Falling Between the Notes (Nicholas Galitzine)

Chapter 19: The Next Day

Jade's pov.

I woke up the next morning feeling a heavy, yet familiar, pounding in my head. I opened my eyes and was instantly blinded by the sunlight shining through the hotel window. The next thing I noticed was the strong arm draped over my shoulder.

I looked at the person who the arm belonged to, and was met with a peacefully sleeping Harry. Suddenly, everything that happened last night came rushing back to me; the concert, Nick being MIA and then appearing to just fight over a picture with Harry, the picture of him with another girl, the after party, and then, the almost kiss. I felt a blush creep up my neck, how drunk was I? God. If Nick saw me right now, laying here, on this couch with Harry, he would be pissed off.

Nick...Who was that girl from the picture? I've never seen her before. Was she someone from the movie? Why do they seem so close, one with the other?

As my thoughts continued to race through my mind, I felt my phone vibrate next to me. I grabbed it, surprised it still had battery, since last night, and saw Nick's name written on the screen.

Nick: Good morning, love. I think we need to talk, I hate the way things were left off last night.

I scoffed. If he thinks he can call me "love" and everything will be okay, he is damn wrong.

Jade: Good morning. I think a conversation is at hand, feel free to text me whatever you have to say, since I'm tied up all day preparing for tomorrow's show.

I hit send, and quickly the three dots appeared, letting me know he was typing. But then, after a few seconds, they disappeared. I sighed and decided to go to my room, wanting to freshen up for the day.

I carefully removed myself from Harry's arms, and made my way out of his room, and into mine, which was just two doors down.

As I was walking in, my phone vibrated in my hand, and I looked at it, seeing Nick had answered. I sat down on the couch and opened the message.

Nick: Okay, first of all, I wanted to apologize about my outburst last night with the picture of you and Harry hugging. You guys are friends, and as hard as it is for me to understand it, I know I can trust you. Secondly, I wanted to address the picture you saw of me and Jenna; she is just a co-worker, the pictures were taken out of proportion. I don't want to lose you, and I'm scared that with all this distance between us, I just might. I'm sorry about everything. I love you, and can't wait to see you.

I stared at the message for a long moment, a swirl of emotions tightening in my chest. Apologies were nice and all, but something about his words felt hollow. Maybe it was the fact that I could still see those pictures in my mind—him laughing with that girl, "Jenna"—way too close for comfort. Or maybe it was because, deep down, I could feel the cracks forming between us.

But what really got to me was the part where he said he was scared. Scared of losing me. Was that all this was—fear? Fear that I'd drift away, fear that I was slipping out of his grasp because of the distance, because of Harry?

I set the phone down beside me, running a hand through my messy hair. I wanted to believe Nick, I really did. But trust didn't come with just an apology and a promise that things were "taken out of proportion." It was something deeper, and right now, I wasn't sure if we still had that foundation.

I thought about last night, how easy it had been to fall asleep in Harry's arms, how I felt comfortable, safe. It was different with Harry—there wasn't the strain or the constant questioning. It was just... easy. And that scared me just as much as Nick's fears scared him.

But I wasn't going to run from this. Nick deserved an answer, even if I didn't know how to feel.

Jade: I appreciate the apology, Nick. But it's not just about a picture. It's about how we've both been handling this distance. I feel like there's something bigger going on here, and I don't know how to fix it. I don't want to lose you either, but we need to talk about this—really talk. I don't think we're on the same page right now.

I hesitated before hitting send, my fingers hovering over the screen. But I knew it had to be said. I hit send and tossed my phone on the bed, needing a moment to myself.

The day flew by in a blur of rehearsals, meetings, and sound checks. Every time I had a second to breathe, I found myself checking my phone, half-expecting a response from Nick. But there was nothing. He didn't reply to my message, and the silence was slowly starting to eat away at me.

Harry, on the other hand, was a constant presence, always by my side, making sure everything was in place for tomorrow's show. He knew something was bothering me—he wasn't stupid. But he didn't push, didn't ask. I appreciated that.

As the afternoon rehearsal ended, I found myself leaning against the stage, watching Harry as he joked with some of the crew. He had this easy way about him, this natural charm that seemed to put everyone around him at ease. I wished I could do that—just shake off all the worries weighing me down.

Harry glanced over and caught my eye, giving me a soft smile. "You good?" he asked, walking over to where I stood.

I shrugged, trying to play it off. "Just tired. It's been a long day."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "You've been quiet all day. It's not just about the show, is it?"

I sighed, crossing my arms over my chest. "It's Nick. We talked a little this morning, and... I don't know, things just feel off. Like we're not even really talking anymore."

Harry nodded, his expression serious as he leaned against the edge of the stage beside me. "It's tough. You're both in completely different worlds right now. That kind of distance isn't easy to deal with."

I looked down at my feet, feeling the weight of his words. "Yeah. It's just... I don't know how to fix it. Or if I can."

Harry was quiet for a moment, and when he finally spoke, his voice was soft, thoughtful. "You don't have to have all the answers right now, Jade. Sometimes things take time to figure out. But whatever happens, you'll make the right choice. I know you."

I glanced up at him, feeling a warmth spread through me at his words. He always knew just what to say to make me feel better. But that also made things more complicated. Being around Harry felt so easy, so right. And the more time we spent together, the more I started questioning everything with Nick.

"Thanks, Harry," I said quietly, offering him a small smile.

He reached out, giving my arm a gentle squeeze. "Anytime, love. You know I'm here for you."

As we stood there in the dim lighting of the stage, I felt that familiar tug—the connection between us that had grown stronger with each passing day. We had almost kissed the night of the afterparty, and ever since, the air between us had been charged with this unspoken tension.

I wasn't ready to cross that line. But a part of me wondered... if things with Nick continued to unravel, what would happen with Harry?

For now, though, I pushed those thoughts aside. I had a show to focus on, and Harry and I were a team. Whatever else was going on between us, that was the one thing I could rely on.