CHAPTER 15 – The chase begin
Fresia waken up early, the next morning. Truthfully she didn't sleep much, her head full of "why", "if" and question marks. She didn't have much experience with men for sure, but she wasn't a nun, she had a boyfriend or two and hung around men all the time, due to her job. She knew men could be very cautious and even suspicious as far as their private life was concerned. Mark was the perfect example of that kind of behavior. He was so used to rule every situation, that her bold flirting had disoriented him at first. She could understand it. What she really couldn't comprehend was his reaction at her virginity; he run away as fast as he could, like she had some infectious and fatal disease.
What a jerk! As if the only aim of her life was to get a husband with the trap of her innocence. At least the misunderstanding of her lack of beauty had been clarified and she felt a lot better. Mark thought she was beautiful and sexy, he said it, but he wasn't interested to become her… trainer. She laughed at his choice of words.
Now she had to decide what to do. Does she want Mark still? Fresia valued the pros and the cons and thought yes, she wanted him in her life, now and forever. She was in love with him and couldn't ignore a feeling so strong. She wanted to be his woman, no matter if he didn't want to get married; marriage was just a sign on a paper. But she would have given her right eye to hear him say that he loved her. Now, before doing anything, she wanted to wait for Mark's next move. She didn't want to ruin her eventual chances to win him over, doing something stupid and hasty.
Sighing he stood up from bed; today the entirely staff of WWF had the day off, because Monday Night War was airing in the same arena of the PPV of the previous night and she didn't want to spend the day in her room. She took a hot shower, put on a pair of stretch shorts and a pink vest, her beloved tennis shoes and went out for her usual hour of fast-walking. She always felt well walking; it helped her to concentrate on her stuff.
Turning into the park that surrounded the hotel, Fresia met Jason Scott, the boy that gave her flowers for her birthday. They had become fast friends because he was a positive person and she could confide in him like she was one of the girls. When she had told him, Jason burst out laughing telling her that he WAS one of her girlfriend and he too had problems with men…. Fresia joined the laughs and from then on they forged a strong alliance, like the one she had with Jessie, Nora and Stephanie.
"Good morning darling – he greeted – are you ready to eat my dust?"
"Who are you, Pietro Mennea? – she answered – I think you'd better get ready to watch the sole of my shoes, from beeeeehind" she challenged him, sprinting along the park path. They walked for an hour and came back to the hotel tired and sweaty. Fresia felt dirty, the weather was hot and damp and her wet pink vest was adhering to her curves.
It was like this that Mark saw her, just arrived on his inseparable Harley Davidson to have breakfast at the hotel. Actually he could have eaten at home but the solitude, that always appealed him, seemed unbearable this morning. Maybe a chat with Glen wouldn't hurt him after all; he was the only one in the position to comprehend his state of mind and his advices were often precious. Not that Mark would have admitted it in front of Glen, no way!
When he was in the hotel hall, a charming giggle reached him. Fresia was at the reception to pick up her key and she wasn't alone. Mark's gaze moved on the irritating presence at her side. A skinned, not very tall (at least from his point of view), short haired man walked beside Fresia, laughing with her, with his arm confidentially wrapped around her waist. He scowled annoyed, watching them disappear in the elevator, unseen.
He sat down comfortably in one of the armchairs of the hotel lounge, beside the hall, took his cell phone and called Glen but he didn't answer. Mark decided to try again later. In the meanwhile he could stay right there, the position of the lounge strategic to control those who entered or exited the lifts. If Glen came down from his room, Mark could see him. Above all, he wanted to catch the little girl he'd just seen going to her room and that sooner or later had to come down to have breakfast.
Fresia and Jason went in their own rooms. She threw herself under the hot shower, washing the sweat away; then wrapped in one of the hotel towels and moved in the bedroom to get dressed. She chose a fresh and simple suit, a pair of blue cotton Capri jeans with a blue spaghetti-straps top, with a draped motive on the front and no bra underneath. At her feet, a pair of golden, three inch. sandals. She put on a light makeup, blue eye pencil with glitters, black mascara and transparent gloss. A spray of her Chanel perfume behind her ears completed the outfit.
Before going out she called her friends, to invite them to have breakfast together. She tried first with Jessie but her phone was turned off. Same fate with Nora. What happened to those two? She was a little worried, but said to herself that if something bad happened, her friends would have called her. She called Stephanie, founding only the answering machine. Fresia smiled, everybody knows that the Princess wasn't an early bird. She left a message to meet at the hotel restaurant later and then decided to have breakfast alone; she was too hungry to wait for someone taking her company. She grabbed her blue purse, her key and went down.
