Caught in a Bad Romance

“Lena,” Iker smiled as he got up from the chair he was in and hugged me.

“Okay what’s with the total mood change with me?” I asked confused as I took a seat across from him.

“I wanted to apologize to you for how I acted to you those last weeks of the cup.” He told me as I ordered a drink.

“Um” I paused not really sure what to reply with.

“Look Lena, I am attracted to you I am. Its just it’d never work between us, I really value our friendship and would not want to risk losing that.”

“You called me and made me come down here just for you tell me that?” I asked with raised eyebrows. “I could not have been more wrong about you.” I said putting my cup down and storming out of the lounge and back to the train home.

“I am done with footballers!” I exclaimed as I entered the apartment that night.

“I’m going to assume your date did not go well?” Andrea asked from the kitchen.

“Wasn’t even a fucking date… Fuck!” I exclaimed kicking a sneaker on the floor.

“Okay, okay how many times do we have to go over this don’t kick anything in the house!” She exclaimed as the shoe hit the window. “What happened?”

“He wanted to see me just to explain to me how much he valued our friendship and that despite being attracted to me it could never work.” I explained.

“What?” She shouted in confusion. “And then he said just kidding and pulled out his dick right?”

“I fucking wish! I’m done, no more footballers, soccer players whatever you want to call them I am done.”

“Good now go date Brook.”

“I am not dating Brook.” I said shaking my head. “I’m not dating anyone, I’m becoming a crazy cat lady.” I told her as I went to my room.

“Well no reason to be such a grumpy Gil about it.” She mumbled.

For the next few months, I didn’t focus on anything but my job and trying to get as much work as possible. I had taken a second job for the nights that Hammerstein wouldn’t need me in a recording studio being an assistant engineer. I decided this year I was just going to spend the holidays here in New York, I really was not up to flying to Croatia and miss an opportunity for a gig. I’d talk to Luka a few times a week, as well as watching the games when I could or at least checking the scores. I had surrendered my personal life for work that month I spent in Ukraine had really set me back with my bills.

“I need a favor.” Brook told me as he called me one night in November.

“This is never a good thing, when you’re asking me for a favor.” I chuckled.

“Well its not really just me its all of us.”

“I’m listening.”

“I know you started doing studio work again, we were hoping you’d fly out here next month
and do our next album with us?” He asked me. “Please?” He added quickly.

“I don’t know I mean, I’d love to but I’m kind of swamped with-“ I began.

“The label’s going to pay you.” He added.

“I’ll see what I can do, I’ll get back to you no later than tomorrow night okay?”

“Thank you, I love you!” He exclaimed.

“Yeah, yeah sure bye Brook.” I said hanging up.

“You guys planning your wedding yet?” Andrea asked three months later still hadn’t
surrendered her idea of him and I dating.

“No, they want me to work on their album.”

“Good, go a break from you would be nice.”

“I thought you missed me?”

“I do, but to be honest you’re bringing me down man. California will make you all happy like so I can tolerate you again.”

“You have to be the worst best friend in the world.”

“And don’t you forget it.” She smiled widely.

The next day, I talked to my boss at Hammerstein about the idea of me leaving for another few months to work on a side job.

“Go for it.” He smiled at me. “It gives the back ups a chance to actually get a taste of what its like here. You know you’re job is always safe here.” He added.

“Are you sure because I can tell them no, its not really a big deal.” I pressed.

“Seriously Lena its fine.”

“Okay,” I said putting my hands up as I got up. “If you insist.”

“I do, now get out of here.” He chuckled.

I called Brook that night to tell him the news, which him and his band members all seemed way more than happy about it.

“So when are we looking at recording?”

“We have some more writing to do I want to say, about December 8-ish” He explained.

“And do I have to like get a hotel room or something?”

“No, no you’re going to stay with me I have an extra room.”

“Works for me, I’ll see you December 8th.” I told him.

“See ya Lena.”

“Three weeks till you prove that I am a fucking genius.” Andrea stated after I got off the phone.

“Say what?”

“I heard you’re staying with Brook, the sexual tension will get so great that you guys just say
fuck me!”

“You really worry me sometimes.”

“Bound to happen sometime.” She smiled as we went to go make dinner. “So,” She added as
I pulled stuff out of the fridge,

“Yes?”

“Iker?”

“Occasional text still not understanding how I can be mad at him.”

“He’s Spanish what do you expect?”

“What does him being Spanish have to do with it?”

“I don’t know I figured you’d take it from there.”

“He’s a footballer that’s the problem.”

“Well I mean how can you not go for them. You’re like surrounded by them all the time when
you’re home.”

“Still, I’ve only dated one and I’m going to keep it that way.”

“Let’s not forget the time you pity fucked Cristiano Ronaldo.” She added.

“Never going to let me live that down are you?”

“Nope, the day you get married it’s going to be a part of my speech.”

“Thank you, really you’re awesome.”

“You should be proud!”

“I should throw up!”

“Oh please you got tested you were fine.”

“You know, I think you should come with me to California.”

“But I hate you when you get all I’m working, sit on the couch and don’t disturb me.”

“You get the same way!”

“But at least I’m nicer about it.”

“Sure you are.” I mumbled as we cooked.

“I’m going to ignore that snippet.” She said sticking her tongue out at me