"Okay, guys, I love you three but please, please do not do anything crazy in front of Mummy," Zarine told the three men standing beside her as she paused before her doorbell.

Immediately they started speaking at once. James laughed, "You're scared of your Mummy?"

Cristiano only heard the "I love you" bit and was smiling like he couldn't have heard anything better in his life. "You're literally the most amaz-"

Gareth was worrying (of course), "Oh your Mum doesn't know we're coming?"

"Yeah," she twiddled her thumbs nervously. "See, I need an excuse to explain why three guys are coming to lunch."

"We could come later," Cristiano said, helpfully. "I really don't want to bother you or your family. I do want to make a good impression, you know."

James clapped his hand, "Yes, lunch, OMFG, I'm hungry."

Gareth raised his hand, "We could be your mates from college."

"You actually speak like that," she said absent-mindedly. "If I wasn't looking for excuses, I would have fangirled."

"Er-thank you?"

She paced beside the bemused men. "And that was a really good excuse except Mummy knows you guys. She watches all the matches so..."

"Wow your mother is cool," Cristiano said.

"She likes me?" James asked.

"Yeah she likes all of you," Zarine was answering on autopilot. Internally she was thinking, Maybe I could say I found them starving on the road and because she's always told me to be good to those who are in need, I brought them along? Yeah, that could work except it sounds very improbable. The BC of BBC and James Rodriguez starving on the road? Nah.

Maybe I could say they uh kidnapped me and lunch is their ransom? WHAT EVEN ZARINE THAT WAS SO NOT A GOOD EXCUSE. Uh, maybe I could be like they decided to study at my college and we became friends so I just brought them along to my house? Ugh that only happens in fanfics...

"DING DONG!"

"What the fuck, Gareth? What did you ring the bell for? I still don't have an excuse!" Zarine blurted. "Oops, shit, I didn't mean to shout at you. You are very tall. If you got angry there'd be hell to pay. You wouldn't get angry though. You're like a soft fluffy teddy bear-" STAHP hyperventilating. STAHP freaking out. This is bad. How could I scream at Gareth like that? Please don't hate me Gareth!

"We shouldn't have brought him along," James quipped.

"Gareth, I'm so sorry," Zarine was still freaking out.

He smiled politely, "It's okay, Zarine. Calm down. I'll manage your Mum, okay?"

"My brain is literally giving me the silent treatment right now and-" Zarine was saying.

"Zarine, Zarine, look at me," Cristiano put his hands on her shoulders and stopped her pacing. "Calm down. Let Gareth manage. He's good at this."

She stopped and felt herself melting as her eyes flickered over his concerned face. She had always waited for moments in matches when the camera would zoom in on his face and then for the merest of seconds she would watch the gradual golden to brown rings in his eyes. She found herself calming down. Cristiano was one of those people who had that kind of effect on people. Around him, you could feel like everything was going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay and his lips were so attractive and OMG we're just inches apart. If I leaned I could kiss him and call it an accident-

"Zarine?"

She jumped at her mother's voice, "Hey, Mummy. These are umm..."

"Namaste, ma'am," Gareth started in his most charming tone.

"Assalamalaikum," Zarine whispered, helpfully.

Gareth nodded, "Uh, I mean, assalamalaikum, your daughter has just won our Guess the Match online competition and as the prize you get to spend a whole day with us."

That was his plan?

Zarine's mother raised a sceptic eyebrow, "Walaikumassalam."

"I'm Gareth Bale, by the way," Gareth smiled. "And you are?"

"Firoza," she answered.

"Nice to meet you, Firoza," he pointed to Cristiano and James. "These are my teammates-"

Firoza nodded, "Cristiano and James, I know."

"You're very beautiful, ma'am," Cristiano smiled.

Firoza's lips twitched.

Zarine walked to her mother and pleaded, "I would have told you but I only just came to know. They've come a really long way. It's only right we treat them to lunch, right?"

Firoza gave her a death-glare and turned sweetly to The Trio, "Come inside, boys. I hope you guys don't mind spicy food. I made Biryani for lunch because someone-" another glare at her daughter, "-didn't tell me you were the ones coming to dinner."

The Trio walked in and Zarine mouthed a thank you to Gareth who winked as he followed James inside.

Cristiano walked in with Zarine who closed the door. He leaned in and whispered, "Already meeting the parents, huh? I must have done something really good to deserve this."

Zarine blushed to the colour of beetroot but tried to respond like her usual witty self, "Or something really bad, pretty boy. I'm betting it was bad." She walked ahead, mentally high-giving herself.

Zarine: 1, Cristiano: 0

Cristiano watched her, shaking his head. This gurlll.

"Who's at the door, Mummy?" Zarine's brother, Farhan, asked from his post at his PlayStation. "Is it bajjo? Tell her that I need my hoodie that she 'borrowed' a month ago."

"Farhan, log aye hain," Firoza scolded in a low voice, announcing that guests were in the house.

