Priceless

Day Seven

I see my hand tremble with just taking a hold of the iced coffee I asked for in the cafe. I quickly go back out and sit in front of Dear. She happily goes through her spaghetti and doesn't notice the way I clean my clammy hands on my jeans.

"So I was thinking," she says without looking up from her plate. "We should go to the library real quick and then go to our real destination."

I want to argue with her that the library isn't as bad as she thinks, but I nod as nerves keep overwhelming me. She notices my silence and looks up. Finally, she sees my nerves and furrows her brows. "Are you alright?"

"I'm nervous," I quietly say.

"Of what?"

I take a shaky sip of my iced coffee and say, "I have that performance today..."

Her eyes grow wide and a beautiful smile appears. "Really?! That's so cool! You'll rock today!"

"I'm not so sure."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because anything can happen! I can forget the notes. I can forget the melody. The rhythm. My fingers can get tangled up and I make a disaster of the night!"

"Or you can be the best pianist up there. You can make people have tears in their eyes as you pour your soul into those keys. You can be the star of the night..."

Despite the nerves, I'm in surprise at the first time she's ever sounded positive around me. To me! I let out a small scoff and a smile slowly starts at my lips. "That was beautiful, Dear..."

A shy blush starts on her cheeks as she shrugs. "Or you can faint on stage and be all over social media. Either way, it's a win-win situation."

I laugh loudly at this and suddenly feel my nerves slowly slip away with the sound of her giggles. God. If only she realized how amazing she is. How special she can be.

If only she saw how beautiful life can be with her smile.

We finally let the afternoon go with a much more normal conversation. I have to say, I wish I can ditch that performance and spend the rest of the day with her. But as the hours go by and the time to get on stage comes closer, my hands shake for her. My mind races as I sit on the corner of the side stage. I clear my throat and check my hair for the hundredth time.

"Hey! There he is!" I look up to see Arden walking up to me in a similar suit to mine. He sits by me and puts an arm around my shoulders. "How are you feeling about your very first performance?"

"I'm terrified."

"Me, too, but hey! What's the worse that can happen? Fail and be on social media?"

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

Arden just laughs at my question and stands up to leave. He walks backwards and points at me with raised eyebrows. "Think about it. We can be famous."

I chuckle at this and look down at my phone. My parents just texted that they have arrived. They must be in their audience seats already. I let out a breath and call Dear without thinking twice. Just as I'm about to hang up realizing what I've done, she answers.

"David?"

"Dear. I'm so sorry. I accidentally...I'm sorry."

"How are you holding up? You sound terrible."

"I am. I'm...I'm scared..."

She stays silent at this and I wish I can have her here where I'm able to hold her and feel her skin. See that smile one more time to give me strength. But all I hear is loud music in the background and lots of male voices. Where the heck is she? Oh no. Did I interrupt something?

But her soft voice stops my nervous thoughts as she says, "I'll tell you what you tell me all the time. You have to live in the moment. If you mess up, people won't know because you'll make them think you know what you're doing."

"But my professor will know. He knows it all!"

"So what?! Live in the moment, remember? In the end, what do you have to lose? Sure. Maybe a seat up there or your reputation, but at least you tried and that's worth it." A smile starts on my lips at her tender words. My heart grows soft and how I wish to hold her. But just the sound of her voice is enough now.

"Now get up."

"What?"

She laughs at this and says, "Is there a mirror around there?"

I look at the mirror beside me and say, "Yes."

"I want you to look at it. Look into your eyes and say, 'I can do this.'"

"I can do this," I say as I look at a nervous boy in the mirror.

"No no. Take a breath first and say it again. With more strength. Pretend you're wearing a red uniform ready to go into battle. Do it!"

I take a deep breath and firmly say, "I can do this!"

"There you go! Now go out there and kick some--" I hear someone yell out to her and she says, "Hey. Sorry. I gotta go--"

"Don't worry about it, Dear," I say with a smile. "I...I'm glad I called you. Thank you."

I know she's smiling on the other end with that moment of silence. Once again, her name is yelled out and she says, "Hey! At what time will you go on?"

"Um...well I'll start in about an hour. But I have a solo in about an hour and a half." Just saying it makes my stomach flip.

"Okay, David. Good luck. I...you can do this."

"Thank you, Dear. Thank you." She then hangs up and I hold on to my phone as the first few get on stage and start their performances. But I realize now that my mind slowly sets on Dear, and that's enough for me to take a breath and walk on stage.

An hour goes by and now I tremble as my solo is only around the corner. I look at the side and see my parents in the middle. Nausea overwhelms me and my hands tremble uncontrollably. The only person I see in my mind is Dear. I wish I can see her only once. Hold her only once...

But my name is called on stage, and I feel Arden give me a warm pat before I slowly walk into the large and blinding lights. I let out a breath and see my parents smile proudly at me. But that's not enough to stop my hands from trembling. As the professor explains a bit of my piece, I try hard to command my hands to stop trembling. I take a hold of one, but it only shakes harder.

What did I get myself into? Why did I even come here in the first place? I should just be in a study room and reading my favorite novels.

The explanation soon comes to an end and I want to run away. I want to escape the lights. The staring eyes look at why I haven't started.

I look at my only side to escape to and see soft brown eyes. And just like that, my hands stop trembling when I see Dear standing on the other side of the stage. Among the darkness, I can see that beautiful smile shine brighter than all the lights above as it shows me the way back.

I give her a smile and look back at the keys. It all seems to click as I gently start the song. My heart races at the vibrating sensation of music running through my veins. All those times I practiced this, it now feels right as I feel her warm eyes on me. She is my only audience and my heart, at last, finds peace.

The big finishing comes near as I let my muscles move along with the music. As I let my heartbeat go along with its powerful ending, my fingers race across until I end at one note. Until I see only one person with the numbing sound of applause.

All I hear is her soft giggle and her proud clapping for me. How did she get here, I don't know but for once I realize that I'll make my grand escape. I walk across the stage to her side and hear my friends whisper to me, "Wrong way!"

But I don't care, as I make my way across and hug her tight among the darkness. No one notices from the crowd that I went the wrong way, so who cares?

Dear lets her tense muscles relax under my hold and we fall into each other's arms for the very first time.

And I don't want it to be the last.