Best Mistake ︱Pedri González

24

Luciana's POV

The next day, the beach was abuzz with activity. The sun was high, casting a golden glow over the sand, and the entire Barcelona squad, along with their partners, had decided to spend the day soaking up the summer rays. It was a welcome break from the intensity of training and personal dramas.

As I approached the beach, the sight that greeted me was a lively, animated scene. There were groups scattered across the sand, everyone seemingly engrossed in their own beachside activities. The sound of laughter, splashing water, and playful shouts filled the air, creating an atmosphere of pure, carefree fun.

I spotted Gavi, Ferran, and Pedri huddled together near the water, their competitive spirits clearly in high gear. They were setting up for their tanning competition, a ridiculous but endearing attempt to outdo each other in terms of sun-kissed glow.

"Gavi, you're looking like a lobster!" Ferran teased, adjusting his sunglasses and inspecting Gavi's pale skin with exaggerated scrutiny.

Gavi rolled his eyes, grinning. "Just you wait. I'll be the toast of this beach by the end of the day."

Pedri, meanwhile, was strategically positioning himself under the sun, a confident smirk on his face. "I've got this in the bag," he said.

Nearby, Lamine, Cubarsi, and Hector were in the middle of a mock wrestling match, their laughter and playful shouts mixing with the sounds of the waves crashing. Lamine was rolling around in the sand, Cubarsi attempting to pin him down while Hector encouraged them.

"Come on, Lamine! Show them what you've got!" Hector shouted, his voice barely audible over the commotion.

Lamine managed to get a hold of Cubarsi's leg, twisting it in a way that made Cubarsi howl with mock outrage. "Never underestimate the power the Barca starboy!" Lamine declared triumphantly.

Ansu and Balde were engrossed in a heated game of volleyball with some of the others. Their serves and spikes were met with cheers and encouragement from the sidelines. The ball flew over the net, and Balde executed an impressive dive to keep the rally going.

"Nice save, Balde!" Ansu shouted, giving him a high-five. "We're going to win this for sure!"

On the other side of the beach, Joao, Frenkie, and Lewandowski were playing with a group of dogs that had wandered over from nearby beachgoers. The dogs were bounding around, their tails wagging enthusiastically as they chased after balls and sticks.

"Frenkie, throw it farther!" Joao encouraged, laughing as Flowski leaped into the air to catch the ball.

"Alright, alright!" Frenkie responded, his face lighting up with amusement as he launched the ball further down the beach.

Lewandowski, who had taken a break from the game, was sitting on the sand, petting Pedri's dog Nilo. "This is the life," he said contentedly, scratching the dog's ears.

As I approached the group, I could see Pedri's gaze fixated on me from across the beach. His eyes followed me as I walked, and even from a distance, I could sense the intensity in his stare. The sun glinted off his sunglasses, but his expression was unmistakably focused.

I quickly made my way over to the group, hoping to blend in with the lively scene. The warmth of the sun was comforting, and the sea breeze felt refreshing. I could see Frenkie waving me over as I approached, and I gave him a friendly wave back.

"Luciana! Over here!" Frenkie called out, gesturing for me to join them.

I smiled and made my way over to where Frenkie, Mikky, and Valeria were setting up a spot for themselves. They had a cooler filled with snacks and drinks, and Valeria was arranging a blanket on the sand.

"Hey, everyone!" I greeted, taking a seat next to them. "This place is packed. I can hardly recognize anyone."

Mikky laughed, offering me a cold drink. "Yeah, it's like a mini Barcelona reunion. How's your day been so far?"

"Pretty good," I said, taking a sip of the drink. "Just trying to catch up with everything and everyone."

As I glanced around, I caught Pedri's eyes again. He was standing a few feet away, his gaze locked onto me. He wasn't subtle about it; his eyes were steady and full of an emotion I couldn't quite place. I tried to ignore the flutter in my chest, focusing on the conversation happening around me.

Lamine and Cubarsi were still wrestling, their antics drawing laughter from the crowd. "Alright, alright!" Lamine finally shouted, managing to pin Cubarsi down in the sand. "I'm the champion of the beach!"

Cubarsi gave a theatrical groan, struggling to get free. "Fine, fine. You win this round. But just wait until the next match."

Gavi, Ferran, and Pedri were wrapping up their tanning competition, the three of them now sprawled out on their towels, trying to catch some last-minute rays. "Alright, who's the judge?" Pedri asked, shading his eyes with his hand as he looked around.

Ferran pretended to deliberate, then pointed at Pedri. "Pedri wins. He's got the best tan out here."

Gavi groaned in mock frustration. "I knew this was rigged!"

Pedri laughed, rolling over to face them. "I'm just that good."

I caught Pedri's eye again, and this time, he gave me a small, almost shy smile. It was the kind of smile that made my heart skip a beat. I tried to focus on the conversation happening around me, but it was hard to ignore the way his gaze lingered.

"Luciana!" Ansu called out, jogging over with a volleyball in hand. "Want to join us for a game?"

"Sure!" I said, standing up and brushing the sand off my dress. "I could use some exercise."

As I joined the game, I could feel Pedri's eyes on me. It was unsettling and exhilarating all at once. The game was fast-paced, with everyone shouting and cheering each other on. I tried to shake off the feeling of being watched, focusing instead on the ball and the fun of the game.

After a while, I took a break and sat down on the sand, feeling the warmth seep through my skin. The sun was beginning its descent, casting a soft orange glow over everything. I glanced over at Pedri, who was still with Gavi and Ferran, and saw him watching me again.

Finally, as the day wound down and the beach began to empty out, everyone gathered for a final round of goodbyes and thank-yous. Pedri walked over to where I was standing with Frenkie and Mikky, his expression more relaxed now.

"Hey, Luciana," he said, his voice casual but his eyes holding that familiar intensity. "How was your day?"

"It was great," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "Just what I needed."

Pedri nodded, a slight smile on his lips. "I'm glad to hear that. It's nice to have days like this, isn't it?"

"It really is," I agreed, looking out at the now-darker beach.

The day had been a whirlwind of activity and emotions, despite everything, moments like these made it all worthwhile.