Max looks at herself in the mirror, a lump in her throat and in her stomach, and she feels as if she has a timer in her head. Red numbers ticking down, taking time away from her old life to make way for a new one, and she doesn't know if she should be excited by the possibility or terrified by the consequences. She knows she doesn't know, so she splashes cold water on her face for the umpteenth time today.

Convinced that on that day she will either be reborn or die, as dramatic as it sounds, Max is determined to make things right before she leaves this life. So, step by step, she begins to do what she would have done if that damn contract hadn't gotten in her way.

Louis picks up the phone almost instantly. It's Friday, so she assumes he's not in the studio, with Freddie or meeting anyone. "Hello?"

"Hi, Lou. Look, I was just calling to run something by you. I'm sorry I can't do it in person, but I'm meeting my mother for lunch and I don't have time. It's important, so if I catch you at a bad time, let me know."

"No way, not at all. I'm not busy. But if it's so important, why don't you come by this afternoon?"

"You know the Connor thing was a lie, Sony made me go out with him. I'm actually bisexual and I'm dating Victoria," Max says in a rushed tone, not giving Louis time to continue talking. The line goes silent on the other end and, far from feeling rejection, Max almost feels relief at the absence of words. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Louis clears his throat on the other end. "I figured as much, Max," he even laughs now. "Fuck, yeah I even asked you about her that time, remember? I thought you were with her, but then Connor showed up. Why didn't you tell me sooner? Not that I care, Max, not at all, I'm happy for you. But I wouldn't have judged you before either."

"Because I think you figured it out even before I did. That day... We weren't even together. I don't think I even knew my feelings. She did have them for me, but it wasn't clear to me yet that I saw her as more than a friend," Max sighs, biting her lip. "But it's so clear to me now, Louis. I know who I am now, and who she is to me, and I want everyone to know that. But I'm starting with the important people."

Max smiles when Louis laughs on the other end of the line, and her heart feels much lighter. "I should be flattered, then. If this is what you want, go ahead. I just hope you're careful what you do. I know how they handle things at Sony. Be very careful, Max. I'll be here no matter what, okay?"

"I know. Thanks for taking such good care of me from the beginning. I love you."

"Oh, my God, you're not going to cry, are you? You're going to make me cry," Louis jokes when he hears Max's nasally voice, now laughing as a few tears fall down her cheeks. "I won't keep you any longer, I suppose you're meeting your mother to tell her the truth. You'll see, everything will be fine. I love you too, little one."

"Hey, that's what I call your son."

"I said what I said," Louis hangs up the phone, leaving Max with the word in her mouth.

Well, never mind, at least a third of her plans have gone well. Now she just has to stick to the plan and tell her mother. If she thinks about it, she really is the most important person in her life, and she drowns in the thought that she has lied to her, to the woman who gave her life. She wonders if it will be justification enough that she's fulfilling a contract, or if her mother will be angry with her for lying to her. And for dating a girl?

Max shakes her head to herself. Helen is an open-minded woman who has worked as a high school teacher all her life and has seen teenagers develop and grow up in front of her, so she has had to live through it all and constantly adapt to the times. She knows that she assured Victoria weeks ago that everything would be fine, that she would never judge them, but these are strange circumstances, and being worried about anything is something that perfectly describes a nervous Theresa Maxwell.

It's still a bit annoying for her to have to drive, so she takes a taxi. They both decide that they'd better eat at Max's mother's flat, because she knows she'll be less nervous there when she has to say the words out loud. On the one hand she fears her mother's reaction, both because of her lies and the reality, but on the other hand she is eager to finally be honest with her, even though the contract is still in force. But she's her mother, she's not going to tell anyone, and with that thought, she knocks on the door.

"Darling! Come in, come in. I wasn't expecting you until a little later. The chicken's still in the oven, but we'll have a drink in the meantime."

Max smiles a little, disassociating herself more and more from reality. She tries to stay calm, to look at the bookshelves full of books she helped bring from her old house, to inhale the smell of roasting chicken from the kitchen, to run her fingertips along the soft fabric of the sofa. She sits on it when her mother offers her a glass of wine, and Max smiles to herself as she balances it between her fingers. That catches the attention of her mother, who takes a seat next to her.

"What's wrong?"

The girl shrugs slightly. "I'm still a little weirded out by all this. I'm going to be twenty-three, and I remember like it was yesterday that this cup was an invisible teacup, remember? When I pretended to be a waitress and made you and dad order something to eat and drink. Then I'd bring you empty plates and cups, and you'd pretend to eat it. And now it's you and me, many years later, talking like grown-ups."

