Dancing on my Heartstrings (Xander/Robby)

Chapter 10: Unexpected Saviors

Daryl lifted the microphone to his mouth, upon coming back onto the center of the mat and addressed the audience at large. "What a spectacular performance, am I right?"

(The crowd cheered)

The announcer gestured to the dancers. "Please give a big round of applause to Chad Brad Bradley and the Bayview High dance team."

(The audience burst into even more deafening applause)

Chad accepted the microphone with a laugh and displayed nothing but confidence as he began to speak. "Thank you to everyone who came here to see us perform, and I know it was a lot of you because my DM's have been blowing up."

That earned a couple of squeals from the girls in the audience.

Robby looked over at the two remaining fighters with mock seriousness. "As tonight wraps up, I just wanted to remind both finalists that they're lucky that I'm more of a lover than a fighter and didn't join this tournament unaffiliated. Otherwise, I'd kick both your asses."

Xander grinned at him, knowing he was only half-joking.

Miguel, on the other hand, seethed.

• • •

"You can kick my ass anytime, baby!" someone in the crowd yelled.

"Shut up, Doug!" Robby shouted back, recognizing the voice. "You wouldn't even be worth the effort."

Crowd: Oohhh!

Major burn. 🔥 🔥 🔥

"I'll join Cobra Kai then and become a worthy adversary for you," the dancer couldn't quite pinpoint where the voice originated, which quite frankly didn't make a lick of sense since Rickenberger was insanely tall and should have stood out in the crowd.

Robby grimaced and put his hands on his hips. "F**CK you, dude!"

"That's what I'm trying to do," the unseen instigator sounded like he was pouting.

(The teenagers in the crowd were nearly rolling with laughter)

Robby rolled his eyes at the sheer stupidity of the boy whose idea of hitting on him involved interrupting his speeches, making him lose his train of thought and irritating him.

Doug Rickenberger was such an immature jackass.

Meanwhile, Daniel was looking around, trying to figure out who was heckling his student, and his dad just seemed like he wanted to strangle the unknown boy with his bare hands.

Robby handed the microphone back.

{The dancers left the match and headed into the locker room.}

--------------------

[In the Locker Room:]

Sienna was fuming. "I can't believe that jerk had the audacity to interrupt your speech like that."

Robby shrugged. "It wasn't bad timing, all things considered. I didn't initially plan to make an ending speech, but the announcer kind of put me on the spot. I'm actually sort of grateful to the jackass, to be perfectly honest. "

"Don't let him hear you say that," Taylor giggled. "You think he's a dog with a bone now. Imagine how big his head would get if he thought he actually had a chance with you."

Unknown to the dancers, that's precisely why Doug had done it and why he'd chosen that particular speech to interrupt him. He was the only one who'd noticed the captain of the team was feeling uncomfortable.

In Doug's mind, it didn't matter that he'd made a fool out of himself because his only motive had been giving Robby an excuse to duck out of the tournament early, and he'd accomplished that.

The cute little blush on the boy's cheeks when he interrupted him had been a bonus.
• • •

Robby looked at the door of the locker room with a pensive look before shaking his head and ridding himself of the absurd thought that had crossed his mind.

There was no way Doug had an alternative motive. He was just a loudmouth idiot and self-absorbed (in a way, even his dancer persona couldn't match).

'I'm done with guys like that,' Robby thought, shaking his head.