Glitter

There is an exhaustion that you feel after dance practice that can is incomparable. A large part of you is satisfied, happy that you’ve finally mastered the routine you’ve been trying at for weeks. The smaller, louder part is just happy that you’re done.

I was already halfway to the apartment that night when I saw the shape that sat by the door. Two minutes it took me to realize who it was, two more minutes to get myself together before Alex looked up to see me. His eyes were blood shot and cheeks blotched with red.

It looked as if he’d been crying.

I stopped immediately, not knowing whether I wanted to continue or walk away.

Suddenly, spending the night over at the dance studio – heating or no heating – looked so much more attractive.

Anything was better than staying here when Alex was spending the night with Nora - the streets, a cave, a damned space ship.

He must have sensed my hesitation because in one smooth movement, he had gotten to his feet and closed the distance between us. I took an involuntary step back when the wave of alcohol saturated air hit me.

“She broke up with me.” He was sniffling.

I blinked. She? Nora?

“What?” I wasn’t just asking to be sure. For some reason, I needed to hear him say it again – just to make it real. I shouldn’t have felt so happy but I did.

“Nora broke the fuck up with me.” Alex stumbled forward and wrapped his arms around me. I stood frozen; sweaty, confused, elated and guilty.

It was only after I felt the wet seeping through the shoulder of my shirt that I realized he was crying.

“Alex?” Dropping the bags in my hands, I reached up and tried to push him away. He wouldn’t let go.

He shook his head onto my shoulder and his arms around me tightened.

“She says that I’m cheating on her. How the fuck can I be cheating on her, Dianna? I fucking love her!”

I tried not to cringe at the confession.

“What are you doing here, Alex?”

He pulled away and looked down at me. It seemed impossible that one could feel so much for another person but I did. At that very moment, staring into bloodshot brown eyes, a crazed murderer could have walked up to me and hacked me to pieces and I wouldn’t have given a shit. All I cared for were those eyes, and the person they belonged to.

His hand moved up from my side and settled on my face. Then, ever so slowly, he moved closer until his lips were inches away from mine.

I think I stopped breathing.

“I wanted t...” and he trailed off.

His eyes moved down my face, to where his other hand was – my waist, and then back up to meet mine.

It would be so easy to just stand on my toes and kiss him. So, so easy.

All I had to do was move just that little bit closer and...

“Alex?”

And just like that, the moment was over. Alex took a step back, and his eyes snapped up. I turned only to conform what I had already known.

Nora stood a few feet away, her blue eyes wide and filled with tears. She looked furious. Her gaze jumped from Alex’s to mine, then back again.

“I knew it...” she hissed.

Alex’s mouth opened then closed. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the girl. You didn’t need to be a genius to figure out that any notion that he may have caused Nora pain tore him apart.

Nora’s fists clenched by her side and with one final look at me, she turned on her heel and ran. I looked at Alex, not wanting to even think about what he’d do next.

The anguish in his eyes made the pain in my chest pound even harder.

Turning away from me, Alex shook his head and ran after her.