"Cris?" Zarine questioned, holding out the phone as the Trio stared at it as if it was about to burst.

Cristiano hesitantly reached for it but James gasped, "Don't tell him we're here."

Cristiano looked at Gareth for help who was chewing his lip in contemplation, "Talk to him. Maybe he is just calling out of concern, just wants to check up on your knee injury? If he says anything else, lie."

Cristiano nodded and accepted the call. In a cheery voice, he started, "Hola, Florentino. How are you?" He put it on loud speaker so that James and Gareth could know what was going on too.

A grim voice grunted, "I would be healthy if I didn't have to worry about my star players not turning up for practice!"

James mouthed, "Shit!"

"Where are you, Cris?" Florentino Perez demanded. "Not in Morocco, I hope?"

"Are you kidding me?" Cristiano replied. "I'm not in Morocco. I'm in-" He looked at Gareth who was making an eating motion, "I'm in the canteen."

"Oh really? I suppose James and Gareth are there too?"

"Yes, yes, we're just discussing some-er-football stuff with Sergio," Cristiano said, easily. James and Gareth gave him proud thumbs up. Perez trusted Sergio like anything. If they used Sergio as an excuse Perez would stop questioning.

"With Sergio? Are you sure?"

"Yes, boss," James butted in.

Gareth chimed, "Yes, boss."

"As happy as I am to know that James and Gareth are actually hanging out and agreeing on something, I am shocked that you three are with Sergio when Sergio is here with me right now, along with the rest of the team practicing," Perez said, coldly.

Damn, Gareth mouthed.

"Haha, you thought we're with Sergio Ramos?" Cristiano laughed nervously. "We are with Sergio but not Ramos..We are actually with Sergio Aguero."

Even though Zarine was really confused as to why the Trio were here without having informed anyone, she couldn't help but giggle silently at the Sergio save. Cristiano caught her smiling and winked. She shook her, lovingly.

"WHY ARE YOU WITH SERGIO AGUERO AND WHAT IS HE DOING IN MADRID?" Perez thundered.

"It's a really funny story actually," James began.

Perez clicked his tongue, "One I'd love to hear. Go on."

"It all happened when we were driving to practice," Cristiano offered.

Gareth joined in, helpfully, "And then we saw that Sergio Aguero's car had broken down and-"

"-and his sister was having a baby," James added. "So, we took them to the hospital."

"We're sitting in the hospital canteen right now waiting for the good news," finished Cristiano as everyone tried to stop themselves from laughing at the weird, fabricated story.

Perez wasn't laughing though. He spoke sternly, "I don't care. If you guys aren't here for practice tomorrow, you'll be suspended for the rest of the season." With a bang, he cut the call.

"Suspend his star players, huh," James rolled his eyes.

New message from Benitez! "GUYS PLEASE COME BACK BY TOMORROW MORNING. HE MIGHT FIRE ME. ITS NOT LIKE HE NEEDS ANOTHER REASON."

All of them knew they had to get back asap.

Gareth was already looking through his phone for flight schedules, "We can't cause problems. If we're expected by tomorrow morning..." He scrolled through some more and made a tutting noise, "we need to leave soon. There's a flight in three and a half hours."

"I can't believe that you guys are in trouble for coming here," Zarine said, agitated. "You shouldn't have come in the first place if it meant that meanie Perez was going to get mad at you."

Cristiano looked at her, "I had to meet you, Zarine."

Her eyes flashed towards him as she tried to understand just how much depth that one sentence from him carried. He had come to see her. He had come only to see her. He cared about her. He was willing to get into trouble for her. That one sentence was a statement of all this but at the same time she couldn't detect more, a question. A question of whether they could be more than comfortable, close friends. A question of whether she wanted them to because right now the way his eyes were taking in every inch of her face, it seemed he surely wanted to be more.

Gareth, James, the room, the world...nothing mattered except for them right now, right here. She was overcome by a powerful feeling, a feeling which burned in her fingertips, itching to touch him, to feel how his skin would feel under her touch, to see if he would respond, how he would respond and most of all how his lips would feel against hers.

The bell rang shrilly and everything shifted back into focus, the world, the room, James and Gareth and she looked away, blushing, muttering that she would get the door. Gareth seemed to sense the tension in the air and quietly offered to open the door. James followed sheepishly.

She looked back at Cristiano but he had looked away by now, a slight frown painting his features as he looked at her Sergio poster.

"I brought ice cream for the kids," Firoza could be heard saying.

Both of them turned towards the direction of the voice.

Zarine wanted to ask him to stay. She wanted him to stay more than anything in the world but he had a job, a place to be and she didn't want to be the person who would pose the stupid question of asking him to stay when both of them, knew he couldn't.

"Cris-" her voice cracked and he looked at her expectantly. "I-I-" I'M TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING HERE. DON'T GIVE ME THAT LOOK THAT'S LIQUIFYING MY KIDNEYS FOR GODS SAKE.

He walked quickly to her, closing the distance between them and she sucked in a breath. What is he doing? Is he like going to kiss me? Should I have brushed? I don't even have lip balm on. I suck. My life sucks. I don't even know how to kiss most probably. Should I pucker up my lips or wait for him first? Mummy will kill me but I'm ready hehe.

He hugged her, enveloping her in his arms that clutched her body as if she would vanish if he let go. His heart was thundering and she could feel it. He mumbled something like, "You're so tough to understand, dammit."

She finally let go of the shock and hugged him back. He still smelled of mint and grass and oranges. His deodorant is orange scented!? She breathed in. If we're meeting for the last time and this hug is all we have I want to make this last. I want to remember your warmth, your scent and how you speak so much even in silences. I have told you this already but I love you, Cristiano and if I could, I would have made you stay.

Shit I'm such a crappy heroine. Getting all emotional because he's going. I should be acting strong and all. I am the sarcastic fangirl after all.

When they broke apart, he looked wild as if he was about to say something, something he was using every ounce of his courage to speak. If she could have heard his thoughts, they were simple, I want to tell you that I can't imagine life without you. I want to have a chance with you, to show you that I am serious when I say I love you but I can't . I can't do this to you, tell you I love you and then leave. I'm not that person. I want to spend time with you, take you on a million dates, tell you that I'm jealous as hell that you even thought of Sergio in a marrying sense, laugh with you about your posters, your cupboard, tell you that you remind me of sunshine and brilliant blue oceans. I want time with you. I want forever with you, Zarine.

His shoulders stooped and he finally asked, words slipping out all too fast, "Please, please, will you...?" I can't ask her to come.

He cleared his throat, "If I invited you for a match, would you come?"

She was taken aback but she grinned like her usual self would, "To play against you?"

He raised his eyebrows and smirked, "To watch me and Real Madrid win."

"Of course."

James burst in, "Aunty is getting suspicious so you guys should grace us with your presence soon."

"Coming," they said, together.

[ THEY FREAKING NEARLY KISSED.

STAHP taking so long, Zariano. The ships needs to sail, like right now.

Also, we were listening to Bollywood songs while writing this and we found one that suits this chapter pretty well. We looked for a lyrics video with translation so you can find it up there. If nothing else, you might enjoy listening to it because it's calm, sad and beautiful plus Atif Aslam bruh.

VOTE AND COMMENT, ADVICE THE CHARACTERS, SCREAM AT US, GO ON. WE ARE LISTENING x]