Page 5 of Unrecognizable Player

I smile and nod, running my finger along the rim of the drink I still haven’t touched.

Achilles.None of the nicknames Dorian and his friends have tried out for me have ever stuck. They’re always surface-level and based on me having long hair and Greek heritage.

Eve leans on the table. “And hey, don’t be cross at him, okay? It’s our fault he missed your performance, we dragged him out. You know he has no willpower.”

I shake my head, not trusting myself to speak when my throat feels so tight. I’m about to tell her that Dorian already told me he didn’t come to my performance because my parents were going to be there when she stops me in my tracks with one simple line.

“He really loves you, you know.”

Every scrap of fight in me disappears. I look up from the drink and meet Eve’s gaze and nod. “I know.”

So when Dorian comes staggering out of the bathroom, still zipping up his pants, a wave of affection washes over me, and I go to collect him and take him home.

We step out of the bar, my arm firmly around his waist so he doesn’t fall as we walk to the station. Still, he nearly knocks us both over under a streetlamp, stumbling to a stop and putting his sweaty hands on my face.

"Do you forgive me Steffy?"

I sigh. “Yes. Now can you please walk?”

“See, that’s what I love about you.” He takes a few wobbly steps backward as he talks. I grab him by the jacket before he steps into the road.

“You’re so… understanding.” He says.

“What does that mean?”

I catch the slightest of eye rolls as he pats his jacket down and choose to ignore it. He runs his hand through his hair, gesturing vaguely.

“I mean, you have to understand, to the untrained ear, the violin, well, it’s just a lot of… screeching, isn’t it?”

“’Screeching?’”

“Don’t be mad, baby.” He takes another wobbly step closer and puts a hand in the vicinity of my face before stepping back again and finding what he was looking for.

He pulls out a pack of cigarettes,

“I thought you quit smoking?”

“Jesus H Christ, Stef, is there anything else you want to get your panties in a twist about tonight? You’ll have about a million other performances before the year’s out, I’ll come see one of those.”

The mention of a ‘million other performances’ makes my throat contract and I see spots in front of my eyes. My words tumbling out before I have a chance to stuff them back in.

“So you can listen to my screeching violin? Don’t bother.”

“Oh, come on Steffy. I just said you were understanding.”

“No, don’t.” I bat his searching hand away. The smell of smoke filling the air.

“Hey, everything alright here?” I’d been so caught up in this stupid row that I’d forgotten we were in public. My face flushes as I turn to find two huge guys coming towards us.

“Everything’s fine.” Dorian says.

One of the guys – the one who looks most like a Marvel character, with short, dark hair and broad shoulders - cocks his head and gives me a questioning look.

“You sure about that?” He asks.

My throat gets suddenly dry.

“Hey man, mind your own business.” Dorian takes a step towards Marvel man and his friend stops him with one hand on Dorian’s chest. His reflexes are a lot faster than Dorian’s, especially when he’s stone cold sober and Dorian’s drunk.

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