Best friends... forever?

Chapter 17

"Mila, why are you still here? Weren't you supposed to meet Rúben tonight?"

"Yeah, but he's running late, so I'm waiting until he gets home."

"Is he the one you are texting with?" Ella says, sitting on the sofa next to her.

"No, it's Fran."

"You still talk to each other?"

"Less often than before. But he is coming to Manchester tomorrow and has asked me to meet."

"To... Oh. City is playing against Betis, I had forgotten."

"Yep" Mila says. "He's asked me to go to the game and meet after."

"And are you going to? This year you haven't set a foot at the Etihad."

"Will you come with me? Joe will probably say yes."

"Mila..."

"C'mon" she pouts.

"If Rúben finds out you are going to see someone else, he's gonna be pissed. Definitely hurt. And you just started fixing things."

"I'll tell him about it tonight. But what do you say? Fran is waiting for an answer."

"Ok, fine" Ella says after thinking about it for a few seconds. "But I have a bad feeling about this."

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"While we wait for our dinner..." Mila says. "There is something I wanted to ask you about."

"Ok."

"Would you mind if I go to tomorrow's game?"

"No, of course not! I miss seeing you there" Rúben smiles.

"Great."

"But are you going to watch me play, or someone else?"

"Someone else?"

"Someone who plays for Betis, for example."

"For Betis?" Mila asks with a nervous laugh.

"I know you are familiar with their striker. I saw you together on a photo from Cádiz."

"Oh, Fran" she chuckles. "He's just a friend."

"Then why didn't you tell me about him when we talked about the summer or having to play against Betis?"

"I don't know. It didn't seem important."

"I think it was important. You are blushing, slowly turning as red as your United shirt."

"I..."

"Mila, if we are going back to being friends, you should feel comfortable telling me anything. We should be able to trust each other."

"I just... I don't want to hurt you" she says, her voice almost a whisper.

"Why would you hurt me?" Rúben asks. But he knows the reason why. It's what he has been suspecting for a while. He just needs to hear her say it.

"Because I had something with Fran over the summer."

"Something?"

"We slept together" she says, not being able to look at him, her face burning.

"I see..."

"I'm sorry."

"Do you love him?" Rúben asks after a few seconds of silence that feel like an eternity.

"What? Love him? I just met the guy!"

"You still haven't answered me. Do you love him? Is he the reason why you are going to tomorrow's game?"

"I don't love him, Rúben. We are just friends, and he asked me if I wanted to meet after the game and catch up."

"And are you meeting him?"

"That's the plan, yes."

"So if I wasn't playing against him, you would not come to my game, right?"

"I don't know."

"Yes, you know, Mila" Rúben says, getting up from the sofa.

"What does that mean?"

"I think you should go back to Ella's."

"What?" she says, also getting up.

"I want to be alone. Please go."

"What... I..."

"Please, Mila" Rúben says, his eyes fixed on the floor.

"Fine" she says, grabbing her things and slamming the door as she leaves.

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"Mila?" Ella calls when she walks into the house, running towards her room.

"I think she was crying" says Joe, Ella's boyfriend.

"Oh, fuck."

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"Mila?" Ella says, knocking on her door. "Mila, love, are you ok?"

"Leave me alone, please" she says between sobs.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"That you were right. I hurt Rúben and now he is mad at me."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's all my fault, it's ok."

"Do you need anything?"

"I just want to be alone."

"Ok... But if you need a hug, you know where I am" Ella says.

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"Good morning, Mila" Joe says when she walks into the kitchen.

"Good morning."

"How are we feeling today?" Ella asks her.

"Good. Ready for training?"

"You don't want to eat anything first?"

"I'll pick something when we arrive."

"So... About tonight's plans" Joe says while looking at Ella, who gives him a murderous look.

"We are going to the game" Mila says.

"Are you sure?" Ella asks her.

"I'm sure. My friend is coming to visit, and I want to see him."

"What about..."

"Me going or not, isn't going to change anything, so" she shrugs.

"But this won't make things get better either..."

"I don't care. I'm not going to stop living my life because he is jealous."

"He is on his right to be jealous, tho. Jealous, mad and hurt. He loves you" Ella says.

"And, again, I'm on my right to keep living my life."

"Mila..."

"I'm driving, so don't take too long" she says, turning around and leaving the kitchen.

"Good luck" Joe chuckles.

"Thank you. I'll need it" Ella sighs, following her friend.