The gentle knock on the door pulled Harmony from her introspection, breaking the silence that had enveloped her. She took a moment to collect herself, uttering, "Just a moment!" as she hurriedly wiped her tear-streaked cheeks. Her fingers brushed over her face, ensuring that the carefully applied paint was still intact and that the vibrant dye of her hair maintained its rich hue.
With a sense of urgency, she slipped into one of her favorite dresses—a soft blue garment that cascaded gracefully around her. The fabric was light and airy, wrapping her in a comforting embrace while instilling a subtle layer of confidence.
As she checked her reflection in the nearby mirror, she made certain there were no signs of her earlier sadness lingering on her face. Satisfied, she opened the door, ready to face whatever awaited her on the other side.
As the door creaked open, Harmony was met by her manager, Willow, a striking teal troll with a mane of vibrant orange hair that seemed to glow in the soft light of the backstage area. "Hey there, sorry to interrupt," Willow began, her voice trailing off as she caught sight of the concerned look on Harmony's face.
"But Floyd is looking for you. He's waiting for you in your dressing room." The urgency in her tone hinted at something important, making Harmony's heart race as she considered what might be going on.
Harmony inhaled deeply, feeling the weight of the moment settle on her shoulders as she prepared for the emotional rollercoaster that lay ahead. The air was thick with anticipation, and she looked at Willow, her eyes reflecting a mix of determination and apprehension.
"I promised him that we would talk, and it's only right that I give him a chance to explain," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.
"But when I come back, we need to have a serious discussion about Ethan—he's no longer welcome backstage or at any of my concerts." With those words, Harmony gathered her resolve and stepped through the door, leaving a swirl of uncertainty behind her.
"Well, if you're certain about this, I'll let you handle it," Willow said, her voice friendly yet concerned. She cast one final, lingering glance to make sure everything was okay before turning to leave.
As she walked away, her purpose was clear: she needed to round up the backstage crew, who were likely losing focus and not putting in the effort they should be. The bustling activity behind the scenes was her next destination, a place filled with last-minute preparations and the faint sounds of chaos that often accompanied a live show.
As she strode purposefully backstage, a commanding presence, she reprimanded several crew members for their apparent idle chatter and lack of focus.
Her voice, firm yet laced with urgency, echoed off the walls before trailing off as she rounded the corner, her keen gaze scanning the bustling scene. She was determined to ensure that everything would run seamlessly throughout the tour, her dedication palpable in the air around her.
Harmony closed the door behind her with a soft click, the sound echoing in the quiet hallway. She made her way to her dressing room, each step weighed down by a growing sense of dread that coiled tightly in her stomach.
The corridor felt long and unwelcoming, shadows stretching out around her. Pausing just outside the door, she inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with the cool air in an attempt to calm her racing heart. With a steadying breath, she reached out and gently pushed the door open, the fragrant scent of makeup and fabric wafting toward her as the door creaked slightly on its hinges.
As she stepped into the softly lit room, her eyes were drawn to Floyd, who stood by the window, a wistful expression on his face. In his hands, he gently held an old photograph, its edges frayed with time. The image captured a moment from their youth—a sun-drenched day filled with laughter and carefree joy, when their friendship was unbreakable.
It took her back to a time when their bond was simple and pure, before they ventured into the complexities of dating and ultimately grew distant from each other. The sight stirred a mixture of nostalgia and longing within her, reminding her of the warmth they once shared.
"I remember that day," she said, her voice soft yet resonant, enveloping the room in a warmth that caught him off guard. He turned to meet her gaze, which sparkled with a mix of nostalgia and light. Sunlight poured through the window, casting a golden glow that highlighted her delicate features, and for a moment, her expression seemed to dance with the memories of the past.
He gently placed the framed photograph—a vibrant snapshot of their laughter and youthful dreams—back on the dresser beside the ornate mirror, its surface reflecting both their shared history and the passage of time.
