Wrong choice (Ferran Torres)

Chapter 15

It didn't take long for Barça to officially win the league and once the celebrations on the stadium were done, the players moved to the private parties that had been organised. Both Eric and Pedri knew about Ferran's not so great situation and they were making sure he was ok. That he also had fun.

"Did you invite her?", asked Eric, pointing at the main door of the club they were at.

"Who?"

"The love of your life. Bro, you need to move on".

Ferran saw it was Anna that Eric was talking about and waved at her when she finally spotted him. "If it makes it better, I invited her boyfriend too".

"Of course you did...".

But Ferran ignored Eric and got up to meet Anna. He had seen her after the match, interviewing some of his teammates and looking so happy. Sometimes he forgot how big of a Barça fan she was, so she was obviously happy to see her team winning another league title.

"Hi"

"Hi! Congratulations, league champion".

"Thanks", chuckled Ferran, trying not to overreact hearing Anna praising him. "Where's Hugo?"

"He had to finish some work things. I'm not sure he'll be able to join us but maybe he does later. You know how this job is".

"Do you want a drink?"

Anna nodded and Ferran took her to the bar so he could order the drink for her. It had been a while since it was just the two of them. Even if they were surrounded by so many people. It felt like it was just them two there. Ferran had missed that feeling so much...

"Where's Cecilia? Haven't seen her for a couple of weeks".

"We broke up".

"You did?", said Anna, not knowing how to react to the news. "I'm sorry...did anything happen?"

"It just wasn't working".

"Are you ok?"

"Sure", he shrugged. "Not really ready for everyone to find out and talk about it but...".

Anna hated seeing the pain in Ferran's face so she hugged him. "I'll be here when you need me. Like you have been there for me".

"I know".

Because even if Cecilia and Hugo were in their lives, that hadn't changed between Anna and Ferran. They had always been there for each other. Always ready to answer a late night call when the other needed to just talk.

But even if Cecilia wasn't in the picture anymore...Hugo was.

"Hey there!", he said when he found his girlfriend hugging Ferran.

"Hi! I wasn't sure you were going to make it".

"I'm here. Congrats on the title, Ferran".

"Thanks", said Ferran, always feeling uncomfortable when Hugo was around.

"I won't hug you like Anna does, though", they could all tell that was a joke but...not really.

"That's fine...I'll go back with the boys. If you want a drink, tell them it's on me so they don't charge you".

"Thanks, mate", told him Hugo, already turning to face Anna and hug her.

Ferran needed to get away from there. That image of Hugo kissing her cheek while Anna smiled would be stuck in his head for days. Like it had happened other times.

"Everything ok?"

"Yes", said Anna, taking a sip of her drink.

"You and Ferran seemed to be having a moment".

"Yeah...eh...he's broken up with his girlfriend. He's going through a lot so I wanted to give him my support".

"Of course. Was it a bad break up?", asked Hugo, pretending to be worried.

"Not really. It just didn't work anymore".

"It happens".

Despite it being a party, both Ferran and Hugo didn't feel like celebrating. Especially Hugo. So when Anna joined another group at the party, he took that chance to go talk to Ferran.

"So you broke up with your girl?"

"Yes".

"Are you going to try to go after mine now?", asked Hugo, going straight to the point.

"What makes you think that?"

"I'm not blind. Everyone knows you like Anna but she's dating me. Me. She doesn't need the problems you would cause".

"Problems?"

"Not being taken seriously again because of you. Besides...Anna needs a man who looks after her. You're just a stupid fucking child".

"Then why do you feel so threatened by me?", now it was Ferran feeling feisty and moving closer to Hugo.

"I'm not threatened, Torres. I'm threatening you. Anna is mine".

"She can decide that herself".

"She already has. She knows you would have sent that girlfriend of yours away if she told you to and still chose to be with me".

And it was those words that really hurt Ferran. Because he knew it was true. Anna had already chosen. And Ferran had to accept that.