Naomi was sitting on a high stool at the theater bar, waiting for her sister and the others to join her.
For the first time since that strange adventure had begun, she felt disoriented: it was a moment when everything seemed over and she was preparing to leave, leaving behind the magical sensations she had just experienced.
What would happen in a few hours? Would they leave as Belinda had planned, as if nothing had happened? And would she never see Bill again? And Tom?
She bit her lip and sighed. She didn't understand what was happening, not only to Belinda, but also to herself.
She had adored Bill for two years, talking to his "hologram" in sad moments, listening to his voice, contemplating his face in posters, newspapers, and the internet. She had had very heated arguments with some of her friends because they criticized him for both his eccentric look and his uncommercial music. Once he'd even gotten into a fight with a girl to defend his opinion... And now he didn't know what he felt anymore. He'd jokingly warned his sister to stay away from him, but he'd felt a strange pang of jealousy when Tom had shown a deep interest in Belinda. He'd even called her a nickname.
Then, that evening, something strange had invaded her, and she'd looked at Bill differently, too. On stage, the whole time, she'd stared at Tom's black braids moving to the beat, his hands playing the guitar, and that unrepentant look he displayed at every opportunity. Not even Bill's voice had managed to penetrate the strange condensation that enveloped her.
She'd felt nothing when the singer had leaned in for a kiss from the robot, who she didn't even know was Belinda. In fact, she'd been happy with that emotionally charged scene, and even happier knowing that Tom wasn't the recipient of those attentions.
She'd felt the need to drag him away from the dressing room when he seemed intent on asserting his ownership over her sister... Could she possibly like him?
No, it wasn't possible! Even though they were twins and had the same face, it was Bill who enchanted her, with his eyes, his enigmatic smile, and those fantastic tricks he displayed on stage.
But Tom... what the hell did that presumptuous, annoying, sloppy guitarist have to torment her like this?
He left his ham sandwich almost untouched and turned to watch Annalisa sipping an iced tea while changing songs on her iPod.
He turned, at the sound of footsteps behind him, and saw the band without Bill; after changing, the boys were putting their instruments back in their cases.
His gaze followed Tom's indolent walk as, wearing a long, loose-fitting white T-shirt, he polished his guitar before delicately putting it back in its place.
As if sensing her gaze, he looked up and saw her. He motioned her closer and, before closing the case, showed it to her.
"It's beautiful," the girl murmured, running a finger over the polished case. "How do you feel when you play, Tom?"
He stared at her for a few moments in silence before answering.
"For me, it's a relief valve. When you're alone and don't know who to confide your problems to, music lets you release them with the rhythm of plucked notes on the strings."
"It must be beautiful," Naomi whispered dreamily, withdrawing her hand.
"How is it possible that with a musician in the house, you know nothing about music?" he asked, perplexed.
Naomi sat on the floor, next to the case. "You see, I was born four years after Linda, but it was as if she were light years ahead. She was a child always busy, always lost in her dreams, and she didn't stop until she achieved them." She smiled, thinking of her sister who continued to practice musical scales until late at night, until she was satisfied. "She was always very protective of me, and I was so satisfied being the center of her attention that I didn't think I had to commit to anything. I was loved for who I was. For example: I wanted a little song to fall asleep to? And she obliged. I wanted her to play for my friends? And she did. Like you said, if she was perfect, why did I have to waste my time?"
"And what were you doing in the meantime?"
"Oh, what all pampered girls do: I listened to music, studied, bought useless but super cool things, and stamped my feet to go hear her sing." She laughed bitterly and looked up at him. "Maybe you think I'm stupid, but I'm not lazy or self-centered. I've never asked for anything from life, I just want to be with my family, who has always adored me and made me feel safe… And I wasn't prepared for the tragedy of last year, which almost took Linda away from us. It was a terrible time."
"And how are you doing now?" he asked thoughtfully, instinctively taking her hand in his.
"Linda has recovered, because she's a born fighter, and I had you and your music to support me. You have no idea how much strength your songs have given me."
"That's really beautiful, what you said, thank you! In fact, that's what I hope emerges from our work. I want to touch people's hearts," he confided, caressing her cheek.
Naomi let herself be lulled by the sensation his closeness was giving her; after a moment, she shook her head and stood up, allowing him to close the guitar case and place it on the cart carrying the other instruments.
"You shouldn't feel inferior to Bel just because you're not a musician. I think you experience music in your own way, but you certainly have other talents," he consoled her. "And then there's the love you feel for others... It shows in the affection you have for your sister."
The girl grimaced. "She thinks I wanted to follow her to the concert, but I didn't know anything about the tour. I... I was afraid I'd never see her again," she admitted with tears in her eyes.
"I don't know the story, but it doesn't seem like Bel is suicidal." Tom looked at her doubtfully.
