mirims1997

[mirims1997]

I have been feeling uninspired lately and I am struggling to write the fourth chapter of A Line Crossed. If the story means something to you, let me know. Your comments would mean a lot and would motivate me to continue!

[mirims1997]

A Line Crossed

Summary: Following the Pr written statement released by Ashlyn, Bellingham’s new love interest, Jude Bellingham finds himself in the midst of media scrutiny. In an attempt to save his image, his mom hires a sharp Pr agent who takes over to fix Jude’s tarnished reputation and along the way ends up mending his heart.

Chapter 3: Speak so I can see you

Of all the warnings Mrs Renée could have given Miriam in that intense call, impromptu meetings at her not-so-secret-anymore spot should have been first. Except that meeting Jude here on a random saturday night is not on her task list or potential work hurdles to be mindful of.

It is plainly the fruit of her terrible luck.

“We are so not doing this Bellingham.”

Miriam huffed as she kicked his football into the far distance, a childish protest against the absurdity of the situation.

“Come on! Why did you do that?”

Jude sighed and flailed his arms ridiculously as if running after a ball is not his bread and butter.

“Oh, you are asking. I love that for you. Jude, darling, I work for you but I am not here to entertain your whimscal sense of humor and peculiar desires. That’s for one. Two, what the actual hell are you doing here, on your own, in public, on a saturday night? Do you have a mob wish?”

Miriam could feel her face gradually redden as she lectured the manchild in front of her and paced around him. Of all the many defects she could associate someone like Jude with, recklessness seemed so out character. But here he is, in all of his 6 foot something glory, proving her wrong, once again. Because Jude famous Bellingham thinks a hoodie can magically conceal him from being noticed in the middle of Madrid, the city for whose football club he starts every freaking game.

“I am not in public. You can’t be delusional enough to think that one person, yourself, can count as public. You have a bit of an ego there. I am here to ball. You know, a baller balls right? I do not need to be coddled all the time. Surely, you understand that or are you so self-centered that you cannot see outside of your own beliefs and rules?”

He was seething. Everything about him from his tense shoulders to his piercing gaze and husky voice screamed unbridled frustration. Miriam was the same, almost shaking as she felt his words scratch at every solid surface she’s built so carefully around herself. Who does he think he is spouting judgements about her character so lightly? He doesn’t know her.

She scoffs then summons the last bits of patience and professionalism she has left in her and speaks so coldly that Bellingham stiffens at her tone.

“Does Denise know? Surely she doesn’t. Look Bellingham, I could care less about what you do in your life. It definitively does not spike an ounce of my interest. Tonight, both of us are still free of one another, given that my contract has yet to be completed. But starting tomorrow, you are to listen to everything I say for as long as Denise hires me, and I will be damned before someone, even yourself, can stand between me and a perfectly done job. Have a fantastic night Jude.”

Jude’s beyond bewildered. His face a mixture of shock, anger and something else yet to be identified. Miriam can feel how unsettled she made him. His lost gaze follows her as she picks up what is left of her Ensiamada, pushes past him, and leaves the place without sparing him a glance. His silence, however, haunts her all the way back to her room.

As she finally lays in her bed tossing and turning, unable to get a wink in, a lot of thoughts torment her. Did she manage to lose such an important job a day in by being mouthy? Was Bernando right about her all along? Is she too tense and too cold to be firsthand navigating public relations? But then again Why is Jude so easily getting under her skin and managing to mess with her peace so soon? Her questions swirled around her head unanswered until her exhaustion lent itself to sleep.

————————————————————————

On the suburbs of the city, Jude is no better. Sitting up in his bed, he thinks of the short haired minx that managed to break his cool and get under his skin in the span of 24 hours. When his mom told him that she hired a top notch Pr agent and the best at their company, he imagined someone far older with years and years of experience at their belt, someone far wiser, someone far more unproblematic, someone far uglier…

What he didn’t expect is to enter that meeting room and come across someone so bossy, so full of life, so unusual and yet so appealing. Of course, that is before she opened her mouth, put him in his place and proceeded to spout orders like an uptight middle aged school teacher. Their first meeting made him understand how vexing she can be and he hated that. He has never met someone so young who carries themselves around the way she does, so effortlessly commanding yet so calm, collected and arsy about it.

“Babe, are you awake?”

His constant tossing and turning must have woken Ashlyn up. Not a great timing, really.

“Yes. I had coffee. Must be the caffeine.”

He turns on his side, hoping to end the conversation there. But Ashlyn has other plans. He can feel her freshly manicured hand reach for his abs as she hugs him from behind, presses against him and softly caresses his hard pecks.

“Is there anything I can do to tire you out?”

She whispers in his ear so seductively. Under normal circumstances, he would have turned around, pinned her down and made her scream his name for hours. But tonight, he didn’t feel like it at all. He pushes her hand away in the gentlest way he could muster and tells her that he has training in the morning and the he appreciates the offer but a good night’ sleep is all that he needs.

He doesn’t look at her as he tells her his poor excuses in one panicked breath. He has learned that It is better not to look at someone when you deny them something they want. Fame taught him that.

He could hear her sigh before pulling away and whispering an almost inaudible good night. Yet Jude doesn’t have it in him to feel for her. He remains unmoving as she drifts back to sleep alone and cold in their shared bed.

————————————————————————

His alarm goes off and he dreads the day already. Exhausted and sleepless, he pushes himself out of bed hoping his training session and being around the lads would steer him away from his bad mood. Having grown up in a peaceful environment, Jude has not learned how to deal with conflict. He hates it and avoids it at all cost. Knowing that his mom hired someone whose character and his own scream impending conflict is stressful.

He goes about his routine, eats his breakfast and promises Ashlyn to make it up to her when he gets back as he kisses her on the way out.

Denise is already waiting in the car, ready as always to drive him to The Ciudad. He gets in, hugs her and leans back in his seat, hoping to doze off for a bit. But his mother does not give him that.

“So, I’ve talked to Renée. The tabloids are going crazy over fans’ reaction to Ashlyn’s TikTok video. It was a grave mistake. Just fyi, the meeting with Ashlyn would be moved to today. You are both to go. Miriam would be giving you certain instructions. So, yes. It will be at 7. Plenty of time for you to shower and get ready and plenty for your barbie to look like a barbie.”

“Mom. I believe we’ve talked about this. I like Ashlyn. She makes me feel good. There is no reason for you to bring up the fact that you don’t like her every time we speak about her.”

Denise huffs and keeps quiet for the rest of the car ride. But all Jude could think about is how weird it would be to have someone like Ashlyn with someone like Miriam in the same room.

————————————————————————

“You are sluggish today, mate.”

Kylian never hesitates to say what’s on his mind. That is one of the main reasons why Jude likes him so much. Unlike what the media believes and is constantly on about from portraying them as secret enemies to fake friends, Jude and Kylian have become close mates so quickly.

“I know right? I am knackered.” Jude yawns and collapses on the changing room bench.

“Someone’s been up all night.”

The whole squad bursts out laughing as Vini wiggles his eyebrows at him like he has him all figured out.

“That is precisely why I am single.” Camavinga adds. “I don’t think I can handle both, a girlfriend and training. But kudos for that, Jude.”

Jude does not have neither the desire nor the willingness to reveal what actually kept him up at night so he just chuckles and plays along, letting the lads have their go at him.

Kylian watches him in silence. And on his way out, he pats him on the shoulder before quietly telling him that he is ready to listen if he needs to talk it out. Jude gives him a thankful smile before shoving him out of his way, their love language at its best.

————————————————————————-

Going through her powerpoint presentation for the 10th time does not ease Miriam’s nerves. In the short span of forty eight hours, she has managed to meet Jude twice and both encounters have been as smooth sailing as the Titanic. A knock sounds on the door and she immediately stands up, smoothes her satin shirt and ruffles her hair.

“Enter.” For someone so nervous, her voice sounds too confident.

Ashlyn enters first. And Miriam is finally confronted with the realization that Castro is probably everything a man in our day and age would desire. Hair wavyied up to perfection, make up done so immaculately leaving no potential skin defect visible. Lips covered in both rouge and gloss to make them pop even more. False eyelashes only detectable to someone who knows their way around makeup. Nose flawlessly contoured. Veneers. Body clad in a tight black dress. Boobs pushed out and perfectly symmetrical. Nails pointy and painted red. Perfect. Just perfect.

Jude enters next exuding a calm confidence.

“Hello Jude, Ashlyn. Please sit down.”

In the back of her mind, Miriam thinks that it makes sense. They make sense. She remembers that infamous line from the early 2000 movie Something Borrowed: “hot people are supposed to be with hot people.” This is precisely why people are so up in their business. They wanted Jude with someone they can identify with. Ashlyn was not that person.

“So, Ashlyn. It is obvious that some of his fans, mainly his fangirls” Miriam looks pointedly at Jude and he smirks at her and shrugs, not at all taking the dig. “We need to rectify that.”

“But how? They are so obsessed with him. They keep bringing up lies about me. It is so frustrating. I don’t like it.”

Ashlyn is a slow speaker and seems to be quite unaware that the meeting is not so much about her as it is about Jude.

“I understand. But this comes with dating a public figure. It has a Schrödinger effect. I mean..”

“Observers, aka my “crazy fans” decide the outcome of our relationship regardless of whether it is set for success or not.”

Jude continues so casually as if he didn’t explain a complicated physics concept so accurately and simply.

Miriam’s heart almost beats out of her chest as she glances at Jude and finds him already watching her, head titled and lips pulled in half a smile. A blush creeps up her neck. He is intelligent. That realization hits her like a truck. She holds his gaze for a second and tries her best not to cave and smile back. He catches that and smiles even wider.

Ashlyn unaware of the weight of their interaction, ignores the whole explanation.

“Um. Actually, I dated Michael B Jordan, you know the ACTOR? And that didn’t happen soo.. Maybe it is a soccer thing?”

Miriam inwardly cringes at how American that sounded. “Soccer” while dating a football player should be illegal.

