Choices

20

I come to the office door and through the window I see Jacques is already there. Mentally, I curse to myself as I was hoping that I would arrive first.

A couple of seconds pass by before I manage to pull myself together and push open the wooden door. My hair is covering most of my face and I quickly sit down in my chair at my desk. "Morning." Jacques greets and I don't lift my head up from 'reading' the paperwork in front of me.

"Morning." My voice is shaky and sounds unfamiliar.

"You alright?" My co-worker's voice is cautious and from his tone I know that he knows something is up with me.

"Yeah, you?" I still don't look up and I pretend to write something on the paper.

"I am yeah, but you're not." The sound of him getting up makes my heart pick up and I bite my lip.

He gets to the side of my desk and leans on the wood.

"What's up, Olivia? Don't you tell me nothing is wrong either, I know when someone is upset so you cannot bullshit me."

I close my eyes for a second before I slowly open them to face Jacques. His kind, blue eyes flash in shock and I feel the tears brim my eyes. I gulp them back down knowing that crying won't help me right now.

He shakes his head before just pulling me onto my feet and into a big hug. "You don't have to tell me what happened, Olivia, but I am only going to ask this one thing. Have you left him?" His voice is quiet and gentle.

"Yes." I sob but I can't cry. No matter how much I want to no tears come, just numbing pain.

After a long while we finally pull apart and I sit myself back in my seat whilst Jacques sits on the edge of my desk looking at me with worry. "We have the new girl starting today, so what I am going to do is I am going to take you to medical, ask for an ice pack because it looks quite swollen. Then we are going to pay a visit to Pochettino and ask if you can work from your office so that you don't have to face the team." His arm wraps around my shoulders and pulls me back up from my chair.

I pull my hair back over my face as we begin to make our way down the corridors, I pray that we do not come across anyone. "Can we go to Poch first please? We can go to medical after." I ask Jacques and he nods.

"Of course we can."

My heart is pounding in my chest and I feel like the world is suffocating me. I feel panicked and my palms are even more sweaty as we approach the manager's office door.

Jacques knocks against the wood and a soft mumble comes from inside. We enter and my knees bang together as I take a seat in front of his desk.

I look at my boss. Just like Jacques, his eyes flash with shock. "What has happened, Olivia?" His face screams sympathy and his head is slightly tilted to the left.

My eyes flicker to Jacques and he gives me a reassuring nod. "Err...I were wondering if it was possible to work from my office for the time being." I pick my fingers and my right leg is bouncing up and down in nervousness.

"I can have that arranged, for today it will because we have your new part-time worker starting today. However, I cannot let you off tomorrow, I honestly would if I could but I am afraid you will have to work on the field tomorrow."

"That's fine, I just need time today." I thank Poch and get up out of my chair.

"Olivia, I hope you have got rid of him." My boss calls after me and I look into his eyes.

"He is gone." I bite my lip and give him a small smile.

Me and Jacques go to the medical room and the workers give me an ice pack to hold onto it telling me to come back every now and then to get a new one.

Good thing is no real damage was done, there is just going to be bruising and some swelling for the next few weeks.

When we get back to our office Jacques sits me down at my desk. "Right, I will bring you some lunch at lunch time, and to keep you busy you can do my paperwork and also there is a load of forms to sign for the upcoming match against Real Madrid in Spain." He piles a load of files onto my desk and I get my pen.

"Okay, do me a favour, don't tell the team that I am here, if they ask just say that I am sick." My voice is still shaky and the man nods before leaving me to do the paperwork.

Now we just do the paperwork.

This is going to be a long day.

^

Hi peeps,

Sorry I know this is boring, but it will get better again. Hope you enjoyed.

See you Wednesday,

Daisy xxx