The Assistant (english)

7.

She's sitting on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket. She looks at me with a questioning but also surprised expression.

"Do I have something on my face?" I ask with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

"No. It's just that I overheard you two and what she asked. So... I'm surprised, but mostly... happy?"

"Yes, her questions were very direct." I approach her and sit down beside her. However, she scoots away slightly and lowers her gaze.

"Tell me everything. Please," I ask her.

"You already know everything. I just don't want to lose you." Tears well up in her eyes, but she turns away. I pull her towards me and hold her tightly.

"I thought you knew the questions Mia asked me, and you know my answers, otherwise she wouldn't have let me come to you, so you know my feelings, or at least suspect them. So why do you turn away from me?"

"I'm afraid that you told Mia what she wanted to hear to bring me down now. I don't think you would ever do something like that, but my mind is still scared of it." I gently stroke her back.

"I meant everything I said, just as I said it, so please talk to me."

"Well, you've been by my side since I can remember. Even though I've never met you before, you've always been a part of my life. And now? I'm an adult. I'm forced to be neutral towards you, to pretend. And eventually, I fell in love with you..." She trails off and snuggles closer to me. It just shows what having an idol can do to you psychologically, when you'll never have a chance to see or meet them, as the chance is practically zero.

"You're just a human being too..."

"Hellie?"

"Yes?"

"What should I do?"

"What are the options?"

"Withdraw, quit, and move back in with Mia? Or continue to torture myself every day because you'll never have feelings for me?" That was clearly the biggest question in her mind.

"Who says so?"

"Well, just look at yourself. You're mature, experienced, have a family, are stunningly beautiful, have over millions of fans worldwide, are famous, and so on. And me? I'm a normal, inexperienced, foolish kid who has feelings for someone who's way too good for her."

"Okay, that's enough! Come with me! Now!" I stand up and pull her with me into her apartment. Mia goes over to the other side so we can be alone.

"First of all, thank you for the compliments..." I push her down onto the sofa and sit opposite her. "Secondly, when it comes to relationships between two women, I'm the inexperienced one here. And thirdly, you're much more than that. As many times as you've stood up for me, hardly anyone else has done. You're the only person with whom I can be myself, and you show me sides of myself that I didn't know before. You're important to me already, and I would very much like to give us both a chance."

"Really?" she whispers.

"Yes. I wouldn't say I love you, but I really like you, and those three special words will come with time. But unfortunately, you know what the press will make of this whole thing. I'm strong enough, as it's become routine by now, but you? You haven't experienced that yet, at least not when someone writes something personal about you." I look at her with concern.

"With you by my side, I can handle it." I pull her into a hug.

Wherever this will end up...