Even if you know what's coming you're not prepared for how it feels...
Jared
I spent the last week in Romania, doing various activities and going to various places. For some reason I never know why I loved coming here. But now that I had Anka next to me it was a lot easier to know why I loved it here so much.
Her hometown was small and the thing I liked the most is that people didn't actually care if I was around or not. To them I was just someone ordinary and not a celebrity. It felt relaxing not to be hunted down by paparazzis.
Me and Anka walked hand in hand and as we approached her favorite coffee shop I turned to her happily. I have been planning this for quite a while, since we were together and I wanted to give her the news delicately. Some people find it hard to digest the idea of making a public appearance and I hoped it wasn't Anka's case.
"Are you ready baby girl? Your visa was accepted. But first, are you ready for your first public appearance?", I asked with a glimmer of hope.
"My first public appearance? Do I really have to do this? I'd much rather stay in the shadows...I'm not pretty enough, plus I don't really think I have what it takes, you know...for a public appearance.", replied Anka concerned.
"You're beautiful. And I don't want to keep you in the shadows. I want the whole world to know that I am taken."
"I don't really think it makes much difference if the world knows. Women will hunt you down anyway...plus, we know. And that's all that matters right?"
"What are you scared about?", I asked her.
By now I started to know all her mood swings and all her reactions. She pushed her glasses down her nose and gave me a puppy dog look.
"That I will make a complete fool of myself at whatever the event will be."
"It's the Fashion Week in London. We are going to Paris now to meet my good friend Alessandro. You'll like him. He can pull out a great outfit in no time! So you don't have to worry about not being in style. Plus it's Fashion Week. It's all about fashion.", I said clearly more excited than her.
I loved fashion, but on the other hand fashion didn't quite love me too much. I was more of the practical, grab-and-wear-what-you-find-guy, and hardly a fashion icon.
"Me and fashion are two lines that will never meet. Look at me. I look like a homeless person.", she said pointing at her black coat and sneaker combination.
"Do I look like I'm dressed differently?", I replied opening my arms, to the almost exact same outfit as she had.
"Yeah, well, you know where I'm coming from. Me and my family aren't really the type of people addicted by fashion. I mean look at the city I grew up in. They are still in the bling era..."
"I like it. No one bothers you."
"Because no one recognizes you. To them you're just a geeky adult with a weird sense of fashion. That's it. I wanna sit this one out. Fashion Week, I mean."
"I won't take 'no' for an answer. Don't you wanna be next to your man when he will present an award?", I asked her putting on my best puppy dog look.
She looked at me and kissed me. I clearly won. It's not like she wasn't trying to win an argument, she had a thing for not wanting to get into arguments.
"Okay.", she nodded.
"Then it's sorted. I've already called Ella to book the tickets."
She nodded silently. I could tell she wasn't too happy that I took decisions on her behalf. It almost looked like I owned her. I realized that thing far too late.
She stayed silent for the whole trip to the airport and on the flight as well. Her mood didn't improve too much when she met Alessandro either. She was cold and polite.
"She is beautiful. A stunner! Those eyes. Like nothing I have seen before.", told me Alessandro, clearly very excited about Anka's presence.
"I know."
"She has just enough poise and craziness for Gucci. She's perfetta! And I already have the best dress for her!", he added, clapping his hands.
"That's good.", I said looking at her.
She had a scared look on her face. Just because she saw the outfit that Alessandro had prepared for me.
In the evening she just went to bed early and I just stood by her side, watching her sleep.
***
"Are you ready Anka?", I asked checking myself out in the mirror for the hundredth time in the last ten minutes.
"You will love her Jared, trust me.", said Alessandro, visibly excited.
"Don't tell me you made her wear a wedding dress.", I said a tad more nervous than I wanted.
"It could go as a wedding dress too.", he winked back at me.
Both of us turned round as she opened the bedroom door and both me and Alessandro stood in awe. The dress was black, with a crimson embroided train, contrasting perfectly with her skin color and also the signature Gucci designs. It had long sleeves and it was backless which made Anka look more alluring than ever. In my pants a real party was going on, so I hurriedly took a quick breath and rearranged my cape.
Her dark hair was slicked back and straightened, her makeup was dark and smokey and made her brown eyes pop out even more. I took her hand and twirled her around.
"You are bellissima!", said Alessandro.
"Thank you Alessandro. Or should I say, grazie.", she nodded and smiled.
"You are simply breathtaking baby.", I uttered, still fascinated by her beauty.
"Thank you Jay, now let's get this over with. I feel like I'm gonna run out of breath if I stay in this room one more second.", she confessed, visibly unhappy that she had to wear heels.
"You do look a little pale.", I noticed.
"I'm okay, don't worry. I'm just nervous.", she replied squeezing my hand gently.
She had no reason to be nervous. At the way she looked, no one would notice any clumsy thing she might do.
