Chapter Text
It was a rainy monday morning. The streets were slippery and the cold wind embraced every inch of a tall Portuguese young man making him shiver just a bit, moments before he entered his favourite coffee shop.
Every morning was the same routine, waking up at 5:00 am in order to start his morning running session at the park, returning at 6:30 to take a shower, have breakfast and prepare for classes. At 7:45 leave home in order to be at the café at 8:00, buy his favourite coffee: double espresso, and leave 10 minutes later in order to arrive at 8:25, just 5 minutes before the class starts.
But this monday, something was out of his routine. A tall guy, with beautiful blue eyes was staring at him the whole time since he arrived. Just as the Portuguese, he tend to buy his coffee almost every morning in the same cafeteria.
“Ronaldo”
“Hmm” Cristiano waved at him, turned his back and started walking to the exit.
“Hey! Dude wait a second!” The blue-eyed boy started to walk, almost run, in order to reach the other.
“What?” Cristiano turn around to face him. It was weird that the other man was talking to him. Yes, they used to be friends, more specifically, they were childhood friends and went to the same elementary school and even the first years of middle school they used to be friends, but when they went to different high schools their friendship started to perish. “Piqué, I don’t have time right now,” the Portuguese turned his back once again and opened the exit door.
“Oh no, you do have time,” the taller guy said grabbing the portuguese by the upper arm, making him enter the cafeteria once again.
Cristiano turned around looking at Gerard, he was not happy, neither do Ronaldo, because he already know what this was all about. Cris took away Gerard’s hand from him and before he could say a thing, the spaniard started:
“Listen, I don’t know what you're playing, but if you try to hurt him I’m…”
“I don't know what you are talking about,” Cristiano lied.
“Yes you do! And I warn you! If you try to hurt him…”
“You don’t know me, okay?” Cristiano answer, and after that Garard started laughing.
“Oh I do know you, that’s why I’m here talking to you. You are a one night stand guy, and he… he is not like that. If you hurt him, I’m gonna punch you in the face”.
“No one is going to hurt anyone”.
“You better not”.
“Alright are you done?”.
Gerard didn’t answer he just stared at Cristiano with the same null expression in his face. The tanned skin guy exited the café and looked at his cellphone in order to see the time. Damn it, he was going to be late, college is 15 minutes from where he was.
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Just as expected, Cris arrived 15 minutes late for his first class. Profesor Ancelotti didn’t say a word, he was not the a mean professor, but he did stared at his student a little bit concerned with a mixture of disappointment which made the portuguese feel guilty. He was not used to arrive late, no. He was the perfect student, he had never skipped a class in the whole 3 years he had been in high school, he had perfect grades and besides all that he was the star of the football soccer team.
It was tough to pay attention to the class, Cris was lost in his thoughts during the rest of the class, besides 21° Century Literature class at first hour was so boring that most of the students were still asleep.
After the class was over, Cris went to his locker to take his Calculus book for next class.
“Hey what’s with that smile?” Marcelo said as he passed by to his locker, which was a few meters away from Cris’.
“Guess who has a date this friday?” Cris said as he wiggled his eyebrows up and down.
“Woah! Bro, who is the lucky one this time?” Marcelo said with a big smile on his face.
“Lionel Messi” Cris smirked.
“What!?” Marcelo’s expression changed immediately. “Are you serious? Messi? The one from Barcelona High?
“Yeah, what’s wrong?” Cris raised an eyebrow.
“Well… For what I know… He was in a relationship with someone,” his friend responded.
“What? No, he is not,” the Portuguese said as he crossed his arms.
“Are you sure?” Marcelo raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, he is not! I should have known”. Cristiano looked at the floor trying to process what his friend was saying. “Wait, according to you, who is he dating?” Cris looked at Marcelo in the eyes.
“Neymar” his friend said a little bit concern.
“Your neighbour?”
“Yes, he told me a couple of weeks ago they were in a relationship”.
“Well maybe something went wrong or I don’t know — but Leo will be dating me now” Cris said in a defensive way.
“Okay bro, I’m happy for you — see you at training!” Marcelo gave him a smile, even Cris felt it was not that sincere, but at least he knew Marcelo will always be on his side no matter what.
Ronaldo took all his stuff for his next class and went straight up to the next floor where his classroom was located. Before entering the room, Sergio, who had class with him, came running at him.
“Hey Cris!” Sergio stood up by his side taking a breath after the sprint he did. “Rumor has it Mr. Perfect woke up late and didn’t arrive on time for first class”. Cristiano frown at him. “Are you alright?” Sergio asked.
“Yes I’m fine, and I didn’t wake up late. In fact I wake up even earlier than any other day”.
“So why did you arrived late?” Sergio insited.
“I had an encounter with your boyfriend”.
“The fuck are you talking about!??! You know I don’t have a boyfriend”.
