" Flames burn and bring pain but there is still a temptation to reach out to touch it even if you know what happens next."
Today is the day that we have all been waiting for, it's one of the biggest days of our careers as dancers, and musicians.
One minute you are an average college student walking into the campus where you know no one and being introduced to Adulthood that you didn't sign up for and the next thing you know you're walking into a room or onto a field where there are people from everywhere that want to see you, but they're always a Price.
There is a price you pay to learn an art like dances
They steal your childhood, your family
... leaving only with friends that will stab in the back
because they want your spot, they the spotlight.
Dances in no place Redemption.-M
Today is supposed to be easy, running through show music, and checking off are already happened so we know who going to be dancing.
It's all about cleaning up and moving on. Maribel pulls her hair back as she walks on to practice field with a water bottle under her arm.
The band outside dressed in a t-shirt and shorts.
Syd is giving some type of speech, about discipline, she puts her water bottle down as she goes over to join them.
Samu, Ava, and Matías all make eye contact with her as she comes into their view.
"Give five laps," Syd tells them his voice is deeper than usual he definitely used his diaphragm muscle. Then he blows his whistle three times.
Everyone starts getting to their blocks with their leaders in the front leading the way.
Ava is the first one to approach Maribel as she there only there for support, nothing else really.
"How did it go?" Ava asks after she took in Maribel's appearance, studying her.
"What do you mean?" Maribel asks somewhat confused but not really.
"Don't play dumb Bel, what happened with Jackson? You seem to chill after everything that has happened and I'm not paying it." Ava voiced this as they start running the five laps.
"I handle it, Jackson is fine and tomorrow will go out without a hitch, it's a great day to be alive Ava smile no one likes a frown before performance day." Ava doesn't know why but she doesn't like the tone that Maribel is using.
"What do you mean by handled it?" Ava asks as she tries to keep up with Maribel because she definitely not going easy on her because one she is trying to avoid talking and two she loves running in a general sense as well as metaphor sense.
"I talked to him that all stop acting like I'm going break if you mention his name or something," Maribel tells her.
"I just saying he did things to you and Syd both and you seem too okay with him back in town, I know for a fact my brother is not taking it so well with you not talking to him Because for some reason you are in one of your moods that you can't seem to pick up the phone and I know it best to give you space, but this feels different what going on talk to me." Ava goes on explaining but when she sees that Maribel isn't responding she jogs in front of her and stops her in her tracks.
"Ava I love u but drop it I'm fine, so don't worry about it. I have a performance in less than 24 hours don't need this okay." She tells her as she puts a reassuring hand on her shoulders before she took off again.
[Fashback]
"Aw does the cat go your tongue baby?" Maribel coos at Jackson.
He whined as she adds more pressure, " I need you to do something for me okay."
Jackson nods his head in an understanding manner so Maribel continues.
"I need you to listen carefully to what I ask already and if you're good I let you cum."
"Okay first, why are you here sweetheart because it confused me on why you are here the last I saw of you. You were ready to never come back right?" Her voice is flat-out mocking him but all he can do is take it because he is hard as a rock in his pants and he needs release.
Jackson whines as he pulls his bottom half forward trying to get any friction, "don't be greedy answer the question first." He bites his bottom lip before he speaks "A-Amara" he moans out as she presses at the right angle that put him on edge.
Maribel drags her heel up and down his length. "Okay, good boy." She praises him as she reaches over and caresses his face, "look at you baby, you're wrecked for me already it's sexy, you knew I would take care of you right?" She States
"Y-Yes" He whined out.
*
[Next Day]
Maribel knocks on the door, the door opens a second after. It's three in the afternoon and the event starts at five. So there is time. Most of the band students are in their dressing rooms getting ready.
But it's a ritual for Maribel to show up at Syd's room and help him pick out an outfit for the after-party.
"Look who shows up?" Syd lets the sarcasm play along with each word.
"Don't start you asshole, I don't come here to fight." She tells him as she walks past him like he was or something.
"I'm the asshole, but you won't look at me." The irritation in his voice shows clearly.
"I'm here Syd, what more do you want?" She asks him.
"I want you to look at me and be here in this current reality not somewhere else and stop being distant towards me. You are drowning everyone else out that trying to help you." He tells her this and his voice gets loud with each word.
"Don't try and turn him on me Syd you knew the moment that everything came it would do damage. But you can't for one second think that the shit you do affects us. I can't be there by your side if someone from our past is trying to burn everything we built to the ground and I can't be anything to anyone if I have a Scarlet A on my chest I will not be your public Whore." She screams at him because at this point she's tired and she just wants to stop fighting with him together.
