THEA
We arrived at the venue, Sam and Jae had taken their seats in the audience. I followed Charlie backstage, their show today was actually a promotional showcase for the public and the investors. There were even scouts form big-named dance companies that would come out to find dancers for tours and whatnot. The showcase was also filmed and photographed, which is why I was backstage rather than sitting in the audience.
"Bongyong is over there with May J Lee," Charlie pointed out the couple out before joining a group of choreographers, most of them I knew, intimately.
Bongyong and May J Lee looked deep in conversation, I just stood there awkwardly waiting for them to finish talking. I was also a little distracted by Bongyoung's arms which were seriously attractive. I was a shame that Charlie had forbidden me from going there, also he and May J Lee were together and I wasn't a homewrecker.
"Thea," May J Lee smiled at me, she was honestly the sweetest person I knew.
"Hey, I didn't want to interrupt," I waved walking over to them.
"You're not interrupting, what did you need?" Bongyoung asked.
"I just need to know where you need me to be? I don't want to get in the way of the cameramen,"
"You won't be in there way, we need more photos than we do videos, so you just go where you need to to get the shots you do and the cameramen can work around you," May J Lee shrugged.
"You can put your bag down over there, it will be safe," Bongyoung stated.
"Okay," I nodded.
"Hey," Shawn smiled at me as I passed him.
"Hey," I smiled back.
We had kind of been seeing each other recently, I mean we weren't dating or anything serious, but we were hanging out, and sleeping together. So, I guess we were friends with benefits or something like that.
"Are you here to take photos of me?" he asked following me over to the table Bongyoung had pointed out.
"I'm here to take pictures of everyone," I rolled my eyes but smile anyway.
"But I'm included in everyone, so technically," he shrugged.
"Okay, I guess you're right,"
"What's the plan for tonight?"
"What do you mean?" I frowned.
"I mean are we going to your friends' club or your friends' bar?"
"Oh, probably the bar," I shrugged.
"Oh, you're here, does that mean Charlies here? I need to, uh, ask her a question about the routine," Doonbin asked awkwardly.
"She just went over there," I nodded pointing him towards the group of choreographers.
"Thanks," he gave a quick wave wandering off.
"So are you going to let him come tonight?" I raised an eyebrow.
"To the bar?" Shawn frowned.
Doobin was Shawn's little brother and Shawn was a little bit overprotective of him. I mean I can understand why he is only 19 but it was very rare for Shawn to let Doobin come to any of the afterparty events. It's not like he wasn't old enough to drink and we would all be there to keep an eye on him.
"Yeah,"
"I don't know," he shook his head.
"Oh come on, we will all be there he will be fine," I assured him.
"Mm,"
"I mean if you say no then he might go to a different bar with his friends and at least if he comes with us then you'll know where he is and that he's okay," I shrugged.
"Just think about it, I have to go and make sure that my camera settings are okay for the lighting," I started making my way back out towards the stage.
SAM
The lights started to dim and the crowd fell silent, a video started to play on the screen behind the stage, it was cutes of the choreographers in the dance room practising for what I assumed to be this showcase. Charlie was focused on her own reflection making sure her moves were perfectly in time, her dedication was attractive, so was the fact she was only wearing tights and a sports bra, which was usually what she wore during dance practice.
The last choreographer that was in the video was Koosung, but rather than practising alone he was teaching a group, he turned to the camera and smirked before everything went black.
A few moments later the music started and the spotlight lit up on the group of dancers, Koosung just happened to be the centre. I didn't like Koosung, he was close with Charlie as a dancer, but he was overly confident and always flirting with her no matter how many times she's declined his passes at her. Honestly, I just thought he was a complete douche. Also, he's slept with Thea, that says a lot about him as a person because she's not big on sleeping with the good guys.
On the plus side, Charlie wasn't in the opening group which meant that she wasn't dancing with him. He was kind of her go-to as a dance partner, probably because they have great chemistry on stage, another reason I didn't like him. It's not like I was jealous of him or anything, it was just that he got really handsy and I didn't like the way that he objectified her.