“Piqué”
“Shut up you idiot!”
“You are even blushing”. Cris started teasing.
“I hate him and you know it!”
“If you say so...”
“And what did he wanted?” Sergio asked.
“Oh look! You are interested!” Ronaldo teased again.
“Okay don’t tell me, I really don’t care”. He answered indignantly.
“You do care, you adore gossips”. The portuguese said as his friend looked at him with a challenging sight.
The bell rang, both of them entered the classroom. They sat down in their respective places, Cris in the first row just in front of the blackboard, and Sergio, as much as he hated to sit in the front part of the classroom, he sat behind Ronaldo just to be near his friend.
“So…” Sergio said.
“So what?” Cris asked turning his head to look at his friend.
“You are not going to tell me…?” the Portuguese snorted and before he could answer the teacher arrived.
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“I really hate Calculus”. The Spaniard said as he walked out of the room by Cris, Keylor and Luka’s side.
“I don’t know if I hate Calculus or Professor Mourinho”. Luka said.
“Good point”. Sergio answered.
“I have tutoring, guys,” Keylor said “I have to go, see you on training!” he said bye as he started walking away.
“I have to go too, I have Statistics and the classroom is at the other side of the campus”. Luka said.
“Statistics?!?! After Calculus!?!? — Man what a horrible schedule you have,” the Spaniard said almost shocked.
“I know, at least I’m with Marcelo in that class”.
“Well have fun!” Sergio added and Luka leave.
Sergio turned back to Cristiano who was staring at his cellphone with a stupid smile on his face. The Spaniard narrowed his eyes as he walked closer to him trying to look at his friend’s cellphone screen. Cris noticed what Sergio tried to do, so he moved to the other side trying to hide his phone as he laughed.
“Hey!” the Spaniard squealed.
“You are so silly Sese”.
“Not as you with that stupid smile on your face — Who are you talking to huh?”
“Cris!” James called from the distance, running through the hall. “I heard you arrived late today because you had some kind of accident, is everything okay?” He said with a worried expression with watery puppy eyes.
“Gosh I can’t believe how fast fake rumors spread” Cris said.
“So… are you…?” James add.
“I’m fine James, nothing happened”. Cris gave him a smile and James did the same knowing the portuguese was fine. James was a sophomore who get to be a really good friend of them since he joined the football team. He was caring and always putting his friends before him.
“Cris, don’t ignore my question,” Sergio insisted.
“My date for this Friday,” Cris said winking an eye as James expression changed completely.
“Oh,” Sergio said not that convinced.
“You are not going to ask ‘who’?” Cris asked.
“Who?” James asked almost like a whisper.
“Lionel Messi,” Cris said smirking.
“What!?!? Are you kidding?” Sergio screamed.
“No”.
“That’s great Cris, hmm guys I have to go, I think I’m late for class,” James said a little nervous before leaving.
“Damn it Cris,” the Spaniard gave his friend a slap on the back of his neck.
“What!?”
“Poor James, why did you said that in front of him knowing he has a huge crush on you?”
“Wait what? Since when?!”
“Gosh, you really are clueless”. Sergio crossed his arms. “He has being crushing on you since the first time you speak to him”
“Well shit, I didn’t know,” the Portuguese said passing his right hand throug his hair.
“Yeah, I see,” Sergio sigh. “Okay, so… Messi?”
“What? Are you going to be against this too?” Ronaldo said irritated as he frowned and stared at his friend in the eyes.
“I’m not against this, who is against this?”
“Well everybody I've talked to” He took a deep breath. “First Piqué while I was buying my coffee this morning,” Sergio’s eyes widen up as he opened his mouth trying to say something, but the Portuguese continue talking before he got the chance to say something about the Catalan. “Then Marcelo, even though he said he was happy for me I know he is not convinced,” Cris took another breath. “Then I came here with James and you, and nothing gets better about this, James is absolutely not happy, and you… I don't know you don't seem that convinced either”.
“Sorry Cris, but geez this is so weird”. Sergio said while placing his hands on his face and moving them to his hair. Then he crossed his arms against his chest and sigh. “I mean you and Lionel Messi? I just don’t get it, but If you are happy with him, I’m happy! You are my bro and I will always be by your side, even if you date that little flea, I’m fine with that.” Ronaldo smiled and shaked his head rolling his eyes at Sergio. “But… you have to tell me everything!”
“You are an idiot, you know?” Cris said laughing.
“But you love me” Sergio said as he placed an arm on the Portuguese's shoulders. “So… What did Piqué said?” Cris laughed so hard and looked at him almost crying.
“Really? You just want me to tell you about Piqué?”
“No, I mean, I want to know EVERYTHING, but I’m just curious about what that idiot said”.
“Yeah, of course,” Cris answered as they walked outside the hallway heading to the cafeteria for lunch.