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“Well, Carter…Carter Anne, are you excited to go onstage?”
She looks down, wringing her hands together. “I’m scared. There’re a lot of people out there.” Her eyes look up at me, pulling at my heartstrings. “What if I trip?”
“You won’t.” I smile, kneeling down to her level. “And if you do, no one will remember it because they’ll just be thinking how cute you are.” I stand up, whirling my finger around. “Want to practice your steps? I’m nervous too. You’ll be helping me out.”
She nods quickly, and before long, there we are, practicing her performance as she giggles. I watch her in awe because there’s no pressure. No expectations. It’s just for fun. That and her love of dance. And I’m envious.
After I help ease Carter’s nerves—or maybe she helps me with mine—her instructor comes to get her and the other adorable ballerinas, and shortly after, the other performances begin. I poke my head out the side curtain every so often, ensuring no one sees me. But remain out back until it’s our turn.
I’m getting slightly concerned where my dance partner is. Heading toward my bag, I begin to search for my phone.
“Wow, you look beautiful,” Hunter’s voice says behind me, and when I turn, I find him in a pale blue dress shirt and slacks. His hair is its usual tousled mess, and he looks delicious. And when he pulls me in for a hug, he smells equally as good.
I set my bag back down with a smile so big that it hurts my cheeks. “Thanks. You look nice too.”
Giving me a boyish grin when he pulls back, he holds out his hand. In his palm is a beautiful corsage made up of the most stunning flowers. “I know this isn’t the prom, but since you never got to go to one, I figured this would be the next closest thing.” Taking my wrist in his fingers, he slides the corsage on. “One dance tonight isn’t going to be enough, Little Bird.” Sliding his hand up my neck, he smiles. “Dance with me now? Because to be honest, I’m really fucking nervous to go out there on that stage. And the only thing that could possibly calm me down right now is you.”
“Perfect” by Ed Sheeran plays in the background from one of the performances, making its way to the back of the stage. I wrap my arms around his neck, and his hands fall to my waist. We rock slowly, and my face actually hurts from smiling so hard.
A thousand times, I’ve danced. But this dance…it’s my favorite.
The craziest part is, no one is even watching, and that somehow makes it even better.
I rest my cheek on his chest and breathe him in. Never wanting the song to end. I’ve had relationships in my life, but nothing has ever been so sacred. And I’ve never loved another human being this much.
When the song ends and we hear applause, we know we’re next up to take the stage.
Looking up at him, I kiss his cheek and give him a small grin. “We’ve got this. And remember, it’s for charity, right?”
“Right.” He nods. “But if I trip, you have to too.”
“Deal.” I giggle. “Same to you.”
“You know it. If you go down, I do too.”
Seconds later, our names are announced, and we walk onto the stage, hand in hand. And when the music begins, I know I’m about to put on the performance of my life.
Because with the love I have for Hunter now, there’s no way the crowd can’t see it.
Hunter
As our song comes closer to the end, I’m thankful as fuck that Sutton literally built this routine to make me not look like an idiot. Because in doing so, she stole the whole damn show.
I’m basically here to lift her when she needs lifting and for her to dance around while I throw in a few moves to not look like a dead animal in the center of the stage.
The moment comes for her to leap into my arms, and I catch her with ease, spinning slowly until I gradually bring her down, running my hand from her neck upward until I’m cupping her face. But unlike her usual smile that greets me, she’s stifling a cough. And when a small wheeze escapes her lips just as the curtain closes, I pick her up again, running toward where I know her bag is with her inhalers in it.
Her wheezing becomes worse and more audible as she struggles to catch her breath. I grab her two inhalers, and she points to the rescue one. I hold it up to her lips, pushing my thumb down on it to release some medicine into her lungs. I have no fucking idea how much is too much or too little. I wish I had taken the time to learn more about what to do in these situations.
Her wheezing continues, even after more medicine. I can see the sheer panic in her eyes, and I notice her lips quickly turning blue.
I pull her phone from her bag and dial 911. And seconds later, when someone answers the phone, I fail when I’m trying my best not to fucking panic.
“I need an ambulance. My girlfriend has asthma, and she’s having an asthma attack.” I look down at her, tears forming in my eyes as people start to gather around, trying to help.
And after what seems like the fifth question from the lady on the other end, I break down.
“Just fucking send someone here! We’re at Nickerson Auditorium, and she doesn’t have time for you to ask me more fucking questions!” I growl, seeing the life leaving her slowly. “She is starting to lose consciousness!”
