Falling Slowly

Chapter Thirty-Three: Captured Heart

Speacial thanks to my wonderful friend, Ly, who I miss dearly! The characters that I mention later on in the chapter are solely hers. She let me use them for this specific chapter, which is one of my absolute favorites. I've been waiting since the beginning of Falling Slowly to write it. Hope you all enjoy!

P.S. I apologize for my very long absence!  :3

P.S.S. Thank you to all of you for being patient and sticking with me ♥ I love you all dearly ♥♥♥

Chapter Thirty-Three: Captured Heart

“You nervous?”

“No.”

“Anya.”

I turned away from the girl on stage, who was playing a beautiful rendition of one of Beethoven’s Sonata’s, and looked up at Liam.

“They want you here and you’ll be here in the Fall.”

“How do you know? Have you been consorting with the Mystics?”

He flashed me a charming smile, the kind that made my legs feel like gelato and my heart quicken inside my chest.

“No, but I’ve heard you play and it’s…” His words were lost on his tongue as he took my hands in his. My heart thudded wildly in my ears, and I hated it. I wanted to shout at my stupid heart to stop, but no matter my protests, my heart would hear none of them.

“Vanchester. Anya Vanchester.”

We both turned to the source of the voice; a woman dressed in a casual business suit with four inch stiletto heels. Her eyes searched the crowd for the face of the name on the clipboard she had just called.

“I’m here.” I waved my hand in the air, garnering her attention. Her heels made a click-clackity sound on the wooden deck as she approached, the rhythm synchronizing with the erratic heartbeats in my eardrums.

She halted a foot away from us, her eyes flickering to Liam’s, giving him a once over. Gathering that he was not auditioning she said, “Guests are to wait and observe in the theater.”

Liam shrugged absentmindedly and leaned in, brushing a kiss on my temple. “Break a leg,” he whispered. My breath caught in my chest as I watched him saunter off towards the stairs at the edge of the theater floor.

“You will be after Ms. Woosley is finished with her performance. Your name will be called and that will be time you will take the stage. Any questions?”

I shook my head. I knew all this. Ms. Woosley’s performance wasn’t the first that I had seen nor would it be the last. Maybe I was a little peeved that she had so rudely dismissed Liam. But at the same time I was surprised and pleased that he had not raised a riot. The old Liam would have bitten her head off, demanding to know what her problem was. For that I was entirely grateful.

Before she left she handed me my sheet music, the words APPROVED were stamped in red at the top right hand corner of the papers. I breathed a sigh of relief, sending a silent prayer of thanks to God for having everything running smoothly so far.

As I waited my turn to take the stage my mind drifted to yesterday. Liam had taken me to Central Park, where we had a picnic under the shade of the giant Hornbeam trees by the lake. We spent the entire afternoon there, soaking up the rays, getting lost with the simplicity around us. The cool March air nipped at our skin, sending small spasms of chills down my spine. Liam pulled me to him, spreading his legs on either side of me. I leaned back into his chest, wanting to say the only word that I had come to associate with him.