We Are Tidal

Chapter Twenty-Six - Up, Up and Away

(Today's header needs no explanation. I simply adore Up and this broke my heart back in 2010. It also suits this chapter as we are doing dance lifts!)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Up, Up and Away

The panic sets in pretty quickly and even Gab's lopsided, confident grin doesn't help me. 

"Gab, I. Might. Die." I say black dots beginning to form in front of my eyes and I think might black out. Or hurl. I'm not sure what's worse. 

We're standing in the Heaver's dance studio, built especially by their father to accommodate Gab's passion throughout his college career. His parents were always joyfully supportive of their son's dancing career. A ballet barre splits the wall-length mirror in half. I spy my reflection and see that I am shaking, goosebumps running in rivets up and down my arms. 

Gab rolls his eyes, hitting his phone screen and pausing the music. He walks toward me and places his huge hands on either side of my face. 

"Dyl, we came fourth at Starpower. Which is incredible. But we could win regionals." 

I nod, I know what he will say. He's been saying it every day at practice since regionals.

"And for that, we need a more difficult lift." 

My stomach writhes at the thought of completing the suggested lift that our dance coach, Caroline, suggested. With under a month to regionals, I have very little time to master my fear and conquer this lift.

As we aren't allowed to compete the same number for both Collegiate competitions like Starpower, Caroline has been working with us to choreograph a new piece with more ballet lines and lyrical leaps. For once, the story we are telling with our bodies is not romantic, as is typical for male-female partnerships. This a dark, moody piece with a sinister ending and I'm excited about it. Most of it. 

This lift will have both of my hands on Gab's shoulders, my legs creating a perfect needle, one pointed to the sky, the other to the earth. My only balancing anchor will be Gab's wide hand at the crease of my hip. We need to hold the move for close to three seconds and right now, I don't have the core strength, let alone the belief, to pull it off. 

"If I fall, if I fail..." I begin, but Gab simply turns back on the music, blasting it so it drowns out my worries. I roll my eyes. 

Mature, I mouth at him and he winks. He gestures for us to start from the top and I do, promising myself that this time, I will give it a go when the time comes. 

Our new music has taken some adjusting to. With its haunting edge, I become the temptress of the song, Gab is the victim. It is dark and delicious and finally, we are dancing to something with an edge. The lift at the end is the culmination of the plot, the final darkening moment before I end Gab's life and he falls to my feet. Then, I walk off stage triumphant in my killing. 

Everything hinges on the lift. And I've just marked it, skipping over it. Gab's groan is audible over the music and I stop, apologising once the routine is over. He says nothing, marching out of the studio. I stand before the mirror wondering if he has finally run out of patience with my fears of injury. Before I can feel too much pity for myself, he comes back, flanked by his brothers, all of whom look to have been interrupted during a basketball game. They are all shirtless, sweat gleaming over their abs and wearing sweat shorts in varying shades of grey. Together and dressed so similarly, they all so closely resemble their mother that it is startling. 

My eyes meet Art's and he sends me a breathtaking smile. After our time on the beach, I am fully reacquainted with his mouth. Standing here now, looking as good as he does, I wish I could pull his mouth to mine.

"Right," Gab begins, clapping his hands together sharply and pulling me from my increasingly dirty mind. "It's time to try a new approach."

Swiftly, he explains what he needs from his brothers and my chest tightens and cheeks redden when he explains my fear. Not one of them looks at me with judgment and simply agrees.

"Anything for a member of the family," Albert quips and Kit nods. Though they are laughing, I know that they mean it. My heart tightens with emotion at that word. Family.

Gab restarts the music and we begin again. This time, when it is time for me to leap into Gab's arms, resting my on his muscled shoulders, three extra pairs of hands hold my thigh in place. They hoist me, making my work far easier than it will be with just Gab. I hold the position and when I try to move to the next step of the dance, Gab shakes his head, looking up at me. 

"Hold it and look at the ground," He tells me. And I do. My stomach churns, despite the hands holding me at my hip cease and just under my butt. "The height won't change. You can handle it." 

Slowly, the boys lower me to the ground and I wrap my hands around myself, still not convinced. Gab is right though. If I could handle the height without my head spinning then, it stands to reason that I could do it again. 

We run through the dance, Kit, Albert, and Art holding me up each time. Only when I am ready do they disappear one by one, until it is just Gab and Art holding me up. It seems that here is where I have reached my limit as I refuse to let just Gab hold me. 

I am grateful when the doorbell rings, breaking Gab's laser focus for just a moment. 

"Saved by the bell," Kit says, grinning and pushing himself to his feet from where he had settled on the floor, back against the mirrors. "It's time for pizza and booze. And Willow is currently delivering both." 

"Where are you, idiots?!" Willow's familiar voice bellows from the hallway and I grin the tension in my shoulders releasing for the first time all day. 

A/N:

Sometimes, you just need a chapter that is simple and fun. To be honest, in light of the worldwide pandemic, this is what I needed to write today, so I hope you enjoyed it and do not mind. 

Jens xx