‹ Prequel: Everything I'm Not
Love's Requiem
Make me over
Niko slid the key card, and held the door open for me as I followed him inside. I darted for the bathroom seeing as I had about 5 drinks on the flight to calm my nerves and now my bladder was calling. When I came back out unzipping my coat and undoing my scarf, Niko was sprawled out on the bed, still looking exhausted. I jumped on him, feeling him let out a grunt under me.
“20 years later and you still do this to me.” He laughed as I rested my head on his chest.
I felt him run his fingers through my hair, and kiss the top of my head.
“So when is training?” I asked him as I nuzzled in to his neck.
“We’re not even here for 20 minutes and you want to get rid of me already, Isabella?”
“No, I want to know how long I have to wait to get you back again.”
“You already have me back.” He chuckled.
“I do?”
“I’m not going anywhere, I told you that last winter.” He assured me, as there was a knock on the door.
“Big head.” I mumbled rolling my eyes as we both laughed and headed out of the room.
“Charlie’s downstairs, with a few of the other’s, Bilic is on the way from the airport.”
“Charlie?” I asked confused as I looked up at Niko. “There’s no one on the team named
Charlie.”
“Corluka.” Niko explained.
“Why the heck are you calling him Charlie? Isn’t his name Vedran?”
“Her little brain is so cute sometimes.” Luka laughed.
“Niko he’s destroying my Russian experience, can I crush him?”
“After tomorrow’s game.”
“Does that mean I have to deal with him still?” I pouted as we walked off the elevator.
“Lord knows we all have to.” He sighed, as we headed to the lobby where there was a group of people, and some camera flashes.
“I have to go to the bathroom!” I exclaimed turning on my heels.
“Isabella’s afraid of press.”
“Isabella is avoiding press.” I exclaimed, “Niko, send Bilic up to the room and I’ll see you
when you’re done.” I told him as I ran for the elevator.
“So you totally b lined for the elevator? That’s great!” Jack laughed.
That’s right, I decided to call Jack knowing him of all people would get the biggest kick out of
the story.
“What else could I do, the last thing I need is a cousin or uncle seeing my picture on Sportske Novosti, or Javno!”
“Right I’m going to act like I understood the gibberish at the end, look if you and him are just friends what’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is no one will see it that way.”
“As if you know any of them, why should it even matter?”
“I always like it when you somehow make sense of any situation.”
“It’s my job besides being drop dead gorgeous.”
“That’s right, so do you miss me?”
“Of course, I don’t have you crashed on my couch telling me your problems, flipping me off and eating all my ice cream.”
“Aww I miss you too best friend!” I exclaimed making him laugh.
“Good, now get out of whatever crappy clothes you have on throw on something hot and strut down there Miss Croatia and flaunt what your baka gave you!”
“You sure you don’t want hop the next flight out here?”
“The harsh cold will do nothing for my complexion I have to keep it perfect for our next tour.
You did remember that right?”
“Duh of course, I handled everything and we’re all set to go.”
“Jesus, damn you and your organizational skills.”
“It’s why you hired me.”
“Keep telling yourself that.” He joked, “I miss you kiddo, enjoy your vacation god knows you need it.”
“I miss you too, I’ll talk to you later. Bye Jack.” I said hanging up and going to my suitcase to find something to change in to.
I was in the middle of trying to decide what shirt to wear when my phone began ringing again.
“Hello?”
“Just a reminder I stated dress hot, band shirts and tee shirts isn’t hot.” Jack exclaimed and
then hung up.
“Well that’s out.” I said to myself tossing the JaGK shirt I had in my hand.
Five minutes later I threw together an outfit that consisted of this green top Jack had given me for Christmas, black destroyed jeans, brown heels. I quickly fixed my hair and put on some make up, before I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs. I walked off the elevator, hearing the faint sounds of people talking, and asking questions. I took a deep breath and walked out in to the lobby, Niko was talking to a group of people who seemed to be snapping his picture and holding up digital recorders to him. He looked up and saw me head to one of the open sitting areas, and I saw his smile grow, as he gave me a nod.
