The Football Player And His Ballerina

The Secret

Lara POV

Carlysle invited us to the after party.

I didn't feel like it, but Sophie was super happy and begged me to accept. Anyway, I thought it would be nice to congratulate the three Musketeers, Dean, Kyle, and Liam.

We informed Carlysle that before joining the after-party game, we should stop by the house to change our clothes.

He didn't like the idea very much, but he understood and nodded.

When we arrived at the party, in our matching dresses and shoes. We entered a large garden, lit with some artificial candles.

The garden had a beautiful little pond, with a waterfall. Several people were walking around happily talking to their friends or peers.

Amazingly, most men are dressed casually but elegantly. Women, in turn, had more elegant clothes suitable for cocktail parties.

As we headed for the entrance, Liam saw us, waved, and came our way at a relaxed, happy pace.

"Hey, Lara! How are you?", he greeted me and looked with interest at Sophie, who introduced herself. Liam asked us to join them. Some men were happily chatting, and Liam introduced them as some of his teammates.

"Dean," I greeted in acknowledgment.

"Our favorite ballerina!", he smiles sweetly. Soph and I did not hide our joy at the results and we congratulated everyone. After a few minutes of random talk, Dean and Liam invited us to the bar to get a drink.

"Water", I ordered the bartender.

"Oh no, no, no Lara. It's two gin and berries, please", asked Sophie, looking at me, shaking her head, "There's no water today. It's Party day", she mutters. And the bartender shrugs his shoulders in accomplishment and I smile at him, politely.

Liam nods in approval, "That's right Sophie."

"Let's sit down Lara, they'll join us later." The club room had elegant, comfortable red sofas. Dean sat next to me.

"Isn't Rob coming?"

"No, Dean, not today. He's in Portugal. He went to visit his family, but he'll be back in a few days."

"I don't know Portugal, can you talk a little about the country?" Dean and I spent hours talking. I talked about Portugal, the food, the people, and the lifestyle. I talked about my life as a dancer, telling about my experiences, and the cities I visited.

Dean in turn informed me that he was from Canada, Toronto. He also told me a little about his journey. He told me that he was married, before, but that it only lasted a few months because he was cheated on. He also said that he still has feelings for his ex-wife, but that reconciliation is impossible, he could never forgive what she did and could never forget the pain in his heart.

"I'm really sorry Dean...", I sigh after knowing his story. Dean is a brunette gorgeous man, he is tall, pointed nose, and has a perfect jaw, and most of all he has that friendly and genuine aura around him.

"Better this way than living a lie," he says with a small smile, "Know I´ve lots of girls chasing me, and I enjoy it. A bachelor life is making me happy for now", he explains.

I can´t understand how can someone marry others and cheat after a few months. That must be hard. Dean is gorgeous, a polite man, and kind. He is heartbroken and manwhoring around to forget the pain. It's sad... But I understand, sometimes we have to find ourselves again, not that I excuse him. behavior, he should have taken it slowly... but he is a man and their mind works differently than ours, I think. Maybe someday he will find the right woman and settle down.

My eyes roam the room until I find Sophie, who as always is a social butterfly, talking and smiling with everyone.

"And how is your relationship with Rob doing? Rob told Liam you both live together, it's a great challenge," Dean says in his sweet, manly voice.

I almost choke on hearing it.

"Are you ok?" his concern is well known, patting my back to help me.

"Yes", I say trying to regain a normal breath, "thank you!".

"Oh my God Dean! We are not a couple! He's Sophie's boyfriend, not mine!" I say as I realize I've said too much. I shouldn´t have said Sophie was Rob´s Girlfriend, they wanted to keep it secret.

"Ah, I thought you were... Are you faking your relationship?", his brows are furrowed.

"What?", how can he think something like that? I´m really in shock.

I guess I have to explain it, "Dean, Rob is my brother. We never faked anything, we just never made it public. The media started with theories and assumptions... but we are brothers. He is my best friend also".

Dean's jaw was on the floor, not literally, but the way he looked at me and blinked indicated that the shock was great.

"Our mothers were the best of friends. When Rob's mother got pregnant, a one-night stand thing, she keep it secret. She never told anyone who the father was, not even my mother. She suffered a lot, it was very hard for her.", não consigo suspirar e refletir alguma dor nas minhas palavras.