Okay, so maybe I was a little jealous, but can you really blame me? He gets to all but have sex with her on stage, and he wasn't exactly unattractive either. He was pretty much Charlie's type; tall, attractive, skinny, and a major douche, the fact that he was a dancer was just a bonus.
The stage went black again, another video played somehow Koosung had weaselled his way into that as well. It was of him and a group of other guys some I knew and some I didn't. They were also practising in the dance room, then they were messing around with each other, the video ended with them standing in a group with a gangster pose then everything went back.
Music started to play and the spotlight beamed onto the same guy from the video, I had seen him around and I knew he was kind of friends with Charlie but I didn't really know his name. He walked to the centre of the stage and started to dance, 30 seconds into the song the 6 other guys from the video all dressed in black joined him; three I didn't know, one I recognized but couldn't name, Shawn who was Thea's flavour of the week, and Koosung.
JACKSON
I watched Jacob walk off stage and the group of guys was replaced with a couple, they walked out on stage with their hands intertwined. No music played, instead, they had microphones in their free hands. They waited for the crowd to stop clapping.
"Hey everyone, welcome to 1million dance studios showcase, I'm May J Lee and this is Bongyoung Park. For those of you who are new here, we're not only choreographers but we also own and run 1million with a group of amazing staff and the group of talented dancers who will perform for you tonight," May J Lee stated with a bright smile, he pixie cut bob sways and she turned her head to Bongyoung.
"I hope everyone is having a good time, our dancers have worked really hard to bring you these performances tonight. A lot of the back up dancers tonight are actually 1million students, we run classes all week for all ages, you're never too old to express yourself through dance, so if you or someone you know is interested in joining our dance classes come by our building and sign yourself up for one of our free beginners classes," he explained.
"Speaking of dancing, it's our turn. Please enjoy the showcase," May J Lee smiled.
A stagehand ran out on stage and collected their microphones, the two dancers walked to either side of the stage and waited for the music to start before walking back towards each other and beginning their performance.
Their chemistry as pretty good, I thought that they might be actually dating rather than just being business partners. The finished their stage and quickly ran off, a large group of people ran onto the stage and got into position as a video of students in the dance room played. It was mostly the students being taught but there were clips of them chatting and having fun while they waited for their class to start too.
Once the video had ended the lights began to flash and the large group began to dance, they were completely in sync which was impressive considering I was pretty sure they were all students. After they were done they stood in a line and bowed before making their way off stage.
The next video played, two kids dancing, the camera spun around then and they became teenagers at a school dance, the camera spun again and the couple was now adults; adults that I knew.
Lum was dancing with Charlie, I don't know why I hadn't realized it earlier, I should have at least thought about it earlier when she had said that she had a dance show tonight, it's not like a lot of places have dance shows on the same night.
The video faded and the lights hit the stage, Charlie was sitting centre stage, she began dancing as the music started to play. Jacob walked out seconds later and joined her. She was really good, I pulled my phone and took a quick photo sending it to Mark.
Jackson: Told you she was a dancer...
I went continued watching as it clicked in my head; it this was the dance show Charlie was performing at, which meant that Thea was here somewhere. I don't know why I looked around the crowd, there was no way I would be able to see her with this many people let alone in the dark.
My phone buzzed drawing my attention away from the crowd.
Mark: Congratulations? I care because?
I just sighed shaking my head as Jacob and Charlie finished dancing and made their way off stage. The room grew brighter as the lights where slowly undimmed, May J Lee came wandering up onto the stage with a microphone. Most of the crowd let out sounds of disappointment that the show was over.
"It's okay, we're just going to take a brief intermission, our dancers need some time to hydrate and change outfits and you have all been sitting and enjoying the show for an hour so we thought you might like to stretch your legs, have a bathroom break and whatnot before we continue in 15 minutes," she smiled before leaving the stage.
THEA
I started going through the photos that I had already taken, there were a few that I didn't like because they were too dark and some that were a little blown out which just made me annoyed at myself for not being able to keep up with the showcase lighting, I could fix them in post but I didn't like putting too much editing into my photos, not because I'm lazy but because I like to keep them as original as I can. It's the main reason I tell clients that I don't airbrush, I so any editing that distorts the original image from being as close to the original as possible.
