✔ᵉⁿᵍˡⁱˢʰ Ghost Story - American Assassin✔

shot 06

Actually, Ronnie had one last question. Not necessary, but he wanted to know one thing, namely what Nathalie's words earlier in the forest had meant.

"What did you mean by that, just for the sake of this face?", Ronnie wanted to tease Nathalie with this question, which was why she gave him a sobering look, feeling somehow pranked by him, "Seriously, what did you mean by that?"

"As if I needed to explain it to you. You know exactly what it meant," any normal person knew what a statement like that meant and you didn't have to be particularly intelligent to figure it out, "Guys like you don't have to explain it because someone like that is pretty much aware of it. Especially a guy like you, who comes up with one thing after another that does not make women look good. I'm not doing your ego any favors."

"Whatever you want to say. I don't see any difference between the others and me," of course, and because Nathalie bought it, Ronnie started to nod in agreement and almost, she felt sorry for him, but as I said, only almost, "Well, I'm better at my job than the vast majority are, otherwise no."

"Be smart and change your ways. Interesting tactic. I don't have any sympathy for it though, and even if you didn't really know how it was meant, which you do, then I don't have any sympathy for it either, because no one has any sympathy for stupidity," Ronnie opened his mouth to answer, slight wrinkles forming on his forehead, and looked at her, causing Nathalie to point at him, "Wow, that almost looks real. A lot of people would buy that you really have no idea, but with a little practice you learn to be convincing. If you didn't want to break my bones in the first place, why are you here?"

"I wanted to know who you are. For the sole reason that you are not an agent," so little by little we got closer to the truth and this time Nathalie could understand Ronnie because it was UNDERSTANDING when a stranger came and started asking questions, "Your job is to write an evaluation and talk to us. If you're forced to talk, you'd like to know with whom and who the person is you're supposed to talk to."

"That sounds familiar to me. Sounds familiar to me from somewhere," because Nathalie probably wouldn't act any differently if she were in Ronie's place, "Since when are we on a first-name basis? I can't remember it ever falling."

"Come on, you and me, it's not even a question anymore. With how close we've been.... Come on," and there it was again, the kind where as a woman you just wondered how men could get away with it and be successful at it, "being on a first-name basis after a one-night stand would be totally weird. In that respect, I have to say, there is definitely room for improvement.

"Sweety, you're going to have to do a lot better than smile for a woman to start pining and contorting herself after you," Ronnie still pulled up the left corner of his mouth and looked over at Nathalie, who giggled and shook her head, pointing at him, "Like YOU said, one-night stand. And I don't have to tell you what that means. One-night stand. After that, it will never happen again between us. Like I said, Quarterback. You're a one-night stand because there's nothing behind that nice facade of yours. Nothing that would make a woman say I want to see this guy again or get to know him better. A quick number, a little fun and no commitment. So you see us as one number among many. I was never into quarterbacks, more like running backs. All that fame doesn't do you any good if you're alone. A person should be more than just a facade and stupid sayings. And when you reach the top, it can happen very fast that you fall down again, and when that happens, you can only hope that you are not alone. The short version. Don't be an asshole to others and don't think you're the best. That includes saying stupid things."

In the minute that followed, while Ronnie waited to hear more, assuming that Nathalie wasn't finished and something was coming, his eyes wandered over to the window, a foot away from her. There were no more words, so he swallowed once and gave a wordless nod of understanding as he stood up and left the room. That was quite an announcement, Ronnie whistled after closing the door behind him, because this had certainly not been good.