Invisible string (Robin Le Normand)

Chapter 4

Leire had never wanted to move away from her hometown. The idea of being away for a few months, or maybe a whole year abroad during her uni years, sounded ok. But she couldn't leave forever. Not that she was doing that now. Her stay in Madrid was also temporary.

"You got everything packed?", asked Gorka, who was travelling with her to Madrid. At least she would have a friend there with her.

"Yes. Did you call the taxi to come pick us up?"

"It'll be here in ten minutes. Let me take your suitcases downstairs".

"I can do it...".

But Gorka didn't listen and took the suitcases anyway. Leire just picked up her laptop bag and made her way downstairs to wait for the taxi.

"At least the flight isn't too long", said Leire when they sat down on their plane seats.

"I hope you brought something to keep you entertained because I have work to do".

"So you'll ignore me? Rude".

"I'm working on promoting your book so I think that's not rude at all. Quite the opposite".

"It's an impossible job", she sighed. "So sorry about that".

"Stop with this pity party, Leire. Everything will be fine. I'll make sure of it".

"I wish I could be as positive as you are".

And Leire was trying to be positive. She was also terrified of having to meet Robin again. Not just meeting him again...but she was going to stay in his house. They had stayed at each other's places before but they were friends then. She didn't know how her heart would react to seeing him again.

When Leire and Gorka got their suitcases, he led her to what she thought was the wrong exit.

"Where are you going? The taxis are the other way...".

"We're not taking a taxi. Robin sent a car for us", clarified Gorka and Leire just nodded.

Robin sent a car...but he didn't pick them up. Not that she expected him to do it but it was another reminder of how they weren't friends anymore. He would have never sent a car for Leire before. Robin always picked her up from the airport, the library, from home, ...

"Last chance to change your mind", told her Gorka while he held the car's door open for Leire to get in.

"Too late for that. Let's go".

Robin's new house in Madrid was surrounded by many other huge houses, that probably were rented or owned by other football players. Leire had always lived in nice areas of San Sebastián, but this was next level. She had never lived surrounded by this amount of wealth. A man Leire had never seen was waiting for them at the front door and he approached the car when he saw them.

"Hi Gorka, nice seeing you again", he said, shaking Gorka's hand before offering the same hand to Leire. "Miss Aguirre".

"You can call me Leire".

"Will do. I'm Jesús. Robin's agent. He's still training. We couldn't find a perfect time for you to arrive while he was here but he should be back in half an hour. I'll show you where your room is while we wait".

Leire nodded and followed the man, Jesús, inside the house. It felt odd to be inside of someone else's house while that person wasn't there but it seemed Robin really trusted Jesús.

"And this is your room. I'm sure Robin will be happy to get anything you might need but you should be alright".

"Yeah. It looks great".

"We'll wait for you in the kitchen. Make yourself at home".

Leire didn't know how she could feel at home but tried to look at the room in a positive way. It was nice. And it seemed to have everything she could need. Because she wasn't sure about how happy Robin would be if he had to get her anything she needed. Last time they talked, they screamed at each other. And there weren't many pretty words that they used.

But there was no point in overthinking so she left her suitcases there and went to the kitchen to join Gorka and Jesús.

"Do you want anything to drink?"

"I'm fine. I don't want to bother you".

"You'll live here, Leire", reminded her Jesús. "It's better if you get used to it soon and asking me to make a coffee for you is a good way. Milk? Sugar?"

"Yes to milk but no sugar, please".

"Got it".

"Leire", said Gorka, trying to get her attention. "We were chatting about Robin and all the situations he has been involved in lately".

"Which one was the worst?"

Gorka and Jesús shared a look. Leire knew but wanted to hear them say it. It was the false drunk driving allegations.

"A lot of people want to believe he was drunk instead of drugged".

"Drugged?", asked Leire. She had heard about Robin being caught driving drunk and that someone said he wasn't really drunk. But she didn't look for more details. It actually hurt to think he had been so reckless.

"He was out and drunk a woman's drink by mistake. The drugs on it were for her. Someone had spiked her drink".

Leire tried not to think about Robin and another woman. Because her stupid jealousy wasn't the important part. The important part was how someone tried to drug that woman and how Robin saved her without even meaning to.

The door opened and the sound made everyone in the kitchen turn to look at Robin approaching them.

"Leire", was all he said. He couldn't believe she was there, sitting down in his kitchen and having a cup of coffee.

"Hi".

"Sorry I couldn't be here when you arrived. I had to train and...".

Everyone could tell how nervous the two former friends were. Robin noticed how the guy sitting next to Leire, who he guessed was Gorka, placed his hand on her arm. Leire didn't like people touching her. Not unless she really trusted them. And it bothered Robin that she trusted this guy and that he felt so comfortable touching her.

"It's ok", said Leire before looking down at her coffee.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to get changed".

Why was it so hard to see her? Because he remembered so well what their last words to each other were. They felt so final. Like that really was it for them. They both found themselves in the middle of an all or nothing decision and chose nothing. They chose to stay away from each other, to break their friendship. And it still hurt.

"Will you be ok if we go?", asked Jesús.

"Sure".

"You're sweating, Robin".

"I showered after training".

"Good for you. But you're still sweating now and it's not that hot. You're nervous. She makes you nervous".

"Well", started Robin, glaring at his agent and friend. "What did you expect? We haven't spoken in two years. And it wasn't because we woke up one day and decided to stop being friends".

"Was it you or her who messed up?"

That was a question Robin didn't fully know how to answer. "I'll probably say it was me while she says it was her".

"Great! It sounds like you're good at communicating then".

"Shut up!"

Jesús pretended to zip his lips shut but of course had to talk again. "Just don't mess up again. We need her".

I need her, thought Robin. And not just for whatever deal they got themselves involved in. He needed Leire back in his life.