beautiful mistake - joe burrow

7

"Oh, I haven't felt this relaxed in a long time" Ja'Marr stretched his left leg as he and Joe left the room where they had just been massaged. Elle really did have magic hands, even Joe had to admit.

She had massaged Ja'Marr first, while he was hooked up to a little contraption that chased electrons through his knee muscles. It had tingled slightly, but he felt his tense muscles loosening more and more.

Later, they had switched. Ja'Marr had gotten the contraption for his thighs, while Elle had taken care of Joe's knees. Her little hands had more strength than anyone thought and Joe had really enjoyed the way she had released the tension from his knee.

"Still, you're impossible" Joe reminded Ja'Marr of how his best friend had exposed him in the beginning. "Come on, man, that was funny. And the reactions from both of you, surely it says that you both felt a little bit caught. You really need to tell me the story of why she called you a cocky idiot" Ja'Marr laughed.

"Elle and I simply get along, just because she blushed at a perceived compliment doesn't mean she sees anything more in it and..." Joe tried to explain himself, but was interrupted by Ja'Marr. "woah, woah, stop, Elle? She allows you to call her Elle? I wasn't offered that. I get to call her Simmons. Well, if that's not a sign"

"Stop reading into such petty things. She probably just wants to keep a professional relationship with you, that's why you should call her Simmons like everyone here does" "oh, and she doesn't want a professional relationship with you?" "I think she was a little nervous at first, she's still pretty new here, that's why her real nickname still came with me" Joe shrugged.

"Come on, you defend her all the time. You can't tell me you don't like her" Ja'Marr jostled him provocatively from the side. "The only thing I want from her is for her to bring me back in time for me to play. That is all there is and will be between us, Ja'Marr" Joe rolled his eyes in annoyance.

The next morning, while training with Elle, Joe felt all the time that he had to set the record straight about Ja'Marr's statement yesterday. Elle seemed a bit more distant, closed off than usual today, and he had a nasty hunch that it might have something to do with the comment.

"Hey, um, do you have a few more minutes? I'd like to talk to you about something?" he asked about it as Elle declared the workout over and had already put on her backpack.

She ran her hands over her face, and only now did Joe notice that she looked bad, too. Her skin looked bland, as opposed to usually paler. Her eyes were glassy and did not radiate the same kindness as usual, but were marked by exhaustion and fatigue. The dark circles under her eyes also made her look tired.

A feeling of worry spread through Joe as she nodded her head without energy and looked at him expectantly. "I..uh...I wanted to..." Joe started to stammer, but the sight of Elle had thrown him off.

"I wanted to apologize for Ja'Marr's comment yesterday. He likes to tease me, that's why he said the crush thing. I don't crush on you at all, so well, not that I don't say good things about you, that's not true. I told him how much I enjoy training with you and that you're really good at your job, but I was not....not gushing about you" it burst out of Joe like a waterfall and again he wondered why he always got so nervous when he had to clarify such a matter with her.

Elle smiled slightly, but even her smile looked tired. The laughter didn't even reach her eyes, not making them light up as usual. "I didn't get it any other way, Joe. Don't worry about it" she said and turned to go to the door, when Joe stopped her again, saying her name.

Immediately she turned back around and looked at him questioningly. "Are you all right?" Joe asked gently. He didn't want to intrude on Elle, and really it was none of his business, but he was tremendously worried about her.

Elle nodded again, slowly and powerlessly. "Just a little tired" she mumbled, trying to manage a real smile, but not succeeding at all. Joe just nodded, concerned. "anyway, I'll see you tomorrow" Elle mumbled and was out the door before Joe could say anything back.

His worries were only increased by Elle's strange demeanor. Sighing, he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He had to do something and right now he could only think of one person who might be able to help him.

He searched his contacts and pressed the number. After only the second ring, the person on the other end answered. "Hey Joe, you okay?" "Nick, there's something wrong with Elle" Joe answered with a sigh.

Exhausted, Elle flopped down on the sofa at home after taking off her backpack and kicking off her shoes.

Joe hadn't been the only one to call her on her well-being. when she had entered the conference room on her break, Paul had given her a startled look and rushed to her side immediately.

Although she had assured him that she was fine and just feeling tired, he had nevertheless insisted that she had better go home after all. She would only be responsible for the analyses this afternoon anyway, and she could do that from home if she felt well enough to do so.

When she finally let herself be persuaded and wanted to go, however, Paul was too unsure to let her drive herself. Without further ado, he had decided to drive her home in her car, and then take an Uber back so she would have her car for tomorrow.

When they got out in the parking garage to her apartment, Paul had just admonished her that she should only come tomorrow if she felt 100% ready. Elle had just nodded wearily and thanked Paul before heading into her apartment building.

Sighing, she snuggled up against one of the couch cushions. She hadn't felt this tired and drained in a long time, but nightmare after nightmare had plagued her yesterday and finally she hadn't been able to get back to sleep even with the sleeping pills she had been prescribed. All in all, she probably hadn't even had a full hour of sleep, but hadn't felt that bad after four cups of coffee this morning.

As if of their own accord, her eyes closed as she pressed herself harder and harder against the pillow. After a few seconds of half-sleep, she jerked her eyes open again. She couldn't sleep now, she had work to do. But before she had even finished thinking that thought, she was completely asleep.

After a few minutes she woke up again. There was no point in forcing herself to work now, since she really needed to sleep badly, she admitted to herself. Sleepily she got up, dragged herself to her bedroom, peeled herself out of her jeans and slipped under her covers.

She briefly considered setting an alarm so she wouldn't sleep too long, but she didn't know where her cell phone was and honestly, it was too convenient right now to get up again. Those were her last thoughts before she fell into a deep sleep.

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