“It shouldn’t matter. What I was trying to say is that you cannot predict people’s reactions. Jude is very admired in the world of football. That comes with both advantages and disadvantages. Now that the harm is done. We need to promote your relationship in a different light. People should see something in your dynamic that makes you identifiable with. I’ve brainstormed a couple of ideas we can go through and see if they are possible logistically.”

If there is anything Miriam prides herself on, it is how rigorous she can be when it comes to putting her ideas onto visible structures.

She pulls out her presentation and Jude tunes in. Ashlyn takes longer as she responds to a text. Jude takes note of that, glances at her disapprovingly and whispers “focus.”

“So, a couple should thrive best in a social environment that has other couples. We do not have to stray away much. Jude, I believe a number of your teammates have partners. Yes?”

“Yes. From my age group, Aurelien has a girlfriend. Fede and Brahim too.”

“Exactly. I’ve done my research and I found out that Aurelien’s birthday is next week. This will be a perfect opportunity for you both to attend, bring a gift and act in love.” Jude does not miss Miriam’s not so spontaneous use of certain words. She can feel his gaze burning a hole in her side profile but she avoids eye contact at all cost. It is one thing to be so easily understood and it is totally another to acknowledge that in such a context.

“Alright. Respectable effort but how will that be visible to the public eye. We tend to keep our parties quite private. So pictures are rarely leaked. Do you suggest we post one with Aurelien?” Jude is proving to be much more helpful than Ashlyn who seems to be glued to her phone. The mention of posting, however, seems to spike her interest.

“I like the idea. I think posting together for the first time will silence the haters.”

“Not at this point. It won’t. It needs to be a picture taken without your awareness. Something you’d think one of the guests took without your consent. A blurry picture perhaps but clear enough to know it is the both of you. A picture of you chilling on a couch, leaning into another? Nothing too superfluous.”

“Bingo. That’s a good idea. I will make sure to inform Aurelien of an extra plus one. I will provide you with the location of his residence and all the details soon.”

What he is insinuating does not escape Miriam. She stares at him questioningly, her mind going over every possible unsavory scenario. Ashlyn is not so quick to see his intentions.

“Why would we need an extra plus one?”

“Miriam is joining us. She will be taking the picture and keeping us a lovely stalkerish company.” He lets out an unadulterated laugh and Mirim can’t help but smile. He was not as one-dimensional as she thought. Jude had layers. And that is a thought she does not let go beyond that.

————————————————————————

After they shake hands, Jude lingers a little longer by the door. Ashlyn has already left to take a call.

Unaware of his presence and so lost in her own world, Miriam unplugs her laptop and opens the top and second buttons of her blouse. Jude can’t help but stare at the birthmark that sits so gracefully on her collarbone. A quiet beauty about it just like…Realizing what he is doing, Jude snaps out of it and clears his throat. Miriam nearly jumps in fear.

“What the…? You scared me. JUDE! I hope you have a valid reason for creepily lurking near my door.” Although her words seem so cutting, her tone shows no hostility and the way she says his name definitely confirms it. She is joking around. That alone magically loosens all the tension he carried around the whole day.

“I just wanted to thank you and to apologize for the nonsense I spoke last night in the park. I was projecting. You shouldn’t have been at the end of that.”

Jude prayed Miriam could see how sincere his apology was.

“I think you should should watch “Dark”, a lot of nerdy concepts to enjoy.”

The laugh she lets out next shouldn’t have made him feel the way it did, but he could feel his chest expanding and warmth seep inside of him. As he reached for the door handle, Miriam calls his name so softly, he falters, once again, at the door.

“Bellingham?”

“Yes?”

“Get some sleep.”

He does not turn around but he walks the entire hallway smiling to himself.

————————————————————————

A longer chapter huh? Jude girlies, let me know what you think! It would be my absolute pleasure to read your thoughts! Your comments are my muse! So please do not hesitate. Much love to your girlies! ❤️❤️❤️

[mirims1997]

A Line Crossed

Summary: Following the Pr written statement released by Ashlyn, Bellingham’s new love interest, Jude Bellingham finds himself in the midst of media scrutiny. In an attempt to save his image, his mom hires a sharp Pr agent who takes over to fix Jude’s tarnished reputation and along the way ends up mending his heart.

Chapter 3: Speak so I can see you

Of all the warnings Mrs Renée could have given Miriam in that intense call, impromptu meetings at her not-so-secret-anymore spot should have been first. Except that meeting Jude here on a random saturday night is not on her task list or potential work hurdles to be mindful of.

It is plainly the fruit of her terrible luck.

“We are so not doing this Bellingham.”

Miriam huffed as she kicked his football into the far distance, a childish protest against the absurdity of the situation.

“Come on! Why did you do that?”

Jude sighed and flailed his arms ridiculously as if running after a ball is not his bread and butter.

“Oh, you are asking. I love that for you. Jude, darling, I work for you but I am not here to entertain your whimscal sense of humor and peculiar desires. That’s for one. Two, what the actual hell are you doing here, on your own, in public, on a saturday night? Do you have a mob wish?”

Miriam could feel her face gradually redden as she lectured the manchild in front of her and paced around him. Of all the many defects she could associate someone like Jude with, recklessness seemed so out character. But here he is, in all of his 6 foot something glory, proving her wrong, once again. Because Jude famous Bellingham thinks a hoodie can magically conceal him from being noticed in the middle of Madrid, the city for whose football club he starts every freaking game.

“I am not in public. You can’t be delusional enough to think that one person, yourself, can count as public. You have a bit of an ego there. I am here to ball. You know, a baller balls right? I do not need to be coddled all the time. Surely, you understand that or are you so self-centered that you cannot see outside of your own beliefs and rules?”

He was seething. Everything about him from his tense shoulders to his piercing gaze and husky voice screamed unbridled frustration. Miriam was the same, almost shaking as she felt his words scratch at every solid surface she’s built so carefully around herself. Who does he think he is spouting judgements about her character so lightly? He doesn’t know her.

She scoffs then summons the last bits of patience and professionalism she has left in her and speaks so coldly that Bellingham stiffens at her tone.

“Does Denise know? Surely she doesn’t. Look Bellingham, I could care less about what you do in your life. It definitively does not spike an ounce of my interest. Tonight, both of us are still free of one another, given that my contract has yet to be completed. But starting tomorrow, you are to listen to everything I say for as long as Denise hires me, and I will be damned before someone, even yourself, can stand between me and a perfectly done job. Have a fantastic night Jude.”

Jude’s beyond bewildered. His face a mixture of shock, anger and something else yet to be identified. Miriam can feel how unsettled she made him. His lost gaze follows her as she picks up what is left of her Ensiamada, pushes past him, and leaves the place without sparing him a glance. His silence, however, haunts her all the way back to her room.

As she finally lays in her bed tossing and turning, unable to get a wink in, a lot of thoughts torment her. Did she manage to lose such an important job a day in by being mouthy? Was Bernando right about her all along? Is she too tense and too cold to be firsthand navigating public relations? But then again Why is Jude so easily getting under her skin and managing to mess with her peace so soon? Her questions swirled around her head unanswered until her exhaustion lent itself to sleep.

————————————————————————

On the suburbs of the city, Jude is no better. Sitting up in his bed, he thinks of the short haired minx that managed to break his cool and get under his skin in the span of 24 hours. When his mom told him that she hired a top notch Pr agent and the best at their company, he imagined someone far older with years and years of experience at their belt, someone far wiser, someone far more unproblematic, someone far uglier…

What he didn’t expect is to enter that meeting room and come across someone so bossy, so full of life, so unusual and yet so appealing. Of course, that is before she opened her mouth, put him in his place and proceeded to spout orders like an uptight middle aged school teacher. Their first meeting made him understand how vexing she can be and he hated that. He has never met someone so young who carries themselves around the way she does, so effortlessly commanding yet so calm, collected and arsy about it.

“Babe, are you awake?”

His constant tossing and turning must have woken Ashlyn up. Not a great timing, really.

“Yes. I had coffee. Must be the caffeine.”

He turns on his side, hoping to end the conversation there. But Ashlyn has other plans. He can feel her freshly manicured hand reach for his abs as she hugs him from behind, presses against him and softly caresses his hard pecks.

“Is there anything I can do to tire you out?”

She whispers in his ear so seductively. Under normal circumstances, he would have turned around, pinned her down and made her scream his name for hours. But tonight, he didn’t feel like it at all. He pushes her hand away in the gentlest way he could muster and tells her that he has training in the morning and the he appreciates the offer but a good night’ sleep is all that he needs.

He doesn’t look at her as he tells her his poor excuses in one panicked breath. He has learned that It is better not to look at someone when you deny them something they want. Fame taught him that.

He could hear her sigh before pulling away and whispering an almost inaudible good night. Yet Jude doesn’t have it in him to feel for her. He remains unmoving as she drifts back to sleep alone and cold in their shared bed.

————————————————————————

His alarm goes off and he dreads the day already. Exhausted and sleepless, he pushes himself out of bed hoping his training session and being around the lads would steer him away from his bad mood. Having grown up in a peaceful environment, Jude has not learned how to deal with conflict. He hates it and avoids it at all cost. Knowing that his mom hired someone whose character and his own scream impending conflict is stressful.

He goes about his routine, eats his breakfast and promises Ashlyn to make it up to her when he gets back as he kisses her on the way out.

Denise is already waiting in the car, ready as always to drive him to The Ciudad. He gets in, hugs her and leans back in his seat, hoping to doze off for a bit. But his mother does not give him that.

“So, I’ve talked to Renée. The tabloids are going crazy over fans’ reaction to Ashlyn’s TikTok video. It was a grave mistake. Just fyi, the meeting with Ashlyn would be moved to today. You are both to go. Miriam would be giving you certain instructions. So, yes. It will be at 7. Plenty of time for you to shower and get ready and plenty for your barbie to look like a barbie.”

