When Hearts Align (Jeffbarcode)

3. Outside Expectations

Barcode's POV

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the narrow streets, and I inhaled the cool air deeply, grateful to be outside the studio for a change. Barcode walked beside me, quiet, his gaze fixed on the ground. The tension from today’s practice still hung in the air, unspoken but thick.

“I needed this walk,” I said, breaking the silence. “Feels like we’ve been cooped up in there forever.”

Barcode gave a half-smile, kicking a loose pebble down the street. “Yeah. Sometimes I forget there’s a world outside those walls.”

We continued in silence until we reached a small café tucked between two buildings. It wasn’t much, just a hole-in-the-wall place with a few tables outside, but it was perfect for escaping the pressure—even if only for a little while.

Inside, we ordered two iced coffees and found a seat by the window. Barcode fiddled with the edge of his cup, his expression distant.

“You okay?” I asked, studying him.

“Just...tired,” he admitted. “I keep thinking about all those critiques, you know? It’s like no matter how hard I try, it’s never good enough.”

I nodded, understanding the weight he was carrying. “Bible is intense, but he sees potential in us. That’s why he’s so hard on you.”

Barcode sighed, his eyes still focused on the table. “Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it—pushing myself this much. I barely recognize myself anymore.”

I reached across the table, giving his hand a brief squeeze. “You’re not alone in this, okay? We’re both in it together. Besides, we’ll look back on this one day and laugh. Maybe.”

His lips quirked into a small smile. “Maybe,” he echoed. But the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Later, we wandered down the street to a small park nearby. A few families were scattered around, kids running through the grass, and the sounds of laughter filled the air. It was almost surreal, like we’d stepped into a different world.

We found a bench under a tree, and I leaned back, staring up at the branches swaying in the breeze. “This feels...normal,” I said quietly.

Jeff chuckled, leaning back too. “Normal? Us?”

I shrugged, feeling a bit of that ever-present tension slip away. “Yeah. Like, sometimes I think about what life would be like if we weren’t...doing all this. Just regular people, living regular lives.”

Jeff tilted his head, thoughtful. “What would you be doing if you weren’t here?”

The question caught me off guard. I’d never really thought about it—everything in my life had always been about training, performing, and pushing myself. But now, as I sat there, it felt like maybe I’d missed out on something.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Maybe something simple. Like working in a bookstore or...I don’t know, teaching kids how to dance without all the pressure.”

Jeff was quiet for a moment. “It’s strange to think about, isn’t it? Life without all the expectations?”

We fell into silence, watching the sunset paint the sky in shades of orange and pink. For a moment, all the pressures, critiques, and stress faded away, replaced by a peaceful quiet. And sitting there, I realized just how much I needed this break.

The soft evening light was beginning to fade as Barcode and I left the park. There was a quiet comfort between us—different from the usual intensity of training or the silence that comes from exhaustion. I could tell that this break had lifted a bit of the weight off his shoulders, and maybe mine too.

As we walked, Barcode suddenly spoke up. “I think today was the first time in a long while that I’ve actually felt…normal,” he admitted. “Not like someone’s watching every move, waiting to critique.”

“Yeah, I get that,” I said. “It’s like we can actually breathe out here.”

Barcode nodded, and then, hesitating slightly, he looked over at me. “You’re always keeping it together, though. Like, even when things get tough, you’re just…calm. How do you do it?”

I chuckled softly, glancing at him. “I’m definitely not always calm. I just hide it better, I guess.” I paused. “Honestly, sometimes it feels like I’m walking on a tightrope. One wrong move, and it’s over.”

Barcode’s expression softened. “It’s weird to think about. We’re all in this high-stakes situation, and it feels like if we stop for a second, everything will fall apart.”

For a moment, we both walked in silence. Then, Barcode stopped, turning to face me directly. “Jeff…do you ever wonder if we’re losing ourselves in all of this?”

His question hit me like a ton of bricks. I looked at him, really looked, and saw the doubt and vulnerability in his expression. I didn’t have an easy answer for him, and I didn’t want to brush it off.

“Sometimes, yeah,” I replied honestly. “But…if this is the path we’ve chosen, I think it’s worth finding out who we are along the way. We can’t just be…shadows of ourselves.”

Barcode’s eyes searched mine, and for a moment, he seemed on the verge of saying something. But he hesitated, looking away with a small, uncertain smile. “Thanks, Jeff. I think I needed to hear that.”

As we continued down the street, the city lights flickered on, casting a warm glow over the sidewalk. The conversation felt like a turning point—one of those rare moments where we were both stripped of the masks we wore inside the studio.

Barcode took a deep breath, finally breaking the silence. “You know, I thought about quitting a while back.”

The confession hung in the air between us, and I looked at him, surprised. “Really? I never would’ve guessed.”

He shrugged, looking away. “It was just a thought…a passing one, I guess. But there are times when the pressure gets to be too much.”

I could feel the honesty in his words, and it tugged at something inside me. I didn’t want him to be feeling this way, but I understood the struggle all too well.

“Promise me something,” I said suddenly, meeting his gaze. “If you ever get that close to quitting again, talk to me first.”

Barcode’s expression softened, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. “I will. Thanks, Jeff.”

We continued walking in comfortable silence, whatever happens, we’d face it together.

.............

Sorry for the short chapter guys, but this the end of this chapter, a little cozy one 😊

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