Stella enjoyed Caleb's company and all its benefits. If it weren't for Jason, she probably would have been engaged to him. He was easy on the eye and highly talented. Almost all the qualities Jason possessed, so did Caleb, except for two things—those crazy beautiful eyes and his reputation—Caleb lacked those, but still, she can't deny that she found herself more attracted to him than Jason. Besides, is not like Jason was going anywhere - he was hers for however long she wanted him to, and he said so himself.
She sighed, "If this is your idea of a pillow talk. I am afraid it's not working.", she got up to cover her naked self with the silk gown, "...you know it's just sex, between me and you...that was our agreement, so let's not get into any of that. Please, Caleb."
He sat up straight with a look of hurt masked by humour, "Come on, let's not fool each other, we both know it's beyond that - I know you can feel it too-", he retorted with a smirk. The excitement and tender mood that once filled the air was now being replaced by buried frustrations.
Her face harboured fear and anxiety that she kept hidden, even from her sister. Perhaps it was the stress or the fact that Caleb was someone she could talk to without expectations, but she couldn't hold back, "You don't understand Caleb. Marrying someone like Jason will really elevate my career.", she lit a cigarette, and puffed, "You know the moment firms discover that I am associated with him, they start treating me differently - despite the fact that I am more than qualified for the position. I mean, the fact that I got scouted by a top firm is supposed to speak volumes, but somehow is not as loud as being associated with him - I need him. He is exactly what I need. I can't go back to poverty, I refuse.", she snapped. She was frustrated with the system and how everything was 1000x harder for her in the industry. On top of just being a woman, she had to also prove herself as a woman of colour. It was a sad situation she was in, "I need him, at least for a short while.",
Caleb understood her stance in society and the industry, but that didn't mean he was willing to give up. He wanted more than these secret moments. He wanted to wake up next to her every morning, he was tired of sneaking around.
He got up from the bed and began striding to where she was, "Do you enjoy being with him like you do with me? Are you truly yourself when you're with him? Can you even smoke in front of him?"
"What kind of question is that? ", she muttered in guilt, "I mean, what made you ask that?"
He held her face close to his, "Exactly! That's what I mean.", he frustratingly exclaimed, "That question should have been easy to answer- You are only able to share such stuff with me. Stella...you care about me...I care about you, and yet-"
She pulled out of his palms in irritation, "I can't keep explaining the same thing to you..", she switched off the cigarette and walked towards the bed, "...and you better not come between me and Jason. We agreed to stay out of each other's business, and we have been doing so well for over a year. Let's not ruin it -", she said with an obvious look of annoyance,
He followed her to the bed, "Hmm...I guess I have to out-best him", he said suddenly, shocking her,
She flabbergastingly turned to him, "What??", Her heart skipped a beat,
He sank back to the headboard, "Yes. I don't plan on letting you go- and if you are staying with him because of what he has and his reputation - I guess I have to be better than him. Have a better reputation than him.", he smirked with all seriousness, like a man on a mission.
She couldn't believe her ears. Was he going to do all that for her?
Her tension melted and she smiled proudly, "You are crazy!".
Back at Port Stork, not only did the weekend bring cheers from the millions of fans who came to support the game, but it also brought excitement to Liberty, her first day in the open field, and she couldn't wait. She was officially part of the national team - a trainee under the wing of Dr. Mors, who was extremely impressed by her.
"Liberty, are you ready?", she asked,
Liberty's eyes beamed with happiness. She was nervous, but that was nothing compared to the joy she felt "I am Doc."
"Good, because we are here. Don't forget your kit. A policeman has his guns, and us physios- have these bags. Never go anywhere without it- that's your gun."
They got out of the car, and the sounds of cheers from the stadium told her she had arrived. Her heart was dancing ecstatically - she was on the moon. They headed towards the changing rooms for the national team to begin their pre-assessments. They had three hours before the game began, and their job was to make sure that everyone was in top shape. She followed behind Dr. Mors, carefully taking notes of what she did and which items she was using - after the third player, she turned to her with anticipation-
"Got it??", she asked, "Do you have any questions??"
Liberty nodded enthusiastically, "No, Dr. I got everything noted down."
She stepped away and took off her surgical gloves, "Alright, the next one is yours...",
She felt the blood rush as she reached for her gloves, she was finally checking someone, can this day get any better?
She kneeled down with her focus on the ankle of the man in front of her - she couldn't afford to make mistakes, Dr Mors was watching. She was so nervous and excited that she barely looked at the player's face - her hands began to tremble slightly, raising her heartbeat, and her nerves were starting to take over, 'Dr. Mors is watching, those words kept repeating in her head. Her breathing suddenly became uneven, she was now panicking, and her tremors became visible when she had to pick the right tool. She did not want to make mistakes or say the wrong things...but it suddenly became clearer that she was no longer in control - her worries were showing.
As if sensing her internal conflict, Dr. Mors held her shoulder, "Breathe, Liberty...it's not a test...and if you do something wrong, I am here to correct you. So breathe...and trust your gut and what you have learnt. You must stay calm during these tests. Is our responsibility as physios to prevent any injuries to these players, so clear your mind and breathe, then start again from the beginning...okay?", She nodded and refocused her attention on the ankle in front of her still not looking at its owner, she had to focus, 'I got this' she took a deep breath before starting again-
The man chuckled, halting her hand movements, "Somethings never change... still refusing to acknowledge the paying client, I see..." She looked up in shock. With a wide smile, he smirked, "Remember to breathe...would you?"
Those eyes...how can she forget those eyes, "Coco!", she exclaimed in disbelief, "Wow!".