“Mom. I believe we’ve talked about this. I like Ashlyn. She makes me feel good. There is no reason for you to bring up the fact that you don’t like her every time we speak about her.”

Denise huffs and keeps quiet for the rest of the car ride. But all Jude could think about is how weird it would be to have someone like Ashlyn with someone like Miriam in the same room.

————————————————————————

“You are sluggish today, mate.”

Kylian never hesitates to say what’s on his mind. That is one of the main reasons why Jude likes him so much. Unlike what the media believes and is constantly on about from portraying them as secret enemies to fake friends, Jude and Kylian have become close mates so quickly.

“I know right? I am knackered.” Jude yawns and collapses on the changing room bench.

“Someone’s been up all night.”

The whole squad bursts out laughing as Vini wiggles his eyebrows at him like he has him all figured out.

“That is precisely why I am single.” Camavinga adds. “I don’t think I can handle both, a girlfriend and training. But kudos for that, Jude.”

Jude does not have neither the desire nor the willingness to reveal what actually kept him up at night so he just chuckles and plays along, letting the lads have their go at him.

Kylian watches him in silence. And on his way out, he pats him on the shoulder before quietly telling him that he is ready to listen if he needs to talk it out. Jude gives him a thankful smile before shoving him out of his way, their love language at its best.

————————————————————————-

Going through her powerpoint presentation for the 10th time does not ease Miriam’s nerves. In the short span of forty eight hours, she has managed to meet Jude twice and both encounters have been as smooth sailing as the Titanic. A knock sounds on the door and she immediately stands up, smoothes her satin shirt and ruffles her hair.

“Enter.” For someone so nervous, her voice sounds too confident.

Ashlyn enters first. And Miriam is finally confronted with the realization that Castro is probably everything a man in our day and age would desire. Hair wavyied up to perfection, make up done so immaculately leaving no potential skin defect visible. Lips covered in both rouge and gloss to make them pop even more. False eyelashes only detectable to someone who knows their way around makeup. Nose flawlessly contoured. Veneers. Body clad in a tight black dress. Boobs pushed out and perfectly symmetrical. Nails pointy and painted red. Perfect. Just perfect.

Jude enters next exuding a calm confidence.

“Hello Jude, Ashlyn. Please sit down.”

In the back of her mind, Miriam thinks that it makes sense. They make sense. She remembers that infamous line from the early 2000 movie Something Borrowed: “hot people are supposed to be with hot people.” This is precisely why people are so up in their business. They wanted Jude with someone they can identify with. Ashlyn was not that person.

“So, Ashlyn. It is obvious that some of his fans, mainly his fangirls” Miriam looks pointedly at Jude and he smirks at her and shrugs, not at all taking the dig. “We need to rectify that.”

“But how? They are so obsessed with him. They keep bringing up lies about me. It is so frustrating. I don’t like it.”

Ashlyn is a slow speaker and seems to be quite unaware that the meeting is not so much about her as it is about Jude.

“I understand. But this comes with dating a public figure. It has a Schrödinger effect. I mean..”

“Observers, aka my “crazy fans” decide the outcome of our relationship regardless of whether it is set for success or not.”

Jude continues so casually as if he didn’t explain a complicated physics concept so accurately and simply.

Miriam’s heart almost beats out of her chest as she glances at Jude and finds him already watching her, head titled and lips pulled in half a smile. A blush creeps up her neck. He is intelligent. That realization hits her like a truck. She holds his gaze for a second and tries her best not to cave and smile back. He catches that and smiles even wider.

Ashlyn unaware of the weight of their interaction, ignores the whole explanation.

“Um. Actually, I dated Michael B Jordan, you know the ACTOR? And that didn’t happen soo.. Maybe it is a soccer thing?”

Miriam inwardly cringes at how American that sounded. “Soccer” while dating a football player should be illegal.

“It shouldn’t matter. What I was trying to say is that you cannot predict people’s reactions. Jude is very admired in the world of football. That comes with both advantages and disadvantages. Now that the harm is done. We need to promote your relationship in a different light. People should see something in your dynamic that makes you identifiable with. I’ve brainstormed a couple of ideas we can go through and see if they are possible logistically.”

If there is anything Miriam prides herself on, it is how rigorous she can be when it comes to putting her ideas onto visible structures.

She pulls out her presentation and Jude tunes in. Ashlyn takes longer as she responds to a text. Jude takes note of that, glances at her disapprovingly and whispers “focus.”

“So, a couple should thrive best in a social environment that has other couples. We do not have to stray away much. Jude, I believe a number of your teammates have partners. Yes?”

“Yes. From my age group, Aurelien has a girlfriend. Fede and Brahim too.”

“Exactly. I’ve done my research and I found out that Aurelien’s birthday is next week. This will be a perfect opportunity for you both to attend, bring a gift and act in love.” Jude does not miss Miriam’s not so spontaneous use of certain words. She can feel his gaze burning a hole in her side profile but she avoids eye contact at all cost. It is one thing to be so easily understood and it is totally another to acknowledge that in such a context.

“Alright. Respectable effort but how will that be visible to the public eye. We tend to keep our parties quite private. So pictures are rarely leaked. Do you suggest we post one with Aurelien?” Jude is proving to be much more helpful than Ashlyn who seems to be glued to her phone. The mention of posting, however, seems to spike her interest.

“I like the idea. I think posting together for the first time will silence the haters.”

“Not at this point. It won’t. It needs to be a picture taken without your awareness. Something you’d think one of the guests took without your consent. A blurry picture perhaps but clear enough to know it is the both of you. A picture of you chilling on a couch, leaning into another? Nothing too superfluous.”

“Bingo. That’s a good idea. I will make sure to inform Aurelien of an extra plus one. I will provide you with the location of his residence and all the details soon.”

What he is insinuating does not escape Miriam. She stares at him questioningly, her mind going over every possible unsavory scenario. Ashlyn is not so quick to see his intentions.

“Why would we need an extra plus one?”

“Miriam is joining us. She will be taking the picture and keeping us a lovely stalkerish company.” He lets out an unadulterated laugh and Mirim can’t help but smile. He was not as one-dimensional as she thought. Jude had layers. And that is a thought she does not let go beyond that.

————————————————————————

After they shake hands, Jude lingers a little longer by the door. Ashlyn has already left to take a call.

Unaware of his presence and so lost in her own world, Miriam unplugs her laptop and opens the top and second buttons of her blouse. Jude can’t help but stare at the birthmark that sits so gracefully on her collarbone. A quiet beauty about it just like…Realizing what he is doing, Jude snaps out of it and clears his throat. Miriam nearly jumps in fear.

“What the…? You scared me. JUDE! I hope you have a valid reason for creepily lurking near my door.” Although her words seem so cutting, her tone shows no hostility and the way she says his name definitely confirms it. She is joking around. That alone magically loosens all the tension he carried around the whole day.

“I just wanted to thank you and to apologize for the nonsense I spoke last night in the park. I was projecting. You shouldn’t have been at the end of that.”

Jude prayed Miriam could see how sincere his apology was.

“I think you should should watch “Dark”, a lot of nerdy concepts to enjoy.”

The laugh she lets out next shouldn’t have made him feel the way it did, but he could feel his chest expanding and warmth seep inside of him. As he reached for the door handle, Miriam calls his name so softly, he falters, once again, at the door.

“Bellingham?”

“Yes?”

“Get some sleep.”

He does not turn around but he walks the entire hallway smiling to himself.

————————————————————————

A longer chapter huh? Jude girlies, let me know what you think! It would be my absolute pleasure to read your thoughts! Your comments are my muse! So please do not hesitate. Much love to your girlies! ❤️❤️❤️

[mirims1997]

A Line Crossed

Summary: Following the Pr written statement released by Ashlyn, Bellingham’s new love interest, Jude Bellingham finds himself in the midst of media scrutiny. In an attempt to save his image, his mom hires a sharp Pr agent who takes over to fix Jude’s tarnished reputation and along the way ends up mending his heart.

Chapter 3: Speak so I can see you

Of all the warnings Mrs Renée could have given Miriam in that intense call, impromptu meetings at her not-so-secret-anymore spot should have been first. Except that meeting Jude here on a random saturday night is not on her task list or potential work hurdles to be mindful of.

It is plainly the fruit of her terrible luck.

“We are so not doing this Bellingham.”

Miriam huffed as she kicked his football into the far distance, a childish protest against the absurdity of the situation.

“Come on! Why did you do that?”

Jude sighed and flailed his arms ridiculously as if running after a ball is not his bread and butter.

“Oh, you are asking. I love that for you. Jude, darling, I work for you but I am not here to entertain your whimscal sense of humor and peculiar desires. That’s for one. Two, what the actual hell are you doing here, on your own, in public, on a saturday night? Do you have a mob wish?”

Miriam could feel her face gradually redden as she lectured the manchild in front of her and paced around him. Of all the many defects she could associate someone like Jude with, recklessness seemed so out character. But here he is, in all of his 6 foot something glory, proving her wrong, once again. Because Jude famous Bellingham thinks a hoodie can magically conceal him from being noticed in the middle of Madrid, the city for whose football club he starts every freaking game.

“I am not in public. You can’t be delusional enough to think that one person, yourself, can count as public. You have a bit of an ego there. I am here to ball. You know, a baller balls right? I do not need to be coddled all the time. Surely, you understand that or are you so self-centered that you cannot see outside of your own beliefs and rules?”

He was seething. Everything about him from his tense shoulders to his piercing gaze and husky voice screamed unbridled frustration. Miriam was the same, almost shaking as she felt his words scratch at every solid surface she’s built so carefully around herself. Who does he think he is spouting judgements about her character so lightly? He doesn’t know her.

She scoffs then summons the last bits of patience and professionalism she has left in her and speaks so coldly that Bellingham stiffens at her tone.

“Does Denise know? Surely she doesn’t. Look Bellingham, I could care less about what you do in your life. It definitively does not spike an ounce of my interest. Tonight, both of us are still free of one another, given that my contract has yet to be completed. But starting tomorrow, you are to listen to everything I say for as long as Denise hires me, and I will be damned before someone, even yourself, can stand between me and a perfectly done job. Have a fantastic night Jude.”

