Summary: "I don't have time for boys, Taylor. Especially not football players. I want to make the most of this opportunity. Who knows the doors it can open for me."
"The ones of Rúben Dias' house are already open" she says with a smirk.
━━━━━━❃━━━━━...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
━━━━━━❃━━━━━━
When I arrive at the family and friends area, some people are already there, but the only person I recognize is Grealish's girlfriend.
"Do you need any help, ma'am?" a steward asks.
"I'm looking for my seat" I say, showing her my phone.
"This way."
I'm sitting on the left side, away from the entrance, kind of hidden from the rest. But the views of the pitch are amazing. Maybe this change wasn't that bad.
"Would you like something to drink?" another steward asks me.
"I'm fine, thank you."
As she leaves, I notice someone staring at me. Someone very familiar. No. It can't be.
"Hey, I know you" he says, walking towards me.
Ivan. Rúben's brother. Fuck.
"You are Rúben's friend! Or should I say, girlfriend" he says, lowering his voice and sitting next to me.
"Excuse me?"
"He told me. Well, he had to tell me. I can be very persistent sometimes" Ivan shrugs. Persisten, or annoying as Rúben would say. "I didn't expect to see you here. He said you usually come to his Champions League games because you are free, but that you watch them down there."
"He couldn't get my usual ticket today."
"This is a really good place to watch the game too, you'll see. Though he has also told me that you aren't a big City fan. Is that true?"
Is there anything about me that Rúben hasn't told him?
"It is, yes."
"We have theories about the team you support. Do you want to hear mine?"
"Go ahead."
"I think you support United" he whispers.
"What?" I say, almost choking.
"Ha! I knew it! Look at your face. You are as red as their shirt."
"I don't support them."
"Yeah, yeah, try to fix it now" he laughs. "But don't worry, I won't tell Rúben."
"Ivan!" Someone calls behind him. But not just someone. His dad. Rúben's dad. Help.
"I better go, I don't want your father-in-law to be mad at me" he winks. "See you around, little red devil."
━━━━━━❃━━━━━━
The game is... Simply crazy. And for the first time, I do more than worry about Rúben and enjoy watching them play. Though I think I should thank Real Madrid for that.
Like I've done during other games, I walk towards the press area, where Lucy will be waiting for me to accompany me to the parking.
"What a game, uh?" she says.
"No time to get bored" I chuckle.
"We'll see what happens on the second leg. I don't trust those Spaniards."
━━━━━━❃━━━━━━
"Hello, meu amor" Rúben says when we meet next to his car, kissing me on the cheek. "You must have enjoyed tonight's game."
"I did, yes. It helped me forget that I met your brother. This time properly."
"What? That... That shouldn't have happened."
"Well, it did" I shrug.
"What did he say? Did he behave?"
"I guess. He told me he knew we were dating."
"Ugh, I'm sorry. But I had to tell him. He has been asking about you since the year literally started."
"It's ok, don't worry. But you should have told me."
"I know, I know. I'm sorry."
"I also saw your dad."
"What?"
"We didn't talk or anything. He just looked at me from afar because he saw me talking with Ivan. But he seemed... Intimidating."
"Really?" Rúben chuckles.
"Yeah. A bit like you when you are on the pitch."
"I always thought I had my mother's temper. But anyway. Should we leave? I'm in the mood to celebrate" he says as he puts his hands on my hips, pulling me closer.
"Celebrate how?" I say, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"Well, I have some ideas. For example..."
"Rúben!" someone calls, making him jump and pull me away from him.
"Papa" he says, turning around, hiding me behind him and not letting me see who is the owner of the voice. Though I have recognized the word. Papa. Rúben's dad.
They start talking in Portuguese, but I'm not able to understand a thing. Then a woman speaks, also in Portuguese. Whatever she says, makes Rúben hid me a bit more behind him. What is going on?
They talk for a bit longer, and then he turns to look at me.
"They want to know who I am hiding" he says.
"Those are your parents, aren't they?"
"Yes."
"Are you gonna tell them about us?"
"I don't know. Are you ready for that? I don't want to pressure you or anything."
"Can we get away without telling the truth?"
"I don't think so."
Behind him, his mother speaks again, and judging by her tone, she's tired of waiting.
"Ready?" he says, offering me his hand.
"As ready as one can be" I say, taking a deep breath and his hand.
━━━━━━❃━━━━━━
"That wasn't that bad, was it?" I say as we drive to Rúben's house.
"I was shitting myself."
"Same" I laugh. "But even though we didn't understand half of what the other was saying, it kind of worked."
"It did" he says, letting out a big sigh. "They liked you. A lot. Especially my dad."
"Really? He seemed so serious all the time."
"That's the way he is. But I can tell when he likes someone."
"What about your mum? She seemed very lovely... And she reminded me of you when you get all cute and lovey dovey."
"When do I get like that?"
"All the time when we are alone, Rúben. All the time. Like Lucy said when I first met her, you are a big guy on the outside, but a softie on the inside."
"Maybe I am" he laughs. "But don't let Ancelotti know that. They may use it against me."
