by Kara Hart
Liam
“God, I think I like you.” I laughed, kissing her. Her tongue wrapped around mine and pulled forward. I grabbed her breast one last time and fell back into the bed’s comfort. “It’s never been that good with anyone else.” I admitted.
“Never?” She asked me. “I highly doubt that.”
“Yeah, well, it’s the truth. It’s always been pretty boring. Don’t get me wrong. There’s a lot of girls to choose from. I’ve always relished in that fact. But, damn, do you stand out.” I said, putting my hands behind my head.
“Well, thanks. I guess.” She managed to say. I wasn’t sure if what I just said was a compliment or not, but I’m glad she decided not to press the issue. “I’ll admit it. You’re pretty good at eating pussy. You know, for a jock.” She said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.
“You know, jocks are selfish people. They normally don’t do that kind of stuff.” She shrugged.
“I guess you’re right. I have an image to uphold though.” I joked. “No, for real. I could eat you for dinner every night.” I licked my lips.
She smiled and bit her bottom lip. “So, you leaving soon?” She asked me.
“Only if you want me too. I was hoping I could stay for a while. You still have to get that interview from me.” I said, moving closer to her.
She squinted in thought for a second. “You can stay. I’d like that actually.”
“Good.”
“But let’s save the interview for a later date. I don’t have my camera with me and I’d rather it be more professional. Let’s just hope you can win more games for the team.” She laughed.
“Ugh, sports.” I shook my head. “The whole thing is such a joke, you know?”
She looked surprised by my words. “I’m not a huge fan. But people seem to really like it. You make them think they’re fighting for something real.”
“That’s exactly my point! It’s all a circus. Like, I know I’m good. But it doesn’t really mean anything. The world needs to rally behind some better issues, you know?”
“I do.” She said, staring into my eyes. “So what are you going to do? I mean, if you aren’t going to stay in football forever.”
“I’m just talking out of my ass. What’ll happen next is I’ll get traded to another team, get offered more money, more commercials, more advertisement and other bullshit. And I’ll have to move to the other end of the country. That’s best case scenario. It’s just a lot of pressure for one person.” I looked away. “I’m sorry if I’m going off, but there’s not really that many people I can talk to about this sort of thing.”
She smiled, “It’s okay. I like it. But what about Cindy? You were together for a long time, right?”
I put my hands on my forehead and sighed loudly. “God, that was a mistake. Cindy is…trouble. You probably know the whole deal. She threatened to sue me for Christ sake. I’m sorry, but that’s not love. That’s something entirely different.”
“That’s celebrity life, right?” She parted her hair out of her eyes.
“I guess so. I’m just so over that. Here’s the real deal. I’ll make a ton of money. I’ll save it. And I’ll quit in five years time. That way I can start a family. I can have everything I want and I won’t have to work ever again.” I was thinking aloud. It sounded like a dream though.
“Or you’ll get injured. Then what?” Women always find a way to open your eyes.
“I don’t know. I guess I always thought I was above that. I hope to God I am. Shit, I just wish I could spend more time with you. I like this. I like it a lot.” I admitted. This was probably the first time I contemplated leaving my life for a woman. It was crazy talk. Even though I knew I couldn’t, the thought kept flashing in my mind. What if?
Yeah, me too. Guess that’s the reality, huh? You’ve got a lot on your plate. So do I.” She said, looking away slightly.
“Yeah…” I muttered.
“How ‘bout you visit me. Once a month, here in Dallas.” She said, eyes lighting up.
“Shit, I’ll visit you more than that if I can!” I said.
“You know where I am.” She said. “And you know my name right?”
“Laura. Never got that last name from you.”
“It’s Alvaroy. Channel 5 News.” She blushed.
“Nice to meet you Laura Alvaroy. I’m Liam Conway.” We shook each other’s hand and went to kissing again. Before I knew it, we were under the sheets for one more go.
It was odd to feel this at home with someone, the day you met them. I had heard of this happening to people, but in my profession it just never occurred. I was too high profile. People always wanted something from me. Now I had finally met someone who didn’t give a fuck about what I did. In fact, I was pretty sure she had never watched a game of football in her life. Like ever.
She was perfect, like a flower. Reserved, yet completely confident in herself. I knew she had a past to talk about. I knew someday I would crack that egg. For now, however, I was just enjoying looking into her eyes and experiencing her soul.
Halfway through the night, my phone woke me up. It was Jonathan Walker. “Morning Sunshine. Have fun at the party? Meet me at my office at seven AM. I have some paperwork I need to go over with you.”
I forced open my eyes and checked the time. It was five. “Shit…” I moaned. I turned over and looked at Laura. Her eyes were open.
“You have to go?” She asked me.
I nodded. “Sorry. They always have me going in for meetings. It’s my manager.”
“It’s okay. Have fun.” She said, slightly shutting her eyes.
“Wait, put your number in my phone. You never know when they’re going to put me in a plane or something.”
“Good idea.” She smiled and squinted at my phone screen. She typed the number in and put “Laura” with a heart next to it.
“Cute. I’ll call you later.” I whispered. I got myself dressed, kissed her on the cheek, and walked out into the morning day.
