Forced Than Loved ★ Pablo Gavi

₂.₈

★☆★☆★

Familiar Feeling

★☆★☆★

I forced myself to move, step by step, the pathway to the front door feeling longer than it ever had before. My injured foot ached, a reminder of how fragile I still was, how much this could hurt if it all went wrong.

When I finally reached the door, I lifted my hand, hesitating.

Just knock.

My knuckles grazed the wood, the sound barely registering over the pounding in my chest.

And then, I waited.

Anxiously.

Heart in my throat.

★☆

The door opened within seconds, revealing Pablo. His eyes met mine, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them before he offered me a small smile. He shifted to the side, silently inviting me in. It felt strange, almost surreal, to be knocking at the door of the place I had once called home. The very same door I used to walk through freely, the threshold that had once been ours. Now, I was a visitor to the house of the person I sadly now call my ex.

Stepping inside, I was met with an overwhelming wave of nostalgia. Nothing had changed. The walls, the furniture, even the small trinkets I had once carefully placed on the shelves, all untouched, frozen in time. It was as if the house had been waiting for me, holding its breath, hoping I'd return.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and removed my shoe, placing it neatly by the door, just as I always had. My steps were slow as I made my way into the living room, every corner of the house whispering memories back to me.

Pedri sat on the sofa, his attention fixed on his phone. When he noticed me, his expression brightened, and he immediately stood, pulling me into a tight hug. His embrace was warm, familiar, and grounding.

"Hey, Cassie," he said, pulling back slightly to glance down at my leg. "How's your leg?" His eyes lingered on the brace wrapped around it, concern evident in his gaze before looking back at me awaiting my response.

"It's fine," I reassured him, offering a small smile. "Still hurts from time to time, but nothing too bad."

He nodded, and together, we walked toward the couch. I eased myself onto the cushion, the ache in my foot flaring slightly as I adjusted. Pablo followed silently, taking a seat beside us, leaving a cautious gap between us. That space felt heavier than it should have and to be honest more awkward than I would have thought. A soft sigh escaped my lips as Pedri grabbed the remote, his energy light and undeterred. "What are we watching?" he grinned.

His words struck a chord. This, this moment, the three of us together in this house, it brought me back to the nights Pablo and I would curl up on this very couch, wrapped in each other's arms, sharing whispered laughter and quiet moments after a busy day, him training and I either modeling or looking for movies to act in.

F L A S H B A C K

"Hola, mi amor," Pablo murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek as he stepped into the living room. His presence alone was enough to make my heart feel full. I smile as I see him walk in, honestly the best part of the day is when we see each other at night ready to just cuddle and relax

I took the takeout bag from his hands and set it down, carefully unpacking the containers of food. A moment later, Pablo returned from the kitchen with plates, setting them down before sliding onto the couch beside me.