“Hey Marco, can you do me a favor? I didn’t realize it would be raining today so I just walked to work, but of course, now that I don’t have my umbrella it’s pouring outside.” Mika laughed. “I was wondering if you could give me a lift to my flat? I swear it’s close by.” She clutched her file folders close to her chest and smiled her most innocent smile.
Marco laughed and nodded. “No problem, Mika.” He smiled before turning his attention back to lacing up his boots.
Smiling, she nodded before turning around to get back to her desk. The day couldn’t end fast enough. As soon as the clock on the wall said five thirty, she was out the door. Until then, she only had to imagination to occupy her time. An hour alone with her thoughts was a not a good place for Mika. She had a problem with overthinking and overanalyzing things. Mainly her love life. Or lack there of. Well, she was dating, but, to say it was complicated was an understatement. She didn’t know if she was in a real relationship or just being dragged alone. It worried her. For almost a year now she had this feeling.
Mika’s phone vibrated against the glass top of her desk, breaking her thoughts. It was from Marco: ready when you are. She grabbed her purse and ran as quickly as she could to the elevator. Her toes hurt from the high heels she was wearing. As the doors parted, she slipped them off and raced through the parking garage. The concrete was freezing cold to her toes, but she didn’t even care.
Marco was parked in his usual parking spot. Warm steam was coming out of the tailpipe, signaling to her he had the heat cranked up high. A wicked smile grew across her face. Seeing her running, Marco unlocked the car’s doors and smiled himself. She dropped her purse in the floorboard and wiggled her toes under the vent.
She leaned over the center console and kissed him sweetly. “I’ve been waiting to go that all day.”
“Ready to go, love?” Marco smiled, stealing another quick kiss. She nodded and buckled her seatbelt.
A weekend in the countryside of beautiful Germany would be perfect. She could already smell the wood in the fireplace burning. Mika loved the city, but being stuck in a cottage with Marco Reus for two days was a fair trade. She would actually get to walk around, holding his hand, kissing him in public, the little things that most couples took for granted.
Marco and Mika had started dating shortly after Marco transferred from Mönchengladbach. She had only started working for the team a couple months earlier and he was extremely outgoing. Whenever he and team went out, he would invite her. But soon, they started hanging out alone, outside of the stadium. A dinner at his place, coffee early in the morning, always out of sight of anyone. At first, Mika was offended by Marco’s hiding her. But she soon learned to live with it. He was trying to protect her; clubs rules made it clear players and workers couldn’t be together. Sure, there had been exceptions of the years, but not without a large commotion and scandal. Marco didn’t want to chance his place in the starting line up or Mika’s position with the team. She was finally working for her dream team; he would hate himself if he were the reason she was sent away.
She tapped the end of the pen on the desk and sighed. It was like the minute hand wasn’t moving, at all. Maybe it was just her lack of patient. Actually, that’s exactly what it was. She hated waiting, even at Starbucks for her coffee. If it took more than five minutes, she got angry. That was another problem in her relationship. Things between the two weren’t perfect. She had to wait for months, almost five, to hear how Marco felt about her. She hated not knowing and that feeling like she was dangling on the end of a string. Marco was a firm believer of ‘whatever happens happens’. Mika was not. She liked clearly defined and outlined things.
So basically the exact opposite of their relationship.
Mika closed her eyes. She hated thinking about her love life, analyzing every aspect. It created mountains out of molehills. Anytime she thought about her future with Marco, she felt sad; she didn’t even know what they were going to be tomorrow, let alone in a few years.
“What are you thinking about?” Marco asked, slipping his car into a parking spot outside Mika’s apartment.
“Nothing.” She smiled before climbing out of the car. “I’ll be right back.” Sliding her shoes back on, she hopped out of the car and raced to her door.
Her bags had been packed since Marco told her about their little getaway, almost a month ago. A weekend getaway, Mika, it’s perfect. A small part of her thought that the trip wouldn’t happen, but here they were. Just you, me and a house in the countryside. When she first heard the idea, she wasn’t so happy. He’s whisking me away to the countryside because he won’t take me out here in the city. She was happy about spending time with him, alone, but it just wasn’t complete happiness.
“That was quick.” He chuckled as she sat back down. She had only bee gone for maybe five minutes. She didn’t need to grab anything or double-check anything. “I already have my bag in the back, so, if you’re ready…”
“Let’s go.”