Jude’s beyond bewildered. His face a mixture of shock, anger and something else yet to be identified. Miriam can feel how unsettled she made him. His lost gaze follows her as she picks up what is left of her Ensiamada, pushes past him, and leaves the place without sparing him a glance. His silence, however, haunts her all the way back to her room.

As she finally lays in her bed tossing and turning, unable to get a wink in, a lot of thoughts torment her. Did she manage to lose such an important job a day in by being mouthy? Was Bernando right about her all along? Is she too tense and too cold to be firsthand navigating public relations? But then again Why is Jude so easily getting under her skin and managing to mess with her peace so soon? Her questions swirled around her head unanswered until her exhaustion lent itself to sleep.

————————————————————————

On the suburbs of the city, Jude is no better. Sitting up in his bed, he thinks of the short haired minx that managed to break his cool and get under his skin in the span of 24 hours. When his mom told him that she hired a top notch Pr agent and the best at their company, he imagined someone far older with years and years of experience at their belt, someone far wiser, someone far more unproblematic, someone far uglier…

What he didn’t expect is to enter that meeting room and come across someone so bossy, so full of life, so unusual and yet so appealing. Of course, that is before she opened her mouth, put him in his place and proceeded to spout orders like an uptight middle aged school teacher. Their first meeting made him understand how vexing she can be and he hated that. He has never met someone so young who carries themselves around the way she does, so effortlessly commanding yet so calm, collected and arsy about it.

“Babe, are you awake?”

His constant tossing and turning must have woken Ashlyn up. Not a great timing, really.

“Yes. I had coffee. Must be the caffeine.”

He turns on his side, hoping to end the conversation there. But Ashlyn has other plans. He can feel her freshly manicured hand reach for his abs as she hugs him from behind, presses against him and softly caresses his hard pecks.

“Is there anything I can do to tire you out?”

She whispers in his ear so seductively. Under normal circumstances, he would have turned around, pinned her down and made her scream his name for hours. But tonight, he didn’t feel like it at all. He pushes her hand away in the gentlest way he could muster and tells her that he has training in the morning and the he appreciates the offer but a good night’ sleep is all that he needs.

He doesn’t look at her as he tells her his poor excuses in one panicked breath. He has learned that It is better not to look at someone when you deny them something they want. Fame taught him that.

He could hear her sigh before pulling away and whispering an almost inaudible good night. Yet Jude doesn’t have it in him to feel for her. He remains unmoving as she drifts back to sleep alone and cold in their shared bed.

————————————————————————

His alarm goes off and he dreads the day already. Exhausted and sleepless, he pushes himself out of bed hoping his training session and being around the lads would steer him away from his bad mood. Having grown up in a peaceful environment, Jude has not learned how to deal with conflict. He hates it and avoids it at all cost. Knowing that his mom hired someone whose character and his own scream impending conflict is stressful.

He goes about his routine, eats his breakfast and promises Ashlyn to make it up to her when he gets back as he kisses her on the way out.

Denise is already waiting in the car, ready as always to drive him to The Ciudad. He gets in, hugs her and leans back in his seat, hoping to doze off for a bit. But his mother does not give him that.

“So, I’ve talked to Renée. The tabloids are going crazy over fans’ reaction to Ashlyn’s TikTok video. It was a grave mistake. Just fyi, the meeting with Ashlyn would be moved to today. You are both to go. Miriam would be giving you certain instructions. So, yes. It will be at 7. Plenty of time for you to shower and get ready and plenty for your barbie to look like a barbie.”

“Mom. I believe we’ve talked about this. I like Ashlyn. She makes me feel good. There is no reason for you to bring up the fact that you don’t like her every time we speak about her.”

Denise huffs and keeps quiet for the rest of the car ride. But all Jude could think about is how weird it would be to have someone like Ashlyn with someone like Miriam in the same room.

————————————————————————

“You are sluggish today, mate.”

Kylian never hesitates to say what’s on his mind. That is one of the main reasons why Jude likes him so much. Unlike what the media believes and is constantly on about from portraying them as secret enemies to fake friends, Jude and Kylian have become close mates so quickly.

“I know right? I am knackered.” Jude yawns and collapses on the changing room bench.

“Someone’s been up all night.”

The whole squad bursts out laughing as Vini wiggles his eyebrows at him like he has him all figured out.

“That is precisely why I am single.” Camavinga adds. “I don’t think I can handle both, a girlfriend and training. But kudos for that, Jude.”

Jude does not have neither the desire nor the willingness to reveal what actually kept him up at night so he just chuckles and plays along, letting the lads have their go at him.

Kylian watches him in silence. And on his way out, he pats him on the shoulder before quietly telling him that he is ready to listen if he needs to talk it out. Jude gives him a thankful smile before shoving him out of his way, their love language at its best.

————————————————————————-

Going through her powerpoint presentation for the 10th time does not ease Miriam’s nerves. In the short span of forty eight hours, she has managed to meet Jude twice and both encounters have been as smooth sailing as the Titanic. A knock sounds on the door and she immediately stands up, smoothes her satin shirt and ruffles her hair.

“Enter.” For someone so nervous, her voice sounds too confident.

Ashlyn enters first. And Miriam is finally confronted with the realization that Castro is probably everything a man in our day and age would desire. Hair wavyied up to perfection, make up done so immaculately leaving no potential skin defect visible. Lips covered in both rouge and gloss to make them pop even more. False eyelashes only detectable to someone who knows their way around makeup. Nose flawlessly contoured. Veneers. Body clad in a tight black dress. Boobs pushed out and perfectly symmetrical. Nails pointy and painted red. Perfect. Just perfect.

Jude enters next exuding a calm confidence.

“Hello Jude, Ashlyn. Please sit down.”

In the back of her mind, Miriam thinks that it makes sense. They make sense. She remembers that infamous line from the early 2000 movie Something Borrowed: “hot people are supposed to be with hot people.” This is precisely why people are so up in their business. They wanted Jude with someone they can identify with. Ashlyn was not that person.

“So, Ashlyn. It is obvious that some of his fans, mainly his fangirls” Miriam looks pointedly at Jude and he smirks at her and shrugs, not at all taking the dig. “We need to rectify that.”

“But how? They are so obsessed with him. They keep bringing up lies about me. It is so frustrating. I don’t like it.”

Ashlyn is a slow speaker and seems to be quite unaware that the meeting is not so much about her as it is about Jude.

“I understand. But this comes with dating a public figure. It has a Schrödinger effect. I mean..”

“Observers, aka my “crazy fans” decide the outcome of our relationship regardless of whether it is set for success or not.”

Jude continues so casually as if he didn’t explain a complicated physics concept so accurately and simply.

Miriam’s heart almost beats out of her chest as she glances at Jude and finds him already watching her, head titled and lips pulled in half a smile. A blush creeps up her neck. He is intelligent. That realization hits her like a truck. She holds his gaze for a second and tries her best not to cave and smile back. He catches that and smiles even wider.

Ashlyn unaware of the weight of their interaction, ignores the whole explanation.

“Um. Actually, I dated Michael B Jordan, you know the ACTOR? And that didn’t happen soo.. Maybe it is a soccer thing?”

Miriam inwardly cringes at how American that sounded. “Soccer” while dating a football player should be illegal.

“It shouldn’t matter. What I was trying to say is that you cannot predict people’s reactions. Jude is very admired in the world of football. That comes with both advantages and disadvantages. Now that the harm is done. We need to promote your relationship in a different light. People should see something in your dynamic that makes you identifiable with. I’ve brainstormed a couple of ideas we can go through and see if they are possible logistically.”

If there is anything Miriam prides herself on, it is how rigorous she can be when it comes to putting her ideas onto visible structures.

She pulls out her presentation and Jude tunes in. Ashlyn takes longer as she responds to a text. Jude takes note of that, glances at her disapprovingly and whispers “focus.”

“So, a couple should thrive best in a social environment that has other couples. We do not have to stray away much. Jude, I believe a number of your teammates have partners. Yes?”

“Yes. From my age group, Aurelien has a girlfriend. Fede and Brahim too.”

“Exactly. I’ve done my research and I found out that Aurelien’s birthday is next week. This will be a perfect opportunity for you both to attend, bring a gift and act in love.” Jude does not miss Miriam’s not so spontaneous use of certain words. She can feel his gaze burning a hole in her side profile but she avoids eye contact at all cost. It is one thing to be so easily understood and it is totally another to acknowledge that in such a context.

“Alright. Respectable effort but how will that be visible to the public eye. We tend to keep our parties quite private. So pictures are rarely leaked. Do you suggest we post one with Aurelien?” Jude is proving to be much more helpful than Ashlyn who seems to be glued to her phone. The mention of posting, however, seems to spike her interest.

“I like the idea. I think posting together for the first time will silence the haters.”

“Not at this point. It won’t. It needs to be a picture taken without your awareness. Something you’d think one of the guests took without your consent. A blurry picture perhaps but clear enough to know it is the both of you. A picture of you chilling on a couch, leaning into another? Nothing too superfluous.”

“Bingo. That’s a good idea. I will make sure to inform Aurelien of an extra plus one. I will provide you with the location of his residence and all the details soon.”

What he is insinuating does not escape Miriam. She stares at him questioningly, her mind going over every possible unsavory scenario. Ashlyn is not so quick to see his intentions.

“Why would we need an extra plus one?”

“Miriam is joining us. She will be taking the picture and keeping us a lovely stalkerish company.” He lets out an unadulterated laugh and Mirim can’t help but smile. He was not as one-dimensional as she thought. Jude had layers. And that is a thought she does not let go beyond that.

————————————————————————

After they shake hands, Jude lingers a little longer by the door. Ashlyn has already left to take a call.

