ARCADE | Rebić

3

"So why, why do I think it's okay
Not being me 'cause of you?"

"So, Ante, how do Italian girls look like?" Mirko asked with a smile on his face. "Finally found the one?"

The two friends were sitting in the attic of a well-know bar in Split, with a few friends and their girlfriends, doing an happy hour. What needed in those summer hours of Croatia.

Ante shook his head. "Let's not talk about it."

"Are you ready to order?" A waitress approached the group of friends, and Ante was so thankful to her for interrupting a conversation he didn't intent to have.

"We're still waiting for someone." Mirko said. "I'll call you when we're ready."

The waitress nodded. "Perfect."

"Who are we waiting?" Another of their friends, Marko, asked.

"Ivana." Mirko replied, raising his gaze to see if he could spotted his fiancée. "Oh, she's coming!"

Ante didn't know if to feel happy or not. Undoubtedly he was happy to see her, but on the other hand, he would have seen her with Mirko.

He didn't know if he was ready to see their cheesy couple moments.

"Hello, sorry for being late!" Ivana said as she approached them.

Ante had to try his best to not let a smile appear on his face, or made his male needs seen by the rest of his friends.

"Finally you're here!" Mirko got up to welcome her with a very fast kiss. He then looked at her, and Ante couldn't understand what he was exactly thinking.

Ivana, without even letting him speak, took her place, between Mirko and Ante.

"I love your dress!" Marko's girlfriend, Lucija, said to Ivana, pointing her green dress. "It matches with your eyes!"

The blonde woman smiled at her. "Thank you! Also yours is amazing! Even though I think Marko will gladly put you off!"

"Touchè!" Marko and Lucija couldn't help but laugh.

"Isn't it a little too appealing?" Mirko asked in a whisper to his fiancée. "You know I don't particularly like when men look at you too much."

"You could haven told me before you want me to dress like a sack of potatoes!" Ivana replied with a roll of her eyes.

Ante, who clearly heard that little conversation with a lot of interest, clearly his throat and called the waitress with a gesture of his hand.

"So, what did I miss?" Ivana asked once they took their orders, crossing her legs.

"We were talking about Ante's Italian love life!" Another of their friend, Josip, laughed.

Ivana couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and look at the Croatian footballer. "Interesting or boring?" She asked, trying to not sound annoyed or jealous, even though she was on the inside.

"Boring." Ante replied, looking back at her.

"You know, you should introduce him to Ljupka!" Mirko suggested, laying his hand on her left leg, just like Ante did just the day before.