Augusta sat in the audience to support Priyanka, and her heart swelled with pride. Her best friend secured the role of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, and all the time they spent rehearsing her script together paid off. Augusta didn't mind pretending to be a lovesick dude when her friend was practicing to play a delusional babe.

"Romeo, I shall love you for eternity!" Priyanka cried with eyes brimming with tears.

"Priya is so good at this," Augusta whispered. Her friend was made for the Arts and theatre. She interpreted the role in a fresh yet classical way.

The Roseview High auditorium was packed to the full capacity, and silence fell upon the hall as the actors made passionate declarations of love.

"Did my heart love till now? Foreswear it sight, for I never saw true beauty till this night," Mason Ricci or rather, Romeo declared with both hands clutched to his chest. He gazed at Priyanka, aka Juliet, with eyes wide with wonder.

"Wow. This guy is pretty good too," Augusta murmured.

Mrs Kumar, Priyanka's mum who was sitting beside her squeezed her hand. A silent acknowledgement of Augusta supporting her daughter. Augusta looked at her and smiled. Dr Kumar on the other hand had his eyes fixed to the stage. Priyanka had always been daddy's little girl.

"When are you performing?" Mrs Kumar asked.

"Closing act. I'll go back stage after this play," Augusta whispered.

Dr Kumar interjected without looking their way. "Knock them dead with your flute, August."

"I'm going beast mode and leaving casualties, sir," Augusta replied.

All of them chuckled and continued watching the performance. Augusta knew her parents were sitting in the balcony seats. After snapping several sweet but embarrassing photos with them, holding her flute and posing at the entrance to the hall—they hugged and kissed her with promises to meet after the show.

Augusta flexed her fingers, and practiced her breathing exercises. The familiar pre performance sparks tingled in her body, and she could not wait to channel it into her music. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and jolted her out of her thoughts.

Pedro: Where are you?

This is random, Augusta thought. She responded anyway.

Augusta: With Jack...on the beanstalk. Help. Ladder needed. ASAP.

A few minutes passed and Augusta wondered if she should tone down the sarcasm. Sadly, it was more or less subconscious these days. Especially with Pedro. Maybe he had something important to say. Before she could add, a 'Why? Are you okay?' follow up, Pedro replied.

Pedro: NBD kiddo. No ladder, but I've got the baddest fireman's trampoline. Just jump.

Augusta giggled. No big deal? Seriously? And what's with the kiddo? They were both eighteen, well he was but she would be in three months. She covered her mouth apologetically when she was shushed by a person behind her.

Augusta: I'd bounce tf back into the sky and fall harder!

His response was immediate.

Pedro: ...Into my arms ❤

"Whose the lucky guy?" Mrs Kumar whispered with a knowing look on her face.

Augusta flinched and clutched her phone to her thigh. Her heart fluttered in her chest at the question. "No one," she replied in a haste.

Her phone buzzed again, and she fought the urge to check the message. Pedro was smooth as butter. A confirmed criminal undercover, and she convinced herself not to fall for his effortless charm. His response had probably been used on thousands of other girls. Mind on the stage, she scolded herself. Augusta's phone buzzed again. And again. Unable to resist any longer, she checked her phone.

Pedro: Too much? Sorry about that. I should calm down.

Pedro: Just kidding. I'm not sorry.

Pedro: Came for your flute performance, but haven't seen you. I want my money back. Where tf is the manager?

Augusta grinned from ear to ear. She relaxed a little bit, and her tension flowed away like waves. Perhaps they could be friends without being anything more. He was cocky as heck, but actually very nice when she got to know him better. After all fighting with him was exhausting, and guarding her heart was simple as ABC.

Augusta: Didn't you have football practice today? Go home and rest.

Pedro: Do you mean where I go with a helmet and padding on to get bashed by barbarians like me?

Augusta was bursting at the seams. Any more giggling and she would get kicked out.

