Fortified -Pau Cubarsí-

11 - Caught red handed

The constant hum of the plane's engines is almost soothing, but it does nothing to ease the knot in my stomach. I've never been a fan of long flights, and this one feels like it's dragging on forever. My thoughts keep circling back to Cesca, to everything that happened between us and everything I didn't get to say before I left.

I pull my phone out of my pocket, hoping to distract myself with something. I scroll mindlessly for a moment, but then a photo catches my eye. I stop, and a rush of memories floods over me.

It's a picture from ten years ago.

In it, Hector and I are standing by the pool, both of us wearing neon swim trunks. Cesca, 12 years old at the time, is in between us. We're both lifting her up in the air, her small frame hanging in our arms as we pretend she's flying. She's wearing a hot-pink bikini, the same color as the braces that are flashing in her wide grin. It's the kind of photo that screams "childhood," and when I look at it now, I can't help but smile. Back then, she was just the little sister tagging along with us, full of energy and innocence.

But now... now, I see more than just Hector's little sister.

A small smile tugs at my lips as I swipe through the photo, but it's the next one that catches my breath.

The second photo is more recent. It's of Cesca lying in my bed, curled up under the blanket, completely out of it after she'd fallen asleep while we were watching a movie, her head resting on the pillow, and she didn't even stir when I snapped the photo. Her hair was spread out around her, a little messy but somehow perfect. She looked peaceful, content, and a soft smile was still lingering on her lips from whatever dream she was having.

I could have sworn she knew I took the picture, but she never mentioned it. The memory of her sleeping in my bed, looking so serene, has me smiling like an idiot as I sit here, lost in thought.

I hear Fermín and Lamine walking up behind me, and the teasing begins before I even look up.

"Pau," Fermín says, his voice low and playful. "What's got you smiling like that? You look like a guy who just fell in love."

I freeze. My fingers instinctively lock the screen, but it's too late. They've already seen my grin.

Lamine looks over my shoulder, squinting at the phone. "Wait... what's that you're looking at?"

I try to act casual, like nothing's happening. "Just a picture. Nothing important."

Fermín raises an eyebrow, clearly not fooled. "A picture, huh? 'Cause you're smiling like you just found the one."

I feel heat rush to my cheeks. I try to cover it up, but Lamine catches the glint in my eyes.

"Is that... Francesca?" Lamine asks, his voice filled with disbelief. "Dude, are you serious?"

I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. "It's... it's not like that."

Fermín leans in, squinting at the photo. "No way," he says, voice rising in shock. "You like Francesca?"

I bite my lip, trying to find a way to make this whole thing go away.

Lamine steps back, his expression a mix of surprise and confusion. "Hector's sister? Wait, the same Hector we play with? Hector Fort's sister? No way."

I try to explain, but the words don't seem to come out right. "It's not... exactly how you're making it sound."

Fermín laughs, shaking his head. "Man, I never saw this coming. Pau, you're telling me you like Hector's little sister?"

I can feel myself sinking into my seat, but there's no escaping this now. "She's more than just his little sister, okay? And it's... complicated."

Lamine leans back, eyes wide. "You've been keeping this a secret all this time?"

Fermín bursts out laughing, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Oh, I've got to see this. So, what? You've been sneaking glances at Francesca during team dinners? Daydreaming about her during training?"

I groan, wishing I could disappear. "No, no. It's nothing like that."

Just then, Hector walks by, and his eyes flick to us. "What's going on here? You guys gossiping again?"

I panic, shoving my phone into my pocket, but Fermín's smile is way too wide.

"Oh, nothing," Fermín says, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just the fact that Pau has a little... thing for someone."

I feel my stomach drop. Hector stops and raises an eyebrow. "Who? Anyone I know?"

Lamine looks over at me, then back at Hector, his grin only widening. "Oh yeah, you definitely know her. Pau's got a crush on your sister, Hector."

Hector freezes, his jaw going slack as he looks between me and the phone. "Wait, what? You like Francesca?" He laughs, but it's not malicious. Just... shocked. "No way."

I'm scrambling for words. "It's not like that, Hector. She's your sister. I just—"

Hector puts up a hand, cutting me off. "No, no. It's cool, man. I'm not going to tear you apart. I just never saw this coming. I always thought you were like a big brother to her."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Hector shrugs casually. "just... don't do anything stupid. i don't want to lose my best defenseman"

My heart races in relief. "Thanks, Hector. I—"

"I'm serious though," he continues, grinning. "You screw this up, and I'll have to deal with you." He winks at me, clearly amused by the whole situation.

I nod, trying to play it cool, but inside, I'm feeling all sorts of things. Relief, nervousness, a little bit of excitement. I know Hector's not going to hold this against me, but the weight of what this all means is still sinking in.

Fermín slaps me on the back. "Man, this is wild. But don't worry, we'll keep it between us. But seriously, you two are adorable."

Lamine laughs. "Yeah, just don't get caught up in it too quickly, alright?"

As Hector walks away, still chuckling to himself, I'm left with a mix of emotions. I'm not sure how things are going to unfold now, but for the first time in a while, I feel like I'm standing at the edge of something that could be really good.

Maybe I'm ready for whatever comes next.

Lunette yaps:

I'm lowk in love with this chapter like🤭🤭🤭.

and i really don't have much to say except i have a meeting with my teacher in 30 minutes so wish me luck😀.

Word count: 1061