Dancing with Danger: a Jay McGuiness+ TW Fanfiction

Chapter Ten

Just a reminder, I do an outfit for most chapters, and it's in the external link! Sorry this one kinda sucks

"Why didn't you tell us about this?"

Huh? I blink rapidly, trying to focus myself on what the clothing person for the video was yelling at me about. Then I realize that the almost bikini-like top they want me to wear under the cardigan she has in her hands shows the ragged, ugly scar and tattoo on the bottom of my rib cage. "I'm sorry I didn't think about it."

She sighs and calls, "Can we get make up over here? We need thick cover up!"

I roll my eyes, thinking that it's too early in the morning for this. The random thought also ran through my head that people should be nicer to me on my birthday. I slapped that away though, because no one knew it was my birthday. Just how I wanted it. I hated all the attention and I don't like accepting gifts. It's a waste and I don't disserve most of them. I mean, what did I do, be born? Some great accomplishment, right? It just means I'm one year closer to dying.

Jessie, who was also in the room looks over a rack of clothes to see what the commotion was about, gasps at the scar. I was used to it, in a way. "What the hell happened?"

I shrug, really not wanting to get into it. "My dad broke a bottle and jammed it into my side, and I forced him to leave afterwards. He's dead, I'm over it. Not a big deal."

She turns her head as she slowly reads out loud, "Perhaps I'm stronger than I think." Then she turns to the make up artist and says, "Leave it." She faces me as she says it, but her voice is loud enough for all of the 20 some people in the small room to hear it, "Scars are beautiful. They are an outward sign of inward beauty. Many young girls are scarred, inside or out, and they will see this video, see the scar on this beauty, and see that they can still be anything."

I smile to myself and everyone is busy hustling back to work. I yank on the cardigan and then the jean shorts that they want us to wear and head out to the final rehearsal, slightly more confident.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"...And Cut! Jessie, we need to move sets!"

All of the dancers let out a breath, glad for a break. We had run a high-intensity scene about 14 times in a row, and I was worn out, for sure. While at the snack table, one of the interns came over and handed me a package. "Some bad-tempered chubby Scottish dude just dropped this off for you."

I chuckle a little and take it from him. There's a thick padded envelope, which I rip open. I shake out a small, square, wrapped box, and a card falls out as well. The sigh is out of my lips before my eyes finish rolling.

The card has a silly black and white picture of two old women at what appears to be a strip club. One is saying that they're too old to be there, the other saying that they should enjoy it while their alive. I open it and in a messy scrawl someone had written, "Happy Birthday, ya old lady! I love you, and you will take this present whether you want it or not! Jay"

I didn't even tell him it was my birthday. Nosy little bugger. I drag my nail through the tape and rip open the small jewelry box. I don't care if he forces it on me, if he wasted money on some crazy expensive piece of jewelry, I'll shove it up his ass. Instead I find a brand new iPod touch, with some red and black headphones wrapped around it. A post it note says, "I've already loaded it with songs. Go to the playlist called Jay's picks and press play."

I shake my head and half smile, but do as he says. My Little Bird, by Ed Sheeran starts playing and I remember when he first played it to me, during one of our video chats while he was in America.

We were both giggling, and he sighed a little. "So, I've decided that we need a song."

I scoff, "But why would we need one of those? Anytime I want to hear something to remind me of you I can just listen to your music!"

He ignores me and continues his thought. "And someone sent me this song, jokingly saying it should be our song. Because everyone calls me bird."

"Ok, then. Play it for me!" Jay sticks his tongue out at me, "You know I'm not a slave! You should be polite!"

I cocked an eyebrow. "Just play it."

The music is still playing in my ear while I go to twitter and tweet my favorite line. "Darling, How I miss you. Strawberries taste how lips do." I know that Jay will get that I got the iPod, and it will stay between us, like a lot of stuff should, but can't.  

~~~~~~~~~

When the shoot finally finished, it wasn't my birthday anymore. I quietly slipped through the door of my flat and saw a banner in the darkened room. "Happy Birthday!" is written upon it in careful, yet still sloppy writing I recognize as Clara's. There's a cake on the table, already cut into. I swoop by and snag some icing.

Clara's asleep in my bed when I get in there, so I gently nudge her over and lay next to her. She barely wakes up, sleepily murmuring, "I made a cake." And then she's gone again, yet I'm not far behind.