𝘔𝘪 𝘌𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘥

𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘳

"Stop staring at me."

Valentina couldn't help herself. She found herself gazing at the sleepy boy lying next to her. The night they had shared wasn't a mistake; far from it. They had been in love for years. The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow on his face. She smiled as he stirred, eyes still closed.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I keep you up all night?" Valentina teased, her voice light as she turned to face him, laughing.

Ferran's eyes fluttered open, a playful smirk spreading across his lips. Without a word, he reached out, grabbing her by the waist and spinning her around to face him. His fingers found her sides, and before she could protest, he began tickling her.

"Stop it!" She gasped, squirming beneath his hands. She kicked her legs, trying to break free, but it only made him laugh harder. Eventually, he stopped, leaning in to kiss her softly.

"A night I'll never forget," Ferran murmured, brushing his lips against hers.

The kiss deepened, intense and passionate, but they had to pull away eventually. Ferran sighed reluctantly. "I've got training," he muttered, still close enough to feel the heat of her breath.

As they sat down to breakfast, the two of them began guessing what Pedri could be up to at the hotel. It was a Saturday, and Ferran had to head out soon.

After he left, Valentina finally had some time to herself. She made up her mind to go to her favorite local coffee shop to work. As a fashion merchandiser for top brands, she was constantly on her laptop, juggling multiple projects.

Her phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen. It was Pedri calling.

"Finally calling your sister back?" he teased.

Valentina smiled and answered, still focused on her laptop. "Yeah, sorry, I forgot. Woke up late." She didn't care about the time; she just liked hearing her brother's voice. As long as he wasn't in any trouble, she was content.

"It's alright. How was last night?" Pedri laughed lightly on the other end.

Valentina paused for a moment, her mind wandering to the events of the previous evening. She felt a warmth spread through her chest, remembering the intimate moments shared.

"It was good," she replied, a soft smile tugging at her lips. But then, she hesitated, feeling the need to tell him something. "I'm staying there again tonight."

There was a slight pause on the line, and Valentina could hear Pedri's breath hitch. "Wait... What? Is he...?" Her thoughts raced. Was he seeing someone? What was going on?

"Yeah, I'm staying there," she repeated, trying to sound casual. But Pedri could hear the confusion in her voice. "What about you, though? What are you up to?"

"Nothing. Just needed a break from the house," Pedri responded, and Valentina knew instantly what he was trying to hide. She could read him like an open book-she knew all his little flaws, all his tells.

"Pedri," she said, voice laced with knowing amusement, "you're sleeping with someone, but I'll let you tell me that yourself."

Pedri laughed, the sound light and nervous. "Okay, okay," he said, clearly caught off guard. "You're impossible to fool."

The conversation shifted, and they spent the next ten minutes chatting about training, the upcoming pre-season matches in the US, and how Pedri was feeling about the new season. Eventually, they said their goodbyes. Pedri had to get back to training, and Valentina returned to her work.

When Valentina finally made it back to her apartment, the quiet of her space felt suffocating. It was a stark contrast to the warmth she had just experienced with Ferran. Her thoughts began to spiral, and as she sat down on the couch, the weight of everything suddenly hit her.

Her chest tightened, her breath shallow and uneven. No, not now, she thought desperately, trying to push the panic away. But it only got worse. The room felt too small, the walls closing in. She gasped, clutching at her chest, her heart racing. Get it together, Valentina.

But it was hard to focus. The pressure in her chest intensified, and her vision blurred as she tried to steady her breath.

Her phone lay on the coffee table, and she reached for it with shaking hands, desperate to hear someone's voice, to break through the isolation she felt. She scrolled through her contacts until her thumb hovered over Ferran's name.

It was silly, she knew. He was training, probably busy. He'd already spent the night with her. He didn't need to worry about her-especially not for something like this.

But she couldn't help it.

She pressed the call button before she could think any further.

Ferran answered on the second ring. "Hey, what's up?" His voice was warm, comforting, and Valentina felt a small wave of relief.

"Hi," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I was just... wondering if you could come over again tonight."

There was a brief pause on the other end. "Of course, but are you okay? You sound off."

Valentina swallowed hard, biting back the urge to explain. She didn't want to admit how scared she felt, how suffocated she was by the panic creeping in. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... don't want to be alone tonight, I guess."

"I'll be there, Val. Don't worry." Ferran's voice softened, but he didn't press for more details. Valentina appreciated that more than anything.

As she ended the call, she leaned back into the couch, trying to steady her breath. She wasn't sure why she couldn't just tell him what was really going on-why she didn't want to admit the fear clawing at her chest.

But for now, having Ferran there, even without the full truth, would be enough.

When Ferran finally arrived, he knocked on the door, a bag of takeout in hand.

Valentina opened the door, a small smile tugging at her lips as she greeted him. "You didn't have to bring food," she said, though the sight of it was comforting. Ferran was always so thoughtful.

"I know," he said, flashing her a grin as he stepped inside. "But I figured you might be hungry, and I wanted to bring something for us to share."

He set the food down on the kitchen counter and turned to her, his eyes soft with concern. "You sure you're okay?"

Valentina nodded quickly, trying to hide the weight of everything she had been feeling. "Yeah, I just... I'm glad you're here."

Without another word, Ferran closed the gap between them, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. Valentina melted into him, feeling his warmth seep into her, grounding her in the moment.

As he pulled back, his hand gently cupped her face, his thumb brushing across her cheek. "I'm not going anywhere." His voice was low, reassuring. Then, without another second's hesitation, he leaned down and kissed her-slow and soft, as if telling her without words that everything would be okay.

Valentina responded in kind, her hands finding their way to the back of his neck as she kissed him deeper. The tension from the earlier panic attack began to melt away, replaced by the safety of his presence. She didn't want to think about anything else right now-just him, here, with her.

Ferran pulled back just slightly, his forehead resting against hers. "Let's eat, and then we can relax, okay?"

She nodded, her heart still racing, but now for a different reason. "Yeah, that sounds perfect."

As they sat down to eat, the world outside seemed to fade away. And for the first time that day, Valentina felt like everything would be alright.