𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩 || 𝔩𝔬𝔳𝔢 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔰𝔦𝔫

CHAPTER 3

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The Barcelona night was cool as Marina sat on her bed, her phone pressed to her ear, chatting with Vanessa, her best friend back in Portugal. The sound of Vanessa's excited voice filled the room, a stark contrast to the quiet of Marina's thoughts.

"Wait, wait, wait. You have beef with a famous soccer player? Marina, spill the tea! Who is it?" Vanessa's voice was animated, her interest piqued by Marina's revelation.

"Well, it's sort of one-sided, but it's with Hector Fort," Marina replied, her tone tinged with annoyance as she recalled their recent encounters.

"Hector Fort?! Girl, he's like a dreamboat. You're living the dream, Marina. And all thanks to your brother being João," Vanessa exclaimed, her admiration for Barcelona's star players evident even over the phone.

Marina sighed softly. Vanessa was right, of course, but it didn't make her frustration with Hector any less valid. She recounted the incidents with him, describing his arrogance and the unsettling feeling she got around him.

"Hmm, sounds like he's flirting with you," Vanessa mused, her voice taking on a teasing tone.

"Flirting? No way. He's just... arrogant," Marina retorted, shaking her head even though Vanessa couldn't see her.

"Well, sometimes guys are mean to you because they like you. Trust me, I've seen it in movies," Vanessa countered, her voice full of mischief.

Marina rolled her eyes at her friend's romantic notions, unconvinced. Just then, João walked into her bedroom, his presence catching Marina's attention.

"Who are you talking to at this hour, Marina?" João asked, his voice gentle yet curious.

Marina quickly explained it was Vanessa on the line, prompting Vanessa to try her hand at flirting with João.

"Hey, João! Your sister never told me how cute you are," Vanessa flirted shamelessly, her voice slightly louder over the phone.

João chuckled, clearly amused by Vanessa's audacity.

"Thanks, Vanessa. But you should find someone your own age to flirt with. Marina needs to get some sleep," João replied, his tone playful yet firm.

"Alright, alright. Don't worry, João. I'll let her go. But remember, Marina, keep an eye on Hector Fort. He might surprise you," Vanessa said with a final laugh before bidding them goodnight.

As Marina hung up, João lingered in her doorway, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Vanessa always knows how to brighten your day," João remarked, his voice warm with sibling affection.

"Yeah, she's a handful. But she's right about one thing. Hector Fort is definitely not my type," Marina admitted, her thoughts returning to the enigmatic soccer player.

João's expression turned serious as he stepped closer to Marina, concern etched on his features.

"Just be careful, Marina. I know you're curious about Hector, but some guys like him... they're trouble. Trust me on this," João advised gently, his voice tinged with worry.

Marina nodded solemnly, grateful for her brother's protective instincts.

"I will, João. Thanks for looking out for me," Marina said softly, touched by his concern.

With a reassuring smile, João bid her goodnight and left Marina to ponder his words, the Barcelona night now quiet and contemplative around her.

### Chapter 3: Restless Thoughts

Even after saying goodnight to João, Marina found herself unable to sleep. The glow of her phone screen beckoned to her, and with a hesitant sigh, she picked it up. Opening her messaging app, she navigated to Lamine's chat and tapped out a simple "hii."

Lamine responded quickly with a friendly "hey marina," accompanied by a Snapchat of himself in bed, mirroring her own late-night dilemma. Marina couldn't help but smile; Lamine was undeniably cute.

"What u up to?" she messaged back, trying to distract herself from thoughts of Hector.

"Can't sleep," Lamine replied. "thinking bout ur cookies," Marina sent back a laugh emoji, grateful for the light-hearted distraction.

Then came another snap from Lamine, and Marina's heart skipped a beat. Hector was lying shirtless next to Lamine, fast asleep, his features softened in repose. Marina couldn't deny he looked beautiful in that moment, devoid of his usual cocky smirk.

"Your roommate?" she typed quickly, trying to mask her surprise. Lamine confirmed with a casual "yep! He snores loudly," and Marina found herself chuckling at the mental image.

"Anyways, Lamine, good night," she typed, adding a heart emoji. Lamine responded in kind, and Marina set her phone aside, her thoughts swirling with the unexpected glimpse into Hector's quieter side.

As she finally closed her eyes, sleep began to claim her, but Hector's serene expression lingered in her mind, stirring a mix of curiosity and confusion. What did it mean that Hector and Lamine were friends? And why did seeing Hector like this affect her more than she cared to admit?

・❥・