Football Smuts

Unspoken words ft. Cristiano Ronaldo

Everyone moved about in the room, either trying to find a partner to dance with (and eventually leave with for the night) or were coupled up speaking to others as they flaunted the eye candy on their arm even if she was just a 'rental' for the night. That was often the layout of these sorts of events which was why it grew tiring accompanying Cristiano to these things.

No one ever knew exactly who I was. Sure, I was labelled as the best friend, and I was that for quite some time, but eventually, tables began to turn and added layers of complication began to grow.

What started as a fun night of drinking with my best friend turned into sex, eventually dismantling his 'perfect', star-studded relationship with Irina Shayk. To think I had a part in the breakup that all the publications were speculating about was a bit hard to swallow. No one knew the exact reason but instead threw out their theories. Thankfully none of them included me.

It was hard to hide the feelings that were surfacing for him. After that one mistake, I would forget our drunken escapade and act like I usually did around him. It worked for the first few days when he pretty much avoided me to try and get his thoughts together. Still, when he came back around with that charming smile as if I, and him, because the blame didn't all fall onto me, didn't ruin his picture-perfect relationship, it was hard to ignore that new heart flutter. I wanted that feeling to disappear so badly.

But when Cris paraded me around like his trophy wife, his hand constantly sliding to the small of my back as he spoke to someone and rubbing soothing circles against the layer of my clothing in that spot to assure me conversation wouldn't run long when he knew I wanted to go home and kick off my heels...

...It did something to me—something it was not supposed to do.

Or when he'd drape his hand to my ear to send my spiralling bushy curls behind it to reveal my eyes because, as he said, 'They were too beautiful to be hidden behind those brown waves,' I could feel myself nearly losing it internally.

He didn't know what those little things did to me because I tried to keep a poker face, but my goodness, I didn't know how long I could keep up this act, and this was just another night I'd have to keep up the façade while he acted perfectly normal.

"You hungry?" Cris turned to me as he tightened his grip around my hand, moving through a crowd of people. Of course, they all stared, with most women revelling in his good looks up close. He was perfect visually, and I now had those same thoughts as them that I had somehow overlooked in the years of our friendship. I silently nodded while he continued to guide us through the crowds of people and to the bar of appetizers for now.

"Food should be coming out soon. You know how these things go." That I did, I had been to many of these things now that Cristiano was a single man. Someone had to join him to fight off the prying questions of why his relationship with Irina had ended.

Fate had a funny way of working because just as I thought of the woman, she was, entering the room with wide eyes from spectators who knew of the clash that was about to happen. After all, they knew, and I knew that the estranged couple were probably in the same room for the first time in a while. But Cristiano and Irina didn't.

I thought to tap his shoulder and tell him, but as soon as I turned to say something, I realized his eyes had already gravitated to her. "Oh shit," he uttered lowly, his eyes stuck on her as if he had seen a ghost. He eventually snapped out of it and lowered his eyes to me, looking for guidance. "Should I say something?"

I wanted to answer no vehemently, but I knew that wasn't what he wanted to hear, so I shrugged carelessly. "Can you come with me?"

My eyes immediately widened in fear, and I shook my head no furiously. I hadn't seen Irina since Cristiano told her about that night. I hadn't reached out to say anything, so what was I going to say now? Should I apologize to her in front of this room full of strangers? No, that would draw too much attention and pulling her to the side would do the same. I couldn't.

Cris didn't give me enough time to think of a master plan because he was pulling me by my hand towards where she walked. I gulped nervously, dreading my steps until they finally stopped right before the woman. The smile on her painted red lips dropped into a mask of anger until she remembered she was being watched, fixing those lips again to the broad smile she had on her face previously.

"Cristiano," she uttered, her tone bitter. She didn't even bother to acknowledge me by name but drove her eyes over me in disgust.

It didn't make me feel more sympathetic. It made me dull my guilt and want to grab Cristiano closer into my arms and plant a deep kiss on his lips to claim him as mine now.

But I didn't.

I instead stood there awkwardly, holding my best friend's hand. "Irina. Hi." A silence loomed until we found ourselves (nearly) alone, and Irina felt comfortable speaking.

She raised her finger and pointed to me and Cristiano's tightly interlocked hands.

"So it's official." The glint of jealousy in her eyes was apparent as she glared at our hands. Immediately, Cris did the unthinkable and dropped my hand out of his grip, leaving me stunned and dumbfounded.

"Uh...we're not a couple," he answered meekly. "Just friends."

Just. Friends.

That stung more than I thought it would, even though it was true. I had this hope that he would fumble through his words and eventually admit that he had fallen for me over the past few weeks. He was grateful for that drunken night because it had led him to the one and away from her.

But he didn't.

Irina nodded, still not quite believing the story. "Right. Just friends," she mocked.

Cris turned to me with pleading eyes. "Give us a sec?" It was clear they had a lot to talk about, but I wanted to be there. I was hoping he'd let me be there.

I nodded in understanding and began to walk away to try and find something to occupy me, so I didn't look so lonely. I found a seat at a table not too far off so I could keep the couple in my view, but as soon as I sat down, the pair found their way off to somewhere they could have privacy. I huffed, pulling out my phone to pretend to look busy.

And that's how I sat for the next 30 minutes, watching the time on my phone tick by quickly with no sign of the two. I had downed two glasses of wine while the two empty glasses were in front of me. I indeed needed a third.

My eyes lit up as soon as I saw Cris rushing back into the room, his steps a little quicker than usual and his suit jacket laid over his arm. Once he was close enough, he spoke, "She wants to talk."

My heart sank, and it was a bad combination coupled with the wine. "I told the driver to take you back to your place instead of mine so you can leave whenever. I grabbed your bag for you," he spoke as he handed over the small black clutch I had worn inside.

I sat there, unable to speak, while Cristiano cracked a smile and kissed my forehead tenderly. "I love you. Text me when you get home." And with a wink, he hurried out of the door and presumably to her.

She was leaving me there...alone.

I wanted to cry but held back the sting of tears. He had inadvertently chosen her over me, and I was stuck just dealing with the facts without any guidance or help, left trying to hide my feelings for my best friend.

It's hard to say I'm jealous of your happiness without me.