Plight of Amour.

“Where on earth are you taking me?” I whined, flailing my arms around. “And why does it involve me having this stupid blindfold on?”

My fingers gingerly touched the black fabric wrapped over my eyes. It was quite annoying not being able to see anything, especially the form sitting beside me, holding my hand.

I felt the backseat shift underneath me.

Soft breaths suddenly began cascading across my face.

I grinned involuntarily.

“Don’t worry, Calla,” Bill whispered, his lips directly at my ear. “You’re going to love this.”

A shiver racked my entire body. I clutched my free hand into a fist and took a deep breath to calm my nerves, to calm my pounding heart.

He softly pressed his lips to my ear, to my cheek.

“Am I really?” I breathed, feeling as if I might faint.

“Of course you will.” Bill slipped his arms around me.

He shifted again, but this time to press his lips to mine. I smiled into the kiss and my hands found their way to his hair.

“They’re kissing again, Mommy!”

Bill broke away at the sound of Finn’s voice.

Teniell gasped from her position at the driver’s seat. “What did I tell you two about making out in my car?” she snapped. “Don’t do it, especially not in front of my son.”

“And especially not in front of me.” Rillia made a gagging sound.

Bill laughed. “I’m sorry. It was my fault. I just can’t find the strength to keep my hands off of her.”

“Ew, stop it, Bill!” Rillia cried. “I am already scarred enough.”

The car felt like it lurched to a stop.

Probably at a red light or stop sign.

“Why are you scarred enough?” she asked.

I made a sound. I knew exactly what she was talking about.

And so did Bill, because he gave my hand a squeeze and laughed again.

“I woke them up and told them to get dressed this morning, right?” Rillia began.

“Mhm,” Teniell agreed.

“And then, half an hour later when I come in to check if they’re ready, they are the complete opposite of ready!” Rillia smacked her hands against what sounded like the dashboard.

Teniell made a disgusting sound.

The car started going forward again.

“Were they…naked?”

I almost laughed. Teniell sounded so disgusted.

“They were already naked from the night before,” Rillia explained. “Speaking of which, I still owe you both a big fat smack for that. Ew.”

Bill leaned his head against mine.

We really needed to get our own house.

“Oh,” Teniell whistled. “Well, what were they doing?”

Rillia paused for a moment and I felt Bill move his hand as if he were waving at her.

“I think they were just kissing,” Rillia answered absently.

Okay, so we hadn’t just been kissing, but what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her…Or cause her years of mental images.

“But it was still nasty! They get really heated once they’re into it.”

Oh, if only she knew.

“I mean, hands were everywhere, the blankets were practically falling off—“

“Okay, child on board!” I interrupted. “Finn is much too young to hear this kind of trash talk. Remember that before you continue, Rillia.”

Bill kissed the side of my head in obvious thanks.

Rillia huffed. “Fine. I’m finished.”

Teniell giggled shrilly.

I scratched my temple. Whatever fabric this blindfold was made of was viciously uncomfortable.

“Can I take the blindfold off yet?” I whimpered.

Bill slid his finger between the cloth and my temple and lifted it just slightly away from my eyes. I was able to catch a lovely glimpse of him, his hair down flat, his make up done beautifully.

I caressed his cheek in my hand. “Why do you have to be so gorgeous?”

Bill smiled.

Even after three months of seeing him smile, the gesture still took my breath away.

“I have to be gorgeous for you,” he murmured.

“No you don’t.” I shook my head. “You don’t have to be gorgeous for me. Besides, you don’t have to even try.”

Bill kissed my cheek. “I try harder than you think.”

“Impossible,” I scoffed. “You look gorgeous the second you wake up! Tell me how you try to do that.”

“I only look gorgeous because I get to wake up and see you beside me.”

My stomach fluttered wildly.

“Oh, Bill,” I cooed. “You are so perfect!”

Bill nuzzled our noses together. “Only to you.”

I kissed him softly, our lips barely touching.

“Nein!” Rillia yelled. “No kissing!”

I clenched my jaw. “Okay,” I caved in. “But whenever we get where we’re going, there is no way you can keep me off of him.”

Bill looked down at me, an eyebrow arched.

I smirked. “Yeah.”

“Put her blindfold back down! We’re here!” Teniell exclaimed.

Before I could look out the window, Bill yanked the blindfold back down over my eyes. I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed.

“This better be worth it,” I muttered.

Bill kissed my temple. “It will be.”

Teniell’s Jeep came to another stop.

I heard several doors open. Bill released me from his loving grip and opened our door. He grabbed my hand and slowly led me out of the car.