The exception to that rule was Junior but he had a fashion line and if his models needed airbrushing then that's what they got, but that was a rare occurrence because Juniors models were held to a very high standard.
I was so focused on the replay image on the camera screen that I almost didn't notice that my phone was buzzing in my pocket. I frowned down at the caller ID.
"Hey, perfect timing. The show has just gone into intermission,"
"I know," he responded.
"What do you mean you know?" I frowned.
"I'm here,"
"What?" I froze, why was he here? Did I tell him where the showcase was?
I started to overthink the whole thing. Was he going to be another one of those crazies that I seemed to attract? We only met face to face properly today and that was honestly kind of a disaster, why would he track me do at a dance showcase?"
"Yeah, my cousin is performing tonight, I didn't realise that this was the showcase Charlie was until the came out on stage together,"
"Oh," relief and a bit of embarrassment washed through me.
"Did you think I was some kind of weird stalked?" he joked.
"Yeah," I laughed back.
"Wait, seriously?"
"I mean, kind of,"
"Yeah, I guess I can see why you would think that," he laughed awkwardly.
"Where are you? It might be easier to talk face to face," I stated, also my phone was dying.
"Down the back corner,"
"Come up to the stage, I'm taking photos it will be easier for you to find me than for me to find you,"
"Okay, see you in a minute," he stated before hanging up.
"Hey Hobbit," I heard Jae behind me.
"No," I pointed at him, he just raised an eyebrow. Sam was next to him, a frown on his face.
"What?"
"You can't be here right now," I shook my head trying to usher them away.
"Why not? It's an intermission, it's not like we're distracting you from your job," Jae pointed out.
"Yeah, but your face grosses me out," I stated.
"I still have nightmares of when you used to sit on me," he retorted.
"I never sat on you,"
"I'm pretty sure I still have lung damage," he nodded.
"Thea," I heard Jackson behind me. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh; it was too late now. I plastered on my sweetest smile and turned around.
"Hey," I stated, tucking my hair behind my ear.
"I'm going to throw up," Jae dry heaved, I glared over my shoulder at him.
"Is he bothering you?" Jackson frowned past me at Jae.
"He's always bothering me, but he's harmless," I waved him off.
"You know him?"
"Ah, yeah, unfortunately. This is mine and Charlie's friend Sam, and that's Charlies bro Jae," I shrugged.
"This is Jackson," I reluctantly introduced.
"Wild and Sexy?" Jae smirked.
"Ignore him," I sighed, trying to use my glaring ability to kill him.
"It was supposed to be funny, I regretted it instantly," Jackson laughed awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.
"Everyone regrets something," I mumbled glaring at Jae.
"Wait, you were the guy that answered the phone," Jackson pointed at Jae.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jae shrugged.
"Yeah, that was him. He's the type of person that you can't even deal with in small doses," I smiled sweetly at Jackson.
"You can get Jae in small doses?" Sam asked hopefully.
"Nope," Jae shook his head.
"Are you stalking Thea? Because I'm sure there are better things you could do with your time. Like talking to actually girls, not a dwarf-sized Sherk," Jae stated casually.
Jackson frowned at him, shocked that he had just flatly insulted me so nonchalantly, I made a not to be careful with what I said around him in case he was easily offended. But then again I guess it wasn't normal to hear people that are often in the same group of a mutual friend completely disrespect each other.
"That wasn't very nice," Jackson stated seeming slightly annoyed.
"It wasn't supposed to be," Jae shrugged.
"That's how the two talk to each other, they're basically arch-nemesis, you get used to it," Sam said trying to ease the tension.
"The intermission will be over soon, you should probably get back to your seats," I added.
"Why don't you come and sit with us? We can tell you all about our dear friend Thea," Jae gave a smirk that I wanted to smack right off his stupid face.
"I don't think that's a good idea," I stated.
"I think it's a great idea," Jae shrugged.
"You would," I frowned.
"I'll make sure he behaves," Sam assured me.
"If you don't want me to I won't,"
"Oh come on Thea, he's clearly sitting by himself," Jae pointed out.
