Free Hitting the Right Notes by Elisa Jackson

morning.”
    “ My hero .”
    “I could feel the weather was going to get worse, so I thought it was better to do the shopping while you were sleeping.” He explained with such adorable enthusiasm in his voice.
    “You can feel the weather? Is that a superpower of something?” She had meant it as a joke, but Eric’s expression suddenly grew sad – there was so much more hidden behind those deep dark eyes so many concealed emotions…
    “It’s… um…I am pretty sensitive to such things. My body reacts to it… I…Can I explain it later, please?”
    “Sure, babe, relax.” She tried to sooth him, ease the thoughts that had been tormenting him. No matter what he was hiding from her, Darya knew he was doing his best to make this moment amazing for her and she promised to herself to wait until he would be ready to open up to her. How could she judge him, if she was hiding her own secrets in every corner of her past?
    “So, coffee and a croissant?”
    “And another kiss, please,” she added. She loved being lazy. It was something Darya didn’t afford herself often, but Eric somehow inspired her to pursue all her guilty desires.
    “Always.” His kiss was tender and caring; his lips had found treasure and were so careful touching it. Darya’s naughty tongue invaded his mouth and all the innocence of the kiss was gone turning it into a passionate declaration of desire. “This was the reason we skipped the dinner last night…” Eric tried to protest between the kisses. He had managed to place the coffee mug a relatively safe distance from them.
    “Yes… and I wouldn’t mind skipping the breakfast as well, if this is the alternative.” Being naughty with Eric and at the same time loving and romantic, felt so right.
    “Do you starve all your men to death?”
    Could this man get even more perfect? Darya knew the ice wall that she had built around her heart was melting in record time and she was exposed as never before. Well, as exposed as once, but the destiny could not play that same trick with her, could it? Around Eric, it was impossible to think straight for more than a few seconds, which were the pauses she could get between his kisses.
    “Love you… I love you my Daya…”
    And suddenly the whole world froze again. Whatever beautiful emotions were flying in the air froze into icicles, then fell crushing on the floor.
    He had called her Daya . That was not a mistake, not a mispronunciation.
    “Tell me that was an accidental mistake… Tell me you didn’t mean it…” she all but chanted
    He kept silent. He could not meet her eyes. Darya needed no further proof. He knew her stage name – he had known it for all this time and kept silent. Darya looked into his eyes and met the realization of the truth, which could be avoided for so long, but never forever.
    “No, no, no… please… wait…” Eric’s words sounded frantic, but Darya could not hear through her blocked ears. She could only hear the crushing sound of her dreams falling down and being smashed.
    “So much for letting myself dream again.” Darya whispered to herself. She was unable to move, though all she wanted was to run away and hide. She was unable to talk, though she wanted to scream and shout and tell him how she hated his lies. She was unable to cry, though tears were burning her eyes from inside. All Darya could do was staring into his deep eyes searching for an answer – one simple answer to a very simple question – “ why? ”
    Eric was not ready to give answers. He was begging her to stay, to calm down, to listen to him, but both of them knew there was nothing to tell that could ease her pain. He had betrayed her.
    Deep in her heart, Darya felt some kind of a strange relief. She was back to Earth, where everyone without exception betrayed her. Eric was not different than any other man and that gave some comfort to her – strange twisted comfort, but still one.
    “I need to be alone,” she finally whispered. Her voice