ARCADE | Rebić

Prologue

"Now my heart awakes to the sound of silence."

"Can we get your attention, please?" MIRKO got up with a glass of champagne in his hand.

At that point, every person in that room had their eyes stuck on the Croatian man.

Near him, also his girlfriend of height months, IVANA, got up, with a smile on her face.

Couldn't tell if it was a real one or not.

Or, at least, it was what ANTE, Mirko's long time friend, thought.

For how bad it was, he hoped it was not a real one.

Not after those nights in Zagreb.

And now he was only hoping that they weren't going to say what he was afraid to hear.

Mirko put the other hand on Ivana's back, shortening the already few inches of distance between them, his smile becoming even brighter. "It's a very honour for us..."

Here he was. Ante couldn't help but drink his full glass like it was a Vodka shot.

"To announce that Ivana and I have decided to marry!" Mirko finished his sentence while everyone started clapping them.

"Getting married?" Ante couldn't help but say, in a loud tone of voice, causing everyone to look at him. He had no idea of why he said that, he expected that news, but still. Feeling all eyes on him, the Croatian football player put on a smile. "Congratulations! My boy's getting married! Yuhu!"

He hoped that now they all returned their attention to the couple, but he had to thank Ivana's mother if they finally did it. The woman started congratulating the newly engaged couple with her loud attitude, taking all the attentions on her.

Ante shook his head. He looked at the young boy beside him with a full glass in his hands. "Do you drink it?" He didn't really wait for a response, he just grabbed it and drank, while around him they started to celebrate.

—

The loud music was too much for Ante, especially considering it was 3 in the morning and he had practically four hours of sleep in the last two days. Plus the amount of alcohol he drank wasn't surely helping.

But he wasn't drunk. At least not at all.

He was still able to put some words together in order to fill a sentence.

"Oh, here you are."

The soft voice of Ivana made him come back to reality.

Ante turned his head to look at her.

She was beautiful.

Wearing a white dress that followed the curves of her body, highlighting her fair skin, Ante had to try his best to suppress his urge of touching her.

Like he always did.

Her golden blonde hair were tied in a small bun, her green eyes shining under the lights of a Split summer night.

"Thought you left." She said as she imitated him and rested her elbows on the balcony railing, looking the beautiful landscape of Split, feeling the scent of see and feeling home.

"Aren't you enjoying the party?" He asked, taking off his eyes off her. There was bitterness in his voice. "After all, it's your party."

"Oh..." she said, almost in a whisper. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" He asked, looking at her once again. "You have nothing to be sorry."

The woman took a deep breath and looked at him. She was about to speak when Mirko appeared, smiling as always, and circled her shoulders. "Here you are guys! Trying to make her run away before the wedding, Ante?" Mirko joked and bursted out into laughters.

Both Ivana and Ante shared a look for then forcing a laugh.

"Kinda of." He said. "Just kidding, I'm really happy for you guys!"

That was clearly the biggest bullshit ever left his mouth, but he knew that speaking his mind wouldn't have changed a thing, or better, it would have, but in the worse way possible.

"I really feel the luckiest man on earth!" Mirko continued, leaving a kiss on Ivana's forehead. "We're opening the cake, you coming?"

"I'd like to, but I'm calling it a night." The footballer weakly smiled. "Still congratulations guy!"

After greeting them, he turned on his back and left the restaurant.

He couldn't deny the fact that he was happy for Mirko, they knew each other since birth and only wished him happiness, just not with Ivana.

But, unlikely for him, it was too late.

Hope you enjoyed!! I have so many ideas for this one!!

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