Playing Pretend (Pablo Gavi)

Chapter 12

When Carolina was warming up, she looked up at the stands to spot Fermín. But he wasn't there. The match still wouldn't start for another 20 minutes but Fermín was always there early. Odd.

"You ok?", asked Aitana.

"Yes. I was just looking at the stands".

"Your boy isn't there yet?"

"I told you he's not...".

"Yes yes yes, he's not your boy. But he isn't there and you're pouting".

"Whatever".

Carolina rolled her eyes but Aitana was right. She was moody because Fermín wasn't there. But then she realised he was supposed to drive Gavi to the match too so maybe they were late because of that. So that meant she was now moody because neither Fermín nor Gavi were there. Great.

When the match started, they still weren't there but she had no time to be staring at the stands. Carolina needed to concentrate on the match. On letting her talent talk louder than the stupid rumours about her dating life.

After halftime, the team got back out with a 4-0 lead. But Carolina felt that was the day she could score a goal. As a defender, it wasn't really her job to score but the other team's defence was so high on the pitch that she had a few chances already on the first half.

"You can relax ", said Aitana and Carolina looked at her. "He's here now".

Carolina smiled but wondered why Aitana didn't mentioned anything about Gavi being there too. Maybe she didn't find it weird. Or maybe it was because Gavi wasn't there but Carolina didn't want to get distracted so she didn't notice that.

"Fuck! No!"

Carolina fell to the floor after feeling a pinch on her thigh. She knew it was bad. But wasn't going to allow anyone to know that.

"You need to stop playing", told her the doctor, not wanting her to risk getting a worse injury because of playing at a match that the team was already winning by a 6 goal difference.

"No, I can keep playing".

"You can't", said the doctor.

"I...".

"Don't give them something else to talk about", said Alexia, offering a hand for Carolina to take so she could get up. "Go to the dressing room and punch the walls if you want to. But don't give them more reasons to hate you".

Carolina nodded, thanking her captain, and followed the doctor to the dressing room.

"Are you ok?"

Carolina saw it was Fermín who spoke. He was waiting outside of the dressing room for her. "Come inside, they'll do more tests now and we can find out the great news together".

Fermín put Carolina's arm over his shoulders while he held her waist so she wouldn't put too much weight on her injured leg.

"Hamstring", announced the doctor. "A month out probably. Maybe longer".

"I'm sorry. I can drive you home if you want to", offered Fermín and Carolina noticed something.

"Don't you have to drive Pablo home?"

"He couldn't make it. A specialist he has wanted to see for a while had an appointment available for today. So he had to go. He was sorry to miss the match".

"Ok. Maybe better he wasn't here".

"Why?"

"Seeing me getting injured could upset him and remind him of when he got injured".

Fermín smiled seeing her worry about Gavi. They both cared so much for each other even if they didn't notice. Or even if they denied it.

"Let's go. We could order some food and watch those crappy movies you like".

"Says the movie expert. The Fast and the Furious franchise isn't winning any awards anytime soon".

"Right. But Bridgerton will...".

"Shut up", told him Carolina, slapping his chest and making him laugh.

"Shame Gavi isn't here. He loves period dramas and you could watch that with him, cuddling under a blanket...".

"What's gotten into you?"

"I'm so glad Gavi isn't here", he said, trying to imitate her voice. "Seeing me injured could be so upsetting for my fragile Gavi who I love so much...sorry, your Pablo. Because he isn't Gavi to you. You were there for him before the Gavi nickname even existed".

Carolina stopped walking to stare at Fermín. Why was he acting like that? But also...he was right. She had said that. Well, not all of that but she had mentioned she was glad Gavi wasn't there because of her injury. An image of the day she saw Gavi after he got injured popped up in her mind and that was why. It still hurt to remember how sad he looked.

"Why are you so stupid?"

"Why can't you accept you care about Gavi and that you always have?"

"I...".

"He cares about you too, you know?", said Fermín and that shut Carolina up.

Because it made her think back to when Gavi confronted Miguel. He wouldn't have done that if he didn't care. And she guessed there were other moments when it looked like he cared but Carolina dismissed them because she was too busy pretending to hate him.

"Cool. Should we go home? I'm hungry and need a shower".

"You're not afraid of your feelings for me, Caro. Even if people make up shit about us, you don't care. You don't hide. So...why does loving Gavi scare you so much?"

"Why are you doing this now?", she was starting to get fed up by his behaviour. She had just gotten injured and was feeling way too vulnerable to deal with all of that right now.

"You invited him to the match. You worry about how things can affect him or hurt him. It's nothing bad, Caro. It's fine. You don't have to run away from those feelings. He shouldn't run away from his feelings either".

"Just take me home, Fermín. I'm tired and my leg hurts".

Fermín shook his head but felt happy about the progress they had made that day. He was making progress with Gavi too. If he hadn't managed to get them to confess their feelings for each other by the end of the season, he would be disappointed. And he had also made a bet with Aurora, who was adamant her brother was going to keep denying his love for Carolina. But Fermín knew better. By the time the season ended, Carolina and Gavi would have started dating. He knew it.