AN: a bit steamy at the latter part.

Nicole

The paparazzi swarmed around us as we stepped out of the theater and into the cool night. Blinding lights flashed, and a million questions shouted our way in loud and rapid succession as we descended the steps.

"Cornelia, who is this young lady?"

"Are you two friends?"

"How long have you known each other?"

"Why did you invite her on stage?"

"Should we expect a collab?"

"We're friends," she spoke into a mic that was shoved in her face. "Her name is Rebecca Abbott Nicole Dē, and she's someone I admire and wish would be my dance partner. It'd be an honor."

My mouth fell open in shock. More questions were shouted. More flashing camera lights. But what she'd just said gripped me so hard I was rendered immobile for a second. I replayed her words over and over, wondering if she meant them.

Or was it just for show?

After Cornelia had had enough questions answered for the night, she clutched my hand, and we maneuvered our way out of the crowded paparazzi.

For a minute, they followed us as we made our way to the parking lot, still screaming questions, their cameras snapping unapologetically away. When they saw a renowned ballerina make an appearance, they thankfully abandoned us and flocked to her.

I looked at Cornelia, trying to get my throat muscles to work. I wanted to ask if she meant what she'd said, but I was afraid I'd come across as too desperate.

I wanted to thank her for making me dance under the spotlight with her. It was such a priceless gift, and I would forever be grateful, but I didn't even know how to express the depth of my gratitude.

"Rebecca, please stop looking at me like that." She scrunched her face in disdain. "As flattered as I am, you're not my type. I'm straight and madly in love with a certain idiotic boy. Sorry."

I rolled my eyes so hard they could've fallen out, but I still smiled at her sass.

"It's funny though," she went on, "the way my brother is so overprotective of me. He thinks I'm always trying to sneak out to have a rendezvous with boys or something."

"You just said you're in love," I pointed out. "Don't you meet with him? Maybe that's what your brother is worried about."

She snorted. "Well, he doesn't have to worry about that. The boy I love is way out of my league and doesn't even notice me."

Despite her efforts not to, she did sound miserable.

"Why and how doesn't he notice you?" I furrowed my brows. "Is he a celebrity? One of your friends from dance?"

She smiled. "Why'd you think only a fellow celebrity would be out of my league?"

"Because you're... everything."

Her eyes shone with surprise. Then they darkened with sadness once again.

"He's already in a relationship." She cleared her throat when her voice cracked. "And she's..." Her deep blue eyes, Travis's eyes, stared at me. It was eerily intense, so focused and sharp my skin crawled. Cornelia whispered, "She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

"Cornelia."

Saying her name startled her, and she blinked immediately, snapping out of her stupor. Her face flushed terribly.

"Why did I even tell you all about my pathetic love life? Ew. Ewww. Disgusting."

I paused in the middle of the parking lot, and automatically, she halted too, looking at me with a mixture of curiosity and irritation.

This beautiful, talented girl was struggling with daddy issues, afraid of her home breaking apart, and yearning for a boy she could never have.

Cornelia could act all tough on the exterior, but inside, she was just a worried little girl. I knew because she was just like me.

Without warning, I pulled her into a hug, wrapping my arms tightly around her resisting body.

"Ew, I'm going to puke! Get your slimy paws off me!"
Chuckling, I pulled her even closer, and seconds later, she was chuckling along, hugging me right back.

"Thank you for tonight," I whispered into her hair. She smelled like her brother. "You have no idea how much it meant to me."

She pulled back, twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "Actually, I know. You see, when my brother asked me to practice with you, I didn't want to do it, trust me.

"Oh." I scoffed with accusation, narrowing my eyes. "I was right! I knew you didn't like me."

"And there were reasons," she added as if I hadn't spoken at all. "One of them was... I couldn't dance anymore."

My brows shot up in surprise as I gasped.

"Don't tell anyone, okay? No one knows."

I nodded quickly. "Of course. I won't."

She inhaled deeply and sighed. "Yeah, thanks. So I was a bit intimidated, you know? Embarrassed. What would I be able to teach when I couldn't find my own way anymore?"

"I see."

"But I was wrong. Giving you—us—a chance was the best thing I've ever done. Working with you from the basics reignited me, and then, I was back in my element again. I was dreaming of new routines and moves and tapping back into my old self. It was amazing."

There was a beat of silence. The wind whipped our hair gently. She lifted reverent eyes at me.

"So I wanted to give back to you," she said softly. "I couldn't watch you lose your fire when you'd reignited mine. You don't deserve for your hard work to go down the drain, Rebecca. You're a good person. You make my brother so happy. And you're able to put up with me."

"Cornelia..." Her name was a choked whisper in the wind.

She inhaled a very deep breath and exhaled shakily, her defenses falling away. "What I said to the paps, I meant it. Every word. It'd be a great honor to get to work by your side."

I was stunned into silence. Her eyes were wide and hopeful, eagerly awaiting a response from me, but I had no words to express this... this elation bubbling within me.

My silence made her plunge on. "There's this music video I'm supposed to star in, and I want you to dance with me. I have choreographed the dance, and I know you'll be able to pick it up easily. I can let Mabel, my mom's lawyer, find you an agent so we draw a contract or whatever crap we're supposed to do. I just need you by my side, because you're the only one who inspires me to—ouch!"

"Oh God, Cornelia." I cut her rambling off by pulling her into another hug, fierce and tight. "Thank you. Thank you so much. This means everything to me. You're offering me everything. Of course, I'd be happy to work with you."

