Ronaldo's Daughter | Jude Bellingham

03

It was late, and the city outside Catalina's hotel window was quiet, bathed in the soft glow of streetlights. She had been tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep, her mind replaying past events. She opened her eyes again, finding the clock that rested on the nightstand. 2:40 AM.

"Fuck," She thought to herself, frustration creeping into her voice as she stared up at the ceiling. The weight of the silence in her room felt suffocating. Just as she sighed and reached for her phone, a notification lit up her screen.

Jude: sorry for getting back to you late. been training and a bunch of things happened, still up?

Catalina stared at the message for a moment, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Since they met three days ago, the pair had been texting each other nonstop. She hesitated briefly before typing a response.

Catalina: dw about it !! still up unfortunately.

Just as Catalina replied, her phone buzzed with an incoming call. She answered, her heart skipping a beat at the sound of his voice on the other end.

"Is it bad that I called?" He asked, his tone soft and a little hesitant.

Though he couldn't see her, Catalina tucked a strand behind her ear, "Why would it be?"

"It's pretty late...." Jude's voice trailed off.

Catalina chuckled softly, feeling a strange comfort in the sound of his voice, "It's all good. I wasn't sleeping anyway."

"That makes two of us," he said, a smile evident in his tone. There was a pause and then he asked, "Do you want to sneak out?"

"What're you thinking?"

"There's a walking path by the beach next to my hotel. Considering the time, it'll be empty. It's nice and quiet, it'll be good for us."

"Okay. Yeah, that sounds good."

"Let me book you an Uber," Jude offered immediately.

"Don't worry about it, I can book it myself."

"I'm not taking that as an answer," he replied firmly, a playful tone creeping into his voice. "Just tell me where you're staying."

"Alright, I'll text you the address."

"Perfect. Do you need time to get ready, or should I book it now?"

"Give me ten minutes," Catalina said, already moving to her suitcase to find something comfortable to wear.

"Ten minutes it is. See you soon, Lina," Jude said, the nickname slipping out naturally.

"See you."

Catalina ended the call, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. She quickly changed into something more casual, a hoodie and joggers. Her mother, Georgina, wouldn't be so happy to see her go out in an outfit like that, but considering the time and the fact that she's in another country, Catalina couldn't care less.

By the time Catalina was ready, Jude had texted her information for her Uber. She grabbed her room key and phone, taking a deep breath before slipping out of the room as quietly as possible.

The Uber ride was smooth, the quiet hum of the of Doha lulling her into a reflective state. Catalina found herself staring out the window, her thoughts racing ahead to what awaited her.

When the car pulled up to the hotel, she spotted Jude waiting for her under a streetlamp. The soft glow illuminated his face, casting warm shadows that made him look even more handsome. He was dressed similarly in a hoodie and joggers, his casual appearance somehow making him even more attractive.