Lifeline (Marc Guiu)

Chapter 24

"Let's go to my room", said Victoria, leaving the kitchen and hoping Alicia would follow her.

Fermín looked at the two friends walking towards the room and started to follow them until he saw Victoria shaking her head. She needed to talk to Alicia first and then she could tell Fermín what was going on.

"So...this has been going on for how long?"

"The end of January?"

"January?! That's 8 months ago, Ali!"

"I know but...it just...it's complicated".

Victoria shook her head and Alicia could see the disappointment in her face. "Do you not feel like you can trust me? Is that what's happening?"

"No, Vicky...no! Of course I trust you but it's more complicated than that".

"Feel free to explain why".

Alicia tried to think of the right words to make her best friend understand her odd behaviour. She didn't want to hurt Vicky while explaining all of it.

"I met Marc when I had to go to the training centre to take some medicine for you. He walked me to the dressing room and I saw him again when I was leaving and he flirted with me. But he was 17 then".

"Was that in Novemeber? Because you were 18 then. Not that big of a difference".

"Still", said Alicia, taking a deep breath. "We met in January again. I told Fermín we met at a Puma shoot and it's true. What I didn't mention was that we went to have a drink after that shoot and we kissed".

"Wow. That was quick. Were you waiting until he turned 18 or something?", joked Victoria.

"Yeah. Counting down the days", said Alicia, laughing too before going back to being serious. "We started to see each other after that and just had something casual. You were going through such a hard time that I felt it'd be mean to tell you about me being with a boy. And not just a boy but a Barça player. Like I would be telling you I got to do what you couldn't do, kinda".

"I appreciate that but Ali...I would have been happy for you. And I needed any reason, no matter how small, to feel a bit happier. I hate that you felt like you had to hide your happiness from me just because of how fragile I was".

"Vicky, no...", Alicia grabbed her friend's hand to hold it. "Don't feel bad. I don't blame you for anything so don't blame yourself. I'm happy to put you first but I just didn't want to bother you with my silly problems when you had so much going on".

"I want to put you first, Ali. I would be nowhere without you. Never think your problems aren't my priority, please".

"Sorry".

Victoria kept looking at Alicia's face, trying to find the answers to all the questions she had about her friend and the boy she liked.

"So when you told me about the guy from uni who didn't like you...you were actually talking about Marc?"

"Yes. He had spoken to you and when he realised I hadn't told you anything about him, he got mad. He wanted me to stop hiding our friendship but I got scared".

"Just your friendship?", asked Victoria, raising an eyebrow.

"It's what he said. I guess he knew it'd be harder for me to talk about the with benefits part of the friendship".

"I guess", chuckled Victoria. "And then he left for London?"

"When you found me crying in Germany, in the hotel room, I had just spoken to him. He kind of asked me to tell him again to stay in Barcelona for me but I couldn't. I don't know why...because I wanted him to stay. But I didn't know how to say it".

"He clearly likes you, Ali. Do you...do you like him? Like really like him?"

"I don't know how I feel. Or how to put into words what I feel but...he makes me feel safe and seen. And loved. I like that".

"That sounds good. He likes you a lot, Ali. I noticed how he looks at you".

"Really?", asked Alicia, trying not to get her hopes up too high. "I confessed to him that things didn't work with Mario because I wasn't over him".

"What did he say to that?"

"I had accused him of being with a girl he met in London and he told me he wasn't interested in her because she isn't me".

"Oh my God, Alicia!", said Victoria, rolling her eyes and trying not to scream. "Do you want him to spell it out for you? Or do I do it? He loves you and you love him".

"So...I should talk to him?"

"If you don't, I'll take you to London myself so you do it".

Victoria stayed a little longer with Alicia, hearing more details about her time with Marc. Then she went back to the party, leaving Alicia alone in the guest room.

"Is Ali ok?", asked Fermín.

"Yes. But there's a lot you don't know. I didn't know it either".

"Is it bad?"

"No. I don't know how you'll react to it, though".

"Why?", Fermín didn't get what Alicia could have done that would bother him.

"She's been hiding something from us. But she's not the only friend who's lied to you".

The next morning, Marc was going to meet some of his Masia friends to hang out. He didn't know they had also invited Fermín and Marc wasn't annoyed about it. He liked Fermín. But he was starting to wonder if Fermín liked him. Why was he acting so stand-offish?

"What's wrong with you?", asked him Marc when the two of them were alone.

"Do you have to ask?"

"Yes".

"I know about you and Ali. When were you going to tell me you were sleeping with one of my best friends?"

"She was the one who didn't want us to tell anyone", explained Marc.

"You could have told me. Just me. We've been friends for years".

"I was respecting her wishes. She didn't want anyone to know and that includes you".

"Sure...", Fermín still didn't like that explanation.

"Also, I wasn't supposed to know about you and Vicky being together either. So I wasn't supposed to know you knew Ali".

"She told you about me and Vicky? That was why you seemed to worry so much, right?"

"Kind of...", Marc blushed slightly.

"I can't believe she was telling you our secrets...".

Insulting him he could take. But anyone insulting Alicia was something Marc wasn't going to accept.

"Ali didn't tell me anything I didn't know. I heard Oscar going all psycho when he found you and Vicky in Sevilla. When Alicia found out I knew, she felt relieved. She just needed someone she could talk about it with. Do you think it was just you who suffered? Because she did too".

"Don't tell me what happened in my life. I already know. I lived it", now Fermín was getting really angry.

"I didn't mean...".

"Maybe you should go back to London and leave all of us alone, Marc".

Seeing Fermín leaving after saying those words hurt but the pain disappeared quickly when Marc saw he had a text. A text from Alicia. A text asking him to meet so they could talk.