Play like a culé: A Cristian Tello Fan Fic

Chapter 28

It took every ounce of strength I had to not run into his arms and let him take me back to Barcelona. I love him so much. But as I held the necklace Pedro had given me a mere 5 days ago, I knew I couldn't just leave this man. He loved me. It was clearly visible in his eyes whenever he stared at me. I at least owed him a reciprocation. After all the times this had been done to me, I couldn't bear to do it to someone else.

There was a knock on the open door and I jumped. It was Pedro. I put my hand over my chest and chuckled nervously: "Pedro. You scared me." He seemed very sad. He barely half-smiled as he came into the room, looking down.

I frowned and asked: "What's wrong?" "Go back to Barcelona with him." I opened my eyes huge. What? How did he...? "What?" "I heard you guys talking. You're not over him. You've never been over him." He said sadly as he looked at me from under his eyebrows.

I placed my hands on his shoulders and tried to defy him while knowing he was right. "I am over him. I want to be with you." He removed my hands from his shoulders and took them in his. "Don't lie to yourself, María. You'll never love me like you love him. The way you kissed him..." He trailed off and looked away. "I am so sorry you saw that. I didn't mean to..." "No. It was for the best. We were both living a lie and I was going to end up more hurt than I already am."

He smiled half-heartedly and looked down again. "Pedro, I..." "You don't have to apologize. The heart wants what the heart wants. The problem is that in my case, it will never have her." He looked up at me and the sadness in his eyes broke my heart. "I just want you to be happy. He's the one that makes you happy. So go." He finally let go of my hands and I was about to cry.

I sniffled and reached behind my neck to take his necklace off. "No. Keep it. It's a gift." He said, shaking his hands. I froze thinking I wasn't worthy of this man's affection, hoping that he'd find someone that was.

"I hope you find someone that loves you as wholeheartedly as you love me. I'm so sorry for hurting you. Goodbye." I said as I kissed his cheek and left the room, a little sad at the events. But, at the same time, I had to restrain myself from running downstairs to catch a cab. I just wanted him to take me in his arms again. That's the only place I felt safe.