It's a Secret but, I Love You | Cristiano Ronaldo

Chapter 24

"Somebody please help Anika out, she's bleeding for God's sake." Coach Celeste grunted with her clipboard pressed on the tip of her nose. "Gareth," she held out a hand, "Welsh-man, haven't you heard of mercy?" Celeste along with the witnesses watched as Carlo allowed the medics to aid the injured Fémina. Things returned to normal after Anika exited the pitch and Carlo and Celeste were undeniably looking forward to Cristianna's one-on-one.

"Next up is Cristiano versus Adrianna— the two top scorers for their team!" Carlo excitedly announced, his hands clapping ferociously as he revealed a full set of off-white teeth and leafy fragments from what seemed to be breakfast. "Well, go on!" Carlo egged. "I don't have all day!" As he shoved Cristiano to the playing zone, Celeste copied him while whispering in Adrianna's ear.

"If you win I get to touch him." —her hand roughly latched on to Anna's shoulder— "If you lose I get to touch him— it's a win-win situation over here!"

Adrianna flicked her coach's hand off in one swift movement and continued to follow Carlo. "No," she replied, "I'm not letting you lay your elderly wrinkles on him! That's not clean, and I don't even appreciate when washed hands touch him."

"Oh, do you love him?" Celeste asked, changing the tone of her voice to irritate Adrianna more than usual. "Are you and the hunky Portuguese footballer madly in love? I won't lie, you two would make a godly couple— beautiful people are hard to come by nowadays so make something out of this relationship Anna! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, you—"

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"Well if you won't take him then I will!"

"He's not interested in your type!"

"But he's interested your rare type so why won't you take him? He loves you."

Adrianna twisted around to face her coach. "I don't want him! And we should've even be talking about this when I have a one-on-one against a two time Ballon d'Or recipient to worry about." She pivoted around and joined Carlo and Cristiano for the brief match she assumed she would lose, but not as dramatically as Anika versus Gareth. "I'm here to compete."

Cristiano carefully examined Adrianna like a plate that didn't seem to be thoroughly washed. "Anna, are you alright?" He questioned, placing a caring hand on her cheek and meeting her eyes. Cristiano always tried his best to make her feel like she was the only girl in the world, like there was nothing to stress about. However Cristiano knew he couldn't do that because Adrianna is her own man; she doesn't need someone to constantly think about her. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Anna forced herself to meet his eyes while everything her and Celeste spoke about ricocheted inside her complex mind. Taking a deep breath before retorting was necessary or else Adrianna's chest would've uncomfortably tightened. "Yeah, I'm fine. I have to do this; it's my career, not your's Cris." Please don't get involved anymore, she thought.

"But—"

"Can we get this over with?!" Carlo impatiently asked, he passed a football to Anna's cleated feet. Cristianna eyed each other then their coaches before preparing for their one-on-one. "Ready..." Carlo put his whistle up to his mouth and paused for a few seconds before blowing in the whistle. It took a while for Adrianna to enter the zone, but once she did it was nothing except aggressiveness. "Try not to kill each other!" Carlo shouted as he watched Ronaldo go down from a side tackle.

LaMarte stole the ball from him and dashed to the goal, it wasn't long until right at her neck again. Just like a year ago, they're clawing at each other's shirt for the sake of a simple football. However this time Ronaldo seemed to have improved his defensive skills— after all, he was a midfielder when he played for Manchester United in England but it's been a while since he's used them. But for LaMarte, she's been playing center-mid since before the Chelsea days and she still does occasionally.

"Wow, I'm impressed by your improvement." Cris applauded Adrianna after she prevent him from scoring a goal on her by kicking the ball off its original airborne course. "I've never seen someone literally stomp a ball away from the goal; you're something else Anna."

"So you're not impressed when I score goals?" Adrianna had possession of the football now and like any other professional athlete, she tried to score. Passing her opponent up, she once again sprinted toward Cristiano's goal with him chasing after her. Remember when Adrianna said she could run just as fast as Cristiano— her top speed is near Bale's, and he's speedier than Ronaldo.

Coach Celeste and Coach Carlo stood in awe, one gnawing on a black ballpoint pen and the other chewing on her nails. Both teams were on their toes and Anika was so occupied with watching the one-on-one that she couldn't even continue holding the towel to stop her nose bleed. They all observed and tried to understand how Adrianna was so far ahead of the Cristiano Ronaldo— possibly the best football player in the world.

At this point the goal was in Adrianna sight, but she could sense Cristiano reaching for her. Just a couple more strides, she thought, a few more and I win...I'll win and not be known for being friends with him. Coincidentally Ronaldo would catch up in a couple more strides too, and when he did Adrianna had to comprehend the situation and contemplate a new route. A second later and she knew what to do, she knew what she could use against him and that screaming one name could make him stop and turn.

"Wait, who is that over there?" Adrianna paused and pretended to see a familiar face. "Is that..Irina?!"

Cristiano pivoted around faster than an American football player and by the time her turned back around the ball was already at the back of the goal. "You tricked me!"

"No one ever said you couldn't use words in football." Adrianna winked. "It's not my fault you can't properly focus." She grabbed the ball and tossed it to Cristiano before happily skipping away aware that she had just scored on her famous best friend.

Celeste and Carlo's jaws were left hanging and they both struggled to regain their composure. "Umm, next up is— it's so unfair for other to let these two play together!" Carlo admitted with Celeste agreeing to his side. "Anyways, God, next up is Modrić versus Grace." He announced looking onto Celeste's clipboard.

"I won." Adrianna said smiling at Cristiano. "Now I get a prize!"

"Fine, what do you want Anna?"

"First I want a piña colada, second I want a hug from you, and third I want you to become a better person!"

Cristiano chuckled and tickled under Adrianna's chin with his index finger then pulled her in for a hug like she asked. "I'll give you all of them because I—"

"Am your queen!" Adrianna interrupted.

"I was going to say something else but sí, you are my queen... as long as I'm your king."