Dirty Little Bastard

66

A few days later, the transfer went through. Theo would be moving to Spain.

There was a press release, but I couldn't bring myself to watch it, which Theo understood. It felt like they were taking him away from me, even when I should be proud and happy for him.

The next two weeks I lived with Theo, spending every single free minute of my time with him, desperately trying to revel in him for as long as possible before he would leave.

Today was the day I had been avoiding even thinking about. I was sitting in the backseat of the familiar black and tinted range rover with Theo, as Alfred drove us towards Heathrow.

"Don't cry, Scarlett... we'll keep in touch," he was trying to calm me. I had told myself I wouldn't cry, but once reality hit me I couldn't hold back my tears.

"Keep in touch?" I let out a sad laugh through my tears, "that sounds like we're just friends, Theo..."

I wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand and shook my head while he sighed.

"Wrong choice of words," he muttered, before glancing down at his lap with a heavy sigh, "I'll call you tonight, once I've gotten settled in. How's that?"

"I feel like this is a bad dream," I told him, sniffling like a child, "and I'm hoping I'll wake up soon."

His dark gaze met mine. I knew he was sad to be leaving me, and had tried so hard for the past weeks to keep my mind off everything. I can't imagine how tiring it has been for him; all of this.

"It won't be long until I'm back. I'm working to get a shorter transfer, okay?" He reached for my hand and took it in his, keeping our eye contact, "and if I don't, it'll just be a year, it's not that long..."

A small sob left my lips, "a year is such a long time. I can't do this for so long..."

All the press, the rumours, not being able to be with him... it would grow to be too much at some point for me, and we both knew it and were afraid of it.

"You won't have to, my request will go through, I'm sure of it," he gave me a reassuring smile. We both knew, though, that very rarely did players have much say in how long their transfers would be, and it was unlikely he'd play for Real Madrid for less than a year.

"I want to see you smile, love," he then continued, unbuckling his seatbelt and moving to sit right next to me, even as we were on the highway.

"Buckle your belt, Theo, you'll hurt yourself..." I immediately began shaking my head and urging for him to grab the seatbelt for the middle seat.

"You're so sexy when you nurse around," he grinned lightly, and something between a sob and a laugh left my lips. I would miss this so much, things wouldn't be the same when I couldn't physically be with him, even in the most innocent of ways.

"I'm not nursing around. Put on your seatbelt," I smiled almost shyly, and he complied.

"There," he turned back to me after he was safely strapped in, "are you happy?"

"No, but I'm satisfied with you having a seatbelt on."

"That's progress, I suppose," he held my hand on his thigh, leaning back and gazing at me, "text me whenever you have time to talk, I'll see if I can call you. This will work, Scarlett."

I had the most troubling gut feeling that this wouldn't work though, and he knew it.

"I'll text you," I managed a gentle smile, "promise me that you'll always wear a seatbelt, won't go to strip clubs, and that you'll be happy."