One in a Million

Lacey just arrived the airport in time before her plane could start without her being on board. Being there in time wasn't part of her strength but everything possible had gone wrong today anyway. First she didn't hear her alarm clock that she set up one night before, then there was no warm water which meant she had to do a quick cold shower and then she got no taxi that could drive her to the airport. So she only had to take the public transport which she actually hated in Paris. This city was nice and had its nice flair but she couldn't stand the public transports. If she had a choice to pick she rather walked to her destination or called herself a taxi.
This Monday morning was quite different as her usual days. But maybe because today was one of those days she started finally working as personal assistant. Though it was quite different as people could imagine it. So instead of doing what the person always says she started taking over their social media accounts to keep their fans posted about the latest information. Since social media got a big part in marketing those jobs were in great demand – still are – but luckily she got this job through her brother who knew people in the football scene since he used to play for Paris-Saint-Germain a long time ago and now travelled through whole Europe to see a lot of games and talk to many players as he can.

“Thank you” she gasped for air before she finally entered Air France.

Without actually realizing it she started smiling from ear to ear because she hadn't expect that this would work out for her today. So now she only had to pass 2 hours flight time before she would finally land in Madrid and visit her new home for the next half year.
Maybe Madrid could mean a new chapter in her book, maybe she would even stay there for much longer as just half year, since she likely to keep her past in Paris. Beside all the hard work for her study she hadn't a good time in her private life either but Lacey was never a person that liked to show emotions. She remained strong and only cried when no one could watch – another weakness, she wasn't able to admit that she may need help.

“Sorry Mister would you like to take off your luggage from my seat” she said nicely but with a harsh tone reminding the young guy to put his baggage in the overhead bins as placing it beside him.
“I'm sorry” he turned his head around and put on a nice cheeky smile before he did as Lacey commanded.

She could stand there, hoping her jaw hadn't dropped down yet since she just realized who this guy actually was. Maybe this was still one of her dreams, this couldn't be actually real that she sat right next to this guy who she would work for the next six months.
Lacey knew who he was but he had no idea who he probably hired for the job since they never had seen each other or talked on the phone. Her brother had arranged everything and spoke good of her – at least she thought so – unless it was quite funny that she was now able to work for a football player who played in the first league as someone who had just started his career.

“Don't you want to sit down now or do you want to stare at me like this for the whole time?” he joked and seemed pretty amused that she still hadn't moved a metre.
“Oh yeah sure” she shook her head and tried to sound cool.

Should she already spill the bean who she was and introduce herself or should she just let it be and hope he may forget the situation until tomorrow when they had their official first appointment. But right she struggled with something else as well – aviatophobia. Even it was just two hours and she actually wasn't alone – she couldn't stand flights since she first stepped on a plane in the age of 4. Lacey couldn't really explain how and why this fear had started but who actually was able to find a good explanation anyway. Her friends couldn't actually understand it and often made jokes about it like showing her several videos of plane crashes. Not actually helping – quite the opposite – but her friends hadn't any idea what it could do a person with a serious fear.

“Are you good? Don't get me wrong, Miss, but your skin tone had changed from normal to a pale tone within seconds” she heard the man saying but only tried to count down from five backwards.
“I'm okay” she nodded.

She knew that she sound snippy but right now she first calmed down before she would start any conversation – especially with that person she was kind of rude in the first second.

“I'm sorry” she apologized and turned her head to his side. “I'm usually not that kind of a bitch, but today isn't really a good one” she chuckled a bit when she summed up her day in her head.
“No worry and I never thought you're a bitch. How do you come to that?”

Good question. Lacey hadn't even an answer to that one yet. Normally that's what she thought when people first met her. While she was actually a very sweet, decent person she came off as a bitch and people turned away after a few minutes.

“That's what people usually think from my person” she only shrugged with her shoulders since she couldn't explain it better.
“Then these people are wrong” he gave her a wink before he focused back on his mobile.
“It's actually not my job, but you know that you should turn this off right? If you're so bored then we could play a game.”

When Lacey got nervous she couldn't actually control herself any more – and said things that she should have first think through before speaking it out loud.

“A game?” he turned his mobile off and put it back into his leather jacket “What kind of game do you have in mind?”

He seemed actually pretty interested – far more as she had imagined it.

