GREENE | CS55

38 - Dancing On The Edge

"Well that was embarrassing!" Pierce scoffed, rolling her shoulders loose as she cooly flicked a waved strand from her shoulder. She'd grumbled just loud enough that Carlos, trailing behind her, could hear.

The Spaniard breathed a chuckle, one that tickled the tops of her shoulders as the sound reverberated through her eardrums. Like her ears were ordered to filter anything that wasn't Carlos, so clear. So unmuffled by the music, the people around them. So physically close— mere inches separating them. The musk emanating from him, a scent Pierce recognized, no matter how far away he felt. No matter how many times she tried to forget.

An angering tightness filled her chest, feeling the warmth from Carlos' gentle touch on the outside of her bicep, guiding her through the crowd. The reminder that this was really happening. He was really here.

Him! Of all people!

Pierce swallowed, an attempt to bring herself back to center. It was a graze. A graze that could be accidental it was so menial, so automatic to Carlos as he guided her past the hoard of people, lingering to see if they could glimpse more of Pierce's display. She didn't dare make eye contact with anyone, instead concentrating on scoping the room around her for any sign of her best friend or Sami. She'd be sure to give them both a piece of her mind once she found them. If she found them, she narrowed her eyes. This place is sardine packed!

Because of that realization, she bit her tongue down at the initial desire to peel herself away from Carlos' touch and send him a glare strong enough to mark her annoyance. To shake him off like he was a flea. She trained her face into one of relief to see her fellow grid-mate, even made sure to turn herself towards a few cameras with a smile on her face.

Carlos did the same, the playful expression he'd donned screamed media-trained. Although, none of that familiar warmth existed in his voice as he spoke, without looking at her, "Who are you if you're not causing trouble somewhere?"

A scoff escaped her lips, "Come on now, that's not fair at all! I've been good recently," Pierce slowly peeked over her shoulder, facing Carlos with an angelic expression on her face. His jaw locked, the muscles against the sides of his neck contracting before he loosened a smile across his features and brushed off the comment.

"You? Good?" Carlos shot back with a raised brow. The two approached the furthest end of the sprawling center bar, Pierce locking her eyes on the spot before Carlos could even think to steer her anywhere else. The backlit shelfing threw a cool light across her features, the reflection bounding off the silver specks in the otherwise dark black surface beneath her relaxed elbow.

"Its a new thing I'm trying, not that you'd notice." As soon as the words left her mouth, she'd regretted them. A flash flickered in Carlos' eye, a fault to the consistent laid-back air, the satiated calm enjoyment laced in his trained expression. Pierce sighed, her eyes widening in annoyance at herself. "Sorry, Carlos. I didn't mean for that to sound so... so—"

So what? So harsh? So filled to the brim with emotions she'd held back from for weeks, months? Despite trying to convince herself she didn't miss Carlos, that she wasn't hurting for things to just go back to the way they were before they'd gone and complicated things beyond belief? She snapped her fingers, the crest of her lips pursed together tightly as she snapped her fingers, trying to will the words to fruition. Whatever words would save her from this sinking ship.

Carlos nodded, pressing his lips in a tight line before sighing himself. "Of course I noticed."

Deep and refreshing. A reset. Pierce froze, a flush flooding the surface of her cheeks. Her hand flew up to her chest, thumbing the line of her collarbone and the soft skin encasing it. She stuttered, a nervous mess of consonants missing the mark each time.