Unaware of his presence and so lost in her own world, Miriam unplugs her laptop and opens the top and second buttons of her blouse. Jude can’t help but stare at the birthmark that sits so gracefully on her collarbone. A quiet beauty about it just like…Realizing what he is doing, Jude snaps out of it and clears his throat. Miriam nearly jumps in fear.

“What the…? You scared me. JUDE! I hope you have a valid reason for creepily lurking near my door.” Although her words seem so cutting, her tone shows no hostility and the way she says his name definitely confirms it. She is joking around. That alone magically loosens all the tension he carried around the whole day.

“I just wanted to thank you and to apologize for the nonsense I spoke last night in the park. I was projecting. You shouldn’t have been at the end of that.”

Jude prayed Miriam could see how sincere his apology was.

“I think you should should watch “Dark”, a lot of nerdy concepts to enjoy.”

The laugh she lets out next shouldn’t have made him feel the way it did, but he could feel his chest expanding and warmth seep inside of him. As he reached for the door handle, Miriam calls his name so softly, he falters, once again, at the door.

“Bellingham?”

“Yes?”

“Get some sleep.”

He does not turn around but he walks the entire hallway smiling to himself.

————————————————————————

A longer chapter huh? Jude girlies, let me know what you think! It would be my absolute pleasure to read your thoughts! Your comments are my muse! So please do not hesitate. Much love to your girlies! ❤️❤️❤️

[mirims1997]

Is anyone looking forward to chapter 3 of A line Crossed ?

Comment below if you are!

[mirims1997]

A Line Crossed

Summary: Following the Pr written statement released by Ashlyn, Bellingham’s new love interest, Jude Bellingham finds himself in the midst of media scrutiny. In an attempt to save his image, his mom hires a sharp Pr agent who takes over to fix Jude’s tarnished reputation and along the way ends up mending his heart.

————————————————————————

Chapter 2: Mutual (Dis)like?

Sitting alone with Jude and Denise in a conference room usually exclusive for HR is beyond nerve-wrecking. I go through the pages provided by my Media researcher silently as Denise scrolls through her phone and Jude sends daggers my way. I can understand the apparent dislike but he is too relentless with it. I lift my head, hold his gaze for a second, a poor attempt at making peace after that tense first interaction, and smile. He reciprocates the gaze but not the smile. I hold his gaze a tad longer and something almost imperceptible shifts in his face as he scratches his newly grown beard and looks away.

“Ashlyn Castro, can you elaborate on how you met and the nature of your relationship?”

This seems to snap Denise out of her reveries as she puts down her phone, glances at me then at Jude expectantly. His eyes meet mine in a mastered nonchalance, something I am quite familiar with.

“We met at a night club. She approached me. I liked her physique. Slept with her 4 times in a row in one night. Liked the experience enough to reach out again. Yeah. Great in bed, she is.” I scoff internally at the disgusting display of male ego and at how typical of a narrative this story makes: a footballer falling for a model because of how attractive she looks and how well she fucks.

“is the nature of the relationship you have now what you had in mind at the start or is it collateral damage?” I had to ask, because I cannot seem to place this man in a clear cut category and that doesn’t sit well with me. For once, I can feel nerves emanating from him. He doesn’t feel comfortable disclosing that in front of his mother.

“Ms Bellingham, can we have a moment of privacy?” Denise’s eyes widen at my bluntness but she collects her bag, moves past me and in a surprising gesture, squeezes my shoulder on her way out.

Now sitting alone with just Jude, the room made for a full board of agents seems a lot tighter. He doesn’t answer me for a while. Instead, he stares me down once again so intensely I can feel the heat of his gaze warm the back of my neck. He stands up, moves from his seat at the far end of the table across from me and saunters to the closest spot possible, the chair next to mine. He sits down, turns towards me, manspreads and speaks in a voice much lower and rougher. “You asked my mother to leave. That got me comfortable, you know? I hope you can deal with how at ease I can be under the right circumstances.” His attempt at throwing me off my game is quite interesting. What I cannot see is why he would try at all. Was it my domineering “sit down” that annoyed him so much or the loss of control my question brought him? I have two options and my choice will be decisive when it comes to the nature of the rest of our transaction. It’s either I set rigid limits, keep him at arms length and by extension have him be guarded and uncooperative or I play by a different set of rules and I get what I want. I can feel his stare burning my side profile as I look forward and contemplate on how to proceed with him. What throws me off and makes me admittedly nervous is the twisted effect he seems to have on me. How is it that I am under his scrutiny while my job is to have him under mine? Jude seems to be more assertive and commanding than I gave him credit for. I turn my chair so abruptly towards him and he doesn’t see it at all because his eyebrows lift so slightly and he lets out a breath I didn’t know he was holding this whole time.

“Jude. I can deal with everything. That is why I am here and not one of my 85 colleagues. Now, how do you want this to go? You answer my question and we build on that or you continue this poor nonchalant act and I get information, be it right or wrong, my own way?” For once, Jude’s face consorts in a genuine smile. I can feel a blush creep up my cheeks.

“For someone young as you seem to be, you sure have a knack for getting things your own way. Do you not? As for your question. It was neither. It is true that I did not want to date Ashlyn but I did want to continue sleeping with her. She satisfies me plenty and her moans tell me I do the same.” What a peacock! I can feel my blush intensify at how casual and shameless he is about everything, talking about intimacy as one would about weather or the price of petrol.

“So you want to continue having that with her but under the guise of a relationship? Does she consent to this?”

“She does. It is mutually beneficial for both of us. I get the judgment-free sex. She gets the fame and the privilege of being Jude Bellingham’s girlfriend. Win win? Right?” He grins at me like he wasn’t straight out plotting my death with his eyes few minutes ago. Sierra would absolutely eat this up.

“I will call your mom back in. I believe I have everything I need.” I stand up to gather my things and he just sits there, back at it with following my every move without a care about being caught staring. I exist the room with his eyes now stuck inside my head.

————————————————————————-

“JUDE freaking Bellingham? That’s why they called for? Bernando is fuming he wasn’t picked and I am too but for totally different reasons! He is so hot. You are so lucky! What does he smell like? I bet he is minty!” Sierra squeals in my ear the moment I come back to our shared office.

“Sierra, stop squealing. You are 31!” Not even that shut her up. “Age is just a number babe. How is he like? Do you reckon he could get us tickets at the Bernabeu? 5 years working in Madrid and I’ve never been!”

“He pretends to be a nice and charming lad, but he is conceited and thinks he can bend the world and wind to his wishes. A typical a list celebrity. This is my own judgment so far. Nothing else I can disclose about him or why he is here. Sierra, protocol.” That seems to be enough to keep her silent for the next few minutes.

Bernando is a totally different story. We cross paths in the hallway on my way out and he pretends to be busy on his phone to avoid any communication with me. Another great win today.

————————————————————————-

Finding Cookie the moment I unlock the door is perhaps the only normal and grounding thing about today and everyday. I immediately reach for her and she climbs my legs and meows her way to my arms. “We met Jude Bellingham today kitten. And he is an A list asshole.” I carry her to her spot on the couch and leave her there. I freshen up, prepare a chamomile tea and open the balcony door. Golden hour, my favorite time of the day. It is mind-blowing how it is never less beautiful than the day before it. A creature of habit, I often find myself craving to be loved the same way I admire the golden hour, never decreasing with days, always worshipped with the same intensity.

One of the best perks about my apartment is that even though it is as dull as they get on the inside, its view is beyond magnificent. A year ago, I wouldn’t have thought that I’d be here in Madrid, looking at the city from above, in my own place whose rent I can easily afford with the money I make myself from working at my dream company and excelling at my job.

My phone interrupts my reveries. I can hear Cookie scurrying away. My cat hates my ringtone and runs away everytime my phone rings near her. I feel the same but I, unlike her, just can’t take such liberties.

“Mrs. Renée, I hope all is well?” Mrs Renée is the kind of boss who nearly never calls you outside of working hours, which is something I tremendously appreciate but which also means that it must be extremely important.

“Ms Gibran, I am calling to congratulate you on your great success in securing the Bellinghams. They seem to think you are the perfect fit for what they are looking for. However, I must inform you that Denise would be expecting you to be on call more often than we are used to. This means that invitations to certain events, daily emails, calls and regular updates in the context of meetings are part of your job. Our company will be flexible when it comes to your office schedule as this task will be your priority moving on. Do you have any questions or qualms?”

“Not at all. I would love to help the company as much as possible. Thank you for the opportunity.”

“Good. The Bellinghams have your number, your socials and your email. This will facilitate your communication.” I nearly gasp at the word socials, because despite the fact that our line of work is basically all about that, I try my best to keep my socials out of it. I guess there goes my privacy too.

“Oh and Miriam, you will be meeting Ashlyn in the next few days. I believe you made this request?”

“Yes I did. Thank you for cooperating.”

“Perfect. Good night” because I could get a response in, Renée has already hung up. The realization that I will technically be the Bellinghams’ shadow for fuck knows how long hit me like a track. I need to take a walk.

————————————————————————

Madrid’s streets are always busy. At times it suffocates, and at others, it liberates me. I head to a small pastry shop that sells the best Ensaimada. To reduce anxiety, I’ve learned, sugar is the way. I pick up two Ensaimada and an espresso and continue my walk to my secret spot, La Quinta de los Molinos park. I come here often to find my much needed peace and quiet. It is usually empty, especially at night and that thrills me. An intrusive thought throws me off. All of a sudden, Jude is in my head. I think of him and how his fame has robbed him of a lot of simple pleasures like eating an ensaimada on a good night in a random park.

I pull out my sketchbook and start drawing. I often indulge in non reflective sketches. I let my pencil does the drawing and the thinking. Without any conscious decision, I find myself carefully carving Jude’s jawline. His bone structure, majestic noise, and piercing eyes make of him any painter’s dream muse.

A ball hits my head so fast I feel disoriented. I close my notebook and prepare to rage against whoever came between my art and I.

“¡Madre mía, qué carajo…”

“Sorry Miriam, mistimed my pass.” This cannot be real. What the hell is he doing here? Did I just manifest him through art? What the hell, universe?

