I Introduce The Selfish Machine

Tony was knelt in front of me, holding the most gorgeous diamond ring out to me. His brown eyes were searching mine, looking for an answer. But, I didn't know what to say.
"I-uh-I have to go." I said softly, grabbing my purse and running out the front door of the restaurant. I stood at the edge of the sidewalk, shouting for a taxi until finally one arrived. I jumped inside quickly, and when I looked up out the window, Tony was staring at me as began to drive away.

I looked up at the tall building in downtown Berlin. This must be the place. I ran through the rain that was now pouring to the front of the door. I found number 44 and pressed the button for the buzzer.
"Adler Wohnsitz." (Alder Residence) The deep voice buzzed through.
"Till? It's me." I said softly into the intercom.
It took a minute until he buzzed back in. "Piper?"
"Yes, can you let me in?"
There was no answer. Instead, I heard the click of the door, meaning it was unlocked. I walked quickly inside, trying to wipe my feet off on the welcome rug. I was soaked, water would get everywhere, so I just walked to the elevator and pressed the button that read 4.
I leaned against the metal railing. Tony asked me to marry him. Me. Tony wanted me to marry him. I felt sick. My stomach started turning, doing backflips inside of me. Me. He wanted me to marry him. I shut my eyes and put my hands over my face. Oh Tony. Oh sweet, sweet Tony. I have no idea what I'm even doing here.
Before I could even think about leaving, the elevator beeped and opened to the fourth floor. I walked down the way too familiar hallway until I ended up in front of a white door. I sighed and knocked lightly.
The door opened shortly after. Till stood there, tall and blonde, the heat radiating from inside his apartment. His blue eyes stared down at me and all I could do is press my lips together and shake.
He stepped forwards and wrapped his arms around me, my face in his chest. His hand held on to the back of my wet hair, and I just stood there, hugging him.
"You're soaked." Till whispered, then let go of me.
"It's raining pretty bad out there." I said softly.
"Come inside, warm up." He said, stepping out of the doorway. I walked inside until he could shut the door behind me.
It looked just like it did when I was 18. The walls painted a cream color, and all the furniture white. The curtains that covered the oversized window were open, exposing the lit up Berlin skyline. It was gorgeous. I walked towards the window, pressing my forehead lightly against the glass. Somewhere in there, Tony was searching for me. I shut my eyes. He won't find me, and I don't even know if I want him too.
A plush blanket was wrapped around me. I looked up to see Till standing beside me, holding a glass of wine in his right hand. "It's most beautiful at night." He said. His accent covered up the fact that his English was weak.
"That's what I miss the most about Berlin." I said softly, my breath clouding on the glass. Till offered his glass of wine to me, and I took it, taking a small sip.
Till sighed, then walked back towards the living area. "I still wonder why you went back to the States, Piper. I miss seeing you in class."
I turned around, pulling the blanket on me so it covered my chest. "I had too, you know I had no money."
"But you were living with me, and I was paying for you."
"But if anyone found out about us you would have been fired, Till. What don't you understand about that?"
Till sighed, then finished off the glass of wine. "The first day you walked into class, I knew you didn't know much German. You was dressed like an American, so I wanted to help you speak German. I introduced myself since I knew English and you're eyes lit up. You looked like a lost puppy, and the only person who knew a small English was your professor. You attached to me, we knew that would happen. We both didn't think a relationship would form out of that." I sat down slowly next to Till. "I look at your spot everyday in class and I miss you even more."
"I'm sorry, Till. I had to do it." I said softly. He looked up at me, his blue eyes pale and blood shot. He didn't look 32 at all, he still looked like the 27 year old professor who taught me German, and almost convinced me to stay.
"Piper, why are you here?" He ask softly.
I stared at him, and then started crying. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me to his chest as I cried and told him what happened. "I don't even know why I came here, I just didn't know what to do."
Till ran his hands through my hair, then placed his lips on the top of my head. "You're safe here."

TONY'S POV

I sat in my hotel room as the sun rose outside. I slammed back another beer, then tossed it on the carpet. She's gone. She's gone and I don't even know where she is.
She said she loved me. She said it to my face. She moved in with me. I loved her. I loved that bitter bitch and now she's gone. How could a girl who had gone through everything she went through say she loved someone and not mean it? HOW. I wasted a year of my life on her, and now, I can't even get it back.
I pushed her suitcase out of the way and picked up mine, grabbing jeans and a shirt. I threw them on, and for some reason, grabbed both suitcases and headed downstairs. The bus was parked in front of the hotel. The guys stood together, whispering, but stopped when I walked up.
"Please tell me there's more beer on the bus." I said. They all just stared at me, and then finally, Mike nodded his head.
"We're sorry, man." Mike said. I gave him an indifferent look, then walked on the bus. Once I was on the bus, I grabbed another beer. The other guys piled on, being very quiet as we drove to the venue. Why are they sorry? It's not like they were rejected.
I wanted her to be mine. I wanted her to have my children. I wanted to spend the rest of my life looking at her gorgeous face every morning. She doesn't love me, she never did. I sat there, moving the over fifty thousand dollar ring in my hand, trying to forget about her. She's right, love always dies.

