Interns at FC Barcelona

Chapter 43: A Gift

I sat down at my desk. I could not believe I just walked away from two  of the best players in the world but I couldn’t help it. One on one I might have had a chance but together? I knew they would break me down. Between Cesc’s concerning eyes and Leo’s caring ones, I had no chance. I could not let them know about what happened. I didn’t need them to pity me. I heard the door open and I just prayed it was not Elena. I could not be happier when I saw it was Cesc and I’m sure my face showed that.

“There’s the smile that I missed just now. You just ran off so you didn’t give me time for me to give you this,” Cesc said motioning to a gift bag in his hands.

“You got me a gift?” I said in awe.

“Well kind of, I got you something for your desk,” he said.

“You didn’t have to,” I told him.

“But I wanted to,” he said as he walked towards me, “Here,” he said placing it on my desk. I stared at it for a moment. “Well? Aren’t you going to open it?” he asked.

“Cesc you really didn’t have to,” I said.

“But I did,” he said pushing the gift bag towards me. “Open it!” he said excitedly.

“Ok, ok,” I said smiling at his eagerness. I looked in and saw a beautiful yellow rose. I took it out of the bag.

“Yellow symbolizes friendship, but it’s also your favorite,” he said to me.

“How do you know that?” I asked him smiling.

“You told me,” he said and I remembered when we had that conversation.

“And you remembered?” I asked him surprised.

“Of course!” he said as I smiled even broader. He remembered what was my favorite, he must care about me then. Even if it’s just a little tiny bit.

“Well there’s something else!” he said and I looked into the gift bag to see something wrapped in tissue paper. I slowly unwrapped the tissue paper and smiled when I saw what he got me.

“Cesc its amazing! It’s perfect!” I said and he smiled happily at my reaction. It was a pen holder in the shape of a Barca shirt.

“Wait look at the back, it has a name!” he said enthusiastically.

“Let me guess a number 4?” I said playfully as I turned the holder around.

“No,” he said and I was shocked at the number I saw.

“Villa is your favorite right?” he said looking at me. It was a 7 with David Villa written on top.

“And before you ask, you told me that and I remembered again,” he said.

I couldn’t believe it, he remembered those details about me. He had actually paid attention to me when I had spoken to him.

“I really thought you would have put your name,” I said to him.

“Do I look like Ronaldo?” he said as we both laughed.

“No comment on that,” I said jokingly.

“Hey!” he said.

“Well your hair is getting a bit long,” I said to him.

“I like it this way for now,” he said.

“Well I like it shorter, you look better that way,” I said.

“What do you mean by look better?” he asked pushing for an explanation.

“You look more-,” I said thinking of a better work.

“Yes?” he said curiously.

“Hhhhh-andsome,” I said instead of using the word hot. I could not use the word hot, that just didn’t make sense and I had to be honest.

“Oh I see, so you want me to look handsome to you,” he said teasing me.

“What? No, its fine then, leave your hair, Ronald,” I said jokingly.

“Hey! That’s quite an insult,” he said seeming offended and I laughed at him.

“Anyway, I would have brought you coffee but I saw you get a cup. You know all your favorites, well at least of those I know,” he said.

“Cesc, you didn’t have too,” I said, “And now I have to get you something.”

“No you don’t Jade, just look at this as a welcoming gift, really it was nothing,” he said and I smiled at him again.

“But Jade what was wrong earlier?” he asked.

“Nothing, it’s just Elena and I had a fight and you know how it is, people say mean things,” I said shrugging it off.

“Ok, you sure you don’t want to talk about it?” he asked me.

“It’s no big deal,” I said to him.

“Jade, you weren’t smiling that bright smile of yours, so it must have been a big deal.,” he said looking at me intently. “Well if you want to talk I’m here ok?” he said to me and it was that moment where I felt maybe Elena was wrong. Here was a person who was a stranger to me a few weeks ago and now he was my friend. He actually cared about me, maybe not like his best friend but he definitely cared. If this can happen, then it is possible to find someone who will love me for who I am. I had to believe that. I just have to actually find him now.

“Ok,” I said to him, “But if it makes you feel better, this gift has made me feel much happier.”

“It does and I can see that,” he said, “Well unfortunately I have to go.” I felt a bit disappointed when he said that.

“I understand,” I told him with a bit of disappointment in my voice. Right now he just made me feel better, just his presence, that was it.

“Don’t worry, I know you’re going to miss this “handsome” person,” he said sensing the disappointment, “But I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I know,” I said to him as he walked towards the door.

“Well Cesc,” I said as he turned and looked at me.

“Thanks so much,” I said.

“No problem, plus it was worth it, to make you smile,” he said.

It was truly amazing how something so simple could make you feel so elated inside. What Elena had said was out of my mind as I starred at the pen holder he gave me. I smiled at his gesture. It seems like it is possible to just find caring people in the world. I still felt tired, not really physically but more emotionally. I decided I was going to leave when I noticed Demi come through the door.

With Pique.