Mi campeón - Carlos Sainz (EN)

Chapter 8: August 24, 2023

The dawn of the following day unfolded with a peaceful atmosphere for Talia. Upon waking up, bathed in the first rays of sunlight, she realized she was sharing her bed with her British friend. There was nothing spectacular to imagine. The two friends had simply fallen asleep while watching a series, exhausted from their eventful day.

Lando: Did you sleep well, Talia?

Talia: Yes, quite well. And you?

Lando, stretching lazily: Like a baby. It seems the sun is reminding us that it's time to start a new day.

Talia got up and stretched, facing the morning light.

Talia: (teasing) I think you should get ready, or you might be late for your training.

Lando: Promise, I'll get moving. But not before...

He left his sentence hanging, catching Talia's attention as she looked at him intrigued.

Talia: Not before what?

Lando: Not before we talk about what you carefully avoided last night.

A knowing smile spread across Lando's face, announcing an inevitable conversation.

Talia rummaged through her wardrobe for a comfortable outfit for the day, pretending not to understand what Lando was talking about. With a smirk, he assured her that he didn't want to force her to address the issue but would be delighted to see the duo of "substitute mama bear and substitute papa bear" talking.

Lando: So, what's up with Carlos?

In response, Talia grabbed a pillow, threatening to hit him, but she ended up collapsing on the bed, covering her face with the pillow.

Lando, with curiosity: Come on, tell me. I'm sure it's interesting.

Talia, between muffled groans from the pillow, eventually managed to articulate that Carlos had invited her to dinner.

Lando, surprised: Dinner!?

He shook her slightly by the shoulders, clearly astonished. Talia nodded in affirmation.

Lando: Wow, that's unexpected. So, what do you think about it?

Talia, partially removing the pillow from her face: I don't know... I mean, it's complicated for me, you know that.

Lando, sympathetically: Yeah, I understand. Serious relationships aren't really your thing. But if it can make you happy, why not?

Indeed, love and Talia were a complex combination. She had had two or three significant men in her life, but each relationship had been complicated, and most of the time, Talia ended up hurt. She had a natural tendency to flee when things got serious. Flirting appealed to her initially, but anxiety quickly took over, pushing her away.

Talia, reflecting, replied to Lando: "To be honest, I'm not stressing about it too much at the moment. I'm trying to go with the flow, you know."

Smiling, Lando suggested: "Well, why not list the pros and cons? It might help you see things more clearly."

Thinking aloud, Talia started with the negatives: "Well, he's famous, has tons of women at his feet, including gorgeous models. And then, he's a pilot, so his life is all about traveling and taking risks all the time."

Lando nodded, adding with a teasing smile: "True, but you can compete with those appearance-obsessed girls. You're worth much more than that."

Talia smiled shyly, not responding directly. Lando gently encouraged her to continue.

She then listed the positives: "He's got a monstrous charm, a gaze that can melt anyone on the spot. He's as gentle as a lamb, super protective too. His laugh, even if it's a bit ugly, is incredibly contagious. And then, he's got this caliente accent that gives me shivers."