La Vie En Rose |MÅNESKIN|

Chapter 22

2021, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Thomas looked surprised, he had not expected to see Michelle in that corridor, and it was even more unexpected that she wanted to talk to him.

"It's okay if you don't want to, I understand." It was typical from Michelle, she was understanding, she would never force anyone to do anything.
"No, no. I want to talk. My room or yours?" He saw her hesitate, and he understood why immediately. "He won't be here; I share my suite with Ethan. Vic share hers with Damiano."

The guitarist held out his hand for her to take it, they used to do it a lot during Elle's time in Rome, especially when she was nervous. They went to his room, which was only a couple of rooms apart from the brunette's one, they heard voices as they walked in, it was Victoria's and Ethan's. Thomas said something quickly to his bandmates before joining Elle on the bedroom, she was standing in front of the window while he sat on the bed.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left like that, I'm sorry I never called, I just... Those past months have been like a ride in hell. I..." She was not sure that it was a good idea to tell him, but she did anyway, because she did not want to hide things from him. "After what Damiano did, I fell back into my old habits, I barely got out of my room, barely talked to Clara, barely ate. She thought she was going to lose me, and I thought as well that I might end it. My dad came back to Paris in February of last year, he didn't like my song, obviously, he beat the shit out of me, again, but this time I ended up in the hospital because I was weak, and my body couldn't take it. It was a very hard time of my life, being cheated on, thinking of killing myself, almost being killed by my father. Then I got selected for Eurovision France, and it seemed like my life was starting again, I won, and I finally had hopes again. The day you won Sanremo, my aunt died, I had not talked to her in more than a year, but it broke me because she was the one who made me who I am today, she raised me when no one cared about me. Damiano broke my heart when he cheated on me, Thomas, and just thinking about him, makes me want to cry. That's why I never called, because I can't bear hearing about him, and talking to you guys, meant hearing of him."

The brown-haired singer was shaking, but for once she was not crying, she was proud of herself. She jumped a little when Thomas hugged her from behind, but she turned around and hugged him back. Her friend had always been taller than her, but now she looked like a dwarf from the Lord of the Rings compared to him, which made them laugh when she said that out loud.

"How did you survive this? You're just a child." Michelle hit his arm with an offended look, he did not just say that did he?
"You're only five months older than me, Thomy!" She stopped laughing, and looked at his face, she had missed him, she had missed her best friend. "I survived because Clara never let me down, I clearly wouldn't be alive today without her."
"I wish I were here for you, Elle. I should have called, or..." She interrupted him with a smile, she knew he would feel guilty, it was how Thomas was.
"You couldn't, even if you tried, I wouldn't have let you help me. I was too deep into that depressive state, even Clara couldn't help me, until it was too late. I tried to kill myself a few months after my dad came back, Clara found me on the bathroom floor, there was blood everywhere apparently, I don't remember anything of that day."

There was a gasp behind them, and the song of a glass breaking on the carpet, Elle looked up and saw Damiano, who looked like he had saw a ghost. She could see the guilt in his eyes, and it made her want to cry, because he was not responsible of her mental illnesses. Damiano was not responsible of her anxiety, nor of her eating disorders, or of her depression. He left the room without a word, she turned to Thomas who pointed out the door with his chin, implying her to follow him. The brunette left the room, quicky and caught her ex-boyfriend's arm before he walked into the staircase.

"Damiano, listen to me." She was begging him, he had to listen to her, because he was not guilty.
"It's my fault, you almost killed yourself because of me." He was on the verge of tears, and she could not stand that picture.
"No, no, you are not responsible Dami." Michelle stroked his cheek with her thumb, she had not planned to get that close with him today, nor to talk to him, or call him by his nickname, but there she was. "I've been struggling with my mental health for years, and you know it. Dami. Don't blame yourself because I don't blame you. You saved me in more ways than you can imagine."
"If I didn't cheat on you, you wouldn't..." She wanted to kiss him to made him shut up, but she could not.
"You can't know, none of us can know what could or would have happened. It was not your fault, it was my dad's one, and mine, not yours. Look at me, please." Their eyes finally met, both of them were almost crying, he looked so worried, it made her heart melt. "Please, Dami, don't think your responsible of anything, I don't want to ruin your Eurovision journey."
"Clara thinks I'll ruin yours." She smiled sadly; she might be right.
"Clara acts like an overprotective mamma bear. But that's only because she's scared that I might do something stupid again. You don't have to worry; she doesn't think half of the things she says."
"Look, Michelle, I'm really sorry for what I've done, I don't ask you to forgive me because that's unforgivable, but please, don't push Vic and the boys away, they don't deserve it." At least, now she knew that he really regretted what happened.
"I know, I just needed time, I'll talk to them, I promise. Look, I'm still angry, and hurt, but I don't want to fight with you while we're here. Being here is my dream, but I know it's yours too, let's just focus on the music, alright?" It was another stupid idea, but it did not feel like it, Michelle felt better now that she had talked to Thomas and Damiano. "I've got to go, Clara is really an overprotective mamma bear and she'll freak out if I'm gone for too long, I'll see you around, Damiano."
"See you, Michelle."

She kissed his cheek and left once again, but this time, they knew that they would see each other again. Michelle's and Damiano's relationship would never be what it once was, but maybe they could work on being friends again, maybe this would get better after all.

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Hum... hi?
I'd like to say that the emotional chapters are done but they're really not... sorry babes
Also! Who ships Michiano? (Michelle & Damiano), and do you ship anyone else in that story? Because I know storyofjade ships Vic and Clara, and I do as well
XoXo