Chapter 8

A river of tears was flowing down my cheeks. As soon as I got home I broke down on the floor. I have been on this spot for an hour now.

My phone kept vibrating. Bruno. Again.

‘I don’t wanna hear you right now. I wanna forget you. Get you of my life.’

But I knew I couldn’t.

***

Bruno slammed his phone for the fifth time on the table. ‘How could this happen? Stupid, stupid..’

He baried his face in his hands. He wanted to cry, yell, throw things against the wall, but he knew it wouldn’t make any sense. He wouldn’t get her back that way. He still had demo’s to record, but he didn’t care. Phil had come every ten minutes to convince him, but he just didn’t give in. He couldn’t do it.

‘’How in the world am I going to sing songs about love, when I just lost the love of my life?’ Was his answer.

Five minutes ago Phil finally left him alone. So here he was, all alone, desperate for her. Calling her over and over again, hoping that she’ll pick up the phone. But all he got was her answering machine.

He finally got enough and slammed the phone against the wall. It scattered in pieces. He took out his writingblock and started to write fast:

I know you’re somewhere out there, somewhere far away. I want ya back...

***

‘’And he fired you, just like that?’’ Lea said, in disbelief.

It was already the next day. One day without a job. Most inportantly, without Bruno.

‘’Just like that.’’ I sighed. ‘’And you never told me about your relationship with him.’’ Lea pouted. I looked down. ‘’I’m sorry, it was supposted to be a secret. But look how that turned out.’’ I murmed.

‘’So, what are you going to do now?’’ ‘’Guess I’m going to beg on my knees to get my job at office back.’’

I didn’t like the idea, working at office again. But I had no choice. I had to pay the rent. It’s this or become homeless.

‘’Did he call you?’’ Lea snapped me back. ‘’Huh?’’ ‘’Bruno. Did Bruno call you?’’ Lea repeated. ‘’Oh, yeah, like a hundred times. This boy just doesn’t stop.’’ I looked down at my phone. The inbox was full of missing calls and phone messages. I hold it up in front of her. ‘’All from Bruno.’’

‘’What is he suppossed to do? I mean, he wants you back. And you want him too, right?’’ I nodded. ‘’Yeah, but we can’t be together. That’s why I have to forget him and move on. And he has to do the same too.’’ I turned off my phone and laid it on the table. ‘’And do you think that’s going to work?’’ She raised one eyebrow. ‘’I don’t know.’’ I looked dissapointed.

I stood up, took the empty plates, dropped them in the dishes and started scrobbing. ‘’My time here is up. Have to go pick up my laundry. I’ll catch up with you later.’’ She stood up, stretched her legs and took her jacket and bag from the chair. She was about to walk out, but then she turned around.

‘’And Bre?’’ I turned away from the dishes to look at her. ‘’You can always call me when you need a shoulder to cry on. I’m here for you.’’ She said, then turned around and walked out. Seconds later the frontdoor slammed shut.

‘Where would I be without her.’

I smiled and continued scrobbing the plates.

***

‘’Next.’’ Another disappointed woman disappeared off the stage. And that’s how it kept going on.

‘’She was good. Why did you send her away?’’ Phil said shocked. ‘’She’s just not the one. I’m waiting.’’ Bruno said.

Actually he was waiting for a girl to come up, tell her name was Bre Lake and making him fall for her, but he knew that would never happen again.

It was weird that every girl that walked in reminded him so much about her. By every girl that had the same hair colour or eyes colour, he nearly jumped off his chair in excitement, but that mood soon disappeared when he’d realize it wasn’t her.

‘’Bruno?’’ He came back and found Phil staring at him. He then glanced at the girl that was standing on stage now, back at Phil and then at the floor. He shook his head, stood up and stormed out the theater, without saying a word.

***

‘’Bre, could you get me some coffee?’’

I sighed. This was one of the parts that I hated about work. Being commanded. Especially by ‘her’. But hey, why should I complain? At least I got my job back.

