Chapter 75: Letting out the feelings

The band gathered backstage, still buzzing with adrenaline. "You guys nailed it out there," Mr. Alfred said excitedly, handing each of them a bottle of water. "Thanks, boss," they replied in unison, their faces glowing with pride and relief. Mr. Alfred gave them a firm nod and exited just as Helena strutted into their midst, beaming with excitement. "You guys were amazing out there! You really rocked it," Helena said, her eyes shining with admiration as she gave them a dramatic thumbs-up. "Thanks, Lena," Max responded with a proud grin, tossing his sweat-damp towel over his shoulder. No one brought up the emotional father-son moment that had unfolded earlier on stage. The air had been so thick with sentiment that trying to explain it with words felt impossible. "You did it, buddy," Max said, leaning over to ruffle Jace's hair gently. Jace didn't flinch. He simply smiled, soaking in the warmth and support that surrounded him. For once, the weight of his fear had lifted, replaced with something unfamiliar but good. Meanwhile, Dorah slipped away from the group quietly as her own circle of friends approached. "Hey, babe!" Miranda called out, practically bouncing in her shoes from excitement. "I did it, guys!" Dorah screamed, unable to contain her joy. Her friends let out squeals of excitement and shrieked in delight, immediately engulfing her in a tight group hug. "You should've seen how hot you looked on stage," Emma said, making exaggerated gestures with her hands as if mimicking a swooning fan. "I never knew you could sing that sexy," Prudence teased, dragging out the word playfully. "Aww, guys, thanks," Dorah giggled, her cheeks reddening as she playfully covered her face. Just then, Jace approached, Helena clinging to his arm like a second skin, though he didn't seem to notice her presence at all. His eyes were scanning the area. "Oh, hi, Jace," Miranda greeted, her voice a touch cooler than usual. "Uh... guys, we'll talk later," she muttered, brushing past them. "What...?" Emma began, startled, but Miranda was already walking away, her steps quick and sharp. "What's wrong with her?" Jace asked, confused, turning to Dorah for answers. "Well, she was smiling until you got here," Dorah said pointedly, eyeing him carefully. "What?" Jace looked baffled. "Is it just me, or did anyone else see tears in Miranda's eyes?" Prudence asked, squinting in the direction Miranda had gone. "What do you mean?" Jace frowned, his expression growing uneasy. "Yeah, what do you mean?" Dorah echoed, concern creeping into her tone. "I think I saw tears in..." "Shit," Jace cursed suddenly, cutting Prudence off as realization struck. Without another word, he turned and ran after Miranda. Helena, sensing the tension, dropped her hand from his arm and silently stepped back, her eyes dimming. She turned and left without a word. The room fell into a heavy silence. "I think Mira's jealous," Emma said cautiously. "Jealous? How?" Dorah asked, genuinely confused. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed how she's been clinging to Jace lately," Emma said with a raised brow. "So she got jealous because of Helena?" Dorah frowned. "Gosh, I have to call her now." Outside, in the school garden where it was quiet, Miranda sat on the soft grass, lost in her thoughts. Her phone was resting beside her, playing Stranger by Simi on low volume. The soft lyrics poured into the silence around her. She stared ahead, her eyes distant, lips moving softly to the lyrics. The song felt like it was speaking directly to her heart. "You know you're more than a stranger to me, right? You're my best friend," a voice said gently behind her. She knew that voice. She didn't turn around. "Best friend, indeed," she muttered bitterly, wiping her cheeks as if it would erase the ache inside. "You know you shouldn't sit on the grass. You'll get your trousers dirty," Jace said again, trying to ease the tension with his usual casual tone. She stood abruptly, slipping on her heels with shaky hands. Her movement was graceful, but her heart was anything but calm. She turned and began to walk away. "You can't just walk out on me when you're like this, Mira," Jace said, reaching out to gently grab her hand, forcing her to face him. "Please, leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you. I hate your guts," she blurted, yanking her hand back. Her voice cracked mid-sentence, revealing just how hurt she was. "Babe, calm down. What did I do? We were fine an hour ago. Why this now? Did I say or do something wrong?" Jace asked, eyes wide, desperate for understanding. Miranda looked up at him, tears streaking her cheeks freely now. "Just leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you," she whispered, her voice barely holding together. "Mira, please stop. You're hurting me like this. What did I do? Okay, fine, please forgive me. I'm sorry. I don't want to continue like this. Who else am I supposed to talk to, huh?" He gently raised his hands to her face and brushed away her tears with his thumbs. His touch was soft, careful. "You're giving me the wrong idea, Jace," she sniffled. "As how?" he asked softly, caressing her cheek, as if she were made of porcelain. "You told me you ended things with her. But what was that display back there? You could've just told me you guys are back together," her voice trembled. "Here you are, giving me false hope again. Just... just go away. You're messing with my head," she sobbed, pounding her fists weakly against his chest. "Wait... what do you mean?" Jace blinked, his brows knitting. "Don't tell me you're in love with me, Mira. Please tell me I'm wrong." "Yes, Jace. I fucking love you!" she shouted, poking his chest with every word, each jab more painful than the last. Jace stood frozen. "What are you going to do about it? You've been leading me on. I've fallen head over heels for you! And you don't even try to make me think otherwise. You could've just told me you and Helena were still together!" she yelled again. "Shut up, okay?" Jace suddenly snapped, his voice sharp. Miranda stepped back, startled by his tone. "Helena and I are nothing, and we never will be," he said, his voice quieter now but firm. "Whatever Helena and I had is in the past. We're nothing now. You are my best friend, Mira. I hope we stay like that. We're friends, and I don't want anything else." "But I want more," she said, almost choking on her tears. "Call me greedy, call me selfish, I don't care! I want to be more than just your best friend. I want to be someone special to you. Is that too much to ask?" Jace clenched his jaw, his throat tightening. "You are special to me, Mira. Please, stop crying. It's too much, and it'll affect your health." "I don't want to be special in that way. I want more. What does Dorah have that I don't? Is it her singing? I can train and get better, too, right? I can..." "I love you the way you are, okay? So please stop," Jace blurted, his voice cracking. Miranda gasped, her eyes going wide. "Jace..." she whispered, stunned. "Mira, don't get me wrong, okay? I don't love you in..." She didn't let him finish. She grabbed his collar and kissed him. His eyes widened, completely caught off guard. For a moment, he was stiff, frozen. But then something shifted. His hands found her waist. And slowly almost uncertainly he kissed her back. It wasn't rough. It wasn't fiery. It was soft. Tender. Raw. And everything changed in that moment.