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You said that you would die for me, you must live for me too

~Emily’s POV~
The first few songs of the ball were dedicated to various groups I wasn’t a part of. Josie joined our table after the dean and his date left to dance and didn’t sit down again.

I was particularly fascinated by the way tuxedo coat tails twirled with the music when some of the most esteemed guests danced near our table. I’d learned to dance in high school but watching some of the couples doing salsa moves and waltzing had intimidated me into staying glued to my table.

Andy was nowhere in sight and he wasn’t texting me. I started to give up on the idea that he was even there, it was just wishful thinking and a lot of coincidences that I wanted to fathom into reality.

I focused my attention on watching Wolverine drum and Iron Man sing to keep myself from checking my phone.

“Hi!” A tiny chipper voice said as a lady with a pixie style haircut and a purple empire ball gown stood next to our table. “I’m Ashley’s girlfriend, Lauren.” She said to me.

Josie flashed me a smirk.

I shook her hand. “Lauren!” I stood up and hugged her as though I knew her. “I’ve heard so many good things about you.” I said. “Join us?” I sat down and motioned a hand toward the dean’s chair.

Josie pushed a glass of Hennessy toward her.

She took a brief sip and stuck her tongue out. “Ugh that’s horrible!” She laughed.

I smiled. “It’s a table 5 rite of passage.” I nodded, feeling as though someone were watching me.

I turned my head to look at the dance floor and noticed the dean grinning in our direction.

Lauren ended up being as awesome as Josie and the three of us wasted more than an hour talking about school, our dresses, the decorations and entertainment of the night, and finally our boyfriends. Or in my case, Andy. I couldn’t stop talking about him, he was the only thing on my mind all night and I wanted him to be there, more than anything.

Josie and Lauren had both left the table at various times to dance, but nobody had asked me. I sat at the table looking at my phone on my lap with this odd feeling that I wasn’t alone.

Jake returned to the table and I introduced him to Lauren. “I see you’ve met the dean.” He pointed toward her barely touched glass of cognac.

“I invited her to join us.” I nodded proudly.

“Join us.” Josie repeated. “Is that an inside joke?”

“Speaking of.” Jake looked at me with a half grin. “Have you told her about the drummers?”

I looked at Josie. “Yeah, what was that all about?” I looked over at Wolverine and back at Josie.

“Every year people try to sneak into the ball.” She said proudly. “Mr. Ferguson doesn’t hire an official band. He gives invites to a few select musicians and somehow an entire band ends up arriving.” She giggled.

“This year he didn’t pick a drummer.” Jake said. “I had no idea who that guy was.” He looked at Wolverine.

“If you can talk the talk, you’re pretty much in.” Josie said. “He acted like he owned the place from the minute he drove up and handed his keys to the valet, Tyler.” She shook her head. “When I asked him for his invite he flashed his drumsticks and said he and Andy were in the band and that Ashley was expecting them.”

Jake laughed. “He mentioned Ashley, that was more info than any of the other guys knew.”

Lauren smiled as though she knew the story.

“When we were at the door and you said Andy’s name I nodded to the dean and Josie. I was like, that’s our drummer, let him in.” Jake said.


~Andy’s POV~
My second hiding spot of the evening was much more successful because I was hidden from view behind the black curtain next to the tables at the edge of the dance floor. Nobody walked past me, and as long as I didn’t make any loud noises it was like I wasn’t there. I could see people dancing and I could hear almost everything Emily said. I’d had enough time to drink a few strong drinks and was feeling less nervous but I still feared her reaction to seeing me in person.

She was sitting alone at her table, texting me as I stood alone, trying to keep calm.

When I saw two people dressed in all black body suits hoist themselves into two silver hoops suspended from the ceiling I knew the aerial acrobatics performance was about to begin. That was my cue. I walked along the black curtains next to the waterfall, and ducked in behind the piano next to the band.

The band finished their song. The applause and chatter of the room dulled down to a low hush. I sat at a piano alone with my thoughts whirring, knowing she’d be watching me soon.

“You got this bruh.” CC said quietly, his voice and the hushed waterfall were the only sounds in the room.