"The years go by, honey, and life changes. You're older now, and even though I've always seen you as an equal, you're able to understand things now that you couldn't before. We've always been very good friends, Max, you've been my rock for many moments in my life. You are my friend, but you are also my little girl. And you always will be."

And it's now or never, so Max tells her. From the moment she was presented with the contract, when she signed it, to the present day. How the clauses aren't always what they seem, how they control her life, even telling her who she has to date. She tells her how she met Connor, but also how the boy lied to her and was forced to go out with him. She tearfully tells her how she wishes she had told her sooner, but the risk she was taking —and still is taking— is too great for anyone to find out.

"Oh my God, honey," one hand goes straight to her mouth, the other to cover one of her daughter's hands. "Why didn't you tell me about this before? I could have helped you, we could have gotten a lawyer."

"I'm sorry, mum. I really wanted to have told you about this Connor thing from the beginning, but I'm taking too big a risk. There's no need to get a lawyer, mum, because I'm going to tell Simon everything. I'm going to tell him that..."

"What, Max?"

She realises her voice is caught in her throat, and her mother's hands cover hers again, prompting her to speak. She looks at her for a few seconds, almost seeing herself in the reflection of her irises as blue as her own, and understands that nothing will change. That her mother will still be here no matter what. She feels like she did when she was at school, her mother healing the wounds she got from playing with her friends, with a warm gaze and gentle hands. And even though the years have passed, her mother is her mother.

"I'm dating Victoria, mum."

"Victoria? What do you mean, Victoria? Your friend, the one who came over when we had dinner with Robert?"

"I don't know any other Victoria, mum."

Max's heart starts to race because Helen doesn't say anything. She thinks maybe she should have waited a little longer, been a little more tactful with her choice of words. Maybe made up a little more of the reality.

"I didn't know you liked women," her mother admits, looking at her, but Max sees no trace of mischief in her eyes, so she calms down. "Sorry, it just took me by surprise. But of course it's okay, Max. Don't be nervous. You know I think it's totally natural. You don't have to be afraid to tell me anything, okay? Come here," Helen puts her arms around her, and when Max leans against her shoulder she lets out a sigh of relief she didn't know she was holding in. "How did all this happen? I feel like I have no idea what's going on in your life, honey."

"I don't know, mum. It just happened. I felt things for her that I should have felt for Connor, and I realized she wasn't just my friend. I know I should have told you things sooner, and I was more afraid of my team's reaction than yours, really. I should have been honest with you from the beginning, but I felt I couldn't risk letting more people know. I'm so sorry, mum."

"I guess the life of an artist is more complicated than I thought," Helen rambles aloud. "But you're always going to be my little girl. I've told you before and I'll tell you again now: that will never change. It doesn't matter if you're eight or twenty-three, or if you make me eat a fake steak or sing in front of hundreds of people. You're my daughter, okay? Of course I wish I'd known all this sooner, but because I understand you must have felt very alone in this and I wish I could have supported you."

"Vic has, mum," Max smiles a little, her eyes moistening. "She made me realise when I was acting badly, she's been able to keep my feet on the ground, and she's been there for me when no one else could."

Helen strokes her daughter's cheeks, wiping away the tears that still escape and match her own. "If she makes you happy, then welcome. But, I have to ask... Was Connor never real? Does he know all this?"

"No, mum. Connor was fine at first, but then what happened happened and I decided I didn't want to hide it anymore. In fact... He's the last person on my list to tell before I tell Simon."

"It's going to be okay, honey. You'll see it will," a beep sounds from the kitchen, and Helen springs to her feet, a smile lighting up her face. "Shall we eat now?"

i'm near the pub. think u can give me a lift to simon's?

Of course, be there in twenty. I just got off work.

"I'm sorry," is the first thing out of Max's mouth after she tells Connor the same thing she's told her mother. She doesn't expect any kind of reaction from him, because, after all, he's still the guy who used her and hurt her so much, but she hopes that, for the sake of what's left of their relationship, he'll have positive words for her.

Max looks at herself in the rearview mirror as she waits for Connor's words, still silent. She applies some mascara and lipstick, because she knows the meeting that awaits them in a matter of minutes could become brutal.

"I don't think you have anything to apologise for," the boy finally says, shaking his head. "After all, you don't choose who you fall in love with, do you?" The boy's dark gaze on her makes her flinch, as if he's trying to tell her something else. "What difference does it make if it's a boy or a girl? Look, Max, I'd like to think that you and I can become friends in the future, or well, you not hating me is good enough for me. So I want you to know that I'm never going to do anything again that could compromise your personal life. If you're happy, that's all that matters."

"You know what I'm going to do in there today, don't you?"