"Abbey yaar," he complained. "I haven't finished this match yet."

"Farhan," warned Firoza in that special voice mothers all over the world have for their children.

He turned around opening his mouth to say something and then he caught sight of The Trio. "Wha-?"

"Your sister apparently won something and they're here for a surprise," whispered Firoza. Aloud she smiled, "Sit down, kids. Zarine, offer them something to drink."

"I'll take a beer," James said, happily.

Zarine made a noise that sounded like a rock had got struck in her throat.

Cristiano immediately corrected, "He means water. His accent is a bit unclear sometimes. Haha."

"I'll have water too," Gareth helped along.

Cristiano got up, "I'll help."

"Arrey, nahi, beta, tum baitho. I mean, sit down, you must be tired. Let this lazybum do some work," Firoza said.

As Zarine and Firoza went to the kitchen, Farhan spoke up finally, "Hi."

"Hey, you must be Farhan," Cristiano gave him fistbump.

The young boy looked pretty shocked but he was a really friendly teenager and soon the four of them were talking easily.

"I'm confused," Farhan said. "Which competition is this that she won?"

Cristiano laughed nervously, "Believe me, Zarine can explain better."

James, who had been inching towards the PlayStation controller second by second, finally asked, "Farhaaaaan, pleaseeee lets play a game?"

"You want to play a game with me?" Farhan was shocked.

"Please, dude."

"Sure, but I'm playing Real Madrid."

Half an hour later, Cristiano was in the kitchen, happily chopping up veggies for a salad and chatting with Firoza while Zarine was setting the table.

"She doesn't like broccoli?" Cristiano was astounded.

Like most mothers Firoza was happily disclosing all of Zarine's faults, "Yes, anything that's green and healthy, she doesn't eat. You can imagine how tough it must be for me. Your mother must be really proud of you though. You like greens."

And then they laughed because out of all the things Cristiano was, Firoza had chosen to highlight Cris's liking for healthy food.

"So, Zarine told us you watch our matches?"

Firoza nodded, taking out the biryani, "You play really well. All of you."

Cristiano liked Zarine's mother. Usually people treated him oddly. He was either obsessed about or hated. He didn't mind the extremes but it was seriously nice to meet someone who knew who you were and despite everything treated you like you were a normal guy.

Soon they were sitting at the table and James was going all Snapchat and Instagram with the food, "Man, I want everyone to know I'm having some really good exotic food."

"I'm sorry, aunty," Gareth said, "I apologise on his behalf. I would say he wasn't usually so ill-mannered but that would be a lie."

Yes, Firoza had asked them to stop calling her ma'am and soon they came to know that "aunty" was the appropriate term.

"He's mean to me," James mock-cried and took a spoonful of biryani in his mouth. Gareth and Cristiano were still having salad. James chewed the rice excitedly and smiled at Farhan who sat opposite him, eating the same.

James' suddenly stopped smiling. His eyes were watering and his face was getting very, very red, "OH MY GOD THIS IS HOT!"

Firoza looked apologetic, "I'm sorry, beta. I had already prepared most of it by the time you boys arrived. I did tell you that I could make the pasta but you wanted to eat biryani. Here have some water. Are you okay?"

Gareth, Cristiano and Zarine were busy laughing at James who was drinking water and fanning his mouth simultaneously.

"THIS IS FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC," James finally said. "I don't care that's it burning my mouth but it is spicy and yum. You two have to try it."

"I'll pass," Gareth gave up.

Cristiano made a brave face, "I'm going to try it." He took a mouthful and gave a teary thumbs-up. "It's not so bad." His face was red now and tears were falling from his eyes, "Just pass me the whole bottle of water please or I'll die?"

"C'mon, Gareth, don't be a coward," James laughed.

"Here have one spoon," Cristiano offered his spoon to Gareth. "Open your mouth. You have to try it or you'll wonder for the rest of your life. Say aaah."

Gareth looked at Zarine for help, "I really don't think-mmph-Cris, you didn't have to put it in my mouth." He testily chewed and everyone watched. He smiled, eyes watering, "Its not spicy at all. It's perfectly fine-hic hic HIC HIC. Somebody give me some water aarghhhh!"

"How about I go and buy you people some ice cream?" Firoza offered after the meal. "Farhan, you better leave for your maths tuition now okay?"

"Ugh but The Trio is here," Farhan groaned.

"The Trio isn't going to help you in that maths exam you have in two days time. Go!"

After the two of them had left, Cristiano asked, "So, which one's your room? Care to show me around?"

HOLY SHIT NOT MY NINJA-CLEANED ROOM FOR GOD'S SAKE!

[hahaha always with the cliffhangers XD

What do you guys think of Firoza and Farhan? Vote and comment what you thought of them and the chapter. We'll be back soon with The Trio, #zariano, the famous ninja-cleaned room and hilarious moments. Stay tuned, amigos x]