Falling Between the Notes (Nicholas Galitzine Fanfic)

Chapter 22: A Conversation Too Late

Jade's POV

The moment I answered the phone, I felt the tension in the air shift. Harry stepped back, his eyes searching mine one last time before he quietly slipped out of the room, leaving me alone with the weight of Nick's voice. The door clicked shut behind him, and suddenly, the room felt too quiet, too still.

Nick's voice was raw, a mixture of urgency and desperation. "Jade... please, don't hang up. I need to explain. I need to tell you everything."I closed my eyes, my emotions swirling in a chaotic mess. The weight of everything—the kiss, Nick's betrayal, the distance between us—felt like too much to handle. But I couldn't run anymore. 

 "I'm listening," I whispered.

There was a pause, like he was trying to gather his thoughts, and for a brief moment, I wondered if this conversation would change anything at all. Could words undo the betrayal? Could an explanation mend the broken pieces?

"Jade," he began, his voice cracking. "I don't even know where to start... I never wanted to hurt you. That night in Paris... it was a mistake. A huge, horrible mistake that I regret more than anything. You have to believe me—nothing happened between me and Jenna before that night. It was just... the distance, the stress, everything got to me. But it meant nothing. She means nothing."

I clenched my jaw, the sting of his words cutting deep. The memory of him and Jenna together, wrapped up in each other like I never existed, replayed in my mind. His excuses, his attempt to explain, felt like salt in an open wound.

"You didn't just hurt me, Nick," I said quietly, the pain evident in my voice. "You shattered everything. You broke my trust. And now you expect me to believe that it was just a mistake? That she 'means nothing'? How am I supposed to move past that?"

He exhaled sharply, clearly struggling to find the right words. "I know, Jade. I know I broke your trust. I hate myself for it. Every day since it happened, I've thought about what I did, about how I ruined the best thing in my life... You."

I bit my lip, fighting the wave of emotion that threatened to pull me under. It hurt. It hurt to hear the regret in his voice, the sorrow in every word. But I couldn't ignore what I'd seen with my own eyes.

"You should've thought about that before, Nick," I said, my voice sharper now, more resolute. "You should've thought about me, about us, before you let it happen. Before you let her into our relationship."

"I know, I know," he repeated, his voice breaking. "But Jade, you have to believe me when I say I love you. I love you more than anything. And I'll do whatever it takes to fix this, to fix us."

I swallowed hard, feeling a knot form in my throat. Love. He was throwing that word around so easily, but was it enough? Was love enough to fix the cracks in our relationship? I had loved him too—deeply, fiercely—but that didn't stop him from betraying me.

The silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating. I stared at the floor, my mind swirling with everything I'd been trying to make sense of since that day in Paris. I had wanted this call, wanted to hear him say he was sorry, that he regretted it. But now that it was happening, I didn't feel the closure I thought I would. Instead, I felt more conflicted than ever.

And then, without warning, another thought crept into my mind—Harry.

His presence had become such a constant in my life over the past few weeks. His support, his understanding, the way he'd been there for me when I felt like I was drowning in my own emotions. The kiss we'd shared just moments before Nick called was still fresh on my lips, and that realization sent a wave of guilt crashing over me.

What was I doing?

"I need time," I said finally, my voice shaky but firm. "I need space to figure out what I want. I can't make any decisions right now, Nick."

His silence was deafening on the other end of the line, and I could picture him, sitting somewhere in Paris, his head in his hands, realizing how far apart we really were.

"I'll give you time," he said softly. "But please, Jade, don't give up on us. I can't lose you."

I closed my eyes, willing the tears not to fall. "I don't know what I'm going to do," I whispered. "But right now... I just need to be alone."

There was a pause, a heavy exhale on his end before he spoke again. "Alright," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll give you space. Just... please know that I'm here. Whenever you're ready."

I closed my eyes, willing the tears not to fall. "Funny how now I have so many people 'being here for me" I said bitterly, my mind flashing back to Harry. The one who had been by my side every step of the way, who had held me through the worst of it. And now here was Nick, suddenly desperate to be the one I leaned on again, after pushing me away for so long.

The silence hung thick in the air. Nick hadn't picked up on the edge in my voice, or maybe he had but didn't dare ask about it. I couldn't bring myself to say anything else. The weight of it all was too much. I hung up the phone, my hands trembling as I set it down on the table beside me. My heart felt like it was in pieces, torn between what had been and what might be.

The door to the dressing room opened quietly, and Harry stepped back in, his eyes searching mine for answers.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, his voice full of concern.

I shook my head, tears welling up in my eyes as I tried to steady my breathing. "I don't know," I admitted, my voice cracking.

Harry crossed the room in two quick strides, pulling me into a tight hug. His arms wrapped around me, and I buried my face in his chest, letting the tears finally fall.

"I'm sorry," I whispered against him, my voice muffled by his shirt. "I'm so sorry."

He stroked my hair gently, his touch comforting and steady. "You have nothing to be sorry for," he said quietly. "You're doing the best you can. That's all anyone can ask of you."

I clung to him, grateful for his support, for his understanding. But even as I stood there in Harry's arms, a part of me couldn't shake the uncertainty that gnawed at me. I was caught between two worlds, two men, and I wasn't sure where I belonged anymore.

All I knew was that I wasn't ready to make a choice—not yet.