A/N: A huge thank you to the lovely ladies who commented, you are all amazing
And I honestly wasn't expecting so many views, thank you! So I decided to continue, and here it goes chapter one! Hope you all like it! Comments= love
Chapter 1
?What the hell are you doing here Maria Elena?? Gonzalo shouts, in an attempt to make himself heard in the middle of the crowd.
Maria?s eyebrows furrow in confusion and her eyes are wide in shock. She opens her mouth to speak but no words come out. Should she lie or should she tell the truth?
?Is Gloria here with you?? he asks, scanning the crowd behind her in search for his fiancée, her sister.
?No, no.? She blurts. ?She?s at home with mom and Sofia. And you can?t tell her that I came here tonight Gonzo. Please.? Her eyes plead with his.
He tilts his head to side, trying to figure what on earth is going on and why she?s hiding from her sister the simple fact of watching a Real Madrid?s match. It doesn?t make any sense.
The fans have already recognized him at this point, and there are dozens of them screaming at his side and trying to get autographs and pictures. He is always receptive towards his fans but today he?s going to ignore them. There is something desperate in Maria?s eyes and he knows that there?s something wrong about her being here. So he grabs her by the arm and drags her to the nearest door he can find, guiding her inside and shuts it behind them. She doesn?t protest. All those peoples around her are making her even more nervous than she already is.
?How did you find me?? She asks as soon as he closes the door and releases her arm.
?It doesn?t matter. Why are you here?? This time there is a worried and serious tone in his voice, and she knows that lying will be impossible now; he already knows that something isn?t right.
Maria leans her head against a wall, closes her eyes and takes a death breath, trying to calm her nerves a little. ?It?s complicated Gonzalo.?
?Does Iker know you?re here?? He questions, a little softer this time.
?Oh my God, Iker.? She thinks. Of course Gonzalo would think she was here because of Iker. He had asked for a few dates but it isn?t anything serious. He was amazing and like her mama likes to point out ?everything she needs in her life?. But that doesn?t mean that he is what she wants in her life. And that was absolutely clear for her tonight. She hadn?t come here for him, and he hadn?t crossed her mind until now.
?Iker is not my boyfriend.? She answers, her eyes still shut. ?I don?t need to tell him where I am.?
Gonzalo nods and crosses his arms in front of his chest. ?I know that. But you guys went out on a few dates so I thought ? ?
?Don?t tell them.? She interrupts him, her voice lower than a whisper. She can feel her eyes watering and it takes all her might to keep the tears from falling. She takes a few steps in his direction and stands right in front of him. He looks deep into her eyes while she takes both his hands in hers.
?Please. Don?t tell Gloria or Iker or mom or anyone. Por favor.? She begs, and a lonely tear makes its way down her cheek.
?Maria I??
?I?ll tell you everything one day. Te prometo.? She interrupts him for the second time. She needs to make him cooperate with her. If her family, especially her mom, finds out that she came here tonight she knows that it will be too much for her to handle. It?s been a couple of months since she came back from Argentina and she doesn?t need all the drama back in her life yet. ?I can?t deal with this right now.?
Gonzalo ponders for a moment. He hates the idea that he?s going to have to lie to Gloria. They just got engaged and he knows that he shouldn?t do this but there?s something in Maria?s eyes, something he can?t figure out what it is but that is making him want to help her. He knows that this whole thing it?s important to her, he can feel it. And if a little omission it?s all that takes to keep her secret, than so be it.
?Alright?. He finally answers. Maria releases a relived breath and circles her arms around his neck.
?Gracias.? She thanks him while he hugs her.
?De nada. But I?m just doing this because you?re my favorite future sister-in-law.? He jokes, trying to ease some of the dramatic aura surrounding them.
Maria Elena laughs loudly and looks up at him with a half-grin on her face. ?Of course I am. The other one is a bitch.?
?Come on, she?s not that bad.? He tries to argue, but deep down he knows that there?s something bitchy about Gloria?s other sister, and that Maria is far from being her number one fan.
?Yes, she is.? She pouts. Gonzalo laughs and shakes his head.
