4 ~Now we are even

I go back to my room exhausted, but happy at the same time: I had a really nice evening, even nicer for meeting Edward.

I forget the door open behind me for the second time today and collapse just momentarily on my bed, closing my eyes and trying to

remember his wonderful and shiny face.

"And I thought you were a little saint ..." - I open my eyes wide and return to reality, hearing a really annoying and hoarse voice coming from the door.

I sit reluctantly on the bed to meet James leaning against the door jamb.

"What are you doing in my room?" - I raise an eyebrow.

"Now we are even." - he shrugs bully and only now I remember the episode of this morning.

I roll my eyes at his attitude.

"Okay, now go away!" - I indicate the corridor, approaching the door.

His presence really starts to make mr nervous and I've never hated anyone in my life as much as I'm hating him right now, and we've met only twelve hours ago.

"You've put yourself in a lot of trouble tonight." - instead of pleasing me, he goes into my room and looks around

intrigued.

I frown, concentrating on his words and trying not to offend him:

"Go straight to the point!" - I part my lips, watching him with a cold grimace on my face.

"He really thought you were a model."-his face goes from amuzed to annoyed in a second, watching me with disgust from head to toe.

"Why? I don't fit with your taste?"-I have the courage to ask, trying not to get scared ore offended by his tone.

" You're ugly and childish." - his words come straight to my face and hurt me so much when I realize he's to serious.

"Sorry if I'm not dyed, redone and with lingerie instead of underwear." - I cross my arms, leaning on the bedside table and waiting for him to walk away, possibly before I start to desire to kick his ass.

He avoids my answer and resumes his speech:

"If only Edward knew you're just a cook ..."

"Were you spying on me, James?" - I narrow my eyes and try to change the subject at the same time.

"It's my job to keep everything under control."-he justifies himself with the same threatening tono of voice.

"Yeah, you're a penguin."-I say outloud, hoping he would go out of my bedroom as soon as possible.

"What?" - he assumes a confused expression.

"Edward, unlike you, is a kind man, who knows how to treat women, he would never treat me badly,

even if he knew who I really am. "-I say, trying to convince myself and not only this asshole.

"Don't be so sure." -he approaches my body slowly, and then overhangs me in all its height.

He is so close that I feel his breath hit my face and I can notice the different shades of green that

form his pupils, but I remain neutral to that proximity.

"Appearances can be deceiving." - he throws me a stern look that for a thousandth of a second scares me,

but then I recover and put my hands on his abdomen, pushing him away from me.

Something tells me that those words are not related only to Edward, but I close the door in his face, regretting letting him enter my bedroom and talking to that bastard.

Besides, did he just tried to threaten me?

If I could I would kick him and send him back to the North Pole, among the other penguins.

I smile at my thoughts, but then I collapse on my comfortable and warm bed, without even bothering to

change the dress and promising myself to lock the door now on.

***

I open my eyes slowly, trying to understand where the strange noise that starts to get on my nerves comes from,

but then I find out it's my phone's ringtone.

I stretch out on the bed reluctantly, and then grab the crazed contraption and bring it to my ear.

"Hello? Who the fuck had the courage to disturb me at this hour?!" - I ask angrily and with a tired voice.

"Your mother." - she answers in a harsh tone.

"Oh. Good morning, Mom!" - I stand up as if that woman was now in front of me, opening my eyes wide and repenting of what I said to her.

I've always been afraid of my mother, especially when she gets angry or disagrees with what

think, that's why I've always agreed with her.

"I called you, since you will never bother to do it." - I roll my eyes at her complains.

"I've only been here for two days, Mom."-I take a deep breath to prepare myself.

"How is it going?" - she changes the subject, fortunately, making me clear my throat and try to answer in a sweet tone:

"I'm not alone, Gordon has three other cooks and we help each other." - even if this woman may appear

strong, I know my mother is very vulnerable, she cares about everything, at least about me.

"Thank goodness." - she sighs.

"How are you?"-I hurry up to ask her.

"I'm fine..." - she limits herself to say.

These short answers doesn't convince me at all, something must have happened that I am not

aware:

"Mom, you're not hiding something from me, are you?"

"I don't. Do you have anything to say to me?"-she raises her tone, making me roll my eyes :

"Get right to the point, please."

"Where were you last night?" - I roll my eyes again , but then my eyes widen.

Last night!!

I don't know how to lie, or rather, yes, but I feel too guilty afterwards.

"In the kitchen! No ... I was sleeping. That is, I fell asleep in the kitchen!" - I clap a hand on my forehead.