Laura
I woke up alone the next morning. The scent of his cologne stayed on his pillow and I couldn’t help but breathe it in. Did last night really happen? Did The Cowboys’ quarterback really just fall for me? It must have been a dream.
But it wasn’t. It was real and it was exciting to go over in my head. God, he was a good lover too! It seemed like something out of a movie. I smiled and walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth.
I grabbed my toothbrush and fumbled for the toothpaste, as the lights in the bathroom were too bright for me to see against yet. My hand hit something plastic and compact. My birth control pills.
I dropped my toothbrush and fell against the counter. My heart sank. I had forgotten to take them the past two days! “Shit!” I yelled, slamming my hands against my head. “You got to be kidding me.”
It’s alright, I told myself. These things happen all the time. You’re not going to be pregnant. It’s hard for women to get pregnant, especially during one-night stands. Still, I called Katherine for support.
“That’s what you’re freaking out about?” She asked me. “Girl, you’re fine. I’ve spent the night with like five different guys this past month. You don’t see me walking around with a baby in my belly, do you?”
I choked on my water. “Okay, first of all, gross. Second of all, you never know. Maybe I’m really fertile.”
“Don’t judge me for my wonderful choices.” She fired back. “You’ve been taking the pill for like two years, right? I highly doubt you’re more fertile than me. If you’re so worried, why don’t you get the Plan B?”
I sighed. “Because that stuff ruins your system. Some women can’t even have kids after taking just one!”
“Yeah, well. What a world, huh?” She laughed.
I placed my butt on my tile bathroom floor. “What a world.” I sighed too. “Alright, thanks for talking to me. I’m going to get ready and go to work. I’m already running late.”
“Bye babe.�
�� She gave a loud kissing noise into the receiver and hung up the phone.
I had no time to think about this anymore. I took a shower, got ready, and sped to work.
“You’re late.” My boss said. “Again.”
“What else is new?” I said sarcastically.
“Right.” She shook her head. “Well, I have some good news to tell you.”
“What?” My eyes lit up and I tried to keep my smile under wraps. Was this a promotion?
“The network loved the footage you got of Liam Conway yesterday.” She said, closing her hands together in excitement.
“What? The footage of him cussing and acting like a jerk?” I asked, standing in disbelief.
“Yes!” She squealed.
“Okay…” I muttered. “So what do they want with me?” I asked her.
“Well, they want to send you to California. Los Angeles actually. They want you interviewing the stars on the red carpet. They want to give you your own segment, Laura!”
My jaw dropped. “Are you kidding me? The red carpet? The red carpet?! I’m sorry, but this is such a shock. I don’t know what to say.”
“You say yes!” She screamed. “You have to!”
“Give me time to think about it, okay?” I asked.
She huffed and puffed a little, and reluctantly agreed. I took a deep breath and smiled to myself. I really did it. I made the cut. I walked into my office and shut the door. In my bottom drawer was a bottle of bourbon. I poured myself a glass to celebrate. “To you.” I said out loud. I took a sip and closed my eyes.
24 months later…
I opened my eyes to the view of a lifetime, but everything had changed. I was in Los Angeles, the city of angels, and my life had seemed to be thrown to the wolves. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for everything. It's just sometimes hard to see the light on some things. For God’s sake, the network made me change my last name to something more “fitting.”
Alright, time to fake a smile. “Hi, I'm Laura Perkins and tonight we’re celebrating the stars! It's fashion night at the Red Carpet!” Cue the fake applause, spin the cameras to generate excitement, and smile, smile, smile!
The new show, however, was doing great. I had finally found a home in what I do. And even though my father wished I was back in the rural countryside, he knew I was following something big and supported me all the way. I still don't know if it is true or not, but he told me he watched my show every week.
“Here we have Brad Pitt. Oh my God, yes the Brad Pitt! Let's ask him what he's wearing tonight. Oh, Brad! Over here!” I paraded myself around the many red carpets of the world, in an attempt to ask superficial questions. Questions such as “What're you wearing tonight?” and “Are the divorce rumors true? Are you really fighting over your child?”
It was a difficult job. Even more so, it was hard to keep your sanity doing this kind of thing. Here I was, a farm girl, asking multi millionaire chameleons questions. Growing up I always thought I'd be an investigative journalist. Turns out, I became the exact opposite. Go me.
“Well,” Brad said into the camera, looking as handsome as ever, “It’s a simple suit, really. Pretty classy, right? It's Armani.” He smiled, teeth shining against the artificial lighting. Everyone looked incredible tonight. More importantly everyone felt incredible. That is, except for me.
After the taping of the show, I fell into the couch. Exhausted. That was the word I would use to describe how I felt. I thought about Liam and that wonderful night. It felt like a lifetime ago. I suppose it was. I picked up my phone and searched his name in Google. It wasn't something I was proud of doing, but I wanted to know what he was up to.
I never got that call or text from him. Never, not once. And I get it, these things happen. He was a famous football player and he had a lot on his plate. But the thing that got me the most was that he said I was different. He actually lied to my face. I didn't even get the damn interview out of him.
