Golden Couple (Pedri)

Chapter Ten

Pedri's POV

"Get out of my way, you fucking Madrid reject", I say, pushing him.

"What's your problem?"

"You are my problem. Move!"

"All right, all right", says Ferrán, getting in between the two of us. "Let's separate and keep playing, ok?"

"I'm playing", says Odegaard. "It's this stupid kid that seems to have a problem".

Ferrán separates me from him and tries to calm me down.

"Pedri, the best way you can show Zoe you're better than him is by scoring and winning. Not by punching her ex in the face, ok? They are still friends".

"It's not about her".

But he only rolls his eyes. "Of course, it isn't. Just focus on the fucking match, ok?"

For the next 20 minutes, I do just that. Almost assisting Robert to score the first goal, but a good save from Ramsdale prevents us from getting the lead.

But then, it's time to play near Odegaard again. And unbeknownst to us, he had heard what Ferrán told me.

"You like my girl then? That's why you want to fight me?"

"She's not your girl anymore".

"Really?", he laughs. "Do you think she came back to London because she misses the food? It was something else she missed and I gave it to her. She always comes back for more".

He's lying. He's lying...but then I remember how weird she was around me whenever she was asked about what she did in London.

"I mean, I can't blame you for wanting her. But she's not interested, mate. Sorry. What we have is special. We are only on and off because of our careers but she'll be mine. Always".

"I don't care".

"I can tell you how good it feels to be with her if you want to. So you can use that for your little fantasies. Because she'll never be with someone like you".

His mocking laugh makes something inside of me snap.

"No need. I already know".

Now his smile is gone. Good.

"You're lying".

"Am I? Then how do I know about the little tattoo she's got?", I ask, pointing at the area where Zoe has a little bird tattooed. Her bra covers it so there is only one way to see it.

Now not only is his smile gone, but he's the one who looks like he wants to punch something. Or someone.

"One of her teammates could have told you".

I laugh in his face. "Sure, Madrid reject. That was it. It wasn't that I saw it while I was making her scream my name. She didn't seem to miss you much then. She just kept begging me to make her feel so good. Like no one else had before. Just quoting, you know? Don't shoot the messenger".

And that does it. Before I have time to turn and leave, he punches me, making me fall to the floor. My teammates and his come quickly to separate us, but I just lay on the grass, holding my jaw and smiling at him. He thought his taunting could get me sent off, but it is him that sees a straight red.

"You stay the fuck away from her! Do you hear me? Or I'll do much worse than that!", he scream whispers while his teammates take him off the pitch.

"What did you say to him?", asks Ferrán, helping me get up.

But I just smile, holding the ice pack to my jaw. Not thinking about what will come next. I'll just enjoy this little win.

Zoe's POV

While everyone is still talking about what happened, I hear my phone ringing. Martin.

"Hey! What was that about?

"Did you fuck him?"

"What?"

"Pedri. Did you fuck him?"

"Is that why you punched him? God, Martin".

"Zoe, answer my question".

"It...I...it was just one time", I whisper, separating further from my teammates.

"How could you do this to me?"

"Martin, we aren't together. I can do whatever I want. So can you".

He's silent because he knows I'm right.

"Was it before or after London?"

"Before".

"So that's why I noticed you being a bit weird. I thought it was that you missed me like I miss you and felt bad about having to leave again. But no, you just couldn't wait to go back to him".

"I told you, it was one time and it won't happen again".

I only hear a dry laugh on the other side of the line.

"Martin, you can't punish me for this, ok?"

"Well, it still fucking hurts. How would you feel if someone you play against told you about how good I made her feel?"

Like shit, probably.

"He said that?"

"He said many things, Zoe. And so did I".

"I would appreciate it if you two stopped talking about me when taunting each other, you know?"

They are so childish. God!

"What do you think people have been telling me to taunt me since you and I got together? It's the easy way to rile a player up. But when I heard Torres telling him that he shouldn't do that to impress you...I knew it was different this time".

So Pedri is talking about this with all of his teammates. What an asshole.

"I'm sorry that happened but you shouldn't have punched him. And I don't say it because I slept with him. I say it because you should be smarter than that. You'll get a 3-match ban, probably".

"I don't care".

"You are the captain!"

"I don't care!"

"If you're going to yell at me now, you better go to the shower and let the cold water calm you down. I'm no punching bag".

I say, hanging up.

There was a part of me that felt Pedri might be different. That he wouldn't be bragging to his friends about what happened between us. But of course, he's just like all the others. While I'm hurting because of his rejection, he's just having a good time taunting my ex and probably giving all the details of what happened to Ferrán. Maybe I should avoid him like he avoids me. He doesn't deserve my pain.