𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐬 | pete davidson

nine: the dressing room

Pete sat next to Dahlia on the bench in front of his vanity. He watched from the corner of his eye as she opened, as Pete referred to it, her makeup thingy and apply something sparkly to her accentuated cheeks.

He admired her outfit: a black off-the-shoulder top with blue flared velvet pants and white wedge heels. She hadn't put on her jewelry yet, but she had it all laid out before her on the countertop: pearl studs and a silver necklace with a diamond pendent of her name.

His eyes were drawn to her reflection in the well lit mirror. He pretended to be on his phone as he admired her facial features, looking down every so often when her eyes would quickly dart his way. Dahlia had just finished her second dance, more confident than she was at the beginning of the night, he noticed. She was prepping herself for the curtain call, but more importantly the cast's afterparty.

Her glossed lips twinkled in the light, catching Pete's eye. "So," He blurted out, thinking he should start a conversation. "Uhh..." His decision was made on an impulse, he thought it was too quiet in the dressing room for it not to be uncomfortable. Dahlia's eyes met with his in the mirror, lighting up after he broke the silence. "Your friend's a dick for not showing up. U-unless, you know, he had a good reason, like he was in an accident... or he was giving birth." Dahlia smiled weakly at him, she could tell Pete was trying to cheer her up but Pete took her polite grin as that joke was shit.

"I actually don't know why he didn't show." Dahlia sighed, turning back to her reflection as she primed her eyebrows with her brand's brow pencil. "I hope it was for a good enough reason, but... I'm used to it, right?"

Pete furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "You're used to it?" He put his phone down flat on the counter, turning his body to face hers with his leg thrown over the bench. "Who'd you say this guy was?"

"Jack Veramente." Pete's heart dropped. "He's, uh--I'm just used to it. He's a very busy man, so I get it, you know?"

"Well that's kinda weird, you having to excuse his shitty behaviour." Pete retorted, his voice getting more gravely with frustration. Pete already saw Dahlia getting ready to defend Jack but Pete stopped her, "I'm just saying, a guy like that should show up for his lady--"

"Jack and I--" Dahlia stuttered. "--are a thing, I know." Pete finished her sentence. "I--" Her eyebrows cocked up in surprise. She smiled, scoffing. "Jack and I are just friends," Dahlia turned back to face the mirror, "... no matter what you've heard the tabloids say." Pete felt even an worse feeling burning in his gut.

Fuck.

Pete turned around too, fixing his leg so that he was sitting properly on the bench. It was quiet in the dressing room again, the only thing keeping the room from going dead silent was the soft sound of Dahlia's music playing on low volume through her little pink speaker. Pete tried to distract himself by looking through his phone, trying to look busy, but the thought of him upsetting her held a tight grip on his chest. He put his phone down quickly, looking up at Dahlia who was now applying mascara to her already long and curled lashes.

"I believe you." He spoke softly. "I'm sorry I upset you."

Softly, he heard her exhale through her nose. "Don't sweat it. I can't really control what other people think of me and..." She turned to look at him, her chest facing him with her hips unmoved. "Well, I'm learning not to care as much anymore." Dahlia flashed Pete a friendly closed mouth grin, he picked up a hint of sorrow from the look of it but said nothing, keeping it to himself.

"If it's any consolation," Pete reached out cautiously as he put his hand on her bare shoulder. His thumb caressed her shoulder, her skin's so soft and warm, he thought.

"I enjoyed every second seeing you dance tonight, and I did make it my mission to see you for both performances."

Her eyes twinkled as he spoke to her. Giggling, she responded, "Yes, I saw you."

She looked away, down at her thighs before looking Pete in the eye again. "Thank you. I appreciate that a lot."

Dahlia felt herself lean in towards Pete. She didn't realize she was until she got close enough to Pete's face to notice the space between them.

"Pete," she said breathily.

"Yeah?" He replied somewhat shakily, his voice just as sensual as hers.

Before she could finished, the door swung open and smacked the wall hard and loud. It caught the attention of both Pete and Dahlia, who looked towards the doorway at the same time.

"Dahlia?"

you are now listening to:
kiss it better, rihanna