Wrong choice (Ferran Torres)

Chapter 22

When Anna woke up on New Year's day, she wondered for a second if someone was hitting her head with a hammer because of how much it hurt.

"What did I do?"

And that wasn't Paula's place. It was one of Ferran's guest rooms. The one she stayed at months ago. While she was still trying to open her eyes for more than 10 seconds, she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in".

"Morning!", said Paula too brightly and soon noticed her friend's hangover needed more of a lower voice tone. "Sorry. How are you feeling?"

"Dead".

"I could bring you some food to have here. I'm sure Ferran won't mind".

"Why are we here?", asked Anna.

"You were too drunk so he let us stay. Pedri stayed here too so we're all at Hotel Torres".

Anna chuckled and got out of the bed, groaning when she noticed how truly hangover she was. "I need the toilet. I'll be right back".

Paula was waiting for her friend to get back inside the room so they could chat.

"I know it's not the time but...everything ok? With Hugo?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"You're one of those drunks that talks a lot, you know? And kept going on about how Hugo wasn't at the party and kind of showing how hurt you were by his absence".

"It's...", Anna sighed. "It's complicated. We're fine but I feel he hasn't been really there for me lately, you know? Like...he is working so much, I don't see him a lot. And then he didn't want to come to the party but was ok to go see his brother. When he was feeling bad apparently".

"I was surprised he was ok with you being here alone, actually".

"Why?"

"I don't know, Anna. Try to guess", said Paula, rolling her eyes. "You should have seen him last night. He didn't move from your side the whole time, making sure you didn't drink even more. And he took you to bed, not me".

Anna didn't need to ask who he was. "Who undressed me?"

"Probably Ferran. I doubt he would have allowed Pedri to do it", laughed Paula. "He was so cute trying to flirt with me. Pedri, I mean. Not Ferran. I'm flattered, actually. But yeah...I much rather be hit on by Mapi if I had to choose a Barça player".

Even if laughing hurt her head, Anna was thankful that Paula was trying to make her stop thinking about Ferran getting her ready for bed. Why couldn't she remember that?

"I'll put my shorts on and we can go have breakfast. Well, you and I. And Pedri maybe. Ferran doesn't eat breakfast".

"You know him sooo well...".

"Shut up", said Anna, pushing Paula lightly and making her laugh.

"I was your New Year's kiss, you know?"

"Really? Now that's something I wanted to remember".

"You just kissed my cheek. Such a tease!", joked Paula.

Anna kissed Paula's cheek again and grabbed her hand to hold it on their way to the kitchen.

"Morning, ladies!", greeted them Pedri. "What do you want to eat?"

"I need coffee, please", told him Anna.

"I'll make some toast for the both of us", said Paula and raised a finger to her lips when she saw Anna about to complain. "You need to eat. Shush!"

"Yes, mum".

"Where is Ferran?", asked Paula and Anna was grateful someone said it before she had to.

"He left earlier", said Pedri, not looking at them.

"To go where?", now it was Anna who asked.

"Morning run. You know that silly shark mentality. No breaks and whatever. I'm not a shark, so I'm here with two beautiful ladies. So who's the real winner?"

Paula shook her head when she saw Pedri winking at her. "Still a lesbian, González. And that one is taken".

The three of them kept eating their breakfast and then they all went back to their rooms to get ready to leave Hotel Torres. Anna asked Pedri if it would be ok for her to leave the t-shirt Ferran gave her to use as pyjamas in his room and he said yes. So she finally got to see inside of Ferran's room. It seemed weird to do it while he wasn't there but she was very curious too.

It was just a room...but it also wasn't. Anna tried to see as much as she could without being too nosey and then placed the t-shirt on his bed and turned back to leave. But when she opened the door again, she found Ferran outside of the room.

"Hi. Sorry. I...Pedri told me I could leave the t-shirt you gave me last night here".

"It's ok. How are you feeling?"

"Awful", she laughed and saw a half smile on Ferran's face. "Thank you for letting me stay here and looking after me".

"I didn't look. I swear".

"What?"

"When you took your clothes off. I didn't look".

"Of course. Thank you".

Ferran moved to the side so Anna could get out of the room and he got inside of it once she was out.

"I'll go home now. Happy new year, Ferran".

Hearing those words reminded him of the way she had said it last night and of his confession to her that she clearly didn't remember. "Happy new year to you too. You deserve all the happiness so I hope it's a good one".

"Thank you. I hope it's a good one for you too".

When Anna walked to Paula's room, she tried not to cry. And her friend could tell.

"What is it?", but she could guess and so she didn't ask more questions and just hugged her friend.

The weeks passed and once again Anna and Ferran had drifted apart a little. It happened everytime they got too close to each other. They just tried to protect themselves from being hurt more...but it also hurt to be away from each other.

Pedri had noticed and invited his friend to go out with him. They had three days off and he had a date to go to a new club in Barcelona. But Ferran refused to go, claiming he didn't want to third wheel. But he just preferred to stay home feeling sorry for himself.

While Pedri was at the club with his date, he thought he saw someone who looked familiar.

"Is that?", he muttered to himself. "No, it can't be".

"What are you talking about?", asked the girl he was with.

"Do you mind if we move closer to that area?"

"Umm...I guess not".

So they did and Pedri got his phone out. He was sure of what he was seeing but maybe if he tried to take a photo and zoom in on the scene...

"Fuck!", he screamed when someone pushed him and made him drop his phone.

"Is it broken?"

But he didn't care if it was broken or not. He was just mad that he couldn't see them anymore.