Trust Issues: The Risks Of Partnership • Sean & Kaycee

5. Reversal

“Love you guys, but I don’t care. Just do it.” Tessandra said, walking away. Sean and Kaycee faced each other, both panting hard to catch their breaths. Kaycee’s hair was up in a ponytail, a few baby curls sticking up in front. Sean had one sleeve rolled up to his shoulder.  They openly looked at one another, neither one saying anything, but holding each other’s tired gaze.

“Just let me die.” Kaycee’s eyes said to him, cocking her head to the side. In between gasps for air, Sean managed a weak chuckle.

“Not unless I die first.” He responded wordlessly, rolling his eyes at her.

Clap clap

Tessandra shocked them both into attention.

“You guys know you’re just staring at each other, right?” She questioned, unable to hide her amusement. “Or is this one of those creepy conversations you two just have with your eyes, and don’t realize you’re not actually saying anything?”But the two of them were too exhausted to humor her, so they just nodded in agreement.

“Okay then. Well, if you two are done ogling at each other, can we get back to work?” Tessandra marched back to the laptop at the corner of the studio to cue the music.

Sean patted Kaycee’s stomach as he passed her. “C’mon, we can do it”, the simple gesture said. Her hand lightly brushed his as he pulled away, taking his position diagonal from her.

The dance itself was simple enough, but there was a complicated lift involved. Complicated in the sense that Kaycee had to lift Sean. Well, technically not lift. More like boost up in the air so that he can go a flip.

The first few times they tried it, Sean ended up flailing in the air and painfully landing on the hardwood floor because there was not enough power in Kaycee’s boost. But the last few tries, Kaycee seemed to have faltered completely, her muscles seizing up before he even reached her.

Sean could see how affected Kaycee was by their poor performance, so he tried to take the beating like a champ. He grit his teeth, and soundlessly absorbed the impact, doing his best to hide his pain.

She’s so hard on herself. She’ll just get even more frustrated if she knows.

They moved through the choreography easily, but moments before the lift, Sean turned to Kaycee and saw it - the flicker of doubt. Her biceps twitched, and her eyes flashed fearfully.

She can’t do it.  Something’s wrong.

“I need a break.” Sean said, stopping mid-movement. He knew Tessandra would hate his insubordination, but that’s another hit he could take for the team.

“Sean, we’re obviously not done.” Tessandra reprimanded, clearly appalled at him. He’ll just have to apologize to her later.

“Yeah, but I need a break.” Without seeking further permission, Sean grabbed his and Kaycee’s water bottles, grabbed her wrist, and bolted for the door.

Once outside in the parking lot, Sean felt like he could finally breathe. The cool late afternoon air soothed his feverish skin, and his lungs finally felt like it was breathing something other than his and Kaycee’s combined carbon dioxide.

He let go of her wrist, and plopped himself on the pavement, stretching his legs out in front of him. He took a long swig from his bottle, watching Kaycee from the ground. She was still on her feet,  hands on her hips, her chest rising and falling heavily. Her eyes were glossed over, her mind obviously a million miles away.

Sean let her have a moment, before tugging at her ankle. “Sit with me” the gesture said. She complied.

For a few minutes, neither one of them said anything. They just sat there, breathing and drinking and being alone with their thoughts. But they couldn’t keep beating around the bush.