Aaron T x Aaron Z| Oneshots

Highschool Dance Team (Part 8)

Word Count: 1,065

Aaron T's POV

"Can we go over that again?" Aaron T asked. He heard a few of the girls on the girl's dance team groan.

"We've been over the lift eight times already," one of the girls said.

"How do you expect it to be perfect if we don't practice?" Robaire asked the girl as he came to T's side. He looked at the captain with an appreciative smile.

With a few counts, the ten dancers fell into step and danced the section of their routine to the song they'd all chosen. The routine was harder than any of the ones T had to do back in New Jersey but he was up for the challenge. There was nothing he wanted more at that moment than to master each step.

Soon, the dance teams would be off to a competition and performing on a big stage in front of judges and an audience. They'd be competing against nearby schools with dancers just as good- or maybe even better than the ones at South-East NY. Their routine had to be perfect.

"Again," Robaire said when they finished the steps. The coach rewound the CD and the dancers found their ways back into position. The music to the song filled the gym and the dancers fell into their routine once again.

+++

Late January air filled his lungs as he took a deep breath and stepped off of the bus. The rest of the dance team members had already gotten off and it was only T and Tae left. Tae shoved his cold hands into the deepest depths of his pockets.

"Are you ready?" His friend asked him. T swallowed. He'd been in countless competitions but no matter how many times he'd won or lost, he always felt nervous before. It was a jittery exhilarating thrill that he never got used to. His hands shook as he pulled open the heavy glass door of the community center where they'd perform.

The rest of his teammates were already inside.

"I'm nervous," T confessed. He glanced at Tae who had pulled out a mini milk carton from his backpack and was trying to pry it open. When he finally did, his chocolate milk spilled down the side of his coat.

"Damn, it," Tae mumbled to himself and he scrubbed at it with a tissue from his pocket.

"Such a klutz," he heard someone mumble, and when T looked up, he saw Jesse standing over Tae. His friend looked up at Jesse with wide eyes. He didn't even try to hide his blush when Jesse gathered some napkins from a table that rested against a wall. It held granola bars, bottled water, and apples. T slipped one of each into his pocket because, well, who doesn't love free food?

As Jesse mopped the chocolate milk off of Tae's jacket in a weirdly suggestive manner, Tae looked like he was about to spontaneously combust. T rolled his eyes and left the two of them to flirt or do whatever it was they were doing.

A loud noise filled the room as the microphone for a speaker system squealed to life. A voice rang out and echoed in the room before T could understand what it was saying.

"South-East New York Highschool, please make your way to auditorium B where you will perform." T flashed a worried glance at Tae who returned the look. Still, they shuffled behind the rest of their teammates and very frantic coach. He bustled about, calling people's names to make sure they were all there and panicked when they didn't immediately reply. It was clear that this was his first time in a competition, but T appreciated how much he seemed to care.

T felt a warm hand slide around his back and turned to see Z looking at him with a small smile. His eyes ran over his body slowly as they followed their coach.

"You look good," he told him after a while. T looked away to hide his grin. He'd taken part in the design of the team's outfits. They didn't all dress the same but all ten of them wore white and orange. While the guy's team wore baggy white pants, the girls wore pleated skirts.

Z complimented him as if he didn't look good himself- Z wore loose white pants and an orange jean jacket. He wore his usual headband but it was bright orange.

"You too," T said and gave him a little shove. He wondered why he was suddenly so bashful. Z only chuckled a little as they entered the auditorium.

As soon as he spoke to his friend, T's worries had been washed away. He started at SENY with a negative outlook on his high school career. He thought that everyone was mean and unwilling to welcome T into their lives. T hated that he'd had to leave New Jersey, but now all of his anger was gone.

All he could think of was how happy he was to meet Tae. He didn't know where he'd be if it weren't for Robaire and his idea to start the dance team. Would he have ever worked up the courage to meet Z? Would they ever be more than just friends?

The dancers on the stage bowed and then filed off after the song ended. T and his teammates headed behind the curtains to find their places. The announcer introduced their school as the last of T's nerves faded from his body and all he could feel was happiness and excitement. This was what he'd been working for. This was what they've all been working towards.

The music started to fill the auditorium and T glanced at the tall boy next to him who'd become more than just a friend. He was the boy who'd helped him find bits and pieces within himself and help him figure out just who he was.

Z flashed him a confident smile.

"Let's go," he mouthed to him and the curtain parted to reveal the team. T took a long look around the room to see the people seated before him, waiting to be wowed. T wanted to win the competition and their hearts, but the truth was that T had already won the heart of the person that mattered more than anyone else in the room: Aaron Z.

(The end of Highschool Dance Team)