Games People Play

Chapter 1|| GPP

Xiomara Hendrix
(zee (o)-ma-ra)

As a PR manager for the Reggae Boys. I thought I would be breaking the bank.

Truth is the budget in my department is so tight, there were months that they asked players to behave because they couldn't afford to pay me for my services.

I love my job, and I'm good at it but it doesn't pay me enough for the shit I have to read and cover up about these lying, cheating ass men. I deal with their scandals to protect the 'Reggae Boys' brand and everything else too planning and organizing events. All of it.

I'm a saver and I'm able to pick through my money but sometimes I have to find what's not there.

Right now things are a little hard on me because my boyfriend Dominique isn't working so he's depending on my cash flow. The income I make is to pay the bills, and supports us until he gets on his feet.

Two years ago we met at UTECH where he got a degree in Sports Science. We instantly clicked and started dating.

Funny enough he got me this job, the coach of the team Ron used to be his coach back in high school, so he put in a good word for me with the office's HR department.

He doesn't play football anymore because he has an heart condition. Doctor's advised him that it was risky so he stepped away from the sport. He still kept in contact with Ron throughout the years.

⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️

I'm in my office going through my email, there must have been twenty emails, sixteen of which are from Nora  my annoying boss and another email  that drags my attention.

From: Scoop4you@gmail.com

'I have a sextape with Romelou Shaqiri, footballer from the Reggae Boys it's quite interesting. In 48 hours the video will be released.'

In my six months here, I've cleared many scandals. Nothing like this. I've never dealt with this kind of issue before.

What's the best way to approach this?

I quickly dial my secretary at her desk "Good morning Xiomara, how may I be of help to you?" she said, acting professional.

"Morning Solange, can you get in touch with Romelou Shaqiri, I need him in my office ASAP."

"They're in training right now, I'd say that would be impossible."

"What time is training finished?"

"I'm not sure, I'll find out and get back to you."

After about five minutes Solange came in the office.

"A wah now?" she sat in the chair across from me.

"Mi not even know if me can share dah one here, it too...." I trailed off.  "Mi not even know wah fi seh. Mi nuh wah seh nothing and anuh true."

Solange and I hold all the power here, the things we know about these players can ruin their lives.

"A coulda wah suh, him get somebody pregnant?"

"It betta if a did dat to rass, promise me yuh naah seh nothing to nobody."

"When mi eva tell nobody anything weh we discuss in here?"  She shook her head.

I turn the laptop so she could read the email.

"Bomboclat!  Yuh get the video?"

"No video, just the email, mi not even aguh kill up miself. Suppose dem naav nuh video and a bluff?"

I'm not stressing myself over this. I'll do what I can but I'm not worrying myself over it too much.

"Suppose dem have one? Mi nuh envy your job one bit right now. Weh yaah guh duh?" she asks.

"Mi nuh know. Why dem even a send this to me inna the first place?"

"You are the PR person" she states the obvious.

There was a knock on the door, it was Dominique. My boyfriend.

"What a surprise, yuh neva tell me yaah come up here." I say to him, before turning the laptop.

I make my over to give him a kiss. "Mi aguh back outta mi desk." Solange states. "we affi pick this up lata" she continues.

"Most definitely...wait." I stopped her "yuh neva tell me wah time dem a finish train."

"Oh, around 6:30pm." I don't want to be here that long. I'm done working at 5:00. "What time are you leaving tonight?"

"I'm backed up on some stuff, I might leave at like 8:00"

"Arite" she left, closing the door behind her.

"Mi bring yuh some lunch" Dominique hands me a plate of food. "Thank you, how was job hunting today?" I get straight to it. He's been job hunting forever.

"Mi have a interview tomorrow, mi nuh kno if mi aguh get it though."

"Yuh betta get it. Mi caah duh everything by miself no more Dominique. Yuh see how hard mi a work?"

"Yuh tink mi can duh no betta right now." He hissed."A fifty grand mi a look fi borrow till Friday."

"Fifty wah?" I started choking on my lunch.

"Just till Friday baby, mi aguh gi yuh back." he wants to borrow it from me?

I started getting angry, "yuh naav nuh work. Today a Wednesday, weh the hell yah guh get that fi gi mi back inna the space a two days?"

"Just trust me." Something about when men say trust them makes me want to do the opposite.

"I'll think about it." I'm not, I can't touch my savings unless I absolutely need to. He knows that I'm saving towards something important too.

"Yaah fi think bout fi gi yuh man money fi borrow. If a did me yuh get it inna heartbeat."

"Dominique, two years we deh. The only thing yuh eva buy me is a bed slippers. Ever since me can remember I've always given you everything with nothing in return. Suh don't talk bout inna heartbeat." This man got me out of character in the people establishment.

"Yuh kno wah, mi done. Wen mi reach back at mi apartment mi nuh waah see yuh. Pack up yuh tings before mi reach and gwaan." I tell him.

"Fuck you Xi."

"Fuck you Dominique" I fired back. "Come out a mi office. We done." he hissed, then left.

This has become a habitually thing for us, we argue, then make up.

My whole life I prayed never make cocky make me weak in the knees. Look at me now. Dominique just blessed and I love him but, sometimes him get pon top of my nerves.