Two for Tragedy

10. Worries

That evening, Jo was lounging in her hotel room, wrapped in her cozy pajamas, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement for the concert the next day. She was just about to dive into a book when a knock echoed through the room. A twinge of anxiety fluttered in her stomach; she hoped it wasn't anyone too important because she felt decidedly unglamorous in her current state.

She reluctantly opened the door, shyly poking her head out. To her relief, it was Aaro.

"What's up?" she asked, trying to sound casual.

"Can I come in?" he replied, his tone more serious than she expected.

Jo opened the door wider and stepped aside, letting him in. The room felt smaller with him in it, but there was a familiar comfort in his presence, even if their past together was complicated.

Despite having to pretend to be in a relationship for the media, they had tried in the past to forge something real. But Jo never felt any genuine romantic spark with Aaro. He was charming but too much of a player for her liking, and the age gap made her feel inexperienced. Aaro was older and much more experienced than her—he had dated other girls and slept around, while Jo had never had a boyfriend apart from him. In her heart, she knew that Aaro believed that she would eventually come around, that they would end up together, so he patiently waited for her to be ready. Meanwhile, he casually dated other girls. Jo, however, had never entertained the thought of rekindling their romance. Yet, she couldn't deny that she still cared for him deeply; after all, he was the closest she had ever come to a real relationship.

Aaro walked in and sat on the edge of her bed, a frown etched on his handsome face. "I don't like the other band," he said bluntly, his brows furrowing in annoyance.

"Is this about the comments Tom made?" Jo asked, crossing her arms, intrigued by his sudden outburst.

"Of course it's about that! I can't stand how he's constantly trying to flirt with you," Aaro huffed, the tension in his voice palpable.

Jo raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile creeping onto her lips. "Are you jealous?"

"Maybe," he replied, a hint of defensiveness in his tone, but his eyes held a spark of vulnerability.

She moved to sit next to him on the bed, their shoulders brushing against each other. "Well, just so you know, Tom apologized to me today."

Aaro's expression turned skeptical. "Do you believe him?"

"Not really," Jo admitted, biting her lip, "but we'll see how it goes."

Silence hung between them, thick with unspoken feelings and past history. Aaro shifted slightly, his posture relaxing as he sighed, seemingly torn between frustration and concern.

Eventually, Aaro stood up, signaling that it was time to leave. Jo walked him to the entrance door, feeling the familiar tug of their complicated relationship. As she opened the door for him, Tom unexpectedly stepped out of Bill's room, his presence instantly shifting the atmosphere.

Aaro's eyes lit up with mischief, and he shot Tom a winning grin, clearly aiming to provoke some jealousy. Jo rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Seriously?" she said, shaking her head, then playfully smacking Aaro's arm. "You're such a child."

"Just having a little fun," Aaro said with a cocky grin as he stepped out into the hallway, glancing back at Jo and sending her a kiss.

Jo rolled her eyes before shutting the door shut.