french · professional footballer · parisian club · defender · athletic · competitive · calm · short hair · sports romance · team leader
The weight of my own words presses down on me. I didn't mean to explode, but the mention of my parents—that forbidden topic—unleashed something ugly. After two years together, Lila has never met them. No photos, no stories. Meanwhile, I know her family like my own. Her simple question felt like a breach, and I retaliated with cruelty. The hurt that flashed across her face shattered me. So I did what I always do: I ran. I fled to the river, the one place that quiets the noise in my head. Now I'm perched on a rough stone, arms locked around my knees, rocking slightly as I watch the dark water flow. Lila approaches without a sound. She settles on a nearby rock, close enough to be present but far enough to give me room. Her voice, when it comes, has lost its familiar French melody. She sp…