Rum and Coke

“Alright, alright,” Mia Michaels said, trying to quiet the laughing group. It didn’t help too much since she, too, was laughing at the last performance. “Jason, you can sit down,” she add
ressed to the dancer. “Next up, we have Ellie and Colin, performing the AIDS piece.”

“No, boo, I don’t want to cry anymore!” Ryan shouted from his chair. “Ellie, do that Othello ballet.”

Ellie looked at Colin. “You remember it?”

Colin scoffed. “Like I could forget it! It was only my favorite performance!” he grinned at her.

“Okay, Hannah, as much as this is going to suck, can I borrow your Pointe shoes?” Ellie asked.

Hannah consented and passed over the pink silk shoes. Ellie whispered in her ear before taking the shoes.

“Wait, Ellie, are you sure?” Adam asked, concerned for her physical health.
“I’ll be fine, Daddy. You worry too much,” Ellie said as she quickly slipped them on and tied them. She went on Pointe a few times to get re-accustomed to the feel. When she was ready, she grabbed Colin’s hand and took her place onstage. She looked to where her audience currently was- on the stage- and then looked to where she was used to them being- in the auditorium. “Well, this is awkward,” she laughed. “Okay, Colin and I are going to do the extremely condensed Othello and Desdemona only version of this, complete with commentary.” After she said that, she skipped over to stage right, before going right back over to stage left. Everyone laughed at her confusion. “this is too weird!” she exclaimed before finding her spot. Laughing, Colin took his place behind her.

“And, Go!” Ryan shouted.

As soon as the words left Ryan’s lips, Colin and Ellie pecked each other on the lips and “walked down the aisle.” When they got center stage, Colin stopped, forcing Ellie to pitch back slightly.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go off to war now.”

“What?” Ellie asked. “We haven’t even consummated the marriage yet, and you’re leaving me?!”

Colin looked her up and down. “Yes, well, goodbye.” This earned several laughs,

“Wait!” Ellie shouted, lunging forward and grabbing him by the shoulders. “Just wait,” she said while wrapping her arms around his shoulders and draping her left leg over his hip.

“I have to go, woman!” he said before walking away, dragging Ellie along since she was on his back.

Ellie leapt off of him and did a few spins to get in front of him. “Wait,” she said, while using her body to entice him.

Colin, mesmerized, slid one arm around her waist and brushed his other hand over her face, then down her neck, and over her collar bone. When she did not resist, he stepped back and down, dragging her with him, as he kneeled. His hand resumed its adventure, going in between the valley of her breasts as she draped herself over the arm around her waist. Colin leaned in, about to kiss, but then suddenly dropped her.

“Seductress, tempt me no more,” he said while standing and walking over her.
Instead of reaching out to grab him, Ellie just folded her legs under her and huffed. “so much for being married.” Out of character, she stood up. “One year later,” she said as she waved her arms about in an untimely fashion.

“You! Wench!” Colin shouted as he stormed back on stage. “You fucked Casio, didn’t you?!”

“What?! No!” Ellie exclaimed, shuffling back.

“I will not have a slut as a wife!” Colin said, raising his hands and “choking” Ellie.

“Wh-what?” Ellie gasped as she died.

“You fucking dumb-ass, she wasn’t a whore! God! Check the facts!” Hannah jumped up and yelled on cue. Ellie quickly gave her a thumbs up before resuming her death position.

“What? Amelia, is this true? Fuck, I’m a dumb-ass.” Colin said as he looked over at Ellie. He took out his dagger. “Damn, this shit is fucked up,” he said before plunging the dagger in his stomach.

Once he hit the ground, he and Ellie immediately jumped up and sang: “Do that funky Moor thing, white boy,” before taking their bows as laughter erupted from the audience.

“I-I don’t get it,” Jimmy whispered really loudly.

“It’s easier to understand when they actually do the full two hour ballet and don’t add their own words,” Hannah laughed. “Hey, I’m Hannah. My mom is a big fan of you guys,” she said, smiling.

“Okay! Since I had to die,” Ellie paused to think about it, “for the, um, umpteenth time, I’m choosing. And I choose Jacob to do the Prop Dance.” Ellie smiled.

Jacob groaned and got up.

“Feel free to add your own lines. Oh, and you’re doing the making of the dance,” Ellie smirked.

“God, I hate you, woman!” Jacob said with a smile.

Ellie only smiled back. “aand, Go!”

Brian’s eyes had solely been trained on Ellie the entire time that he was at the theatre house. He didn’t think that he had seen her this comfortable for the entire time that he’s known her. This is her home- this is where she’s meant to be, Brian thought dismally to himself. How did I ever think she would come back to California with me?

“She’s a great girl, isn’t she?” Adam asked from beside him. It startled Brian.

“Yea, she’s amazing,” Brian replied, his eyes still trained on his daughter. A thought suddenly coming to mind, he turned to face the other man. “If it’s not too much to ask, can I ask how they died?”

“Ellie didn’t tell you?”

“Ellie and I haven’t really talked since I found her throwing glass bottles at the wall.”

“That’s Ellie for you. Can’t receive bad news without making a scene. I heard it was epic.”

Brian shrugged. “You’d have to ask Ryan, he was the one who kicked us out of the room.”

Adam nodded. “As for your question, it was basically a car crash.”

“Basically? What is that supposed to mean?”

Adam sighed and looked at his calloused hands. “Jared went to the theatre to pick Kale up since he was working late. When they got back in the car, they were hit head on.”

“Oh, well, at least you got the guy, right?”

“No, because she died.” Adam cast a quick glance at his daughter. He instantly noticed her shaking hands. “H-how long as Ellie’s hands been shaking?”

“About a week, why?”

“Oh, nothing,” Adam replied distractedly. “And Ryan? Has he gone to see his guardians yet?”

Brian narrowed his eyes. “Why does it matter? They are not your children.”

Adam was unfazed. “I promised Ryan’s mom that I would look after him. As for Ellie, I stepped up to act as her father when you never showed up. Those two are my children, blood be damned.” There was no hint of anger in his voice.

Brian, perplexed, could only nod. “Okay,” he replied softly before turning his gaze back to Ellie.

“Listen, I don’t want to fight. Yes, Ellie is technically yours, but I’m not willing to give her up. So, can we get along, for her sake?”

Brian nodded and looked back at Adam. “If our roles were swapped, I would feel the same way. So, truce?” he asked, holding out his hand.

“Truce.” Adam said, accepting. “so, how exactly is this going to work? We live on opposite coasts.”

“I’m thinking about moving out here.”

“Really? What about your family?”

“My ex-wife left me and my son hates me. I highly doubt my dog even wants to see me right now- if she’s still alive, that is. She’s really old.”

Adam nodded. “Same here. Except, only my oldest hates me so much that he moved to China. I haven’t heard from him in two years.”

“Nice one,” Brian commented, bumping fists with Adam.

“You guys should come back to the house with us. I’m sure Ellie would like that.”

“Yea? You sure?”

“Positive. I want to know the people my daughter can’t shut up about.” Seeing the look of hurt on Brian’s face, Adam quickly added: “your daughter- our daughter. Nah, that sounds too weird.”

“Ellie?” Brian questioned.

“Yea, Ellie.”

Both men nodded in agreement before training their gaze back on the girl in question.