Chapter 9 - Dominik

«This is insane. This is insane.» Dominik kept saying to himself. He was supposed to be practicing in just a couple hours, but he decided to escape from his hotel to go to the airport. He could not sleep well thinking of that girl. That feeling of necessity he had never felt before forced him to reprimand himself after such foolish behavior. None the less, he kept his intention of looking for her. He had a feeling he could find her there. Why not? He just knew it. He was only following his instincts.

«She could have just been passing by. Like me», he questioned once more this crazy idea taking over his mind. «I'll just give her back her iPod. That's it», he said to himself, like this would keep him from feeling like less of a fool from what he was doing.

The probabilities of finding her in a place packed with people every day were minimal, but there he was, taking a cab, on his way to the LAX in Los Angeles.

He got out of the car, wasting no time and went into Terminal 3, where he ran into her the day before. He looked everywhere and could only see hundreds of people walking in every direction, and even though he was wearing shades and a hoodie, he felt like he was being watched, fearing Friedrich would come up out of nowhere giving him a lecture.

«This is insane. This is insane.» He said to himself again.

Anxiety was starting to take its toll on him. He needed a dose of sugar or he would faint. He could see a Starbucks in the distance and sighed in relief. He could use a cup of coffee while he thought how he would find that pretty girl with the bright brown eyes.

He walked up to the bar ready to order when he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. When he looked at the screen, he realized it was Friedrich.

Where on Earth are you?

He read and replied immediately.

Out. See you shortly.

He put his phone back in his jacket and looked at the menu. It had been a while since he had a drink at a Starbucks so he did not remember the names of the drinks.

“Hello. Good morning” he said.

“I'll be with you in a second” a girl said as she was fixing something behind the counter.

“OK. I'll wait” Dominik agreed. That would give him time to decide what he would order.

He needed a sweet, a good dose, but also, something to wake him, he had had a long night thinking of… her.

His phone buzzed again. Dominik rolled his eyes, he knew it was Friedrich.

Wherever you are, better get your ass here. Ewald has asked me about you three times already. I had to lie to keep him from a heart attack. Where are you?

Gosh! When Friedrich wanted to be a PAIN he was one. In capital letters.

“What will it be, gentleman? Something cold or hot?” the clerk asked.

“Please, one tall caramel macchiato, frappe” Dominik replied, not looking away from his phone. He was coming up with an acid response for his publicist.

“Alright. Sir?” the girl behind the counter responded.

“Dominik” he answered. “D-O-M-I-N-I-K” spelling it out before the woman got it wrong, they always did. He hated when they wrote it as “Dominique”.

I think I'll start interviews tomorrow. I could use a new publicist. Mine is a pain. Know of anybody?

Dominik tapped Send and smiled devilishly. Although he felt tempted by the thought of letting Friedrich go, he could not think of a day without his friend. Good or bad, Treadaway was his right hand at everything. He could never find someone like that anywhere.

He paid and took his cup without taking his eyes away from the phone screen and sipped. He took a couple steps and looked at the name on the cup. He smiled as he realized she had spelled it correctly.

«Finally. A Starbucks employee who can spell my name right,» he thought and smiled.

He stopped as he noticed something else on his cup.

Have you ran into somebody today yet?

The message read.

«How?». Dominik frowned and turned around by inertia.

He recognized her. It was her.