue eyes settling on his phone which sat on the end table, vibrating irritatingly against the wood. It wasn’t unexpected, with Spain’s first group game due to kick off in a few hours, part of him had been expecting the phone to ring, but still he was a little irked that it had disrupted his nap, even if he wasn’t surprised by the call. He had been hoping that he’d have the opportunity to sleep a little more.

Sparing a small yawn into his hand, he sat up a little before he moved to lift the phone into his hands, a small smile appearing at the corner of his mouth at the sight of Nora’s name on the screen. It was still a little awkward, after their latest moment, things still felt a little tense, but he was confident that it would settle down, even if it did take a little while. He was sure that they’d get back to normal eventually.

Pushing a hand back through his hair, he allowed another soft yawn to fall out of his mouth before he lifted the phone, pressing it against his ear. “You know, you disturbed my nap” he quipped, his voice bright and teasing.

“I did?” Nora posed “I didn’t mean to. I can call back…”

“I’m teasing you, Nora” Gerard interrupted with a small laugh “I was half expecting you to call anyway. You tend to call before I play a match away from Barcelona” he added softly. It was a routine of theirs, whenever he played a match outside of Barcelona, Nora tended to call and wish him good luck, and Gerard had to admit that he looked forwards to her calls, even if they did often consist of small talk. He liked that she made the effort to call him.

Nora scoffed a little. “I could stop calling if you prefer” she quipped playfully.

Gerard spared a small laugh before he shook his head. “It’s Ok” he noted “I mean, I don’t mind you calling that much” he added playfully.

Nora let out a small sound, something which made Gerard certain that she was rolling her eyes, before he shook his head, a small amused smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. “You know that I am kidding, Nora” he noted softly “You know I look forward to you calling” he added gently.

Nora was quiet for a few seconds, as if mulling over his words, before she spoke again. “How are you feeling?” she posed softly “I mean, it’s a pretty big game” she added gently.

Gerard paused, not missing the fact that she had skipped over his last comment, before he shook his head. “I’m feeling OK” he noted “I mean, the warm up match against Georgia didn’t exactly go to plan, but we’ve been working hard and I feel confident. I think it will be alright. Are you going to watch?” he asked gently.

“I am” Nora confirmed softly “Emilia and Mateo are having a few people over for it and a…a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to go” she added gently.

Gerard tilted his head, not missing the slight hesitation in her voice, before he shook it, a small frown playing at the corner of his mouth. “A friend?” he posed gently.

Nora was quiet for a moment before she let out a soft sigh. “He’s a friend of Mateo’s” she noted softly “A few days ago, Emilia and Mateo set me up on a lunch date with him and since then we’ve been texting each other on and off. He’s a nice guy” she added, her voice slightly hesitant and uncertain.

Gerard’s frown deepened, his ears ringing with her words, before he cleared his throat. “You’re dating?” he quipped, his voice as bright and teasing as he could make it. It had hurt him, hearing that Nora had met someone had knocked him for six, but he knew that he couldn’t question it, even if it did sting. She wasn’t his girlfriend.

Nora snorted a little. “I wouldn’t go that far” she mumbled softly “I mean, we first met at an awkward lunch date that my sister and brother-in-law tricked us both into, but Dani…he seems nice” she babbled softly.

Gerard blinked a couple of times, trying to swallow the lump which had appeared in his throat, before he shook his head. “I’m sure that he is” he noted gently “I mean, I doubt that Emilia would have set you up with someone that she didn’t like. I’m sure he’s a nice guy, Nora” he added softly.

Nora scoffed, quipping something about not putting it past her older sister, before the sound of a knock on Gerard’s bedroom door reached his ears, causing him to look up, his blue eyes settling on Sergio Busquets who stood in the doorway. “We’ve got to get downstairs, Gerard” he noted softly.

Gerard nodded his head gently before he flicked his attention back towards his phone. “I have to go, Nora” he noted softly “I’ve got to get downstairs for a meeting before we leave for the stadium. But I will speak to you later?” he posed gently.

“Of course” Nora confirmed “I’ll call you after the match. Good luck, Gerard” she enthused warmly.

“Gracias” Gerard mused softly before he hung up the phone, moving to slip it into his pocket as soft sigh fell out of his mouth. He knew that it shouldn’t have bothered him, for a while, he and Nora had been skirting around whatever it was that was between them with neither of them coming close to making a move on the other, but still the idea that she was going on a date stung him, even if she had denied that that was what it was. He had little doubt that that was what Dani thought it was.

“Nora?”

Gerard, who’d been focused on slipping his feet into his shoes, looked up at the sound of Sergio’s voice “Huh?” he posed softly.

“It was Nora on the phone, wasn’t it?” the midfielder posed.

Gerard simply nodded his head.

Sergio offered him a small look, slightly perturbed by his lack of response, before he shook his head. “Are you alright?” he posed softly “I mean, you’re quiet and that’s not like you. Normally, we can’t shut you up” he teased, trying to lift the mood.

Gerard offered him a small look, briefly contemplating talking to him, before he shook his head. “I’m fine” he noted gently “Nora’s call disturbed my nap and I am still a little tired, but I am sure that I will wake up and be back to annoying you before long” he teased with a small smile.

Sergio offered him a slightly dubious look, not missing that his smile looked a little forced, before he shook his head, mumbling that they had to get downstairs. Gerard nodded his head in agreement before he followed the midfielder out of the room, trying to ignore the knot which had appeared in the pit of his stomach.