"Are you here alone?"
"Yeah, but I don't mind," he nodded.
"I'm so going to regret this," I let out a sigh.
SAM
The crowd grew quiet again as the lights dimmed and a video began to play, it was Koosung walking into a bar, he began flirting with a girl at the bar, the video flashed forward to them dancing together in the centre of an empty bar, he grabbed her hand and the ran at the camera then the screen went black and Koosung cam walking out on stage, two back up dancers were already standing in the centre.
"Ooh, Thea has slept with him," Jae commented to Jackson.
"What?"
"Don't be surprised, she's slept with basically everyone, Koosung is just one of them,"
"Dude," I frowned at Jae.
"What? It's true," he shrugged.
"I don't think he wants to hear about her sex life," I stated quietly.
"He should be prepared for what he's getting himself into," he stated then laugh.
"It's really not any of my business," Jackson stated awkwardly.
"See, now leave the guy alone," I sighed.
Koosung left the stage and the intro video started to play, the girl from the stage earlier and Austin, who happened to be BM's friend, were dancing on the beach ankle-deep in the water. It was no surprise that Austin didn't have a shirt on, well it was no surprise to me, all the girls in the audience cheered.
"She's slept with him too," Jae stated.
"She slept with Austin?" I frowned as Austin and the girl from earlier, May J Lee I think, came out on stage.
"You know him?"
"He's friends with BM, how don't you know him,"
"Huh, I wonder if BM knows they've slept together?"
"How do you know they've slept together?"
JACKSON
"It's not hard, I just pay attention to people, she basically loses interest in the guy after they sleep together, and she doesn't even look at him," Jae pointed towards where Thea was standing taking photos of the dancers on stage.
"How many of the dancers as she slept with," Sam shook his head.
"From my count, 4," Jae shrugged.
"It was a rhetorical question," Sam frowned at him.
"She would probably have slept with more if Charlie hadn't put a Thea ban on some of them," Jae shrugged.
"Jae, shut up," Sam stated.
Clearly, I hadn't keep my face as expressionless as I had hoped, at least judging but the apologetic look Sam was giving me. It wasn't that I was judging her for having slept with guys, I was just surprised and maybe a little shocked.
After a few more performances and Jae pointing out more of Thea's previous partners, the showcase was over. I got up and made my way to find Jacob who was thanking some of his students for their hard work.
"How was it?" He smiled when he noticed me standing there.
"You were great," I nodded.
"We're all going to a bit of an after-party if you want to come along," he stated.
"Jackson?" Charlie made her way over.
"You know Charlie?"
"We went to lunch today," I nodded.
"Are you two..." Jacob frowned pointing between us.
"No, It was me Mark, Chalie and her friend," I shook my head.
"Thea dragged me along to a surprise double date so she could meet him," Charlie explained.
"Thea..." Jacob asked absently.
"You're interested in Thea?"
"That seems to be the same reaction I'm getting from everyone here,"
"She has a bit of a reputation," Jacob shrugged.
"So her nemesis says,"
"Her nemesis?" Charlie frowned at me.
"Jae? He was pointing out everyone she had slept with,"
"She's only slept with two people here," Charlie raised an eyebrow.
"He said it was four,"
"He doesn't know anything, ignore him. He tried to sleep with her just over a week ago so," Charlie shrugged it off.
BM
"Help me," Thea came in the door first.
"With what?" I raised an eyebrow sliding a beer towards Drew who had decided to drop by.
"So it turns out that Jackson's cousin dances for the same company as Charlie so he was there tonight, and Jae has been telling him things about me all night, like who I've slept with,"
"So everyone?" I smirked.
"Dude," Drew frowned at me.
"What? She doesn't really have a small list of past sexual partners," I stated, he gave me a strange look but stopped talking.
"You are supposed to be my bro," she shook my head taking the beer out of Drew's hand.
"You don't drink beer," Drew stated reaching for his bottle.
"If it has alcohol in it, I drink it," she glared at him walking off to the table down the back, she drank a mouthful and walked back.
"This is disgusting, you have problems,"
"I told you that you wouldn't drink it," he shrugged drinking it comfortably, he pulled the bottle away from his lips, they were now red. I handed him a napkin.
