Falling Between the Notes (Nicholas Galitzine Fanfic)

Chapter 1: The Concert Meet-Cute

Jade's POV

The lights were blinding, and yet, it felt like home. There's something about standing on stage that still gives me chills every single time. I always tell people it's the energy, the adrenaline. But deep down, it's more than that. It's the feeling of connection, of being seen, of every person in the audience being right there with me in that moment. That's why I pour every note into my performances.

The bass pulsed through the floor, and I could feel the heat from the stage lights on my skin. I was at the center of it all, surrounded by my band and backup singers, their familiar rhythms syncing up with my heartbeat. The crowd, a sea of faces, blurred together under the flashing strobes, but I could feel their energy—hands raised, bodies swaying, voices singing along with me. It's electric, that feeling. Like I'm both in control and completely lost all at once.

"Thank you, Los Angeles!" I shouted into the mic as we launched into the final song of the night. My pulse quickened with the familiar opening notes of "Thumbs" filling the space around me. The syncopated beat vibrated through the floor, pulling everyone in.

I loved this song. It wasn't just the words, but the way the music moved. The rhythm had a way of making people listen, drawing them in while keeping things light and playful. It was clever like that—electropop, upbeat, but the message was something else entirely. It always felt like I was saying something important, even if the crowd just danced along.

I let the first verse flow out of me with ease, the lyrics sharp and precise:

"Somewhere in the world there is a father and a mother..."

The words slipped off my tongue, and I could feel the audience hanging on every one of them. There's something about the way the song's narrative just unfolds, like it's telling a secret about the world that no one else is really talking about. I always loved that—it made people think while making them tap their feet.

The crowd moved with me, bodies swaying, and as I sang, I couldn't help but scan the audience. It was something I did every show, finding moments to connect. There was always someone out there who caught my eye, someone I'd lock on to for just a second longer than the others. And tonight, it happened almost instantly.

He stood out from the rest. Not the typical industry faces in the VIP section—not a music exec or some Hollywood producer. His dark hair was tousled in that effortless way that looked like he rolled out of bed, but you knew he didn't. His stance was relaxed, arms crossed over his chest, but his eyes... they were something else. Focused. Not just watching, but really listening. Like he was picking apart every word, every beat.

And maybe it was because of the song, maybe it was because of how "Thumbs" digs a little deeper into the way the world works, but the way he looked at me sent a jolt of electricity through my chest.

I tore my gaze away, focusing back on the song, letting the pre-chorus carry me forward:

"Cause that's just the way of the world... It never ends 'til the end, and then you start again..."

The crowd sang the words back to me, their voices rising in unison as the tempo picked up. And then, there it was—the chorus, the moment when everyone loses themselves to the beat.

"And so they keep on twiddlin' them thumbs... skiddly-dee-da-dum..."

The audience was with me, clapping and swaying, and I felt the rush of it, like the entire room was alive. I loved this part—the playful rhythm, the almost childlike repetition of the chorus, but underneath, there was something real. The lyrics had bite, a way of pointing out how we're all just cogs in the machine, twiddling our thumbs, pretending we're in control.