𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

After we pulled ourselves together, we had gotten ready and we went to explore Rotterdam.

We visited churches, museums, tourist attractions, and less known streets.

During the walks Ethan would steal a kiss, he would hold my hand, wrap his arm around my back.

Rotterdam was not the city of love, but he made it be.

When we arrived at the hotel, the both of us agreed to meet on the roof at midnight, right after the second semi-finals finished.

As I made my way towards the roof, a couple of minutes before midnight, anxiety started to build in me. The thought, that this, may just be the last peaceful night in a while, tomorrow we had rehearsals all day, and the day after that, the Grand Finale.

I stared at him, his back towards me, his legs dangling from the roof.

Sitting next to him, he put his arm around my waist, and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"What will happen after all this ends?" I said. It sounded dramatic, but I was truly worried, I liked him too much, he brought me too much happiness and comfort.

"Whatever you want, I'll come to you and you'll come to me, or if you don't want to." He paused, then sighed, not finishing his sentence.

I replied to him, "I want to, I'll come to you and you'll come to me."

We enjoyed each other's company, sitting on the roof until the rain started to fall. Our fingers entangled, we went to his room, Damiano was nowhere in sight, Ethan borrowed me a sweatshirt, the sweatpants I was already in being comfortable to sleep in, and after he changed, we wrapped one another in our arms, my hands playing with his hair as his brushed circles on my back.

Seconds before I was completely asleep, I heard a whisper, as if from an angel "Ti amo." A second later I whispered, "I love you" not sure if the angel heard me.

This was probably the best I had ever slept, and when the alarm rang in the morning, waking us from our dreams, I left in his sweatshirt, spending the entire day rehearsing with Kristina and Nikolai, getting ready, to hopefully, make history.

The entire day went in a haze, and so did most of the next, before I had time to process everything, I was putting on my outfit for the biggest performance of my life.

We wore all black this time, I wore flared jeans, ripped at the bottom with chains around the belt area, a corset, my hair was up in a tight ponytail, the makeup artists had done a wonderful job, black eyeshadow and lipstick, greyish contour, making me look corpse-like.

Kris wore a black bodysuit, boots with a big platform and a chunky heel, her hair pin-straight, and similar makeup as me.

Nikolai was in a black skirt reaching above his knees, no shirt, similar heels to Kris, and similar makeup to us.

First performed Cyprus, then Albania, and it was our turn, lucky number three?

Before we made our way to the stage, I noticed a small package on my dressing table and a note.

I first read the note, 'Good luck <3 I love you, Ethan' then when I opened the package I saw a small locket in it, heart-shaped. When I opened it, on one side the words 'Ti amo' were engraved, and on the other was a small picture, barely seeable, of me and Ethan, and the moon behind us.

I quickly put it on and followed Kris and Nikolai towards the stage.

After we had performed, I don't even remember anything from it, it was a haze, a lot of people followed, and twenty-fourth were Måneskin.

They all wore scarlet outfits, and hell did they perform.

When they arrived in the green room, I ran into Ethan's arms and whispered to him "Thank you, I love you." He whispered "I love you too" and when we pulled apart I kissed him.

We all decided to sit at the same table, and when the last two contestants finished, we awaited the results.