Last song

Four

When we arrive at the Palast, we get out and are greeted. Shortly afterwards we are standing in front of mom's office. I knock and after a "Come in" I open the door.

Mom is sitting at her desk, her laptop is in front of her and she looks visibly stressed. "Finally" she makes it clear to us with a hand gesture that we should come in. As soon as I closed the door there was another knock and August came in. The day is officially over. It couldn't be worse.

"So, let's skip the big fuss and get straight to the point." Mom gets up and walks back and forth in the room. "What on earth drives you to be seen with this boy and even talk to him?!" she looks at me. If looks could kill, I would have just died at least the thousandth time.

"First you almost force this festival on me and then you blame me because I was seen with one of the singers?!" "It’s not just any singer" says August. "Shut up. Without you, this problem wouldn't exist!" I hiss in his direction.

"Now of course it's my fault that you let yourself be photographed with him!" he hisses back. "You know exactly what I mean" I look at Lia briefly, she seems pretty confused. "Both of you shut up now!" Mom almost screams in our direction.

"I hope you're aware that they're going to bring up all that stuff from years ago in the news again?" I nod slightly. "At least something" she sits down again. "You'll have to make another statement" "No." I say before I could even think about it.

"I didn't want to do the first one, so I definitely won't do a second one." I say, probably a little too loudly and rub my hand nervously over my chest. "Wilhelm, calm down" "Leave me alone" I turn around and walk quickly through the long hallways until I finally reach the garden.

I sit in the meadow and watch the grasses move because of the wind. And somehow the whole thing calms me down. I try not to think about anything for a moment, which unfortunately doesn't work because my thoughts revolve around everything that just happened ten years ago.

I startle when I feel a hand on my back. I turn around. Lia. "Hey" "Hey" I force a quick smile again and stand up. "Are you okay?" I nod. "Yes" "Good" she takes my hand. "Why is your mother making such a big deal about it? It's been so long and it's not you in the video."

"It's not as easy as it might seem to you." "Why?" she looks at me confused. "Because it was fucking me in the video" I say quietly, but still clearly.

Silence.

She doesn't say anything, doesn't move, she stands there as if petrified. An expressionless: "What" she manages to say after a few seconds. She lets go of my hand. "Why didn't you say that sooner?!" I say nothing.

"We've been together for five fucking years and you don't feel the need to tell me something like that!" she says a little louder. "Lia, sorry... I... I wanted to... sometime..." I stutter. "I just need a moment for me alone" she turns around and leaves.

Well done Wilhelm. Really really great. Actually, that's okay with me, but still. I wanted to tell her in a way that wouldn't hurt her completely. Yes, well, I should have done that five years ago.

My phone vibrates. Felice.

- Is everything okay with you?

I'll call her. "Hi Wille" "Hey" I'm sitting on the grass again. "You don't sound really good. Do you want to talk about it?"

I start to tell the story. From seeing Simon, to the messages from my mom, to the conversation with her and August and finally to what just happend. She just listens to me and doesn't say anything annoying.

She was the only one Mom allowed contact with, but only after we both graduated. "Should I come by?" she asks after I've told her everything. "No, it’s okay" I smile briefly.

"I have to hang up, but you can always call me if anything happens, even at night." "Thanks" "Always for you. Bye" "Bye" she hangs up. I put my phone in my pocket and start looking for Lia.

She's not out here, so I'm going to go in and keep looking. After a few minutes I find her in our kitchen. "Wille, hey" she doesn't seem as upset as before. "Hi" I smile briefly. She comes to me and takes my hand.

"Sorry that I overreacted so much before" "I can understand it. I would have reacted like that too" she presses a quick kiss on my lips.

"Could you maybe tell me a little bit about it? I want to understand why you didn't want to tell me" she looks at me questioningly. "I can probably tell you a little bit about it, yes" "Thank you"