She waved at me, with that stupid grin on her face. ‘Brittany’.

Brittany was the only person at work that I couldn’t stand. And I wasn’t the only one. Most of the people here tried to avoid her. Too bad her desk was right across mine. Just peachy.

She always acted like she was popular, and she likes to brag. Last time she said she had a date with a lawyer. A rich one. Yeah, right. Only thing she was after was his money. Probably why he dumped her. And because she’s a stupid b*tch. Enough.

I stood up, flashed her a fake smile and walked to the coffeemachine, right next to the hallway. I took a cup and hold it under the machine and pressed ‘start’.

Oh, how I wanted to spit in her cup.

As the cup was half full, I took it out.

‘Do it, do it...’

And then I looked around if nobody would see me and bent over. I collected lots of spit in my mouth and spit it in the cup.

A huge grin appeared on my face, as I walked with the cup to Brittany’s desk and handed it over to her. I quickly walked to my desk, almost bursting out in laughter.

I sat down, trying to control myself from laughing and peeked over my desk at hers.

She was busy, talking on the phone. Looked like she hasn’t take a sip of her coffee yet.

I peeked closer at the cup. My eyes rested for a minute on it, until I saw a hand with pink manicured nails, grabbing it tight, lifting it from the desk. My eyes followed the cup, up to her lips. They formed a hard line, when she took a sip.

My eyes now flew to her face. She looked confused, then looked at her cup and shrugged her shoulders. Then her eyes flew to my desk.

Realizing in time, I dugged.

‘Did she see me?’

After a few seconds I slowly, carefully raised my head again to peek.

She was now on her computer. I looked at the cup and saw that it was empty. I grinned and bent my head down. I chuckled and went back to work.

‘Can’t wait to tell Bru.. Lea.’’ I corrected.

-

My time is up. I stood up and grabbed my jacket and bag. Brittany was still behind her computer. I decided to ask her something.

‘’So, how was your coffee?’’ I said, putting on my jacket.

‘’Oh, it tasted different, but I liked it.’’ She said, without even looking up from her computer.

That was good though, or else I had betrayed myself, because a laugh almost escaped from my lips.

I took my bag and was almost about to leave, when she spoke:

‘’So, how did your relationship turned out with Bruno Mars?’’ She said.

My face went blank, I didn’t know what to say. And then she continued.

‘’I saw your pics.’’ She took out a magazine from between her books and threw it at me.

‘Right, now this.’

I looked at the pictures again and a sad feeling overwhelmed me. Then I threw it back at her.

‘’Peachy.’’ I turned around and walked away. She gave me that stupid grin again. But this time she looked pretty nasty.

Wish I could’ve slapped that look off her face.

-

‘’You spit in her cup?!’’ Lea took her face off of the road. ‘’Good burn. She decerved that.’’ she laughed. ‘’Yeah, it felt good, doing that. She didn’t see that one coming.’’ I laughed dirty and banged my head.

Lea’s car radio was on and our heads were banging on the track ‘Dangerous’ from Michael Jackson.

The song ended and the radioman talked.

‘’Alright, that was Dangerous by the genius of music, Michael Jackson. We miss you, man. This is Radio Slam Live, with your favourite host, Martin Solver. We have a special guest in the studio, for you guys. This gentleman has had amazing hits and has the ladies kissing the floor for him. Mr Bruno Mars!!! Or shall I say, The Hawaiian Lion!’’ he announced.

I sighed and bent over to change the radiochannel, when Lea slapped my hand away. ‘’I wanna hear this.’’ She snapped.

