One in a Million

No Escape

“I better leave” Lacey said but got stopped by Griezmann holding her arm. “Please let me go. I'll see where I can stay tonight. We'll see each other tomorrow. I'll be there” she turned around and pulled herself from his grip.

Again she lied but she didn't want him to worry, neither to be in the middle of something. Chloe may had overreacted about just a simple photo but she didn't give her husband any time to explain, nor listened to his try.
In the afternoon while she had waited for him backstage she had time to scan some newspapers to look for a good accommodation she saw a nice article right in the corner. She would share the apartment first with someone else but she actually didn't mind at all. As long as the person was nice and had no criminal background it was okay. Even tough she may seem to be a person who paid a lot of attention to her look she wasn't a person that judged things by its cover.
This apartment was located at the suburb from Madrid, but it made her easier to reach the stadium or maybe Griezmann to pick her up. She got his number finally and maybe it would be a better idea for the first days until she got her first wage to buy herself a car.

So she knocked on the door and turned around one more time if no one had followed her. Since the attack by the paparazzi's she wasn't sure if people wouldn't even mind to spy on her. Lacey got a little paranoid and it was quite hard to hide it already.
But the person standing in the doorway made her forget this paranoia for a second.

“Oh you again. I thought you would run away from this place” Ashley said while she chewed her gum louder as actually needed.

Lacey braced up to confront herself with this person. Ashley wouldn't be probably very easy to handle since she had recognized yesterday but now she needed a roof over her head.

“I actually did but I don't want to sleep on the bench again. So I saw your advert in one of those papers and I thought I wouldn't regret to ask for it, if the room is still available.”

“Room? It's not like you think princess of Gucci” she leaned on the door and crossed her arms on her chest “It's a bed only I can offer. As you see there's not even much space for two of us. And shouldn't you go to one of those expensive hotels? I mean a person who can allow herself to buy these clothes probably has enough to get herself a better room. I already had wondered why you were in this nasty hotel anyway.”

“I'm not rich or let's say I'm not rich any more. And before you say anything else, no daddy hasn't blocked my account. I'd tell you the whole story, but first I don't have the energy for that and second I'm freezing my ass off here” she snuffled.

“Wow lady, we're all friends here” she waved her hands up in the air “Come in. Just don't expect it to be perfect clean.”

“I have seen worse” she carefully entered the small apartment but at least she had a comfortable bed to sleep on.

“Are you hungry?” Ashley said while her face was turned to the fridge.

“No thank you, I already had something on my way here.”

Lacey looked around and was strangely surprised that this apartment was cleaner as the hotel she had booked at first place. Not that she hadn't expected differently but if a private place was better organised as a hotel something surely went wrong.
So she sat down on the brown couch, crossed her legs and watched Ashley in the kitchen.

“I think we had a bad start yesterday. I'm Lacey.”

“I know who you are but you don't know me I don't care. Your lousy father had robbed my family with his nasty deals. You guys are known here and let's say you don't have a good name” she turned around and her dark brown eyes shimmered full of anger “But it's not your fault, Missy. I try not to blame it on you, but I won't lie that I hate the name Bernard.”

“My daddy never made any bad deals and you better don't call him lousy” she stood up and clenched her fist, but not to hit her – only because she had no other way to vent her spleen.

“Oh really? Do you know what he actually did when you weren't watching? Did he tell you everything? Or did he ever spoke about the name Alvarez? Probably not because he took all our money and never hold his promises. My parents had to close the shop at the Calle de Serrano. Means they are now unemployed, live off the money they got left while your dad can sleep at night.”

Lacey remained silent. She had no idea of her fathers business since she never cared to ask but the name Alvarez ringed a bell. Whether she heard something in the news or read it in the paper but never connected to her own family.

“I really had no idea” she admitted meekly.

“Of course not” she sighed “You're daddies princess and stayed out of this whole misery. But yeah, Lacey, I won't make you suffer. I'll offer what I can and that's just one tiny bed. Take it or leave it.”