I took a deep breath, my shaky exhale hitting the microphone and filling the ball room.

My fingers tapped the cold white piano keys, playing the first few notes of the song I’d written, Done For You.

“The best things in life.” I sang deeply, looking up at the crowd. I saw the gold dress of Belle from Beauty and the Beast, she smiled at me encouragingly. I looked at everyone standing and watching me, time pausing as I saw everything but Emily’s mask. “Come with a price.” I kept singing.

When I sang the words, “The star that burns so bright, faded the fastest” the two aerial performers twirled slowly down long bright red strands of silk in unison. Two band members followed my lead on the piano with an acoustic guitar and a violin, CC joined on drums. Ashley hummed "Welcome home tonight" with me.

The song was my apology for everything I’d put her through, for the time she waited for me when I was with Olivia, for every time I told her she was wrong when she said I shouldn’t be with Ollie, for the moment I knew my heart belonged only to Emily and I tried to run away. I thought of all of these things as I sang.

When I finished singing the words, “It’s all done for you” the last time, I spotted Emily’s chrome butterfly mask and looked away quickly, playing the last few notes. I’d finished the song, pushed the piano bench back and picked the microphone up, passing it to Ashley. The crowd applauded.

“Good job buddy.” CC beamed, twirling his drumsticks in the air as the band started playing Emily’s favorite song. I stepped off of the stage and the crowd parted as I walked toward Emily.

A bright white spotlight followed me across the dance floor toward her. Couples had resumed pairing up and dancing again.

I’d kept my eyes on the floor. Everything was going the way I wanted it to, and I felt completely numb. I knew I’d look into her eyes soon; I’d finally be able to hold her in my arms. Time began to slow down.

The spotlight shone on the spikes at the bottom edges of her stilettos.

I looked at the flowing red fabric cascading from the side of her dress.

I noticed the tiny black beads hanging down over the red garniture of her dress.

I reached my hand forward and graced my fingers over the soft red silk on her waist. My other hand reached up to grab her hand in mine formally.

She placed both of her gloved hands on my shoulder instead, leaning close to me. For a moment her hands squeezed the fabric of my jacket and let it go again.

I set my other hand on her waist.

Couples twirled all around us to the music.

Like time, we stood completely still with the bright white spotlight shining on us.

I took a deep, unsteady breath and looked into her eyes.

“Andy.” She said almost inaudibly.

“Emily.” I replied.

I gazed into her eyes. My entire body was frozen in place, I couldn’t think or move. I felt my heart pumping the blood into my veins, the veins pulsating the blood through my limbs to my fingertips, I took her hands in mine and felt the heat of her hands in mine, the pulse of her fingertips against mine.

All I could think to say was, “I love you.” I felt complete.

I watched tears begin to well up in her eyes and noticed her eyeliner had faded as though she’d already been crying. She looked back and forth from my left eye to my right, her mouth open slightly as though she questioned if I was really there.

She reached up and set a hand on the back of my neck, her other hand sliding up my neck to the back of my mask. She slid my mask off and smiled. “Andy.” She whispered again. "I love you too."

I lowered my head to kiss her, placing my hands gently on the top of her jawline and softly caressing toward her chin as I leaned closer.

“Is this really happening?” She said quietly, our lips nearly touching as she spoke.

The feeling of nearly kissing her made me bite my lip and move back slightly out of shyness.

I smiled, pulling the string at the back of her mask and holding it in my hand. “You know, if I’d have known you wanted to be Batman, I would’ve given you my mask.” I shrugged. “Just saying.”

She laughed, her face breaking into a huge smile with a tear spilling out of the corner of her eye and trailing down her face.

I kissed her tear away and looked into her eyes. “I never want you to cry again.” I said quietly.

She kissed me softly, pressing her lips against my bottom lip, my lip ring pressing into the corner of her mouth. I slid my hands back down to her waist and pulled her body close to mine.

We stood embracing, and kissing, breathing unsteadily and gripping each other tightly.

Time stood still.

Notes

Chapter 32's title is from Cat and Mouse by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
~
*After Andy plays Done For You on piano, the next song the band plays is meant to be your favorite song.

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