Catch me when I fall (Rúben Dias)

Bonus chapter 3

Meeting Grace (Rúben's POV)

"Now look this way...perfect. We are almost done. Don't worry".

"Cool. Great".

Doing photoshoots like this is still so odd to me. It isn't the same people I already know from the club or national team. It's too high production for me. But we're almost done...though I heard that half an hour ago too. So hard to know what to believe.

Doug, who I'm sensing is the main guy here, approaches me with a big smile on his face. He's been looking so stressed out the whole time. Maybe we're really done.

"Rúben, hey. Sorry to keep you waiting but we had a bit of a situation. But it's fixed. I found someone who could interview you. Follow me".

"Sure".

Before I have time to put a shirt on, yes it was one of those shoots, I see a woman open the door. And the moment she sees me, she gasps and turns around, covering her face with her hands. I chuckle while I put my shirt on, listening to her apologies. It's a cute reaction after being ogled at for a couple of hours.

Doug introduces us to each other and we move to do the interview. Grace is clearly not comfortable and she apologises telling me she wasn't supposed to do this and had to get the questions ready too quickly.

As much as I feel bad for her I'm happy she's the one interviewing me. She's gorgeous. And there's something about her that makes me want to know more...so I ask about her.

"I think maybe we should stop talking about me and finish the interview, please. We don't have long and I need to go back to my job", she says and I try not to let my disappointment show too much.

"Of course, sorry. What's the next question?"

We finish the interview too quickly for my taste. And when she leaves, I feel that's a chance I missed. I feel Grace is someone I would have liked to know. But I don't even know who she is or where she works. Or if I'll see her again...until a post on social media shows me what her Instagram is. And I have to check it.

She hasn't been in Manchester for long. I knew her accent sounded different but still can't place all British accents. Seeing her photos, I could have noticed how pretty she was. But having seen her in person, I know photos don't do her any justice.

However, what I notice the most is how sad she used to look. It seems to have gotten better but her eyes looked so sad in all her photos from London. I wonder what the story behind that is. But mostly, I'm glad it seems to be getting better for her.

**

A couple of months later, the magazine I did the shoot for is finally published. Who knew these things took so long? And I'm invited to a party to celebrate the launch. It sounds a bit extra but then I ask Doug if everyone who worked at the shoot will be there and he says yes. Well, that means Grace will be there. So I say I'll be there too.

Once the cover is posted on social media, it gives me an excuse to follow Grace. And I need to know if she'll be at the party so I DM her using all of this as an excuse too. She isn't dumb, she'll know what I'm trying to do but I don't really care. I just want to see her. And when I do...

"I don't need to introduce you again, do I?", laughs Doug and Grace laughs shily too.

"Hi, Rúben. Good to see you".

"Same. I was worried you weren't going to make it".

"Traffic was bad".

"Yeah...you look great", she blushes, looking down at herself and thanks me for the compliment. But those words don't begin to cover how stunning she looks.

I want to talk to her more but someone takes me away. Great. And when I look back at her, I see Doug has joined her and they're talking. I hope he won't tell her about how I asked to be seated next to her. He said no to me which shocked me a bit. I'm the guest of honour, I expected people to do everything I said. But he just said no. I wonder why.

The night really is boring. Photos, interviews, people talking to me I don't want to talk to, ...and no Grace, when she's the reason why I said yes to being here.

"Are you the only person I don't have a photo with?", I tell Grace while tapping her on the shoulder.

"What? Rúben! Hi. I...I guess. You've been busy".

"Can I be honest with you?"

"Sure", she answers, a curious look on her face.

"If I had known how this party was going to be, I would have rejected the invitation".

She laughs and I get a lot of satisfaction from being the person who made her smile. I keep looking at her eyes and they look so much happier than they used to. I'm glad. "It looks like all glamour from the outside, but it's exhausting and boring when you see it from the inside. I get it".

"And I didn't get to chat with you at all. I almost felt like you were avoiding me".

"Oh, I was. I thought you wouldn't notice".

"Stick to fashion. Comedy isn't your thing".

She blushes after hearing my joke and then...she tries to leave. No!

"But I barely saw you", I complain.

"Maybe that's for the best", she says, leaving. And so I have to follow her.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you want from me, Rúben?"

What? "I...nothing. I just wanted to hang out with you. I thought you were really nice during our interview and I at least know you a bit. Most people here are total strangers".

She's making herself so small and I don't like it. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable, I just wanted to get to know her. But I guess that tells me a bit what might be going through her head. She doesn't trust me. Someone must have hurt her and now she doesn't trust easily. And that person probably hurt her a lot, hence the sad eyes.

"Sorry. I guess I don't trust people easily and now I was rude to you. Just...forget it. Forget how I just embarrassed myself", she tells me. And her honesty surprises me.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Grace. You did nothing wrong", I say and grab her arm to stop her from leaving again. "I get I'm a footballer. You're probably right if your first instinct is expecting the worst".

"Still, I'm sorry. I'll let you go back to your party. Have fun!"

No Grace, you're not leaving like this...

"Let's start over", I tell her when she's already grabbed her coat to leave.

"What?"

"Hi, I'm Rúben. Nice to meet you".

We shake hands and she plays along, which makes me smile. "Grace. Nice to meet you too".

"Let's get to know each other. I still don't have that many friends here. I could use one".

"I could use a friend too".

"Perfect".

When she leaves, I'm still staring at the door. I know this won't be easy but I'll get her to trust me. I'll be the friend she needs. I'll be there whenever she needs me because I saw the sadness coming back to her face and I didn't like it. I don't want Grace to ever be sad again.