Page 108 of Serenade Me

“I… you’re just mine.”

Now it’s my turn to get angry. I get up and walk over to him, facing off. “Firstly, I’m not yours. I’m with you and I want to be with you, but I don’t belong to anyone. Not Jez, not the Maestro and not you. When are you both going to let me make my own decisions! This isn’t any different to what happened to me before, Marius! Can’t you see that?” I tear the newspaper from his hand and wave it in his face. “What kind of person do you think I am, that I wouldn’t want to fix what I caused? Do you have that little respect for me?”

“Anca, I’m just trying to protect you.”

“And I appreciate that. But Marius, it goes both ways. I caused this, I get to decide if I want to help or not. And I do.”

“I said NO!”

“Okay, I’m not kidding anymore, Marius. You need to stop treating me like a child.”

“Anca! Do you have any idea how scared I was last night? When we came back here and you were gone? And then seeing you out there with the Maestro? I would’ve given my life to make sure you were safe. And then, to hear that he was feeding your head with all those lies again, about how amazing you are. Do you know how much it KILLED me to think that you could even believe them for a second? Now you want me to tell you to go groveling to the world just because you had a bad moment on stage? NO!”

“Marius.” I place my hand on his chest, feeling his heart beat. I love him so much in this moment for sticking up for me. For trying to protect me. “I know, I know you feel all those things, but you also have to let me make my own decisions. You know how you want the best for me? That’s how I feel about you. Your band – it’s your life. And I have affected that. And if all it takes is for me to go out there, answer some questions and play a few songs? It’s the least I can do.”

He places his hand over mine and squeezes it gently. Dropping a soft kiss on my fingertips.

“Anca. I said no.”

And my heart breaks.

“Are you done?” I ask, already knowing the answer, and dreading what’s coming next.

He nods, his eyes on mine.

“Then, Marius, I’m sorry, so are we.”

I pull my hands from him and without turning back, walk out the door.