Falling Between the Notes (Nicholas Galitzine)

Chapter 53: Present Meets Past

Jade's POV

The dressing room was quiet now, a stark contrast to the roar of the crowd that still echoed in my ears. I sat in front of the vanity, staring at my reflection as I carefully wiped away the last traces of makeup. My skin felt bare and raw, much like the emotions swirling inside me.

The ponytail I'd hastily tied my hair into wasn't perfect—strands were already falling loose around my face—but I didn't care. The adrenaline was fading, replaced by a creeping nervousness that settled in my chest like a weight.

I hadn't checked my phone since stepping offstage. I couldn't bring myself to. The thought of Nick—whether or not he'd watched the show—was gnawing at the back of my mind. Especially that part of the show. The Juno performance. Harry.

I pressed the makeup wipe harder against my cheek, letting out a slow breath. Nick understood that it was part of the show—he knew that. But Harry being in the crowd tonight? Me choosing him to be the Juno boy? Saying Jade Styles in front of thousands of people? That wasn't just a line from a script. That was a grenade tossed into an already volatile situation.

God, I hoped he hadn't watched it. Or at least missed that part. But deep down, I knew better. Nick wasn't the kind of person to ignore something he already felt insecure about.

The weight of it all was suffocating, and I tried to shake it off, focusing instead on the distant hum of voices outside the door. My team was likely still buzzing about the show, but in here, it was just me and my thoughts.

Until a soft knock snapped me out of them.

I froze, the makeup wipe still in my hand. The knock came again, gentle but purposeful, and the door cracked open. Leslie's head appeared, her blonde hair framing her face as she glanced around the room before her eyes landed on me.

"You've got a visitor," she said with a small smile, her tone light but knowing.

My heart stuttered, and I didn't need her to elaborate. I already knew. My stomach flipped, and my hands instinctively clenched the armrests of the chair.

"Can he come in?" Leslie asked, her voice carefully neutral, like she was trying not to spook me.

I couldn't find my words. My throat felt tight, my mind suddenly blank. So, I just nodded.

She stepped aside, opening the door wider, and there he was.

Harry.

He stood there in the doorway, his hands tucked into his pockets and a small, familiar smile playing on his lips. He looked effortlessly put together, his dark blazer fitting him perfectly, his curls slightly disheveled in that way that seemed intentional.

The second our eyes met, warmth spread through me, thawing the nerves that had taken root in my chest.

"Hey, Jade," he said softly, his voice carrying the same gentle tone it always had.

I barely heard Leslie murmur something about giving us privacy before she closed the door behind him. As soon as it was just the two of us, the smile on my face broke wide, uncontrollable. Excitement bubbled up in me, pushing everything else aside, and before I could think twice, I was out of the chair and crossing the room.

"Harry!" I exclaimed, the name coming out in a laugh as I threw my arms around him.

He caught me easily, his arms wrapping around me in a tight embrace. The scent of his cologne hit me first, followed by the steady rhythm of his breathing as I buried my face against his shoulder. The hug was warm and familiar, and for a moment, it felt like no time had passed at all. Like we hadn't spent so long without speaking.