Falling Between the Notes (Nicholas Galitzine Fanfic)

Chapter 15: Tension in the Distance

Jade's pov.

It had been a couple of weeks since Nick left for Paris, and the house felt emptier without him. The days stretched longer, the silence creeping in like a thick fog that I couldn't shake off, no matter how busy I kept myself. Our constant calls and texts were a lifeline, but I missed his presence—the way he would surprise me with his silly jokes, the way his arm felt around me every night, the way his brown eyes sparkled when he looked at me.

Even with all the rehearsals for the tour, there was a part of me that felt hollow, like something was missing. Today, though, there was something I had to do. Something I had been putting off for days.

I stared down at my phone, my fingers hovering over Nick's contact. I had to tell him about the tour, but a knot of dread sat heavy in my stomach. I knew how he felt about Harry, and now I was about to drop the bombshell that I'd be touring with him for five months.

I hit the call button, and after a few rings, Nick's warm voice came through the line.

"Hey, love," he greeted, and I could hear the faint hustle and bustle of Paris in the background. "Miss me already?"

I chuckled, my heart fluttering at the sound of his voice. "Always," I replied softly. "How's Paris?"

"Busy. Beautiful. But it's not the same without you here," he said, his tone warm but slightly melancholic. "I was just walking down the Champs-Élysées earlier and thought about how much you'd love it. We need to plan a trip here together after the movie."

"Definitely," I agreed, my voice tightening slightly. I had to tell him now before I chickened out again. "Hey, Nick... there's something I need to talk to you about."

I could almost hear his smile drop. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's nothing bad... well, not exactly," I began, taking a deep breath. "You know how the album with Harry has been doing really well? Well, my team, along with Harry's, have come up with the idea that we should go on tour together. A world tour."

The silence on the other end of the line stretched so long, I thought the call had dropped for a second. Finally, Nick spoke, his voice tight. "A tour? With Harry?"

"Yes," I replied carefully. "It's five months long, starting in a few weeks. We'll be touring across Europe, North America, and Asia. It's huge for my career, Nick. I couldn't say no."

I heard him sigh, the sound heavy with a mix of frustration and something else. "And you're going to be with him. For five months."

The tension in his voice was palpable, and I knew exactly where his thoughts were headed. Nick wasn't jealous in a childish way, but Harry's interest in me had been a source of tension from the beginning, even if he never outright said it.

"Yes, but it's just work. You know that, right?" I tried to sound reassuring, even though I knew this wasn't going to be easy for him to accept. "You know how much I love you."

Nick was quiet for a moment before he spoke again, his voice lower. "It's not you I don't trust, Jade. It's him. He likes you. He's not even subtle about it. And now you're going to be with him every day, for months, traveling together, performing together..." His words trailed off, frustration and concern laced in every syllable.

I swallowed hard, the weight of the situation settling over me. "Nick, I'm with you. Harry and I are just friends. Yes, we're close, but there's nothing there beyond that. You know that."

He let out a bitter laugh, though it wasn't aimed at me. "I know you're just friends. But you haven't seen the way he looks at you. And now you're going to be spending all this time together while I'm here, halfway across the world."