Adlewood Academy

Ava’s entire body was shaking as she walked into the rehearsal room. It was her first time meeting Harry after he had bombarded into the women’s bathroom, and she still hadn’t gotten a chance to tell him that she didn’t think she’d able to sing with him.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to – because she did – it was that she wasn’t sure she’d be able to get on stage and sing next to him without passing out. She wasn’t even sure that she’d be able to get through their rehearsal without fainting. She was scared to admit it to him, but she knew that he’d find out sooner or later.

She found Harry already waiting for her, sitting on one of the stools. He had a bright, friendly smile on his face, and that just made her more nervous to tell him.

“You’re here,” Harry said, standing up from his seat as he walked over to her. “I’m glad you made it.”

Ava nodded, biting her lip as she pushed her hair behind her ears. Harry didn’t know Ava well, but he knew girls, and it was obvious that she was nervous about something.

“Is everything alright?” Harry asked her, catching her off guard. She held her mouth open for several seconds before forcing it closed.

She wanted to tell him that everything was okay, because she hated that she was too much of a wreck to be able to sing on stage, but she knew a better opportunity would never arise, so with a deep breath, she began speaking.

“Harry,” she said, pausing for a moment to pull herself together. “I don’t think I can sing with you.”

His eyebrows furrowed immediately, making it obvious that he was taken aback by the situation. She was his perfect duet partner and there was no why way he could lose her after all the time he’d spent looking for her.

“Why?”

She paused again, biting her lip. “It’s just that I – I can’t sing.”

Harry couldn’t help but chuckle at her, his lips turning up in a smile. “Yes, you can, Ava. You’re one of the most amazing singers I’ve ever heard.”

Ava didn’t have time to blush, which she was sure she would have if she hadn’t been so damn nervous. She shook her head, her eyes barely able to keep her focus on him.

“It’s not that,” she said, her voice cracking. “I can’t sing… in front of people.”

“That’s impossible,” Harry said immediately. “I heard you sing just the other idea.”

“I was in the shower. I didn’t know you were there.”

Harry paused for a moment, realization washing over his face. She was right; the only time he had heard her was when she thought she was alone. She couldn’t even sing when he’d held the small auditions.

“You have stage fright?” he asked, his voice calm and smooth.

She was thankful that he wasn’t teasing her or doing the thousands of other things she had expected. With her hand rubbing against her arm, she gave a soft nod of her head, unable to look at him.

Harry’s hand moved immediately to her chin, catching her off guard. He tilted her head up and forced her to look at him, giving her a reassuring smile.

“Ava, I promise you that if you’ll sing with me, I can help you get over your stage fright.”

Blinking her eyes quickly, Ava opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come out. She’d tried thousands of supposed solutions to get rid of her stage fright and none of them had worked; why would anything that Harry could do be any different?

“Ava,” he whispered, his soft eyes still looking into hers. “Please.”

She wanted to say no, because the prospect of doing whatever he was going to force her to do to was simply terrifying, but she couldn’t, because she thought that maybe, just maybe, Harry could be the one to break her fear.