Fantasia POV
Walking into the castle, the palace guards open the door to let us in. Once we are a considerable amount away from everyone, we stop at a bench in one of the hallways. "Thank you, sir. I didn't know who to call. I don't know anyone here and you were the first person I could think of, and I really appreciate it and I – "
"Fantasia, it is okay. This is not the first time our palace doors have been opened to people who need it. We like to keep a safe and open safe for our people, to have a place to go if they need it. Especially visitors or special guests. Now tell me why you are here."
"Where to even start." I say, taking a big breath before collecting myself. I roll my shoulders back. "Kendall has been my manager since I started. I had already built a pretty good name for myself, and he really wanted to kickstart my career, and he was the best fit, so I hired him. For a few years we would casually flirt with each other and continue to build a stronger connection that stemmed past just manager and client. We started talking and getting closer as time went on. I started developing feelings for him, and it seemed like he did too.
"We started dating and it was perfect. The fireworks went off, the world stopped, time stood still, all the things they say love is. We were together for 1 year and I caught him cheating on me. He was cheating on me with a band member of mine. I was hurt. The pain I felt was like no other I had possibly known. I then found out it wasn't just her either. We broke up. It was hard for a while, to have him as my manager and have to talk with him every day. Having to pretend that he didn't make me feel like I was dying from the pain every time I saw him.
"We were apart for another year or so, he tried to prove to me that he was done and that he had changed. So, I took him back and everything was perfect again. We had a house, our families love each other, and talks of him proposing to me. I was in love of again. About a year ago, he started to be a little more distant. I thought it was just because of tour starting and he had to get things ready.
"Fast foreword to today, I get off stage and find him cheating on me again. While he was explaining himself, he had told me that he had cheated on me to get me the things that I got on tour. He kept repeating himself. 'I did this for you, I did this for you'. He not only hurt me again but broke me. Him standing there naked telling me everything he had done, every person he had cheated on me with and saying that he did it all for me.
"Then after I tried standing up for myself, he looked in me in eyes and told me that he was done being my manager. That I can finish the tour, but I will have no tour bus, no hotel, no planes, no nothing. I will have to do it all myself. Which I don't mind, I have done it before, but I lost all my connections I had when he took over as my manager."
I had let him know my entire story with Kendall. Our entire history. I didn't mean to. It just all came out. I hadn't realized that I had spaced out while telling him the story. Once I flashed back to reality, I noticed I spaced out on a picture of the royal family. The king, queen, and the princess. Taraji. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean t- "
"Fantasia." Samuel said, he wipes a tear I didn't notice I had dropped. "Everyone has gone through their own version of hurt. No need to apologize for telling me your hurt. I thank you for letting me hear your story. I could never know the hurt you have felt because my hurt felt different, but if I had a piece of advice for you it would be to keep pushing through. Don't let him get to you. That is what he wants. He wants you to come crawling to him and begging him to take you back to be able to continue this tour. I am not going to let that happen. You are welcome to stay in the castle until your days here are over, and when you leave here, I will personally get you anything you need. Hotels, tour buses, green rooms, anything. And after tour is over, you are welcome to come back here and I will give you a house here, or I will get you a house wherever you want.
"You have such a kind soul, and I know that because Taraji has been following you for years. So, I have done my research on you. I've seen everything you have done for the people around you and what you continue to do for people."
"Sir, you don't have to do that. I can figure it out on my own. I appreciate everything and letting me stay here, but everything after that I cannot take that. It's too much."
"Please, its nothing. Plus, I saw the way you and Taraji were looking at each other at lunch earlier today. And the entire time you were telling me your story, you were staring at that picture, at Taraji," he said looking at the picture, "like you were opening up to her, not me. I've experienced love at first sight, and that was something I was ecstatic to see when you looked at each other for the first time."
"What! That wasn't lo- "
"Don't argue with me, I know what I saw." He said with a slight chuckle in his voice.
"You've experienced love at first sight?"
"Yes, with my wife. I was a little bit of a heart breaker in my day. I had a few girlfriends in my day and none of them lasted long. But I saw Lynn and my heart skipped a beat. Every time I was around her, I felt that I couldn't take my eyes off her. I felt like my heart had clicked into place. She was playing hard to get, but I knew she wanted me too. When we finally got together, we were inseparable. I can see the same signs I saw in us, in you both."
I give him a confused look, remembering the looks we exchanged at lunch and at the concert. I have never been into girls. Could I like Taraji? I couldn't tell. "Um, I don't know if I like girls. I mean I find them pretty, but I have never thought about being with one."
"Maybe it's because you haven't found the right girl. Or maybe you've been caught up in your own love and never even given it a thought."
I never have even thought about that before. No, I couldn't like girls. But Taraji is really pretty and the way we share eye contact is like nothing I have felt before. I will have to sort through these feeling later. I yawn from exhaustion.
"Let's get you to your room." He stands up helping me up and leading me through the winding maze of the hallways. Filled with pictures and windows letting the light of the moon show. It made the hallways look like they were alive and that it was swaying me to sleep. We get to the door, and he opens it for me.
"Have a good night, Fantasia. I will see you in the morning."
I step into the room, not paying attention to anything and immediately going into the bathroom. I take a shower, and change into the pajamas set out for me, I'm assuming from the staff. I go to wash my face and as I look in the mirror, I see my tear-stained face and a red hand print from where the girl slapped my face. I instantly felt the pain again. This time in my chest. I go to lay down on the bed and let out a single tear before falling asleep to the lights of the moon rays hitting the floor and the softness of the bed I was laying in.
