see you later // Pablo Gavi

Chapter 74

~ Author's Note ~

He's my Spanish King <33

Also I hope I haven't repeated any quotes at the chapter beginnings in this book; that'd be embarrassing. Sorry if I have.

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒏.

𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐔𝐋𝐋 𝐌𝐘𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 𝐓𝐎𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑, 𝐈 𝐉𝐎𝐆 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐒, 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆, "𝐇𝐄𝐘, 𝐇𝐄𝐘, 𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐀, 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓 𝐔𝐏! You guys all know you can't survive a moment in the woods alone without me without some kind of injury!"

"Nah, you just want us to walk slower for you," Pedri teases.

"No way. I can keep up," I glare, walking in step with Pedri. Pablo Torre and Gavi are walking right in front of us.

Pedri laughs, pointing at my face, saying, "You've still got some sunscreen there on your nose!"

I shrug, wiping it off, then grin and wipe it on his shirt.

"Hey, what was that for? That'll stain!"

"Yeah, and like you aren't rich enough to just buy that shirt again if you really like it that much."

He rolls his eyes, with a shrug, realising that I'm completely correct on this one.

"So, why did you not make me and Pablo use sunscreen and bug spray, huh?" he asks with a mischievous grin.

"I know what you want me to say, Pedri. So, in spite of you, I'm not gonna say it's because he's my boyfriend so I can do that to him. Instead, I'm going to say this: You're tan and probably won't burn anyway, and I couldn't care less about the goodwill of Pablo, because he's annoying."

"Wow," Pedri grins. "That's a lot of smack coming from an eighteen-year-old."

"A lot of smack?"

"Yeah, like, jeez, poor Pablo," he teases.

I roll my eyes at this idiotic comment. "Pablo Torre is anything but poor."

"Stop making good points," he shakes his head.

In a bit, we get to a spot where the trail is wider, so we all stand next to each other, me in the middle of Gavi and Pablo Torre and Pedri walking next to Gavi.

"So, Ember, I was thinking," Pablo Torre grins, giving me a side eye.

"What, dude?"

"'Dude'?"

"Yeah, I mean, I don't really know you very well at all. I mostly know you from when you posted that picture a while ago of me 'kissing' Gavi."

"Oh, yeah, that. Sorry about that. Didn't I already apologize to you about that a while ago, though? Sorry, if I didn't. Man, maybe that's why you and Gavi are dating!"

"Huh, why?" I ask, eyes narrowing.

"You've both got a touchy temper."

"I don't have a touchy temper!" I exclaim, then look to Pedri for help. "Right, Pedri?"

"Surrrrre," he says sarcastically. "Maybe you wouldn't punch the pitch and throw a tantrum like my buddy Gavi here-"

"Shut up, fat ass!" Gavi yells in his best friend's ear.

Pedri laughs as he continues, "But sometimes I can tell when you're internally boiling."

"Pfft, like when?"

"Like... I don't know. I couldn't tell you when, because it's only been a few times, because angering things don't happen to you very often. But when they do, I've seen you fighting back from, like, exploding in someone's face."

"Pedri, this conversation is stupid," Gavi declares, kicking dirt up off the ground.

"Wow," Pedri rolls his eyes, sharing a look with Pablo Torre that I don't understand.

There's a small while of silence, before Pablo says, "Anyway, Ember, as I was trying to say, I was the first one who shipped you two."

"Shipped us two?" I ask judgmentally.

"Yeah. I always thought you'd be a good couple. Even more Pedri did."

"You don't even know me!"

"Sure, but I know Gavi. Right, Gavi?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Gavi says.

"My God, Gavi, what's your problem today?" Pedri asks, nudging his friend in annoyance. "Don't even say that. We both know you like Pablo just fine. So what's up with you?"

Without thinking, I blurt, "It's that time of the month," which gets both Pedri and Pablo bursting out laughing.

My boyfriend is not amused.

And all the sudden, I feel really bad.

I swallow to myself, nervously laughing along, deciding that as soon as I'm alone with him, I have to ask him what is bothering him that is making him so grumpy with his friends specifically.

Our walk, over all is very nice, but as we're heading back, the boys start to speed up even more, urgent to get back to dinner. Before long, I'm fighting to try to conceal my panting, not wanting them to think I'm weak.

I have to remember that this is a very hardcore hike, and that I am literally doing it with some of the most fit people, who have a career that completely centers around their body being at tip-top shape.

Still, I try to conceal it.

And I walk closer to Gavi than the other two, figuring maybe he'd judge me less, since he's my boyfriend.

He casually slips his hand in mine, saying, "You were right."

"About what?" I ask, accidentally letting in a big breath of air.

"The sunset being nice. You were right to time it like that."

"Oh yeah," I say quickly, with a soft smile.

"Are you good?" he asks softly, in concern, slowing down to drop a bit more behind Pablo and Pedri.

"Of course," I say quickly again. "Why wouldn't I be good?"

He smiles and says, "I could carry you."

I snort, shaking my head. "That's beneath my dignity. Especially in front of these two."

"Are you sure? I'll just say you were tired. Who cares... who cares what they think? I mean, you know I'd beat either of them to a pulp if they tried a video or picture or anything. I could-"

"Okay, oh my God, Gavi!" I giggle softly. "If you insist, you can carry me."

"Good. I do insist." He picks me up around my middle, and I wrap my arms and legs around his middle, so he slips his hands under my thighs. 

I lean my head against his shoulder, ignoring Pablo Torre saying, "Oh, you-"

And Pedri interrupting him with a soft, "Pablo, just leave them be."

I laugh softly into his shoulder when Gavi says, more laughter than annoyance in his voice now, "Yeah, Pablo, just leave us be for once! I'd flip you off right now if I could."

I lean closer into his neck, complete content here where I am as we walk back.