Caught up Between Two Loves

“Come on Rachel. She’s going to throw the bouquet!” Gina said grinning excitedly and grabbed my arm pulling me out of my seat.

I shook my head refusing to get up. “No, I’m just fine right here…Besides, I don’t believe that catching a bouquet means you’re going to get married. It’s ridiculous!” Oh, how I wish I believed that.

She groaned and turned to the person next. “Fernando, please tell your girlfriend to come! Don’t you want to marry her?” That question caught us off guard as Nando nearly choked on his drink. I glanced at him and saw his cheeks turning into different shades of red.

“Well…I…” His gaze was on me and a smile formed on his face. He leaned in kissing my cheek then whispered in my ear “Go.” I was stunned. Did that mean he wanted to marry me? Or was it just for the fun of it? Fernando noticed that I wasn’t responding so he started stroking my cheek. That snapped me out of my thoughts.

“I’ll go and when I come back you will tell me about that eye.” I said firmly and he sighed then nodded in defeat. Before getting up I pecked his lips and joined Gina who had been waiting this entire time.

“Finally! Let’s go.” She ushered me over a group of single women, most of them wanting desperately to catch the bouquet. I rolled my eyes and joined them waiting for Jennifer to throw it. I wasn’t going to attempt to catch it. If it flew right at me I would grab it, but I doubted that.

*Fernando's P.O.V.*

I stood up and walked over to the small crowd watching and waiting to see who would catch the bouquet. It didn’t matter to me if she did catch it or not. I knew that woman was the one for me and when the time is right I will propose to her. I was going to let her fulfill her dream first.

All were anticipated and Jennifer being a tease pretended to throw the bouquet twice which disappointed the small group of women. I laughed along with the others and after calming down, Jen was serious this time. As she was about to throw it, my eyes landed on Rachel who looked indifferent. That made me frown slightly, but I shook off all the negative thoughts as the bouquet was in the air.

Obeying the laws of gravity, it came down and everyone laughed at the excited ladies jumping to catch it. Then something unexpected happened which made my eyes widen. The bouquet landed in Rachel’s arms and she grabbed it before it fell out of her grasp. She was flushing red and some were happy for her hugging and congratulation her meanwhile the others huffed and left with a glare.

I couldn’t move until I felt several taps on my back and shoulders. The guys were congratulation me and the married ones kept saying ‘good luck’. I nodded thanking them then Xabi jumped on my back followed by Pepe and I nearly fell. “Woah!”

“I can’t believe you’re getting married!” Xabi exclaimed grinning and sang the wedding tune with Pepe.

I laughed stopping them. “First, you two sound awful. Second, what gave you that idea? Sure, Rachel caught the bouquet, it’s not like I proposed to her.”

“Yeah yeah we know. But I’m sure you will soon. It’s not like she will marry anyone else. Face it you two are made for each other.” I blushed at what Pepe had said and they both laughed in a teasing manner.

“I don’t plan on marrying her anytime soon…” I was about to continue when they both shook their heads at me. I looked confused and Pepe pointed behind me. There stood Rachel with a frown on her face and a tear fell down. “Rachel, it’s not…” She threw the bouquet at me blocking my view. Once it fell after hitting me, Rachel was walking away about to leave.
I ran after her calling her name. She already made it outside, in the halls, and I being fast caught her before she headed to the elevator. “Rachel, please list-“

“Here!” She yelled taking off the promise ring I gave her and threw it at me. I caught it then grabbed her arm a little too tight so she couldn’t escape.

“Would you please let me explain?”

“What is there to explain? You clearly made your point that you don’t want to marry me.” She tried to wriggle out of my grasp but failed.

“Don’t you want to know why I said that? I didn’t get to finish my sentence and you stormed off.”

She started to cry harder getting the wrong idea again. “Don’t you think saying that you don’t want to marry me is enough? You want to make me feel even worse, don’t you?”

“No. Will you just hear me out? Yes, I did say I didn’t want to marry you now. I don’t want to marry you now. I want you to go to Manchester and live your dream first. If I did propose to you, it would be hard on you and me. I do want to marry you and be with you forever, but I’m just waiting for the right time.” I said then breathed out. I put the ring back on her finger and planted a kiss on it.

*Rachel's P.O.V.*

I didn’t know what to do as I stood then stunned by his words again. The way Fernando looked at me told me that he was telling the truth and that black eye of his made it more effective somehow. Then I did the first thing that came to mind…I hit his arm. “So, I was crying over nothing?!” Now, I was mad.

“If you stayed and listened to me, this wouldn’t have happened.” Fernando said in his defense.

“Well, you would have done the same if you were in my place.”

“Yeah you’re right. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.” I had calmed down and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’m sorry for overreacting and why do you have to be so considerate?” I said jokingly and he shrugged wrapping his arms around me and smirked. “I didn’t say that to boost your ego, you know.”
Fernando playfully glared at me and I leaned in kissing him softly. “I know.” He said after pulling away. “Come on let’s go back inside.” I still kept my hold on him which made him turn to me.

“Not so fast…Before we go in, I want you to tell me how you got a black eye if it wasn’t an accident. You promised.”

He sighed and nodded. I leaned back against a wall and glanced around to see no one. “So?”

“It happened last night at Jamie’s having fun. After a few hours we heard a knock. Stevie opened it and looked pissed.” He stopped looking at me and I urged him with my eyes to carry on getting curious. “It was Ronaldo…”

I cut him off. “Oh please, don’t tell me you two got in a fight again?”

“Last time wasn’t a fight, I punched him and it was the end of it. He wanted revenge and punched me in the eye and I took a swing at him then the guys stopped the fight. So, it was the first fight.”

“You know that this is all your fault. You had to hit him at that time, didn’t you?”

“You know why I did it and he had no right to say those things before.”

I sighed. “Fine. At least this is all over now. He got hit and you got hit, end of. We don’t want you injured for the Euro Cup next week.”

That made him smile. “So, you’re finally rooting for Spain.”

I rolled my eyes. “Only because England couldn’t make it.” And our argument was over.

“Right, use that excuse.”

“You want the truth? I’m rooting for Spain, because Xabi threatened me to.” I noticed how his smile turned into a frown. “You were waiting for me to say you, weren’t you?” I smirked.

“Pshh, no.” Fernando denied it and I pulled his face to mine kissing him passionately. He smiled through the kiss and before it went any further I pulled away.

“Well as long as you don’t kiss him like that, it’s all good.”

I laughed and hit his arm playfully before getting back to the party.