I lift my head slowly and Jude is just standing there wearing a hoodie big enough to cover his entire face and my embarrassment if he is willing to take it.

“Darling, would you care to join me for a drill?”

————————————————————————

Hello Jude Girlies! A new update! Let me know what you think of this story and this new chapter! Looking forward to reading your comments ❤️

Until the next update! 🤍

[mirims1997]

A Line Crossed

Summary: Following the Pr written statement released by Ashlyn, Bellingham’s new love interest, Jude Bellingham finds himself in the midst of media scrutiny. In an attempt to save his image, his mom hires a sharp Pr agent who takes over to fix Jude’s tarnished reputation and along the way ends up mending his heart.

————————————————————————

Chapter 2: Mutual (Dis)like?

Sitting alone with Jude and Denise in a conference room usually exclusive for HR is beyond nerve-wrecking. I go through the pages provided by my Media researcher silently as Denise scrolls through her phone and Jude sends daggers my way. I can understand the apparent dislike but he is too relentless with it. I lift my head, hold his gaze for a second, a poor attempt at making peace after that tense first interaction, and smile. He reciprocates the gaze but not the smile. I hold his gaze a tad longer and something almost imperceptible shifts in his face as he scratches his newly grown beard and looks away.

“Ashlyn Castro, can you elaborate on how you met and the nature of your relationship?”

This seems to snap Denise out of her reveries as she puts down her phone, glances at me then at Jude expectantly. His eyes meet mine in a mastered nonchalance, something I am quite familiar with.

“We met at a night club. She approached me. I liked her physique. Slept with her 4 times in a row in one night. Liked the experience enough to reach out again. Yeah. Great in bed, she is.” I scoff internally at the disgusting display of male ego and at how typical of a narrative this story makes: a footballer falling for a model because of how attractive she looks and how well she fucks.

“is the nature of the relationship you have now what you had in mind at the start or is it collateral damage?” I had to ask, because I cannot seem to place this man in a clear cut category and that doesn’t sit well with me. For once, I can feel nerves emanating from him. He doesn’t feel comfortable disclosing that in front of his mother.

“Ms Bellingham, can we have a moment of privacy?” Denise’s eyes widen at my bluntness but she collects her bag, moves past me and in a surprising gesture, squeezes my shoulder on her way out.

Now sitting alone with just Jude, the room made for a full board of agents seems a lot tighter. He doesn’t answer me for a while. Instead, he stares me down once again so intensely I can feel the heat of his gaze warm the back of my neck. He stands up, moves from his seat at the far end of the table across from me and saunters to the closest spot possible, the chair next to mine. He sits down, turns towards me, manspreads and speaks in a voice much lower and rougher. “You asked my mother to leave. That got me comfortable, you know? I hope you can deal with how at ease I can be under the right circumstances.” His attempt at throwing me off my game is quite interesting. What I cannot see is why he would try at all. Was it my domineering “sit down” that annoyed him so much or the loss of control my question brought him? I have two options and my choice will be decisive when it comes to the nature of the rest of our transaction. It’s either I set rigid limits, keep him at arms length and by extension have him be guarded and uncooperative or I play by a different set of rules and I get what I want. I can feel his stare burning my side profile as I look forward and contemplate on how to proceed with him. What throws me off and makes me admittedly nervous is the twisted effect he seems to have on me. How is it that I am under his scrutiny while my job is to have him under mine? Jude seems to be more assertive and commanding than I gave him credit for. I turn my chair so abruptly towards him and he doesn’t see it at all because his eyebrows lift so slightly and he lets out a breath I didn’t know he was holding this whole time.

“Jude. I can deal with everything. That is why I am here and not one of my 85 colleagues. Now, how do you want this to go? You answer my question and we build on that or you continue this poor nonchalant act and I get information, be it right or wrong, my own way?” For once, Jude’s face consorts in a genuine smile. I can feel a blush creep up my cheeks.

“For someone young as you seem to be, you sure have a knack for getting things your own way. Do you not? As for your question. It was neither. It is true that I did not want to date Ashlyn but I did want to continue sleeping with her. She satisfies me plenty and her moans tell me I do the same.” What a peacock! I can feel my blush intensify at how casual and shameless he is about everything, talking about intimacy as one would about weather or the price of petrol.

“So you want to continue having that with her but under the guise of a relationship? Does she consent to this?”

“She does. It is mutually beneficial for both of us. I get the judgment-free sex. She gets the fame and the privilege of being Jude Bellingham’s girlfriend. Win win? Right?” He grins at me like he wasn’t straight out plotting my death with his eyes few minutes ago. Sierra would absolutely eat this up.

“I will call your mom back in. I believe I have everything I need.” I stand up to gather my things and he just sits there, back at it with following my every move without a care about being caught staring. I exist the room with his eyes now stuck inside my head.

————————————————————————-

“JUDE freaking Bellingham? That’s why they called for? Bernando is fuming he wasn’t picked and I am too but for totally different reasons! He is so hot. You are so lucky! What does he smell like? I bet he is minty!” Sierra squeals in my ear the moment I come back to our shared office.

“Sierra, stop squealing. You are 31!” Not even that shut her up. “Age is just a number babe. How is he like? Do you reckon he could get us tickets at the Bernabeu? 5 years working in Madrid and I’ve never been!”

“He pretends to be a nice and charming lad, but he is conceited and thinks he can bend the world and wind to his wishes. A typical a list celebrity. This is my own judgment so far. Nothing else I can disclose about him or why he is here. Sierra, protocol.” That seems to be enough to keep her silent for the next few minutes.

Bernando is a totally different story. We cross paths in the hallway on my way out and he pretends to be busy on his phone to avoid any communication with me. Another great win today.

————————————————————————-

Finding Cookie the moment I unlock the door is perhaps the only normal and grounding thing about today and everyday. I immediately reach for her and she climbs my legs and meows her way to my arms. “We met Jude Bellingham today kitten. And he is an A list asshole.” I carry her to her spot on the couch and leave her there. I freshen up, prepare a chamomile tea and open the balcony door. Golden hour, my favorite time of the day. It is mind-blowing how it is never less beautiful than the day before it. A creature of habit, I often find myself craving to be loved the same way I admire the golden hour, never decreasing with days, always worshipped with the same intensity.

One of the best perks about my apartment is that even though it is as dull as they get on the inside, its view is beyond magnificent. A year ago, I wouldn’t have thought that I’d be here in Madrid, looking at the city from above, in my own place whose rent I can easily afford with the money I make myself from working at my dream company and excelling at my job.

My phone interrupts my reveries. I can hear Cookie scurrying away. My cat hates my ringtone and runs away everytime my phone rings near her. I feel the same but I, unlike her, just can’t take such liberties.

“Mrs. Renée, I hope all is well?” Mrs Renée is the kind of boss who nearly never calls you outside of working hours, which is something I tremendously appreciate but which also means that it must be extremely important.

“Ms Gibran, I am calling to congratulate you on your great success in securing the Bellinghams. They seem to think you are the perfect fit for what they are looking for. However, I must inform you that Denise would be expecting you to be on call more often than we are used to. This means that invitations to certain events, daily emails, calls and regular updates in the context of meetings are part of your job. Our company will be flexible when it comes to your office schedule as this task will be your priority moving on. Do you have any questions or qualms?”

“Not at all. I would love to help the company as much as possible. Thank you for the opportunity.”

“Good. The Bellinghams have your number, your socials and your email. This will facilitate your communication.” I nearly gasp at the word socials, because despite the fact that our line of work is basically all about that, I try my best to keep my socials out of it. I guess there goes my privacy too.

“Oh and Miriam, you will be meeting Ashlyn in the next few days. I believe you made this request?”

“Yes I did. Thank you for cooperating.”

“Perfect. Good night” because I could get a response in, Renée has already hung up. The realization that I will technically be the Bellinghams’ shadow for fuck knows how long hit me like a track. I need to take a walk.

————————————————————————

Madrid’s streets are always busy. At times it suffocates, and at others, it liberates me. I head to a small pastry shop that sells the best Ensaimada. To reduce anxiety, I’ve learned, sugar is the way. I pick up two Ensaimada and an espresso and continue my walk to my secret spot, La Quinta de los Molinos park. I come here often to find my much needed peace and quiet. It is usually empty, especially at night and that thrills me. An intrusive thought throws me off. All of a sudden, Jude is in my head. I think of him and how his fame has robbed him of a lot of simple pleasures like eating an ensaimada on a good night in a random park.

I pull out my sketchbook and start drawing. I often indulge in non reflective sketches. I let my pencil does the drawing and the thinking. Without any conscious decision, I find myself carefully carving Jude’s jawline. His bone structure, majestic noise, and piercing eyes make of him any painter’s dream muse.

A ball hits my head so fast I feel disoriented. I close my notebook and prepare to rage against whoever came between my art and I.

“¡Madre mía, qué carajo…”

“Sorry Miriam, mistimed my pass.” This cannot be real. What the hell is he doing here? Did I just manifest him through art? What the hell, universe?

I lift my head slowly and Jude is just standing there wearing a hoodie big enough to cover his entire face and my embarrassment if he is willing to take it.

“Darling, would you care to join me for a drill?”

————————————————————————

Hello Jude Girlies! A new update! Let me know what you think of this story and this new chapter! Looking forward to reading your comments ❤️

Until the next update! 🤍

[mirims1997]

A Line Crossed

Summary: Following the Pr written statement released by Ashlyn, Bellingham’s new love interest, Jude Bellingham finds himself in the midst of media scrutiny. In an attempt to save his image, his mom hires a sharp Pr agent who takes over to fix Jude’s tarnished reputation and along the way ends up mending his heart.

————————————————————————

Chapter 2: Mutual (Dis)like?

