Backstage

Part 15 I meant every word

We woke up slowly, the soft morning light shining through the curtains. My head was aching from hungover, and I could feel Joost's warm arm draped over my waist. I shifted slightly, trying to ease the discomfort in my head without disturbing him. But he moved anyway, his grip on me tightening before he opened his eyes.

"Morning love," he murmured, his voice rough from sleep.

"Morning," I replied "My head is killing me."

Joost chuckled softly, his eyes still heavy with sleep. "Mine too. But last night was worth it."

"It really was," I agreed, smiling despite the headache.

I snuggled closer to him, resting my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. We laid there in silence for a while, neither of us wanting to move. His hand gently stroked my hair, I could feel his chest rise and fall with each breath.

We laid there in silence for a while, neither of us wanting to move. The room was filled with the soft sounds of our breathing. I could feel the heat radiating from his body. His skin was smooth under my fingers as I traced small, lazy circles on his chest. His other hand wrapped around my shoulders, holding me close. The intimacy of our closeness, the simplicity of just being together without the need for words, felt incredible.

"I suppose we should get moving," he said, his voice gentle.

"I guess we can't stay in bed the whole day" I agreed

"We can't but I'd like to" he said with a soft chuckle.

I smiled looking up to his eyes. "Me too," I whispered, moving even closer to him. We stayed like that for a few more moments, cherishing the quiet intimacy.

With a sigh, I slowly pulled away, sitting up in bed and stretching. Not only I felt terrible from the hangover I also was still sore from yesterday "Alright, let's do this," I said.

Joost stretched his arms above his head. "Ugh, I feel like I got hit by a truck," he joked, rubbing his eyes.

"Me too," I agreed, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and standing up.

Joost stood up too and we started walking around the room gathering our scattered clothes. I was dressed in my underwear and first shirt I found in my suitcase. Suddenly, thought ran through my mind and my heart skipped a beat.

"Hey, Joost... did we, um, did we use a condom last night?" I was trying my best to stay calm and not start crying.

Joost paused. "I... I'm not sure," he said slowly. "We were pretty drunk. I don't remember"

"What if we didn't? What if - " I started panicking, sat on the edge of the bed and his my face in my palms, tears gathering in my eyes.

"Hey, calm down everything is ok" he said while getting on his knees in front of me, grabbing my hands "We'll figure it out. I'll go grab planB just to be safe if you want to"

I nodded, feeling a bit reassured by him. "Thank you."

"I'll be back soon," Joost promised, quickly getting dressed. He gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before heading out the door.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my mind racing. I trusted him, and knowing he was taking care of things helped ease my worry. I took a few deep breaths, deciding to focus on something else while I waited for his return. I picked up my phone and started scrolling through social media, trying to distract myself from the anxiety.

I saw a message from Olivia.

Hey Julia, have you seen this? She had sent a link to an interview with Joost.

I clicked on the link and watched as Joost appeared on the screen wearing his blue suit. The interviewer asked him a series of questions about his career , personal life and his first rehearsal.

"Joost, can you tell us about your first rehearsal ? What was it like?"

Joost leaned back slightly, his expression thoughtful. "The first rehearsal was intense. It was hard, to be honest. A lot of emotions. It was challenging. I might have cried. The song and performance itself is dedicated to my parents and it is just a bit overwhelming."

The journalist nodded "It sounds like a very emotional experience. Is there someone who helps you through it, someone who supports you?"

Joost's face softened as he smiled. "Yes, there is someone special who supports me. They've been my rock through all of this, and I couldn't have done it without them."

The journalist leaned forward "That's wonderful to hear. Can you tell us who this person is?"

Joost hesitated for a moment, his smile turning a bit shy. "I'd love to share, but I can't say just yet. It's still a bit personal and new, and we want to keep it private for now."

I felt a rush of warmth and affection. The anxiety from earlier started to melt away, replaced by a sense of security and love.

Just then, the door opened, and Joost walked back in, a small bag in hand. "Got it," he said, holding up the box. "Let's take care of this."

I looked up at him "Joost, thank you," I said, taking the box from him and setting it aside for a moment. "But I have to show you something first."

He looked curious as I handed him my phone, the interview paused at the part where he spoke about me. Joost watched the clip, his expression softening with each word he heard himself say. When it finished, he looked down at me, a small smile playing on his lips.

"I meant every word," he said, sitting next to me, pulling me into a comforting hug. "You really mean a lot to me. You're probably most important person to me right now"

I hugged him back tightly, feeling a sense of closeness and commitment. "And you're mine," I whispered.

We held each other for a moment longer. Eventually, we turned our attention back to the task. I took the pill with a glass of water, and we both sighed in relief once it was done.

"We'll be more careful next time," Joost said.

I nodded, resting my head on his shoulder. "Yes, we will."

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I write most of my stories at night so if you find mistakes just ignore :) I hope you liked this part. I'd be thankful for a feedback :)