The Goblet of Love | Eurovision 2021 | Damiano David

Chapter 11 - For Your Love

Damiano

The green room was filled with lots of people. Contestants, their delegations, hosts, stage assistance team, reporters and cameramen were all placed to pre-agreed positions as per the plan. Everything starting from the image quality to the location of even the tiniest decorations detail should be perfect. Our show is being broadcasted all over Europe in a live mode. Which, to everyone's pity, makes everything very complicated if something goes wrong.

We were sitting too far away from Olivia, so I couldn't just get up and walk to her isle. At any moment we could face the camera and, without the frontman being present in the frame, it would be very awkward. The only way to escape was to go to the toilet in between the parts, when the translation goes off to be replaced by some advertisements.

What are the chances that a girl would like to go to the restroom just before her entrance to the stage? I had to come up with something to make her go pee. For this, I had a vicious plan: I called a waiter and ordered her favorite green tea with mint to be served to Olivia's table. I also had to give this waiter a 20-euros tip for actually making her drink it, saying that the organizers insist on drinking it before a contestant goes on stage, because it gives the throat the right amount of warmth.

Green tea is great diuretic, so I was really hoping it would work. I also secured the possibility to be alone in the restroom by bribing a pair of other waiters for them to escort everyone else into the only "working" restroom.

When "Discoteque" stopped playing, I immediately rushed to our secret meeting place, so that she wouldn't see me and suspect anything. I was working in circles, trying to figure out what I would say and ask, when she finally entered the room. At first, she didn't notice me and got into the first cabin to do her stuff. I guess the tea thing was working too well because it took her years to finish.

She washed her hands and started drying them when I tapped on her shoulder. She jumped in fear and turned her face, so that her nose was touching my piercing.

Olivia

- I really need to talk to you, Olivia. Please, tell me what's going on?

- Why don't you ask this your girlfriend Giorgia who you were so happy to see earlier?

- My who? How do you...

- How do I know? Funny story, I saw you guys, squeezing each other tightly, with my own eyes on our floor.

- That's not what you think.

- Then why didn't you come to talk to me after my note and sent Giorgia to cover your ass? You didn't even have guts to talk to me and explain yourself?

- What the fuck are you telling me? How is Giorgia related to me being late because of a press-conference?  She didn't know about the note, I swear. And, she is not my girlfriend! We broke up a couple of months before Eurovision.

- How can I know that you are not lying to me? You haven't even told me about her existence.

- We all had relationships before, Olivia. You were fucking married. But I haven't asked you once about it, because breakups can be very damaging. I dated Giorgia for almost 2 years and we remained in a good position as people who can communicate and spend time together.

I didn't know what to say, so my mouth switched to a silent mode. He was right. About me not telling him, about him not mentioning Giorgia.

- So what now? - I asked. - I am still mad at you.

- Tesoro, - he said, smoothing his voice. - I want you to believe me no matter what other people are saying. First of all, don't believe someone you have met for the first time in your life. You don't know which burden they are carrying on their shoulders. Secondly, I want you to talk to me. Openly, without any hesitation or fear. If you want us to work, you need to trust me.

Us. Did he really just said this word? My heart started pounding and my hands began to sweat like crazy.

He smiled at me, realizing what he just said and which effect it produced. His smile transformed into a sexy smirk, and his hand embraced me tightly.

- I don't want to let you go.

- Me too. But I really need to hop on that stage to win the prize, - I teased him.

- Ok, principessa. But don't cry if we steal it from you tonight, because you already got the best prize possible - me, - Damiano replied, pointing at himself and smiling.

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And the winner of Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam is

Italy.

I jumped from my seat and screamed loudly to greet my ... boyfriend? I was extremely happy that it was their band. Damiano, Victoria and Thomas started hugging, while Ethan was having an existential crisis, sitting on the floor, blinking into the blank space in front of him.

Unfortunately, I couldn't greet him openly, so that we don't provoke any undesired rumors and speculations about our relationship. We will have so much time ahead of us to properly celebrate their triumph, I didn't mind sharing Damiano with other people now.

Please, proceed to the stage to receive the winner's goblet and sing the winning song once again.

I cried my eyes out watching how humble they looked while receiving the prize. This was their moment, they owned it.

- I want to thank everyone, each country who voted for us and believed in us. We came here with the desire to show Europe our music and it was a very pleasant surprise for us to actually win something this big. Our message to everyone is to be open and to follow your passion no matter what.
I want to confide. We have won this contest and I find it truly amazing. But. Here, in this same building, I found and won something more important than a music award. I won the goblet of love. And I want to play the second song after "Zitti e buoni" for a very special girl who I met here and who means the world to me.

I smiled widely because of how touched I was by his speech. Maybe it wasn't fate, but it definitely was something magical that linked us together. From now on he was mine, and I was his.

And this contest has been officially renamed to Eurovision Love Contest. At least for our new couple.