Four long years have passed since Julia Soler Gavira and Pedri González parted ways in a messy breakup. Julia has since been travelling the world and pursuing her graduate studies in the United States. But now, she's returning to Barcelona for a spe...
"You excited?" Pablo asked, wrapping his arms around Julia as they waited backstage for the concert to begin. She hummed in response and rested her chin on his arm, anxiously awaiting the moment she had been looking forward to for months. However, a part of her couldn't shake the feeling that someone important was missing.
"Time to go up." her manager, Isabella, declared. The lights in the arena suddenly went out, and spotlights illuminated the stage, creating a disco-like effect around the venue. The crowd roared with anticipation for Julia to come out on stage. The music began, signalling the concert's start, and the energy in the room intensified. Julia was overwhelmed by the love she received from her fans. She could feel it in every inch of her body as her voice filled the entire arena.
As the concert went on, everyone was fixated on Julia. Radiant and glowing, she stood on the stage, her presence akin to a thousand stars. She was in her element, and the audience was in awe, many holding up their phones to capture the moment. She and her band prepared to play their final song, and she felt a bittersweetness wash over her. She knew this was the last song of her world tour, and she wanted to make it count.
"Oh man it feels good to be home. You know, when I was just a little kid, in elementary school, my parents used to drive Pablo and me for hours to get to my singing classes up in Barcelona. After every class, we would take a stroll in the botanical garden, and I still vividly remember pointing at the Palau Sant Jordi theatre and telling my mom and dad that one day, I would perform there. Today's the day, so thank you for making that happen. I really appreciate it." she announced to the crowd emotionally.
"(...)The next song I am going to perform is an unreleased one. I posted a clip of it on Instagram, so it's okay if you're not familiar with it. I finished this song only a couple of days ago and wanted to share it with you tonight."
Taking a deep breath, Julia signalled her band to start playing "Teenage Dream". The crowd erupted into cheers again as they recognised the song's opening notes, and she felt a thrill of excitement run through her as she began to sing. The song was a perfect choice to end the tour; she could feel the emotion in the room building. Everyone jumped, and many of them sang their hearts out.
"Gracias, Barcelona! Los quiero mucho!" she shouted, her band waving before exiting the stage.
"I can't believe it's over," Julia said, removing her microphone. Her voice was filled with bittersweetness.
"It was amazing," Pablo said, patting her back. "You killed it out there."
Julia's smile widened, feeling a sense of accomplishment. She had poured so much time and effort into preparing for this moment, and now it had finally paid off. Despite her hopes of seeing a familiar face in the crowded venue, she couldn't find him anywhere. Just when she was about to give up, a familiar voice caught her attention. She turned around to find Pedri standing there, wearing her merchandise and looking at her with admiration. She was taken aback to see him, and her heart skipped a beat as she took in his appearance. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "You were amazing. I'm so proud of you."
Without hesitation, his arms swept open to embrace her, and she eagerly returned the gesture. As she felt his long and lanky arms tighten around her body, she squeezed him back, savouring the moment. With his face buried in her neck, she could hear the muffled sound of his voice saying, "God, I missed this." The words sent a shiver down her spine, reminding her of their deep connection.
Pablo watched the two of them with a smile, happy to see his sister with Pedri again. Julia beamed with happiness, turning to kiss Pedri on the cheek.
"Thank you," she said, "I thought you wouldn't come."
"I saw the entire show-" Pedri was going to say more, but his words were interrupted as he was caught off guard by the sudden appearance of Julia's apparent boyfriend, who approached them with a curious gaze.
"Oh, I totally forgot to introduce you to my best friend, Liam," she said, breaking the awkward silence.
"He isn't your boyfriend?" Pedri asked.
Julia and Liam chuckled, "No, I'm very much gay," Liam clarified.
Pedri felt a weight lifted off his shoulders at the realisation that Liam wasn't Julia's boyfriend. He had been jealous for no reason. "Oh, I see," he said, feeling his face turn red.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Liam," he said, extending his hand for a handshake.
Liam shook his hand warmly. "Likewise, Pedri. Julia's told me a lot about you. It's great to finally put a face to the name."
Pedri smiled, feeling a warm sensation in his chest that Julia had spoken of him to Liam. He couldn't help but steal glances at Julia, admiring her beauty in her dress.
She was glowing. Pedri admired her, captivated by the way she effortlessly belonged in that spotlight as if she were one with the stars above. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride for her, the pride that he knew everybody felt. He had missed her and was glad to have her back again. Julia's parents came over to congratulate her on the successful tour, and they all shared a group hug. Pedri felt grateful for being a part of this moment and this fantastic group of people.
Julia grinned at Pedri, "Anyway, Liam is here to celebrate with us. Let's go grab a drink!"
"Yes, vamos!"(ʟᴇᴛ'ꜱ ɢᴏ!) Pablo cheered.
Liam clapped Pedri on the back. "You should come out with us tonight to celebrate Julia's amazing performance!"
Pedri grinned. "I'd love that," he said, excited to spend more time with Julia.