The drive over was enough to put Mika’s worrying mind at ease. Marco was distracting her perfectly; most of their conversation was football centered, not surprising. He talked mainly about new strategies the team was trying and his thoughts about the upcoming games. Mika, as much as she loved the sport, didn’t enjoy talking about it. She talked about it all day every day.
“How about we talk about something else?” She asked. Marco had paused to think and Mika took the opportunity to change the topic.
Marco furrowed his brows. “Like what?” He had gotten used to Mika’s random shifts and thinking. “Like what we’re going to when we get the house?” He looked over and winked.
“Oh you think you’ll get lucky?” Mika shook her head. “I was thinking… maybe we can talk about—“ Marco’s phone rang out from the cup holder. He unlaced her fingers from her’s and grabbed the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hey man!” It was Mario. “Where are you at?”
“Um… I’m just…out running errands?” He lied. Mika reeled back, confused. He mouthed Gotze, as if that explained everything. “Why what’s up?”
“In case you forgot we had plans! You, me, the boys going out to ring in the New Year?” Mario reminded. Marco honestly did forget about agreeing to go out with the guys. “Hello?”
“Oh man, I totally forgot about that… “ He shook his head. This would be the one time Gotze remembered their plans. “I can’t go tonight man, I…have plans already.” He once again, snuck a peak at Mika. She was pretending to not listen and look out the window. But he saw her cutting her eyes back at him. “Maybe another time.”
“What! We only welcome a new year, once a year! We’ll have to wait 365 days! Ugh, fine!” Mario groaned, knowing he wasn’t going to change Marco’s mind. “I just hope whatever you’re doing instead is worth it!” he teased. Marco smiled.
“It is worth it.” He hung up and slipped his phone back into the cup holder. “Just a few more minutes and we’ll be there.” Mika had lost track of time. “That was Mario. Apparently I had promised him I would go out with him and the boys.”
“Oh.” Mika nodded.
“I told him I had better plans.” He smiled, grabbing Mika’s hand. “Is something wrong?”
Mika looked back out the window. “Nothing, love.”
It only took a few more minutes before Mika could see the house. There were barely any other houses around, maybe one every other mile. Wow, when Marco said secluded he really meant middle of nowhere. Marco laughed, as if he could read Mika’s mind. “Just you and me, I told you that.”
“I didn’t realize you meant just us for miles…”
The inside of the house was like a magazine; everything was exactly in the perfect spot. Mika felt that if she sit down she would ruin it. But Marco dropped his things and fell onto the couch, knocking all the pillows off.
“Come here.” He sat up and waited for Mika to sit down. “It’s so quiet out here.” Marco was right, aside from ticking clock above the fireplace and their breathing, there was absolute silence. “I could fall asleep right here.” He leaned his head onto Mika’s shoulder. She sighed contently. The voice in her head was finally quiet.
“This is nice.” Mika commented.
“Nice?” Marco sat up straight. “This is the perfect way to end and begin a year. A night in the country with my girlfriend.” Mika nearly choked. Girlfriend? That was…new. Marco never used that word, he never ‘defined’ their relationship before. “Mika? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong.” She smiled.
“You’re…upset I called you my girlfriend—“
“What? No? Not at all.” That’s all she’s wanted for months now. “I just didn’t know you felt that way about me.” Her cheeks burned bright red with embarrassment. She looked away and let her dark hair fall over face.
“Are you serious?” Marco was a little upset now. He made sure he showed Mika exactly how he was feeling, always. He reminded her how happy he was with her every time they were together? He knew their relationship wasn’t perfect, but he didn’t realize Mika doubted him.
“It’s just, we don’t act like a normal couple, so I didn’t know…” She felt stupid having this conversation. “It was just a shock.”
Marco nodded, understanding, even if he didn’t like it. “A good shock or a bad shock?”
“Good.” She looked back at him.
“I know that you want a normal relationship, I do too. And…” he inhaled sharply. “I want you know that, I’m going to tell the team we’re dating whenever we get back.” He paused, hoping Mika wouldn’t freak out. “Unless you don’t want me to?”
“Why wouldn’t I want you to?” She laughed. “I would get to stop pretending like you’re just another player. I could kiss you. I could hold you hand. That’s all I want Marco.” She pushed the hair out of her and leaned close to Marco, “You’re right, this is perfect.”