I stumbled out onto the sidewalk. His arm wrapped around my waist to keep me steady.

“Are you ready to go inside?” Teniell asked.

I heard Finn giggle loudly.

I latched onto Bill. I wouldn’t admit it, but I was nervous of what they had in store for me. Their idea of a good surprise was much different than mine.

Bill began lugging me along.

I listened to anything that would give where we were going away. I heard a door open and slightly warm air began wafting on my face.

I scrunched up my nose.

And I heard giggling!

But I couldn’t tell who it was from.

“Okay, Calla. Are you ready to take your blindfold off?” Rillia questioned.

I nodded rapidly.

Bill ripped the blindfold away from my eyes and I was greeted with the inside of a club. Above our heads was a giant banner reading, “We love you, Calla!” Balloons were everywhere, in all my favorite colors: black and orange. And on the floor below it was everyone I loved.

Georg, Gustav, Tom, my father, some fellow authors that I had befriended, my aunts and my cousins, Bill’s mother and stepfather, and of course Bill, Teniell, Finn, and Rillia.

“Oh my god,” I gasped. “What is this?!”

“A party!” Rillia laughed.

“I see, but for what?” I glanced at Bill. He had a mischievous grin plastered on his beautiful features. “You had something to do with his, mister!”

Bill laughed and kissed my forehead.

“Calla, do you have any idea what today is?” he questioned, looking at me incredulously.

“December 27th,” I said, shaking my head. “Why?”

Bill sighed loudly. “Okay. Wait right here.” He hurried across the room, where people were mingling and talking.

I looked over my shoulder at Rillia and Teniell.

“Do you two have any idea what is going on?” I asked.

Teniell grinned. “Yes, but we can’t tell you. We are under strict orders from Mr. Bill Kaulitz.”

“Oh, Calla dear!”

I whipped around without responding to Teniell.

Simone Kaulitz-Trümper was running straight at me, her long red hair flying out behind her.

Who knew she could run so fast.

“Simone!” I cried happily.

She threw her arms around me. “Oh, Calla dearest. I have missed you so much!”

“We saw each other last week!” I choked. “I can’t breathe!”

“I know, but you’re my only hope of a daughter! Being away from you is like being away from Bill or Tom.”

I laughed at Simone. She’s a strange woman, but she had always been there when I needed a mother figure, after my own mother passed away.

“I’m right here, Simone,” I pointed out. “So it’s okay. But do you know what this party is about?”

“No, no. Bill said we can’t tell,” Tom said, bopping over to us.

Simone nodded. “It’s true. He all put us under strict orders now to say a thing. He wants to be the one to announce it.”

I made a face. “Why is he torturing me like this? I want to know!”

Tom ruffled my hair. “Bill is trying to be a good boyfriend.”

I smiled. “He’s a great boyfriend. He doesn’t need to try.”

Simone hugged me again. “He just loves you that much.” She shot her gaze at Tom. “Why can’t you fall in love like that?”

”Mutter, fängt nicht an,” Tom whined.

I let them argue and walked off, to greet the other people that had come to celebrate whatever was going on.

My father attacked me in hugs and kisses when I reached him.

“Calla, my sweetheart!” He hugged me close. “I have missed you, but I’m very happy that you decided not to come home to the United States.”

I smiled. “You are?”

“Yes. And I’m so happy to have my baby girl back to the way she was,” he whispered, kissing my cheek.

“Thank you, Father,” I grinned.

Then my cousins and aunt attacked.

“Where is your boyfriend?!” my eldest cousin, a fourteen-year-old girl named Aira shouted. “I want to see me some Bill Kaulitz.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You can see him, but I no molesting. Understand?” I looked at Aira, her twelve-year-old sister, Claudia, and their mother, Selena, pointedly.

“No molesting,” Aira promised.

I turned around and searched the crowd. He would be the tallest one around, with his freak height of 6’2”.

I quickly spotted him.

“Bill!” I yelled. “Come here and meet my family!”

Bill jolted through the crowd, almost pushing Tom to the ground in process, and pulled me into a hug when he got to me.

“Hello,” he greeted, looking at the other three girls.

“Hello,” Selena nodded.

Aira giggled crazily. Claudia waved.

“Hi. I’m Claudia!”

Bill grinned sweetly. “Hi, I’m Bill.”

“I know!” She pointed to me. “I’m Calla’s cousin. She talks about you all the time in her e-mails.”

Bill glanced at me. I wiggled my fingers in a wave.

“What does she say about me?” he asked.

Aira decided to find her voice. “She talks about how much she loves you…And she sends random pictures of you two to our mother over here.”

