She could see him out of the corner of her eye as she was dancing. He was in the audience, right now, staring at her with those mysterious eyes that had confused her countless times before.
Her partner glanced at her worried as she almost lost her footing and her performance face broke momentarily into panic. They were in the middle of the competition. She had to focus, but her mind kept wandering. For the first time since when she started dancing as a toddler, she was conscious the sweat dripping through her hair and trail down to the nape of her neck. What was he doing here?
Finally they were finished, and Brooke held her powerful, graceful pose to complete the foxtrot, hanging precariously and solemnly from her partner’s hand. Her arms started shaking as the audience applauded and roared with approval. She did her best to steady her shaking hands. Jacob gently pulled her up from her position and they danced off the stage. Jacob gently tensed his hand and pulled her aside. “You went white- I’ve never seen you that scared! What’s wrong?”
“Jacob, we’re right in the middle of… everything! Ask me later!” Brooke hissed as she faked a smile and pulled him into a hug that was typical after a dance. Some of the couples that were staring confused looked away as if satisfied with the ending to the small outburst. Jacob muttered an apology and copied her facial expression and action of congratulation while showing his deep worry for her with his enthusiastic blue eyes.
Everyone waited patiently for the results to be posted. Brooke’s entire body shook violently under her waterfall-like costume. Jacob kept looking at her with masked concern as she pleasantly played with her sheer, sparkling turtleneck collar with her slender fingers. She could see Alex in the audience, looking at her with an expression that showed that he knew why she was acting in such a peculiar manner, and felt horrible for being the cause of it.
The results showed that not only did the audience enjoy their performance, but the judges did as well. Brooke almost broke into a genuine smile as the results were read. She could tell that Jacob was ecstatic from taking first in the competition, and that elated her feelings, but she could still feel the panic. Jacob turned to her with an enthusiastic and genuine smile that faltered a little after seeing her face. He pulled her into a half excited, half comforting hug. They walked to a back hallway to get prepared to leave. He jumped and whooped as he walked into the boys’ restroom. She held back terrified tears as she entered the girls’.
After combing her hair out, changing into sweats and wiping off as much of the thick foundation as possible, she left the bathroom and ran straight into… him.
“You’ve lost weight” Alex looked at her with the most miserable, worried, apologetic eyes. He seemed horrified that their last encounter affected her so.
Brooke blushed and glared at him to hide her own horror as she stomped fiercely up to him. When she reached him, she couldn’t help her defiant, poised shoulders from slumping. Alex gently took her right hand from her side and rubbed her middle knuckle comfortingly with his thumb. “I’m sorry.” He looked into her eyes with tears in his own.
“It’s not your fault. You know that." She paused while giving him a weak smile. Her scowl came back. "…Again?” Brooke questioned challengingly.
He shifted his eyes away momentarily, and in that moment, she could see in his eyes a fleeting tortured look. She watched as he fought to hide the memory from his thoughts. The same memory she knew she had locked away in her own so she would never have to watch it again.
It escaped the and the memory flooded her sight. She winced at the scene of him, lying there…
He looked back to her with steady and carefully guarded eyes. “Again.”
* * *
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