Chapter 11- Finally

                                    

                                          

The next morning, I felt my stomach turn with nerves as I left my hotel room. My plan was clear- I needed to talk to Marcus first. He deserved to know everything. I took a deep breath, rehearsing what I was going to say in my head. As I rounded the corner towards the lobby, I froze. 
There he was, Martinus, standing with the same Finnish dancer from yesterday. They were leaning in close, their heads almost touching. The sound of her laughter rang in my ears like a cruel echo.
A wave of nausea hit me. My heart clenched painfully in my chest. Before I could stop myself, I turned on my heel and bolted down the hallway. I didn't care where I was going, I just needed to get away. The tears stung my eyes, blurring my vision as I ran until I found a small, quiet corner of the arena.
Sliding down the wall, I buried my face in my hands and finally let the tears fall. This was all my fault. If I hadn't lied, if I hadn't pushed him away with my stupid, pointless words,maybe things could've been different.
Maybe he wouldn't be looking at someone else like that. Maybe he would've looked at me the way he used to, but then, doubt clawed its way into my mind, whispering ugly truths I didn't want to hear. 
What if I was wrong? What if he never really liked me at all? Maybe he was just being friendly and I had read too much into it.
"Mathilda?". I gasped, startled by the voice. I quickly wiped my tears but it was too late. Marcus was standing there, his face full of concern as he crouched down beside me. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"- he asked.
I tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come. Marcus pulled me into a hug, holding me tightly. His warmth felt comforting, grounding me for a moment. "Shh, it's okay. Just tell me what's going on."- he murmured softly.
I took a shaky breath, leaning into his embrace, finally feeling safe enough to let everything out. "It's Martinus... it's all my fault, Marcus. I lied to him and now, I think I've lost him for good".
"What do you mean? What happened?"- he pulled back slightly, looking me in the eyes. "I told him I had a boyfriend when I didn't. I just panicked, okay? Now he's moved on and I've been so stupid!"- I sobbed, my words spilling out in a rush. "He's with a Finnish dancer and I don't think he even liked me in the first place. I'm just... I ruined everything". 
"Mathilda, no. You didn't ruin anything."- Marcus shook his head, sighing softly. I shook my head, wiping at my tears again. "You don't understand. He doesn't care about me, Marcus. He's with her now, and... I was just delusional thinking he ever felt anything for me". 
Marcus hesitated for a moment before speaking, but when he did, his voice was calm and steady. "Mathilda, listen to me. Martinus has always been a bit of a playboy, right? You've seen it, you've been our fan. But ever since he met you... he's been different. He hasn't been the same guy who just flirts for fun. He fell for you. Hard."
"What?"- I blinked, taken aback. "I know my brother, Mathilda. He couldn't stop talking about you. He's been falling for you more and more every day. You didn't push him away because of a lie. He's just confused, thinking you're not interested and you're actually taken. That's why he's acting this way".
"You really think he...?"- I stared at Marcus, my heart pounding. "I know he does. He's been trying to move on because he thinks you don't feel the same, but if you tell him the truth, I promise you'll see how much he cares".
"I... have to talk to him, don't I?"- I swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over me. "Yeah, you do."- Marcus nodded, giving me a gentle smile.
***
Later that day, I found Martinus sitting on the balcony, his gaze distant as he watched the view in front of him. My hands shook as I approached him, my heart racing.