NEIL
Yesterday was unplanned. I know we have started to match the pace with each other’s work and we are doing a good job. Hopefully the buzz is out there and the audience is starting to know what Mr. Brimley’s concept is all about.
I sat in the car. Usually I prefer that someone drives me but today was different. I wanted to think about something else other than yesterday. The eyes. The lips. The way we synced during work. Her hair. Anything else but that.
This was a big event for us. It had a mixed crowd but the mixed ones make the best audiences. The campaign needs to be promoted, I have all the notes in my mind and I’m pretty sure Kaia will do a great job. Halfway there and the traffic is terrible.
I arrived at the venue 45 minutes later and the second I scanned my surroundings there were billionaires and fan bases all at one place. Selfies and photos were mandatory, “some people tried too hard to be noticed— and still weren’t.” But that is not what I was looking for and my conscience knew.
KAIA
The room was already alive when I walked in.
Low music. Conversations layered over each other. Glass reflections catch just enough light to make everything feel deliberate.
While I was soaking up the surroundings I couldn’t help but linger around in yesterday’s situation. Closeness. Fast breath. Hazel eyes. And those sharp looks. For some reason I did not want to find out what could happen if I had stayed there. There was a time where I used to barf on the thought that he looked good but right now it’s… something.
I adjusted the fall of my dress and looked around for something to eat. I did not look for him because I knew he was there. I felt him.
Dark Burgundy shirt. No jacket.
Sleeves folded just enough to show restraint. Not effort.
His gaze was already on me.
I was expecting it. And it was intense.
More than it should’ve been.
One thing was necessary. And that was control.
Always control.
NEIL
She noticed me.
I was hoping she would.
Even though we locked eyes I could not help but see how effortlessly she had carried herself.
Not red tonight.
Something quieter.
Champagne—soft under the light, but not easy to ignore.
The fabric didn’t demand attention.
It just… held it.
We locked our eyes together longer.
She did not ignore it.
That was new.
The performance on stage had already started.
Some upcoming composers.
Safe work.
Clean.
Technically correct.
Empty.
“She’s rushing the tempo,” Kaia said, barely above a whisper.
I didn’t look at her.
“She’s compensating.”
“For what?”
“Lack of weight.”
She turned slightly then.
“You think that’s what this is?”
“It’s obvious.”
“It’s lazy.”
That made me look at her.
Sharp.
Immediate.
“Careful,” I said quietly.
Her lips curved—just slightly.
“You’re not saying it?”
“I didn’t say I agree with it.”
That landed.
While we were on the verge of enjoying our conversations we forgot that there were ears everywhere.
And whatever we did right now while being in the middle of the campaign was now gonna affect the current circumstance.
Before either of us could move past it—
someone else did.
“Well.” the host continues “easy to criticise when you’re not the one performing.”
That shifted the room.
Enough heads had turned around to see us.
Kaia did not step back. She was about to speak until that doofus host had more to add to his speech.
“Just because you composed one song, doesn’t mean you know how to make music. In fact I would like to see the sales. Oh wait… it was never on air.”
I decided not to step back either.
Our expressions had to be calm to not show anger for the current business status.
“If you both have such strong opinions,” the host added, smiling now, “why don’t you show us how it’s done?”
There it was.
KAIA
I exhaled slowly.
Not annoyed.
Not nervous.
Something else.
I turned to him.
“You didn’t say no.”
His gaze dropped—just for a fraction of a second—to my lips.
Then back to my eyes.
“You didn’t either.”
That—
was an agreement.
NEIL
The Piano sat under the light.
Too visible.
Too exposed.
She walked first.
While she did I could feel her getting nervous from inside.
She tucked her hair behind. Those black eyes turned around to look at me.
Well I could confirm that my thoughts weren’t pretty while I was looking at her.
No hesitation.
No performance for the room.
Just her presence was good.
I followed.
Not because I had to.
But because not following was not an option.
KAIA
I didn’t look at him.
I could feel him anyway.
The space beside me wasn’t empty.
It wasn’t quiet either.
My fingers hovered above the keys.
Just for a second.
Then—
I started.
Soft.
Measured.
Not filling the room.
Just—
marking it.
NEIL
She didn’t rush.
Didn’t try to prove anything.
That made it easier.
I stepped in.
Not over.
Not after.
With.
KAIA
The first shift came from him.
Subtle.
A change in rhythm.
Not enough for anyone else to catch.
Enough for me.
I adjusted.
Not thinking.
Not planning.
Just—
responding.
NEIL
That shouldn’t have worked.
There was no cue.
No count.
No structure.
And still—
She met it.
Exactly.
KAIA
The room faded.
Not gone.
Just—
irrelevant.
The sound changed.
Deepened.
He slowed it.
I followed.
Then I pushed.
Just slightly.
He caught it.
Not after.
With me.
NEIL
That was the problem.
It wasn’t an effort.
It wasn’t calculated.
It was—
natural.
KAIA
For a moment—
just one—
it felt like we had done this before.
We hadn’t.
That made it worse.
NEIL
The last note settled.
Clean.
No drag.
No excess.
Exactly where it needed to end.
KAIA
Silence.
Not empty.
Heavy.
Then—
applause.
I didn’t react.
Didn’t move.
When I looked at him—
He was already looking at me.
Not sharp.
Not distant.
Focused.
“That wasn’t rehearsed,” I said.
“No.”
A pause.
“That shouldn’t have worked.”
“It did.”
His voice dropped—just slightly.
“And you felt that.”
It wasn’t a question.
NEIL
She didn’t deny it.
That was enough.
KAIA
We just paused while looking at each other.
It was the moment where I forgot for a millisecond that I did not like him in the first place.
There was a connection that was uncalled for during the performance.
I.. I was impressed with how we worked together.
Before anything else could settle—
the room came back.
Voices.
Questions.
Movement.
Too much.
I stepped away.
Not abruptly.
Just—
enough.
NEIL
“You’re leaving?”
She glanced back.
“Before this starts meaning something it shouldn’t.”
That—
was new.
“Does it?” I asked.
A pause.
Too long.
She smiled.
Not soft.
Not real.
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
And walked away.
Of course she did.
INTERNAL — NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION
TO: KAIA LAINE
FROM: NEIL VOSS
Re: Performance
That level of alignment was not accidental.
Do not assume otherwise.
— N.V.
KAIA
TO: NEIL VOSS
FROM: KAIA LAINE
Re: Performance
Timing was… precise.
Don’t assume that means anything.
— K.L.
I closed the document.
It didn’t mean anything.
It couldn’t.
And yet—
it didn’t feel like nothing anymore.
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