However Soft Your Symphony

i know you sing for me

Maisy's first day in the studio was... an experience.

She was nervous. She was supposed to be nervous. It was a totally natural feeling. Everybody gets nervous sometimes. It's completely normal.

That's what Maisy kept repeating in her head, but it really didn't make her feel less like throwing up all the time.

Theo had been working closely with Maisy as of late writing the song they were going to sing together. It was called Whispers, and it was a gorgeous ballad about falling in love and being with someone who can listen to those late night whispered secrets. It was about honesty in a relationship, of all things.

Maisy chose not to think about that. Not now. She had too much on her plate as it was. The last thing she wanted was extra guilt on top of it all.

Theo and Maisy arrived to Theo's recording studio on a day late spring to record their song. The pair had arrived significantly early, and were waiting for Laurel, Theo's publicist and agent, and KC, the album's producer, to show up. And Maisy just about losing her sanity.

"Breathe," Theo suggested, swinging an arm around Maisy to pull her close.

"I am breathing."

"Breathe better."

Maisy scoffed at Theo. "How do I breathe better?"

"I'd say you should be taking a breath more than one time per minute."

Maisy shook her head back and forth rapidly. "I don't think I can do that."

"Look at me for a sec?" Theo asked, and Maisy tilted her head upwards to look at Theo. The two maintained steady eye contact. Theo's expression conveyed a level of sincerity that was rare for Maisy to see. "The first day I was scheduled to record in a studio, I didn't show up. I was so terrified that I locked myself in my apartment and turned off my phone and stayed in bed the entire day."

"I considered that."

"Laurel nearly ripped my throat out when she saw me the next day. We rescheduled and I did show up to day two."

Maisy let out a loud exhale, rolling her eyes at Theo. "And it all went just peachy, and you're telling me that I shouldn't be scared."

"Oh, god no," Theo said. "I was so nervous that I threw up on all of the expensive equipment. It was a disaster."

"Theo, this really isn't helping-" Maisy began, but Theo interrupted her and continued.

"And then on the third day, my voice was so shaky, and we couldn't use any of the material on the album."

Maisy tilted her head, looking at Theo with exhausted eyes. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Even if you do screw up, there is always a day four," Theo smiled. "Everybody here trusts that you have it in you to astound us all."

"Theo, I don't think I have what it takes for a day one hundred," Maisy admitted, and at this point, she began to cry. She was miles outside of her comfort zone, and she was truly terrified.

"Honestly?" Theo began, reaching to grab Maisy's hands and hold them in his own. "I think you have what it takes to blow it out of the park here and now. But listen. Even if there is a disaster today, I promise you that everybody here understands. There is very little that could go wrong that this lot hasn't seen before. You will be fine. More than fine. You will be spectacular."

"You have a very twisted way of offering reassurance," Maisy croaked, wiping at her puffy eyes with the sleeve of her jacket.

"Take what I give you, Maiz," Theo shrugged with a light smile.