Unexpected (bayern munich)

Chapter 6

At practice the next day, Cat and Natalia sat together outside pouring over new recipes that the two had pulled, comparing caloric, fat, and sugar counts for each.

"I have to tell you something," Natalia said, in a hushed tone. She had hardly slept the previous night, trying to figure out what to tell Manuel if somehow Thomas or Lisa let slip the web of lies that she created.

"It's about Manuel," she added when Cat didn't look up from her work. At the mention of Manuel, her eyes shot up to meet hers.

"Natalia! You're talking about him!" she said shocked, smiling and nudging her.

"What?" Natalia said, confused by her reaction.

"You never talk about Manuel! Okay, you have my attention, what's happening," Cat asked, crossing her legs and facing Natalia.

"I...it's complicated," Natalia said fiddling with her pen.

"Just start from the beginning! Like, are you guys even dating?" she asked inquisitively

"I...don't know? We just get along really well...and I haven't thought about our relationship that seriously, and I think that's good for us for the moment," Natalia said carefully, "I enjoy his company, and he enjoys mine and I think that's good enough for both of us for now."

"Okay, so what's so complicated about that? You're both in a good place...," Cat said furrowing her eyebrows.

"So...Okay. Please don't tell anyone about this, because I don't know who's ass could be on the line, but I'm telling you this in confidence, not as a coworker but as my friend," Natalia said anxiously.

"Okay, you're scaring me. I promise I won't say anything. You didn't kill anyone, did you?" Cat said staring at her, eyes wide.

"No, nothing like that," Natalia said smiling a little, "Last week I found out Lisa's expecting," Cat's eyes lit up, "But it's not Müllers."

"WHAT!" Cat yelled, attracting the attention of a few people nearby.

"Shh!" Natalia warned, returning smiles to the stares of people around them.

"It's not his. She met someone when they were in Brazil, and I walked in on her crying and she was a mess and told me everything and then two days later Müller found the test and she looked so lost and sad and I covered for her and then he apologized and promised he wouldn't tell Manuel, but Manuel and I don't have sex so if he says anything to him, he'll know," Natalia said in one breath, "So basically I need to figure out a way to tell Manu so he doesn't panic if Thomas says anything to him," she finished exhaling.

"Damn," Cat said, "Wait, you and Neuer haven't done the dirty?" she said smirking at Natalia.

"Cat, focus," Natalia said shoving her but a smile growing on her face, "No we're not together."

"Okay. Well first of all, you should confront Lisa. I know she's not feeling well, but if she's planning on keeping this kid, she needs to tell Thomas now, before things get out of hand. It's not your responsibility to keep everyone happy, you shouldn't have even been involved in this," Cat said thoughtfully.

"I'm just happy I told someone, Muller keeps looking at me like I'm made of porcelain," Natalia said, making eye contact with Pep as the rest of the team followed him onto the pitch.

"We should go tell them about the winter diet," Cat said pulling together the pages they were poring over.

Natalia nodded and collected the folders in a box they brought out with them, along with their laptops and bags.

"Are you sure you should be carrying that?" Thomas asked her quietly as Natalia walked past him

"I'm fine, Thomas, thank you," Natalia said shooting Cat a glare See?!

 

"Let me," Thomas said taking the box from her and following Cat to where Pep stood.

Manuel shot Natalia a quizzical look to which she just smiled and shrugged Jesus. What a mess. She needed to talk to Lisa.