It was 2:42 AM.
The movie had ended. The static hum of the TV filled the room. Most of the band was dead asleep — Gustav snoring on a beanbag, Nina wrapped up in a sleeping bag burrito, Bill knocked out with eyeliner still smudged under his eyes.
Tom and Isadora were still half-awake, tucked into a shared blanket near the back hallway. The house was quiet… until voices drifted in from the next room.
> “Wait… are they actually gonna do it?”
“Yeah. Label’s setting it up already. A whole North America stretch. End of fall. Phantom and Tokio. But…”
A pause.
> “Only one act gets the spotlight. The rest is backup.”
It was Georg talking to Matheus. And they weren’t supposed to hear it.
Tom’s face tightened. He gently turned the volume down on the TV. Isadora’s eyes locked on his.
> “Did you know?” she whispered.
He shook his head.
> “No. Nobody told me anything yet.”
The voice continued:
> “And if Phantom Youth doesn’t hit their numbers by then… they’re dropping ‘em from the U.S. lineup completely.”
Isadora sat up fast, her heart thudding.
> “That’s why the managers have been so uptight lately,” she muttered. “That’s why they’ve been pushing all these rehearsals. The pressure. The hiding. All of it.”
Tom ran a hand through his dreads, clearly rattled.
> “I thought we were all going on this tour together. No cuts. No ranking.”
> “Welcome to the industry,” she said bitterly. “Turns out we're all just one chart position away from getting erased.”
The tension sat between them like a thick fog.
---
🌧️ Scene Three: Midnight Decisions
They went outside again, needing air.
The porch was silent except for a light drizzle starting to fall. The street was empty, stars hiding behind clouds.
> “If they cut your band…” Tom said slowly, “I’m not going.”
> “Don’t be stupid,” she said. “You have to.”
> “No. I’m serious.”
She turned to face him, eyes wild.
> “You’d throw away your chance? For me?”
> “I’m not throwing anything away. I’m choosing what matters more.”
Isadora looked away, eyes shining.
> “You’re an idiot,” she whispered.
> “Yeah, well,” he said, brushing his thumb across her cheek, “I’m your idiot.”
They kissed — not like a fairytale this time. This one was real. Heavy. Honest. Like two kids learning how fast things could change.
---
YOU ARE READING
"Strings Between Us
Romance2004. Germany. Tom Kaulitz is used to getting what he wants - the stage, the crowd, the girls. As Tokio Hotel begins to rise, so does his ego... until she shows up. She's the Brazilian guitarist in a rival band - quiet, sharp-tongued, and completely...
