Second Chance (Julián Álvarez)

Chapter 9

Having to avoid Julián the next few days felt like torture to Natalia. She wanted to see him but knew she had to stay with Freddie. He looked...devastated. She found him looking at her a few times in a way she didn't understand. Like he was surprised she was still there.

But then it was time for her event and for the first time in days, Freddie seemed to be back to how he always was. He had a bouquet of beautiful flowers sent to her at work like he had every time she had an event of this type. He knew how nervous she got and how any small gesture helped her. He loved her, of that she had no doubts. And he was hurting because of her. The guilt was really too hard to bear.

Back home she picked up the two dresses she had bought for that day. One was a beautiful olive green knee-length dress with some mesh detailing. The other was a more conservative burgundy long-sleeved one. She loved wearing burgundy because Freddie loved how that colour looked on her.

But then a memory came back to her mind. One of ten years ago.

"What is that you're wearing?, asked Julián.

"My mum's jacket. I took it without her noticing", she laughed.

"That colour looks good on you".

He had never talked about her physical appearance. Almost as if that was a forbidden topic. She often joked about how he was so tiny she was going to be taller than him but that was it. No more comments. If he found her pretty, he never said it. And she never allowed herself to tell him how handsome she thought he was.

The green dress...it was the same colour as that jacket. So she chose it for the night.

She put her hair in a braid that she rolled into a bun, leaving some pieces of hair out to frame her face.

Her make-up was simple, as usual. Some mascara, a very natural pink shade for her blush and then pink lipstick. But when she looked at herself in the mirror, she wiped the lip product and picked a red liquid lipstick to apply. Yes, it was then that she felt ready for a night that she didn't know how it would end.

**

"Are you ok, Julián? You seem very agitated", asked Laura while they were driving to the event.

"Leave him. It's complicated", added Rodri, trying to help but not achieving it.

"What is?"

"I'm just nervous about tonight".

"Because of Natalia? I'm sure she'll do great. And she got her biggest fan there".

Her wink didn't make him feel good as she expected.

"Yes, her boyfriend".

"Oh, are you official?"

"Laura, you're messing up, love", said Rodri, shaking his head.

"I'm not the boyfriend".

"Oh".

"Yeah, it's a long and complicated story".

"Well, we still have a while on the road until we get there. Care to inform me so I don't ridicule myself again?"

And so they told her the whole story. And by the time Julián finished talking, her heart ached for him.

**

"You look gorg!!!", screamed Rose while embracing Natalia. "Oh my God, look at you! Voice of an angel and you look like one too".

Natalia blushed at her words.

"Here comes the cheerleader squad!", announced Sheila when she entered the backstage, alongside Freddie.