MOZAIK

10

Finally. I was able to spot the skyscrapers that marked the exit from the highway towards Paris. It was clear that we would be there soon, as evidenced by the increasingly dense traffic. I sat next to Vic on the bus, resting my head on her shoulder to doze off a bit. 

When I arrived home late last night, I was initially a bit angry because she hadn't returned to the room the night before and hadn't informed me about it either, which made me worry about her. But the joy of knowing that she was well and had apparently spent a pleasant night had immediately dissolved my anger. Furthermore, I was still elated from the kiss with Bojan. I hadn't told Vic about the kiss, as I couldn't quite grasp its significance myself yet, and it seemed like Bojan had kept it to himself as well. Otherwise, the others at breakfast would likely have teased us about it. In any case, Bojan hadn't let on anything all morning and, apart from a:  "Did you sleep well?", hadn't exchanged any further words with me. But I wasn't upset about it. We didn't have to broadcast our encounter to everyone right away. 

I turned my head to glimpse at him. He was still asleep, his head nestled into a neck pillow, looking simply adorable. I had the strong urge to get up and shoo Kris from his seat, just to snuggle up to the sleeping Bojan. The way he sat there, he looked simply adorable and so innocent. It was hard to believe, that he was the same man who had kissed me so passionately and fiercely yesterday. A slight smile crossed my face, as I thought about how his tender lips had pressed against mine, hungry for more. I let out a sigh, closed my eyes, and leaned my head back against the seat, reveling in the memories of last night. 

Our bus stopped in front of a high-rise building on the outskirts of the city, located near the Botanical Garden. "It might not be the Marriott on the Champs-Élysées, but I won't say no to it either.", I heard Kris marvel as he admired the facade, which was almost entirely made of glass.

We entered the lobby, which was designed in an interesting style, a blend of rustic and understated elegance. Our rooms were located on the upper floors, and I couldn't wait to catch a glimpse of the city view. I was already a bit envious of the guys from Joker Out, whose rooms were situated on the very top floor. Our rooms, on the other hand, were two floors below.

We settled into our rooms and then headed to the concert venue. I could hardly wait to perform again, but I was also looking forward to tomorrow, which would be a day off. For today's performance, we had come up with slightly more sophisticated outfits that were meant to reflect the charm and fashion-consciousness of the Parisian haute couture. We all wore color-coordinated suits that were partly adorned with lace elements. Satisfied, I looked at myself in the mirror. The fabric draped softly around my body, its touch against my skin feeling soothing and light. The lace accents on the material added a touch of elegance, making me appear quite different from my usual self.

One could even argue that the best atmosphere prevailed during the concert, the most vibrant I had experienced on tour so far, but to be honest, I had felt the same about each of the concerts up to this point. 

Drenched in sweat and brimming with the usual rush of adrenaline in our bodies, we made our way to the backstage area. The first thing I heard as we walked through the door of the lounge, was an astonished "Ufff" from Jan. "You all look absolutely fantastic.", he exclaimed admirably, when he spotted our new outfits.

"Tonight, we definitely need to go out!", Bojan cut him short. "We're in Paris, and tomorrow is our day off. Moreover, our show was a smashing success. We've got to celebrate that."

The streets were lined with clubs and bars as we walked through the city's student quarter. Laughing people passed by us, creating a lively atmosphere. Before we set off, I had swapped the elegant suit for a cute ivory-colored button-up blouse and a rather short black skirt with light details, which now danced in the warm night breeze.