Pedro: Yeah, I did...but I'm telling you, I'm not goin'...not until I see you play.

Augusta: Why do you care?

Three dots danced on the screen to indicate that Pedro was typing. Meanwhile, Augusta wished she could stop being so defensive and be more tolerant. Even if she didn't trust him, he turned up for her performance which was very nice of him. Snapping at him was unfair.

The dots disappeared and re appeared a few times before a new message popped on the screen.

Pedro: Because I want to see you work magic with your hands and mouth...1/2

Augusta gasped. What? That escalated quickly or was she jumping to conclusions? Should she blast him for his comment or play it cool and ignore the possible connotations? Augusta knew she should switch her phone off or ignore him, but her traitorous hands refused to drop her phone. Then a new message popped up.

Pedro:...apart from holding a white board marker and talking about Math, Bio and Chem 2/2

Warmth rushed to her cheeks and an unfamiliar but not unpleasant sensation flushed her body. Similar to how she felt at his close proximity when he stood by her side while writing on the board in their last class. Augusta was lost for words and knew she had to be cautious with Pedro. He was clearly looking for trouble, and she did not want to play with fire. Augusta threw her phone in her pocket before she could change her mind. She refused to check it again till after her performance.

***

"Everyone please give Miss Madueke a round of applause as she mounts the stage for her performance," Mrs Hudson, the music teacher said.

Augusta took several deep breaths and smoothed her hands over her gold, halter neck gown. It was diamond encrusted and had a modest slit up to her right knee. Her braided hair was in a bun cinched with a red, princess bow clip.

The curtains parted and Augusta walked out onto the stage. It was flooded with bright lights, and the applause was thunderous. She squared her shoulders. Whenever Augusta had her flute in her hand, she was confident and powerful. She was not the awkward nerd or the introvert teen who would rather stay at home than socialize.

"Good evening, everyone. Tonight I'll be performing My All by Mariah Carey and Ave Maria by Beyoncé."

Silence fell upon the hall again, and Augusta closed her eyes, brought the flute to her lips and placed her fingers on the keys. In an instant, she floated to another realm of peace and pleasure as the light and airy notes and My All, took a new meaning. Augusta's fingers had a mind of their own as they danced over the body of the flute, and she swayed to her own music.

Augusta completed the first song, and only paused for a brief moment before commencing the next. She wrestled with the emotions bursting from within as the intensity of the melody increased. For the first time ever, she took a few steps forward and back mid performance. At the climax of the piece, a full blown roar of wind burst from her chest. Augusta held the last note for a record breaking time.

An eerie stillness hovered in the air at the end of Augusta's performance.

One person rose to their feet and clapped. Followed by another. Then another. Within moments, she received a standing ovation as everyone rose to their feet and applauded her performance.

"That was incredible. I have never seen you perform with such passion," Mrs Hudson said.

Augusta cast a sideways glance at her music teacher. "Thank you, ma'am." She had a strong urge to look at the front row, and squinted under the dazzling lights.

Standing in the front row was Pedro, clapping and whistling. Augusta was not prepared to see him in black trousers, a white business shirt and a black bow tie. She was not ready to see his luscious hair shaven at the side and messy at the top.

Pedro smirked and blew her a kiss. Augusta caught it and blew it back. She shook her head with a playful smile, and mouthed the words 'Thank you.'

He winked and she waved and bowed to the audience before the curtains were drawn.

Augusta almost missed her footing when she walked off the stage. "Oh no!" she gasped with a hand on her rapidly beating heart, as she steadied herself on the guardrail. Her suppressed emotions rose to the surface and mind and body yearned for Pedro more than ever.

What was she going to do? It was all so sudden, but her mind raced and her breath was taken. Though unfamiliar, the feeling was unmistakable. This time it was not because of the music. Augusta could not afford to be swept away by the waves of desire she had been holding back. She had to build a dam around her heart.

Augusta is always in control, but not today, what would you do? :)