Interns at FC Barcelona

Chapter 49: Explanation

JADE POV

It felt good that Elena and I were back to normal, my life felt balanced again. Or as balanced as it could after what had happened in the past few weeks and excluding what had just happened with Cesc. I still did not understand it. The door of the office swung open and Demi walked in.

“I am so confused,” she said.

“Join the club,” I told her.

“I’m just stupid,” Elena said. Demi looked at Elena and I, analyzing us.

“Hmm no tension in this room,” Demi said eyeing Elena and I.

“Don’t worry we sorted it out,” I told Demi and she smiled, “But what happened with you?”

“Alexis’s crazy ex from what I could tell came and claimed he still wanted to get back with her. Then he grabs me and claims we have been dating. So me being me ends up playing along and then all of a sudden he acts as if nothing happened. Oh and Pique found us when Alexis’s arm was-,” Demi said stopping mid sentence.

“Wait what?” Elena asked her confused.

“Pique found you how?” I asked her.

“Nothing,” Demi said in her own world going towards her desk.

“It did not sound like nothing,” Elena said to her.

 “I think I’m just really confused,” Demi said to us.

“You sure you don’t want to talk about it?” I asked her.

“Yeah,” she said sitting down at her desk. I knew Demi, she was different from Elena. Elena you push until she tells you but with Demi you wait till she wants to tell you.

“Oh Jade,” Demi said after a while, “What do you think about the gifts Cesc got you?”

That was weird, why was Demi asking me this? And why was she asking me now?

“Um, they were really sweet but I don’t know why he gave it to me if I’m “just an employee”,” I said.

“Huh?” Demi asked and I told her what had happened.

“Wow he must really like you, if he can’t even introduce you to his girlfriend,” Demi said.

“Demi!” I said as she laughed a bit.

“Look you should just ask him, you guys speak so much anyway,” Demi said and I noticed she was messaging someone on her phone.

“Who are you messaging?” I asked her.

“No one,” she said not looking at me.

 She did have a point, I was better off just asking Cesc directly. Just then I heard the message tone from my phone. What perfect timing, I had gotten a message from Cesc:

Jade, we need to talk, I’m sorry about earlier, meet me in the cafeteria in 5 min?

“Who’s that?” Elena asked me, “You looked at it a bit more intently than usual.”

“It’s Cesc,” I said.

“Oh that’s why you were oogling it,” Elena said.

“I was not,” I said.

“I see, and?” Demi asked.

“He says he wants to meet me in five minutes to talk about earlier,” I said. I was annoyed about earlier but he wanted to apologize and I always give people a chance to explain themselves. I certainly wasn’t going to tell him no especially when the day before he gave me a rose. I sent him a message back saying I’ll meet him.

“I’ll see you guys later I guess,” I told Elena and Demi.

“This is like the romantic scene where they kiss,” Demi said to Elena.

“Demi, what is your problem?” I asked her.

“Ok sorry, I’m kidding,” she said noticing I was a bit more upset than normal.

 I walked towards the cafeteria expecting the normal “I’m so sorry” apology. I was more interested in the reason he acted like he did. I just wanted to know why. I got to the cafeteria and noticed no one was there. Might as well get a coffee.

I went to the machine and pressed the button.

“Seems like I always find you in the same place,” Cesc said.

“I’m just an employee getting her coffee,” I said a bit bitterly.

“Jade-,” Cesc said as I cut him off.

“I just don’t get why you had to lie, or did I have it all wrong?” I asked him calmly but I had no clue where this other side of me was coming from. I normally sit back and just listen to people.

“I just thought we were friends and not just colleagues or whatever this is,” I told him.

“We are friends Jade,” he said honestly looking at me.

“Well then why did you introduce me as an employee?” I asked him, “You didn’t even say my name, you called me Miss Avery, you’ve never said that.”

“Look, I was with my girlfriend,” he said as an excuse.

“So? What does that have to do with anything?” I asked him still not seeing how that was a valid excuse.

“So I didn’t want her to think something is up,” he said.

“Why would she think that?” I asked him, “We’re just friends.”

“She just tends to get very protective around other women,” he said.

“So anyone that is female is a threat to her?” I asked.

“No, anyone that’s female and beautiful is a threat to her, especially if I just connect with them,” he said looking into my eyes. I was stunned for a bit. Wait, did Cesc just call me beautiful. No, maybe he was just referring to women in general.

“Look I’m sorry Jade but I just didn’t want to cause any issues,” he said.

“If she can’t trust you around women then there are already issues,” I said to him. It just came out. Well done Jade, you just pulled an Elena.  He looked a bit taken a back at what I had said. I guess I didn’t know their relationship, so I was making an assumption.

“Maybe,” Cesc said sitting down on a chair thinking. It seemed there were issues. I immediately changed my demeanor and started to feel concerned about him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t know,” I said feeling bad for talking out of line.

“It’s ok, you have a point,” he said.

“What do you mean?” I asked him.

“That’s not the only issue,” he said and I could tell by his expression that his relationship wasn’t going that well.

“Well you tattooed her name on your arm so you must love her,” I told him. Jade what is wrong with you?! Keep your mouth shut!

I didn’t know why but for some reason with Cesc I didn’t hold myself back, I just spoke what was on my mind. I was completely honest.

“True,” he laughed sadly, “Let’s just say I wasn’t in my normal state of mind then.”

I wasn’t too sure of what to say. I could tell he was starting to open up to me.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked him.

“It’s just so easy to talk to you Jade, I just speak and I never have to worry about saying the wrong thing,” he said smiling but still deep in thought.

“I know what you mean,” I told him.

“Cesc!” I heard Alexis say from the door.