?Do you want me to take you home?? He asks, despite knowing what she?s going to answer. If he takes her home Gloria and her mum will ask questions, and that?s not what they need given the circumstances.
?No. I?ll take a cab.? She smiles and he nods. ?I think I should go now.? He kisses her forehead and she walks towards the door. She half smiles at him and mouths a ?thank you? before disappearing in the crowd. Gonzalo is left behind wondering what on earth this girl is hiding and there is a voice in the back of his mind screaming that Real Madrid?s newest addition to the squad has something to do his with this whole drama.
**
It?s already past midnight when Maria Elena gets home. She carefully unlocks the door to the second floor apartment she?s been sharing with her mother and sister for the past three months. The hallway is dark and apparently so is the rest of the apartment. There?s a deadly silence and Maria Elena keeps quiet, afraid that she?ll wake someone.
She takes off her heels and makes her way down the hall, the moonlight pouring through the living room window being her only guide. She opens the first door to her left without making a sound. The view in front of her lights up her face and she smiles. Right there, curled up in bed, wrapped in pink sheets and tightly holding her teddy bear, is her little angel.
Sofia.
Her four year old daughter is peaceful sleeping and Maria Elena feels a wave of peace wash over her as she looks at the little girl, instantly forgetting everything that happened earlier. Sofia always had this calming effect on her. She?s able to warm Maria?s heart with a single smile and her sweet voices gives all the strength Maria needs to keep going. Sofia is her sunshine, hers and no one else?s.
Maria walks towards the bed and sits right next to Sofia. She runs her fingers through the girl?s long black hair and kisses her forehead lightly. It amazes Maria Elena how much they look alike. Hair, lips, nose, skin color, even her little hands look like Maria Elena?s. Sofia?s brown colored eyes tell a different story tough; and Maria loves them.
?Dulces sueños mi amor.? She whispers and takes one last look at her daughters face before quietly standing up and leaving the room.
She decides to drink a glass of water in the kitchen before going to bed. She opens the fridge in search for a bottle of water and nearly jumps when she hears a low voice behind her.
?How was it??
?Shit, Gloria!? She curses. ?You scared me.?
Gloria is sitting in the kitchen counter, dressed in her pajamas and calmly eating an apple. Judging by her face and by her perfect ponytail Maria can tell that she wasn?t sleeping. She was still awake, waiting for Maria to get home.
Gloria ignores Maria?s reaction and repeats the question. ?How was it??
?How was it what?? Maria asks annoyed, pretending not to know what her sister is talking about. Of course Gloria knows where she had been. Gloria knew her like the back of her hand and Maria had been a fool when she thought that her little sister wouldn?t guess what she was up to.
Gloria laughs and bites her apple. ?I?m not stupid Maria. I know where you were.? Maria chooses to ignore her sister?s conversations and serves herself a glass of water.
?How amazing did he look like?? Gloria asks in a teasing tone and Maria decides that enough is enough. She places her glass in the counter a little stronger than she intended to and turns to look at her sister.
?Why are you doing this?? she asks seriously. ?It?s already hard enough. There is no reason for you to keep asking ridiculous questions.?
Gloria sighs and looks back at her. ?I?m sorry? She apologizes. ?I thought that if I joked a little it would help to ease the tension. I?m just the little sister, I?m not going to judge you.?
Maria?s face softens and she half smiles at her sister. Gloria would never say or do anything to hurt her. They are best friends since they?re little kids. Of course they have their stupid fights but they would stand next to each other through anything. They have a big family, really big, but most of the times it seems that it?s just Maria Elena and Gloria against the rest of the world.
Maria sits in the counter next to her sister and rests the back of her head against the cool wall.
?He looked like the walking definition of perfect.? She finally answers the question with a grin on her face, her voice lower than a whisper. Gloria smiles and turns her head to look at her sister. Maria is still smiling but Gloria can see the tears in her eyes and she finally understands how hard seeing him must have been. Instead of saying something she hugs Maria tightly against her chest and feels as her sister starts to sob. No words are spoken. Words are unnecessary at times like this. She lets her sister cry in her shoulder for as long as she wants to, and allows herself to wonder if someday Maria Elena will finally get the happiness that it was taken away from her.