The buffet was full of tempting food, the smell of toast and pancakes made her mouthwatering. She picked out two muffins, strawberries marmalade, toast, a mug of tea and a big glass of orange juice. She sat down at a table near a window, so she could see the beautiful garden of the hotel. She didn't notice Mark, seated in the lounge near the hall. But he saw her. He waited till she started eating then made his entrance in the restaurant, looking as if he was coming along causally. He filled his tray so much that it almost overflowed then turned around pretending to look for a free table. He spotted Fresia and walked decisively toward her.
Fresia saw him coming and sighed. God, it should have been illegal for a man to look so sexy, so much that he felt dizzy. He wore a pair of tight blue jeans, with a dark green, short sleeved T-shirt that showed every bulging muscle in his chest, shoulders and arms, the tattoo in plain sight. She took a bite of her muffin, dreaming it was the adorable potbelly that she could glimpse under the shirt and closed her eyes, daydreaming. When she re-opened them, Mark was standing in front of her table, with the spilling over tray in his hands.
"May I sit down?" he asked with his deep voice.
"It's a free Country" she replied, sipping her tea.
Mark took a seat, ignoring her curt manners. He encircled her with his hot glance, noting how the blue top pushed against her obviously braless breasts. Her hair was tied in a pony-tail, leaving her shoulders and neck uncovered. Her pink lips were glistening and her perfume surrounded him, tickling his senses. She was lovely. Unfortunately she wasn't acknowledging him, occupied with her breakfast. Surely she was mad at him still and was playing the "hard to get" game, but soon she would have realized that she could not escape him.
"Have you seen Glen this morning? I tried to call him to have breakfast together, but he is not answering his phone" he started, casually. Maybe a normal conversation was the right thing to set her mind at rest.
Fresia finally looked at him. "To tell you the truth, I tried too to call Jessie, with the same result" she replied thoughtful.
"Wanna bet that they are in the same place? – he smirked – Well, I'm afraid we're not going to see them anytime soon".
Very funny, Mark. You're witty aren't you? Now I'll set you straight – she thought angry. She put down her tea and looked him right in his eyes.
"Not all men are chickens, Mark" she declared, challenging him.
Mark almost choked with coffee, he didn't expect the attack. It took him a few moments to regain his self- control and when he was about to tell her off, anger all over his face, she interrupted him.
"If you'll excuse me, Stephanie is here and I have to talk to her urgently. Have a nice day Mark" she said graciously, with an angelic smile. She stood up with her tray and walked toward Stephanie to sit with her. Her friend really came along at the right time.
Mark was seething, everybody in the cafeteria was peeking at him, trying to suffocate the hilarity with their napkins or stuffing food in their mouths. What the hell, that little girl had transformed him in a joke.
Chris Irvine emerged out of nowhere and sat down at his table.
"She won't give you any, eh?" he snickered, preparing to attack the pile of pancakes he took at the buffet.
"Irvine, you really are getting on my nerves, you know? Why don't you mind your own business and get lost?" Mark growled.
"Hey, I'm doing nothing bad, just having breakfast with a co-worker, talking kindly. You know, I'm in a good mood this morning, so I'm ready to give you a piece of advice… I think you need it, Casanova".
"Advices from you? About the Squirrel? And what do you know about her?"
"More than you, because I took the time to listen to her. Does she interest you?"
"Jericho…." Mark warned him, threatening.
"If you are interested then you can start apologizing for being a jerk. Then you have to talk to her, tell her what you want… But be sincere, she hate liars".
Apologize? What a crap, he should not apologize, he just did what he did to protect both of them by future troubles. To hell with him! He thought standing up abruptly to move into another table. He growled to the waiter who wasn't fast enough taking him more coffee. The poor guy almost fainted from fear, that huge man was really angry and had it in for him! He apologized profusely and ran away as fast as he could when Mark dismissed him.
Taking the coffee to his mouth, he scowled darkly at each and every one of the presents, to shut them up. They were quick to remove the smile from their faces, eating their breakfast as if it was the most important stuff in the world. Everyone but Stephanie. She wasn't easy to scare, after all Mark was one of her employee… She giggled amused when Mark turned to watch her, but decided not to disrespect him waving in his direction with her hand. Mark was the leader of the locker room, respected from everybody and her father counted on him to keep up the discipline in WWF.