"It was the day we completed our first song together," she continued, a fleeting smile illuminating her face, radiating warmth and longing. Yet, just as quickly, that smile melted away, replaced by a more forlorn look that hinted at the bittersweet nature of those cherished memories.
She averted her eyes, unable to bear the weight of his intense gaze, and said, "It's all behind us now; we just have to keep moving forward."
A flicker of resentment colored her voice as she added, "So, what did you want to discuss, Floyd? I thought we had said everything there was to say after you left me." With her arms crossed tightly across her chest, her posture radiated defensiveness as she spoke, bracing herself for whatever was to come.
"Harmony, I want you to know that leaving you was the most painful decision I've ever faced. I'm truly sorry for how I handled it, and I regret that all I left was a note. I wish I could have done more to show you how much you mean to me." He takes a tentative step closer, his eyes imploring her to listen, to give him another chance.
"What note?" she snapped, her voice slicing through the tension like a knife. A tremor ran through her words as she pressed on, "There was no note, Floyd. No farewell, no forewarning. You just vanished..." Her voice faltered, hanging in the air, as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself, as if trying to shield her heart from the pain he had caused.
"Before I left, I placed a note for you on your dresser, Harmony," he said, his voice heavy with uncertainty, which made her pause and turn to regard him. The tension in the air was palpable, as he searched for the right words. "I didn't want to slip away without giving you an explanation for my departure."
The scene gracefully shifts from the present moment to a vivid flashback as Floyd begins to narrate the events of his past. The details unfold, painting a rich tapestry of experiences that have led to this moment.
With a heavy heart, Floyd stood in silence, feeling a surge of despair as he watched his brothers march off in separate directions, their shoulders tense and faces shadowed by disappointment. Their earlier enthusiasm had been bright, filled with potential, but now it felt as though that promise had slipped through their fingers, leaving only the bitter taste of failure hanging in the air.
"It's all my fault, I ruined everything" Branch said sadly, watching his brothers all walk away. Floyd was quick to reassure him "No, no Branch this was not your fault" He's quick to tell him. "We're not in sync, we've gone from boys to men and now there is only one direction for us to go: the backstreets." He says
"But not you Floyd, you're not leaving too" Branch begs as he stares up at his big brother with sad eyes.
"Not forever, I'll be back, I promise" He assures his baby brother, trying his best to comfort him
"But right now I... I have to follow my heart" He says, looking downcast "It's telling me it's time to start a solo career"
"But, what am I going to do? What about Harmony?"
"Branch you are going to do the most important thing of all" He tells him trying to make Branch feel important again.
"You're gonna..." He frantically darts his eyes around as if thinking up something on the spot "Take care of Grandma and Harmony!" He tells him, pointing towards the older woman playing Rummy at a small table in the corner of the room.
"When you miss me, you can wear this. It'll be like I'm right there with you" He tells Branch as Floyd handed him an oversized leaf vest. The garment engulfed Branch, making him appear lost within it.
Clutching the note that detailed his sudden departure yet reassured her of his inevitable return, he embarked on his journey to Harmony's pod. As he approached her bedroom window, the moonlight glinted off his hair, which he deftly used to scale the branches.
With a practiced grip, he wrapped the silken strands around a sturdy tree branch, leveraging its strength to pull himself gracefully through the open window and into the intimate sanctuary of her room.
As Floyd stood quietly by Harmony's bedside, he watched her peaceful face, the soft rise and fall of her chest a gentle reminder of her serenity. He brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead, his fingertips grazing her skin with a tenderness that brought a bittersweet ache to his heart.
Every delicate feature, from the curve of her lips to the flutter of her eyelashes, seemed to draw him in deeper, a mix of fondness and sorrow swirling within him.
Reluctantly, he tore his gaze away, casting a final glance over her sleeping form before turning toward the dresser. There, on the polished wood, lay the letter he had penned for her, words flowing from his heart to the page.