“My brown-eyed girl.” That's what he called me. Like the song. I felt so special. Now I feel so used. I vowed to never hook up with a celebrity ever again.
On the internet search, it said the same thing it always did. Liam was traded to the New England Patriots. Ironic, since it was the team he beat in the Super Bowl. That's how the industry worked I guess. So now he was somewhere in Boston or New England, or where-the-hell-ever, and I was on the other end of the country in Hollywood.
I sighed and clicked around some more. He hadn't been playing as well as he used to. The team was being criticized left and right. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on with him. He probably feels guilty about leaving me without at least a courtesy call. Probably not, but it's what I held onto for whatever reason.
During my nightly calls with Katherine, she would tell me to calm down, that everything was going to be just fine. “He's a douchebag.” She said. “You can't settle down with a douchebag rebound. You're better than that.”
“Am I?” I asked in a sarcastic tone. “Ugh! You don't know him, Katherine. That night was something different. It was perfect, like something out of a movie.” I tried to make her understand.
She made a noise of pity into the receiver. “Oh, baby girl. Movies aren't real. And neither was that night. It was a hot fling. Just leave it at that and move on with your life. You're Laura fucking Alvaroy!”
“Not anymore. Now I'm Laura Perkins.” I laughed. “I guess you're right. I need to move on. It's just hard when you're young and in my situation.” I said.
She agreed and said sweet things to make me feel good about myself. Eventually, I had to just swallow my pride, hang up the phone, and deal wth the reality of my life. I looked in front of me. If only Liam knew what he had done. But it was my secret to bear. Mine only.
“Alex.” I smiled and kissed his cheek. “My baby boy.”
He was beautiful and cute, and everything good in this world. And he was his. I held him in my arms and vowed to never let go like his father had. “Momma.” He whispered with a smile on his face. I died every time I saw him. My perfect baby boy.
But situations like this happen. I didn't know I would get pregnant. No one did. Katherine thought I would be fine. It didn't happen to her, she said. So why would it happen to me? But it did, it did happen to me. I sat staring out the window, with a single tear rolling from my eye.
Liam
Everything had changed so drastically for me. The morning after the party, I had a meeting with my agents and bosses. I was quickly traded to the New England Patriots and was kept as a starting quarterback. Everyone congratulated me, told me I was the best in the world, and then proceeded to tell me what companies I would sell product for and what clothing I would be allowed to wear in public. Nikes and Wheaties. That sort of thing. It was life I chose, that much I knew. But it was getting a bit repetitive.
“If I'm the best in the world, why the fuck do I have to pander to these corporations?” I stupidly asked my manager.
“Liam. Baby. You're the best, that's why. Who else would the public listen to? They want to hear what shoes you wear and what cereal you eat. The public trusts you.” He said.
I shook my head with disgust. “Yeah, well, they shouldn't. I'm a hack.” I said. “No one should trust me.”
“Liam, do me a favor?” He asked.
“What?”
“Don't say that shit around anybody else. It's depressing. You're the best we got you know. You need anything, you call me. I'll get you it. Whatever you want. You want girls? Boom, we’ll get you some girls. You want a new house? Easy, here's a fucking house. Most people would kill to be in your position. Remember that. You want to end up on the streets with Cindy?”
I couldn't help but laugh at that last part. “Hell no!” I cried out. I leaned forward, “Look, I get it. I hear you. And you're right too. I need to shape up. I'll figure things out.”
“Take a few days off, go to Mexico or something. You deserve a vacation.” He said.
I took his advice. Only, I didn't go
to Mexico. Nor did I go to Hawaii or anywhere tropical and nice. Instead, I went to Dallas. I retraced my steps from the night of the party. “Laura…” I sighed. She was turning into a fragment of a memory. A document of the end of my career with the Cowboys. But she was so much more to me.
I looked all over for her. I went to her place, but she had sold it. There was a family living there now. They said she moved out west, to Arizona or something. As weird as it sounds, I even searched her name on the Internet. I couldn't find anything on Laura Alvaroy. It was as if she disappeared out of nowhere.
I called her, I texted her. But apparently she had given me the wrong number. Instead of Laura, it was Maria from Wisconsin. The numbers must have got switched up. That or I wrote it down wrong. I was flustered, man. I couldn't believe it. The one woman I find myself into, I lose. I shouldn't have gone to that meeting. They could have waited.
It went on like this for a while. Just beating myself up over bad circumstances. I shouldn't have put so much stock into it, but damn was she fine as hell. Damn did she have an ass. Damn did she exhibit pure beauty. I envisioned myself settling down with her, maybe having a kid or two when the time came. It was crazy thinking for a guy like me. Normally I just wanted sex. Girls with no substance were the picks for me. But now I couldn't think of anyone but her.
So I went back to Boston and found myself over medicating on booze. Sometimes I would stay out all night drinking. They wouldn't fire me, I told myself. I was that good. And it was true. I was still starting quarterback, still throwing enough touchdowns to keep everyone happy.
Still, I wasn't playing like I used to. There wasn't the same energy. Jenkins picked up on it. He called me all the way from California to tell me what the media had been saying about me. I was losing it. This was my last season. People liked to talk.