Stephanie smiled broadly to Fresia when she sat down in front of her. That girl was incorrigible, maybe she could follow her straight and sincere methods with Paul.
"You got him, girl! That was fun but you have to be careful now because he can't stand to be ignored"
"Oh, I'm so scared – replied Fresia shaking her hands theatrically in fake terror – I'm too mad to mind his nerves".
She sipped her tea and then asked Stephanie if she had heard from Jessie or Nora.
"No, I tried to call them, but their cells were off" said Stephanie, buttering her toast.
"Mark told me that Glen too didn't answer his phone, suggesting that maybe they were together. He said that probably we're not going to see Jessie and Glen anytime soon…. With a slimy sick smile".
"Ah, that's why you dumped him at the table. How rude of him…. Do you think he is right? Jessie and Glen spent the night together? Surely they left the party together, I saw them. And this morning they're not answering the phone. Jessie didn't even reply to your message".
"I hate to admit that he is right, but I think that our Circle had lost a member… maybe two, since Nora disappeared the same way of Jessie" said Fresia ironically.
"So we are the only two left.. and seeing how things are with Paul, I'm afraid I will die a virgin" murmured Stephanie, leaning toward Jessie through the table.
They laughed wholeheartedly turning to look at Mark who was leaving the restaurant. Fresia kept looking, from the window, while he got on his bike and turned on the engine. He put his sunglasses on, looking at her through the window. At least she thought so, because she couldn't see his eyes. Then he put his hands on the handlebars and drove away slowly along the path that leaded on the main street. She continued to observe him till he disappeared to her sight, than sighed dramatically like a schoolgirl….. and forgot him.
"So, about our friend Stacy – she said to Stephanie – why don't we discuss the details or your plan…"
While they were confabulated, preparing the right revenge on the venomous blond, Jessie and Glen made their entrance in the room. She was glowing and smiled to the giant that was walking beside her. He had his arm around her shoulders and was guiding her in the crowded restaurant, toward the buffet.
"Look who is finally coming; our Jessie seems really happy" said Stephanie pointing at the two lovers.
"My, aren't they cute together?" sighed Fresia.
"Yeah, they're made on for the other…. Here it comes the other one" said Stephanie, indicating with a nod a bubbly Nora stepping in the restaurant. She was beaming too and was twittering with the mountain of a man at her side.
"Well, it's a pleasure to know that someone had made it" declared Fresia, feeling euphoric for her friends.
"Do you think there is a hope for us?" asked Stephanie chewing her pancake.
"Who knows? In the meanwhile I'll do my best to console myself" replied Fresia, dipping in her muffin stuffed with marmalade.
Jessie and Nora, with their men, came to their table and sat down. Jessie beside Fresia and Nora beside Stephanie, the men sat across from the girls.
"We thought you left for Honolulu – joked Stephanie – We tried several times to contact you two but no one deigned to answer".
She peeked at the men who were busy talking and laughing and took advantage of their inattention.
"Are you all right girls? You absolutely have to tell us every dirty detail" she whispered.
"As soon as those two will let you breath, of course – giggled Fresia – I want to know everything, you understood? Especially why you're not able to sit normally" she said looking at Jessie, who blushed profusely elbowing her friend.
"Ok, ok, but not here. Meet me this evening at the show, and I'll tell you"
"Oh no, I'm not going in the backstage anymore, at least till that stupid big ape won't apologize for his behavior" said Fresia firmly.
"Then you'll wait forever. I don't remember Mark apologizing to someone ever, since I know him" replied Stephanie.
"I would not be so negative – said Glen from nowhere – If I read his body-language correctly, I'd say he is very confused at the moment. But as he will put all the pieces together, you will not be able to get rid of him". That said, he opened his jaws wide tearing a big piece of bread and bacon apart. The girls laughed, while Kevin shook his head. They then agreed to meet in the hair and makeup department before the show. After all Cindy and Laura disappeared from the party too and Fresia wanted to know where they was…. And with who.
Leaving the room, Kevin approached Fresia, always with his big arm parked around Nora's waist.
"Glen is right – he said – but I'm afraid it won't be easy. Don't let him walk on you, ok? And if you'll need someone to teach him common sense, holler and I'll be there".
Fresia hugged his gigantic friend, touched. "Thank you Kevin, I'll remember it".
Once they were out of the hotel, they decided to go visit the town all together, then they had lunch in a little restaurant of the center and came back in the afternoon, to get to the arena in time.