Falling Between the Notes (Nicholas Galitzine)

Chapter 6: The Televised Performance

Jade's performance^^

Jade's POV

The energy in the room was electric.

I could feel it even before I stepped onto the stage—the buzz, the anticipation. The air was thick with it, crackling as the audience waited for the lights to dim and the show to begin. I stood backstage, just beyond the curtain, my heart pounding in my chest as I took a deep breath. This was it. The moment I'd been rehearsing for, preparing for—every late night, every tweak to the choreography, every note hit to perfection. It all came down to this.

"Five minutes, Jade," Leslie said, appearing beside me with her usual clipboard and earpiece. "You ready?"

I nodded, though I wasn't sure if the word ready truly captured how I felt. Excited, nervous, and maybe even a little terrified. But it was a good kind of fear—the kind that pushed me forward instead of holding me back.

I glanced over my shoulder, scanning the VIP section where I knew Nick would be. He promised me he'd come, and even though we'd been keeping our relationship low-key, I knew he wouldn't miss this for the world. Somewhere in the sea of people, he was out there, watching.

I hoped he liked what he saw.

The lights dimmed, and the crowd erupted into applause as the opening chords of my song filled the air. I stepped out onto the stage, the bright spotlights blinding me for a moment as the music washed over me. And then, like flipping a switch, the nerves disappeared. I was in my element.

I moved across the stage, letting the rhythm guide me. The music flowed through my body, and everything else melted away—the flashing lights, the noise, the pressure. It was just me and the song, like it had been in rehearsals, but now, with the crowd's energy amplifying everything.

The chorus hit, and I belted out the notes, the sound powerful and raw. The audience was with me, their cheers and applause filling the arena, and I fed off their energy, pushing myself further.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Nick in the VIP section, standing off to the side with his bodyguards nearby. He had a quiet smile on his face, his eyes locked on me as if I was the only person in the room. My heart skipped a beat, but I didn't let it distract me. Instead, I channeled it into the performance, giving everything I had.

The final note echoed through the arena, and the crowd erupted into applause again. I stood there, panting, my chest heaving from the effort, but the adrenaline was still pumping through my veins. I took a bow, waving to the audience as the curtains closed behind me.

It was done.

Backstage

The chaos of backstage was a stark contrast to the calm I felt on stage. Assistants were running around, people were congratulating me, and the air was filled with the buzz of excitement. But all I could think about was finding Nick.

I pushed through the crowd of people, scanning the faces until finally, I spotted him near the exit, standing off to the side with that easy smile I'd come to know so well.

"Jade," he called out, his voice cutting through the noise. "That was incredible."

I made my way over to him, feeling the tension of the performance start to melt away. "Thanks," I said, a smile tugging at my lips. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't have missed it for the world," he said, his voice soft, his eyes warm as he looked at me. "You were amazing out there."

There was something in his tone, something more than just casual praise, and for a moment, I forgot about the chaos around us. It was just him, standing there, looking at me like I was the only person in the room. My heart raced again, but this time, it wasn't from the performance.

"I'm glad you think so," I said, my voice quieter than before.

Nick stepped closer, the noise of the room fading into the background as the space between us shrank. "I do," he said, his voice low. "And I need to tell you something."

I blinked, my pulse quickening. The way he was looking at me, the intensity in his eyes—it made my breath catch.

"What is it?" I asked, barely able to get the words out.

He hesitated for a second, as if searching for the right words. And then, in a voice so soft I almost didn't hear him, he said, "I really like you, Jade. I've been trying to play it cool, but the truth is, I've liked you since the day we met. And I can't keep pretending it's just casual anymore."

His words hit me like a wave, crashing over me in a rush of emotion. My heart pounded in my chest as I processed what he was saying, the weight of it sinking in. He liked me. More than that, he was telling me, here and now, in the middle of this backstage chaos, that he wanted something more.

For a moment, I didn't know what to say. I'd been feeling the same thing for weeks now, but hearing him say it out loud—hearing him admit it—made it real in a way I hadn't been ready for.

"I like you too," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "I have for a while."

Nick's face lit up with a smile—one that was softer, more genuine than any smile I'd seen from him before. And in that moment, the air between us shifted.

Without thinking, I stepped closer, closing the distance between us. My heart raced, my pulse loud in my ears, but I couldn't stop myself. I didn't want to stop myself.

Nick's eyes flickered to my lips, and for a second, I thought he might pull away. But then, slowly, he leaned in, his hand gently brushing against my cheek as his lips met mine.

The world seemed to stop.

The noise around us faded into nothing, the crowd, the chaos—none of it mattered. It was just him, his lips soft against mine, his hand warm on my skin. The kiss was gentle at first, tentative, like we were both testing the waters, but then it deepened, and I felt everything—the weeks of build-up, the unspoken tension, the feelings we'd both been dancing around—come rushing to the surface.

When we finally pulled apart, my breath was shaky, my heart racing in my chest. Nick was looking at me with that same intensity, his eyes searching mine as if waiting for me to say something.

But I couldn't find the words. Not yet.

Instead, I just smiled, my hand reaching for his, our fingers intertwining.

Later That Night

The rest of the night passed in a blur of congratulations and post-performance excitement. But through it all, Nick was there—beside me, holding my hand, our connection deepening with every passing moment.

As we finally left the venue, slipping into the back of the car with our bodyguards in tow, I couldn't help but steal glances at him, the warmth of his hand in mine reminding me of what had just happened.

We hadn't said much after the kiss, both of us content to let the moment speak for itself. But as the city lights blurred past the car window, I knew that something had shifted between us. Something big.

I glanced over at Nick, who was looking out the window, his fingers still loosely intertwined with mine.

He turned to look at me, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "So... I guess this changes things, huh?"

I laughed softly, nodding. "Yeah. I guess it does."

Neither of us said much after that, but we didn't need to. The kiss, the hand-holding, the quiet moments between us—it was enough. For now, it was enough.