“Leo’s here,” he says with a soft sigh, looking down at his phone. He said it's the most challenging part of moving to London, being away from his boyfriend, but he says absence makes the heart grow fonder. I’m grateful to have him as a flatmate, even more so with Char gone, and it’s been nice not going home to an empty flat. When I’m in bed, I fight the urge to message Nathan. I mean, it’s not like he said no contact, but he’s the one who wanted space, time, or whatever.
I rummage in my bag in search of my phone. I have three notifications, but the one that gets my heart pounding in my ears is the unexpected one from Nathan.
Muscles: Break a leg, Tink x
My breath catches in my throat.
“You okay, sweetness?” Wayne asks, leaning over no doubt to see what has me all discombobulated. “Oh. Well, at least you know he’s thinking of you.”
I sniff, forcing back the urge to cry over a stupid fucking text. Besides, Lana will kick my hide if I mess up my makeup.
Swiping out of his message, I see one from my mum and Charlotte, both letting me know they’re here. I quickly reply before going back to Nathan's text.
Me: Thanks x
Not the most eloquent of responses, but it's a start. “You ready, sweetness?”
“Yeah, just nervous,” I admit, dropping my phone back in my bag and pushing to my feet. He wraps me in his arms and spins me in a small circle, his energy palpable.
“Same, girl, same.”
* * *
All the nerves evaporated the moment I stepped out onto the stage, just like they always do, caught up in the euphoria of it all. Being in the West End was on a whole other level than anything else I’ve ever experienced. My parents, along with Ethan and Char, were front row and centre, and all gave standing ovations at the end.
But my first thought wasn’t how Max should have been here—which, of course, he should—but that I wish Nathan were, and I don’t know how to deal with that because Max was always my biggest supporter. He listened to me growing up, telling him how one day it would be me up there on stage.
A wave of guilt crashes into me once we’re backstage, but I don’t have time to dwell on it, as everyone buzzes from our performance.
A few of the cast are off to celebrate, but the rest of us are seeing significant others or friends and family.
Leo hugs Wayne as soon as we leave through the back door, already waiting on him before he kisses him hard, bringing a blush to my cheeks, hot damn.
“Leo,” Wayne says breathlessly, as he wraps his arm around his waist. “You finally get to meet the one and only Violet in person.”
He lets go of Wayne and pulls me in for a bear hug. “Finally,” he says, kissing me on each cheek. I’ve talked to him so much when they FaceTime with one another, it’s good to see him in person.
“You were both amazing,” he gushes, stepping back and reaching for Wayne's hand.
“Thank you,” we both reply in unison.
“There’s my girl.” I spin around to see my dad looking the proudest I’ve ever seen him. Opening his arms wide, he envelopes me in a hug when I walk straight into him.
“Max would have been so proud,” he whispers, and that's all it takes for the tears to fall.
“Let me at her,” my mum says. “Come here.”
She rubs my back softly as I breathe her in, her signature fragrance that is all Mum.
“You were phenomenal, love. We’re so bloody proud of you.”
When I pull back, I look into her eyes and smile, so similar to Max’s. “Do you think he was watching?”
Wiping my tears with the pads of her thumbs, she nods. “Yes, baby, I do.”
She pulls me in for another hug. For the first time in a long time, I no longer feel like I’m competing with a ghost.
“Okay, my turn already,” Char says, opening her arms for me. “You did it.”
