Overprotected by Stina
(Disclaimed: slightly modified version of 'Overprotected' by Britney Spears)
I need time (time)
Love (love)
Joy (joy)
I need space
I need me
"Okay, Darren, first the interview with the Daily Mirror. Then Hit magazine. A ten-minute break. Only ten minutes, did you hear me?"
Darren nodded, looking as if the picture of him, hanging lazily on the couch, would have fit for the definition of "bored" in a dictionary. "Yes Leonie. No Leonie. Yes Leonie."
His manager narrowed her eyes. "This is serious, dammit, Darren. Who wants to do a solo career, you or me???"
Darren bit his lip to keep himself from saying something he would regret later. And he had to admit that she was right...
Say hello to the man that I am!
You're gonna have to see through my perspective
I need to make mistakes just to learn who I am
And I don't wanna be so damn protected
There must be another way
Cause I believe in taking chances
But who am I to say
What a man is to do
God, I need some answers
Leonie rushed out of the door into the anteroom of the posh suite they had booked for the interviews. He grinned. He knew what would follow, he had seen the first interviewer, quite a young guy.
He heard her sharp voice. "Okay, young man. You are new to this. NO questions about Darren's personal life. NO questions about..." a slight pause "...sex. Especially you will not ask if Darren is gay, OKAY?"
Darren could just *see* the young man raising his eyebrows. "Darren is gay?"
"No he is not, he is NOT. You are just not allowed to ask, okay?"
A slightly amused voice. "Alright...."
What am I to do with my life
(You will find out don't worry)
How am I supposed to know what's right?
(You just got to do it your way)
I can't help the way I feel
But my life has been so overprotected
The first interviews went by just fine, Darren chatted politely about his solo record, his hairstyle, yes, he even answered the unavoidable questions about Daniel calmly and in a friendly fashion.
"So how close are you and Daniel nowadays, after the break-up of the band?"
"To tell the truth..."
He heard Leonie clear her throat warningly.
"Em, to come back to the recording of my album, I forgot to say...."
I tell 'em what I like
What I want
What I don't
But every time I do I stand corrected
Things that I've been told
I can't believe what I hear about the world, I realise
I'm overprotected
Ten minutes break. Leonie opened her laptop, checked her emails, groaned. "Oh no, not again..." She grabbed her cell phone.
Darren looked over. "What is it?"
"Your message board."
She dialled a number hastily.
He did not have to ask.
The call was answered. "Hi, have you... Oh you deleted it already. Good."
He did not have to look. Some curious new fan had DARED to ask.
She switched off the phone sighing. "When we are back we have to think about a way to get the official chat moderated. They are asking there, too."
Darren rolled his eyes. "Let them ask what they want..."
There must be another way
Cause I believe in taking chances
But who am I to say
What a man is to do
God I need some answers
The next interview. A nice and clever female interviewer. They were getting well along with each other. Laughed a lot.
"A lot of your fans are a bit curious, Darren... In your lyrics you hardly make it clear which gender the words are meant for..."
Leonie, sitting in the background as always, stood up. "Okay, that's it. Interview over."
She looked up astonished.
"But I..."
"Yeah, forgot what you were told."
Darren nearly exploded when she had left.
"Leonie, for heaven's sake..."
"What have I told you, Darren, especially in the beginning of your solo career it is important that..."
Suddenly he could not take it anymore. Stood up.
"I need fresh air. I will be back."
He ran out of the suite.
Fled into a park. Sat down on the grass.
What am I to do with my life
(You will find out don't worry)
How am I supposed to know what's right?
(You just got to do it your way)
I can't help the way I feel
But my life has been so overprotected
"Rrrring!!!"
Daniel jogged from the garden into the house, answered the phone.
"Yes?"
"It's me."
Silence.
"Oh."
"I am sorry Daniel. I am sorry I broke up with you just for the sake of my solo career. Just for my image. Because they said it would be better. I was an idiot."
"Yes, Darren. You were."
I need... time (love)
I need... space
I don't need nobody
Tellin me just what I wanna
What I what what I'm gonna
Do about my destiny
I say no, no
Nobody tell me just what what what I wanna do, do
I'm so fed up with people telling me to be
Someone else but me
Darren came back into the suite, smiling.
"Sorry, Leo, I'm back. I'm fine. I know we are way behind our time schedule now. How many interviews left?"
She eyed him suspiciously.
"Five. Where have you been?"
He hugged her.
"I know you do it all for my sake. I am sorry that I am so difficult to get along with sometimes. We'll do the last five interviews all in one, okay? Get them all in."
"But..."
"Please, Leo."
What am I to do with my life
(You will find out don't worry)
How am I supposed to know what's right?
(You just got to do it your way)
I can't help the way I feel
But my life has been so overprotected
"So, Darren, when will your first solo tour take place?"
"Well I think..."
He looked up when the door opened. Smiled.
Heard Leonie gasp faintly.
"D... Daniel!? What the hell..."
Like paralysed she watched him go over to Darren. Watched him sit down on the arm of the sofa beside Darren.
Watched him bend down, kiss Darren on the lips.
"Hi Darren..."
Darren smiled, looked up to him.
"Hi Baby..."
He entwined their hands, turned to the wide-eyed interviewers again.
"Sorry, what was your last question?"
With a deep groan Leonie buried her head in her hands.
