backstage secrets

viii

it had been a month since nicola had moved into her friend camilla's flat, nestled just outside london-far enough from luke to keep her heartache at bay. but even camilla struggled to witness nicola's misery, and one day, she couldn't hold back any longer.

"nic, please, can you get out of bed for once? it's been a week, and i can't stand it anymore!" camilla exclaimed, her voice a mix of frustration and concern.

"i know i'm trying," nicola replied, her voice muffled by the pillow.

"trying what? you've been in that bed night and day. it needs to stop!" camilla urged, her eyes pleading.

"just tell me if you want me to leave, and i will," nicola said bitterly, her heart aching.

camilla let out a sarcastic laugh. "what? stop being a kid!"

"you don't know how broken i am. you have no idea; you've never been this in love," nicola shot back, feeling tears prick at her eyes.

"omg, you're acting like a child! you're almost 30 in a few years-"

"i'm still in my 20s! i'm 27!" nicola interrupted.

"then act like one! you left because he was too immature. you should've thought about the fact that he's several years younger than you. you were supposed to help him grow, and you two were supposed to grow together. look at yourself- is this what mature people do?" camilla's words stung, and a tear escaped down nicola's cheek.

"i'm sorry," her friend added, pulling her into a hug. "i just love you, and you're my friend. i can't take seeing you fall apart like this."

"no need to apologize. i needed that. just give me this last day of mourning, and i'll get back everything i lost."

"they say 'later' comes to 'never.' it's not about getting back everything you lost; i want a new beginning for you," camilla said softly.

"but how can i begin when i can't even move forward? i see him in everything from those two years- it was short yet somehow a dream i can't shake off," nicola cried, burying her face in camilla's shoulder.

"i'll be with you. you can do this," her friend reassured her, and nicola hugged her tighter, feeling a flicker of hope begin to reignite.

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: 💌 :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧

after that moment, nicola promised herself to regain her strength, turning her pain into a lesson and a stepping stone for a fresh start. she found a job at camilla's bakery, amore, where the aroma of baked goods enveloped her, providing solace. one day, as she mixed batter, a song she was all too familiar with played on the radio, and she froze.

🎶 look at the stars, look at how they shine for you... 🎶

a flood of memories rushed back-luke serenading her, his voice blending with the strumming of his guitar.

(flashback)

luke had strummed his guitar, a soft smile playing on his lips as he sang to her under the stars.

"look at the stars, look how they shine for you," he sang, his voice rich and soothing.

"and everything you do... yeah, they were all yellow."

"what are you doing, love?" nicola asked, giggling at his earnestness.

"you said you couldn't sleep?" luke replied, a twinkle in his eye. "so i'll sing you a lullaby."

"i came along, i wrote a song for you," he continued, pouring his heart into every note.

"and all the things you do, and it was called 'yellow.'"