I'll Make You See It Was All Real-Sequel to When Does the Pretend End?

Chapter 23-Blank Space

  Lucy's Pov

"I was there to see you" he says and I gasp at his words.

"Excuse me" I say and he says nothing just stares at the wall. "What did you mean? How could you be there to see me? That day was the first time we met" I say. I had never seen him before expect on a football pitch.

"Cristiano will you say something" I yell getting pissed off of him staring at the wall. "What do you want me to say?" he says turning to look at me. "Explain what you meant" I say. "Is there any point?" he asks and I want to hit him.

"I think after these last few months I deserve to know what you meant" I say. How could he think I wouldn't want an explanation

"Ok I'll tell you" he says. "Cris" I say just wanting him to speak. "Just let me talk ok. Don't speak or I won't be able to finish" he says and I nod. What is going on? "It's a long story though. Nuno spends most of his time here in Manchester with me and you know how annoying he gets about cooking" he starts to say and when I start to say something he raises an eyebrow and I mumble an apology and let him continue.

My mouth opens in shock as he proceeds to tell me about the time last May he was sitting in Angelo's and heard a laugh behind him. How he saw this girl and couldn't take his eyes of her.

"Who was the girl?" I ask. "Do I really have to say it?" he asks. "Yes. Who was the girl Cris?" I ask. I need to hear him say it out loud. Hear him say what I suspect. "You were" he says and his heads drops as I go over his words in my head. "Finish your story" I say. I need to hear the rest. May I think.

I listen as he describes what I was wearing and then says something about paying the bill and leaving. "Wait you were the person who paid out bill?" I ask.

"Ya" he admits. I remember that day. I was having lunch with Tina and a couple of her friends. When I went to pay the bill, the waitress said it had already been taken care of. When I asked by who she said she couldn't say. I thought it was the owner's son. I never thought it was Cristiano.

"Wait why didn't you come up to us? You don't come across as shy around girls Cris" I say. I've heard numerous stories from everyone about his charm with ladies. "I knew if i did I wouldn't want to leave. And I was still with Merche back then" he says. He had a girlfriend. He didn't come over to say hello because he was with someone. But then why..........

"Between the season run in and the World Cup I never went back until after the summer" he says. "There's more isn't there" I say and he stares up at the ceiling. "I went back to Angelo's with Zé and Nuno some Monday. By then Merche and I were over. It was quiet. Lunch was almost over and who was sitting in the corner but you. You had this cute navy dress on and you couldn't stopped tapping the pen in your hand" he says.

"Why didn't you come over?" I ask. He wasn't with Merche then I think. "I was nervous I guess. I overheard someone saying they'd see you the following Monday and I went back every Monday since that day" he says. Every Monday.

"I need something to drink" I say needing some space from him. "I'll get it" he says and heads to the kitchen. I've only eating a small bowl of soup in two days and I think I'm going to bring it back up soon. May. He saw me in May I think. This is such a mess.

"So that day with Tina you were there to see me?" I ask when he hands me a glass "Ya. Nuno loved slagging me cos he knew why we were really there. I only thought I'd see you" he says. I cover my mouth with my free hand. "You were the one I bumped into. I didn't realise until now" I say. "I didn't on purpose in case you think I did" he smiles. "I don't know what to say" I say. "You can imagine my surprise when I come out of the restaurant and find my car been smashed up and then have you yelling at me" he says.

I can't believe what I'm hearing. He was there to see me. "I don't understand" I say standing from the couch. My stomach feels sick. "Lucy" he says. "You were there to see me. Why did you go along with Nuno's plan?" I ask. Why go through with all of those months. "Because I never thought it would work. And I wanted to spend time with you" he says. "But" I say. Spend time with me? "I knew you disliked me after I was an ass to Tina- And after you ask me to sleep with you to drop the charges against her" I say remembering the slap I gave him after he asked. "I didn't think you'd want anything to do with me. So I figured my family would be happy and I'd at least get to see what it would be like to be some sort of someone to you" he says.

