Invisible string (Robin Le Normand)

Chapter 26

Leire kept staring at the TV, her expression sad. Seeing her friend, or who she thought was her friend, talking about her like that was truly heartbreaking.

"So what's the story, Fran?", asked the host of the show.

"Well, when Leire moved to Madrid, I got suspicious. Robin had been involved in all these scandals and there were so many rumours about who he was dating...and then the perfect girl who everyone wanted him to date comes back to his life. After two years! And everyone forgets about him driving while drunk and the rest. Very convenient".

"So you assumed it was a PR relationship?"

"Yeah", nodded Fran. "But I needed to know so when she visited the studio for an interview, I talked to her and offered to be her friend. I assumed she'd be very alone here".

Leire had been alone...and meeting Fran had made her feel so much better. But it was that friendship which was a lie, not her relationship with Robin.

"It makes me sad to do this in a way", said Fran, pretending to be sad. "Because she's a good girl. She's so sweet and innocent...I guess that's why Robin chose to use her".

"Do you think he's the one using her? Her book sales have gone up since they got together so she's benefitting from this too".

"Yeah, I get that. But she's also in love. Not so sure about him reciprocating those feelings but it's convenient that she got them. You know, to use her".

Robin tensed hearing that and Leire grabbed his hand and squeezed it. She knew Fran was lying. She knew now that Robin loved her like she loved him.

"A few times we were all together, Robin would touch her. Nothing too intimate, just trying to touch her face or her arms. And she hated it. But she also looked at him like she wanted him to touch her, you know?"

"How so?", asked the host, confused.

"Well, she's in love. So imagine being in love but having to pretend. Like...she wants him to touch her in a real way. And a few times she was quite mean about him when talking to me. Like there's some rage in her as well".

"Huh. That's crazy".

"He also kissed her without her consent in front of me because he could tell I was trying to work out what was going on".

"Umm...that's a crime, Fran", the host looked uncomfortable hearing that.

"I mean, she kissed him back but then they argued so it wasn't a happy kiss".

Leire remembered that kiss. She had been so mad at Robin for kissing her for the wrong reasons but...Fran trying to turn that into something so horrible was disgusting. Someone being assaulted wasn't a joke and Leire had dealt with drunk guys trying to kiss her before so she knew the difference very well.

"But they were seen the other day at that event and they kissed when no one was watching. Well, someone was and took the photo but...you could tell they really had to zoom in and it wasn't staged".

"They might be together now", shrugged Fran. "But they weren't before. That I know. And yet they used the fact that people thought they were to make his image better and to sell more of her books. Also, her books are pretty crap".

"Hey! I like them!"

"It's boring chick lit. I'm no chick".

Leire let out a pained laugh. Fran had talked to her so many times about how much he loved her books but it just was another lie. Had everything been a lie?

"He's full of shit, Leire", told her Robin. "Your books are amazing and not just for women. And so what if they were just for women? What the fuck does this guy know?"

"It doesn't matter. His opinion doesn't matter...".

"Hey", Robin's expression softened when he noticed how sad Leire looked. "Don't let him make you feel bad. These people...they're disgusting. They use people to get their 5 minutes of fame. He's not worth you feeling bad".

"You knew", was all Leire said.

"What did I know?"

"You knew he wasn't a good person. You wanted Fran away from me and you kept your distance yourself. You kept telling me he looked at how we behaved too much. You knew and I didn't. I'm so stupid and naive and...".

When Leire started to cry, Robin hugged her and tried not to get angry. She didn't need him getting angry. What Leire needed was his love and support. But also, he wanted to find Fran and break his face.

"I'm so stupid...".

"No, Leire. You're not stupid. You're just a good person. And Fran is right. You were alone when you got here and needed a friend and that asshole took advantage of that".

"Yeah", Leire nodded. "What will we do now?"

"Nothing. We don't have to do or say anything. We haven't so far so why change? If people want to believe Fran...up to them".

The next few hours, Robin was so careful around Leire. He was making sure she was ok but dealing with such a betrayal wasn't something a cup of hot chocolate fixed. Thankfully, Jesús was done with work and visited them so they could talk about what to do next. Because there was damage control to be done.

"How's Leire?"

"She could be better", said Leire, who had gotten up from the sofa to meet Jesús. "How much trouble are we in?"

"You'd be pleasantly surprised to know not much".

"Really?", asked Robin and followed Jesús who was walking to the kitchen.

"Make me a coffee, please", sighed Jesús. "So...people hate Fran".

"I am people", said Leire.

"What he did to you, Leire...it doesn't make him look good. He's saying how good you are and how innocent and that Robin took advantage. But he's also making it clear he took advantage as well. And he faked being your friend to learn about you two and make money from talking about what he thought he found out. Seriously, it's 2025. He really expected that to go well somehow".

"So we're ok?"

"You are. But you'll be asked about this", pointed out Jesús.

"Of course...".

And it didn't take long for the questions to start. Robin was doing an interview with a sports newspaper and was just being asked the usual boring questions. Until he was asked something else.

"So...I'm sorry to ask this", said the journalist. "But of course, everyone is talking about you and your relationship and what that journalist said".

"That journalist knows nothing".

"So it's all a lie".

"I'm not going to talk about when I started dating my girlfriend. I've never spoken about my personal life and won't change that now. But I'll say that even though we never said we were together before, everyone could see it was meant to happen. That says a lot. And what someone who uses a good person to make money says...it means nothing".

Jesús was happy to see the public opinion remaining favourable towards Leire and Robin. Leire...she didn't care about that. She just hurt because of what her so-called friend did to her. Fran actually called her. He texted her. And Leire didn't pay attention to any of his attempts to contact her. Until she did.

"WHAT? Stop calling me!"

"Sorry, honey...", Fran's voice was so low, unlike his usual loud tone. "I'm so sorry. It was never about hurting you. I just wanted to show people how Robin is".

"And how is he? You don't know him because he's smarter than me and he never wanted to even meet you".

"Leire...".

"No. Stop talking. I want nothing to do with you. You won't ruin what Robin and I have".

"So it's real?", asked Fran.

"Yeah, unlike our friendship. I'm going to block your number now. Stay away from us".