"No, it's not that." She spread her arms disconsolately. "Ugh, I'm making a huge fuss, and I'm afraid she won't want to take me to Potsdam anymore and will send me home tomorrow!"
"I doubt you'll leave tomorrow."
She stared at him, her eyes wide.
"You don't know how stubborn Linda is. If she's decided to leave tomorrow, you can bet she will." She tapped her chin hesitantly. "You think I don't want to leave because of you?"
Tom laughed bitterly.
"I really don't think it's my fault, although I'd be flattered. Bel makes me feel alive, but it irritates me when she acts like a know-it-all."
"So what's the reason, excuse me?"
"You saw tonight's performance, right?" He pointed to the stage. "Do you think that after the success achieved and the bond created up there, André will let his muse go?"
"But you can replace the dancer, right?" she asked, surprised.
"Someone else who makes Bill perform at his best, like that? Wake up! Don't you understand what's happening?"
He took her gently by the shoulders and gave her a gentle shake.
"Those two are attracted to each other like magnets and they haven't figured it out yet!"
Naomi absorbed those words and waited for a pang to hit her heart, but nothing happened. Nothing, not even a small pang.
Was this the end, she wondered disappointedly, of that magical attraction she'd felt for Bill all that time?
Tom studied her, waiting for her reaction, but when he realized there wouldn't be any crisis, he smiled. "Are you okay, little girl?" he asked quietly.
"Yes, everything's okay," he sighed and let her head rest against his chest.
They remained there for a few minutes, without speaking or moving. Tom rested his chin on her hair, breathing in the delicate vanilla scent, and she listened to her heartbeat.
The sound of footsteps behind them startled them. Naomi straightened and looked at him, blushing, fearing she'd gotten too close, but she received a pat on the cheek and a kiss on the forehead.
Belinda arrived at that moment and stopped dead in her tracks: she looked first at her sister and then at Tom, unsure how to interpret what she'd just seen.
Naomi's face was a little red, and Belinda felt guilty, fearing her sister had noticed what was happening with Bill and was suffering.
She remained still, unsure of what to do.
Meanwhile, Annalisa and the rest of the band joined her, including Bill, who didn't seem inclined to make things easy for her. In fact, he continued to stare at her with a satisfied smile.
Belinda was tempted to kick him on the ankle to wipe away that grin, but she was also very tempted to kiss him... Damn him!
Naomi approached the frontman, took the pass from around her neck, and handed it to him. "Thank you, it was a wonderful evening. You gave us a beautiful gift."
Bill took her hand and placed the cross in her palm, smiling.
"Thank you! Without your magic, little Tinker Bell, none of this would have happened."
He leaned down and hugged her tightly for a long moment.
Naomi was moved, and her eyes became teary. She was overwhelmed by very strong emotions, both from having had the opportunity to meet and talk to Bill in person, and from all the sensations she had experienced during the concert. And now, sadly, the time had come to say goodbye.
"Oh, stop it, or I'll start crying like a fountain," he scoffed, fanning himself with his hand. "It's bad enough to say goodbye... This makes me feel even worse!"
"Why goodbye?" the boy asked, puzzled.
"Maybe because we're leaving for Potsdam tomorrow morning?" Annalisa quipped. "After all, that's why we came to Germany."
Bill turned to look at Belinda, who was silently fidgeting with her scarf.
"But I thought... Where the hell is André?" The singer looked around and called out to him, shouting at the top of his lungs. "André!"
The girls stared at him in shock, unaware of what was happening. After a few moments, the manager arrived.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Bill pointed at them. "They say they're leaving tomorrow morning."
André raised his eyebrows. "And why?"
"Maybe because it's our plan?" Belinda muttered annoyedly, finding her voice.
She didn't understand why everyone was so surprised that they were leaving so soon.
"I'm starting to suspect you didn't tell them what you told us," Bill muttered sarcastically, punctuating his words with suggestive glances.
André shrugged. "I haven't had time to talk to Bel, but I didn't think she had any other plans."
"I would never have taken a trip all the way to Berlin just to meet Scream!" she snorted.
This made Tom laugh, and he chuckled, taking a nudge from his brother.
"But wouldn't you like to stay?" André showed no sign of giving up.
"I have other plans!" she retorted stubbornly.
"Listen, Bel, can I talk to you for a moment?" He grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the group. "Alone. Bill, please!" he admonished the boy, who was starting to follow them.
He huffed and turned back, but remained staring at them the entire time. Tom glanced at Naomi, as if to say, "I told you, didn't I?"
She shrugged, knowing her sister wouldn't give in and would refuse any offer. Belinda was very stubborn when she made plans and wouldn't have ruined her study trip, not even for Bill, even if she were starting to really like him. She'd known him too little, and what had happened with Alex had dug such a deep hole in her soul that she wouldn't allow anyone to break into her heart.
Damn you, come within range of me and see what I'll do to you! She still thought furiously at the memory of what her sister had been through.
