A Different Beat

As Damien walked off the stage to thunderous applause Margo felt like she was going to throw her lunch all over the stage due to her nerves. Ashton’s mean streak had only gotten worse through the week, and although the whole team was feeling it, she knew she was the center of the storm. Damien saw her trembling and walked over, hugging her tightly.

“You’re going to be fine Margo.” He promised.

“He hates me Damien, he hates me and he’s going to kick me off.” Damien pulled back, holding her face in his hands.

“No, he’s not, just do exactly what I said, okay? You’ll be fine.” She nodded, biting her lower lip. “You’re going to be fantastic.” She nodded, her hands still shaking as her name was called. He kissed her temple softly giving her a tight squeeze before gently nudging her in the direction of the stage. She took a deep breath, walking out as Damien watched her.

His age had brought him a lot of knowledge, and he knew the eyes of a jealous man when he saw them. Ashton hated their friendship, thinking it was more than it was, and was taking out on the team. So Damien had concocted a wicked scheme, he just hoped that it worked as he watched Her stand in the spotlight, her hair curled softly as her white dress fluttered with her movements. And as the music started Damien had to admit, if he was in Ashton’s place, he would probably be jealous too.

Margo took in a deep breath, letting her eyes move right to Ashton’s hazel ones, wiping out the rest of the arena and looking at nothing but him. His face seemed to soften the slightest bit as she listened to the piano, finally letting her voice carry over the stage to serenade him.

“Heart beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave?
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?
But watching you stand alone,
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow.
One step closer

I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more”

Ashton felt all his jealousy and contempt melt away at the soft notes falling from Margo’s perfect lips as she stared right at him. Her dark eyes took him out of that place, making him believe it was just the two of them, dancing somewhere with nothing but the other. He wanted nothing more than to go up there and hold her in his arms as she kept singing, her voice wrapping around him like a blanket on a cold day.

“Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour has come to this
One step closer

I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more”

Margo knew that her cheeks were bright red, and her heart was fluttering wildly in her chest at the loving look in Ashton’s eyes. She hadn’t believed Damien when he said Ashton’s sudden terrible mood was caused by jealousy over her. But as she looked into his perfect eyes, she wanted to believe it. She wanted Ashton to be in love with her, to fall for her like she’d fallen for him that first moment their eyes had met. She found her feet moving on their own as she stepped closer to him, not even paying attention to the stage, or the techies waving for her to move back, because all she saw were those eyes.

“And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
One step closer
One step closer

I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me-”

As that one note left her lips her foot caught the lip of the stage, causing her to trip and start falling forward. She felt her heart stop as she saw the fast approaching concrete floor, knowing she’d have a broken nose at best, but a pair of hands quickly caught her. She opened her eyes to see those same hazel ones as Ashton held her in his arms. Her cheeks were bright red as she murmured the last words of the song, just loudly enough that the mike caught her.

“I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more”

He set her feet back on the ground to thunderous applause, more for his catch then her song, before he gripped her tightly. She hugged him back, loving the feeling of his strong arms around her. But finally a loud cough from Calum broke them apart. They both shot back, their faces flushed as the reality of where they were came back.

“Well, nice catch mate.” Luke said, chuckling. The audience laughed with him as Ashton rubbed his neck awkwardly.

“We planned it?” He tried, but the knowing look he got from his bandmates made him know they didn’t believe a word of it. He then turned back to Margo, nodding. “Good work. I’ll see you for the eliminations.” He then stuck out his hand, not missing the look of disappointment on her face. But their moment was gone, and he knew that she would already receive plenty of rumors about them sleeping together.

“Thanks.” She muttered, shaking his hand. “And um, thanks for catching me.”

“Can’t have my contestants breaking their necks.” He said simply. She sighed, her head hanging just a little lower as she made her way backstage and Ashton sat back down. As soon as they went to commercial Calum leaned over, one eyebrow raised suspiciously.

“What the hell was that?” He asked simply. Ashton sighed, his jaw tensing.

“Professionalism.”