Sitting alone with Jude and Denise in a conference room usually exclusive for HR is beyond nerve-wrecking. I go through the pages provided by my Media researcher silently as Denise scrolls through her phone and Jude sends daggers my way. I can understand the apparent dislike but he is too relentless with it. I lift my head, hold his gaze for a second, a poor attempt at making peace after that tense first interaction, and smile. He reciprocates the gaze but not the smile. I hold his gaze a tad longer and something almost imperceptible shifts in his face as he scratches his newly grown beard and looks away.

“Ashlyn Castro, can you elaborate on how you met and the nature of your relationship?”

This seems to snap Denise out of her reveries as she puts down her phone, glances at me then at Jude expectantly. His eyes meet mine in a mastered nonchalance, something I am quite familiar with.

“We met at a night club. She approached me. I liked her physique. Slept with her 4 times in a row in one night. Liked the experience enough to reach out again. Yeah. Great in bed, she is.” I scoff internally at the disgusting display of male ego and at how typical of a narrative this story makes: a footballer falling for a model because of how attractive she looks and how well she fucks.

“is the nature of the relationship you have now what you had in mind at the start or is it collateral damage?” I had to ask, because I cannot seem to place this man in a clear cut category and that doesn’t sit well with me. For once, I can feel nerves emanating from him. He doesn’t feel comfortable disclosing that in front of his mother.

“Ms Bellingham, can we have a moment of privacy?” Denise’s eyes widen at my bluntness but she collects her bag, moves past me and in a surprising gesture, squeezes my shoulder on her way out.

Now sitting alone with just Jude, the room made for a full board of agents seems a lot tighter. He doesn’t answer me for a while. Instead, he stares me down once again so intensely I can feel the heat of his gaze warm the back of my neck. He stands up, moves from his seat at the far end of the table across from me and saunters to the closest spot possible, the chair next to mine. He sits down, turns towards me, manspreads and speaks in a voice much lower and rougher. “You asked my mother to leave. That got me comfortable, you know? I hope you can deal with how at ease I can be under the right circumstances.” His attempt at throwing me off my game is quite interesting. What I cannot see is why he would try at all. Was it my domineering “sit down” that annoyed him so much or the loss of control my question brought him? I have two options and my choice will be decisive when it comes to the nature of the rest of our transaction. It’s either I set rigid limits, keep him at arms length and by extension have him be guarded and uncooperative or I play by a different set of rules and I get what I want. I can feel his stare burning my side profile as I look forward and contemplate on how to proceed with him. What throws me off and makes me admittedly nervous is the twisted effect he seems to have on me. How is it that I am under his scrutiny while my job is to have him under mine? Jude seems to be more assertive and commanding than I gave him credit for. I turn my chair so abruptly towards him and he doesn’t see it at all because his eyebrows lift so slightly and he lets out a breath I didn’t know he was holding this whole time.

“Jude. I can deal with everything. That is why I am here and not one of my 85 colleagues. Now, how do you want this to go? You answer my question and we build on that or you continue this poor nonchalant act and I get information, be it right or wrong, my own way?” For once, Jude’s face consorts in a genuine smile. I can feel a blush creep up my cheeks.

“For someone young as you seem to be, you sure have a knack for getting things your own way. Do you not? As for your question. It was neither. It is true that I did not want to date Ashlyn but I did want to continue sleeping with her. She satisfies me plenty and her moans tell me I do the same.” What a peacock! I can feel my blush intensify at how casual and shameless he is about everything, talking about intimacy as one would about weather or the price of petrol.

“So you want to continue having that with her but under the guise of a relationship? Does she consent to this?”

“She does. It is mutually beneficial for both of us. I get the judgment-free sex. She gets the fame and the privilege of being Jude Bellingham’s girlfriend. Win win? Right?” He grins at me like he wasn’t straight out plotting my death with his eyes few minutes ago. Sierra would absolutely eat this up.

“I will call your mom back in. I believe I have everything I need.” I stand up to gather my things and he just sits there, back at it with following my every move without a care about being caught staring. I exist the room with his eyes now stuck inside my head.

————————————————————————-

“JUDE freaking Bellingham? That’s why they called for? Bernando is fuming he wasn’t picked and I am too but for totally different reasons! He is so hot. You are so lucky! What does he smell like? I bet he is minty!” Sierra squeals in my ear the moment I come back to our shared office.

“Sierra, stop squealing. You are 31!” Not even that shut her up. “Age is just a number babe. How is he like? Do you reckon he could get us tickets at the Bernabeu? 5 years working in Madrid and I’ve never been!”

“He pretends to be a nice and charming lad, but he is conceited and thinks he can bend the world and wind to his wishes. A typical a list celebrity. This is my own judgment so far. Nothing else I can disclose about him or why he is here. Sierra, protocol.” That seems to be enough to keep her silent for the next few minutes.

Bernando is a totally different story. We cross paths in the hallway on my way out and he pretends to be busy on his phone to avoid any communication with me. Another great win today.

————————————————————————-

Finding Cookie the moment I unlock the door is perhaps the only normal and grounding thing about today and everyday. I immediately reach for her and she climbs my legs and meows her way to my arms. “We met Jude Bellingham today kitten. And he is an A list asshole.” I carry her to her spot on the couch and leave her there. I freshen up, prepare a chamomile tea and open the balcony door. Golden hour, my favorite time of the day. It is mind-blowing how it is never less beautiful than the day before it. A creature of habit, I often find myself craving to be loved the same way I admire the golden hour, never decreasing with days, always worshipped with the same intensity.

One of the best perks about my apartment is that even though it is as dull as they get on the inside, its view is beyond magnificent. A year ago, I wouldn’t have thought that I’d be here in Madrid, looking at the city from above, in my own place whose rent I can easily afford with the money I make myself from working at my dream company and excelling at my job.

My phone interrupts my reveries. I can hear Cookie scurrying away. My cat hates my ringtone and runs away everytime my phone rings near her. I feel the same but I, unlike her, just can’t take such liberties.

“Mrs. Renée, I hope all is well?” Mrs Renée is the kind of boss who nearly never calls you outside of working hours, which is something I tremendously appreciate but which also means that it must be extremely important.

“Ms Gibran, I am calling to congratulate you on your great success in securing the Bellinghams. They seem to think you are the perfect fit for what they are looking for. However, I must inform you that Denise would be expecting you to be on call more often than we are used to. This means that invitations to certain events, daily emails, calls and regular updates in the context of meetings are part of your job. Our company will be flexible when it comes to your office schedule as this task will be your priority moving on. Do you have any questions or qualms?”

“Not at all. I would love to help the company as much as possible. Thank you for the opportunity.”

“Good. The Bellinghams have your number, your socials and your email. This will facilitate your communication.” I nearly gasp at the word socials, because despite the fact that our line of work is basically all about that, I try my best to keep my socials out of it. I guess there goes my privacy too.

“Oh and Miriam, you will be meeting Ashlyn in the next few days. I believe you made this request?”

“Yes I did. Thank you for cooperating.”

“Perfect. Good night” because I could get a response in, Renée has already hung up. The realization that I will technically be the Bellinghams’ shadow for fuck knows how long hit me like a track. I need to take a walk.

————————————————————————

Madrid’s streets are always busy. At times it suffocates, and at others, it liberates me. I head to a small pastry shop that sells the best Ensaimada. To reduce anxiety, I’ve learned, sugar is the way. I pick up two Ensaimada and an espresso and continue my walk to my secret spot, La Quinta de los Molinos park. I come here often to find my much needed peace and quiet. It is usually empty, especially at night and that thrills me. An intrusive thought throws me off. All of a sudden, Jude is in my head. I think of him and how his fame has robbed him of a lot of simple pleasures like eating an ensaimada on a good night in a random park.

I pull out my sketchbook and start drawing. I often indulge in non reflective sketches. I let my pencil does the drawing and the thinking. Without any conscious decision, I find myself carefully carving Jude’s jawline. His bone structure, majestic noise, and piercing eyes make of him any painter’s dream muse.

A ball hits my head so fast I feel disoriented. I close my notebook and prepare to rage against whoever came between my art and I.

“¡Madre mía, qué carajo…”

“Sorry Miriam, mistimed my pass.” This cannot be real. What the hell is he doing here? Did I just manifest him through art? What the hell, universe?

I lift my head slowly and Jude is just standing there wearing a hoodie big enough to cover his entire face and my embarrassment if he is willing to take it.

“Darling, would you care to join me for a drill?”

————————————————————————

Hello Jude Girlies! A new update! Let me know what you think of this story and this new chapter! Looking forward to reading your comments ❤️

Until the next update! 🤍

[mirims1997]

Jude girlies, chapter 2 is on his way! I hope you liked chapter 1 enough to be looking forward to an update!

Let me know what you think!

[mirims1997]

A Line Crossed

Summary: Following the Pr written statement released by Ashlyn, Bellingham’s new love interest, Jude Bellingham finds himself in the midst of media scrutiny. In an attempt to save his image, his mom hires a sharp Pr agent who takes over to fix Jude’s tarnished reputation and along the way ends up mending his heart.

————————————————————————

Chapter 1: A bad Impression

This is extremely personal' - Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham’s girlfriend Ashlyn Castro releases emotional statement as she hits back at dating history claims

Jude Bellingham's girlfriend Ashlyn Castro speaks out in 'extremely personal' monologue on claims about her dating past and 'escort site' hoax

I stared at my tablet in utter disbelief as the onslaught of news articles about Ashlyn Castro, Jude Bellingham’s alleged girlfriend, invaded my feed. “How can they be so reckless? I definitely thought he had a better media team. They work with whom again? This is such a rookie mistake. Don’t you think?” Sierra, my office mate, is barely ever right about anything. But today, she is spot on. This, indeed, is a textbook PR disaster. How can they do this to Bellingham? A 10 minutes video reiterating poorly woven arguments, easily detectable lies and a laughable show of self victimization on top of that? Someone is getting fired as we speak. I turn off my tablet, take a sip of my now-cold latte and watch Sierra continue her monologue about the does and donts of our job.

