fake (b.t.c.)

two

"sorry for instagram stalking you."
"well, it's better than real-life stalking me."
•••
"julia, hang here for a bit." casey stopped me from walking away.
"what's up?"
"i just need to send you a few videos. dances i need you to help teach next week."
"oh, yeah, of course." i pulled out my phone and gave him my email. as i shouldered my bag, casey stopped me yet again. "julia." he waited for the rest of the cast to leave. "you be careful with some of these boys, please. let me know if they give you any trouble."
i looked away. "yeah, i will. thanks."
too late for that.
•••
i threw my phone down onto the hotel room bed and sighed. it'd been a long week of rehearsals, and i was just about ready to collapse. but, instead of sleeping, i grabbed my computer and started to watch the videos casey sent me. there were two of them, the dances to meet the plastics, and karen's song, sexy. after going through them a few times and committing the steps to memory, i grabbed my phone again to see a notification.
instagram: bentylercook is now following you.
i clicked through his profile. according to his most recent photos he had just done some traveling, and was in a few shows on broadway and on tour before that.
wow. he's really cute.
there were a couple dance videos on his account, too.
wow. he's really good.
i had seen him dance a little bit, but this week had been mostly music rehearsals and some costume fittings. i scrolled down through his profile a little farther, and my finger slipped.
"shit." i muttered, staring at the red heart under a photo from eight months ago.
•••
"good morning." a voice from beside me said.
ben smiled, holding out a cup of coffee. "you look like you need some."
"oh, thanks." i smiled. "that's sweet of you."
we were the only two people in the room.
"you're here pretty early." i remarked. ben shrugged. "yeah. sometimes i like to dance before everyone else gets here, but, uh, i guess you're here. pretty early, i might add."
i laughed. "i came to run the dances casey sent me." i nodded to my phone. "but, i'm all done, if you'd like the floor. i won't judge."
ben looked to the spike-tape riddled floor.
"i saw some of your dance videos." i said.
"really?"
"yeah. you're really good, obviously." i smiled. "sorry for instagram stalking you."
"well, it's better than real-life stalking me." ben laughed. "and, to be honest, i kind of went through your account too."
"did you?" i raised an eyebrow.
"i especially liked that picture of the llamas from that farm you visited." he smiled, and i giggled, remembering the picture he was talking about. "that was an interesting trip." i checked the time. " we've got a half hour. tell me about your adventures in europe."