Connor nods, chagrined. "Try to break the contract. We can terminate it as long as we both agree," Connor looks at her, his brow slightly furrowed. He knows that breaking the contract will stop extra income coming into his house, but right now that's not the first thing on his mind. "I won't do anything to stop it, Max."

The girl nods to herself, her eyes moistening for the third time that day. She knows she shouldn't feel grateful, but she still does. That gesture shows that Connor truly regrets what happened, and though she should hate him, she's not capable of it, so she gives him an intense look and a nod. "Thank you, Connor."

"One last time?" Connor smiles a little, like it's goodbye, and they both know it is, so Max nods, feeling a little better. She lets the boy open the door for her, and they reconnect arms in the cold one last time.

The Sony offices are colder than ever, or that's the impression it gives Max. It's almost dark, so the lighting is a bit poorer, and she thinks that there aren't as many people around as there usually are. Neither of them wants to waste any more time, so they take the lift up to Simon's office, where both he and Martha are already waiting for them, and Max can't help sending her a look of disgust. And to think how much she trusted her in the past... Sometimes it's the people closest to you, she can't help but think to herself.

"Well, since we're all here, why not get started?" Simon, as always, welcomes them in his own way: straight to business. "I have news for you, Theresa, but first I'd like you to tell us why you've summoned the three of us here."

The Englishwoman's pulse quickens as never before, more aware than ever that telling Simon about this will be all or nothing. However, there is something she has to say first.

"I wanted you to be present because you're the ones who planned it, so here goes," she takes a big breath, feeling partially supported by Connor's gaze at her side. "I've decided I want to leave this relationship."

"What do you mean, leave the relationship?" Simon frowns, and Max swallows. "You're not okay anymore? I thought everything was going well, guys."

"Everything would have been better if I hadn't been lied to from the beginning, of course," Max almost spits, her tone hurtful, glaring all the while at her publicist, the one she thought had been her friend.

"Lied? You both agreed when you signed the contract, Theresa."

Max gives him a withering look, fed up with him always calling her by her full name. "I'm talking about when you hired Connor to meet me in the pub that night and making me think it was spontaneous."

"That's enough," Martha speaks for the first time, her complexion pale and visibly nervous.

"I don't think I'm getting what you're saying," Simon turns to Max with a frown, shushing Martha, holding up his hand. "What do you mean 'making you think'? You knew Connor before we planned this whole publicity stunt. You were the one who told me you were talking to someone, and then we thought it best to get you two out in the open for publicity."

"Simon—" Martha tries to say, but again is interrupted.

"You don't need to keep hiding it, Simon. I've heard all about it. I know you've been lying to me behind my back all this time."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Theresa. The relationship exists because you met him."

Simon's tone is serious, so Max recoils, surprised. She looks at Martha, who tries to deflect, and then at Connor, who shakes his head, as if agreeing with her. "What Max says is true, Simon," the boy interjects at last. "Martha contacted me before she met Max so she could plan this more easily. I thought you would know."

"What do you mean, you contacted him before?" Simon turns to the publicist. "You didn't tell me that, Martha. You know we act as a team here, and yet you still decided to go behind my back?"

Max takes a step back, understanding the reality. It seems impossible to believe, but she's known Simon for a long time, too long to know when he's lying and when he's telling the truth, and the hardness in his eyes when he looks at Martha makes her think he really didn't know that part of what happened. "You didn't know that?"

Simon shakes his head, and that makes Max feel a little better, but not much better. At least she knows that Simon is on her side, on this issue at least, but he was also part of the team that locked her into that fake relationship.

"I was just trying to get her stats up, Simon. She had just come back from a months-long tour, we couldn't let her internet mentions drop, and the first thing that came to my mind was to get a young guy to go out with her and bring her back into the public eye. I thought you'd be okay with that, and that it wouldn't be a problem, so I didn't mention it to you. But I did tell Connor that he had to be honest with her, that Max had to know the whole side of the story."

"You lied to me, and you lied to a represented," Simon looks genuinely angry. "It wasn't Connor who was supposed to tell her everything, it should have been us, we were in charge of her career for a reason. But no, you decided to go behind my back. You're fired."

Martha's face falls, and Max suddenly feels guilty. She knows it's not her fault, that she's the first one affected, the victim in all this, but she can't help but think that now two people are going to stop making money because of her decisions. "Simon, we can still fix this."

"No. The first rule is not to lie to them, especially not with these things. We both know we're doing it for publicity, but the least we can do is be honest with our client," Simon bursts out, and Max and Connor swallow as he looks at them. "As for you, the contract is broken because it has hidden defects. God, I can't even have a quiet night. Everyone get out except Theresa, I need to talk to you."

