Page 35 of Star Rucked Lovers

“Ha!” Myst rolled her eyes, but there was warmth in her laughter. She reached for her messenger bag, tugging it onto her lap. “Speaking of music… here.” She pulled out a worn leather notebook, its edges frayed from years of use, and flipped it open to a page filled with handwritten lyrics and tiny doodles in the margins.

“What’s this?” George asked, swapping the bag of gummy bears for the notebook. His tone shifted, softening as he saw the vulnerability in her expression.

“Just something I’ve been working on,” she said lightly, though the way her fingers lingered on the page betrayed her nerves. “A song. About you, actually.”

“Me?” George’s brows shot up, his rugged face lighting with both surprise and cautious delight. “Now I’m intrigued. Go on then, sing it.”

“Not a chance,” Myst said, laughing as her cheeks turned pink. “It’s still rough. But you can read it, okay?”

She’d gone from teasing to serious, and George could tell this was important to her. She wanted his approval, perhaps, to put their relationship in her music, to put it out there for the world to see? He swallowed, nodding, and lowered his eyes to the page.

I saw you standing in the glow of the crowd,

A beautiful stranger, but somehow allowed

To break past the walls I’d been holding so tight,

It wasn’t just a glance, it was love at first sight.

And when the world got loud, you didn’t say a thing,

But somehow, your silence could still make me sing.

You were my beautiful stranger, but you’re not anymore,

Love hit me like lightning, shook me to the core.

You’re the calm in the wild, the spark in my fight,

Now I’m singing your name to the stars every night.

“Wow,” George said, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked up, staring at her like he was seeing her for the first time, or maybe just understanding her in a way he hadn’t before. “That’s… I don’t even know what to say, Myst. It’s beautiful.”

“Really?” she asked softly, grabbing the notebook back and clutching it to her chest.

“Really.” He reached across the table, his large hand enveloping hers. “I didn’t realize I meant that much to you.”

“Well, you do,” she said, her smile shy but genuine. “So don’t let it go to your head, Mr. Player of the Year.”

“Too late,” he said, grinning, but the emotion in his eyes gave him away.

“And… you’re okay with me writing and singing about it?”

“I am very okay with it.” He squeezed her hand, finding a certain smug satisfaction in knowing she’d be singing about him to the whole world. “As long as you don’t mimic Taylor Swift any harder, yeah? I’ll be less okay with a breakup song.”

She burst out laughing, and George felt his heart swell with happiness.

Rome welcomed them with open arms, the city’s golden light casting everything in a romantic glow. For the next few days, they wandered hand in hand, losing themselves in cobblestone streets and hidden piazzas.

“Wait till you see this place,” Myst said one afternoon, leading George down a narrow alley lined with ivy-covered walls. She stopped in front of a tiny café with wicker chairs spilling onto the sidewalk. A chalkboard menu listed espresso drinks and pastries in looping script. “Best coffee in the world. Trust me.”

“Big call from an Aussie coffee snob,” George said, raising an eyebrow. “But I trust you.” He smiled as she pulled him inside, her excitement contagious.

That evening, the golden glow of the setting sun bathed Rome in a warm, amber light, softening the edges of its ancient rooftops. Myst stared at her reflection in the mirror of their hotel room, fussing with the cascade of dark waves framing her face. She tugged at a strand absently before turning to George, who was leaning casually against the doorframe, watching her with an expression that made something flutter in her chest.

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going, or do I have to bribe you with more espresso gelato?” she teased, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Nice try,” George replied. He stepped closer, tucking his hands into his pockets like he was holding back some grand secret. “But you’ll just have to trust me for once, won’t you?”

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