What Does Love Feel Like? | ENGLOT one shots

Green eyed monster

Synopsis: jealousy is a green eyed monster. (They're famous here)

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The backstage area hummed with pre-show jitters. Charlotte, perched on a stool in the dressing room, fiddled with a loose thread on her costume, her brow furrowed in mock annoyance. Across from her, Engfa and Aoom were deep in conversation, their laughter echoing off the cramped walls.

"Okay, you know what? I changed my mind. I don't want you two to be friends anymore," Charlotte declared, her voice laced with playful irritation.

Aoom, mid-sentence, raised an eyebrow, a smirk slowly spreading across her face. "Why not, Char?"

Charlotte scoffed, a faint blush creeping up her neck. "It's just... ugh, you two are insufferable."

"How so?" Engfa chimed in, her usual sunny smile dimmed by a hint of confusion.

Charlotte bit her lip, searching for a plausible excuse. "Well," she began, her voice barely a whisper, "you two are always whispering secrets and giggling like nobody else exists. It's... unfair."

Aoom's smirk morphed into a knowing grin. "Unfair? Are you jealous, little Char?"

Charlotte's blush deepened to the colour of her cherry red costume. "Jealous? Me? Absolutely not! Why would I be jealous of... of..." she sputtered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

Engfa, oblivious to the undercurrent of Charlotte's emotions, tilted her head in amusement. "Of what, Char?"

Just then, the stage manager's voice boomed through the speakers, announcing their cue. Relief washed over Charlotte, offering a temporary escape from the spotlight of her own jealousy.

"That's what!" she exclaimed, leaping off the stool. "We're on! Come on, Engfa, let's go show them what we're made of."

As they hurried towards the stage, Charlotte couldn't help but steal a glance at Engfa, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs. The sight of her best friend, so radiant and captivating, sent a fresh wave of heat through her. Maybe, just maybe, Aoom was right. She was jealous.

The performance was a whirlwind of energy and laughter. Charlotte, fueled by a mix of adrenaline and unspoken emotions, poured her heart into every step, every note. Yet, her eyes kept flitting towards Engfa, who danced with an effortless grace that left the audience breathless.

Backstage, after the thunderous applause, the dressing room buzzed with post-show excitement. Charlotte, however, felt a pang of loneliness amidst the chatter. Aoom had already been whisked away by another performer, leaving her alone with Engfa.

"You were amazing tonight, Char," Engfa said, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "That solo was on fire!"

Charlotte forced a smile, her throat suddenly tight. "Thanks, Engfa. You weren't too bad yourself."

Silence hung heavy in the air, punctuated only by the distant hum of the stage lights. Charlotte wanted to say something, anything, to bridge the gap that seemed to have opened between them. But the words wouldn't come.

"Hey," Engfa began, her voice soft, "is everything okay?"

Charlotte met her gaze, her heart pounding a frantic tattoo against her ribs. "It's... it's nothing," she stammered, looking away.

Engfa placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, her touch sending shivers down Charlotte's spine. "Come on, Char. You can tell me anything."

In that moment, under the warm glow of the dressing room lights, the dam holding back Charlotte's emotions finally broke. With a shaky breath, she blurted out, "It's just... I don't like it when you spend so much time with Aoom."

Engfa's eyes widened in surprise. "You... you don't?"

Charlotte felt a tear roll down her cheek, a silent betrayal of the storm raging within her. "I mean, I'm happy for you, really! But sometimes it feels like... like I'm not enough."

Engfa's expression softened, understanding dawning in her eyes. She pulled Charlotte into a hug, the warmth of her embrace a balm to Charlotte's wounded heart.

"Oh, Char," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion, "you could never not be enough. You're my best friend, my rock. And Aoom is just... Aoom. We have our own thing, but it doesn't change how much I care about you."

Charlotte leaned into the hug, tears finally spilling freely. In that moment, amidst the soft hum of the lights and the shared scent of makeup and sweat, a fragile understanding bloomed between them. The jealousy, though not entirely gone, was overshadowed by a deeper realization: their relationship, like their performance, was a beautiful dance, each step unique, each note harmonizing in perfect discord.

And as they pulled away, a new kind of smile graced Charlotte's lips. She chuckled wetly, wiping away her tears. "I don't know why I'm crying this much."

"It's okay, you're still pretty." Came Engfa's reply.

"I love you P'fa.."

"And I love you."

"Love you both!" Came Aoom's muffled reply from outside, earning chuckles from Charlotte and Engfa.

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A/N: super duper belated Happy Birthday to tarajafarlou11 this one's for you!
(I was dumb, I thought your bday was February and not Januray 24 😂) anyways, hope you liked it!