Connor squeezes her shoulder lightly before leaving, and Max looks at him sadly, communicating with her eyes how sorry she is that it's come to this. "What was it you wanted to tell me, Simon?"

The man takes a seat, rubbing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose to reassure himself. "I feel like you're not done telling me things yet, Theresa."

The girl opens her mouth, but nothing comes out of it, no sound even. She knows she should take the chance, now that the waters are stirred so she doesn't have to do it any other time. She is afraid, very afraid, of losing all this, but she must be brave for Victoria. She owes it to her.

"If I wanted to leave this relationship it was for a reason, Simon. You see, I... I'd like to have the power to decide who I date and who I don't date."

Simon nods to himself, "Good. I assume you have someone in mind, so tell me, who are you bringing to the table?"

"Victoria de Angelis," Max blurts out quickly, heart almost pounding in her mouth.

The man lifts his head, shocked. "The girl from the Italian band? The ones who wear make-up, sing about sex and come out half-naked on stage? You must be crazy, Theresa, if you think I approve of that."

"What's wrong with that? It's my life."

The man seems to have had enough, because he slams his hand against the wood of the table, startling the girl, who blinks back tears. "But it's my job, Theresa! Your career is my job, and I assure you I'm not going to let you go down for those kind of people. I know what's good for you, and it certainly isn't those people. If I'd known how they were going to run their career I'd never have put you together with them," Simon sighs, as if he regrets what he's saying. "I want what's best for you, Theresa. Imagine this ending badly, some public scandal happening. Everything would go to shit. And even more so another woman, Theresa. Do you know how social media can be filled with insults, with humiliation? Your numbers will go down, and I can't allow that."

"Nothing is going to happen," Max whispers. "We love each other, and we won't do anything to hurt our lives, Simon..."

"Believe me, I'm doing what's best for you, Theresa. I can't let you go out with that girl. Especially now that your contract with Connor is over. What would people say about you if they knew you were leaving Connor to be with a woman? Everything would be ruined, Theresa. The numbers, the sales, the mentions... I'm sorry, but you won't be with her."

A tear rolls down Max's cheek, who also gets angry. "And if not, what?"

"If not, here's the contract. You know I can break it at any time. I'd hate to do it, but if you're not willing to put in the effort, neither am I, Theresa. It's your career on the line. It's your decision," Simon gives her an ultimatum, much more violent than Victoria's, and Max clenches her jaw to prevent more tears. "While I let you think about it, here's the news I had for you before we started. I've been talking to producers and songwriters for people starting out in songwriting, and I've been sold on a plan they have. If you accept it, it's yours. And since I assume that, for the sake of your career, you'll want to accept it, pack your bags, Theresa. You're going to America."

Max hates herself for even thinking about that option as she lies on the bed in her room with a completely dejected mind. She's tired, both physically and mentally, and the choice between Victoria or her career doesn't help, so she reads the messages from the Italian.

how was it?? glad to hear louis and your mum were fine!

not great, vic.

what happened??

to sum up, simon didn't know about my contract w connor. my publicist lied to him too, so at least it was easy to break the contract.

that sounds good. i sense there's a but tho

he didn't like one bit our relationship. hurts to think maybe he could let me be just once but no. later he told me i've got a big chance in the US for my album. apparently he's ready to finally produce it.

At home, in the room where she kissed Max that night, Victoria sobs. She knows that behind those messages there are hidden words, that Max still doesn't know what to do. It's clear that she wants to be with her, otherwise she wouldn't have taken such a risk, but it's also obvious that the idea of going to America to finally produce her album is really appealing.

Victoria is fed up. Not of Max, but of the life they both share. Sick of the industry, sick of the pressure and the constant decisions that put their backs against the wall. She knows better than ever that they'll never have the life they both deserve, and that asking Max not to leave to fulfill her dream is the most selfish thing she could ever do in her life. So she does it, types those words with all the pain in her heart, and sends them.

maybe this is for the best. there's no chance i'd ever tell you to give up your dreams for me, so go to the US and be happy, max.

what are you saying, victoria?

that we should break up. i don't want to mess with your life, and it's clear i've done it before. i want you to achieve your dreams, even if it's not with me by your side. so do yourself a favour and go.

you don't mean that, vic. i still want to be with you. we can still make it.

i'm not living my relationship like this, you god knows where and me in rome. you deserve this album after all the work you've put into it, and i'm not going to stand between you and it.

it's over, max.

Victoria turns off her phone, tears rolling down her cheeks freely, and her chest heaving from the anxiety attack that's coming.

Max can't send any more messages to the girl, and clenches her fists as she cries silently.

And so, the timer stops.