Dance With Me?

Chapter 18: Rivalarys Revealed

*6 years ago*

Eleven-year-old Kurt Hummel stood nervously on the side of the stage, hidden from the terrifyingly large crowd behind the large blue, fabricated curtains that draped on the floor.

Kurt was breathing awkwardly as he subconsciously picked at a loose thread on his costume; white with pale, pink flowers littering the front and back, connected by a pastel green fabric to act as stems. It was his first solo and needless to say, the small boy was terrified. After hearing one of the beads from his shirt hit the floor, he immediately stopped playing with the thread - scared his outfit might fall apart when he danced if he didn't.

Kurt clapped along when he heard the audience and saw a dark-skinned boy leave the stage, with a proud look and strong posture. Kurt mumbled a congrats as the boy pushed passed him, eager to get to his friends. Kurt rubbed his shoulder slightly but was soon pushed forward as another boy pushed passed him on his way to the stage, waiting for the announcers to call his name.

"Hey, can you watch-" Kurt began but stopped when he looked up to the boy who had beautiful emerald eyes that were looking at him in a way Kurt couldn't describe.

"Your kind of in the way there" was all the boys said, "Didn't anyone tell you you're not supposed to stand near the wing if it isn't your turn?" he asked.

"Uh.. no.. this is my first-time dancing on my own..." Kurt mumbled shyly, rubbing his shoulder, "I usually just stand with my friends" he admitted, looking down at his shoes.

"Clearly, well next time-" the boy began, rolling his eyes and looking the boy up and down, stopping when he saw the shoes that the boy was wearing; a pair of light pink satin shoes, "Why are you wearing girl's shoes?" the boy somewhat smirked as he asked, an amused look on his face as he stared at Kurt.

"I uh, the girls in my class went on pointe and my teacher said that I could too..." Kurt said unsure, he was confused as to why the boy found it so amusing.

"Makes sense..." the boy said, Kurt looked up smiling but soon frowned when the boy added, "Girly face, girly voice, girly shoes" he stifled a laugh as the announcers called his name...

"Number nine, Sebastian Smythe!"

Kurt watched as the boy, he now knew to be Sebastian, put on a small show smile, and gracefully walk on to the stage, confidence somehow oozing out of the other eleven-year-old.

"Sebastian Smythe..." Kurt mumbled to himself as he watched the boy dance.

.

.

.

"And in first place, Number fourteen: Kurt Hummel!" the judge smiled, cheers sounded from the audience as they clapped. Kurt swore he heard his dad calling his name and whistling which caused him to smile even wider as he stepped up to collect his trophy and certificate.

He thanked the judge who congratulated him again before he moved to stand next to the third and second place winners; a boy name Tom Michael in third and Sebastian Smythe in second.

Tom congratulated him and he returned the notion, but Sebastian simply glared at him and ignored him, only smiling when they had their pictures taken together.

After that day, the rivalry between the two boys only grew. Sebastian growing angrier and always becoming unedged when they announced Kurt in first place but, a smile and ego boost when they called him.

~~~

*2 year ago*

As it stood, the boys had competed against each other fourteen times and as it stood, Kurt currently had won the most between the two. Sebastian wasn't happy with this but, that year, on the second competition, Kurt didn't even place in the top three, and Sebastian had come first.

He was determined to go backstage and taunt the boy but when he saw him, he was being hugged by a latina and two blondes who were crying, Kurt's face was buried in the latinas shoulder, so he presumed he was crying which made him even more amused as he began to stroll over but, when she pushed Kurt back a bit to look at him Sebastian stopped.

Kurt wasn't crying, he wasn't smiling, he looked tired but, at the same time, his expression was blank the only visible emotion was the painful look in his eyes. Looking more closely, Sebastian could also see the bags under his eyes and the light red rims around them. So, he walked away, later learning that Kurt's dad was in the hospital and had been for the past week being treated for cancer.

He felt guilty about almost going over to him and he felt bad about what had happened but, he also felt angry. Angry at himself and angry at Kurt because, if the reason for Kurt's poor dancing and multiple mistakes was because he was distracted by his father's health, it meant that Sebastian wasn't better than him.

It meant that Kurt should have still had the most wins between them.

It meant that he won because Kurt was off his game.

It meant that Kurt was still the better dancer.

~~~

*1 year ago*

It was like watching a completely different dancer, there he was, on stage in his watery blue dance shirt and white leggings, dancing with ease and passion and still in his satin, pink pointe shoes.

Sebastian hated it. Sebastian hated him.

When the judges were announcing the winners the students from Lima and Westerville dance academies were definitely the most on edge, eager to see which of their star ballet boys had won.

"Kurt Hummel!" The judge smiled and the crowd cheered, Kurt stepped up gratefully and accepted his second-place prize standing by the third-place winner and wasn't at all surprised when Sebastian joined them, first place in his hands and a smug smile on his face.

Sebastian gloated his win to Kurt until Kurt's friends showed up and threatened him off. Just as they were about to leave, one of the officials stopped them.

"Mr Hummel I'd like to congratulate you on your success over the years" she smiled as she shook Kurt's hand.

"T-Thank you ma'am" he smiled warmly, unsure of why she was here.

"I wanted to give you this" she took two certificate like sheets from her small briefcase and handed it the boy who took it carefully and looked over it, "It's a bracket completion certificate and a signed confirmation form for you to move up a bracket. Congratulations" she explained as she watched his eyes widen before looking up with a smile.

"Thank you so much" he beamed, a giggle escaping his lips as his friends hugged him from behind.

...

"Nice to see you again, Kurt"