What sort of blasphemy am I hearing in my own sacred home?!
What is that hellish noise?!
Why is Niccolo's song sounding right now?!
Someone is pranking me, right?
And it is the song I wrote for him to sing in a drama he starred in as the main character! All my well-written lyrics and heartfelt feelings were wasted with his singing. But orders were orders, I write the song, the producers would take care of everything else. Had I known, I would have produced the song, too!
As I internally grumble about the butchering of my genius song, Heidi takes out her phone and answers a call. The hellish sound stops… Wait a minute! She has Niccolo's song as a ringtone?! What is this sacrilege?! This betrayal… Why not one of my songs? Why his?! Why not one of mine!?
There is 'Slowly', which I wrote for her thinking of slowly wearing her down with my love until she falls.
There is also '100 Dates', which I wrote for her thinking I would confess right after one-hundred dates.
Then, there is my favorite of her 'Promised Land', which… well… full of poetics about, you know… I am a bit ashamed of the song, for desecrating her so in my mind, but I was… needy and dreams would not give me a break. So, after months of careful writing, the song was born. Pun very intended.
I breath in and out to calm down as I rub my brow. I do not think I will ever forget this offence. Heidi Ricci, you really dare to have one of Niccolo's song as ringtone. How could you?! You just said you've been following MY career, watched all my videos, listened to all my songs, and yet you commit this sin! Or is it that you prefer Niccolo instead of me? Are you more of a fan of him than mine?
Ugh, I don't want to think of it anymore.
I see her merrily talking with someone over the phone. I missed the name of the person she is talking to, deep in thought as I was, so I can only wait for her to hang up to continue our conversation. As seconds tick by, I stare at her. She steals a few glances from time to time. If my heart skips a beat whenever our gazes connect, nobody has to know.
Eventually, she hangs up.
"I've to go." She proclaims.
"What, why? We've not finished here." We have not, right?
"I know. Let's meet up again, soon. But I really have to go. New class in the studio." She apologetically says, standing up to go grab her things.
To meet up soon?! Now we are talking! "Leave your clothes. I'll lend you something for today." And then she will have to return to my house and we can spend the night together. Nope, this is not a dastardly plan to lure her to a certain room upstairs. Any room in the ground floor is good, too… I mean, I just want to see her and be done with our conversation!
I rush upstairs without waiting for her answer and pick the first sporty outfit I find in my drawers and give them to her. I also offer myself to take her to the studio.
"… and there was this time I had a soliloquy. I practiced it a hundred times. The lines were basically imprinted in my mind, but the moment I get into stage, everything vanishes, just poofs! So, I'm standing there, looking at the audience, looking at the sides for help, I touch the scenography and just when I sit at the chair, everything comes to my mind." Heidi wildly gestures as we make our way to the studio.
I have to admit that I have never seen her this… enthusiastic before.
Thinking back, except for her birthdays, she never exuded this energy in any other thing. Not school, not while playing, not even with me. But right now, she is not just happy, she is shining. It occurs to me that she never claimed to like something. When asked, she would just shrug.
Perhaps it could be due to her ignorant and youthful mind that could not come up with anything, but even then, everyone spoke about our favorite cartoon, our favorite toy, food, clothes, our favorite person – my first love… anything our impressionable minds could hold onto.
She would also always do what others told her to do, including her parents. It was as if she was their puppet. I never heard her really complain about it, so I always thought she was fine with, or at least, that she did not care.
How wrong I was.
This happening in front of me is what a driven Heidi looks like. A Heidi who finally found her passion; who found what she could enthusiastically talk about; who found what to live for.
I keep saying that she has not changed, but that is not true. She has changed plenty. And between the Heidi from before and the Heidi from now, I have to say I like the one sitting beside me best. Just discovering a new layer, a new depth to her that adds to the image of the girl I fell for fills me with waves upon waves of love towards her.
If I liked her before, now I am smitten.
'Four Seasons' reads in the front of the building which housed the group's studio.
"Heidi, what's with the tick-like person you have behind?"
Nice to meet you, my name is Aldo Greco, the superstar, the number one idol, the tick currently stuck to Heidi's back. Why? The question is, why not? When love ensnares the heart, one wants to spend every second, every millisecond of the day together with their beloved.
Did Heidi complain about my behavior? Yes, the sore spot where she pinched me can attest to that. Did she give up when I did not let go? Of course. Why am I being this audacious and hateful and a complete nuisance? On the way here, I was struck by a thought and wanted to do some… field investigation.
And, as I guessed, even if I trespass a bit the physical boundaries with Heidi, she does not seem to mind. She does some token resistance, but then she acts as if what I do is the most normal thing in the world. This is a groundbreaking discovery for the science of the heart. Most importantly, it is a total win for me!
"He's Aldo, a friend of mine." Heidi simply replies to the person brave enough to ask about my presence in the studio. Now, if only she could start putting more emphasis onto our relationship beyond 'friendship', I would be a happier Aldo.
"Aldo… same Aldo as that day? Then… Then, that means he's... he's..." Yes, lady whose name I do not know, I am that Aldo. Of course, I am not surprise everyone around us caught who I am. Was there any doubt on my first visit? After all, my popularity transcends the borders, worldwide superstar that I am.
"Yes, he's The Greco. I'll go change first to begin with the class. Gimme a moment." Both of us wave to the woman, who, I guess, is the director of the group and head into what I assume are the dressing rooms. All under the flabbergasted, stunned, and some jealous gazes of the already gathered group.
The dressing room has lockers, showers and a couple of benches here and there. It looks pretty much like a sports locker room with the difference being the racks of clothes on the far side of the room. It was a neat place, very clean and orderly…
"Aldo, I don't mind changing in front of you. But, to do it, you first have to let me go." Heidi's voice takes halts my spyin- ahem, my inspection and I quickly let her go. Then, my mind belatedly processes what she just said. Undress?…
My traitorous gaze and head turn to her and I dumbly watch as she begins undressing in front of me.
By everything that's holy! What's with this sudden boldness?!
My breath hitches when the shirt she scavenged from my drawer comes off and uncovers her back. No bra… Under my shirt, she hadn't been wearing a bra… She puts on the tight-fit sleeveless shirt I recently gave her and, yes, there is still no bra. Forgive me father for I've sinned! I stupidly remain there when she pulls down her pants. Before me is her thankfully clothed and perky…
Nosebleed! Nosebleed!
The moment a certain part twitches at the sight, I rush out of the room only to find the member of the group furiously whispering. They stop when they see me come out.
I do not really dislike when people talk about me, it is something I made peace with as I became more and more famous. But I do find it troublesome when they start making speculations about my life, my family and my friends. Oh, well, if something comes out of their mouths that the media conveniently catches, then my lawyers are eager to earn some money.
Ignoring their searching gazes, I choose a spot by the side to sit down and close my eyes. I quickly open them because her half naked figure was somehow - and obviously - etched in my mind, and that was the first thing it decided to flash me with.
I'm doomed. That image won't go so easily in the future.