Echoes and foot slides echoed from the warehouse just outside of Domain districts. Groans and yells following promptly. A group of youngsters twisted and turned to the upbeat music, sweat trickling down their skin.
At the far back, right corner, Sean moved with as much guile. In a wife beater and khakis, his muscles rippled as he moved in rhythm to the beat. His dirty blonde wet and mushed from sweat and movement.
“Hiyaaa!” They called out in unison, striking poses just as the music came to an abrupt halt.
“Alright! Ladies! We are getting somewhere!” Mateo, dark skinned and the apparent leader of the group called out to an obvious mix of men and women. The group scattered heading towards their various possessions. Groups cling together and make small talk except for Sean.
He retreats to the corner, his bag tucked neatly under a plastic chair. Panting heavily, he shakes his head and reaches for a bottle of water, uncapping it and gulping it all at once.
“You should take the lead.” Mateo says when he’s close enough. Sean eyes him but says nothing, hazel eyes darting from the man to his bag pack. Mateo laughs at his friend.
“Still a man of few words. It’s been a year Sean. You need to let it go and move on.”
Sean continues to ignore him and then stands and begins to walk off.
“Hey,” Mateo calls, “practice isn’t over yet!”
“I’m done.” Sean replies. Eyes follow him out, some filled with hearts and the others outright annoyed.
The sun is beginning to set by the time Sean climbs the stairs to his one room apartment in Domain district. Chopped paintings and graffiti walls the signature of the Machala Trench, famous for crime and unfortunate victims.
A single picture frame stands on the three legged table by the door, the box TV too old to work. Sean doesn’t seem to care as he turns it on anyway and heads straight for the mini fridge where he pulls out a protein bar and a frozen burrito.
He bites into the protein bar, chewing as he sets the burrito in the microwave when a loud knock comes through. He pauses, his eyes narrowing into slits at the door. Walking towards the door, he grabs a bat from a shelf.
“Who?” He calls
“Sean? It’s Maddie.”
He breathes a sigh of relief and throws the bat to the floor. He throws the door open to his friend and wordlessly turns around allowing her to come in on her own.
“I got a call from Newton. You have an audition.” Maddie begins after she shuts the door.
“I know.”
Silence rings for a second…
“You know? And you didn’t think to tell me?!” Maddie yells
“Not important.” Sean says monotonously, taking out his cooked burrito and placing it on a plate.
Maddie stares wide mouth; her eyes almost leaving the sockets!
“Are you (blip) kidding me?!” She cries out. Sean still seems unshaken and continues with the task of unwrapping his dinner.
Maddie charges towards him and rips out the substance from his hands just as he brought it to his mouth, “That has been our number one dream. Your number one dream! What has come over you? This is Newton! The one and only.”
“And like I said, I know. I just don’t care. Can I eat in peace?”
He was calm. Too calm. Maddie stares him with as much fire as she can muster.
“Is this about Allen?”
The subtle, almost invisible tremor doesn’t go unnoticed when she catches him flicking his thumb, a habit he has when he’s either nervous or furious. She could tell it was the latter.
“Don’t speak about Allen. Do not bring him into this.” His voice takes a hard edge and Maddie unconsciously takes a step back. But then she recollects herself and takes two steps forward, shiny black Bob-styled hair bouncing with her movements.
“I think it’s time you stop this. What happened to Allen-“
“Don’t! Just shut up! You don’t say it’s not my fault because it most definitely was.”
Maddie opens her mouth to speak but he cuts her off,
“If I had just listened and not gone out to that stupid party. If I wasn’t drunk off my ass, if I would have not started that stupid argument while he was driving in a storm by the way, he’d still be here. My friend would still be alive. You and Allen would have gotten married and maybe had a kid on the (blip) way!”
Red eyes stared into tear streaked ones. Sean was panting from his yelling and Maddie was crying because it was the truth and she knew it. Maybe Allen would still be alive hadn’t it been for that unfortunate night. Maybe she would have really mothered his child. But this was the present and the past had happened, she just needed Sean to see that.
With tentative steps, she walked around the small counter in the miniature kitchen and hugged him from behind.
“Maddie…please…” his voice broke
“I know this is really hard for you. Losing him and taking all the blame. It’s not your fault.”
“How…how can you say that? You’re supposed to hate me. I killed your fiancé. The only man you’ve loved.”
“Stop!” Her arms tightened around his midsection, “you didn’t kill him…”
“Yes I did…”
“You both just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time-“ her body trembles violently as new tears spill.
“Maddie.”
“You need to stop. Allen is gone. Giving up on your dreams is doing an injustice to you and him. That was his dream too Sean. And I very well know that he’d want you to pursue this. He’d want you to dance. Because he loves you. We love you…”
Sean went silent. His head hung low all the while Maddie held on tight to him. With a shuddering breath, he released a solemn whisper,
“Okay.”
Mateo had just finished a routine and turned for a water break when the sight of Sean sent him to a halt. He never comes in unless it’s practice.
“What’s up?”
“I - ugh- we got an audition at Newton.”
Mateo’s eyes bulged, “The actual (blip)! You’re not kidding right?”
“Nope. I was hoping you, I and the crew could work up something? First tests is in two months”.
“Don’t worry that golden brain of yours. I got ya covered.”
The arena was charged with excitement and a super loud audience. A large open spaced auditorium with a center stage lighted up. Teams and individuals climbed the stage one after the other, some leaving with the promise of being accepted into the world best dance academy through a ten over ten score and others ripped to shreds.
“And for the final act, Bailar!”
The uproar was deafening as the crowd cheered. Sean and his group mounted the stage in their positions. Maddie stayed with bated breath in the crowd as she watched them move to the call and rhythm of Micheal Jackson’s They Don’t Care About Us.
When the act ended, the whole auditorium was deathly silent, a pin drop could be heard. But moments after they erupted in cheers and a standing ovation, leaving the judges floored and Sean in ecstasy. Maddie rushed on stage and was received with open arms by Sean after they were announced as special finalists.
