Work Text:
"You are going to dance with Wilbur"
My mouth fell open, and I felt my insides flip. I? Dancing with Will? My sister Sally was meant to dance with him, I can"t.
"What happened with Sal?"
"She strained her ankle, c"mon Alex, you are like her copy!"
Her copy...
"If we use some contour, eyeliner and lipstick nobody will guess it"s not her!"
I felt tears well up in my eyes. I felt the burning acid creep up my throat, and I"ve just stood up and ran to the bathroom. My thighs trembled as I leaned over the sink, splashing water onto my face.
The manager ran after me and stopped in the doorframe.
"You are expected on the floor for rehearsal in 10 minutes. Get up" she placed Sally"s dancing heels on the sink and waltzed away.
The tears fall down my cheeks like waterfalls, and I couldn"t sustain a massive sob. I met my gaze in the mirror, my eyes puffy from creating all the tears.
"You got this, you are after all, just a Sally"s copy" I wiped my tears into the sleeve of my shirt and picked up the shoes.
The heels were perfect, I"ve danced in them countless times, Sally teaching me all the choreographies.
I walked down the hall, the clicking sound following me like a shadow.
I walked into the back, and was met with a rather furious Wilbur storming out. We caught gazes and he grabbed me by my bicep.
"Have you did this? Is this some kind of a stupid prank of yours? Because if yes I"m going to skin you alive" he growled, his grip on my shoulder tightening. I whined and shook my head.
"Words!"
"I didnt Will, Im just as surprised as you" my voice trembled. He looked at me in disgust and jogged away.
I continued to the make up room and sat into the prepared chair. All the girls started working on me, and one of them pushed a dark red dress into my hands.
She gestured onto my clothes and folded her hands.
I quickly stripped and pulled on the dress. It was tight, the red satin hugging onto my waist and torso. The white lacy end was sprinkled with golden stars matching the colour of my heels. Sorry, her heels.
-pov-change-
Unacceptable. I wont dance with my girlfriends brother. The manager let out an angry groan.
"Spectacular!" She clapped her hands as Alex walked onto the parkette.
"I do not look like Sal" he said with a quiet voice, covering the deep V neck of the dress.
"Its amazing! Now go on your spots, well start with the waltz."
I looked at Alex, who"s full concentration was on his sisters shoes.
"C"mon" I offered him a hand and he accepted. His small hand was soft, unlike Sal"s who"s was callused and long. It fit perfectly into mine.
I pulled him against my chest, the bush of his ravenette hair tickling against my chin. His was soft and silky, already falling out of the prefect bun.
The opening notes of the Vivaldi"s Winter struck and I lead him diagonally through the parkette.
His moves were delicate, soft, planned and I don"t want to say this but-
Better than Sally"s.
He got the grace, the spark. I slid my hand down his torso to his hips and lifted him over my head. And the view I got was rather beautiful.
His hair was brushed behind his ears, and his bottom lip puffed out.
I haven"t even registered that we actually danced, something that lasted hours with Sally, and we were now hushed out of the parkette.
"Amazing! Keep up the good work guys. The comp is starting in 30 mins"
Alex cleared his throat, and I have just noticed the deadly grip I had on his hip.
"Will"
I quickly sustained my hand and walked to the bathroom.
-pov-change-
No, nope.
I"m not dancing with Will, no way. No chance. No. Nope. I almost vomited when he lifted me above his head. Hes like 6,6 and I was so fucking high.
The manager was, however, on cloud 9 as I saw.
I shred off the dress and hopped into my sweats. Im so done here. The cold wind brushed past me and into the building as I quietly closed the door.
I stopped a cab that parked nearby and sat in.
"Where to sir?"
"Las Nevadas" Grand Casino please."
"Thats gonna be expensive. 80 dollars at least"
"I don"t care, I"m the owner just go go go" I ushered him to start moving and we soon speeded down the BlueWood highway.
"So, sir Quackity, why the heels?" The driver looked at me.
"Oh! I forgot about these. Y"know dancing" I rolled my eyes and looked out of the window. The driver started blasting random music, Rihanna? I dont know.
-ten-years-later-
"And now presenting, pair 7, Wilbur Soot and Sally Salmon!"
I tensed as the scene darkened and Karl beside me giggled.
"Alex look, he"s so tense holding her hand. What is this?" Sapnap groaned, rubbing his face. I nod and watched as he twirled her while the Vivaldi"s Winter played in the backround.
We seemingly made eye contact for a moment and Will"s grip on Sally loosened. He nearly dropped her at the last pirrouette.
"We would like to hear the judges! Who"s gonna start?"
"I!" Karl chimed and sat more upright. "I"ve seen you two dance only in videos, but I"m more than 100 percent sure you can do better. And, I have not seen the better now. 5 from me."
"I agree with Karl, you two got so much much potential but somehow you cant really use it. Wilbur you were really tense, and you almost dropped her while the last pirrouette, were you stressed? A 4 from me."
"I agree with my husbands-" I started and watched as all colour drained from his face. "I know how you dance Wilbur, I"ve danced with you before and this is not the best you can do. 4 from me, sorry"
He looked down and they both scurried off the parkette.