They watched them gesticulate for a while, unclear as to what they were saying. Belinda kept shaking her head, and Naomi could see she was deeply distressed. She felt deeply guilty and instinctively moved toward her, to remove her from the situation.
Tom's hand tightened on her shoulder, holding her back. She raised her head to protest, but he didn't let go.
"Let her do it."
Bill reinforced his brother's words with a nod, and so Naomi decided not to move, waiting for events to unfold.
After a few moments, they saw them shake hands, and Belinda returned to them.
All eyes fell on her, waiting for an answer. She looked at them for a long time, shaking her head thoughtfully.
"You know what André proposed, right?" she asked the band.
The boys nodded, waiting for her answer.
"And what do you think?" He asked again.
Bill tried to speak, but Tom intervened first.
"It seems like a good idea, considering how it worked out tonight. And we're happy to have you here; it's a great feeling when you don't make a scene, Bel!"
The girl smiled and looked at them one by one. There was no shadow in their eyes, and she didn't doubt their sincerity, but she was unsure whether to face what the manager had proposed.
She sighed disconsolately.
"I'm flattered by the proposal and happy you chose me, even if I'm a real pain, as Tom says, but... I really don't know how to answer you."
"A yes would be a nice answer!" Kristian exclaimed, giving a wink.
"It would actually save us a lot of trouble," Klaus echoed, feigning thoughtfulness.
Everyone smiled, but they knew the decision hadn't been made yet.
"I need to think about it," he said apologetically. "Can I think about it until tomorrow morning?"
"If I were as presumptuous as you think, I'd tell you others would have jumped at an offer like that," Tom quipped. "But you're unique, and we can give you the time you ask for!"
He approached her and hugged her tightly, cradling her. Belinda was so moved and disoriented that she felt tears well up in her eyes. All her senses were in a state of flux, and she longed for a good, liberating cry on a friend's shoulder.
She slowly pulled away, whispering, "Thank you."
The security men signaled to the boys that it was time to go.
Klaus headed toward the waiting car, yawning and stretching. "I'm really tired, I think I'll go to bed right away!"
"As usual, after a concert, I'm so awake I could play ping-pong all night!" Tom chuckled.
"How I envy you!" Annalisa exclaimed. "I'm thrilled, but so tired. And yet I didn't do anything except scream like crazy!"
"Shall we go too?" Naomi asked her sister.
Belinda nodded, heading toward the exit, while returning her pass to a ticket agent.
"Come with us, we'll give you a ride to your hotel!" Bill, without waiting for their response, took Belinda by the hand and dragged her toward the car.
Caught off guard and still numb from the many events that had transpired, she didn't dare protest, but followed him, calmly settling into the back seat of the minivan, leaning against the window.
Her head was pounding, and she didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or cry. André had been very kind to offer her the other ten stops on the German tour, appearing as an extra at the events promoting the new album, but that would have meant spending the entire month of July touring German cities.
It was a wonderful opportunity, and, as Tom had said, other people would jump at the chance, but she felt tired and devastated.
She hadn't yet told Naomi and Annalisa about the offer, even though she imagined they would be happy to stay.
But what would she do about college? What would she tell her parents? And, most of all, did she really care?
Now that she'd discovered Bill's interest and wasn't sure how long she'd have the strength to avoid it, she was increasingly driven to leave. She didn't want anyone to penetrate her fragile armor, to give her illusions and then lead her back to the abyss.
She pressed her head harder against the cold window, seeking relief, as the car pulled away in the direction of the hotel whose address Naomi had given.
A light touch on her shoulder made her jump, and she felt Bill's arm wrap around her, pulling her toward him so she could rest her head against his chest. She tried to resist, glancing furtively at the others, fearful of their amused glances, but no one was paying attention.
The boy pressed more firmly but gently, and finally Belinda leaned against his side, sighing softly.
She almost laughed, feeling the slenderness of his body, unlike her brother's massive, more muscular one. The sensation made him feel more like her, and she let herself go, relaxing.
His arm wrapped around her shoulders protectively, dispelling her fears.
What a strange situation! Belinda was sure that if she closed her eyes, she would fall asleep instantly, given the sensation of warmth and well-being she felt; the darkness and silence of the car helped her feel a little more at peace.
That moment didn't last long, as they arrived at their destination almost immediately. She tried to straighten up when she saw the signs for their hotel, but Bill held her back for a brief moment, placing a light kiss on her hair.
"Sleep well, little Bel," he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
He quickly opened the door, murmuring an embarrassed thank you and promising to stop by their hotel in the morning to share the answer.
Naomi and Annalisa also got out, waving affectionately to the boys, and then the car drove off, disappearing around the bend.
After a final, fleeting glance at the silhouette of the car, Belinda turned to the two girls. She raised her arms and put them around their shoulders, hugging them tightly.
"My dears, the three of us need to talk!"