"See, she just makes out with everyone," Jae walked in next to Jackson nodding towards Drew.
"I'm pretty sure Drew is the last person Thea would make out with," Charlie shook her head following in behind them.
"I just took a sip of his beer, I didn't make out with him," Thea cleared her throat.
"Likely story, you hate the taste of beer," Jae retorted.
"I think Jae is just a little obsessed with Thea, he did try to sleep with her last week. We're pretty sure he has a secret thing for her," I started looking at Jackson.
"I do not have a thing for the deformed midget," he huffed walking off.
"You're welcome," I smiled at Thea.
THEA
"Whatever, can I have a drink please?" I sighed.
"Oh me too," Doobin stated.
"No," Shawn shook his head.
"Shawn, he's 19. Technically he doesn't need your permission," I pointed out.
"Have you see this trouble maker after he's been drinking? The last time he stole someone's scooter and raced down the street almost killing himself. He doesn't need alcohol,"
"I totally get you man, no alcohol for little brother," BM shrugged.
"You're a total buzzkill," I rolled my eyes at him.
"The poor guy is probably going to have to deal with you drunk, he doesn't need to handle his brother too," BM stated.
"Is it just pick on Thea day or something?" I sighed.
BM shrugged handing me a drink, I turned around and scanned the room. Most of the group was sitting down the back in the area BM had set aside specifically for us. Jackson was sitting with his cousin glancing at me occasionally, Jae was down the other end of the table from him which was somewhat of a relief. Doobin wandered off to join the table, I was actually surprised that Shawn had let him come, then again, from the way Shawn spoke about Doobin, it was better to know where he was than to wonder.
His mother had sent him to live with Shawn just over a year ago because he was getting into trouble at home and their mother wasn't handling it well. I'm not really sure what happened to their dad but he wasn't in the picture.
"Yo, yo, yo," Austin walked into the bar as I was about to walk over to the group.
"Sup bro," BM nodded, I frowned.
"Bro?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Sup shorty," he rested his arm on my shoulder.
"So you two have met?" BM stated.
"We've met," Austin nodded with a smirk.
"Please tell me that look doesn't mean what I think it means," BM sighed shaking his head at me.
"You two are friends?" I asked slowly.
"We're gym buddies," Austin nodded.
"You didn't think to mention this earlier?" I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Why?" he shrugged.
"Because if I had of known you were bros with my bro then I wouldn't have..."
"Had mind-blowing sex with me?" he smirked.
"Mind-blowing for you maybe," I frowned.
"You seriously slept together?" Drew gave a judging expression.
"Shut up Drew," I sighed.
"Who did Thea sleep with now? Can I have a lemonade?" Charlie walked up to the bar.
"Apparently, Austin," BM nodded.
"Seriously?" Charlie shook her head at me.
"In my defence, I didn't know he was friends with you, and I mean, have you seen what's under that shirt," I motioned at his abs.
"That's because you don't listen when anyone else speaks," BM scolded.
CHARLIE
"Okay, that's clearly my cue to leave," she frowned at BM.
"That was a bit harsh bro," Drew stated.
"I'll take a whiskey sour and a bottle of bourbon and coke too," I sighed knowing Thea wouldn't want to come back up and it would turn into a 5-minute discussion of who would go for her.
"I get that you're annoyed but she is Thea, and she didn't know that he was our friend. You know she wouldn't have slept with him if she did," Drew defended her.
"Why do you think I didn't tell her? This one is completely on me bro," Austin stated.
"No, it's not, she needs to stop using the 'it's Thea what did you expect' excuse and just stop sleeping with everything,"
"Dude," Drew shook his head.
"I don't know what's got you so pissy tonight, but if you knew that Austin went to 1Million, and Thea came to see me at 1Million, then you should have known that they were going to happen at some point. If you didn't want it too then you should have at least told me that you two were friends and I would have put him on the off-limits list,"
"So what you're saying is that really, this is BM's fault?" Drew asked as BM placed the three drinks on a tray.
"That's exactly what I'm saying," I picked up my glass and made my way over to the group.