Chapter 4

“What?!”- I asked incredulously

“The package is from a Richard Stephen!”

I didn’t think twice, I ripped the package and there were 2 more envelopes.

With trembling hands I opened the first one and there it was, hand written, my answer. I can’t believe it… It said:

            “Dear Jen,

If you only knew, how flattered I am… believe it or not, nobody had ever said something like that to me, ever.

You seem a very intelligent young lady, who, unfortunately, has been through some stuff too soon. Don’t think this is pity from my part but I’m really sorry about your family… and, honestly, I admire you because you seemed a fighter to me, you seemed strong, strong enough to admit what you feel, and what you think.

I’m honored that you have that opinion about me, seriously.

I’m gonna tell you a secret, it’s for people like you that I live for, it’s for fans like you that I work so hard, it’s people like you that make me strong enough to carry on. So, thank you, for the letter, for the kind words, for being my fan and mostly for being my daughter.

(I chuckled between tears.)

I hope I get the chance to see you and talk to you, honestly, I do.

I wanna look you in the eye and I wanna help you If you let me, that is… I’ll send you tickets. Please don’t take this as you birthday present.

Oh and I guess that this letter will be late, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY little girl!!!!

Please, show up.

Love,

Richie” 

Tickets? The second envelope! I opened and there it was… two tickets, front row, VIP, for free –I gasped- VIP?  Oh My God but that means backstage and backstage means Richie and Richie means… Well… Richie… I can’t believe this is actually happening… I must have read that letter a thousand times after Daniel had left. He was so sweet, so genuine, so nice, so truthful… he was everything I’d imagined!

I picked the phone up and dialed that number that I knew by heart, Nat’s.

“Natalie! Jesus you’re not going to believe me!”- I said

“What? Are you okay?”- Nat asked worried

“He answered me Natalie, he cared!”- I said between sobs

“He did? Oh baby that’s great news! What did he say?”

“He said that I was an inspiration and gave me two FREE VIP tickets to their next concert! Can you believe it? He wants to talk to me, personally! I can’t even think right Nat!”

“Well I don’t blame you babe that IS a big thing so! I’m so happy for you”

“I want you to come with me, can you? Please?”- I begged

“Of course baby! Uh… Jen?”

“Gosh!! Yep?”

“How are you supposed to go? I mean… you’re parents…”

“They are NOT my parents! I don’t know… Oh God I can’t lose this…”- I cried harder

“Calm down baby I won’t let anything ruin this for you, I promise. Give me just a sec okay? I’ll call you back!”- And she hung up

This can’t be happening… It just can’t, I don’t have this kind of luck and these amazing things don’t happen to me, they happen to happy people, who have a happy life… The man of my dreams actually answered me and he offered me tickets, FREE tickets, BACKSTAGE tickets… Oh God I think I’m gonna faint! – My thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of my cellphone:

“Hello?”

“Jen? It’s me, Nat”

“Hey, Nat. So did you have any brilliant idea?”- I asked with my fingers crossed – literally

“Actually, yes I did…”

“You did? Oh my, okay spill it!!”- I answered excitedly

“You live on a second floor, right?”

“Uhh… yes…”- That didn’t sound good…

“Okay, then this is how we’re gonna do: I talked to my parents and explained them part  of your situation and they said that they understood, so I used that to our purpose: I convinced them to book 2 tickets to the Bon Jovi concert next Wednesday and they actually agreed to it… and now that I think about it, that was weird… whatever! So, it’s not gonna be backstage or VIP tickets which means we’ll be on our own but they trust us so we’re good. This was the cool thing, now here comes the bad part… You’re gonna have to sneak through the window…”

“WHAT?”- I interrupted her

“Calm down, I’ll take my bike and brother’s so we can get home faster and I’ll be waiting for you near the bench on the other side of the street.”

“But why don’t your parents come here and get me or something?”

“Because they think that your parents gave you the thumbs up to go the concert and showing up like that would be very, very bad…”- She had a point

“Okay, so I’ll sneak. Then what?”

“Before I leave to get you, I’ll tell my parents that your parents gave you permission to sleepover chez moi and I’m just going to get you. Isn’t it a brilliant plan?”- I could practically see her smile through the phone

“It actually is but it sounds risky…”

“Jeeeeeeeeeeeen…”- She whined

“Fine, we’ll do that, anything for Richie!”