Alba POV
This week I'm going to New York with Myria and I'm quite nervous. Since that night at her house we haven't shared any private time together, I always try to avoid it, but as soon as we get on the plane on Thursday I'm not going to have much of an escape.
I actually feel guilty. I've been thinking for months that I'm at the perfect time to be in a relationship, to meet someone real to connect with, to share everything with... and I end up stuck with my ultra-sexy, ultra-heartbreaker assistant. It's not what I want. Maybe a year ago I'd be happy to cross paths with Myria and I'm sure we'd have... well, really good times. But now I don't want that. I want something like what I have with Alejandra but for real. Why is that so hard? The problem is that whenever I try to get closer to Alejandra, whenever I propose that we meet or see each other in person, she always refuses, gives me excuses... I start to think that she doesn't like me, that she's just fooling around (and I'm wasting my time) or even that maybe she doesn't even exist. And yet I keep texting her every day and getting my hopes up. I want to meet her. I wouldn't even care if in person she was different or not as pretty as in the pictures, her personality makes her win a lot of points, it's just what I'm looking for.
--
On Thursday we are ready to take the plane. Myria has just arrived with two suitcases.
ALBA: Myria, you remember we're leaving for four days?
She looks at me confused.
MYRIA: Yes, why?
ALBA: Because you're carrying two suitcases.
I point to them as if it's obvious.
MYRIA: I just couldn't decide, plus, this way I have more space to pack whatever we buy.
Why did she say it in plural? There she goes again with that damn smile. I have to stop looking at her like this, I have to get rid of this kind of stupid crush on her. Myria is my assistant, my friend and a complete dickhead. I like interesting girls like Alejandra, not dickheads.
ALBA: Okay.
Myria POV
Four days in New York with Alba, right now I could run around the entire airport jumping and dancing with happiness. But I don't because I'm a serious, adult, and professional person who is also on a business trip. But I'm looking forward to it. Alba looks gorgeous with her suitcase.
When we get on the plane the flight attendant grabs my arm.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Myria?
When I look at her I realise it's Irene.
MYRIA: Irene, what are you doing here?
We hug and she laughs.
IRENE: Working.
MYRIA: I know, it was a stupid question, I meant what's your life like, how long.
Alba looks at us and clears her throat.
ALBA: Can we go on?
Irene looks at her.
IRENE: Excuse me, miss, go on. -She looks at me and whispers, -I'll talk to you later.
I smile.
Irene was my first girlfriend in high school, when we were 14. We were together for a year and she was the best first girlfriend in the world. Then I got older and as a teenager I became a bit of an idiot and ended up leaving her because I wanted to hook up with almost every girl I knew and it didn't make sense to have a girlfriend, but until then it was great. I hadn't seen her for years, I didn't know she was a flight attendant.
ALBA: Could you try doing that in a bar and not in the queue for the plane?
MYRIA: What?
ALBA: Flirting with the flight attendant, was that necessary? I remind you that we're on a business trip.
MYRIA: I wasn't flirting with the flight attendant, I know her.
Alba rolls her eyes. Why does she sometimes act like she's an idiot?
ALBA: Anyway, whatever you say.
MYRIA: What are you talking about?
ALBA: Nothing, I'm just trying to relax before we take off.
She stretches out in her seat. We're flying first class and the space is pretty big, even though we're sitting almost next to each other.
MYRIA: I really don't understand why you always have to question me on a professional level, I think I've shown you that I care about my job and I always try to do my best. I know it's a bussines tr....
She interrupts me.
ALBA: Myria, now. Seriously, don't be a pain. That's it.
I don't want to argue with her, not today.
MYRIA: Okay.
Once the plane took off Alba lay back in her seat listening music. I tried to talk to her a few times but she doesn't seem too interested, she must have woken up stupid today. I'm bored.
After a while Irene arrived to bring us something to drink and food. She threw me a bag of Maltesers.
IRENE: I hope they're still your favourite.
I chuckled.
MYRIA: Aw, you remember. Thank you very much.
IRENE: They're not on the menu, but we had a bag, so value them.
I grin from ear to ear. Alba looks at us with a disgusted look on her face.
'What's wrong with her today?'
ALBA: Could I have a drink, please?
Irene turns to her with a smile.
IRENE: Of course, what would you like?
ALBA: The strongest you've got.
MYRIA: I didn't know you worked here, how cool.
IRENE: And what about you, are you still in Madrid?
MYRIA: Yes, I thought about going back to Thailand for a while, but in the end I moved in with Elena.
IRENE: Oh, Elena, how is she?
MYRIA: Very well, she's a celebrity now.
ALBA: How long does it take you to make a drink?
Irene blushed.
IRENE: Yeah, sorry, almost done.
I looked at Alba sternly.
MYRIA: Alba, don't be rude.