It goes silent between them, she goes to his closet and grabs something she has been eyeing for a while since the last time she was in there.
Maribel comes out of the closet five minutes later. "Here you're great in this." She tells him it is a nice white bottom-up shirt and nice tailored dress pants along with a nice black belt.
Syd grabs what she has in her hands. "What color tie?" He asks as he grabs her hand.
"Wear a red tie it matches my perform dress along with after party one." She tells him as she gets ready to walk away before they start fighting again.
But Syd doesn't let her he stands and pulls her in and her eyes glare at him when the distance close. "Okay I wear the tie, I'm sorry, that I made you feel like that I just miss you."
She sighs and looks at him, she does know what to say to him.
*
Every seat is filled in the Gymnasium, there are photographers there on each side of the room taking pictures of this event it will be the talk of Twitter when pictures get leaked.
There is chatting here and there, and Maribel can see Arlo from where he seats at.
They are waiting for attention to be introduced to the crowd.
The direction cues them, and the drumline starts tapping which brings the entrance in. The flutes come in strong after that and the rest of the band follows as Syd conducts their entry into the piece.
As they play Mad Hatter, Maribel starts off the routine.
Her arms go out as she walks out of the tunnel, one foot in front of the other it classy but sexy walk she enchants the crowd with each move.
Maribel her eyes are in a dreamy state as she dances the routine in front of the crowd and they are Mesmerized by her delicate moves.
After the sixteen counts are over for that song it is brought in with another, the girls getting in position.
The next song on the ballot is the drill, as the carousel plays there is a ripple effect of the hitch kick as there formation of a diamond turns into a circle.
Maribel moves her hips and body to the rhythm as she counts out every step to keep herself on the beat.
*
The Majorette comes dancing out of the formations and Raymond takes over for Syd as he starts to hype the crowd for the next part of the show.
Syd meets her as the next song plays, the moment they connect. Every move was passionate and love-driven as love for each other.
They spoke their own language without words.
Their chemistry was like something you read in their Wattpad stories but it was better because it was just them at this moment and no one could take that from them.
Every touch was hot, lustful as the last, they bodied the scene of being in love.
As Syd goes into the dip, their faces are inches apart from each other.
He puts her back up after a two-count measure, Syd brings her close as the end is near for their solo.
He whispers to her as they finish, "Mari babe we did it."
That makes Maribel her frozen as they come out of their finish position, she tries her better to stay in character as they leave the stage.
*
Maribel didn't know if she should be happy or cry right now, the last she remembers is hugging Syd and telling him that she going to meet him in 20.
She doesn't expect Amara to pop up on her as she puts on her slick red after-party dress.
It is beautiful as she remembers when she first picked it out, it was back two months ago when she was in Syd's closet and she saw that red tie and that was when she decided to get a dress to match.
She slips on the dress and that is when the voice plays into the scene "Aw isn't this cute, main character gets the love interest." The voice makes her turn around and look at her.
"Where are you here Amara?" Maribel asks as she watches her from distance.
"I'm here to deal with the falling dove." Amara tells her as she comes close.
"So how long did it take you to figure it out huh, I have given to you you're tougher than you look also cruel. I hear that from a little bird."
"A bird you send, you should very much add, Amara just go and let us celebrate this great night." She tells her as she turns around to finish getting ready.
But Amara had other plans she starts to attack from behind takes her hand to Maribel's head and push it forward.
Maribel grabs her hand and turns to her left as she brings her leg up and swing it back and hits Amara at an angle.
After that become blurred because Maribel's rage takes over and she starts to see red.
When she comes to herself, she has a cut on her forehead and her hands are bruised her breathing is heavy as if she just finished a workout, and see to her right she sees Amara's Unconscious body is laying on the ground.
Maribel
Deep breaths in and out
It's so hard to breathe, it's like I'm in a burning house.
If I try to breathe in carbonate, I will be lost in the darkness.
My eyes are heavy, and I want to stay awake, but the adrenaline is coming to its end.
But I did what I had to do.
I don't know why I'm thinking this. I don't feel guilty, the bitch had it coming.
I don't remember but when I back to reality Syd is there with me.
"Mari...Mari...Mari -Syd calls out for her.
I stand before him as I'm is covered in blood; I'm is in shock but not really. I try to speak, but no words come out.
The lingering question is whose blood am I covered in? Syd helps me, he looks over me as he sees my wounds.
"Mari, what's happened?" My eyes are so heavy, that I can't keep them open.
But before I go I tell him, "I did what you couldn't.." I tell him.