THE PLAYERS SERIES : S.M. {book 2}

XVIII

Kristie quite literally ambushed me. 

As the four of us were dancing in the middle of the club after taking yet another drink, my sister insisted so that I'd come with her in the toilets. Only, when we reached them, she just pushed me in a dark corner, staring at me with her 'we're about to have a serious conversation' glare, which ultimately wasn't good news for me. 

Shrugging, I just ask, letting alcohol speak:

"What?"

Kristie smirks, visibly amused.

"When were you gonna tell me about your little crush, Sammy?" 

"I beg your pardon?" I ask, truly surprised. 

Of all the stupid things she could've said, that's probably the worst of them all, I think to myself, immediately thinking about my recent breakup with Pat. 

"Yeah, right, play the dummy" Kristie continues, quite angry, "but you could've told your own sister why you really left your husband."

"What?" I repeat, truly surprised, "but I told you everything: we weren't on the same page anymore, and-"

"- and you've actually set your views on someone else? Yeah, you forgot to mention that."

"Kratch, I promise you, I ain't got no crush or anything" I insist, as if I was interrogated by a cop for something I didn't do, "I would've told you."

"Don't you think I see the way you look at her?" 

My eyes going wide, I just frown and honestly say:

"I have literally no clue who you're referring to, Kristie. But whoever it is, you're wrong: I've got no crush, I just left my husband and it broke my heart."

"Yeah, right"

I've rarely seen my sister so angry, especially at me: last time was when I broke one of her Barbie's arms while playing with her, thinking it would be a good idea to land it to our dog and pull when he bit it. 

As Kristie was about to walk past me, I grab her arm, forcing her to turn around. 

"Alcohol is making you delusional, Kratch" I say, very calm. 

Rolling her eyes, my sister says:

"I just wish that, out of all people, you would've come to me - I am the LGBTQIA+ expert of the Mewis clan, damn it!"

"But, Kri-"

"Whatever" my sister angrily lets out, before turning around and walking out of the toilets. 

What is she even talking about? I ask myself, truly surprised. Of course, deep down, I knew what she was referring to, but I was too scared to actually even begin to think about whatever earthquake was occurring inside of me. 

When I go back to the dance floor, Kristie barely even looks at me and tells Lucy they should head home because she is tired. We call a cab, and while I am the first one dropped off at my apartment, I just sit down on the sidewalk, burying my face inside my hands.

It's one of the first times Kristie and I won't see each other for a long time while also being mad at each other...

***

"Ay, Mewie, alguien tuvo una fiesta anoche" Aitana comments, openly mocking me. {English: someone had a party yesterday}

Next to her, Ona just smirks and adds, staring at Sandra, playfully stating:

"If you manage to score against San' today in your state, I'll buy you a drink the next night out"

"Shut up" I just mumble under my breath, feeling like I was about to puke any time. 

We were sitting on the ground, performing some stretching routines, getting our bodies prepared for tomorrow's Champions League game against Zürich. The whole team was here, although dispatched into small groups. I found myself with Aitana, Ona, Keira and Ana-Maria, who were all laughing together. 

At some point, however, Keira sits down right next to me and asks me in a low voice:

"Can I ask you something?" 

Frowning - we had never really talked outside of the field, where we get along well - I just nod my head, responding:

"Sure."

She is hesitant at first, but ends up pushing herself to say:

"How is Lucy doing?" 

Throwing her a darker look than intended, I just ask, on the defensive:

"Why you wanna know?" 

"No, it's not what you think..." Keira says, and for the first time I see a softer side of her. She actually seemed pretty disturbed when she goes on explaining herself: "I know she's engaged to your sister, and I'd never get in their way... again... {she adds, under my suspicious look}, but sometimes I just... miss her, you know."

"And you are telling me this because?" I ask, ruthless.

"I just want to know if she's happy."

"She is" I end up admitting, nodding my head. 

Keira slowly nods hers as well, before hesitantly saying:

"I am happy for her, then. You know, I've messed up big time, back when she was at Manchester with Kristie, too. I became this possessive monster, I could barely recognize myself... and now, harm has been done, and there is nothing I can do to take that back."

"And you're telling me this because...?" I repeat, raising my eyebrows. 

Sighing, Keira only says:

"I don't know - you're easy to talk to, I guess. But I can stop, if you want."

Something in her eyes reflected pure sadness. 

You're not a bitch, Sam, although you tend to forget about that, I think to myself, feeling suddenly pretty guilty for being so harsh on someone that just looks like she is heartbroken and alone. 

Sighing, I just answer:

"No, it's fine, I'm sorry. It's just... you've been such a jerk."

"I know" Keira lets out, letting a small laughter out, which I then come to do as well, "and I wish I could take it all back and leave them alone. But I can't travel time, so..."

"What changed?" I ask, curious, "I mean, for you to do your mea culpa like that now?"

Keira smirks. 

"Let's say... someone opened my eyes."

Nodding my head, I just realize how much alike Keira Walsh and I actually were - minus the creepy ex-girlfriend era - and how she seemed to be a good person deep down. I just smirk, as we keep on talking through our exercices.

From time to time, my eyes would wander through the room to find her, but as soon as she'd look this way, I'd ignore her - my toxic trait is avoidance whenever something messes with my mind... or someone.

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Get to know the players: Ona Batlle