“My hair is getting longer. It needs a trim.” I try to shift the topic to something else and that seems useful enough to shake her out of her Bellingham stupor as she blinks at me incredulously. “Can’t you let it be a bob? You are too serious looking with that pixie cut. It scares off clients.” That’s the point, I mutter to myself.

A knock sounds on the door sparing me any further conversation with opiniated Sierra. Bernardo confidently strides in, smirking at me like he won the lottery. “You are called in for a meeting Miriam. HR and the lots. With that personality of yours, I am surprised you survived this long.” If glares could kill, Bernando would be withering at my feet. “3 months is a record in our company. Even interns stick around much longer, but can’t say I won’t miss your haughtiness.” I gather my tablet, drink the last sip of my coffee, ruffle my unruly hair and reapply my lipstick. “Bernando, darling, have you considered stand up comedy? Makes for a lovely career! And you are a natural. You make me laugh every morning with how ridiculous you are.” The last thing I heard as I slammed the door behind me was the shrieks Sierra let out as she laughed her ass off.

————————————————————————-

As I stood outside the office. I stared at my reflection in the mirror placed next to the door. I cannot for the life of me figure out why a PR agency would have mirrors hang in all kinds of unseemly places there but today, I am glad it is. I smoothed down my sheer green shirt and perfectly tucked it in my black pencil skirt. I ruffled my dark locks one more time and toyed with my golden hoops to ease my anxiety. I looked really good today. And for what is worth, I’d rather be dismissed looking immaculate than walk out of the door looking like Bernando. I knocked the door and entered the office in confident strides, the sound of my heels clicking disturbing the eery silence. I looked at the head of HR searching her eyes for any sign of anger or at worst of disappointment. Too busy psychoanalyzing my terrifying boss, I did not notice the presence of another equally intimidating woman. “Hello Ms Miriam. I’ve heard great things about you. I am Denise Bellingham, mother of Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid football player. I’ve personally requested this company’s best media specialist agent and your name was immediately brought up by Ms. René over here. My son’s public image has been sabotaged due to an unreliable social media specialist and I need someone brilliant enough to rectify the situation as soon as possible.”

I stared at Denise as she spoke so gracefully as if she had everything she said written and memorized before coming here. Not one hair was out of place. Everything about her was pristine and monitored, from the spotless and ironed collar of her white blouse to the way she moved her hand in an enchanting manner. That is a woman used to bending the world to her way. That is a woman I understand and can work with.

“Miriam Gibran, Social Media and Digital marketing specialist. It’s lovely to make your acquaintance Ms. Bellingham.” I shook her hand firmly as she stared me down.

“You are quite young. You must be really good if you are your superior’s number 1 suggestion.”

“Thank you Ms Bellingham. I take my job very seriously. That is why I am baffled as to why Mr Bellingham has thought it wise to skip our first debriefing. I do understand that as the head of his affairs and mother, your presence should suffice. But in such delicate matters and if we are to follow my work approach, he needs to be here.” I can see Mrs Renée glaring at me from the corner of my eyes, probably fuming at the obvious jab at Jude’s character.

Something shifted in Denise’s face, her lips quirking to half a smirk.

“In fact, Ms Gibran, Jude is..”

“Here.” A masculine heavily accented English voice sounded from behind me as a door closed softly. I could feel the overwhelming presence of a tall body basking in the pin drop silence that followed his entrance. I turned around and there he was :the Jude Bellingham, hands in pockets, eyes dangerously piercing and lips tagged into a smirk. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him as he sauntered towards my increasingly flustered boss. He smiled at her nervousness and shook her hand then held it with both hands. What a disgusting display of good English boy charm.

When his eyes finally met mine. I felt a jolt in my chest at the blatant shift in energy. Gone is all that good lad charm. In its stead a predatory gaze Swiped across my face and body in a barely noticeable manner, knocking the wind out of me and sending a shiver down my spine. I will be damned if I show it.

“Miriam right? Beautiful day outside! Don’t you think?” He glanced at me trying to gauge my reaction at his infuriatingly irrelevant comment, an attempt at placing me in a category, so he can act accordingly for the rest of our transaction.

“Sure! Very beautiful. So is Ashlyn, but here we are dealing with ugly consequences. Sit down Bellingham. I don’t like my time wasted.”

Hello Jude girlies! This is the first chapter of A line crossed. I look forward to hearing your thoughts

[mirims1997]

A Line Crossed

Summary: Following the Pr written statement released by Ashlyn, Bellingham’s new love interest, Jude Bellingham finds himself in the midst of media scrutiny. In an attempt to save his image, his mom hires a sharp Pr agent who takes over to fix Jude’s tarnished reputation and along the way ends up mending his heart.

————————————————————————

Chapter 1: A bad Impression

This is extremely personal' - Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham’s girlfriend Ashlyn Castro releases emotional statement as she hits back at dating history claims

Jude Bellingham's girlfriend Ashlyn Castro speaks out in 'extremely personal' monologue on claims about her dating past and 'escort site' hoax

I stared at my tablet in utter disbelief as the onslaught of news articles about Ashlyn Castro, Jude Bellingham’s alleged girlfriend, invaded my feed. “How can they be so reckless? I definitely thought he had a better media team. They work with whom again? This is such a rookie mistake. Don’t you think?” Sierra, my office mate, is barely ever right about anything. But today, she is spot on. This, indeed, is a textbook PR disaster. How can they do this to Bellingham? A 10 minutes video reiterating poorly woven arguments, easily detectable lies and a laughable show of self victimization on top of that? Someone is getting fired as we speak. I turn off my tablet, take a sip of my now-cold latte and watch Sierra continue her monologue about the does and donts of our job.

“My hair is getting longer. It needs a trim.” I try to shift the topic to something else and that seems useful enough to shake her out of her Bellingham stupor as she blinks at me incredulously. “Can’t you let it be a bob? You are too serious looking with that pixie cut. It scares off clients.” That’s the point, I mutter to myself.

A knock sounds on the door sparing me any further conversation with opiniated Sierra. Bernardo confidently strides in, smirking at me like he won the lottery. “You are called in for a meeting Miriam. HR and the lots. With that personality of yours, I am surprised you survived this long.” If glares could kill, Bernando would be withering at my feet. “3 months is a record in our company. Even interns stick around much longer, but can’t say I won’t miss your haughtiness.” I gather my tablet, drink the last sip of my coffee, ruffle my unruly hair and reapply my lipstick. “Bernando, darling, have you considered stand up comedy? Makes for a lovely career! And you are a natural. You make me laugh every morning with how ridiculous you are.” The last thing I heard as I slammed the door behind me was the shrieks Sierra let out as she laughed her ass off.

————————————————————————-

As I stood outside the office. I stared at my reflection in the mirror placed next to the door. I cannot for the life of me figure out why a PR agency would have mirrors hang in all kinds of unseemly places there but today, I am glad it is. I smoothed down my sheer green shirt and perfectly tucked it in my black pencil skirt. I ruffled my dark locks one more time and toyed with my golden hoops to ease my anxiety. I looked really good today. And for what is worth, I’d rather be dismissed looking immaculate than walk out of the door looking like Bernando. I knocked the door and entered the office in confident strides, the sound of my heels clicking disturbing the eery silence. I looked at the head of HR searching her eyes for any sign of anger or at worst of disappointment. Too busy psychoanalyzing my terrifying boss, I did not notice the presence of another equally intimidating woman. “Hello Ms Miriam. I’ve heard great things about you. I am Denise Bellingham, mother of Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid football player. I’ve personally requested this company’s best media specialist agent and your name was immediately brought up by Ms. René over here. My son’s public image has been sabotaged due to an unreliable social media specialist and I need someone brilliant enough to rectify the situation as soon as possible.”

I stared at Denise as she spoke so gracefully as if she had everything she said written and memorized before coming here. Not one hair was out of place. Everything about her was pristine and monitored, from the spotless and ironed collar of her white blouse to the way she moved her hand in an enchanting manner. That is a woman used to bending the world to her way. That is a woman I understand and can work with.

“Miriam Gibran, Social Media and Digital marketing specialist. It’s lovely to make your acquaintance Ms. Bellingham.” I shook her hand firmly as she stared me down.

“You are quite young. You must be really good if you are your superior’s number 1 suggestion.”

“Thank you Ms Bellingham. I take my job very seriously. That is why I am baffled as to why Mr Bellingham has thought it wise to skip our first debriefing. I do understand that as the head of his affairs and mother, your presence should suffice. But in such delicate matters and if we are to follow my work approach, he needs to be here.” I can see Mrs Renée glaring at me from the corner of my eyes, probably fuming at the obvious jab at Jude’s character.

Something shifted in Denise’s face, her lips quirking to half a smirk.

“In fact, Ms Gibran, Jude is..”

“Here.” A masculine heavily accented English voice sounded from behind me as a door closed softly. I could feel the overwhelming presence of a tall body basking in the pin drop silence that followed his entrance. I turned around and there he was :the Jude Bellingham, hands in pockets, eyes dangerously piercing and lips tagged into a smirk. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him as he sauntered towards my increasingly flustered boss. He smiled at her nervousness and shook her hand then held it with both hands. What a disgusting display of good English boy charm.

When his eyes finally met mine. I felt a jolt in my chest at the blatant shift in energy. Gone is all that good lad charm. In its stead a predatory gaze Swiped across my face and body in a barely noticeable manner, knocking the wind out of me and sending a shiver down my spine. I will be damned if I show it.

“Miriam right? Beautiful day outside! Don’t you think?” He glanced at me trying to gauge my reaction at his infuriatingly irrelevant comment, an attempt at placing me in a category, so he can act accordingly for the rest of our transaction.

“Sure! Very beautiful. So is Ashlyn, but here we are dealing with ugly consequences. Sit down Bellingham. I don’t like my time wasted.”

Hello Jude girlies! This is the first chapter of A line crossed. I look forward to hearing your thoughts

[mirims1997]

Would you Jude girlies be interested in a new story featuring Jude falling for his own super intelligent Pr Agent?

Write a comment if yes!!