Ashley spit her gum into the bin before she bit in her sandwich. This girl who had both arms covered with tattoos seemed like a really tough person who probably had seen more bad things as good ones. At least she didn't create the impression that she was an emotional person, more like a cold ice block that you first had to unbend before you could see the real person behind.

“Thank you” she could only say and checked her phone if she had any messages or missed calls.

Three messages and two missed calls were displayed and this done by all the same person: Antoine Griezmann.

[8:43 pm] Where are you? Tell me and I'll pick you up.

[8:55 pm] Lacey, it all sorted out. Please let me know where you are.

[9:15 pm] Just say you're safe and sound. Give me the address and I'll pick you tomorrow by 8. Bonne nuit. Axoxo

It's true. He cared for her more than he actually should. They didn't even know each other yet very well and still he cared for her like she cared for her best friends or someone from her family. It warmed her heart that at least one person cared about it. None of her friends asked by now if she was okay or how her new life in Madrid was – not even one of her family. They all had turned their back against her.

So she replied with the address and wishing him a good night as well. She owned it to him. That was the least thing she could do right now.

“Where's your bathroom?”

“You really can't call it a bathroom but you find it on the right side of the corridor. And wait five seconds at least before you use the water. Just a little private note by me” she turned her head to Lacey and forced herself to smile.

“That smile suits you. You should integrate this far more often. It actually makes you look like a decent person” she chuckled and ran away before she saw the pillow flying towards her position.

“Take care of your ass, honey” Ashley joked.

It was a long time ago when she had a room mate and much longer that she actually smiled at someone – even she just faked that one but it felt good.

~*~

“Lacey, wake up. There's a very handsome guy standing at the door. He says he wants to pick you up. Why didn't you tell me about your boyfriend?” Ashley kept poking her but instead of opening her eyes she just buried her head more in the pillow.

“You know I can hear you” Antoine screamed and was quite amused about the scene that was given to him.

“Good, it's just speeds things up a bit more” Ashley turned around with a big smile.

These blue eyes fascinated her and it felt like they pulled her in a deep trance. So whatever this man would command she would listen to him without questioning it.

“Lacey, you lazy cow. Wake up and get ready for work” Ashley just said but Lacey got faster out of bed before her new room mate could finish her sentence.

Since she ran to the bathroom and slammed the door into the lock Ashley got closer to her new guest. No one seemed to care that she was still in her pyjama and her hair was still a mess.

“So since when are you both dating each other?” she cupped up her chin.

“We aren't dating each other” he swallowed slightly embarrassed “She's actually working for me but we still work on her punctuality. It still doesn't seem to work out yet.”

“Try it the hard way and you get everything you want.”

Antoine had to laugh at Ashleys comment since it lead the conversation quite to the opposite way.

“There's going to be some other ways without including any sexual fantasies.”

“I never meant it in any sexual way” she whistled innocently before she disappeared back into her bedroom.

Just one minute later Lacey got out the bathroom, her hair still wet tied up to a plait.

“Sorry I really speed it up now” she put the towel over the chair and took her black bag where she carried her Laptop around.

“No worry I already added this delay to my schedule so we'll be in time when we arrive the stadium.”

But before they left the apartment he pulled her into his arms for a long embrace. No words were exchanged, just a silent moment that both enjoyed in their own way.

“How are things now with your wife?” Lacey stopped the silence and probably struck a nerve since he wasn't anything else as amused about this question.

“She hasn't respond to any of my messages yet but my brother agreed to me that she clearly overreacted. But something else worries me. He said something that only guilty people scream the loudest which would mean she hides something for me, but I don't want to see that. I know her since my childhood and we've went through thick and thin. There were never secrets” he opened the door of his car for her “So I don't know why she blamed me for a single photo when she knew about it. She may had no idea about your name, but your brother talked about you when she was in the same room as me. I have no idea what rubs her face right now.”

He stepped into his car and they finally made their way to the stadium.

