Everything (Sergio Ramos)

Chapter 6

Michael's voice erupted from my phone's speakers and echoed around the quiet room. "Ana, you've been photographed falling out of a bar with Sergio Ramos. Please call me when you've woken up from your night of sex and morning of vomit and regret."

I smiled at the last part; for a manager, especially in the music industry, Michael was a pretty decent guy. The head of Sony London, by all rights, should've been an absolute dick. However, from the moment we'd met, he'd made it obvious he would look out for me as much as he possibly could. Safe in the knowledge of this, I decided to call him whilst still hungover. He picked up on the third ring, just as I was about to hang up.

"Hello?" His familiar voice was comforting when I was confused, alone and too far away from home.

"Hi Michael, it's Ana. You needed to speak to me?" I lay back on my bed, absentmindedly picking at the lace of my underwear.

"Ah, yes, yes I do. Now, the other party in this situation has been contacted by his manager, and they've both agreed that this is a suitable plan of action. As I'm sure you're aware, a singer's image is as carefully cultivated as say...a footballers. Do you follow me?"

I cleared my throat, "I think I can see where you're going with this, yeah. About me and Sergio?"

"Exactly. Now, the image you have currently was damaged with that picture that emerged and then the split that followed. We want you to be portrayed as wholesome and in a loving, stable relationship. Obviously, this can be helped by your intelligence and frankly terrifying ambition when it comes to your career, but we need something else to give you that extra spark. Sergio's agent-"

"Rene" I cut him off, why was he acting as if we knew nothing about Sergio and his career?

"Yes, Rene. Well Rene and I agreed it would be beneficial for the both of you if you were to reenter into a relationship, for the media"

"Oh no," I cut him off, "Not with him you don't! This is my life Micheal! I wont pretend with him"

"It's a done deal, Ana. Rene has agreed that it's time for Sergio to be seen in a stable, loving, committed relationship to help calm down his reputation and to show him as decent man for young people to look up to and it will keep the media off his back about being distracted. They've already been doing this with the extensive amount of charity work he does, which to be fair is usually his suggestion anyway. He isn't a bad person for you to be with."

"Look, I know he's decent, i'm not sure if you're forgetting but I've just come out of a relationship with him," I rolled my eyes, "Maybe if you give us time we could make it work. Please don't make us fake this"

He sighed, "I really didn't want to have to do this to you. Ana, look, if you don't do this, the agency is going to be on your ass about failing them contractually. You have to be Sergio's girlfriend in the public eye, it is now fully expected of you, especially because Rene and Sergio have agreed to the terms. Sony will double your pay when you agree to be what they want you to be; if you don't agree, you're fired. You have no choice, or say in the matter. I'm sorry Ana, it's the way it is."

"Hold on." I sat bolt upright, "This gig in Poland doesn't exist does it? This is why I'm travelling alone. You set me up! How long am I staying here exactly?!"

"Keep your voice down! Yes, that's why you're in Poland. And just until the end of the tournament. Look, please try, he's making the effort, the least you can do is reciprocate." Michael sounded more authoritative now, as if he was done listening to me, "It's all part of the business, Ana. How do you think Irina and Cristiano met? They had the benefit of actually falling in love, the same with Shakira and Pique, so don't make this more difficult than it has to be. Just let yourself feel for once. You never know, you might actually fall back in love." I laughed before I could keep it in, "I somehow doubt that. I need to go and talk to Serg about this...if he's agreed to it, I need to know why. Thanks for being the one to break my future to me Michael."

"Not a problem, kiddo. Look after yourself, and stop drinking so bloody much." He hung up, his warning ringing in my ears. I planned to ignore it, as ever.

I got up from the bed and went to stand in front of the large mirror on the wall opposite. I looked tired, plus I still had messy hair from last night antics. I needed to speak Sergio but before I even had the chance there was a knock on my door.

"Its me" Sergio spoke softly, that voice, it got me every time.

"Come in" I still tried to tame my hair as he entered my room and closed the door quietly behind him.

"You look good in that underwear." he stood behind me, and reached out to move my hair off my neck, sweeping it onto my left shoulder, "I'm sorry. About last night."

Well. That was unexpected. Where the shit had his anger gone?

"It's okay. I'm sorry for reacting like I did. We were both drunk, it was inevitable and I'm sorry for going mental."

I turned to face him, slinging my arms around his neck, "Friends?"

He slipped his arms around my waist, the contact making me shiver. "Of course."

After a few minutes of just standing there essentially groping each other, I pulled away. "I'd love for you to stay and be a cliché romance and all, Serg, but I've got shit to do today, like sleep away my hangover and eventually eat so..." I shepherded him to the door and began to shut it in his face, "See you later."

It would have been easy to let him stay, get caught up in the moment but I had to keep reminding myself that this, whatever this is, isn't real. If love is a game, then it must be the hardest game in the world. After all, how can anyone win a game when there's no rules?