Falling Between the Notes (Nicholas Galitzine Fanfic)

Chapter 30: Returning to Myself

Jade's pov.

Three weeks had passed, and everything felt like it was caving in on me. Every city we moved to, every new stage I stepped onto, just brought me further away from myself. The energy that once fueled me felt like a distant memory. I had been pushing through the tour, thinking that if I kept going, I could outrun the exhaustion—the emotional mess that my life had become. But I couldn't anymore. I wasn't okay.

I wasn't okay.

And finally, I had to face it.

I had been pacing in my hotel room for what felt like hours, thinking about how to word this conversation. My heart was pounding, and I could barely catch my breath. My fingers hovered over my phone screen, and then, with a shaky sigh, I sent the message to my manager:

We need to talk. It's important. Can we meet today?

The knot in my stomach tightened as soon as I pressed send. But at the same time, I felt the smallest flicker of relief. I knew what I needed to do. I just had to say the words out loud.

The conference room felt cold, sterile, and way too formal for what I was about to say. I sat there alone, waiting for my team to arrive. I fidgeted with the ring on my finger, my mind running through all the shows we had planned for the next two months—the promises I had made, the tickets sold, the fans who were waiting. Guilt twisted inside me, but I knew I couldn't keep pushing myself like this.

Finally, the door opened, and my manager walked in, followed by the tour manager, publicist, and a couple of assistants. They all smiled, as if this were just another meeting, another day of business as usual. But it wasn't.

"Hey, Jade," my manager said, sitting down across from me. "What's going on? Everything okay?"

I took a deep breath, willing myself to stay calm. "I... I'm not okay," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I can't keep going. I can't finish the tour."

Their smiles faded instantly, replaced by concern and confusion. I could feel all their eyes on me, waiting for me to explain.

"I've been trying to push through," I continued, my voice shaking. "But I'm not in the right place emotionally. I haven't been for a while. The shows, the traveling, the... everything. It's too much. I need to stop. I need to go home."

There was a long pause. My manager leaned forward, his expression softening. "Jade, we understand that this has been a lot. But you're almost there. We've only got two months left. The fans love you, and the shows have been going great."

"I know," I said quickly, feeling the pressure build. "I know the fans have been amazing, but I'm not. I'm not okay. I'm not giving them my best, and I don't think I can. I'm... I'm drained. And I can't keep pretending everything is fine."

My publicist glanced at my manager, then back at me. "We're behind you, Jade," she said gently. "Whatever you decide, we'll support you. If you need to cancel the rest of the tour, we'll make it work."

The relief I felt in that moment was overwhelming, but it was tangled with guilt. I hated the idea of disappointing anyone—the fans, my team—but I knew deep down that this was the right decision for me.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible as I wiped a tear from my eye. "I just... I need to go home."

That evening, my bags were packed. My flight was booked for California. I sat on the edge of the bed in my hotel room, the reality of my decision settling in. I should have felt lighter—freer—but instead, there was this heaviness in my chest. There was so much still unresolved, so much that I hadn't allowed myself to process.