~*~

No one said anything any more, not before they had arrived their destiny. For the first time Lacey would now face his team mates and seemingly pretty nervous since she feared a lot of bad vibes.

“You don't have to be nervous. Some of them can be idiots at times but they're all just a bunch of nice people” his hand laid on her back leading her carefully to the entrance.

It didn't escape her notice that this soft touch was quite for her liking. But before she could really enjoy it he hugged someone who seemed a bit older than him, blonde hair and freckles in his face. She bet it was one of his team mates but she couldn't really say who it was. Lacey hadn't any time yet to study all the faces and their names yet.

“Torres, I can finally you now introduce you to Lacey. She's the one that will be on my side constantly.”

“Lucky hand, Mister” he took her hand and placed a single kiss onto it.

“Lacey, that guy who plays now the gentleman is Fernando Torres, an old bunny when it comes to this club” he could only shook his head in disbelief of what he just saw.

“Hi” Lacey said and just waved with her hand.

The guy with all the freckles in his face made a really cute impression to Lacey, a guy that had some manners and knew how to behave himself in front of a real lady. Whether he knew who she was or not – she preferred the idea that he better had no clue – but she liked him. His person attracted her and it seemed it might be even vice versa by the way he scanned her person from head to toe.

“Can I interrupt this awkward moment for a while?” Antoine raised his finger.

He pulled her aside, but kept an eye on his friend until he disappeared around the corner.

“I really hope I can count that you'll be back at my home tonight. You don't need to worry about anything. Trust me” his voice was soft and filled with a lot of hope but Lacey had to destroy this within a second.

“I don't think I'll come back. Ashley seems a nice company as well and I really don't want to interrupt in your relationship.”

“But you don't interrupt” he pouted and glanced with his eyes like a kid that tried to get his will.

“I just don't feel good when you both argue because of me, but I'm flattered you really like to have me there” she noticed how her cheeks turned pink but hide it in pulling Antoine to her arms.

A long embrace is what both desperately needed right now, both for different reasons. While Antoine still had to solve the problem with Chloe, Lacey just longed for some love. She struggled with herself that she couldn't just go back to Antoine but since she had planned to stay here maybe forever she had to start connecting with people slowly. Ashley might be the total opposite of her person but extremes meet sometimes. Maybe it turned out they could become best friends one day but this day was still far away.

“You know how you can reach me. Doesn't matter if it's day or night, just call me” he caressed her arm but got distant when Lucas Hernandez came around the corner. “I'll see you in an hour” he whispered before Lucas had arrived the group.

“Hello. We've got someone new?” he reached her his hand.

“I'm working for the French man, yes. My name's Lacey and I know you're Lucas” she noted with a grin.

“Yeah and you seem to be the only one who's willed to talk with me” he groaned. “No I really mean that. It's just that they try to avoid me since a few days.”

“I know that too well. As soon as you may hear my last name you'll be gone as well.”

“Welcome to the family!” Lucas said before he made its way to the changing room as well.

Lacey couldn't avoid to sing the song by the metal band in her head, but avoided to do it out loud. Her high-pitched voice didn't allow her to sing metal songs since she couldn't bring up enough power to make her voice sound stronger. So she went back outside to make a quick call to her brother, but instead of being on her own she got confronted with a huge mass of people taking photos of her, holding the microphone right under her nose and asking several questions at the same time.

It was the same hype that she had when her father lost all his money, even she though she never had anything to do with his business. And through all the jabbering from the people who had gathered around her she caught one question in particular 'Are you Antoine Griezmann new partner?'.
Not even 24 hours had passed until the media had figured out that his wife had slept somewhere else, and of course when a new woman appeared it could be only his new girlfriend, affair, lover or however they liked to call it. A woman wasn't allowed to be only friends with a guy, there had to be love involved.
Lacey tried to get out, but since she had stood there for too long she had given them too much time to gather around her even closer. There was no way to escape, whether in the front nor going backwards. She was literally trapped inside of people that bombed her with questions and took photos from every angle. It was too much for this young lady and she passed out right in the middle.