𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐘 | 𝐦. 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

29

Tonya's POV

After the show, I can see that Marlon looks more relaxed though it looks like something's on his mind. It's a shame he feels so afraid of his father that he can't even go out and do what he loves: performing, singing, dancing...

I watch as he comes towards me with a grin, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. Marlon  has always looked cute to me, but now it's different. I can't describe it, but I really want to kiss him now. I've always been so shy, but something's telling me to take a leap of faith.

"How'd I do, Ton'?" Marlon questions, placing a hand on my shoulder that gives me butterflies.

"Perfect!" I blurt out of nervousness. "I mean— great. Good. You did real good, Marlon," I respond with a reassuring smile.

"What were you going to tell me earlier?" I ask, trying to still my thoughts.

Marlon goes stiff at this, suddenly seeming to not feel as confident as before. "Oh, um..."

"Marlon!"

Marlon looks over and sees that it's Jackie calling his name.

"Why don't you get out of those sweaty concert clothes?" Jackie asks, an unreadable expression on his face. 

Marlon nods although he looks hesitant, placing both hands onto my shoulders, looking into my eyes. "I'll be right back, forreal. And then I'll tell you," he tells me, walking off before I could say anything.

The wait wasn't long, but it felt like it because of the anticipation within me. I watch as Marlon comes out of the changing room, freshened up now, looking tired but still handsome as before.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. Marlon's touch still lingers on my shoulders, giving me butterflies. He's still fixing his shirt as he walks up to me, his eyes locked on mine, a mixture of determination and nervousness on his face.

"Hey," he says softly, standing close enough that I can feel the warmth radiating from him.

"Hey," I reply, my tone of voice mirroring his.

Before he can say anything more, Michael is suddenly in front of us, a big smile on his face. "There you are, Marlon! We need to go over the setlist for tomorrow's show."

Marlon sighs, his shoulders slumping slightly. I can tell he's trying to mask his frustration, but Michael still picks up on it. "I'll be right there, Mike."

Michael glances between us, his smile fading a bit as he picks up on the tension. "Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt. I'll just... I'll be over there." He points to the other side of the room and walks away, giving us a bit more privacy.

Marlon turns back to me, his eyes searching mine. "I really need to tell you something, Tonya."

My heart skips a beat. "What is it, Marlon?"

He hesitates, glancing over at Michael who is now engrossed in conversation with one of the staff. "It's just... it's hard to find the right moment."

I take a step closer, reaching out to gently touch his arm. "You can tell me anything, Marlon. You know that."

He looks down at my hand on his arm and then back up at me, his expression softening. "I know, Ton'. It's just that... I don't want to mess things up between us."

"You won't," I say, my voice firm. "We're best friends, Marlon. Nothing can change that."

He takes a deep breath, and just as he's about to speak, the door swings open and Jackie walks in again. "Hey, Marlon, Joe wants to talk to you about the new routine. He's already pushed past security, so... might not wanna upset him, man."

Marlon's face falls, and he clenches his jaw in frustration. "Give me a minute, Jackie."

Jackie nods once, glancing between us with a knowing look before leaving the room.

Marlon turns back to me, an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry, Tonya. I really am. It seems like every time I try to talk to you, something gets in the way."

I shake my head, giving him a small smile although I do feel a little saddened. "It's okay, Marlon. We have time."

He nods, but I can see the frustration and disappointment in his eyes. "I'll find you later, okay? We need to talk."

"I'll be here," I promise, watching as he walks away, his shoulders slumped.

As he disappears from view, I let out a sigh, leaning against the wall. The curiosity is driving me crazy, but I can't help but feel that when Marlon finally tells me what's on his mind, it will be worth the wait.

A/N: this isn't exactly a comeback yet, just tryna write when i can and have the motivation to. i hope ya'll ain't got bored of me or annoyed 😭😭 lmk what ya'll think will happen next!! what did ya'll think of this chapter? not too much drama going on in this one but we'll see what happens in the next one 😏