"My parents were dating at that time. They got married and 10 months later I was born. When Rob was 5 years old, he had an accident, he was between life and death. His blood type is rare, so his mother called my house desperate and asked to ask to speak to my father. And that's when the truth came out. ", I´m fidgeting my fingers and avoiding Dean's gaze.

"My parents divorced, my mother lost her best friend and her husband and I gained a brother. My mom never wanted to hear from Rob until I came to live in the US. His mother never wanted us to make it public, and my mother always agreed. I think they were afraid of being judged by others.", I continued explaining the tale.

Me and Rob, we've always been close. We are only months apart and we both entered the dance world at a young age and become colleagues: Our father and aunt were our dance teachers. Our bond has always been very strong. We went through many hardships along the way, most of them caused by our family.", I sign, remembering it all.

"When we came to the Kingdom, we saw that everyone pointed us out as a couple, but none of us wanted to unravel the history of our families. even because our mothers always did everything so that no one knew... we wouldn't be the ones to expose everything to the whole world. So we never faked anything, we just never said the nature of our relationship. However i know we will have to turn it public since I don't want to be called a mistress, or homewrecker and say we have a third relationship", I shrug and grimace.

Dean laughs wholeheartedly.

"I hear you! Probably gonna happen", he says, giving me a friendly hug.

And we both laugh.

"I thought Kyle would be here too", i finally asked what i´ve been wondering since i came here.

"Oh Kyle, humm?" Dean teases me smiling, keeping me blinking at him. Does he read minds?. "Kyle is here, he is somewhere, but he is here."

"I didnt see him, so I was wondering. In fact, I didn't see Carlysle too...".

"They all must be together. Our Director, trainer and some other important person are here too. They had to give some interviews, Kyle must attend, i guess he is in the media room with them. But he will come."

"I must check on Sophie too, before she starts some fire here", i shrug at my thoughts, she is very capable of it.

"Oh Lara, come here!" she was dancing with two other girls. I joined them, without choice. Dean was very friendly and I enjoyed our time, however today is a happy day for him, and he must enjoy it with others too, I don´t have to be a burden.

I started to dance, just like them. Trying to feel the music and dance as see them doing it, i don't know how to dance this properly. I facepalm myself, i guess Sophie is right when she says I live on some other planet because all this seems to be very different.

And it was then when I saw him... and it was like time and music stopped, he was there, i can see his back. He is talking to some perfect chick, she is smiling and touching him with her hands in his arms and shoulders. I can see her whispering something in his ear.

He has a tight blue jeans, showing his muscles, and a black t-shirt. And then I was startled when someone bumped into me, waking me. I tried t find him with my eyes again, and i don't see him either that faked breasts chick.

"Lara, how about another gin?" Sophie insists.

"Let's go" and we left the dance floor to the bar. I usually don't drink, but all these lights and loud music are making me need it. Sophie will not want to go home soon too, so I guess the best for me is to have another drink.

"This is awsome, just what I needed", Sophie moves her body in sync with music.

"The alcohol is starting to interfere with my mind", I say as i see the annoying feeling of jealousy.

"Let it free girl, live it even for a bit", she says and we sip on our drink.

Dean waves at me, and he joined us just like Kyle and Liam, and other collegues.

"Hi, Kyle, Congrats!" I say, but he just nodded at me, avoiding my eyes.

We all start to dance, drink, and laugh, but Kyle never look at me, did I do something wrong? He laughs and talk to all of them, but not me.

I´m starting to think he has a problem with me, and i discreetly go to the washroom, cleaning my face, and redo my makeup.

I went to the bar, requesting a bottle of water, this time.

I feel an arm around my waist and a voice I don't recognize whispering in my ear, offering to buy me a drink.

Politely, I pull his arm away and say no. I thought it would be enough for the tall man with intense perfume to walk away. Contrary to what I expected, he puts his arm back, but this time over my shoulders, bringing his face closer to mine. I get up and leave the bar. As i was waling to the dance floor again, someone pulled me away with powerful strength, making me drop my water bottle, and almost fall to the ground.