Best friends... forever?

Chapter 23

"Do you think she'll like it?"

"She will, trust me" Bruno says. "She isn't expecting anything for her birthday this year, she told me herself. This will definitely surprise her in a good way."

"I hope so" Rúben sighs.

"I told you I would help you get back together, and that's what we are going to do. Though to be honest, you yourself have already done half of the job."

After their Valentine's Day "date", things kept getting better and better between Mila and Rúben. They were seeing each other almost every day after training, and Mila had started to spend more time at their apartment than at her own, which had given Rúben an idea for a birthday gift. Kind of.

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"Have I ever told you that I hate being blindfolded?"

"You didn't say that the last time."

"That's an exception" Mila says, feeling her whole body burning just by remembering that las time. It had been after the photoshoot, and it felt like it had happened on another life despite being just a few months ago.

"I'm going to open the door. Wait here" Rúben says to her ear, something that doesn't help with her current state. "Take a step forward."

"I swear, Rúben. If I hit something, I'm murdering you."

"You won't, trust me."

"Ok then" she says, taking a deep breath.

"Another one... One more. Stop there" he says, moving around her to close the door.

"Now what? Rúben? Where are you?"

"Here" he says, making her jump when she feels him behind her. "Time to take this off."

After a few seconds to adjust to the light, Mila takes a look around her, and she can't help but gasp.

"What... What is this?"

"A birthday surprise" Rúben says, now standing next to her.

"This is... I..." Mila doesn't know what to say. Their living room is covered with photos of themselves from when they were babies to the present. There are photos from their holidays, from when they played football together as kids, from school, random selfies they had taken over the years, photos they had taken of each other... Even the women and men's health photos were there. And on the table, there is a huge bouquet with her favourite flowers and a spread with all her favourite "cheat meals", from chocolate to candy and everything in between.

"You did all this?" Mila asks him.

"Bruno helped me a bit."

"Bruno?"

"He told me he would help me fix things between us because he feels guilty, and this was his way of doing it."

"Well, it's perfect. Remember me to thank him" she says with a big smile.

"Do you really like it?"

"I love it, Rúben. I truly do."

"Great" he says with a nervous laugh. "Do you want to check the photos? It took me ages to pick them."

"Of course" Mila says, taking his hand and walking towards the ones of them as kids.

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"There is something else" Rúben says after they've checked all the photos and shared their memories, laughing at some and getting emotional with others.