ZION laid out a blanket on the wooden deck outside the lake house. It was their first week there, and only now did she think of having a picnic outside. Except for the second day, when it had rained that evening. But at that moment, the night sky was perfectly clear—perfect for stargazing.
Zion had prepared pizza that he had even cooked himself. She didn’t expect him to know how to make it. He told her his sister had taught him—she had graduated in culinary arts and had always loved cooking. And since he wasn’t much of a socializer back then, his sister would keep him company at home, and they’d just go on little food adventures while watching movies. She also taught him how to cook from time to time.
“It’s a bit chilly here, huh?” she remarked. They were sitting side by side on the blanket. She watched him as he sliced the pizza.
“Uh-huh,” he agreed. “So no need for the AC.” She noticed there were indeed no air-conditioning units in the house. She didn’t ask about it—she guessed it was because of the cool temperature. Rain or shine, the place was naturally cold.
“This is really a nice place. Thank you for bringing me here, Zion.”
The boy smiled at her as he handed her a slice of pizza. “You deserve a break.” His simple words made Ri-Ri smile sadly.
“If I hadn’t fainted, they probably wouldn’t have thought to let me rest first,” she said, taking a bite of the pizza he gave her. For a moment, her attention shifted to the food—it was really delicious. Zion looked genuinely pleased when she told him she loved it.
“Have you thought about looking for another record company?” he asked. She froze for a moment at his question, unable to answer immediately. “They were stifling your creativity, Ri. The songs you wrote are marvelous; they need to be out there. They deserve to be heard.”
She felt her eyes warm, but she blinked back the tears. “Thank you, Zion. It means so much to me,” she whispered. Then she let out a deep sigh. “I had thought about leaving and finding another record label—or even starting my own, like going indie or something. But my mother wouldn’t allow it. She said it would be shameful for her if I left.” She told him everything.
Ri-Ri’s mother had been working for the company as a talent manager almost all her life, and Ri-Ri was one of the talents her mother managed. Her singing career started when she suddenly became popular covering well-known songs, which she used to upload on a website. In the beginning, she wasn’t confident about sharing her own compositions. But the very first original song she uploaded was well-received by her listeners. Gradually, she gained popularity and more subscribers. Her mother found out, and that’s when her professional career began.
But sadly, the record label decided to ignore her compositions because they didn’t “fit” the image they had built for her. They wanted more fun, sexy pop songs. In short, she wasn’t able to grow as an artist because there was nothing new in the songs they kept releasing for her. It had always been the same. And she regretted it deeply.
“You are the one who made yourself successful when you were a teenager,” he said. “The label has been lucky to have you for the many albums you’ve released, and they’d be lucky again to get you for another. I know it won’t be easy to find another label or start your own record company. I just can’t stop thinking about the songs you wrote. They’ve been stuck in my head ever since I heard them.”
Ri-Ri blinked back tears. Zion’s words were heavy, but at the same time, they lifted a weight off her shoulders. “Thank you so much, Zion. I am truly grateful for your words. But honestly, I’ve been losing hope that things will ever change. Maybe I really can’t escape this cage. I’d forever be a marionette of what they expected of me.”
Hearing that, Zion pulled her close and held her tightly in his arms. She let him. She rested her head against his chest. “Just tell me what you want, I’ll do it. Do you want to sing your heart out here? Go on. I will listen to you the whole night. I will never get tired of your voice and your songs.”
She couldn’t help but laugh at his words. “I don’t want to bore you—”
“I won’t be bored at all,” he cut her off. “I will never get tired of hearing your voice, Strawberry.”
She couldn’t forget the way he said her full name. Somehow, it didn’t irritate her as much as it might have. Instead, she smiled, her heart practically shouting with joy. For the first time, she liked her name. It sounded sweet coming from his lips.
“But if you want a different audience…” He trailed off when she looked up into his eyes. He smiled, and she caught the sparkle in his gaze. “I remember Pops has a friend who owns a restobar here. Some local artists usually go there to sing at night. Maybe you’d like to—”
“Oh my God, Zion!” She jumped back into his arms. She might have even elbowed him in the process, because she heard his sharp intake of breath. But he just laughed and hugged her back. She looked into his eyes again. Her hand rested on his chest, and she could feel the beat of his heart—it was just as strong as hers.
Slowly, he leaned closer to her. Ri-Ri knew exactly what he intended to do, but she didn’t move away. But as she anticipated the kiss, an idea suddenly struck her. She pressed her index finger to his lips. “Wait, I-I need my notebook and my pencil,” she said.
Zion was momentarily confused, but when he realized why she needed them, he dashed into the house. Within seconds, he returned with her pencil and notebook. As soon as she received them, she quickly wrote down the words swirling in her mind. Zion sat beside her, listening intently as she strummed her guitar to create the melody.
At one point, she glanced at him while he was busy helping himself to the pizza. This man—right here—had just become her inspiration for a song, and he might not even realize it. The thought made her smile widely.