‘’Nice intro.’’ Bruno laughed. ‘’So, how’ve you been?’’ Martin asked. ‘’I’m good, good. How ‘bout you?’’ ‘’I’m fine. So, you’re going fast in the music industry. You get hits after hits. How do you do that?’’ ‘’You know, you have to work hard to get it. That’s what I have been doing for years now. If you put much effort in it, you’ll get there.’’ Bruno explained. ‘’So, you’ve been busy with performing, writing and recording songs, do you even have time to relax?’’ Bruno sighed. ‘’I work much. It’s hard, but I always try to get some time for myself. And if I get time, I always try to make the best out of it, have some fun.’’ ‘’And you’ve written alot of songs for other artists, like F*ck You for Cee-Lo and Right Round for Flo-Rida...’’ ‘’Yeah, I also wrote Purple Rain and Thriller.’’ They both laughed.

A smile appeared on my face.

‘’So, we’re talking alot about your music, but let’s get serious. How’s your love life? Are you in a relationship?’’ Martin said.

A long pause followed.

I found myself sitting at the edge of the carseat, close to the radio.

‘’Well, I’m in love. That’s all I can tell you.’’ Bruno finally said. ‘’Oeeee. And does this lucky woman love you too?’’ Martin was digging deeper. ‘’I know she loves me too. But things are complicated.’’ He sounded heartbroken.

My face changed in a sad expression.

‘’Aww. This woman must be very special. Hope things will work out great between you two. Ok. Now let’s talk about your latest work. You’ve just released a new track. It’s rising high in the charts. Tell me about it.’’ ‘’Well, it’s a song that I’ve written for my special lady. Hope she’s listening now.’’ Bruno said excited. ‘’Let’s hope so. Here’s Bruno’s newest song. Enjoy.’’ Martin said and the music came on.

‘Oh my...’

‘All About You’ started to play.

Lea started to move her head from side to side. ‘’I like it.’’ she said excited. And then the second verse, where I sang, started to play. She looked at me.

‘’She sounds like you.’’ I gave her the look. ‘’Oh my God, it is you!’’ She totally went up in the song. ‘’You’re great, why didn’t you tell me?’’ I didn’t answer and then bent over and turned off the radio.

‘’Bre..!’’ She looked at me, mad. But that face quickly disappeared when she saw the look on my face. I had mixed feelings. I said nothing, but just looked out the window. The rest of the ride we were silent.

We came to a stop at my house. I stepped out the car.

‘’Bre, I’m sorry for what just happened.’’ Lea said, understanding. ‘’It’s ok. I’ll call you later.’’ I smiled at her. ‘’Bye, sweety.’’ ‘’Bye.’’

And she took off.

I opened my door and walked in. I stopped when I stepped on something hard.

I looked down and saw an envelope. I took it from the floor and walked with it to the kitchen, reading the back of it.

‘Please don’t throw this away. Just listen to it. Love, Phil.’

‘Ok..?’

I walked to the living room, to the stereo and placed the cd in it.

A piano started to play. And then someone began to sing. Bruno.

‘’I know you’re somewhere out there, somewhere far away. I want ya back, I want ya back. My neigbors think I’m crazy, but they don’t understand. You’re all I had, you’re all I had.

At night when the stars light up my room, I sit by myself.

Talking to the moon. Tryna get to you. And hope you’re on the other side, talking to me too. Or am I a fool, who sits alone, talking to the moon.’’

My eyes started to fill with tears. He was singing about me.

After the song ended I replayed it. And again and again, ‘till I knew the lyrics by heart.

Then my phone rang. Phil.

I turned the volume of the stereo down and answered the call.

‘’Bre?’’ ‘’Hey, Phil.’’ I said. ‘’You got the cd?’’ He asked amused. ‘’Yeah.’’

‘’Good, ‘cause I want you to come.’’ He said. ‘’Why and where?’’ I asked confused. ‘’’Cause you have to and to Staple Center.’’ He answered.

‘’What the...’’

‘’I guess that’s a yes. Great. There will be someone picking you up soon.’’ He talked fast. I tried to interupt him, but he wouldn’t let me. ‘’Get ready. We need you.’’ He finally ended.

‘’Wait, who’s ‘we’?’’ But then he hung up on me.

‘Great. Just peachy.’