25. Maddie #2
“I took dance lessons in high school. Not because I wanted to, but because my mom wanted to support our neighbor, who taught dance class, and she thought it would be good for all my energy. I played soccer, but I didn’t want to play basketball during the winter.
Too many friends jammed their fingers, and I didn’t want to hurt my hand when guitar playing was my priority.
And it’s not like we could afford to pay for tennis or some low-contact sport. ”
The timer beeps.
As we sit down for dinner across from each other, the candle in the teacup holder flickering, I feel warm and content.
Hope is blossoming inside me that this can last. It’s so easy between us. When he holds my hand, I feel safe and secure and wanted.
But what if his label insists we break up?
His dream might be at stake. I need to protect myself and remember that this may not last. He’s got a life ahead of him that’s very different from mine—and our two careers still don’t seem compatible.
I can’t be the story. I need to be someone who’s not noticed, who blends in with the crowd.
I also can’t follow him around and attend his concerts. I’m not sure I have enough confidence to listen to all the people doubting our relationship and tearing me down. “She’s trying too hard.” I had looked at a few comments. To be honest, mostly they seemed like unhappy people.
But I also could see why they didn’t think we would last.
“We’re playing a concert on Valentine’s Day, so I can’t spend that evening with you,” Nick says, looking worried.
“That’s okay,” I say. “It’s too expensive to eat out that night anyway, and I like nights like this, eating with you. That’s more important to me.”
“I bought you an early Valentine’s Day gift.” He hands me a wrapped box.
“I don’t have your gift yet…”
“I didn’t expect you have to have one, but I wanted to give you this.”
I unwrap the box, and it’s a pair of sunglasses. Interesting. Is this meant to signal that we’ll still be dating in the summer?
“They’re rearview spy glasses,” he says. “They have a mirror so you can see behind you.”
“That’s so cool.” I put them on, and they work. I practice with Nick standing behind me. I hug him. I’m so happy with this gift.
We go to bed early, as the past few nights are catching up to us. As Nick tucks me into his warm, hard body and his breathing slows, I want to hope that this is the beginning of our life together.
The next morning, Nick’s phone beeps, and he picks it up. His face falls.
“Is the contract public?” I ask.
“No.” He shakes his head. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s clearly not nothing,” I say. “We said we’d be honest with each other.”
“Someone posted something online about you,” he says, clicking his phone off.
“Remember, Iris said to ignore this and that you shouldn’t look at them.
Sayo was upset about it and wanted me to know.
I’ll make a statement that you’re my girlfriend and hurtful things said about you hurt me as much as they do you. And I’ll alert the police.”
The police!?
Let it drop . Iris did say to ignore these things. But his face… It must have been terrible. Why do we need to alert the police?
“Now I’ll probably imagine something that is much worse than it is,” I say.
He shakes his head. “You have to ignore the haters. Just remember, what matters is what’s between us.”
He cradles my face in his hands and kisses me gently. The way he looks at me, I can almost believe that’s all that matters.
“Still, if you have to alert the police, I should see the comment,” I say. “It’s also a matter of safety at this point, if the intruder was a crazy fan.”
“You’re right.” Nick wraps his arms around me and shows me the comment.
She needs to disappear.
Cold ice fills my chest, and I shiver. Is this the same person who invaded my apartment?
Nick hugs me tightly. “I’ll talk to Luca about a bodyguard.”
I let out a choked sound. It was supposed to be a laugh. “I’m not walking around New York City with a bodyguard. I’m not letting them get to me. But I will let the paper’s security know. Maybe the police will be able to track down this comment. This might be a clue to who broke into my apartment.”
“You don’t have to put on a brave front for me,” Nick says, pulling back from the hug to look me in the eye.
“I’m not.”
Nick raises an eyebrow. Mmm. He looks so cute when he does that.
“Maybe a little. But I’m also mad. Ms. or Mr. Anonymous wants to threaten me from the safety of their keyboard.
” I also use my keyboard as my way to fight injustice.
But I put my byline on my articles. I put my name and my reputation on the line, and I keep to the facts in my writing.
“And this really might be a clue that reveals the perpetrator. At least, I hope so.”
She should disappear .
I’m not going to. I will take extra safety precautions, but I’m not hiding.
I tried that for a while in middle school, trying to make myself smaller so that the bullies wouldn’t pick on me, so that I wouldn’t attract their attention.
It doesn’t work. It only made me an easier target.
I will figure out who is responsible for the bribery and these sham repairs.
And I will be a part of Nick’s life for as long as I can.