OFFSIDE

100

❝ Fairytales don't always have a happy ending, do they? ❞
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Pablo's POV
The night is warm, and there's a buzz of excitement in the air as Elena and I arrive at Pedri's place for his birthday party. We step inside, and the familiar hum of laughter and chatter fills the room. The place is alive with energy, and I can already tell it's going to be one of those nights where everyone lets loose a little.

Pedri spots us from across the room and makes his way over, a wide grin on his face. "Hey, glad you guys could make it!" he says, giving me a quick bro hug and Elena an awkward hug.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," I reply, glancing around at the crowd that's already gathered. There's Frenkie and Catalina over by the drinks table, deep in conversation with Julieta, who's holding a glass of wine. Fermín and Ansu are at the back, laughing about something, probably already a few drinks in. Alejandro and Ferran are talking to Lamine, who has his arm around a petite girl with dark hair and a pair of glasses.

"Who's that with Lamine?" Elena asks, nodding in their direction.

"Oh, that's Jules, his new girlfriend," Pedri says, leaning in a bit so we can hear him better over the music. "That's the girl he bought the necklace for."

Elena's eyes light up with interest. "She's really pretty. I'm going to say hi."

I watch as she makes her way over to them. I turn back to him and raise an eyebrow. "So, what's the plan for tonight?"

Pedri grins mischievously. "We're just going to go with the flow, man. But I think we should definitely start with some drinking games to get everyone in the right mood."

I laugh. "Sounds like trouble. Let's do it."

We head over to join the rest of the group, who are now gathered around a table with an assortment of drinks laid out. Elena is already chatting animatedly with Jules, and I catch snippets of their conversation as we approach.

"I've always wanted to visit Lebanon," Elena is saying. "The culture, the food... it all sounds so amazing."

Jules smiles, pushing a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "You should definitely go someday. It's a beautiful place, and the food is incredible. Everything else is shitty, but I miss it sometimes."

"Jules, right?" I say, stepping up beside Elena and extending a hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Pablo. Most friends say Gavi."

"Nice to meet you too, Gavi," Jules replies, shaking my hand with a friendly smile.

Lamine looks at me and grins. "Gavi, man, you're just in time. We were about to start a game of 'Never Have I Ever.'"

I groan inwardly but laugh it off. "Alright, let's get this over with."

We all gather around the table, the drinks ready, and the anticipation growing. Frenkie takes the lead, holding up his glass. "Alright, everyone knows how this works, right? I'll start. 'Never have I ever...'" He pauses dramatically, his eyes gleaming with mischief, "...skipped training to stay in bed."

There's a collective groan as nearly everyone takes a sip, except for Lamine and the four girls, who raises his glass high and proud. "What? I'm dedicated!"

There's a round of laughter, and I can't help but join in, the mood infectious. As the game goes on, the questions get more daring, the laughter louder, and the drinks stronger. It's one of those moments where you forget about everything else—no pressures, no worries, just friends enjoying each other's company.

"Never have I ever been caught sneaking out," Catalina says with a smirk, her eyes darting over to Frenkie, who takes a slow, deliberate sip of his drink, earning himself a round of teasing.