The Footballer's Girlfriend

Part One - Chapter Two: Meeting Again

Stepping into the quiet café, Eliana sighed in relief glad that she had made it without being recognised; she headed towards the counter so that she could place her order, she was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to relax.

It had been a long day and with her agent giving her more assignments because it was the summer, Eliana couldn’t remember the last time that she’d had a break; she had only recently turned twenty-four and hadn’t really gotten to celebrate.

Placing her order, Eliana moved out of the way and choose a table just out of sight while she waited; she didn’t want to get in anyone’s way and she hoped that no one would recognise her.

Eliana set down her pastel pink tote bag, she pulled out her book that she had been reading and opened it up; she always carried the book around hoping for a chance to settle down and read it.

Pushing her glasses up her nose, Eliana settled into reading her book; her lips moving softly as she whispered the words that she was reading a small smile on her face glad for a bit of a break.

“Jasmine orange tea,” the barista called making Eliana sigh, she got to his feet and moved to collect her order; she kept a finger on the page that she had been reading so she didn’t lose it while she got her drink.

Eliana squeaked as she walked into someone else, she hadn’t realised that there was anyone there and she was grateful that they had caught her before she hit the floor.

“I am so sorry,” Eliana said righting herself, she peeked up over the top of her glasses and blinked surprised as she recognised the man before her; she wanted the ground to swallow her up since this was the second time she had walked into him like that.

“We have to stop meeting like this,” Cristiano teased with a smile, he had only popped in for some lunch and he was pleased that he had now especially since he had been dying to see Eliana again after their photo-shoot.

Eliana opened and closed her mouth, she couldn’t believe that she was seeing him again so soon after their photo-shoot; she hardly ever saw the men that she modelled alongside after the shoots.

“Sorry… I have to get my drink,” Eliana spluttered slowly moving to get her drink, she could feel people staring and she didn’t want to attract more attention than needed.

Cristiano raised an eyebrow watching Eliana scurry away, he had never met a more nervous model and he actually liked it; he recalled the last model that he had dated and it hadn’t ended well.

Cristiano moved to order barely taking his brown eyes off the blonde while he admired the yellow wrap back vest and dark wash skinny jeans paired white flat ballerina pumps; she looked relaxed and he liked the fact that she wasn’t overdressed.

“One flew over the cuckoo’s nest,” Cristiano mused catching the title of the book that Eliana was reading as he moved to sit across from the blonde at her table; he couldn’t resist joining her since he wanted to speak more with the model that had caught his attention.

“It’s for my course… I want to get a head start before my classes start again in September,” Eliana explained looking to Cristiano, she loved her job as a model but she didn’t see the problem in taking a couple of courses while she could.

Cristiano nodded his head watching Eliana, he thought she looked cute in her glasses and he couldn’t help but wonder why she wore them; she hadn’t needed them for when they had been modelling together, so he guessed that it was just for reading.

“So you’re a student?” Cristiano asked as the barista called his order, he got to his feet to collect it before he returned to sit with Eliana.

“I promised my mãe that I would at least graduate,” Eliana replied once Cristiano had returned, she knew that having an education was important and her modelling career wasn’t going to last forever.

Cristiano chuckled remembering making a similar promise to his own mother before his own career had taken off; he had hated school and left with the bare minimum of qualifications that he could get at sixteen.

“Any good?” Cristiano asked nodding at the book while he took a sip of his coffee, he’d never had the patience to sit and read anything and with his schedule he barely had time anymore, instead he preferred to wait until the film came out.

Eliana nodded her head, she pushed her glasses up her nose and looked across the table at Cristiano wondering why he was sitting with her; she was sure that he had something better to do than sit around with her.

“It’s alright,” Eliana replied curious about why he was sat with her, she had never thought that Cristiano would have gotten his drink and left to head for somewhere private so that people wouldn’t bother him.

Eliana didn’t want to admit that she had Googled him after their first meeting, she was curious about him and had been surprised to find that he was a popular footballer; she hardly got time to watch football and was a little behind on recent players.

***

Eliana giggled softly as she shouldered her bag to leave, she put her book inside and smiled at Cristiano; she had to leave and she was sort of sad about it since she had enjoyed the last hour that she had spent with Cristiano.

“When can I see you again?” Cristiano asked eagerly getting to his feet, he had loved talking to Eliana and he was glad that they had run into one another again.

Cristiano couldn’t remember the last time he had felt like just Cristiano instead of Cristiano Ronaldo, he didn’t want to lose that feeling just because Eliana had to head home.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Eliana replied already knowing that people had seen them together, she didn’t want to become known for her friendship with the footballer; she wanted to build a career of her own without relying on someone else.

“Then may I could have your number to call you?” Cristiano tried, he knew that people were sometimes put off by how famous he was and he didn’t blame Eliana for turning him down.

Cristiano wasn’t about to let Eliana walk out of this café without some way of knowing that he would see her again; he liked her and he wasn’t going to deny it to anyone.

“How about this… since this is the second time we have bumped into one another, if we meet again then I will give you my number,” Eliana offered with a smile, she was sure that she would run into the footballer again and she didn’t know when but it kept things interesting.

Cristiano stared at Eliana for a moment a smile forming on his face as he followed her out of the café, he knew a challenge when he saw one and he was going to see her again.

“Then I look forward to bumping into you again,” Cristiano replied grinning knowing that he wouldn’t give up until he saw her again and had her number; he was sure that his agent would be useful for once.

Eliana smiled at Cristiano before she walked away, she didn’t know what the footballer would do to see her again but she had a feeling that it wouldn’t be long before she saw him again.

Eliana could only imagine what Cristiano would do to get what he wanted, she doubted that he would wait too long before they met again and she was a little excited about the idea of playing hard to get; she liked the idea of teasing Cristiano a little.