[ eleven ]
The very next morning, I showed up at my cubicle at work to write an article on an upcoming Real Madrid game. It would be against RCD Espanyol and everyone anticipated it would be an easy game for the merengues. I was assigned to make a game prediction based on each team's statistics and I would present the segment on the show that night.
I parked the car in a parking structure nearby and went on the elevator to my floor.
In the three days I had spent in Madrid, I hadn't talked to many of my co-workers. But the ones I had met were nice people.
My eyes narrowed in curiosity when I saw there were bright colored objects on my desk. A stuffed bear, a couple of heart shaped balloons, a box of chocolates, and a bouquet of red roses. When I saw the bear on my desk, I knew it was James' doing. It was a polar bear. He was trying to get me to remember good memories we shared. He always knew I loved polar bears ever since I was a child. When we get older and I'm a famous football player, I'm gonna buy you a real polar bear, eh Ari? His name can be 'Palomo Nieves'* and he will be ours. The words of an eight year old James echoed in my mind.
In the bear's hands was an envelope with my name written across it. I snatched the envelope from the bear and ripped it open.
My eyes scanned over the beige sheet of paper as I read his note.
'Real polar bears are not for sale. Believe me, I checked. --James.'
I felt a smile begin to tug at the corners of my mouth. But I stopped myself with some difficulty. Despite the fact that he was such a jerk, underneath there was still James. There was still the boy I once fell in love with, only he was hidden behind all the hurt I caused him. His bad attitude was something of a defense mechanism. Even so...how could James remember something like that? Something that happened fourteen years ago.
A voice of a co-worker startled me, causing me to crumble the note in my hands on instinct. James had a girlfriend, who he was going to marry, I couldn't accept any presents from him. "Got a secret admirer so soon?" Asked a young woman who I had seen working at a cubicle near mine. "Those Madrid footballers act fast." She said, rather impressed.
"They're presents from my family." I lied, my face going red.
"Right." She scoffed in a playful way. "We all heard when the delivery people were looking for you. First one and then the other. James Rodriguez sent the bear and the balloons. Toni Kroos sent the flowers and the chocolates."
"Please don't tell anyone about this." I pleaded. "I'm just here to do my job."
A few feet off, I saw a young woman turn a corner into the large space separated into cubicles. She was instantly noticeable because she was dressed in a pastel pink cocktail dress, her platinum blonde hair cascaded past her shoulders and contrasted with her lightly tanned skin like she had been in the sun too long, but more likely a tanning bed. Hanging from her arm was a handbag that matched her dress and she wore high heel wedges. She looked more like she was going to a party. Her appearance and the way in which she carried herself made me think of her as a Barbie doll. She was like something one could look at, but never play with. She was the complete opposite in appearance to me.
I instantly realized I'd seen her before, just yesterday.
She was James' girlfriend.
She strolled towards my cubicle as though she already had planned where she was going and stopped directly in front of my co-worker, clearing her throat to get our attention. "Ahem." The blonde woman coughed loudly.
"Well, I'll get back to work." My co-worker said and scurried off like a flash.
Once she was gone, Giselle smiled a toothy grin that was all but genuine. I threw the note in my hands onto my desk where it fell behind my computer. That was when her eyes darted to see the presents on my desk. "May I help you?" I asked nervously.
But I was ignored as she let out a curious Ooh! and proceeded to sift through my things. I only hoped there were no other notes from James on one of the other presents or I was done for. I might have been able to stop her, but I wanted to avoid a conflict with someone as famous and powerful as Giselle. The platinum blonde opened the box of chocolates where there was a note. It was as though she was expecting to find they were from James when she grabbed the note in her hand and read it aloud. "Something sweet for someone sweeter. --Toni." She read and her face dropped to a look of boredom. "Ay que tierno."** She added in a monotone voice.
"May I help you?" I repeated, this time a bit louder.
"Yes." She finally turned towards me, offering that fake smile she had on at the beginning. "I'm here for an interview with someone for the entertainment news."
"Uh," I thought about it. "Well, you're at the wrong person's cubicle because I write the sports news articles. You need to see someone else for the entertainment ones."
"Oh no." She shook her head matter-of-factly. "I want the new reporter to write this interview. Your boss already gave permission for it."
"Well in that case..." I trailed off, searching for a tape recorder which I was given in order to use during oral interviews. "We can begin whenever you're ready."
The young woman shook her head once more. "Not so fast. For an interview about my super amazing upcoming wedding with James Rodriguez," She began, embellishing the fact that she and James were getting married, "You must first experience a day in my wonderful life. Come on." She pulled on my arm and practically dragged me out of the building.
"But my job--" I protested.
"Your boss knows you're spending the day with me." She assured me. And I thought I would still call my boss to make sure this was the truth.
For one reason or another, I knew nothing good would come of spending the day with the woman who was going to marry James. For one, I knew her sole reason for doing this was to make it clear that he was hers.
She wanted to show me they were happy together.
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*Palomo Nieves - Literally translates to 'Snow Pigeon' or 'Snow Dove'. Take your pick ^.^ I kinda like the way Snow Dove sounds better.
**Ay que tierno. - Oh how cute.
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new update.
thank you so much for reading guys.
i have such a busy week, but i thought i would post a short little update cause i just felt like it would be nice.
i love you all.
-clary xx
