Page 133 of Crescendo

“And,” she continued pointedly, sounding more energetic again, “you’d better text me the second you find out you’ve won.”

I laughed and shook my head, standing up again. “That’s not going to happen, but I appreciate the support.”

She argued again but I was hung up on something. She’d given me so much, and, no matter what anyone said, I stillthought Eliza would win. She deserved it. She was a real composer, and this whole thing was her dream coming true—with Hannah right there by her side.

“Lydia?” I said quietly. “I’m glad you found what you needed at Crescendo.”

“Thank you…” I could hear the question. Maybe a little regret, too, but that was probably wishful thinking that she was feeling the same way I was.

“And, I still don’t think I’m winning, but, I wanted to tell you, that I want to. I care enough about it to want to win.”

She blew out a breath like she understood fully what I was trying to say—that she’d brought me back, that Crescendo had too, that I wasn’t just floating through life and trying not to care anymore. “You deserve to win, Ella. Text me when you do.”

I laughed, reluctantly agreed, and said goodbye to her before rushing out to join the others for lunch and head back to hear the winner.

As promised, Eliza dropped into the seat beside me to hear the results. This time, however, Hannah was right by her side, still looking a little shy but happy as she brushed her hand over Eliza’s.

Clara, Dodge, and Bansi sat on my other side. Lydia was the only one missing—but she was the one I wanted there the most. If I lost, it wouldn’t have mattered because we’d go home and play music together, and everything would be fine. And, if I really did win… I didn’t know how to do that without her. Sure, I’d won things without her before, but the Royal Albert Hall? Composing? It felt wrong without her.

“Ready to claim your crown?” Eliza asked, nudging me with her free arm.

“No.” I rolled my eyes and shot her a look. “But I’m excited to celebrate you.”

“You’re impossible.”

“Every bit as stubborn as—” Hannah shot me a look and broke off, clearly not sure if we were in a place to joke about that stuff yet. There were worse things in the world than being like Lydia, though. Maybe if we were alike, that was just me holding onto her, and I didn’t mind that.

“You’re rooting for Eliza,” I told her, laughing. “What difference does it make to you?”

“Oh, sorry for being in my girlfriend’s corner.” She had a pouty expression but the effect of it was somewhat undermined by the bright red blush and the obvious bursting pride she was feeling at getting to call Eliza her girlfriend.

The rest of us smiled and laughed, nobody missing the adorable moment between them, but our attention turned to the front of the room as Lorna took the stage again.

“Congratulations to all of you for making it through your penultimate week at Crescendo!” She held her arms out like a hug for them all. “Your last individual compositions are due on Sunday, so don’t forget that, and then, next week, will be all about fun, collaborative projects because, when you leave us, you will seldom be working in isolation in music. Maybe parts of it will be solo work, but music is, above all, a group project. Composers, musicians, sound engineers… the list goes on, and we hope you’ll all enjoy a week focusing on that in more depth, and that you’ll get to solidify the bonds you’ve made here over the last two months.”

I smiled, a little misty eyed again. I’d never cried so much in my life as I had over the last two months, but I supposed that was what happened when you finally let your emotions back in.

Lorna was right, though. Maybe that was the biggest lesson Lydia had learned here. She’d been an odd student for such a programme, but she’d learned its most important lesson, and she was putting that into effect—working with a whole crew of friends to create the most perfect score a movie could haveever wanted. I couldn’t wait to see all of their work come to fruition on it.

I hoped she was also right about the bonds we’d forged here. Not just with Lydia—who I couldn’t bear to imagine life without—but with everyone. I was going back to work in two weeks, back to my old life, but I felt like a new person, and that person couldn’t stand the idea of losing everyone here. Though, of course, losing anyone wasn’t my forte. Crescendo hadn’t changed that.

“And now,” Lorna said, clapping her hands excitedly, “the part you’ve all been waiting for!”

“Ella Hendrickson,” Eliza whispered, amused.

My heart pounded in my chest, more invested than I’d really let myself believe. I’d poured everything I had into that piece, it should have been obvious that I cared, that I wanted it, but winning felt so impossible that saying I wanted it felt foolish.

I suddenly found myself grateful they were letting us out early this afternoon—after the announcement. Win or lose, I didn’t think I’d be able to concentrate on anything else.

Lorna smiled widely, looking across the room at each of us. “You’ve all done amazing work. You should be proud of yourselves—just like we are of you.”

Dodge snorted and Clara nudged him to be quiet, but I knew we were all amused thinking about the judges listening to and attempting to discuss the random, hi-hat and guitar piece he’d turned in. He’d looked so proud when we all listened back to it on Wednesday. So had Bansi. Everyone else had looked… a little confused.

Dodge had gotten everything he wanted from this experience, and he was still exactly the same person he’d always been.

“There were so many wonderful pieces, but, in the end, the judges found the winning piece was raw, beautiful, haunting,and transcended a simple musical piece to tell a story about the human experience that we’re all very excited to hear soon at the Royal Albert Hall.”

Eliza grinned, pressing into my side, while Clara clapped a hand on my other shoulder.

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