"Oh really? And why am I watching you at a party dressed as Jennifer Lawrence on the red carpet while Edward

kiss your hand? "- my heart rises to my chest at her cold voice, while I stop breathing instantly and open my eyes wide.

"Ho-how do you know? - right now it really crosses my mind that my mom is an FBI

spy.

"Half the world knows, my daughter!" - her words make me frown, but I don't speak and let her continue with a disperate tone:

"I'll send you an address by message, go take a look at what they write." - I shut the phone in her

face when her voice become even more frustrated.

With my hands shaking I click on the site that I receive instantly by her, and I wait for the page to open, but I had

better not to open it!

' Did he find the right one?

Edward Montgomery was caught next to a woman never seen by his side before.

It seems like a revenge against those who said he was a 'servant of blondes'!

Elegant, and above all brunette, the beautiful Greek model seems to have bewitched our sex symbol ...'

I take a confused grimace at reading those words.

And what is strange about it? From what I understood so far Edward is a magnet for women.

It is normal that he is surrounded by beautiful women, like this damn Greek model.

I feel remorse on reading the first part of the article, so I decide not to go on with the reading and I swipe my finger across the screen, but I stop instantly at a point where a photo appears, so I wait for it to load, especially since I know

Edward himself will appear, and I really want to review his features.

My phone is in danger of falling to the ground when the photo opens and shows my figure next to Edward , while his lips are resting on my hand.

Anger, discomfort and fear of being discovered! That's what I feel right now.

Who posted this bullshits?!

I'm supposed to be the Greek model?! Me?!

I don't know much about magazines, especially online, so I don't know how many people will read this page, but

certainly enough to make of all this a disaster, since the news reached my mother.

I bring my hands to my face, covering my eyes and trying not to scream, then I convince myself to calm down:

today I'll clarify everything with Edward and then everything will be solved!

I avoid my mother's call, not ready to face her right now, and then go to the mirror, but as soon as I find myself

in front of my image, I take a step back.

"You have been worse." - I shrug my reflection.

Since I started college this has become my favorite pastime: talking to myself.

One of the countless reasons my mother wanted to lock me up in an asylum.

"Strange, however ... Today you don't have that usual pimple in the middle of your forehead!" - I congratulate myself:

despite using all the skin creams that the pharmacy in my home country contains, those damned

leukocytes continue to accumulate in my skin.

'You look like a unicorn!' - my beloved mother used to say.

I step away from the mirror and pull my fuchsia bathrobe out of the closet and then reach the bathroom door of my room slowly.

I love to take a shower, but I hate adjusting the water to bring it to the right temperature: I don't know how

my parents succeeded in taking a bath in ten minutes, I need twenty minutes just to take off my clothes.

But then I relax under the jet of hot water: I raise my head, letting the drops of water hit my skin, and I've never experienced such a heavenly feeling.

I let all the problems of my complicated adult life slip over me, starting with my mother,

Edward and the reporters, but most of all that asshole bodyguard.

I think of his words as I massage my body with the bubble bath that I find below.

I don't know why he treated me like that, but I have always accepted challenges, and I'm sure his pride will fail against mine.

I go out of the shower and look for the bathrobe, not remembering where I put it a little while ago.

'You're ugly and childish '- he said : I don't know why James's words come back to haunt me.

He literally slammed me in the face that he would never get on with someone like me.

And who would ever want to get engaged with someone like him ?! He's an asshole, ignorant, infamous, too tall and muscular for my tastes.

I snort and position myself again in front of the mirror, after having found my fuchsia cover, so short that it barely reaches my mid-thigh.

After covering my face with foundation, I go in search of a mascara and a dark pencil, but I manage to

find them only after half an hour.

Today I can afford to wear makeup, since my mother woke me up at six in the morning: at least it was useful for something.

I tie my hair in a messy bun, even though I hate to keep it tied, so I grab my phone and stick it in the bathrobe pocket.

Perfect! I'm ready to start a new day, I just hope no one has discovered what my mother already did.

I slam the door behind me, but as soon as I do I find myself in front of the black and white jerk that

crosses the corridor with Maleficent's son.

I greet the latter, who looks at me strangely and tries to hold back a laugh as I throw

a dirty look at James.

He raises a corner of his mouth, looking at me from head to toe:

"When was the last time you shaved your legs?" - I widen my eyes at his words, while the other can't help himself

and bursts out laughing.

I don't have the courage to lower my head, because only now I realize that I have gone out of my bedroom without getting dressed first.