Chapter 71: A step forward

The drive to Miranda's house was quiet, but not in an uncomfortable way. The excitement of the night had settled, leaving only the occasional hum of the car engine and the distant sound of the city winding down. Jace glanced at Miranda. She was leaning against the window, arms wrapped around the stuffed animal he had won for her earlier at the amusement park. Her eyes were drooping, but she wasn't asleep, just lost in thought. "You're quiet," he remarked, breaking the silence. She let out a small chuckle. "I had fun today." Jace smirked. "I could tell. Especially at the concert. I think you almost lost your voice." She gasped. "Rude." His smirk widened as he pulled up in front of her house. The streetlights cast a soft glow over the driveway as he shifted the car into park. Miranda stretched, letting out a content sigh before turning to face him. "Thanks for today, Jace." He nodded, resting his arm on the steering wheel. "You're the one who dragged me into it." "Still." She smiled. "I know you didn't want to go at first, but... I'm glad you did." Jace didn't respond immediately. Instead, he studied her face the way her eyes softened under the dim light, the way her lips curved ever so slightly as if she were holding back another thought. He cleared his throat. "Yeah. Me too." Miranda beamed before unbuckling her seatbelt. "Alright, go home before your grandma starts calling to ask where you are." Jace chuckled. "She wouldn't." Miranda gave him a pointed look. "Okay, maybe she would," he admitted. She laughed, opening the car door. "Goodnight, Jacey." He groaned. "We are not calling the stuffed animal that." But Miranda was already out of the car, waving at him as she made her way to the door. He waited until she disappeared inside before sighing and pulling away from the driveway. By the time Jace got home, the house was dark except for the faint light coming from the living room. His grandmother had probably fallen asleep watching TV again. He pushed the door open quietly, stepping inside. "Welcome back," a voice called from the couch. Jace glanced over to see his father sitting there, sipping a cup of tea. "Hey, dad," he said. "You're still up?" Jace added, setting his car keys on the table. Joseph shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. How was your night out?" Jace hesitated for a second before replying, "It was... good." His father raised an eyebrow, clearly noticing the pause. "That so?" Jace simply nodded. He wasn't about to get into details. Joseph let out a small chuckle but didn't push. "Guess the outing was worth it, seeing how light up you are now. Alright. Get some rest." Jace muttered a quick "goodnight," not wanting to stay one more minute with his dad, afraid of being teased. He headed to his room. The moment Jace flopped onto his bed, his phone buzzed. Miranda: Home safe? He huffed out a small laugh before replying. Jace: Yeah. You? Miranda: Obviously. Or else you wouldn't be getting this text. Jace: Fair point. There was a short pause before Miranda sent another message. Miranda: Guess what? Jace sighed, already knowing she was about to say something unnecessary. Jace: What? A few seconds later, an image popped up, a picture of the stuffed animal dressed in a tiny jacket, the hood barely fitting over its head. Jace stared at it for a moment before shaking his head, a small chuckle escaping him. Jace: What am I looking at? Miranda: Jacey in his cozy outfit. He's thriving. Jace: You're insane. Miranda: And you're boring. Jace smirked, but before he could reply, another text came in. Miranda: By the way... He waited, watching the typing bubbles appear and disappear a few times before the next message finally came. Miranda: I know you're afraid of the stage. But, if today made you think about it, even just a little, then I'm glad. Jace's fingers hovered over the keyboard, unsure of what to say. Because she was right. For the first time in years, he had actually thought about it, not with dread, but with curiosity. Maybe... maybe it wasn't impossible. He exhaled, then typed back. Jace: Goodnight, Mira. Miranda: Avoiding the topic? Typically you. Jace: Sleep. Miranda: Fine, fine. Sweet dreams, Jacey. Jace rolled his eyes, tossing his phone aside. But as he lay back, staring at the ceiling, he realized he was smiling. Jace sat in class, tapping his pen against his notebook absentmindedly. He wasn't really paying attention to the lesson, his mind was stuck on the thoughts that had been nagging at him since the weekend concert. Since Miranda dragged him there without explanation. Since he saw the stage. The lights. The crowd. A part of him still felt the fear creeping in, but another part... was curious. Beside him, Miranda nudged his arm. "You're zoning out again." Jace blinked, snapping back to reality. "Huh?" Miranda rolled her eyes. "You've been staring at your notebook for the past ten minutes and haven't written a single thing." Jace sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Just thinking." Miranda tilted her head. "About?" He hesitated before speaking. "The concert." Miranda's expression shifted, her usual teasing demeanor softening. "What about it?" Jace exhaled. "It made me think... about performing. I mean, I know I'm not ready yet, but..." He ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know. Maybe I don't want to avoid it forever." A slow smile spread across Miranda's face. "So, you're saying you actually want to try?" "I'm saying I might want to try." "That's good enough for me," she said, closing her notebook with a firm nod. "We're doing this." "Doing what?" Jace raised an eyebrow. "Helping you get back on stage, obviously." Jace opened his mouth to protest, but Miranda cut him off. "No excuses. No backing out. If you really want this, then I'm going to help you. And we're starting today." Jace groaned, but deep down, a part of him was relieved. Maybe having her by his side wouldn't make it seem so impossible. After the lecture, they had a free period and decided to use that period for practicing. "Should we tell Ronald and the others before going so we can go together?" Miranda asked, wanting to stand up, but he stopped her. "No, what if I fail like last time? I don't want them to see me like that again. We can tell them when I'm sure I can overcome this." he said, and Miranda nodded in understanding. The school auditorium was empty when they arrived, except for the dim lights casting a glow over the polished wooden stage. Jace stood at the entrance, his hands in his pockets, staring at the familiar yet intimidating space. His chest tightened slightly. Miranda, noticing his hesitation, stepped beside him. "It's just a stage, Jace." He let out a dry laugh. "Easy for you to say." She reached for his wrist, giving it a light tug. "Come on. We're going up there." Jace swallowed hard but let her pull him forward. Each step toward the stage felt heavier, like walking through quicksand. By the time they reached the stairs leading up, his heart was already racing. Miranda turned to him. "Breathe." Jace exhaled slowly, then took a deep breath. It didn't help much. "Come on," Miranda encouraged, stepping onto the stage first. She turned back, holding out both hands. "Take my hands." Jace hesitated. The moment he stepped on that stage, it would feel real. Miranda wiggled her fingers. "I'm right here." After a long moment, Jace placed his hands in hers. She squeezed gently, grounding him. "One step at a time," she said softly. Jace took the first step up. Then another. And suddenly, they were on stage. His chest tightened again, his breathing uneven. The empty chairs in the audience blurred together, and for a second, it felt like he was back in his nightmare, alone on stage, unable to move, unable to breathe. Miranda, still holding his hands, tugged lightly. "Hey. Eyes on me." Miranda said, releasing a hand and using it to turn his head to face her, then held his hand back. Jace blinked, snapping back to the present as Miranda's fingers touched his cheek. Miranda's face was close, her expression calm and steady. "Just focus on me," she said. "Not the stage. Not the room. Just me." Jace swallowed and nodded slightly. "Now, breathe with me." She inhaled deeply, exaggerating the movement, and Jace followed. Then she exhaled slowly, and he mimicked her. They repeated the process a few more times, and little by little, the weight in his chest loosened. Miranda smiled. "See? You're still standing." Jace let out a breathless chuckle. "For now." She rolled her eyes. "Small progress is still progress." For the first time since stepping on stage, Jace felt something other than fear. It wasn't confidence, not yet, but it was something close to hope. Maybe, just maybe, he could do this.