PIPER'S POV

I woke up, my eyes staring at the white light that hung. I sat up, trying to get my eyes to adjust. I didn't even know where I was, until I saw the shirtless back of a muscular blonde man. I rubbed my hand on my cheek. The ring, the wine. Germany.
Till looked back at me. "Hast du gut geschlafen?" (Did you sleep alright?) He asked.
I nodded my head. "Ja." (Yes) Then, it hit me, Till was shirtless. I stood up really quick, taking a step back towards the window. "Oh goodness, Till, we didn't have sex, did we?" I asked, my voice shaking. Oh Piper, no no no.
"What? Of course not." He turned around, holding two mugs of coffee. "You talked about Tony all night, I wasn't about to destroy your happiness."
I gripped onto my chest, feeling my heart pound against it like it wanted out. "Not-not-nothing happened?"
Till handed me a mug. "Nothing at all. Even though I wanted something to."
As I stood there, staring at Till, all I could see is Tony. The blue eyes shifted to brown, the pale skin shifted to tan, his blank chest turned into an ink covered one. I shouldn't be having coffee with Till, I should be having coffee with Tony. Tony, Tony Perry, the love of my life. The only person I've ever felt this strongly about, the only person my blood cells would let me love.
I stood there, disgusted with myself, stating at my ex-boyfriend. He searched my eyes, and then said something very Till like. "You're easy to read, Piper. You need to be with the Tony."
I didn't say a word, just stepped forward and hugged Till. "Thank you." I whispered. I handed him the cup back, then ran out the front door.

I took a taxi over to the hotel, but our stuff was cleared out. Beer bottles lined the edge of the bed. My eyes water as I picked up the shatter one that sat against the wall. The glass cut into my fingers. I destroyed him.
I took a taxi to the venue, and was yelled at by fans as I walked by. I paused to take a picture with a few, then walked towards the guard at the front.
"Sprechen Sie Englisch?" (Do you speak English?) I asked. He nodded his head. "Listen, I'm Tony Perry's girlfriend, and I need in right now." I pulled out my phone to show him my lock screen, a picture of Tony and I on the beach. He nodded his head and let me walk right past him, into the venue.
I didn't even knock on the dressing room door, I just opened it wide. The four Mexican men stared at me, but Tony gave me the dirtiest look of it all.
"Piper, you're a mess." Jaime whispered. I was still in the same clothes as last night, but they were all wrinkled and misshaped. Black crowded my eyes, and my hair was a frizzy mess. My eyes started watering as I looked at Tony.
"I need to talk to you, Tony." I said firmly.
"I have nothing to say to you." He said.
"Antonio Perry, we are talking. Right now." I snapped.
"Why Piper? So you can break my heart more? Sorry, but I don't need a bitch like you in my life." He snapped back.
"You know why I ran Tony? Because I was sca-"
"Because you were scared. It's always the same excuses Piper, and I'm sick of it. If you don't want to be with me, just tell me. Don't reject my damn proposal."
"I NEVER SAID NO!" I shouted, anger. Mike, Vic, and Jaime got the hint that they needed to leave, so they ran out of the room quickly. Once the door shut behind me, I snapped. "I left because I didn't know what to think. I cried my eyes out, Tony! I didn't know what to say or do so I went to go see Till and-"
Tony stood up and took a step towards me. "You did not go spend the night with Till."
"I had no where else to go, Tony!"
"How about to the hotel with me? You could have at least stayed with me!"
I ran my hands through my hair, my head pounding. "Look, I don't know why I did what I did, but nothing happened. If anything, being at his apartment made me realize how much I loved you! Seeing him made me realize why I left Germany, why I wanted a new life, why I started dating you. I missed you, Tony. I cried myself to sleep because I know I hurt you, but I never said no." I said, my voice soft now.
Tony shook his head. "You could have at least said you would think about it."
I pulled a Tony. I cupped my hands on his face, and pulled him down. I kissed him softly, and surprisingly, he didn't pull away. "You promised never to hurt me, and I should've promised to never hurt you. I never thought I would, and I know what I did was unforgivable, but if you still love me and if you still want to be with me, I will marry you."
I felt Tony's tears roll down and hit my hand. "How do I know you won't run out on me again?"
I bit my lip, letting my tears fall as well. "I won't. I will make this up to you, Tony, just let me be with you. If you don't want me to marry you, okay, just let me be your girlfriend still."
He shook his head, and I began to cry harder, but then he kissed me. He kissed me fiercely, pushing me against the door. His hands gripped my wrist, holding them against the door so I could move. His body was thrusted against mine, and his tears were mixing with mine. He pulled away from the kiss and then grabbed my chin with one hand. "Do you actually love me?"
Why would he ask that? "Tony, of course I do."
He kissed me again, this time with more force. "And I love you." He said. He let go of my chin, then dug in his pocket. He grabbed my left hand and shoved the ring on my finger, then pinned me against the door again. "I know it'll be hard, but I do love you, and I still want to marry you. I know you wouldn't have came back if you didn't feel the same."
"Tony, I'm so sorry-"
"Shut up, let's just make up." He said, then he pulled my body against his and shoved my dress up my legs.

Notes