He knew he couldn't stay any longer; the weight of what he had to say burdened him like an unspoken promise. With a heavy sigh, he placed the letter down, his heart aching as he took one last look at the woman who inhabited his thoughts so completely.
Floyd leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against Harmony's lips, savoring the warmth of the moment. He lingered for a moment, looking into her peaceful face, before quietly slipping out the window. The cool night air brushed against him as he climbed down, leaving no trace of his presence behind.
As dawn approached, Harmony would awaken in her sunlit room, blissfully unaware of the fleeting visit. The envelope containing Floyd's heartfelt letter had been swept behind the dresser, caught in the wake of his departure. Hidden from her sight, it lay silently waiting, a secret of the night that only Floyd knew.
Harmony's face is a canvas of conflicting emotions, turmoil etched into her features as uncertainty flickers in her eyes. She stands frozen for a moment, her heart racing, while Floyd, anxiety palpable in his posture, watches her intently, desperate for a sign that she will understand.
"Harmony, I swear I never meant to hurt you," he pleads, his voice trembling with sincerity. As he speaks, she instinctively takes a step back, creating a chasm of distance between them, her body language reflecting the weight of his words and the fear of what they might mean for their future.
Tears brimmed in her eyes, glistening like fragile dew drops as she stared at him, her mind racing to grasp the overwhelming news he had just shared. An icy grip of disbelief clutched at her chest, squeezing her heart with a painful tightness. After what felt like an eternity of silence, she took a shaky breath and finally found her voice, trembling yet resolute.
Tears poured down her cheeks as she stood in front of Floyd, her voice trembling with a mixture of pain and anger.
"You hurt me deeply. You claimed you left a note, but why didn't you wake me up and have an honest conversation? Instead of staying by my side, you chose to abandon me, leaving me to pick up the shattered pieces of my life all alone.
No matter how much you try to explain or justify your actions, nothing can repair the damage you've caused. You broke your promise to me—to always be by my side and never let me feel alone again. Yet, time and time again, I found myself isolated, grappling with the pain of a broken heart while you were nowhere to be found.
Our lives have taken completely different directions now, Floyd, and there's no turning back or fixing what has been lost."
As Harmony stepped away, she felt Floyd's gentle hand wrap around her wrist, anchoring her in place. The warmth of his touch contrasted sharply with the tension swirling between them. "Harmony, please don't go," he implored, his voice trembling with emotion, each word laced with raw vulnerability.
The anguish etched on his face was unmistakable, and his eyes glistened as he searched hers, hoping for a chance to mend what had been broken.
Harmony suddenly froze, her body becoming completely still as she absorbed the deep anguish in his voice. The weight of his words hung heavily in the air, and after a brief pause that felt like an eternity, she yanked her wrist free from his desperate grasp.
With a protective motion, she crossed her arms over her chest, creating a barrier between them. Taking a steadying breath to calm the turmoil within her, Harmony closed her eyes and began to sing. Each note flowed from her with an intensity that reflected the raw emotions she felt inside, transforming her pain into a melody that resonated with the depth of her heart and soul.
"Maybe you don't like talking too much about yourself
but you should havetoldme
that you werethinking 'bout something else
You've been gone a couple of years but you're talking to me now
I know you, you're like this
when it don't go your way you needed me to fix it
and like me, I did
but I ran out of every reason"
As Floyd extends his hand toward her, Harmony instinctively pulls back, her wide eyes filled with anguish and glistening tears.
The weight of years of suffering presses heavily on her chest, and in that moment, she finally finds the courage to articulate the profound pain she has carried for so long. Her voice trembles as she breaks the silence, revealing the heartache that has haunted her throughout the years.
"Now suddenly you're asking for it back
could you tell me, where'd you get the nerve?
yeah, you could say you miss all that we had
but I don't really care how bad it hurts
when you broke me first
you broke me first
took a while, was in denial when I first heard
that you moved on quicker than I could've ever
you know that hurt
swear, for a while I would stare at the page
just to see your name
but now that you're here, I don't really know what to say!"