I was fully aware that for her it was a nightmare being out in public. But she took it like she spent her whole life in the spotlight. She answered all the questions she was asked with tact and delicacy. She smiled, she posed next to me. She shook hands and got acquainted with everyone and she was the delight of the evening.
"You were amazing!", I told her reassuringly on the way back to the hotel.
"Thanks, I just did what I had to do."
"Now are you ready for sunny Los Angeles?"
"Never felt more ready in my life.", she replied with a big smile on her face.
"I've met your family and loved them the very first second I lay eyes on them, now it's your turn to meet my family."
"Will I see Ella again as well?", she asked a bit more interested in seeing Ella than meeting my family.
"Of course! You like her don't you?"
"Are you kidding? She is the closest to a normal life that I ever got ever since I met you."
"Ella is the least normal person around. She used to be a damn good actress. But she has been through far too much in her life to even talk about it. Maybe she will tell you the story of her life one day."
"Ella? Are you joking? An actress? She is so grounded and down to earth."
"She always was like that. Hollywood life is not as bad as you think. I didn't turn out that bad either."
"No, you haven't and I'm very thankful for that.", she replied hugging me tightly.
We landed in Los Angeles the next day and I noticed a change in her behavior. She was a lot more relaxed and a lot more happier. We arrived at the office where Ella and Shannon were expecting us.
She hugged Ella tightly straight away, under the looks of the other employees, who couldn't understand who the woman looking like a hobo was doing next to me. To be frank they were used to my weird choices in clothes, but seeing two of us was a bit too much for them.
"Now, who is this beauty little brother?", asked Shannon as he pulled Anka in a tight hug as well.
Shannon was more a hugger than I was. Clearly Anka was taken aback by the manifestations of joy.
"Anka, meet my not so subtle, big brother Shannon."
"So nice to meet you.", she replied happily, coming back next to me.
"Ella told me you had big news but I didn't know that it was this sort of news. Where do you manage to get all these beauties from? Do they just throw themselves at you or what?", joked Shannon.
"Actually he threw himself at me this time.", joked Anka.
"Is mum at home? I want Anka to meet her too.", I asked Shannon.
"Yes, she was cooking something for you. But you didn't tell her you are coming with someone, so I'm guessing she will be a little pissed. Anka, do you want a coffee, tea, anything? The coffee here is amazing.", he hinted.
"Jared told me about that. So I will have a coffee.", she concluded after a quick thought.
"Come on I'll show you around. Jared I'll steal her only for a little bit."
"Under the condition you bring her back, got that?"
"Yes sir!", he saluted.
I turned round to Ella and told her to follow me into the office.
"Is everything okay?", she asked me.
"No, not really...Anka is acting really strange.", I admitted.
"She looked pretty normal to me Jared. Why do you say that?"
"When I told her about Fashion Week she just became really sad. She didn't want to join me at it. It's like she is embarrassed with me."
"Really? Seriously? Jared this woman went through hell and back. I'd probably react in the same way. You know that I don't really go to your public meetings and stuff like that. I do it because it's necessary. For the reason that I don't want people to know who I am."
"It's very different in your case."
"Jared she isn't like any of the girls I've met around you. She isn't desperate for fame. She cares about you a lot more than that."
"I know that too."
"Well you do have to stop putting her into situations like this."
"But isn't a girlfriend supposed to be supportive? I mean, I support her with whatever she wants to do..."
"Yes, but she isn't the one who paid a million dollars just to set you free."
Ella had a point. Anka was put in a very uncomfortable situation from the very beginning. I could tell she is a very free spirit that didn't like to be tamed by anything.
As I was talking to Ella, I saw the door to my office open. It was Shannon and Anka. She was feeling visibly more comfortable than the first time she came into the office and was holding in a large bag in one hand and her coffee in the other.
"Shannon was so sweet, he gave me a lot of promo products from BlackFuel. Guess who is one happy cookie?", she said shaking the bag.
"Little brother where did you find this gem? She offered to help me out with some promo for BlackFuel."
"Since I'm here I was thinking of helping Shannon out. It's not like I have much to do right?"
"Plus she made me a killer coffee. Not to brag too much, but it was nearly as good as the one I make."
Both me and Ella looked at Shannon and Anka. It was surprisingly how Shannon managed to make her feel comfortable in a matter of minutes. I was either out of my game or we had nothing in common. Or most likely, I sucked at relationships.
"Ok, I'm so happy you had fun, now why don't we go home and you can meet my mum."
"Me and Ella will head over after we finish here.", added Shannon.
"Okay. See you!", I replied taking Anka's hand and going out of the office.
We drove back to the house and to my surprise I didn't find my mother there. She left me a note, beside a casserole, saying that she will expect us tomorrow at her place because she was going to check something at an art gallery.
"Guess we are all alone...", I said.
"Yes. We are finally just the two of us.", she said getting closer to me.
"What do you have in mind?", I asked clearly guessing her intentions.
"Well I may have a thing or two in my mind.", she replied slipping my jacket off playfully.