Cell Phone || Marco Reus

Chapter 15: What He Doesn't Know Won't Hurt Him

Of course, the next day when she's home from work, the train arrives almost twenty minutes late. Hoping for an on-time train this time is too much to ask, apparently. Sara-Maria speeds up as she walks out of the train station. There's only five minutes before the match starts-she's not going to make it. It has rained, but thankfully it has stopped now.

The uneasiness she felt yesterday is not completely gone, but at least there weren't any journalist who came looking for her at the shop today. Although there were a group of Marco's fans, who asked her where he lives, and whether he's great in bed (yes, they did ask that). They refused to take no for an answer and nearly got on her nerves.

In the end Emily said she would call the mall security if they didn't stop harassing Sara-Maria, and that made them leave. Well, not all the fans that come to the shop are that aggressive, to be fair. Some just appear to be curious of how she looks, and then seem baffled when they see that she looks very-normal.

But, well, she can't stop them from coming to the shop, can she? So, that leaves her with her inward I'll get used to it chant. Perhaps one day it'll actually work.

When she approaches her building, there's someone standing close to the stairway. A guy she hasn't seen before. He must be waiting for one of her neighbours, so she makes her way to the stairway. But the guy moves towards her, literally blocking her way.

What the-? Sara-Maria looks at him, feeling puzzled.

"Miss Ritzer?" The guy opens his mouth and speaks. His voice is deep, his gaze intimidating.

"Yes?"

"I'm Bernd Heinzmann from Bild."

Oh God, another journalist? She clutches the strap of her bag tightly. "I'm sorry, but I have nothing to say to you. And it's quite late." It terrifies her to think about how he found out where she lives...

"I apologise for the inconvenience," he says curtly, doesn't sound like he means it. "But I assume you don't want to talk when you're at work."

"I choose not to talk to the media at all. I hope you understand that. Now excuse me," she says, hoping he'll get the hint and moves. But he doesn't.

"Are you sure? Just two, okay, one simple question. How did you and Reus meet?"

Sara-Maria is getting restless. Another person who takes no as an answer; it's the last thing she needs today. "I've made myself clear, Mr Heinzmann. Will you please move?"

He doesn't budge. "That's a very simple question, Miss Ritzer. Do you have anything to hide? Is that why you don't want to answer it?"

"What? No."

"Then give me an answer. It's just a question."

The determination in his voice gives her chills. She doesn't like it. What do people do in a situation like this? She doesn't want to make a scene, but she doesn't know how to slip away from him, since it's apparent that he's not going to let her pass without answering the stupid question.

Like an answer from above, a person-a guy-comes, walking towards them. Heinzmann turns to look at him, and Sara-Maria uses the chance to walk past him, climbing the stairs, before he has a chance to react. She dashes up the stairway, almost thinks that she makes it, when the heel of her boot steps on the edge of the slippery, wet stair and she slips. A pained cry leaves her lips as she falls down the stairs, bumping her head on the stone step.

~*~

She stays conscious the entire time, but everything seems like a blurry mess; like a faded picture from an old television. Sara-Maria can't remember much of the trip to the hospital. She just knows that her head hurts like hell, her glasses broke, and there is blood on her face. Apparently Heinzmann drives her there. She sort of hears him mumble things that sound like apologies on the short journey to the hospital, but she can't recall what they are.