WHEN YOU LOVE

FUERZA

There, as she listened to the presentation, all she wanted was out.

It wasn't the first time she felt like this. It had been a while. When she thought of it, it was a little after the campaign she featured in. Once the adrenaline fell, Sana felt empty, almost gutted. Things at work didn't seem to make sense. She felt the same way when her desire to be with Lee became more predominant, and she still worked in Paris. Then, she no longer saw the use of living away from him. Suppose she had to sum things up; she would say she wanted another significant change in her life.

"Sana, Sana, it's over," Gemma said, nudging her three hours later.

The woman didn't even realize the day was done.

"Please remember, rendezvous at seven for the party," Clyde, one of the new regionals, announced.

"Finally free," Gemma said.

"Not really. Don't forget we still need to check in at the hotel," Keela added.

"And I need a shower," Sana concluded.

They hurried to the hotel. Of course, one had to get there by their means. Thus, Sana and a group from various teams followed Gemma, the improvised GPS guide, for a twenty-minute walk to regain the hotel. Each recuperated their pass and luggage from the welcome desk, where they also got a complimentary hot cookie.

Sana's room was on the fifth floor, Keelas's on the second, and Gemma's on the third. Sana appreciated having her private room at the conference. Room sharing was only a thing if one had a project requiring two bodies.

The room Sana had had all the commodities one needed. It was spacious, but it had a carpet, unlike the last hotel she was in at the previous conference. Sana profoundly hated carpets. The Spanish hotels, like the English, seemed to appreciate them. Thank goodness Lee's home had a wooden floor from top to bottom.

Sana unpacked and used the code behind her card for wifi. Her phone screen immediately blew up with messages.

Sana began with Holly's messages:

Eh, don't these people give you a break? Holly wrote, followed by a flat-lipped emoji.

Okay, I see you are busy.

Please call me back during a pee break.

"She's crazy," Sana muttered

The following message was a voice from Lee: Are you missing me yet?

Sana restarted the message several times before replying: Not really; Spanish men are enough buff with a GIF of a woman fanning herself.

Lee didn't make his answer wait. Sana got a GIF where a hand with the middle finger up came out of the sand.

Sana shook her head and went to shower. Though she joked, she truly missed him. It was the first time the sentiment gripped her heart. It was ridiculous, especially when she knew she was only forty-eight hours from seeing him again. Sana concluded she loved him more than yesterday. The man passed from being the most despised to her, I-can't-live-without-you guy. Love was indeed a terrible thing, Sana thought as she opened the door twenty minutes later to leave for the party.

"Sana."

The woman was lost for words. What the hell was he doing there?

"Olaf."

The man smiled nervously, "I can't believe our rooms are a cross from each other. What a coincidence."

"Yeah, ㅡit's insane," Sana said with darting eyes. Even she couldn't explain how they ended up on the same floor before remembering that the company usually just booked many rooms regardless.