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I slept most of the rest of that day. Who knew performing could be so exhausting? When I eventually got up, I decided to visit Stephanie. I needed to let her know about Valentina.

I knocked on Stephanie’s door.

“Who is it?” She called.

“It’s me.”

“I don’t know a me, sorry.”

I sighed. If she was cracking jokes, it meant she was either in a good mood or on the brink of a breakdown. Maybe both.

“I need to talk,” I replied.

“Alright, come in!”

I pushed open the door. Stephanie was dancing around the room, papers in her hands. The bags under her eyes indicated she may not have slept. They were so pronounced that they suggested she had not slept since I saw her two the other night. Despite this, she was also surprisingly cheery.

“You’re in a good mood,” I commented.

“The results for the semifinal came in,” she replied as she spun around. Slapping a stack of papers on her desk.

“They were that good, huh?”

“Second place,” she smiled at me.

“So we didn’t win?” I sighed, disappointed in myself mostly.

“Second is great.”

“But we didn’t win.”

“We won the popular vote.”

“So we tanked in the Jury?”

I felt depressed again, knowing my average jury performance cost us the first place.

“Yep, but that’s fine. In fact, it’s great news for both of us.”

“How so?”

“We never do well in the popular vote, only ever the Jury.”

“So what?”

“So we won it this time.”

“Yeah, but we still only finished second.”

“Yeah, but you screwed up the last jury vote. No offence.”

Saying no offence didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

“It means we have a shot at the popular vote for the final. If you aren’t distracted during the next jury show, we could do pretty well with that as well,” she said with an ugly grin on her face.

“Don’t worry, I’m focused.”

I was not going to have any other distractions. I could afford to.

“Now, that’s not the only good news I have.”

“Oh?”

“Well, I spoke to the others, the two governments, and the SCS, and I convinced them that it’s alright for you and Marco to be together. You perform better when you are with him, so I need you two together.”

“Wait, that’s amazing! So I am allowed to spend all night with Marco?”

“No, but we won’t deny your relationship on a public level. That being said, you are banned from reading Geddit.”

“I can live with that.”

She smiled.

“See, I’m not a villain.”

I didn’t say anything, and she shot me with a dirty look.

“You could defend me, you know.”

“I’m sorry, there are just some things I cannot do,” I replied, smiling at her.

She sighed.

“So that’s good news. Why are you here to see me? I swear it better not be bad news.”

I bit my tongue.

“Fuck! Bad news. Alright, what is it?” She asked, looking serious.

“I got a message.”

“So?”

“I thought I should talk to you about it.”

She stopped dancing about the room and began to look serious. She sat in her chair and motioned for me to sit across from her. Once I did, she began to inquire.

“Did you do something wrong?” Before I could deny it, she added, “Whatever you did, did you get caught?”

“I didn’t do anything, so no.”

“Then, was it a fan who somehow got your number?”

“No.”

She leaned back in her chair.

“Then what’s the big deal?”

I sighed.

“It was from Valentina.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“What does that bastard want?”

“She wants to talk.”

“Well, if that’s all, it should be fine.”

She reached for some paper and began scribbling down some notes.

“And what if it isn’t?”

“Isn’t alright? Don’t know how she could do anything.” She paused. “Well, it is Valentina, so I guess she could be scheming something, no, probably scheming something.”

“So what can we do?”

“Well, I will document this discussion and note you are visiting her as part of an official delegation meeting. If she tries anything, we can launch a complaint ourselves.”

“So it is fine to go?”

“Should be.”

With that reassurance and the news that I was now permitted to spend time with Marco, I felt like everything was turning around. All I had to do was watch the show with Valentina. I wanted to see it anyway, and she was inviting me to the green room. I had permission. There was nothing to fear; I could enjoy myself.

I arrived near the green room, which was much different than I remembered—perhaps a consequence of not performing. Valentina noticed me and motioned for me to join her.

“Come join me.”

She patted next to her on the seat.

“I really shouldn’t,” I responded.

“Sit with me if you don’t want me to file an official report.”

“Why should I trust you.”

“Which of us has the track record of breaking promises, my dear Blake? I seem to remember you promising not to see Marco during the competition.”

I sighed. Even though I had some doubts that she was going to file a report anyway, I at least wanted to see the show, especially Marco’s performance.

“Do you promise?”

“Trust me, if you do this, I won’t file that report,” she replied with a wave of her hand. I didn’t trust her, but I did what I was told.

“Wonderful, I’m glad you are quick to it. As I said in my message, I just want to talk. I think we got off on the wrong foot.”

I didn’t trust her words, but there was nothing I could do, so I nodded.

“Alright, I’m here.”

“I can see that.”

“I meant, what do you want me to do?”

“Just sit here and watch Marco’s performance.”

“That all I have to do?”

“Yes,”

“No tricks?”

“What do you take me for?”

I didn’t want to answer that.

We sat in silence as the semifinal began.

─── ༻ ☼ ༺ ───

End of Chapter 35