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“Yeah. Very.” He nods his head, lowering it slightly.
I put my purse on the table, then turn back to him as he hesitates to say something. “Val, look, about yesterday,” he begins, “You need to stop stressing yourself so much. When Isaid that you would have to do more, I didn’t mean that much. If you need help, you can tell me, I won’t—”
“That wasn’t why it happened yesterday, Oliver. I was stressed through work, but that was only an addition to what was happening,” I interrupt him to clarify.
“Your mom told me about the whole broken hand incident that happened, that was why you were late that day,” he points out. I stop, letting him continue. “You could’ve told me that you couldn’t come, I wouldn’t have forced you, especially in that situation.”
“I know, I just panicked, okay. I came because I panicked, I didn’t know what to do, and it seemed like if I didn’t come, I would lose it all. This is important to me, Oliver. It is a privilege I never would’ve gotten, and probably never would’ve accepted. That is why I try to do everything to keep it. Because I need it,” I confess.
He stops now, pursing his lips. “When you are stressed, tell me. The only thing I can’t take off you is song writing and creating, but I can help with anything else. You might need this career, but you need to be alright first.”
I sit down on my chair, nodding my head. The weight in my chest is lost, making my body relax a bit. But I push it away, changing the topic. “Now, sit down, we have to talk about the last trip details,” I tell him. He doesn’t come at first, still stuck on the last topic. “Come on. If I keep thinking about it, it’ll feel worse. I’d rather change the topic, and we still have things we need to discuss. Like, did you talk to your wife about coming?” I mention.
He finally approaches the table and sits down. He takes a deep breath before continuing, “Yeah, I did, and she accepted the suggestion. I don’t think we’ll need anyone more since one of your winner’s is over eighteen, and one is close enough. As for Ellie and Elaina, if they go, Ellie is under your protection,and Eliana just needs a waiver. Alora can take care of them every now and then, and she’ll be there if anything happens.” he explains.
“Great.” I smile, continuing on the details. But his words, his expression, stay imprinted in my mind. Because he cares. More than I thought he did. And it makes me feel so much better.
Chapter 54 – Trentuno
Lorenzo
Today, Elias and I decide to skip again and walk around. It’s not like Roland is giving us much time to hang out, so we make our own time. Even if that’s disregarding school time.
The café next to the school doesn’t have a great variety of options, but their drinks aren’t that bad. Elias and I could’ve walked a bit further to another café, but we decided to stay close to the school. So, we sit in a quite large café, considering it’s not known or branded. All the chairs and tables are white, and the decorations are a mix of purple and gray. The walls are decorated with waves of purple and silver paint, and each table has a vase of purple flowers in the middle. It surprises me the effort they put in these cafes.
“So, when are you leaving?” Elias asks me, drinking his smoothie.
“January 11th, but, like, very early in the morning, so I’m leaving for the airport the night before,” I explain, and he nods his head.
“That’s good. At least there’s still a month left before you disappear for another three years,” he jokes, and I smile. But a needle pokes my heart. Three years. I wish it would only be threeyears. After this month, all these small hang outs with Elias, the showing up at Val’s door, all of it will be gone. For a long time. Too long.
I try snapping out of the thought and back to reality. “So, you said you wanted to tell me something,” I remind him, and Elias straightens in his chair.
“Yes, I do. It’s about Violet,” he says, and now I straighten in my chair, as well. “It’s not something bad, don’t worry,” he assures me, giving me a small bit of relief.
I take a sip from the orange drink in front of me. “Okay, go ahead,” I tell him.
“I know her secret. Well, both of your secrets,” he says, and I turn my head at him, a sense of panic growing inside me.
“Which one?”
“That Violet and Valentina are the same person,” he says, and I let out a long breath of relief.
“Thank God, I—” I stop when I realized what he said. “Wait, you know that?” I widen my eyes at him. He purses his lips, nodding. I thought I kept that secret well hidden. I mean, I never called her Val in front of him, which took some effort.
I lean in on the table. “Please don’t say it’s my fault,” I plead. I don’t need to be another reason for Val’s life is harder.
“No don’t worry. She kept one of her lyric sheets on her desk before the concert. I guessed the rest,” he explains. She wasn’t sleeping well at the time. That’s probably why she left it there, by accident. Oh my God, she will never let this go if she knew.
“Why are you smart? Be blind. That’s literally all I’m asking for.”
He laughs at my words, taking a sip of his drink. He’s known since the concert. Wait, so he’s probably guessed Aurora might be one of the winners.
I really hope he doesn’t tell her. One of the winners knowing is enough. “I won’t tell anyone, don’t worry. Not even Violet. Idon’t want to ruin any of her plans,” he assures, as if reading my thoughts.
Well, at least we both want the same thing.
Chapter 55 – Trenta
