Wrong choice (Ferran Torres)

Chapter 14

Four months later

Ferran had hoped that seeing Anna dating someone else could help him move on...but it did the complete opposite. He was happy to see her happy but he couldn't be fully happy himself. And he couldn't keep lying to Cecilia. That situation had gone on for too long.

"Looking moody again? What's gotten into you now?", she complained when she got to Ferran's and saw his expression.

"We should break up".

"What?"

Cecilia had stopped worrying about Ferran dumping her when she found out about Anna dating Hugo. But it still happened...

"I'm sorry but this isn't working. It isn't fair for you, or for me, to force each other to pretend this is a relationship".

"Speak for yourself", said Cecilia, raising her voice. "I'm willing to work for this relationship. I have been doing it for months while you were too busy thinking about your perfect Anna".

"This isn't about her...".

"She is with someone else, Ferran. You can't have her!"

Do you think I don't know that?, he thought. "It's not about Anna. It's about us...".

"You're making a big mistake!!"

"Sorry but...I don't think I am".

Cecilia started to cry and Ferran tried to hug her but she slapped his arms away.

"Ceci...".

"Don't! The moment I saw you two in that interview, I knew it was over".

"I told you it's not about Anna", he repeated.

"But the thing is that I didn't expect you to be stupid enough to dump me now she's gone with someone else. Have fun being alone while you see her being happy with Hugo. You never deserved me and you probably don't deserve her either".

Ferran stood in the middle of his living room and only hearing the front door slam shut made him react. He noticed something on the floor. The keys to his house he had given to Cecilia. Well, she wasn't going to need them anymore...

But her words would stay with him because she was right. Seeing Anna being happy with Hugo was going to feel like a stab to the heart every single time. But it also showed him how right it was to end his relationship with Cecilia. He shouldn't be lying to her, pretending to be happy in their relationship, when it was Anna that he loved.

"I heard the news", said Pedri when Ferran got out of his car the next day.

"News?"

"You and Cecilia".

"How do you know that?"

"I might be seeing one of her friends and she might have told me off because you dumped her", shrugged Pedri.

"Well, sorry".

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah", sighed Ferran. "It was the right thing to do".

"Doesn't make it easier. I know it's Anna that's been in your head since you two met but you and Ceci were happy too".

"We were...but I couldn't keep lying to her. Or to myself".

"Are you going to tell Anna?"

Ferran thought about it. Should he tell Anna? She would find out soon enough when Cecilia told the press so...

"I don't know".

"Maybe if you tell her, she'll dump that guy she's seeing too and you can be together".

"She's happy with him, Pedri. I'm not going to try to break them up".

"Then maybe we should concentrate on winning the league soon and celebrating. We could meet some girls and just have fun. Not thinking about relationships or anything".

"You're good at that", pointed out Ferran. "Me...not so much".

"I'll teach you".

"I don't know...and weren't you seeing one of Ceci's friends?"

"It's just something casual. She knows that", shrugged Pedri while his best friend shook his head.

But Ferran took part of his advice and concentrated on football. He wanted to finish the season well at least. And scoring the winning goal at the next match helped with that goal he set for himself.

It also meant Anna would interview him. But she wasn't alone.

"Hi Anna. Hi Hugo".

"Hey", said Anna, smiling brightly at him. "That was a great goal. Congratulations".

"Thank you".

"She'll interview you in a minute. We're having some technical issues", told him Hugo.

"No problem".

Ferran saw the way Anna and Hugo were working together and felt the same pain he always felt around them. But she's happy... he reminded himself.

"We'll win the league soon. You'll come to the party, right?"

Anna looked up at Ferran. "Sure".

"You too, Hugo?"

"I'll be there".

"Cool. I'll make sure to put your names on the list".

At least she's happy, he kept thinking once the problem was fixed and Hugo kissed Anna quickly before leaving her with Ferran to do the interview. But should someone who just scored the winning goal in a big match feel so sad?