Love Notes

Her heart was in every beat

The excitement buzzed through the crisp fall air as the school's annual Fall Festival came alive with laughter, food stalls, games, and the scent of fresh caramel apples. Students and families wandered through, taking in the festive atmosphere, while teachers herded groups of younger kids from one booth to another. Somewhere in the midst of all this was the makeshift stage for the evening's main attraction: the talent show.

Emma stood near the back of the crowd, her eyes darting to the stage every few seconds, looking for him. The talent show was going to be special this year, and she could hardly keep the butterflies in her stomach from fluttering into her throat.

"See something interesting, Em?" teased Sarah, nudging her.

Emma flushed, quickly averting her gaze. "Oh, come on. Just here for the music. You know me—huge jazz fan."

Sarah laughed, rolling her eyes. "Right, right. And I suppose you're here for the art of jazz, not because a certain musician invited you?"

Emma gave her friend a sly look. "Maybe I am."

Truthfully, she couldn't look away even if she tried. Leo's jazz band had been practicing for weeks, and this was going to be their first big performance—an official introduction to the school. The thought of him up there, doing something he loved, something he had poured so much heart into, made her pulse quicken.

She glanced around, making sure no one from the cheer squad was paying her too much attention, then took her spot behind a group of parents. She wanted to be close enough to hear, but not so close that anyone would notice her watching him with the kind of intensity she couldn't quite hide.

When Leo finally appeared on stage, dressed in his favorite jazz-inspired suit, his trumpet gleaming under the dim lights, Emma felt her heart skip a beat. He looked more at home up there than she'd ever seen him in the crowded hallways of school. There was a grace to his movements, a quiet confidence, and she couldn't help but smile.

As the first song, Autumn Leaves, began, Emma leaned forward, caught up in the beauty of it. The gentle, haunting melody filled the air, winding its way through the crowd like an autumn breeze. She could feel the emotions in every note, each one a whisper of something deep and unspoken. Her heart seemed to sway with the music, its rhythm matching the steady pulse of his trumpet.

As Leo played, his eyes found hers, a hint of a smile curving his lips. They exchanged a look, one that felt charged with a secret language they'd developed in their late-night practices. It was a look that said, I see you. I'm here.

Emma's stomach flipped. She'd watched him play before, of course, but this was different. Here, in front of everyone, he wasn't just Leo, the quiet musician. He was... magnetic. It was as if his soul were pouring out through the music, and she was the only one who truly understood what each note meant.

The next song, a lively, upbeat jazz piece, brought the crowd to life, clapping along to the beat. Leo's bandmates joined in, each one taking turns for their solo, but her gaze never left him. She cheered softly from the back, clapping along with everyone else, but it felt personal, like every cheer was meant only for him. Her heart was racing with a kind of happiness that she hadn't felt in a long time.

When their set ended, Leo took a bow with his bandmates, and the audience erupted into applause. Emma felt herself grinning like a fool, her hands raw from clapping, but she didn't care. She wanted him to know how proud she was, even if she couldn't tell him here, surrounded by everyone else.

As the crowd dispersed, Emma lingered near the stage, trying to appear casual. She felt a flutter of excitement when she spotted Leo making his way over to her, his trumpet tucked under one arm, a broad smile lighting up his face.

"Hey," he said, his voice low but warm. "Did you like the show?"

Emma feigned nonchalance, though she knew her eyes were betraying her. "It was... okay, I guess."

Leo chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Just okay? Tough crowd."

"Fine, it was incredible," she admitted, rolling her eyes. "You were amazing. Like, unreal amazing."

He flushed a bit, scratching the back of his neck. "Thanks. It was fun. Maybe even more fun knowing you were out there, secretly cheering me on."

Emma's cheeks reddened. "I—don't know what you're talking about. I was just here for... cultural enrichment."

"Of course, of course," he said, playing along with a grin. "You're a patron of the arts, obviously."

They shared a laugh, standing there in the golden glow of the festival lights, the sound of carnival games and laughter fading into the background.

The following Monday, as she was flipping through her notebook between classes, something small and neatly folded slipped out from between the pages. Emma blinked in surprise, picking it up to examine it. It was a note, the edges carefully folded, with her name written on it in Leo's distinct handwriting.

Curious, she unfolded it, her eyes skimming over his words.

"Emma—

Thanks for coming to the festival. I could feel you there, even when I couldn't see you. You brought me luck, I think. Anyway, I wanted to give you a song, like a jazz 'thank you' for everything you've brought into my life lately. Play it, if you want. It's our song, after all."

Beneath his words was the title: Autumn Leaves. Her heart leapt, and she had to read it twice before she fully absorbed the meaning. It was a love note, disguised as a music lesson—a quiet declaration hidden in the form of a song. It was subtle and sweet, perfectly Leo.

Emma tucked the note back into her notebook, feeling like her entire day had just been transformed. The quiet glow in her chest followed her through the halls, every glance at her notebook a reminder of the song that now felt like theirs.

Over the next few weeks, Autumn Leaves became a small, secret part of her day. In quiet moments, she'd sit at the piano in the empty music room, softly playing through the chords, feeling her way through each note. It was a grounding moment, a little slice of peace that carried her through the chaos of her cheer practices and social obligations.

Meanwhile, Leo would give her knowing smiles across the hall, nodding in silent acknowledgment every time she hummed it under her breath when they passed each other. It was their own private joke, their unspoken language in a school that was too loud and too busy to notice.

Sarah noticed, of course. She teased Emma relentlessly, nudging her with whispers about her "jazz boyfriend" and eye rolls at every dreamy glance she threw Leo's way. But Emma didn't mind. For once, she felt like she didn't have to explain herself, because the happiness she felt was enough.

Another month passed, and the leaves turned a rich, vibrant red as autumn settled in fully. Emma's days were filled with cheer practice, school, and the occasional secret rendezvous with Leo. The excitement in her heart grew with every passing day, a steady rhythm that matched the beats of the jazz songs they practiced together.

Finally, one evening, as they sat side-by-side in the empty music room, Emma glanced over at Leo, feeling that familiar surge of happiness. "You know," she began, her tone light and teasing, "you never told me why Autumn Leaves."

Leo looked at her, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Because," he said, his voice quiet, "it's about change. About letting things go so you can find something new. It reminds me of... this."

Emma's breath caught, the words echoing in her chest like the softest notes of their favorite song. She reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. "I like that," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I like it a lot."

They shared a quiet smile, and in that moment, Emma knew: she was falling for him. It was a slow, steady descent, like a leaf drifting down to the ground, weightless and certain. And as they sat there, hands entwined, she felt like they were creating a song of their own—a song that would carry her through the changing seasons, no matter where life took her.

The school bells and noisy hallways faded away, leaving only the music, the fall leaves outside the window, and the unspoken promise between them. And in that moment, she knew she was exactly where she was meant to be.