Page 33 of Yours, For Now

"That they will shift and ask us about getting married instead."

I chuckled. "At least you'll get my help to manage the pressure ofthat, this time. I am not marrying you at the end of this, Lina."

She looked up to the ceiling and scoffed. "I think I'll live. I'm not waiting for a ring from you."

"But maybe I'll get you a commemorative brooch."

She laughed. I grinned, despite the anvil chaining itself to my ankle, warning me that I would pay for this small show of ego.

"I'll text you the details." She kissed my cheek. "Thank you, Gabe."

I nodded and she walked away, never looking back.

A full minute later, I shook myself out of watching her go, and made my way to the office. I'd have to carefully carry that heavy weight chained to me now, and use it as a reminder that this was as far as I could go.

Chapter 11

Eventhoughithadbeen my mom who suggested I go cheer for my boyfriend at his soccer match, it was Lucía who roped me into attending one of his games. It meant I would have to work through lunch the next day to keep up with work but, as soon as Luce had realized both our boyfriends would be playing against each other, she called it a cousin bonding evening and begged me to come.

Guided by Lucía, I discovered that the league played at a semi-permanent structure that, from afar, resembled a large padded hangar. Soon, I discovered that it held eight small fields, all fenced and surrounded by bleachers. Players filled the synthetic surface, and observers formed small groups scattered around the space. After identifying the field where Gabe and my cousin's boyfriend played, we sat in the bleachers, Lucía's arm in mine.

"The game must be halfway done." Her neck stretched as she searched the teams. I followed her gaze, my eyes inspecting the crowd. "That's Rodrigo there, and… yes, that's your boyfriend, currently trying to steal the ball from him."

Gabriel pushed a foot between Rodrigo's legs, kicked the ball back and, skipping around him, caught the ball and ran with it toward the net. The fierce determination on his face looked good on him.

"I don't understand soccer, but maybe I like watching it in this format." I tracked Gabe as someone from the other team charged at him. They crashed against each other, and the other guy won the ball.

Gabe turned and ran behind him.

Lucía jumped up and put both hands around her mouth. "C'mon, Rod! Show them how it's done!" She sat back down and gave me a smile. "Technically this isn't even soccer. It's six versus six on synthetic flooring, which is non-regulatory— it should be on turf— but the league doesn't care because it's much easier to maintain. And it's not like it affects the show for us, right?"

I laughed. Gabe stood in the middle of the field, eyes on the ball, chest working hard and hands on his hips. He must have seen something in the game, because he took off on another sprint. His legs had a nice, full shape to them; his shorts tightened as he ran and offered that piece of information.

"No, it does not," I replied.

Gabe ran into two other players who were fighting for the ball and did his best to gain control of it.

Lucía stood and screamed again. I hadn't even noticed one of them was Rodrigo. "Don't let him take it! Push him!"

Other people around us stood as well, all yelling things toward the field.

"C'mon, prima!" Lucía pulled my arm to make me stand as well. "Cheer for your boyfriend! It's half the fun."

I stood, but said nothing. I limited myself to clapping.

"Oh, please." She elbowed me. "Look around you. We all do it. It's part of being in the league."

Lucía swung a hand in a big circle toward the opposite bleachers. In all of them, folk chatted with each other and cheered for their people on the field.

She clapped and pointed at the game with her chin. "Not that they would ever admit it, but they have this silent competition going, for who has the loudest supporter cheering them on." She gave me a cheeky side eye. "It gets you a lot of girlfriend points, if you scream. Both here… and after, if you know what I mean."

A chuckle escaped me. I wouldn't be screaming anything after the game, but I could play nice and pretend for the evening. For his reputation among the other players.

Before I thought much about it, I put my hands around my mouth and yelled the first thing that came to mind.

"Break a leg, Gabe!"

Lucía cackled next to me and pushed me with a hand on my shoulder. "Don't be ridiculous! That's for theater, and a real threat here!"