Lifeline (Marc Guiu)

Chapter 30

After that short trip, Alicia tried to go to London as often as possible. It wasn't always easy because of uni but they still managed to make it all work. And then, a few weeks after they finally started to date officially, it was time for Marc to visit Barcelona.

"Are you nervous?"

"Not as much as you are", laughed Marc.

While in London, Alicia had met Marc's family. They were all so nice to her and she had even met his sister to hang out once they were back in Barcelona. But now, now it was time for Marc to meet her parents. And Alicia was terrified.

"Mum, dad, this is Marc".

"It's very nice to meet you", he said, shaking Alicia's dad's hand and accepting the hug her mum was offering.

"Come in. Dinner is ready".

They all walked to the dinning room and sat down. There was short moments of silence but it wasn't necessarily uncomfortable.

"So Marc. How's London treating you?", asked Alicia's dad.

"Can't complain. The season has been...difficult so far but I didn't expect a walk in the park so I just work and wait for my opportunity".

"Good. That's good. And how did you and Ali met? She didn't tell us yet".

"You didn't ask", pointed out Alicia.

"Well, we're asking now, sweetie", said her mum.

"We met at a shoot. I was working there and Marc was the model, kind of".

"That's not really how we met", told her Marc.

"What do you mean?"

"Alicia and I met at the training centre. She was taking some medicine for Vicky and she bumped into me because she was running around like a headless chicken", Alicia frowned and Marc laughed. "A cute chicken. And so I told her where the dressing room was and then we talked again but I was too young for her then so...when we met at the shoot, I was the right age".

Alicia was shaking her head and her mum was very amused seeing them. "How old are you then?"

"18. But I was 17 when Ali met me and she used that as an excuse. I'm pretty sure it was love at first sight for her too but she didn't want to admit it".

"His particular sense of humour also made me take longer to admit it...".

"You two are so cute", said Alicia's mum, smiling at them.

The conversation continued to flow until it was time for dessert. They moved to the living room and Marc couldn't help getting closer to Alicia any longer. He sat down next to her on the sofa and put his arm around her shoulders. Alicia's dad was staring at them and finally said what he had been thinking since he found out about their relationship.

"I have to be honest with you, Marc. I wasn't too happy about this when Alicia told me. Not because of you but because of you living in London".

"Oh", was all Marc said, not expecting this. The dinner had gone so well.

"Ali told me you have a sister", Marc nodded. "Imagine she tells you she's going to another country to meet her boyfriend. How would you feel?"

"I would worry about her".

"Yes", nodded Alicia's dad. "I worry too. She's only 19. Almost 20 actually but still. You haven't given me any reasons to think you won't treat her well so that's something. But her brother left the country and never came back. I fear losing her too".

"You didn't lose Adri", told him Alicia, thinking about her brother but understanding her dad. She sometimes forgot she had a brother because of how long it had been since he left. "And you won't lose me. I don't want to leave Barcelona. Not like that. And neither does Marc because his whole family is here".

"Ali is right", assured him Marc. "Even if we are away during the season, we'll come back often. I need to see my family, my friends, ...".

"And Ali still needs to finish her university studies", added her mum. "So it's not like she can leave tomorrow and never come back".

"I know", said her dad. "I know all of that. It won't stop me from worrying, though. I'll never stop worrying about my daughter being safe".

"I'm safe with Marc".

"I know you are. And you've always done whatever you wanted to do so it's not like we can stop you".

Alicia glared at Marc when he laughed. But her dad wasn't fully wrong. Victoria had called Alicia a bad influence often. As a joke but still.

As much as Alicia wanted to just stay with Marc the whole time they were together, she understood he had other people who wanted to meet him. So the day after meeting the parents, it was time for Alicia to meet Marc's friends. She had seen them around but had never sat down to speak to them properly.

"You're sure none of your friends were mean to Vicky, right?"

"I'm sure. I would have kicked them if they had", assured her Marc. "And they'll love you, don't worry. I mean, a few had their eye on you already. I might have to kick them because of that".

"A few tried to talk to me and Fermín almost bit their head off, don't worry".

Marc shook his head. If Fermín wasn't so in love with Victoria, he'd worry about how protective he was of Alicia.

"Well, you're only meeting Héctor today. Baby steps".

It had actually been Héctor's idea to meet with Alicia and Marc before she met everyone else. All the boys were well intentioned but they could be a bit much. Especially when it was all of them together at once. And he didn't want to scare Alicia.

"Hey", smiled Héctor when he saw Alicia. "Nice to properly meet you".

"You too".

"Hey, brother", Marc hugged his friend before grabbing Alicia's hand again so he could hold it. He could tell how nervous she was. "Let's go eat. You have training later".

They had picked a little restaurant to go have lunch together. Victoria was trying a vegan diet that week and Alicia joined her since Fermín refused to support her challenge, claming that he couldn't because he was an athlete. But she was also craving a good burger and that place made great ones.

"I've heard a lot about you", told her Héctor.

"Yeah, I heard about you too".

"But you knew who you were hearing about. I didn't. I hated you for a bit too, sorry".

"It's ok", she reassured him. "I was hating myself during that time as well".

"Let's not talk about sad times", suggested Marc.

While they ate, Alicia looked down at her food and sighed.

"I missed you", she said and Héctor frowned.

"Are you going to London soon to be with Marc?"

"She was talking to the burger", told him Marc, shaking his head. "Long story".

"But I will be flying to London on Friday. Can't wait!"

"Can't wait either", said Marc, smiling down at her. "And my mum is calling me. Be right back".

Alicia nodded at Marc and then looked at Héctor and smiled. The conversation between them had felt very easy but now Marc wasn't there, it felt a bit weird.

"I know it's a bit cliché", he started. "But I never saw him act about a girl the way he acted about you. It frustrated me a bit even. Because I thought you were just playing with him but he refused to move on. He was so in love".

"I'm sorry".

"No need to apologise. Not to me, at least. But I don't want to see my friend being so sad, you know?", she nodded. "So please look after him. It's not an easy time but ever since you got back into his life...it was like all of his problems and worries disappeared".

"I feel similar when I'm with him".

"That's good. That's good you two are so happy".

Marc hang up and started to walk back towards their table. Seeing Alicia and Héctor talking to each other and smiling made him so happy. Finally things were starting to work out how he wanted them to.