Roads That Cross...

... With a Gift

Ámbar had been pretending to work.

Only pretending, because the truth was that no matter how many times she tried to read the form in front of her, her brain didn't process any of it. She was too focused on what was going on the other side of the cafeteria. She couldn't help herself from listening to Luna's every word when she arrived, and she felt her own heart fall when she saw Simón's disappointment wipe out the smile that she loved so much.

She desperately wanted to go to him once Luna left and they all pretty much dropped back on their seats, defeated. She could see his hunched shoulders from where she was sitting. She wanted to kiss his cheek like he had done her, hug him and make him feel better, but it felt rude to intrude in his team's moment, and she felt she might not be too welcomed by some of them.

Emilia and Benicio arrived and Ámbar glared at how they seemed to laugh at the guys. Did they had nothing else to do? Get a life maybe?

You used to enjoy seeing them sad too, her conscience reminded her.

She felt a jab of shame and guilt go through her chest and she held her pen tighter.

Maybe that was another reason why she didn't dare walk up to them and say something, she didn't feel she had the right.

When Ramiro spoke up though, she dropped all pretense of having been working.

"What do you say? Do you take me back in the Roller team?"

Ámbar found her eyes fixed on the scene unfolding in front of her. For a second, the whole place seemed to fill with stunned silence.

The one who broke said silence was Emilia.

"Are you serious, Ramiro?" She spat outraged. "Are you really asking them that so cheekily in front of us?"

Ramiro seemed unfazed, offering no more than a small shrug.

"Why not? I no longer have anything to do with you guys and I think it's better to always be upfront instead of going behind people's backs."

"Let him be, Emilia," Benicio said next to her. "He's just a loser like the rest of them."

"Loser?" Ramiro let out a laugh. "Please. The only losers here are yourselves. You two alone managed to destroy your team and your image, I had nothing to do with it."

Ámbar couldn't see Benicio's expression, but she could tell by the way his shoulders tensed that he was irritated by the other boy's mocking tone. For a second, she thought she'd have to break a fight between them again, but thankfully, it didn't get to that.

"Laugh all you want, Ramiro," Benicio said, his voice low and menacing. "Let's see who laughs last."

With those words, Benicio left in direction to the rink with Emilia in tow, both glaring one last time at Ramiro as they passed by his side before they disappeared from view.

Another small silence followed their departure, probably out of surprise at how Ramiro had totally shrugged off his ex-teammates without the barest concern.

"Ramiro, are you serious about going back with us?" Simón asked him.

"Yes, more than ever," he replied resolutely. "I want to be part of you again. My friends."

It was clear in his demeanor that he was eager to get things back at how they used to, but no one around him seemed very convinced. Bitter reminders of how he changed them for another team were thrown his way, followed by questions about lost trust that the boy could only respond with promises of never letting them down again. Simón was the only one to propose they give him another chance, and Ámbar loved him even more for it. She shouldn't have expected any less; he was Simón after all.