Alba looks at me as if I've just insulted her, her eyes on fire.
ALBA: Excuse me?
IRENE: Here you go, here's your drink, sorry I'm late.
She places the glass in front of her. I look at Irene and apologize with my eyes.
MYRIA: You have to forgive her, I think she's having a bad day today.
IRENE: Don't worry. I have to go on, I'll talk to you later.
As Irene goes on her way Alba looks at me hatefully.
ALBA: Don't ever talk to me like that again if you don't want to get in trouble.
'What the fuck is wrong with her.'
MYRIA: Alba, you were being rude, Irene was preparing the drink you asked for, most people here can't even drink alcohol during the flight.
ALBA: I don't care. You're my employee and you have no right to talk to me like I'm your colleague, don't forget that. And the flight attendant is here to make me whatever I ask.
'Why is she acting like that? She's acting like a child, she's not like that.'
MYRIA: Are you okay?
ALBA: Perfectly.
MYRIA: No, not perfectly. You've been acting like a violent cat since we got on the plane. Is something wrong?
ALBA: Nothing's wrong, just leave me alone.
MYRIA: Anyway, it's clear that some people don't handle travelling very well, or something.
Alba put her headphones back on. I don't care, if she doesn't want to tell me what's wrong with her, that's her problem. I have my Maltesers.
The next few hours of the journey were pretty boring. Alba was listening music the whole time without talking to me, so I started to watch a movie. It was a comedy and I quite liked it, but every time I laughed I saw Alba looking at me with a dirty look on her face and rolling her eyes. Occasionally Irene passed by me and we talked a bit, but whenever that happened I saw Alba giving us dirty looks and I think Irene felt uncomfortable, so I could hardly talk to her.
I have no idea what's going on with Alba today and I wish I could talk to her. I wanted this trip to help us get to know each other and get closer and who knows. Less than a week ago I almost kissed her and since then we've barely said more than three words, and today she's treating me like I stole her last french fry.
When the film was over I got bored again, so I decided to make little balls with a piece of paper and throw them at Alba's head. When the third one hit her forehead she took off her headphones.
ALBA: Do you really want to piss me off more?
I smiled at her.
MYRIA: So you recognise that you're pissed off?
Alba rolled her eyes.
ALBA: I'm not having the day today, Myria...
MYRIA: Why?
ALBA: Because I'm not.
MYRIA: Don't be like that, we're on our way to New York.
I said this with a smirk on my face and started jumping up and down in my seat and goofing around like I was an excited tourist and she laughed.
ALBA: You're an idiot.
MYRIA: The first thing I want to do as soon as we land is go and eat a giant hamburger.
ALBA: The first thing we're going to do is go to the hotel and drop our stuff off and get settled.
MYRIA: After that.
ALBA: Then we'll see.
MYRIA: Are you going to be in a better mood?
ALBA: Yeah.
MYRIA: Really?
ALBA: I will...
I showed her the rest of the balls I had ready to throw and looked at her with threatening eyes.
MYRIA: If you don't, you know what's coming...
ALBA: Go watch another movie and let me rest, come on.
Luckily Alba relaxed for the rest of the trip, although she still gave Irene a dirty look every time she passed us, but at least she was nice to me. I take it as a victory.
'Myria 1 - Alba 0'
When we arrived, Irene approached me before getting off the plane.
IRENE: I'm going to be off for a few days because I won't be working until next week. I live here in New York. If you feel like it and you have some time, give me a call and we'll catch up.
She gave me her phone number. I was excited, I wanted to talk to her properly and find out what's going on in her life.
MYRIA: Aww, I'll call you, I promise.
Alba, who had put on huge sunglasses, pushed me.
ALBA: We're in a hurry, can you come out now?
MYRIA: Sorry, sorry.
I smiled at Irene and said goodbye.
New York. I was in New York. I had wanted to visit this city all my life and I was finally there. And I was with Alba. Today was one of the best days of my life.
MYRIA: Have you noticed that even the air smells different from Spain?
Alba laughed. I took my camera out of my bag.
MYRIA: Can I take a picture of you?
Alba looked at me curiously.
ALBA: Is that the camera you didn't know you had?
I swallowed. This is the camera I take the pictures she thinks are Alejandra's and I was afraid she'd find me out, so I had to play dumb.
MYRIA: Yeah, it came in handy for the trip. Smile.
Alba smiled and posed for me, and I took a picture of her at the airport gate as soon as I arrived. I hoped it would be the first of many.
As soon as we picked up our bags we went to get a taxi to take us to the hotel, a 5 star hotel! I had never stayed in one before. Between the city, the hotel and the company I couldn't wipe the smile off my face and Alba kept looking at me in amusement. My room was next to hers, it was huge, with a double bed and floor to ceiling windows from which you could see most of the city. It was so high up that it was like New York was at my feet.
'I could get used to this.'