I sat and waited for another 20 minutes until they small crowd left and Niko sat with me
“20 years later and you still do this to me.” He laughed as I rested my head on his chest.
I felt him run his fingers through my hair, and kiss the top of my head.
“So when is training?” I asked him as I nuzzled in to his neck.
“We’re not even here for 20 minutes and you want to get rid of me already, Isabella?”
“No, I want to know how long I have to wait to get you back again.”
“You already have me back.” He chuckled.
“I do?”
“I’m not going anywhere, I told you that last winter.” He assured me, as there was a knock on the door.
“Big head.” I mumbled rolling my eyes as we both laughed and headed out of the room.
“Charlie’s downstairs, with a few of the other’s, Bilic is on the way from the airport.”
“Charlie?” I asked confused as I looked up at Niko. “There’s no one on the team named
Charlie.”
“Corluka.” Niko explained.
“Why the heck are you calling him Charlie? Isn’t his name Vedran?”
“Her little brain is so cute sometimes.” Luka laughed.
“Niko he’s destroying my Russian experience, can I crush him?”
“After tomorrow’s game.”
“Does that mean I have to deal with him still?” I pouted as we walked off the elevator.
“Lord knows we all have to.” He sighed, as we headed to the lobby where there was a group of people, and some camera flashes.
“I have to go to the bathroom!” I exclaimed turning on my heels.
“Isabella’s afraid of press.”
“Isabella is avoiding press.” I exclaimed, “Niko, send Bilic up to the room and I’ll see you
when you’re done.” I told him as I ran for the elevator.
“So you totally b lined for the elevator? That’s great!” Jack laughed.
That’s right, I decided to call Jack knowing him of all people would get the biggest kick out of
the story.
“What else could I do, the last thing I need is a cousin or uncle seeing my picture on Sportske Novosti, or Javno!”
“Right I’m going to act like I understood the gibberish at the end, look if you and him are just friends what’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is no one will see it that way.”
“As if you know any of them, why should it even matter?”
“I always like it when you somehow make sense of any situation.”
“It’s my job besides being drop dead gorgeous.”
“That’s right, so do you miss me?”
“Of course, I don’t have you crashed on my couch telling me your problems, flipping me off and eating all my ice cream.”
“Aww I miss you too best friend!” I exclaimed making him laugh.
“Good, now get out of whatever crappy clothes you have on throw on something hot and strut down there Miss Croatia and flaunt what your baka gave you!”
“You sure you don’t want hop the next flight out here?”
“The harsh cold will do nothing for my complexion I have to keep it perfect for our next tour.
You did remember that right?”
“Duh of course, I handled everything and we’re all set to go.”
“Jesus, damn you and your organizational skills.”
“It’s why you hired me.”
“Keep telling yourself that.” He joked, “I miss you kiddo, enjoy your vacation god knows you need it.”
“I miss you too, I’ll talk to you later. Bye Jack.” I said hanging up and going to my suitcase to find something to change in to.
I was in the middle of trying to decide what shirt to wear when my phone began ringing again.
“Hello?”
“Just a reminder I stated dress hot, band shirts and tee shirts isn’t hot.” Jack exclaimed and
then hung up.
“Well that’s out.” I said to myself tossing the JaGK shirt I had in my hand.
Five minutes later I threw together an outfit that consisted of this green top Jack had given me for Christmas, black destroyed jeans, brown heels. I quickly fixed my hair and put on some make up, before I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs. I walked off the elevator, hearing the faint sounds of people talking, and asking questions. I took a deep breath and walked out in to the lobby, Niko was talking to a group of people who seemed to be snapping his picture and holding up digital recorders to him. He looked up and saw me head to one of the open sitting areas, and I saw his smile grow, as he gave me a nod.
I sat and waited for another 20 minutes until they small crowd left and Niko sat with me
♠ ♠ ♠
Bella's outfit