Track Six
Daniela's POV
The studio session was quieter than usual — not in sound, but in everything else.
Daniela noticed it the moment they walked in.
You were already there, hood up, headphones half on, scrolling through something on your phone.
Same posture as always. Same calm. Same control.
But the warmth that used to sit just under the surface when she entered the room wasn't there anymore.
No lingering look. No half-smile. Just a nod.
Professional. Polite. Distant."Hey," she said anyway, forcing casual into her voice as she dropped her bag near the couch.
"Hey," you replied, just as even. "We're starting with references today."
That was it.
No follow-up. No, how was rehearsal? No quiet comment meant just for her.
You turned back to the screen, already pulling up tracks, already in producer mode.
Daniela swallowed. She didn't let it show — stretched, joked with Megan and Lara when they walked in joining the session for the first time.
You went through warm-ups like muscle memory could carry her if her head wouldn't. But every time she glanced toward you, you were focused somewhere else.
The board. The speakers. The notes in front of you.
You didn't look at her the way you used to.
And she hated that she noticed. The session itself went fine.
Too fine. Your feedback was sharp, thoughtful, and completely impersonal.
Anyone watching would've said nothing was wrong.
But Daniela felt the absence like a missed count — subtle, disorienting.
When she stumbled once, Megan nudged her.
"You good?" "Yeah," Daniela said quickly.
"Just tired." She lingered by the door after, half-expecting you to stop her. You didn't. So she left.
That night, a party felt louder than it needed to be. Different house. Same crowd. Music bleeding into walls, bodies packed too close, conversations overlapping until none of them fully landed.
Daniela stuck close to the girls at first, laughing when she needed to, nodding when Sophia talked about schedules.
But her eyes kept scanning the room without her permission.
And then she saw you. You were by the bar, relaxed in a way you hadn't been all day.
Madison Beer stood beside you, leaning in slightly, hand brushing your arm when she laughed.
You smiled — not the polite one, but the easy one.
Daniela froze. It wasn't jealousy at first. It was understanding.
You hadn't pulled away from everyone.
Just her.
What Daniela doesn't know is, you and Madison just both were there for each other after rough breakups, no matter if it was emotionally or sexually. So there was history there that no one really knows about.
Megan followed her gaze. "Oh." Daniela didn't respond. She didn't need to.
Later, she slipped outside for air. The city hummed below. She rested her hands on the railing, trying to steady her breathing.
"Running away?"
Your voice. She turned.
You stood a few feet away, hands in your pockets, guarded but not cold.
"I could say the same," she replied. A pause. Heavy. Earned.
"You've been distant," Daniela said finally.
"So have you."
"That's not fair."
"Neither is pretending we don't notice."
You stepped closer , not crowding, just enough. The music faded. The night narrowed.
"I didn't imagine it, right?" she asked quietly.
"No," you said. Immediate. Honest."Then why does it feel like you decided stepping back was easier than talking to me?"
You exhaled slowly. "Because I don't fall fast. And I don't fake it when I don't."
That stung — because it wasn't cruel."I've been burned," you continued. "By people who weren't sure they could stay. When I felt myself getting close... I pulled back." "And Madison?" she asked. "History. Familiar. Safe." Not reassurance. Not denial.
She nodded, swallowing. "I don't want almost."
"I know." "But I won't promise what I'm not ready to give," you added.
The space between you became small as you grew closer.
Her breath brushed your chin. Your hand lifted, stopping just short of her waist. For a moment, everything disappeared. If you leaned in, she wouldn't pull away.
You knew that. That was the problem. You stepped back.
One pace. Controlled. Devastating."I should go inside," you said. "Yeah."Neither of you moved for a second longer than necessary.Inside, the night swallowed you both again.
Madison reappeared easily at your side. Familiar. Comfortable. Armor.
Daniela watched once , just once — then turned away. When the party started to slowly end, you and Daniela crossed paths near the door. "Studio next week?" she asked. "Same time." "Okay." "Get home safe," you added.
She left first.
Later, alone in your car, her text lit up your phone.
Daniela: I'm not trying to rush you. I just wanted you to know I'm still here.
You stared at it longer than you should have.
Y/N: I know. And that's why this is hard for me.
No reply came.
And somehow, that hurt more than if it had.