Page 79 of Tendu: Dancing in the Castle

Will walked back toward the changing rooms as we heard Michelle start her speech on stage.

“I bet she’s being really boring,” I said. “She might put people to sleep. Which could be a good thing.”

We were almost there now. The sexySarabande. On stage. In front of all these people. How could this be real? Why was I doing this to myself? What had I been thinking? I wanted to run, to be as far away as possible from the theatre, but looked down at my body instead, clothed as it was in what was basically black underwear. Big well-covering underwear, but still. Underwear. In front of everyone. In front of my mother.

“Malphia, look at me.” Aleks placed his hands on either side of my face. “Is you and me, here in this moment.”

“Just us?”

“Yes. This.” He kissed my forehead. “Is time for us to dance together now.”

We walked onto the stage and did just that. I looked at just him. I just worked through the familiar choreography to the best of my ability as I always did. Yet, he was different. I experienced a sort of thrill through him. It was rather a heady and delightful feeling, but not mine. We finished to riotous applause which made me jump in shock, though I should have expected clapping.

A man in the front row of the audience shouted, “Way to go, Phi!”

“You have a big fan here,” said Aleks, through a stage smile. “Should I be worried?”

He held my hand as I performed a deep curtsey. “We should all be worried,” I told him quietly. “Especially if he’s going to keep shouting like that.”

We joined Will back in the wings, the lovely safe wings, where he was peeking through the side curtains. “Is that him? The guy who shouted. Is that the prick?”

“He can be a prick,” I said. “That’s Edward.”

“This,” said Aleks, indicating the smart suited man through the curtain, “is the Edward you have told me of? He is nothing like I imagine.”

“He’s a solicitor,” I told them. “Specialises in theatrical contracts, that sort of thing. Will, can you nip out and tell him to shut up?”

“I don’t wanna speak to him.”

“Look, it’s hard to know how Justin will react. He may be overjoyed, or he may fall apart.”

Will appeared befuddled.

“He’s Justin’s boyfriend,” I explained. “Sort of. Sometimes.”

“Oh,” Will said and laughed. “Bevan’s going out with a lawyer?”

“Yes,” I said, becoming increasingly annoyed with Will.

Simone ran past to do her solo, all white and frilly in a tutu.

“It’ll be your choreography he messes up if he’s upset,” I pointed out, and Will’s face changed.

“But what do I say?” he asked. “‘Hi, I’ve never met you before, but could you shut your gob?’”

I thought a moment. “Say: Amalphia asks if you could be quiet as Justin needs to focus on his performance and not your philandering presence.”

“I can’t say that.”

“Miss out the philandering bit then.”

Will was successful in mission. Not a peep was heard from Edward for the rest of the show, not even after the murderous piece which, judging by the audience reaction, was the favourite.

I teared up when I saw Justin in the sparkly purple suit he was wearing to introduce the song. “You’re just stunning,” I told him.

“I know,” he replied, looking a bit teary himself.

Will and Ruaridh made excellent murdered men, and all the girls hugged backstage at the end. The song had passed by quickly and had actually felt fun.

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