Versailles

The Show must Go On

...

I remember my first time on stage.

I was eight, my school had put on a cute little play. I remember kids running around backstage in homemade costumes with happy smiles on their faces. The moment the teacher called us to go on, the nerves kicked in. I felt this weird feeling in my stomach, it was like my throat was being shut by some unknown force.

The more I performed, the more comfortable I got on stage. I'm a dancer, I love performing in front of an audience.

Then why do I feel like I'm going to die right now?

One of the stylists is brushing an array of different types of powders on my face. He told me not to move, but that won't matter, I don't think I would be able to move right now, even if I wanted to.

What if I forget the moves? Taehyung and I have been practicing for days, but my head is empty right now. What if there's a wardrobe malfunction? I don't know if I really trust these pre-industrialized tailors. Hell, what if there's lead in my make-up and I straight-up die? Everything could go wrong.

Taehyung walks by and I force myself to talk to him "Hey Tae, I'm wondering, who did you invite to this performance?"

Taehyung smiles at me and fixes my hair "Everyone, silly" he chuckles. "I want to show my Hobi to the whole kingdom". I smile back at him, but secretly cringe at the possessive pronoun.

What if Yoongi is here? What if Yoongi sees me? What if Yoongi sees the kiss? Everything will go wrong.

Yes Taehyung and I kissed during practice, but it was just for practice. It's fine. Actors do this all the time, no feelings involved. At least not on my part. But Yoongi doesn't know the nuance of the situation. He doesn't know the full story and I can't really tell him.

I smile at Tae bossing around his staff to get everything just right. He's clueless as to what's going on. I have a boyfriend and he's flirting with me 24/7. I really hope I can get this over with soon. I hope I can go home as fast as possible and that this Taehyung can find happiness with someone else.

I hadn't noticed that I had started fidgeting with the ring on a thing chain around my neck until Tae called it out. "Hey! That isn't part of your costume! Please take it off!"

I look up in shock "Uhm, it was, uhm, my mother's" I lie. It would feel wrong to take off Yoongi's promise ring. "Please don't make me take it off!" I say with a soft voice. Taehyung sees the panic in my eyes and believes me "Oh, uhm, that's fine. We're on in a few minutes by the way. Good luck!"

"Break a leg!" I mindlessly say. "What are you telling me to do!!?" Taehyung switches to an angry voice. "Oh, I'm so sorry! It's an expression. It means 'good luck'" I quickly say while trying to calm him down.

"If you say so" Tae smiles "You're definitely from a weird place Hobi" he chuckles. "I guess" I shrug. "I have to check some things, see you later. The make-up looks great on you! Break an arm!" Taehyung puts his hand on my shoulder.

I smile at his cute words and start shaking my arms and legs around. The nerves are getting worse and maybe I can shake it out.

I peek into the audience and see that it's filling up with people. I try to see if I can find a familiar face, but I don't see anyone I know. A lot of stress suddenly leaves my body, they didn't come to the show.

The stagehand taps me on the shoulder and tells me I have to go on in 30 seconds, I'm opening the show.

I finally step onto the stage. The dim candlelight that hits my face feels like a wake-up call. I have to start now, I have to dance. My body start moving, almost without me thinking about it. My muscles just move to the live music being played by the musicians on stage, they move by themselves. It's like I was born to play Jules.

I finish my first part and I see Taehyung come on stage "My dear friend, what are you doing?" Taehyung says with a deep, theatrical voice. "Why Louis, I was just checking up on my horse" I was told to speak towards the audience with a loud voice, it feels very unnatural.

"But you don't have a horse" Tae says, moving his famous eyebrows to express his dramatic confusion. The audience laughs, but it feels empty.

Taehyung and I continue our charade. I'm still stressed, but the fact that I'm able to look into the audience comforts me. I have everything under control, I know exactly who's in the audience.

The third act of the play is nearing and the moment of the kiss is coming closer and closer. A few days ago, I was confused that two men were openly able to kiss on stage, but Taehyung laughed at me like I was stupid, saying that women weren't allowed on stage and that it happens all the time.

The dreaded scene finally arrives. I take a quick final look into the audience and my heart literally stops.

Fuck.

Shit.

Fuck, I see two familiar eyes staring straight into mine. When did he arrive? Why is he here? I feel like I'm going to die.

Tae clears his throat and I remember I have to continue performing. With glossy eyes I deliver my lines "I've always l-loved you Louis, it's as true as the-e birds in the sky, as true as- as you and me. As true as everything y-you could think of"

Taehyung cups my face and speaks quietly, I don't think the audience can even hear him. "I love you too"

His face starts moving closer to mine, he looks at my lips.

I can still get out of this, I can just run away. I can run to Yoongi, my boyfriend, who's currently in the audience while I'm about to kiss another man. I can get out of Tae's grip and stop all this misery.

No, I can't. I need to go home. Keep your head in the game, eyes on the prize.

So it's with a heavy heart when I finally close the gap and feel the king's lips on mine. I know I don't feel anything for him, but he seems really into it.

I awkwardly pull out of the kiss after only a few seconds, I'm almost crying. I immediately look into the audience to see an absolutely devastating image.

Jimin is looking at me with the most angry eyes I've ever seen him have. Yoongi, poor Yoongi, is holding on to him with tears just streaming down his face. He looks betrayed, defeated.

All because of me.

The only thing I want to do now is run over to him and kiss his tears away and tell him it'll be okay. I want to tell him that he has me, that he shouldn't worry and that I didn't want to leave him.

But he runs away. Jimin grabs his hand and they get out of there as quickly as possible. I can't even express how much I want to follow them into the streets, into the dark.

The play isn't finished yet.

I have to continue.

...

a/n
I love this chapter, the drama is just so intense lol

210311