About 3 months earlier…
“Ugh, some people just get all the luck…” my classmate Anna muttered with a grimace. She glanced at me, then back at a group of guys standing near the brightly decorated stage at our university.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, pretending not to catch her drift. She snorted.
“Not what, but who. You know exactly who I mean,” she said, nodding toward the students with her eyes.
“Are you hinting at my Roman?” I teased with a smile. Anna nodded affirmatively. Among the four young men chatting over the blaring music, Roman Spivenko stood out as the tallest and most handsome. At least, that’s the consensus among most of the girls at our school who’ve had even a passing acquaintance with him. And the fact that this heartthrob has recently become my official boyfriend? Well, let’s just say it’s been keeping a lot of people up at night.
“Anna, don’t worry so much. Your turn for some happiness will come too. Besides, it’s a holiday today—everyone’s in a romantic mood,” I told her. She’d just broken up with her boyfriend Artem and now seemed to sulk around, getting annoyed at anyone who had a partner.
“Yeah, right…” she scoffed. We lingered there a bit longer, about to head to the ladies’ room, when suddenly my friend Nika rushed over, out of breath. She adjusted her voluminous skirt and brushed the black curls falling into her eyes. Her small purse was tangled on her elbow by its strap.
“Girls, girls! You won’t believe what’s about to happen! Look!” she exclaimed excitedly, pointing at the stage. The guys who’d been standing nearby moments ago were gone. They must’ve gone up on stage. The curtains were drawn.
“What’s going to happen? A concert. We know,” Anna said, unimpressed. It wasn’t clear why Nika was so worked up. It’s not like we were expecting a superstar like a famous singer to show up, serenade each of us personally, and top it off with a hug for good measure. We laughed. Nika winked mysteriously and said,
“A surprise… Just watch.” The few hundred students gathered in the hall for the celebration perked up, turning their attention to the stage. The lights dimmed, leaving only small bulbs glowing above the platform. What had our campus stars prepared? I love a good time, but performing in front of a crowd is definitely not my thing. I’ve never agreed to sing or dance on stage, except for rare occasions when I was roped into it—and even then, only as part of a group. So, I had no inkling that today, my unassuming self would end up in the spotlight.
Every year, before November 17th, our performers prepare acts that are kept under wraps until the big reveal.
Oh, the music stopped. Then a lively tune kicked in, and the curtains parted. The host said a few words, and three of our stars, third-year students, launched into a song by a popular artist, “Unreal Man.” They were amazing. Dancing like true professionals. What a fantastic way to kick off the show.
“Is this what you meant?” I asked Nika, leaning close to her ear.
“Nope. Just wait. There’s something else. I overheard it by accident,” she replied. This girl has a nose for news and gossip. How does she always find out everything? Honestly, she’s like a spy.
Swaying to the beat, we watched a few more performances, and then… The host announced the quartet “Seventh Heaven.” Oh… Now we’re talking. The hall erupted in cheers and whistles. My Roman sometimes performs with this student band. He loves to sing. And, honestly, he thrives on being the center of attention. I grinned at the girls when I spotted three musicians on stage alongside my charming soloist. Dressed in trendy pants and a bold purple shirt, unbuttoned halfway down. A gold chain around his neck. A seductive smile. Mmm… The most gorgeous blond in the university.
The guys absolutely rocked a few songs. The entire crowd was ecstatic, dancing along, some even singing. Roman has such a beautiful voice. He says it’s a tenor. I don’t know much about vocal ranges, but as long as he keeps showering me with compliments, I’m happy. Which, by the way, he does regularly. Maybe even a little too much…
Some of the more enthusiastic girls were squealing hysterically. It was almost scary…
But the real thrill came when Spivenko signaled for everyone to quiet down, looked straight at me, and started singing a popular love song, “Natalie.” The first two lines were a cappella, then the band joined in. Unbelievable! I was floored. No one had ever sung to me so beautifully, especially not in front of hundreds of people. There’d been some feeble attempts in the past, but nothing like this… Mmm… He’s incredible!
“Nata – Natalie, Natalie… There are so many beauties in the world. But you’re the best, Natalie!” Roman seemed to pour his whole heart into every word of the song. He pronounced my name in a special way, savoring it, with pure delight.
“Wow!” Anna couldn’t hold back her emotions anymore. “Unreal! He’s totally in love with you, Natasha! Oh…” She pursed her thin lips, clutched her chest, and looked like she might cry out of pity for herself.
I laughed, not responding. I exchanged a look with Nika. So this was what she meant. What an awesome surprise. I turned my focus back to the guy on stage, who was dancing seductively, singing, and looking at me like I was truly Miss Universe. Euphoria bubbled up inside me. I smiled at him, bit my lower lip, feeling shy. It seemed like everyone was staring at me. I clapped my hands and swayed my hips to the rhythm of the music.
After the line “Let’s jet off to Bali,” Roman jumped off the stage and ran toward me. The crowd parted, making way for this wild Romeo, as he’s often called. On his way, my darling blond finished the song and shouted into the mic:
“Natalie! You’re the best! My sweet girl, my beauty! I love you, kitten!” He dragged out each word with the flair of a game show host. As he got closer, he scooped me up in his arms, lifted me, and spun me around. I squealed in shock and joy, wrapping my arms around his neck. My head spun, intoxicated. Oh my gosh… I felt like I might explode with happiness.
“Natalie! My sweet, my love!” he shouted, now without the mic, since it was behind me in his hand. Then he set me down and kissed me passionately on the lips. I didn’t even have time to process what was happening. I froze. The stage lights, as if on purpose, shone directly on us. He didn’t stop, and I, flustered, started to kiss him back. The kiss lingered, deepened. I trembled from the rush of emotions, barely able to breathe. But Romeo was caught up in the moment, not letting go. His insistent lips moved over mine. Again and again, he kissed me, trying to slip his tongue into my mouth. Was he trying to impress everyone here? He’s crazy!
I blushed, burning with embarrassment. I tried to end this passionate display—it was too much for me. I wanted to disappear, to be somewhere no one could see us. I started to pull away, barely managing to break free from this hot charmer, whispering to him that it was enough. Finally, he seemed to come to his senses, stepping back. Then he shouted into the mic again:
“Natalie, my sunshine, I’m giving you a trip to Bali! Everyone heard that, right?!” The already frenzied crowd screamed even louder. Whistles and applause mixed with the desperate buzz of a sea of jealous girls who wanted to be in my place. During our kiss and right after, shouts rang out:
“Yes! Go for it!”
“Sweet!” some yelled.
“Awesome! Keep going!” others cheered more boldly. And some particularly daring or desperate girls even squealed:
“Romeo! Kiss me!”
I was burning with… I don’t even know what more, joy or embarrassment. Probably the latter. I hadn’t expected such intensity, especially since we’d only just started dating. When did he fall for me this hard? I knew Spivenko wasn’t exactly struggling financially, but to go as far as Bali… Wow… It’s all so amazing, but… For me, it’s a bit too much…
“My darling, promise in front of everyone that you’ll come with me on a dream vacation to the magical island of Bali!” Roman declared, completely flooring me. He held the mic to my lips so everyone could hear my response. I’m stunned. What do I even say?