FROM FRIENDS TO MORE || Gavi x Pedri

Chapter 44 :: Lo Siento

The locker room buzzed with the usual post-training energy, a symphony of laughter, grunts, and the clanging of metal on metal. But for Gavi, the noise was a deafening roar, a constant reminder of the silence that had fallen between him and Pedri. He had been avoiding the locker room, knowing that the inevitable encounter would only amplify the pain that gnawed at him. But today, fate seemed determined to force the issue.

He emerged from the showers, towel draped around his waist, his heart pounding in his chest. He saw Pedri at his locker, his back turned, meticulously arranging his equipment. The sight of him, the way his shoulders seemed to slump under the weight of unspoken emotions, sent a wave of guilt crashing over Gavi. He had to talk to him, he had to try to fix this.

He took a deep breath, trying to gather his courage. "Pedri," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

Pedri's shoulders tensed, but he didn't turn around. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice flat, devoid of any emotion.

Gavi swallowed hard, the knot in his stomach tightening. "I just wanted to say... I'm sorry," he said, his voice trembling. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just..." He trailed off, unable to find the words to express the turmoil inside him.

Pedri finally turned, his eyes cold and distant. "You think saying sorry will fix everything?" he asked, his voice laced with bitterness. "You think that's enough?"

Gavi felt a wave of despair wash over him. He had hoped that seeing Pedri face-to-face, expressing his regret in person, would somehow bridge the chasm that had opened between them. But Pedri's words, sharp and cutting, only served to widen the gap.

"I don't know what else to do," Gavi said, his voice pleading. "I just want to understand. I want to know what's going on."

Pedri shook his head, his expression unreadable. "You don't get to just waltz in here and demand answers," he said, his voice cold. "You've hurt me, Gavi. You've broken my trust. And now you have the audacity to show up at my doorstep and act like you have the right to know everything?"

Gavi felt his heart sink. He had hoped for a glimmer of understanding, a hint of forgiveness, but Pedri's words were a brutal reminder of the distance that had grown between them.

"I'm not trying to demand anything," he said, his voice cracking. "I just want to understand. I want to know how I can make things better."

Pedri's gaze remained fixed on him, his eyes devoid of warmth. "You can't make things better," he said, his voice flat. "Not now. Not after what you've done."

He turned away, picking up his bag and heading towards the exit. "Go away, Gavi," he said, his voice a mere whisper.

Gavi watched him go, his heart heavy with a crushing sense of loneliness. He had tried, he really had, but Pedri's rejection was a harsh reality check. He had pushed Pedri away, and now he was left to grapple with the consequences of his actions, alone and adrift in a sea of regret.

The locker room, once a place of camaraderie and shared laughter, now felt like a prison, each echoing sound a reminder of his failure. Gavi slumped onto a bench, his shoulders slumping under the weight of his own guilt. He had hurt Pedri, and now he was left to face the consequences, alone and filled with a sense of crushing loneliness.