"But you dropped the charges" I say. "I hated what I had been willing to let you do to help your friend" he says. "Then why did you lie? Why not tell me you dropped the charges? Why let me believe I had no other choice but to pretend to be your girlfriend?" I ask feeling a sob raise in the back of my throat. Thinking about what Tina had been like that day. Thinking back to how I felt. I didn't have to do anything. But he let me pretend to be his girlfriend. Why? I don't understand.

"For the same reason I went to Angelo's every Monday in the hope of seeing you even for just a second. Because I wanted you the first time I heard your laugh. The first time I saw you. Because even when you were barging into my bedroom and throwing pillows at me, I couldn't stop wanting you. As cheesy as it sounds Lucy, I've loved you since the moment my heart soared at the sound of your laugh" he says and I wrap my arms around me.

He wanted me all the time. "Lucy, say something" he says. "I'd like you to leave now please" I say. "Lucy" he says standing. "Please Cris. I need to get my head around everything you just told me. Please just go. Please" I beg. I know if he stays any longer I won't be able to hold back the tears that were building. "Ok" he says reluctantly. He moves to kiss me goodbye but I take a step back from him. He leaves without saying another word. I hear the click of the door closing and I rush to the bathroom to throw up. Oh God I think as I sit beside the toilet.

"Wow. Wow. Wow" Elena says in between taking bites of the chocolate cake from the plate in her hand. "Like wow" she says as I pace the floor in front of her. It's been a couple of hours since Cris's bombshell that he was at Angelo's in the hope of seeing me and I can't get my head around it. "Tell me about" I mutter.

"Are you sure you don't want a piece of cake?" she asks and I shake my head. Cake isn't going to fix this mess I think. "I can't believe he did that. He really must have liked you go back every week just to see you" she says. "How the hell am I supposed to feel about that?" I ask. "Flattered for starters. You have to admit it's kind of cute that he was nervous to even talk to you" she says. "Elena he lied to me" I say. "Ok you want to know what I think?" she asks.

"No I just called you over to eat all my cake" I say sacristy. "It's nice too" she smiles and I roll my eyes. "He's an ass for lying to you about dropping the charges" she says. "But" I say. "But from what you said it sounded like he was afraid he'd never get the chance to even go on a date with you and he really wanted the chance for you to fall from him like he fell for you" she says.

"What do I do now? I'm even more confused about everything now" I say. "You said it yourself when you told me you were going to talk to him for Nuno that you were 70% sure you were going to have the baby. At least now you know it wasn't a lie. That he did want you and it wasn't just a game for him" she says. I sit on the chair opposite and move my hand over my stomach. So many shocks in one week I think.

The following day Matt and I are in the boardroom. "Did you get any sleep last night?" he asks holding up all the paper work I did during the night. Between the baby, Tina and Cris my mind wouldn't stop thinking so I stayed up finishing some work.

"I couldn't sleep. Plus if we don't get this finished we're going to behind" I say. "Have you spoken to Josh? Do you know when he's coming back to work?" Matt asks. "He says he can't face work at the moment. He's grieving. I'm not going to push him" I say. "One day a week would be enough to start off with. We are going to need him to sign of on things so Lucy. Plus you can't do everything or you'll burn out. Have you even eating today? Have some coffee? Why don't we go out for lunch?" he asks.

Oh even the thought of food makes me cringe. I haven't been able to keep any food down in days. I close my eyes as a wave of nausea hits me. The smell of the coffee.

"Lucy" Matt says. "Sorry Matt. I need some fresh air" I say pushing my chair back from the table. As I stand my legs wobble and my eyes go fuzzy. "Lucy. Are you alright?" I hear Matt say. I nod grabbing the edge of the table. I don't feel good was my last thought before everything went blank and my legs gave way.