Night on the Bridge

Chapter 1

It was all a blur. The opening number. The Christmas spirit. The mid-show interviews. The fusion dance in gold, with the bow he and his brother always used with winners. The make up touch ups. The announcement of third place. The commercial breaks. Then the dimmed lights and long pauses. The beating hearts. The deep breaths. They were all a blur to him.

When Tom didn't call their names, he didn't realize at first. The lights were too bright; they seemed to block out his mind. The silence was deafening and people were moving but he wasn't. He couldn't tell if it was real snow or white confetti that flew by his eyes. He wasn't sure if he cared. But Laurie moved beside him and he snapped out of it. Her eyes were looking up at him, confused, nervous, in need of a partner. He felt himself take a breath, and then another. He hugged her closer. The world was moving. And it wasn't around him. 

But he smiled through the pain. He ran and grabbed Sharna then lifted her into the air. She deserved it. She truly did. She shone as she was given the trophy. He had never seen her so happy in her life. She was, in his opinion, the greatest female dancer to have ever been on the show. After all of her hard work, after all her seasons, she deserved to win. But why did it have to be this season?

Laurie seemed a bit disappointed. How could she not be? After all of her hard work, to have fallen so short of their goal. But she smiled as she always did. They hugged again. He kissed her on the head over and over again. He said sorry. She assured him she was fine. And he smiled and nodded, but he didn't believe her.

The plane ride was excruciating. Laurie was all giggles with the cast. He tried to keep on a happy face. But Sharna saw right through him and pulled him aside. He said congratulations but she held his face until he stopped and then she hugged him. And kept hugging him and wouldn't let go, even when he tried to pull away.

"Promise me you will stop beating yourself up." They had moved into a more private section of the plane, away from the crowd.

"I'm happy for you." He assured her. She placed her hand on his chest.

"I know you are, but please stop hurting yourself. Or if you want to, after all of this, we can go out and drink and curse the show. I'd be down for a few tequila shots."

"Babe, I'm good."

She pulled away to look at him. He met her eyes, but his were neutral, guarded. 

"I don't believe you, but know that I'm here for you when you need me. And I'll always be here."

"Sh-"

"And Laurie is here, and she's coming on tour with us, and it's going to take this entire cast to make sure that she doesn't accidentally pull a muscle with all of that god damn energy of hers, so you think you can stop beating yourself up for her? I can't keep track of the kid all by myself."

"Sure, I'll do it. But only for you." He kissed her forehead.

"Good, because I'm too young for kids yet."

"Ha."

"Hey." She playfully slapped him. "But are you sure you're good?"

"Yeah, I'm good." His words told her. But in reality, he was far from it.

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The media interviews were all a blur. He could hear himself over and over again congratulate the winners and praise his partner on all her hard work. And he smiled and smiled and took pictures with fans and shook hands and signed autographs and did everything that was expected of him to do. And he told himself again and again that he should be thankful for the position he was in. He should be thankful that he was allowed to perform on a show that was broadcasted live to millions throughout the country. To millions in a country that took him in when he was only a child, and raised him, and gave him so many opportunities that he would never have had back in Odessa. 

And so he continued to smile, and nod, and say please and thank you, yes sir and no sir. His family gave him less flack about losing than he expected, for which he was very thankful. He didn't need anymore negative comments; they were all already in his head. 

The tour started quickly after the show ended. He barely noticed the elapse of time. Laurie came with them and her constant energy was the only thing that kept him from withdrawing from the performances. However, he withdrew from other parts of life. 

He was always happy around the fans. He was always willing to take pictures and dance to his full potential whenever he took the floor. But offstage, he was a completely different person. After shows he often withdrew to his bunk in the tour bus, and wouldn't come out until dinner. Sometimes he missed dinner. Still others he would leave without telling anyone and would end up at some bar. He would post it to his Snapchat (his private Snapchat) and the rest of the dancers would eventually pin his location. That was when either Sharna or Alan or Artem, depending on the night, and his BAC, would hop in a taxi and go retrieve him. 

He was always intoxicated when they found him, often stumbling around the bar, trying to talk to different girls. Sharna yanked him away from numerous women, giving them a sympathetic look before dragging him out of the place. Alan once had to break up a fight that was brimming between him and the owner of the bar. How that ever happened no one knew. Val was never one to pick fights. He was always too polite for that. And Artem, well, Artem had the pleasure of carrying a passed out Val fireman-style from the bar, into the cab, and then back out into his bed, before the passed out dancer woke up and vomited for three straight hours outside of the tour bus.

But no matter how drunk he got the night before, or how severe his hangover was, Val never let it effect his dancing. He was much too above that. Or that was what everyone thought. Until Monday night.

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Sorry this was a lot of background and just overall not my best work, but I promise the upcoming chapters will move much quicker and better!