Page 114 of My Rock Star Neighbor
“Did you hear Nick’s latest song?”Jing asks.“I need to be upfront and tell you that I messaged Amira and Sayo and told them you were miserable, and they said Nick is miserable too.They’re worried about him because he’s not eating.They sent me this.”
It’s a video of Nick performing “Breaking My Heart.”The lyrics are about how helpless he felt hearing me cry, how he wanted to hold me and protect me, and instead he’d hurt me.How he can’t eat.
He heard me cry.That ridiculous, paper-thin wall.And here I thought I’d managed to convince him that I’d get over him.
I cry again.I’ve become such a blubbering mess since we broke up.
“The video isn’t over,” Jing says.“Look.”
The camera then pans to the audience with fans holding up signs:Go Get Your Girl!andWe miss Maddie.
The video ends with Amira’s face filling the frame, saying, “He’s miserable without you.Please take him back.”
I want to.
But first, I need to accept this job offer.I call Tristan to accept.
“You won’t regret it,” he says.
“I wrote something about Nick and me.It’s not an article for the city desk, but maybe you’d still be interested in it once I come on board.It was about how I felt about Nick.”
“I’m interested,” Tristan says.“Especially if it’s an exclusive on your side of the story.”
After we hang up, I send him my love letter to Nick.
Then, I draft an email to Hayden, announcing my resignation and that I’m taking my vacation time for the next two weeks.
“You don’t want to tell him in person?”Jing asks, peering over my shoulder as we craft the text of my resignation.
“No,” I say.“I have no desire to see him again—ever.”
The late-afternoon air feels practically balmy.
“I think this calls for some champagne,” Jing says.“And then you need to look at flights.He’s playing in California this weekend.”
I’m going to fly out to Nick tomorrow and tell him that I want to get back together.That we need to tie our knot tighter this time.Maybe even a double knot.
I walk into my apartment, slightly tipsy from all the celebratory champagne and drinks with Jing and Iris at Craic and Laughs.I thanked Iris for being Cybergirl and for defending me.She said it was cathartic.I tilt my ear towards our shared wall.I swear I hear Nick playing in the apartment next door.
As I feed Sherlock, I say, “Do you hear that music?Do I miss him so much now that I’m starting to hear his music everywhere?It was playing in the bar, so it’s stuck in my head, right?”Every time Nick’s song came on in the mix in the bar, a huge cheer went up.“That’s our guy!”
Sherlock meows.
I shake my head.Maybe it’s another neighbor playing his music.But it really sounds so much like him.My phone beeps.
Nick:I miss you.
Me:I miss YOU.
Nick:I wish I was with you on the fire escape.
Me:It’s much warmer in California.
I hope I can book a red eye to California.
Nick:Keeping track of where I am?
Yes, because I’m planning to surprise you.If MusEn invokes the morality clause and drops him, another label will pick him up.He’s proven himself now.
