Pas de Trois

Chapter 39: "You're still my best friend"

"Okay, that told me nothing," Danny rushed across the plaza to the shady spot where Slade was waiting for him. "Bryan said he'll ask some of the older dancers but that he's not sure what will happen with Chloe because he's never seen it before. The worst he saw was once a guy sprained his ankle during the workshop and they just let him start his apprenticeship when he was allowed to dance again."

"So maybe they'll do that," Slade suggested. Danny nodded.

"I hope so," he reached for Slade's hand. "She earned it, I mean, I know she could audition later but I feel like it's not her fault she got sick."

"Yeah," Slade could agree with that. All he really cared about was Chloe getting better. Deep down he didn't care that much about whether Chloe got to come back to dance that fall or not.

"Ugh, well I picked up our tickets for tonight," Danny moved on to the next subject as they walked away from SAB.

The plaza was full of tourists that day despite the heat. Even so, Slade noticed him right away. Just as they reached the stairs from the plaza to the street, Olivier's brother, Etienne, started up them. Slade sighed.

"Just leave it," Danny pleaded. He and Danny were doing better since that night with Chloe but Slade could tell Danny was still having a hard time with how much Slade still cared about her.

"I just need to make sure he knows what's going on," Slade decided and turned to catch Etienne. This wasn't the first time since Chloe left for LA that Etienne had shown up and Slade figured he should let him know why he wasn't running into Chloe.

"Yes?" Etienne asked when Slade stopped him. Etienne's eyes drifted over him, as if he were trying to decide if Slade was a threat.

"I just wanted to tell you she's not here," Slade explained. When Etienne gave him a blank stare, Slade went on. "Chloe. She's sick. Her parents took her to Los Angeles to see a specialist. She won't be back for a while."

"Yeah, I have the same internet as you," Etienne nodded. "Maddox put his tour on hold and the whole world stopped spinning. I couldn't have missed it if I tried."

"Alright, well, I'm sorry for thinking you'd actually give a shit after she let you stick your dick in her," Slade felt Danny tugging at his wrist and was glad because it kept him from flying into a full on rage. "Enjoy your day."

"Hey, hold on," Etienne frowned. "Look, I know you're the ex and I'm sorry. It's just that I had to find out from the internet, not her, that she was sick. She tried to tell me 100 times she just wanted sex and I guess I should have listened. I get it now, loud and clear and I'm not gonna waste my time trying to change her mind if this is how she treats people."

"It's not like that," Slade protested. "I mean, I don't know what she told you," he couldn't really picture Chloe telling a guy she just wanted sex from him but he'd never imagined her throwing herself at him like she had that one night either. "All I know is I had to fight for her too at first and it was 100% worth it. Being with Chloe this year changed my life-"

"I'll say," Etienne looked at Danny, a little smile on his face.

"Not like that," Slade knew he'd lost the conversation. "Whatever, she's been hurt, okay? If you want her, win her over. And please, take better care of her than I did."

"We'll see," Etienne shrugged. "You're friends with my brother, right? Oliviér?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Can you tell me how to find him?" Etienne asked.

"Wait here, I'll text him," Danny offered.

That meant waiting with Etienne for Oliviér to come out of the dance school. Slade was always happier doing things with Danny but he was extra glad to have him there that day because Danny seemed to have no trouble talking to Etienne while they waited.