On paper, Pete and Valentina are perfect for each other. Their friends used 'soulmates' when describing them and at one point they were. As they reflect on the last five years of their relationship, they try to understand the complexity of their lov...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
TW: description of a panic attack, pls read with caution.
"Are you ready yet babe?" he asks.
"Oh no! Fuck no!" she shrieks
Pete rushes towards the shared bedroom of theirs, frantically looking for the singer, "What's wrong?! Are you okay?"
"My sweater has a hole!" she cries. She puts her finger through the rip to show him, "How we supposed to the take the pictures now?"
"Can't you just change?" he suggests.
"No, our pictures are going to be in black and white and the color will pop out."
Pete sighs in exasperation and rubs his temples. He goes to the closet and brings out a small sewing kit. He tells her to take off her sweater. The former Nickelodeon star curiously looks over his shoulder to see what he is doing. With a needle and thread in hand, he mends the garment.
"Wow, Pete. Where did you learn how to sew?"
"Um.... my mom taught me," he lies, pulling the needle back before puncturing the fabric.
If only she could see my sewing skills now, he thought. He faintly smiles as a memory from his past relationship came into mind:
"Please come snuggle with me, I'll let you be the big spoon this time," the New Yorker pleaded. He is sprawled out on the bed, missing the warmth of her body next to his.
Darning the box of her shoe, she smirked, "It's cute that you think you're the big spoon, when you and I both know you're the little spoon."
"C'mon Val, just take a break from those pointe shoes. You've been sewing all day long and I have needs," he drags out the 's' on the last word as inches towards the edge of the bed. He props himself up with his hands on his chin as he observes her process.
"Hey, the season is starting in two weeks time and I think this might be my year! They gave me a role which they only give to up-and-coming dancers, playing as one of the little swans requires me to prep at least a hundred pairs," she said, justifying her inattention to her boyfriend.
"Then I'll help you. Couldn't be that hard right?" He says ignorantly
Val raises an eyebrow, "Did you really just say that to me right now?"
"Oh you bet I did,"
"Okay smartass, grab a pair and some thread and needle from my kit. Let's see if you're really right."
After demonstrating and explaining precisely what to do to with her slippers, Pete takes a crack at it. The ballerina bit her lip to refrain from laughing every time she heard her boyfriend hiss and wince.
Many pricks and drops of blood later, Pete completed customizing his first pair of pointe shoes. The stitching was rather lop-sided and not to mention, a tad loose. If the ballerina were to do a piqué turn in those, she would be falling out of her shoes.