-in-the-backstage-after-competition-
"Alex! Alex! Can we talk!" Wilbur caught my hand and turned me around.
The first thing I noticed up close was that he was sickly, if not deathly pale. His eyes were tired and red.
"What?"
"Why did you left back then?" He let go of my hand.
"Listen Will, I just. Couldn"t dance with you."
"But why?"
"You are dating my sister! That"s why!"
He looked at his shoes.
"Were. She broke up with me the day before we danced."
And then everything clicked. That"s why Sally truly didn"t want to dance with Will then.
"You are such and asshole! and you are so jealous! I can"t stand another minute being in this relationship!" A slap echoed and an angry footsteps scurried down the hall. I turned to the wall and pretended to be asleep.
"Hey Alex, sorry I"m leaving you in this, but I need some time to think. Just regular waltz with Vivaldi okay? Nothing more. Love you" she kissed my hair and quietly walked out of the room.
"I"m sorry Will."
///
"Why do you dance with her?"
Alex took a sip from his cola, and leaned against the worn our leather chair at McDonalds. I ran over the knuckles of my hand and sighed.
"Who would I dance with then?"
He nod and continued downing his drink, that meant I finally got the time to look at him better. He changed in those ten years a lot. There were wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, meaning he"s been laughing and smiling a lot. His hair somehow stayed the same, despite him being in his late 30"s.
"You are right"
He smiled and his straight white teeth showed.
"So, how have you been? In these past ten or so years?" I take him in more, watching as his eyes squint when he talk"s about his husbands, and both corners of his mouth stay turned upward.
"We"ve been to Paris lately, you know travelling and stuff. May I ask why haven"t you been on Phil"s funeral? I"ve seen Tommy and Techno but not you"
I sigh and stare at his scarred hands while trying to build up a valid reason. But, there isn"t such a one. My hands instinctively place over my eyes, a bad habit I"ve build up with my ex. She hated to see me cry. It may sound cute but, in the way "men cant cry way". So every time I just tried to drown the cry"s.
"I felt like-" His hand places over my shoulder, as I feel salt tears run down my cheeks. I fold my glasses and set them on the table. "I disappointed him, in every way. Both Toms and Tech achieved big. Y"know, Tommy is a popular comedian and Techno is a record holder. But I. What have I achieved? I lost Sally, I can"t even dance properly and lastly I even lost you?"
He bit the inside of his cheek.
"I know, I disappointed even you. Why would you run away then? I"m a fucking failure." I place my head onto the table and sob.
"I was dumb Will. Now that, I know you two broke up, I wouldn"t"ve run away. I had the biggest crush on you then, I was simply awkward." he smiled and the hand with both purple and orange rings squished mine.
I wipe away my tears and stand up.
"Yeah, we both fucked up right?"
"We did" he scoffed and pulled out a yellow piece of paper. "I would like to stay in touch with you. We have 9 year anniversary next month and we"re planning a party. I would be happy if you came. "
I stare at the paper as he leaves the restaurant with a chime of a bell.
(MAT) Alex Q. Halo Jacobs
¬Latino and American dance lector
¬+XX XXX XXX
¬[email protected]
I crumple the paper and throw it into the nearby bin.
It"s the end. I lost. The race, ended. I placed last. Last. Last. This part of me needs to go. Needs to vanish. I placed the dismissal at work yesterday. Sole all my shoes, costumes everything.
I"m ready for a new life.
How have I been so dumb. I thought he"ll choose me over them? Me?
-next-day-
"William Gold!"
I turn around, I could register that voice anywhere.
"Techno"
He hugs me, his long pink hair cut short, just above his shoulders.
"Alex, he- got into a crash yesterday. He"s in the hospital, but he"s already dead. They are just waiting for the funeral service. "
My words die in my throat. Have I said goodbye? Have I said what I wanted?
-in-the-hospital-
"Mister Jacobs is in the room 16"
I jog to the furthest room, opening the door gently. Both Karl and Sapnap are sitting beside him, seemingly asleep.
I step closer to him and take a hold of his hand.
"Hi Alex." I unroll the note entry I held in my hand and clear my throat.
"It feels surreal to be here, talking to you after all these years. Ten years have passed since we last danced, ten years of wondering what might have been. I wish I could reach out and hold your hand, feel the warmth of your touch one last time. But all I have are these words, these whispers hoping they reach you.
I remember the way you made my heart skip a beat, the way you lit up my world. I was too afraid to tell you how I felt, how you were always in the back of my mind. Now, I finally have the chance, but it"s too late. Because I was stupid, and couldn"t say the truth.
The world feels a little colder without your smile, your laughter. I"ll carry you with me, in every sunrise and every sunset.
I love you, I never stopped. And the night you left, I died. I died that night."
I raise our connected hands and press a light kiss onto his knuckles.
Karl sobs and looks at me with tear filled eyes.
"Sorry" I mutter and walk out.
"Will! Will! Will! Wake up! Cariño, the breakfast is ready!"
total: 1 996 words.
status: complete