“I'd like to see if we're able to guess each others person. I think it's good to distract myself a little more” she tried to breathe a few more times before she finally could unfasten the waist strap because the plane had finally reached its desired height.

“You're really frightened by this I see” he licked over his lip and propped up his chin.

“Is this really so obvious?” she rolled with her eyes and scratched her neck since she was slightly embarrassed by it.

“You're sweating, closed your eyes when the plane had started its engine and you kept whispering things to yourself. It's all okay, so I bet it's not your job to travel around that much.”

“You're really lucky. Another good guess” she applauded silently. “What do you think I'm doing?”

Now Lacey really waited for his answer. She couldn't wait to hear what he had to say about her job – well tomorrow he would find out anyway.

“By the way you act I would say you rather work in the background, but not someone who pulls the strings. It's more like a little grey mice that remains quiet and does what her boss tells her.”

Grey mice was really a good way to describe her life in Paris, whether she was in the university or around friends. Lacey liked to keep herself in the background and never had the strength to open her mouth. But as soon as she was in Madrid it would change completely. After she got her diploma she won some new strength and she believed that she could make it alone.

Lacey only nodded smiling to his answer and had to admit that he was good at it or he may knew more as he would admit it in first point.

“Have I hit some sore point? First you were quite energetic but by the time you become really quiet.”

“There's nothing” she waved with her hands and coughed “But I think it's now my turn right?”

Lacey was about to cry if she wouldn't turn back the subject to her game she started a few minutes ago. Yes he had hit some sore point but she didn't like to show her weakness, especially not in front of him. She knew it was over and that a new chapter would start tomorrow – there was nothing any more she had to worry about. Finally she was free.

“You have a quick tongue, but you also have another face hiding beneath that lively person – you care for other people which is a rarely gift these days. You actually don't know me and already asked twice if I'm okay.”

Remembering that no one had ever cared for her – unless her brother – made her feel weak right now. Lacey never gave up to see the good things in the people and he was one of those. It filled her with hope that she was lucky enough to call him her boss.

“Not that hard to see but I'm honest to you” he stopped “What's actually your name? Or how can I call you?”

“Mrs. Doe” she smiled and remembered that this name was often used as placeholder. So she hadn't to give her real name away and could enjoy the mysterious about her person.

“I see. You really want me to guess that too? You're kidding me right?”

“No. I think you'll know soon” she winked back and inside she bounced like a little kid.

“You really know how to play this game. It's like you want ...” he got interrupted by a man standing beside them.

Lacey turned around and ignored the fan that kept asking him tons of questions. For some reasons she felt tired and as soon as she closed her eyes she felt into a deep trance.

~*~

“C'mon” Lacey cursed as she tried to open the door with the key card.

She was still a bit down that she couldn't say bye to Griezmann any more since he left his seat by time she woke up. Not that she had wished to look right in these shimmering eyes again but also feeling good again around his person. Not that she ever was into spirituality but it felt kind of weird that he had a warm charisma to other people, just making them feel good around you whether you just had met them or knew them for years. Maybe it was naive to think that they could be best friends one day but as she kept following her motto: never give up hope.

“You need to hold the card in front of that door, not slide them through the slit” a female voice said behind her.

“Oh really?” she looked at that girl with the black hair, a pair of jeans that had seen better days already and a shirt with some band logo on it.

“Yeah they had changed the system years ago, but were too lazy to inform the people about it. Tourists that keep coming here every year already know that” she slurred and seemed she already a few shots – far too many for Lacey's taste since she avoided alcohol since she was 18.
“Oh thank you” she tried to end the scene but this girl still stood behind her.

“I'm Ashley. Who are you? You look like you could to any hotel in this city, but not to one where you gonna share your room with insects” she started laughing.

“I'll be here only for one night before I'm going to move my ass out of here.”

Lacey hoped she already could disappear now and move to the apartment and get away far away from a person like Ashley.

“Good night and don't let the bedbugs bite your Gucci ass” she yelled as she made her way probably to her hotel room. “And yes you can take this literally” she said before she finally slammed the door into the lock.

Since Lacey was already disgusted by the thought sharing her room with any bugs was too much. Maybe it was a bad idea coming to this place and accepting the offer but she desperately needed the money. So she took her black luggage and moved out of this place with no idea where to sleep tonight.