Page 34 of Strings

“You and me both.” Oh shit. Did I say that out loud?”

“What does that mean?”

“What I meant is that I wasn’t planning on anyone finding out about us. Then I go and faint and ruin the whole thing.”

She seems to bite the inside of her cheek as she avoids making eye contact with me. “Okay. Yeah. That makes sense. He’s pretty private. It was a big surprise to everyone, especially me. Not that I have any claim to him anymore.”

“Anymore?”

“He didn’t tell you about us?”

Shit just got real interesting.

Tell me all the secrets, just don’t ask mine.

“It was a long time ago. There’s really no reason he would have mentioned me, to be honest. God, did that sound like I was jealous? Because I’m not. He annoys me now more than anything.”

“Define a long time ago.” I lean my back against the wall near the hand-dryers. I still have to pee, but it can wait. I love me some tea.

“It was right after he graduated from Juilliard. I think he’d just turned eighteen. Mind you I was twenty-two. Not super proud of that, but his talent was a big draw.”

“And you dated?”

“For six months. He was really fucking smart for his age and he’d already been all over the world. The fact that he could speak four languages fluently was a big turn-on.”

I secretly wonder if asshole is a language, since I know he’s fluent in that.

She runs a pick through her hair as she continues. “Anyway, I thought things were good until, well… things went south pretty quickly and then it was over.”

“What happened?”

“God, you don’t really want to hear all this, do you? I shouldn’t have said anything. I was just surprised. No offense, you’re gorgeous, but you don’t really seem like his type.”

I huff out a laugh. “Yeah, he’s definitely not mine.”

She smiles curiously.

“I want to know why you broke up. Tell me everything!”

Our heads turn at the same time as a couple of other women enter the bathroom. “Later. How about I drive tomorrow?”

“Deal.”

She holds out her fist and I bump it before we make our way out the doors. I quickly realize I still have to pee, and rush back in.

When I finally make it back to the dining area, I notice plates have been cleared and most everyone has returned to the stage. Sebastian is standing with the conductor and lo and behold, they’re speaking to Bella.

She has her arm wrapped in Lorenzo’s and they’re all laughing as if she said the most entertaining thing in the world. I consider spinning on my heel and finally going home, when Lorenzo notices me.

“Natalia! Please, come join us. You are staying to hear us practice, no?”

“Oh, no. I really shouldn’t.”

Bella smirks. “She needs to get her beauty sleep, Lorenzo. You can’t blame her for that.”

He waves her off like he knows she’s joking. Too bad she isn’t.

“No need to sleep. So much beauty in one room. Sebastian, my friend, how do you ever focus?”