Bill nodded and reclaimed his place beside me. “Do you girls mind if I steal Calla away?”

“Of course not!” Aira giggled.

Bill grabbed my hand and pulled me away to the middle of the dance floor.

“Welcome, everyone!” The voice came out of nowhere.

I looked around, surprised. “What was that?”

Bill nodded to the stage. “DJ. Teniell rented him because she wanted music.”

I wasn’t surprised. Teniell had a dancing problem.

I’m sure Tom would enjoy that, though.

The DJ went on. “Before I start the music, I have been told that I need to tell the main girl of the night—Miss Calla Klein—why she is here. Or at least the first reason she is here.”

I peered around Bill, to the stage where the DJ was.

“Happy ten year anniversary!”

My mouth slowly fell. I looked up at Bill, confused.

“What?” I whispered.

“We met on December 27th ten years ago,” Bill explained. “Remember?”

I giggled. I was so stupid! How could I forget that beautiful day?

“I remember,” I said. “I just…forgot.”

The DJ cleared his throat into his microphone. Bill and I both turned around. He was staring pointedly at us, since we were the only ones talking.

“Sorry!” Bill called. “Go on.”

“Okay. I need a Miss Teniell Gillian to come up here and tell Calla some more good news.”

Teniell streaked through the crowd and jumped onto the stage. She stole the microphone quickly.

“I have some amazing news for you, Calla, Bill, friends.” She was grinning widely. “I received a call from Calla’s publishers yesterday and I am proud to announce that they accepted Calla’s new project!”

The room erupted into claps and whoops of joy, the loudest of which were from Bill.

“Plight of Amour will be on shelves everywhere by next December,” Teniell finished.

Bill’s eyes widened. “Plight of Amour?”

I hadn’t mentioned the name of my book.

Oops.

“I wrote it about us,” I whispered.

Bill smiled. “Aw. Calla! I want to read it!”

“I have the original copy at home,” I said. “I’ll let you read it.”

“I would love that, sweetie.”

I grinned and pecked him on the lips. “And happy ten year anniversary, honey.”

/-/-/-/

The party ended at midnight.

It was long and there was a lot of dancing, which Bill did not partake in. I made him slow dance with me after a while, but after that he sat back down.

Teniell, being the kind woman that I love, dropped Bill and me off at his house.

Just because the party was over did not mean our celebration was done.

Bill mumbled under his breath, searching for his house key.

“It’s too dark,” he whispered. “Oh, wait.”

He buried his hand in his back pocket and came back with a shining silver key. Quickly he unlocked his door and shoved it open.

I pushed him inside, pulling the door closed behind me.

Bill took off his jacket and threw it on his couch.

I sighed. “Do you mind if I take a shower?” I asked. “I feel nasty and dirty.”

Bill shook his head. “I don’t mind. You know where it is. Help yourself.”

I hurried up to the third floor of his townhouse, drinking in the pleasant smell that seemed to be radiating wherever I went in this place.

I went through his bedroom and entered his bathroom. I didn’t bother closing the door. I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the shower before turning it on.

Something about Bill’s house made me feel more at home than I’d ever felt. It was so well designed, so cozy. And his shower stall was big enough for six people.

I grabbed a bottle of shampoo at random.

Of course, it was the shampoo that made his hair smell so amazing. I visibly swooned just at the scent.

But, as I began massaging it through my hair, I saw Bill saunter into the bathroom (the shower curtain is translucent.)

“What are you doing?” I called over the loud sound of the running water.

He shrugged, leaning against the sink. “I came in here to watch you.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re such a dork.”

Bill leaned his head on his hand and did just as he said. He watched my take a shower.

“I am not a dork,” he finally responded. “I’m just madly in love with you.”

“No, you’re madly in love with my body,” I corrected.

Bill seemed to consider that for a moment. He rephrased himself.

“I’m madly in love with you, but I lust after your body.”

Mhm.

Just as I thought.

He can’t keep his hormones controlled in the least bit.

I looked away from his seductive eyes and stared at the tiles in the shower. I was panting, my heart pounded.

Apparently I couldn’t keep mine controlled either.

Quickly I turned off the water and stepped out.

Bill raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Why are you getting out? You only washed your hair.”

I walked straight over to him and kissed him heatedly. He caught on and returned the amazing gesture.

As it progressed, he led us into his bedroom and laid my naked body on his bed.

Ten years had been a very long time.

So long, in fact, that it was hard to believe.

But, even after ten years, I still wasn’t tired of the taste of his lips, of hearing his amazing accent…

Of making love to him.

And I was pretty sure I never, ever would.