"What do you think?" He asked me I could hear the confidence in his voice. His eyes were challenging me if I could play better than him.

"It was beautiful. Have you created a song to play along?" I asked him, he rolled his eyes arrogantly this time. His behaviour pissed me off. How can someone be so sweet and vulnerable one moment and haughty the next?

"Girls fall for me when I sing," He said, confidently glancing around the garden where indeed a bunch of juniors were gawking at him. Well, teenagers do get attracted to a guy playing the guitar.

"Pfft... that's just an excuse. Just confess that you don't have any song for tonight's audition", I replied to him smirking arrogantly as I took out the violin from its case.

"You know what, Rosie", He smiled mockingly caressing the violin in my hand " Let's make a bet"

"I am not that petty Karthik. I hate betting on things", I said my voice turning serious as he tried to read my blank face.

"Liar", He muttered softly under his breath. I heard it but chose to ignore it.

"Alright let's make a deal if I win you will teach me how to play the violin. What you say?", He asked eyeing the violin with such devotion that I couldn't object.

"And if I win?"

"Then I will fulfil any wish of yours", He said, his intense gaze made me look away. I nodded and started preparing lyrics for tonight's audition. There was a comfortable silence as we worked in a harmony.

***

"Rosie, can you hang this on the wall?",  Ronnie asked me after several failed attempts of trying to hang the frame on the hook that was two inches above him. I  couldn't help but laugh to myself at the little guy's hard spirit.

"Sure baby", I said standing up from the bed and hooking the happy sketch on the wall.

" I am not a baby. I am just this small from Rosie", He said showing the distance between us by his two hands. I smiled and bent down.

"How about now?" I asked kneeling to his height.

"Now that you are my age, I can tell you a secret", He said bringing his lips near my ears. I went closer and he blew in my ear making me stumble back. He roared out laughing as I fell on the carpeted floor. With his two hands, he again measured the distance between us.

"Rosie this is how it felt when you were laughing at me sitting on the bed", He said smiling widely emitting the same dimples I had on my cheeks as I tackled him to the ground. His face turned red as he begged me to stop tickling him, his laugh was contagious and I joined in. We both lay on the ground like clowns laughing at our silliness.

"Sing me a song?", He pleaded climbing inside the bed. Looking at the time I nodded and sang him a rhyme to sleep.

***

The hall was filled with professors and students. Excitement and nervousness floated around as we sat in our seats waiting for our names to be called.

"All the best", Professor wished through his microphone. Students chorused loudly, honestly, all of this was making me nervous. Clenching my fingers I looked around the hall and found Siddharth sitting at the back. Our eyes met and he pointed at his phone. I opened my phone and saw a message on it.

Let's meet outside- S

Now???

Yes, I want to tell you something- S

I turned around and he nodded. Standing up I followed him out backstage. My nerves were over the edge, I was playing with my fingers as we sat on the step. He stayed silent for some moment lost in his thoughts.

"You wanted to tell me...", I trailed off waiting for him to come out of his thought process. He nodded and clutched my hands coming closer to me.

"Yes, you looked restless there so I thought we can relax for a moment", He said earnestly, I searched his eyes and I saw emotions that I could decipher. There was fear, desperation and happiness in his eyes. It shook me the number of emotions I read in his eyes was always there for Pari, but this time it was for me. Did I win? Does Sid love me?

A tear escaped my eyes as I hugged him. He hugged me close patting on my back.

"Are you okay?" He asked me as we broke away from the hug. I was a little embarrassed for showing my vulnerable side to him.

"Yeah, I am just nervous about the show...", I said making a partly true excuse.

"I have an idea. Why don't you practice your song in front of me? It will help you with your stage fear" He suggested. It wasn't a bad idea. I agreed and closed my eyes trying to reminisce the emotions that I decided while writing the song.

My nerves were back and my voice shook as I started singing.

A piece of paper- too heavy to hold,
A mouthful of words- too hard to remember,
Eyes filled with tears- too hard to comfort,
A land filled with lovers- too hard to imagine,

My life was built on a sandcastle,
Who broke it down?
My prince charming stayed at the castle,
Who took him away?
My fairy godmother,
Where are you?
I was dreaming again,
You woke me up!
Why?
Let me dream on till eternity,
Let me live in serenity,
Make me shine,
Where is the dye?
Oooh oooh oooh
Tell me who made this princess cry?
Tell me who broke her heart?
Tell me -"

A beep sound cut me off. I looked around panicked that's when the audience cheered. Siddharth squeezed my hand and we parted.

As I sat in my chair my hands felt cold. I could feel goosebumps arriving on my skin and a bad feeling creeping into my gut. My confidence was decreasing as the judges made their speeches. As the students rolled in I got distracted by the lyrics and Prerna's song was too cute. Yes, a song can be cute, it had the rhyme feeling in it but shared a sweet story of a mother and her naughty daughter.

The next group started entering and that's when I spotted Karthik entering the hall. As he made his entry I could hear the hall going silent. And a bunch of squeals. Why am I only noticing it now? Karthik was loved by many people for his sweet nature which he was surprisingly showing to me too.

I knew that he was a prince but I never knew he had a fanbase like Siddharth. It made me cringe honestly.

A soft harmonica started playing silencing the crowd. A figure sat in between the stage on a chair. A microphone was placed near her lips as she beautifully played the harmonica. Students made sounds of agreement glad for a rock change. The girl played it smoothly not touching any high notes, her shoes started tapping as she lowered the harmonica and tucked her soft hair at the back of her ear. A soft smile grazed on her face and I could hear people cursing 'DAMN' enraptured by her stage presence. Then her soft voice played in the microphone further silencing the hall. I felt dread building up as I heard her first sentence. I tried to hear clearly and her next sentence confirmed my worst fear. She stole my song.

***

So this was chapter 16. I hope you all loved it.