𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 || 𝐏𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐢 𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐳𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐳

018 | The Bet

As I sat there, staring at the door after João left, Pedri stayed by my side, quiet and lost in his thoughts. I was still trying to process everything—the kiss, Ferran's reaction, the guilt. It felt like a storm was brewing inside of me, and I had no idea how to calm it.

Pedri shifted uncomfortably, glancing at me with a look I couldn't quite read. There was something else. I could feel it. The air between us felt heavier than just Ferran's anger.

"What?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. "You've got that look like you're holding something back."

He hesitated, running a hand through his hair again before letting out a long sigh. "There's something you need to know... and I should've told you sooner."

I sat up a little straighter, feeling a knot form in my stomach. "What is it?"

Pedri looked guilty, and that only made me more anxious. "Back when we realized Ferran liked you... he and I, we, uh..." He paused, rubbing the back of his neck like he wasn't sure how to say it.

"Spit it out, Pedri," I said, my voice sharper than I intended. I could already tell this wasn't going to be good.

"We made a bet," he finally said, meeting my eyes, his voice low and full of regret. "We made a stupid bet about who you'd like back."

The words hit me like a slap. A bet? About me? My heart sank, and anger quickly bubbled up inside me. "What the hell, Pedri?" I snapped, standing up from the bed, pacing in frustration. "You and Ferran bet on who I'd like back?"

Pedri's eyes widened as he realized how much he'd just messed up. "Julia, I swear it was a dumb thing we did. I didn't mean for it to go this far. It was because he thought he could have an advantage because you hated me, "

I stopped pacing, turning to face him, my chest tight with hurt and anger. "You're telling me that while Ferran's been pouring his heart out for God knows how long, you two were just playing some kind of game with my feelings?"

Pedri looked genuinely remorseful, stepping closer but not touching me. "It wasn't like that, at least not for me. I didn't  agree to the bet, it just happened. I didn't think about the bet after that. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know how."

I stared at him, fury coursing through me. "You didn't think about the bet? That's supposed to make me feel better? You and Ferran turned this into a joke, and now I'm the one caught in the middle of it. He's hurt, and I'm stuck between the two of you, and all this time you both were treating my feelings like a game."

Pedri's face fell, his regret clear in his eyes. "Julia, I never meant to hurt you. It was stupid, okay? It wasn't fair to you. But I do care about you—this isn't a game anymore. It never was, all I ever want is for us to be friends again"

I shook my head, my anger still simmering beneath the surface. "It may not be a game for you now, but it was. You and Ferran decided my feelings didn't matter when you made that bet."

Pedri's voice softened, but he stepped back, giving me space. "Who said it was ever a game for me? Ferran and his confidence is what sparked the idea of a bet, Julia, since the day you came back to Barcelona, I've always made it my mission to make you not hate me anymore"

I crossed my arms, trying to hold back the bitterness rising in my throat. "I need time, Pedri. You dropped this on me after everything else. Just as things were somewhat getting better between us, of course all this had to happen."