Overwhelmed by a tide of emotion, she tangled her fingers in her hair, the silky strands slipping through her grasp as she fought to find the words that had been locked away in the depths of her heart. Each syllable felt like a fragile glass shard, threatening to shatter the delicate façade she had maintained for so long.
"I know you, you're like this
when it don't go your way you needed me to fix it
and like me, I did
but I ran out of every reason
now suddenly you're asking for it back
could you tell me, where'd you get the nerve?
yeah, you could say you miss all that we had
but I don't really care how bad it hurts
when you broke me first
you broke me first!"
With tears cascading down his cheeks, Floyd moved slowly toward her, his heart heavy with a desire to provide comfort.
The sharp pang of his own sorrow intertwined with a deep anguish for her pain, a painful reminder that he was the one responsible for her suffering. Each step felt like an eternity, his chest tightening with guilt as he reached out, wanting nothing more than to erase the hurt he had caused.
"What did you think would happen?
What did you think would happen?
I'll never let you have it!
what did you think would happen?"
Furious, she forcibly swatted his hand away, her eyes blazing with a mix of betrayal and anguish. With every word that spilled from her lips, she laid bare her heart and soul. She confronted the man who had so completely shattered her spirit that the fragments of her once-whole self felt irreparable, each jagged piece a reminder of the love and trust that had been so brutally torn apart.
Overwhelmed by a surge of anger, she thrust her hands against his chest, her eyes blazing with emotion as she demanded answers.
"now suddenly you're asking for it back
could you tell me, where'd you get the nerve?
yeah, you could say you miss all that we had
but I don't really care how bad it hurts
when you broke me first
you broke me first (you broke me first)
you broke me first, ooh oh"
With tears shimmering in her eyes, she sank to the ground, the weight of her sorrow becoming too much to bear. Floyd knelt beside her, wrapping her in a warm, protective embrace.
The world around them faded into silence as she pressed her face into his chest, releasing a torrent of heartbroken sobs. He held her tightly, wishing more than anything he could fix what he's done, his heartbeat a steady rhythm against the backdrop of her grief.
Feeling overwhelmed by the unbearable pain, she mustered her strength and pushed him away, rising unsteadily to her feet. Floyd reacted swiftly, reaching out to grasp her hand before she could escape his grasp.
With a tender touch, he placed a small object into her palm, gently closing her fingers around it, as if to offer some comfort, before slowly withdrawing his hand, leaving her with the weight of his gesture.
In a gentle, almost trembling voice, he said, "Harmony, I truly meant it. I will go to great lengths to fix what's broken between us." He reached out, his fingers hovering near her face, wanting to caress her cheek, but at the last moment, he hesitated, letting his hand fall to his side.
As he turned to leave the dressing room, the weight of his emotions lingering in the air, he vowed with deep conviction, "I'm never leaving you again." A sense of determination filled the space, each word echoing the promise he desperately wanted to keep.
Harmony's fingers gently uncurl, revealing a delicate golden songbird pendant that swings gently from an intricately woven slender chain. As she gazes at the shimmering pendant, tears begin to pool in her eyes, reflecting the deep sorrow within her heart. The image of the songbird evokes memories of a past love, rich with moments both cherished and lost.
The image of the songbird evokes memories of a past love, rich with moments both cherished and lost. With a heavy heart, she brings the necklace close, pressing it against her chest as if to draw strength from it. Overcome by an overwhelming sense of grief, she sinks to her knees once more on the cool ground, completely absorbed in the aching reminiscence of the love they shared so long ago.
A/N
Hello my lovelies! I never expected this chapter to blossom into what it's become but I hope you all enjoy the changes I've made.
As always feel free to comment to tell me what you think!
You are all so so special and deserve the best in life!