No Air.

Everything was enveloped in darkness, save the flash of a stray cellphone. The only sound that could be heard was the whirring of the huge ceiling fans. Everyone was deathly silent. She stood in the wings, nervously adjusting her costume and patting a few stray wisps of hair into place. Her heart, although racing at quadruple speed, was delirious with joy, just looking at him. She waited for him to start.

He stood on stage, alone, in the soft glow of the spotlights. The audience waited with bated breath. And then he suddenly turned to look at her. All their worries from the past few weeks of practice seemed to spill out from his one glance, as if to ask, “Will it all be OK?” She gave him a thumbs-up. And he smiled at her and turned back to the audience.

As soon as he hit the opening notes, she heard a collective intake of breath. The hall was soon filled with his voice echoing off the wooden ceiling. She entered a few minutes later, and holding hands, they performed, matching note for note, word for word:

If I should die before I wake

It’s ‘cause you took my breath away

She was in another world, where only he existed. He was her prince. The other half of her song. Her best friend. She couldn't see the audience looking at them in awe, nor their accompanists. All she could see was him, looking so unbearably handsome, standing there with her.

But how do you expect me

to live alone, just me?

She remembered walking in on him during lunch breaks, diligently practising in empty classrooms, because he couldn't hit the high notes very well then. Then she’d join in too. They had been practising for weeks, whenever they could get time. He really wanted the trophy to be theirs that year.

But all she wanted was to be with him, to be able to sing with him. She was the happiest person in the world, the day she got to know that they would be pairing. She didn't care about the trophy, since she had won it the year before....and somewhere in between the frantic exchange of sheet music, lost plectrums and the innumerable bottles of cough syrup, her fairytale had begun.

‘Cause my world revolves around you

It’s so hard for me to breathe

They glanced at each other during an interlude. She had never looked so beautiful before. Her voice reminded him of wind chimes, of pianos and violins - of the mother he never had.

Of the peace he had never had, that he felt today, just holding her hand.

They drew closer.

Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air

Can’t live, can’t breathe with no air

She looked into his eyes.

But somehow I'm still alive inside

You took my breath but I survived

I don’t know how

and I don’t even care

The audience applauded enthusiastically and loud shouts of “Come on, Monica!” and the chanting of his name from the back rows rent the air.

It’s how I feel when I know you ain't there

There’s no air, no air

They heard the concluding notes of their song; and with a final flourish, he hoisted her up into the air. The curtains started closing. Shocked, she looked at him; astonished, since this wasn't part of their routine. But all he did was gently put her down. A few awkward minutes passed...and then they heard a deafening cheer from the audience. A technician ran excitedly backstage to tell them that they had won.

They had done it. He hugged her and whispered “Congratulations, we nailed it” into her ear. She was so happy that she wanted to kiss him. A voice in her head told her to do it right there.

But just then, another girl came running to where they were standing, and before she could know what was happening, the girl hugged him; and very audibly said “I love you, William”…..and then he whispered into her ear “I love you too, Beth”. Both of them ran off the stage, laughing and giggling. He cried out to Monica that he would give her a call once he reached home.

Losing you is like living in a world with no air, oh oh

Her fairytale shattered in front of her eyes. Tears began streaming down her pancaked face, smudging her makeup. She collapsed into a nearby chair.

I'm here alone, didn't wanna leave

My heart won’t move, its incomplete

They won that day. It secured her position as female lead for the following year’s competition too, third year in a row. But she didn't care. She had lost him.

Got me out here in the water so deep

Tell me how you’re gonna be without me

She could hear people calling out to her, asking her to come and celebrate.

If you ain't here I just can’t breathe

It’s no air, no air

Kneeling down, she tearfully whispered to herself, “I love you, William.”

No air.