Mónica's POV
The new edition of Operación Triunfo is in its 4th week and I've been asked to go back as a guest. It feels so weird to be back in the academy. I spent 3 months here...and it changed my life forever.
The teachers are showing me around, telling me about all the little details they had changed. Our sofa is gone and it makes me sad. I sat there for hours, writing songs and playing the guitar trying to make sense of the melodies in my head.
"Where's everyone?"
"The tv room. We told them to go watch a movie to relax and they have no idea you're here".
I laugh at that. They always did the same to us and we then freaked out whenever there was someone new visiting.
"Guys", says the director of the academy when she opens their door. "There is someone here who wants to see you".
She motions for me to get inside the room and when I do, they all start to scream.
"Hi everyone! It's great seeing you!"
We spend a good 5 minutes hugging and saying hello to each other. And the final contestant I greet is Martina. I saw her at the casting and she kept mentioning how I was her favourite singer and she wanted to try and go to the show like me.
"It's so nice to finally meet you", I say and she just hugs me and starts to cry while I hold her.
Once she calms down, they all sit down to listen to me. It's...odd. To see all these people, younger and older than me, looking up to me.
"I brought gifts", I say after a while. And I get up to give them a signed copy of my album.
I didn't want to just sign it. So I added a little letter to all of them, giving them some specific tips for their stay in the academy.
"And I have something else for Martina".
She looks up at me and when I see she's not moving, I go to her and give her the little package.
"Open it!", says one of her friends.
And when she does, she starts to cry again.
"It's also signed", I tell her.
Pablo has been watching the show with me and noticed that Martina was also a big fan of his. She often wears his shirts, both the Barça and the Spain ones. So he decided to get a new Barça shirt and sign it for her.
"Oh my God, thank you. Please tell him I love him so much!"
"He already knows", I chuckle. "We watch the show together".
After that, we keep chatting for a little longer. I almost don't want to leave. I know how special these visits are for them.
"Any questions?"
"Yeah", says Adrián. "A bit silly but how did you deal with not winning? You were the favourite the whole time and then...second. It must be hard, right?"
I'm assuming he fears that happening to him since he's the clear favourite of the edition.
"Well, when it happened, I wanted to hide and never be seen again but...winning means nothing", I say and they all chuckle, probably remembering how Mario's career has fared after the show. He doesn't have a single song out. "It's nice to get the number 1 but the real contest begins when you leave. You have to work so hard and maybe winning actually makes you feel you've already done enough. But no, people want to see you deserve to be supported in your career".
I start to think about my life post-show. Meeting Pablo, releasing my EP and my album, the shows, ...I wouldn't have gotten that had I finished first. And I wouldn't have Pablo in my life, which right now doesn't even seem like something I can ever picture.
"So, yeah. I might have finished second. But I won in the end".
YOU ARE READING
When it becomes real (Pablo Gavi)
FanfictionMónica's dream had always been the same: becoming a singer. It was all she wanted and after finishing second in the singing contest Operación Triunfo, she thought her dream was never going to become real. Despite being the fan favourite, she didn't...
