GOLDWING (ing version)

chapter 29

"To love, you need courage."- Nairobi, La Casa de Papel.

London, August 30. Day 3 --->> Day 5. D Day.

The last 2 days were crazy. They were those days when you get up at 6 in the morning and don't sleep until 4 the next day. The commitments were many, and so were the responsibilities. I lost count of how many interviews we gave, how many hours of rehearsal we had, and all the planning we had to agree on. Although they made a mistake in the measurements of Vic's clothes, the people we worked with were excellent professionals.

But even though there was so much work and pressure, it was all worth it, because the big day arrived. The day that we have been preparing tirelessly for the last days, the last weeks, the moment that 2 people dreamed about and discussed 2 years ago in a nightclub bathroom.That day started at the same time as always: 6 in the morning. With the lights all on, the seats marked and the instruments set up, the last rehearsal was the most realistic we had had so far. By then there were fans outside the arena, who gave us lots of love and affection after we left the rehearsal. I could feel Vic getting nervous with each passing moment, which also made me nervous. I knew she hadn't been the same since her relapse a few days ago. Anyone could see her face of frustration and defeat in the dark circles under her eyes.

Time seems like an eternity when we are nervous. Seconds seem like minutes, hours seem like days. And in those long hours, I ate everything they forced me to eat to stay energized, I attended to fans outside the arena, had long conversations with the rest of the group, ran out of cigarettes because they were forbidden in the arena, made the dressing room couch into a bed, and sat on a chair surrounded by makeup. It didn't hit me until I saw our clothes, hanging in a long garment. First works of art by her newest fashion student, Vic de Angelis. Despite her exaggerations, Victoria when she designs makes simple, stylish things. Each of us had the same outfit: a baggy pair of pants and a blazer with feathers on the sleeves, only in different colors. Me, in white, Vic in black - like the black swan and the white swan, she loves that - Thomas in dark green, and Ethan in lilac.

At this point, there were only 2 hours left before the concert. The doors opened in a few minutes, and we could feel it through the noise outside the arena, which had multiplied in the last few moments. My heart was racing, I could feel my heartbeat in my temples, but I was happy at the top of my voice. Vic was fine, at least better than before. After the tranquilizers I gave her, she was much calmer. We were both already dressed, looking out over a balcony to the outside through those glasses that are dark on the outside and clear on the inside, she playing on her phone, and I was distracted by a crossword puzzle game. When I looked at her after a while concentrating on a certain clue, I noticed that a silent tear had run down her cheek.

"It's from joy Dam, don't worry," she said when she noticed my gaze locked on her cheek.

That giant line in the sun reminded me of the time we both went to a Green Day concert in Turin. Vic was 17 at the time, and could only go accompanied by an adult and that she forced me to go with her on our last day of school. 50,000 people sitting on the hot tar without any conditions but very happy. We were always singing, shouting jokes. It's crazy to think that we were once in the place of those people and that now, we are on the other side.

In the last few minutes, I closed my eyes and thought about so much. After so much confusion and effort, I was getting ready to play in a historic concert hall. After being stupid 2 years ago, I regained the opportunity to be in such a place. And I also remembered why I had canceled the first time. It's so crazy to look at how things are now. For some reason, I was reminded of me and Vic in my hotel room on my wedding day. I knew I wished for other moments like that, but I was constantly denying that to myself. I was ignorant of how I felt about her, but at times, it seemed impossible. When Leo found out everything, he told me "Follow what your heart wants, but don't be an idiot.", a phrase I have never forgotten to this day. Maybe, one day, I could tell her that.I know that the next thing I knew, there were 5 minutes to go, and we were all doing our ritual before going on stage, which consists of hugging each other and talking about good things. The rest... the rest is history.

After the show was over, I felt like I was in another reality. As soon as I saw her, I gave her a long, strong hug, close enough to feel her sweat on my chest. There were no words to describe what I was feeling at that moment. Very, very proud.In different dressing rooms, I knocked on the door of dressing room 4 just as I was about to take a shower. Victoria was there, removing her makeup with absorbent cotton soaked in her favorite makeup remover, with the shadow of her silhouette projected in the small yellowish light on the gray wall. Her tanned skin contrasted with her white underwear, her corset clinging to her waist.

VICTORIA'S POV

There he was, walking into my dressing room, shirtless. His hair, still with a bit of gel, was starting to form little waves, and his makeup was melting down his face. The color of his eyes looked greener than ever, and his skin had never been so tanned. "He's thinking we're going to do what we're going to do, right?" I thought to myself. And the moment he stroked my cheek and gave me a gentle kiss, I knew I was right. I hadn't been touched by someone in months, he had been one of the only people who had touched me. I longed to feel loved, and wanted, and I felt all that when I was only with a person.
I watched him untie the strings of my corset, my chest exploding inside it with each breath I took. His hands were on my hips, slowly moving down to my parts. Secret Door by Arctic Monkeys in the background. His smell of Gucci Mémoire and tobacco smoke. My gasping breath against his chest amid moans. His voice in my ear. A view of a medium-sized window covered by a slightly transparent curtain. I surrendered to him. We were surrendered to each other.