Perfect For You

Can't Help Falling

"One more time."

NJ resisted the urge to groan. It was the night before the recital. She had gotten off work early, and Van also kept his schedule free that day, so they could run through everything once more. But three hours into the practice, they still weren't done.

It had been like this for the past two weeks, ever since they started on their duet piece. She was sick and tired of "Can't Help Falling In Love", the Elvis Presley song they had chosen to play for their duet. It should have been easy, because practicing their individual pieces had gone over so well, after all. And she made sure that the version of the song they chose was easy enough for her.

And yet, each time they practiced the song, he still always found something wrong with it. It shouldn't have bothered her, but unlike when she was practicing her solo piece, she didn't feel herself getting better anymore. She kept playing one section too fast, or another section too slow. She played the wrong notes. There was always something that he would point out.

And for the first time in a long time, ever since they started playing together, she felt it again.

She was annoyed.

Really, really annoyed.

But she pushed her feelings aside, buried them deep inside her. They played the song again. He wasn't looking at her as they played, but at her violin. His eyebrows were furrowed, his lips pressed together in one thin line. She had worked long enough with him that she had already learned that there were subtle changes in his expression that betrayed what he truly felt.

He was frustrated with all this, too.

But why? What had gone wrong? Why wasn't it working this time?

When they finished playing, he raised his hand. "One more time, Narcisa-"

"What the heck is it again, Esquivel?"

He stopped speaking. His hand fell to his side as he looked at her.

She put her hand on her forehead. "I'm sorry," she said. "I...I really didn't mean to snap. But I do mean it. Let's just stop."

There was a flash of confusion in his eyes, which faded to his usual calm expression. "It's only 10 PM. We still have some time. Or we can take a break first, if you want-"

"No," she said again. "I don't mean taking a break. I mean, let's just stop, right now."

"Why?" he said. "There are still some things we can work on. It's still not-"

"Perfect," NJ cut in. "I know. It's not. But you see-it will never be." She shook her head at him. "This is as good as it's gonna get. As good as I'm going to get. Practicing it over and over tonight won't change the fact that our skills just aren't on the same level. I'm just not good enough, and definitely not as good as you. That's why this duet isn't working."

He was now clearly frowning; even other people would now be able to read the consternation on his face. He was silent for a few moments, his eyes on their sheet music; his gaze could have bore a hole through the papers.

"And you're okay with just leaving it like that?" he asked. "We're just going to give up?"

She nodded. "Sometimes...sometimes you just need to know when to give up."

Maybe some things just aren't meant for you.

She put her violin and her bow back into her case. "I know you won't be comfortable playing something that you're not happy with tomorrow, so it's okay if you don't want to go through the duet anymore. I'll just tell Ms. Jenna that something came up, and we won't be able to play a duet anymore. I'm sure she'll understand."