Best Mistake ︱Pedri González

57

Luciana's POV

I was busy packing up my things when I noticed Pedri walking toward me. He had that familiar smile on his face, the one that always made me feel like things were easy between us, even when they weren't.

"Hey," he said, adjusting his bag on his shoulder. "You have any plans after this?"

I looked up, curious. "Not really. Why?"

Pedri glanced down for a moment, then met my eyes again. "Well, Fernando's back In Barcelona. He's been asking about you... and we're going for lunch. Thought maybe you'd want to join us?"

My heart warmed at the mention of Fernando. Pedri's older brother and I had always been close, but after Pedri and I broke up, I hadn't seen him at all. I missed the easy conversations and the way Fernando always made me feel like part of the family.

"Really?" I smiled, already feeling excited. "I'd love to. I've missed seeing Fer."

Pedri's smile grew wider. "Great. He's waiting for us outside. We'll head over to one of his favorite spots. You know how he gets when it comes to food."

I chuckled, remembering Fernando's picky eating habits. "Yeah, let's not keep him waiting then."

We walked outside to find Fernando leaning casually against the car, scrolling through his phone. As soon as he saw me, his face lit up, and he opened his arms wide.

"Luciana! Finally!" Fernando exclaimed, pulling me into a warm hug. "It's been way too long. I was starting to think you forgot about me."

I laughed, hugging him back tightly. "I could never forget you, Fer."

He pulled back and grinned at his brother. "You're lucky I still like her, Pedri. Otherwise, I wouldn't have agreed to this."

Pedri just shook his head with a smirk. "Right, because you're so difficult to please."

"Hey," Fernando said, holding up a finger. "I have high standards, especially when it comes to people like Luciana. She's top-tier."

I smiled, feeling at ease with their playful banter. It was just like old times.

"So, where are we eating?" I asked, changing the subject.

Fernando glanced at Pedri. "You didn't tell her?"

Pedri shrugged. "I figured you'd want to keep it a surprise."

Fernando grinned mischievously. "I found this new spot that does amazing seafood. You're gonna love it, Lu."

We all piled into the car, chatting about training, Fernando's travels, and all the things we'd missed out on in each other's lives. It felt natural, like no time had passed.

When we arrived at the restaurant, the three of us took a seat by the window, the sun filtering in and casting a warm glow over the cozy interior. Fernando wasted no time ordering a selection of dishes for the table, and I could tell he was excited to share his new favorite spot with us.

"So, Lu," Fernando started, leaning back in his chair after placing the order. "What's been going on with you? I feel like I haven't heard any of the good stuff."

I smiled, appreciating how easy it was to talk to Fernando. "Oh, you know, just the usual. Work's been busy, and life's been... interesting."

Pedri shot me a quick glance, but I didn't elaborate.

Fernando raised an eyebrow. "Interesting? Care to share what that means?"

I shrugged, trying to keep things light. "Just a lot of changes recently. Some good, some not-so-good. But things are getting better."

"Well, that's good to hear," Fernando said, then pointed his fork at Pedri. "And this one? He's not causing you too much trouble, is he?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "No, not at all. He's been great, actually."

Pedri looked slightly embarrassed, but he smiled. "I try."

Fernando smirked. "You better be. She's a gem, Pedri. Don't mess it up again."

The playful jab made us all laugh, but there was a seriousness behind Fernando's words that I didn't miss. He always had a way of being protective without being overbearing, and I appreciated that about him.

As the food arrived, we dove into conversation, catching up on all the little things that had happened since the last time we'd all been together. Fernando told stories about his travels, making us laugh with his over-the-top descriptions of the people he'd met and the food he'd tried.

"I swear," he said between bites of shrimp, "there was this one place in Italy that served pasta in what looked un-edible. I thought it looked disgusting but nope, that was the meal."

Pedri and I burst out laughing, and I could feel any remaining tension between us melting away with every shared story.

After we finished eating, Fernando suggested we take a walk around the city. It was one of those rare days where the weather was perfect—crisp but not too cold, with the sun shining down on us as we strolled through the narrow streets.

"I miss this," I said softly as we walked side by side. "Being with both of you. It feels like old times."

Fernando nudged me playfully. "Well, it doesn't have to be old times. You're welcome to hang out with us anytime, Lu."

Pedri nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we don't have to be strangers."

I smiled, feeling grateful for this moment. "I'd like that."

As we passed a small park, Fernando suddenly stopped and pointed to a bench. "Alright, I need to take a break. You two go on ahead if you want, but I'm sitting down."

Pedri and I exchanged a glance, and I could tell he was trying not to laugh. "You're such an old man, Fernando."

"Hey, I'm just wise," Fernando shot back, settling onto the bench. "You two go enjoy yourselves. I'll catch up."

Pedri looked at me. "Want to keep walking for a bit?"

I nodded, and we continued down the path, leaving Fernando behind. There was a comfortable silence between us for a moment before Pedri spoke up.

"I'm glad you came today," he said, his voice soft. "It feels good, having you around again. And I know Fernando missed you too."

I smiled, glancing over at him. "I missed this too. You guys were always like family to me."

Pedri looked down at his feet for a moment, then back at me. "I don't want things to be weird between us anymore, Lu. I'm trying to make things right, you know?"

I stopped walking, turning to face him. "I know, Pedri. And I'm trying too. It's just... a lot, sometimes."

He nodded, understanding in his eyes. "I get it. But I don't want to lose this. Whatever this is."

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his words. "I don't want to lose it either."

We stood there for a moment, the sounds of the city buzzing around us, and I realized that maybe, just maybe, we were starting to find our way back to each other. It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't easy, but it was a start.

After a while, we headed back to where Fernando was waiting for us. He looked up from his phone with a grin. "You two took your time. What'd I miss?"

"Nothing much," I said, sharing a small smile with Pedri.

Fernando stood up and stretched. "Well, whatever it was, you both look like you're in a better mood."

We all walked back to the car, the conversation flowing easily between the three of us again. As the sun began to set, I couldn't help but feel like maybe things were finally starting to fall into place.

I felt hopeful.