She heaved a sigh of relief, relaxing against me. "I'm glad. It'll be, like, totally cool working with you." She pulled back, looked past my shoulder, and smiled. "Now, I'm going to get in my car over there and drive away with Leslie, okay? It seems your boyfriend is waiting for you."

I shouldn't have been surprised that she had a car. Of course, she did. I also found it cute that Leslie was here for her. But I had no time to comment on either case as I followed her line of direction and saw Travis leaning casually against his car, arms crossed, watching us.

Cornelia hurried away, and I couldn't even take my eyes off her brother to say goodbye to her.

This boy. This beautiful boy had believed in me since the very beginning. Even when he didn't know me.
He'd assured me his sister would help when I was losing hope in finding a choreographer to train me.

He'd given a stranger the chance to enter his home, meet his family, and travel with them.

He'd given me a great chance by believing in me.
If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't be here. This evening wouldn't have happened. Meeting him had changed my life in so many uncountable ways.

What did he see in me that others didn't?

His eyes were soft, fixed on me. Only me. His lips stretched into a soft smile. He pushed away from his car as I ran to him, feet pounding against the ground, my ponytail swishing back and forth against my back, hair rushing against my face.

My heart was beating wildly. Adrenaline surged through me. He was everything. He was the best. The most understanding. Most supportive. The sweetest. He was everything I could ever ask for.

He caught me easily as I jumped into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. I sank my fingers in his thick hair and kissed him urgently, almost feverishly, letting my emotions pour out through the action. He kissed back, deep and unrestrained, his hands racing desperately over my body.

We pulled apart, gasping. His eyes closed as he leaned his forehead against mine. Our breaths were fast and hard, our chests heaving.

"Blue Fire."

My eyes squeezed shut, fingers tightening in his hair.

"Did you like our first date?"

My poor heart.

My poor heart wouldn't be still. It staggered in the most excruciatingly beautiful way possible. So beautiful it had a tender pain to it. I kissed his cheeks, the tip of his nose, his lips, and his forehead, wanting to commit every feel of him to memory. 

"I loved it," I whispered. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

For everything, but I didn't say that part aloud. For believing in me. For helping me. For trying to look beneath the mask to see me.

Yet he still heard.

His hand softly brushed my cheek, cupping my face. "Anything for you. Anything." He sucked in a breath. "You were magnificent. You are magnificent."

"Travis—" My chest felt too full. My emotions were too wild yet so tender at the same time. I couldn't remember feeling this happy. Ever. "Cornelia wants to dance with me. As partners." I tried to breathe." She s-said-"

"Congrats." He kissed my temple. "I'm so proud of you."

"Travis."

"Mm?"

"Did you know about this?" When he gave me a questioning look, I explained, "That Cornelia wanted me to be her dance partner?"

He shook his head. "Actually, no. I didn't even know she'd pull you on stage with her. My plan was to make you see dance was worth it. That's why I brought you to watch your favorite dancer. I had no hand in the other events."

"Wow." I exhaled shakily. Cornelia had also believed in me. It was too much to even wrap my head around. "This was the best date."

He laughed softly. "I'm glad, but I hope next week's date will be able to match up to this standard."

"Next week?" I croaked.

"Yeah. Now, don't look so shocked. We're going to go on a lot of dates. Right now? We're going home."

***

Travis shut his door and turned the lock before Huxley could enter his room. The dog let out a howl of betrayal that made me giggle.

They had started getting along not long ago, and this was how Travis was treating him already? His highness would go right back to hating him in no time.

He looked at me with an amused smile, walking towards me. "I love it so much when you laugh." He slid his arm around my waist, pulling me closer. "You seldom laugh."

I fought to regulate my breathing, trying not to shiver from the sudden tension pulsing between us. And failed terribly. "That's a big fat lie."

"It's the truth."

I held my breath as his hands slid slowly under my shirt, fingers grazing my bare skin. He tugged it up and off.

"Wow," he laughed breathlessly, eyes scanning my exposed torso. "You wore a bra."

I punched him lightly on the chest, cheeks turning pink. "Shut up. My boobs aren't that tiny, okay?"

"Sure."

I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to obscure the lacy blue bra from his amused gaze. "I know I'm small, and it's usually—"

My next words went unsaid as he wrapped his hand around my neck and pulled me forward, crushing his lips against mine.

My knees buckled as I struggled to catch my breath. His lips moved against mine with an urgency that had me gasping. So. Much. Desire. A fierce wanting. A passion so consuming it threatened to send me in flames.

My shaky hands clutched the front of his hoodie, trying to stay upright as he tipped my head back, intensifying the already intense kiss.

His hand glided from my neck to my hair, gently tugging on it. I felt dizzy, floating. His touch, his smell, his taste. Everything felt too good and so addicting.

He pulled back to look at me, blue eyes bright with unadulterated admiration. "You're perfect," he murmured against my lips. Then my bra flicked open with just a single movement of his wrist.

Within minutes, I was naked and writhing under him on the bed while he took his sweet time torturing me. Just feather-light touches. Over my breasts, down my stomach, the curve of my thighs. Slow touches that sent tingles of fire everywhere. The lights were on, exposing every inch of me to his intense blue eyes.

My eyes squeezed shut, heart racing in a crazy rhythm. Every single touch ignited such hunger in me it was so painful I wanted to cry. I wanted to roll us over and kiss his brains out, but he was doing his favorite thing: being in control. He had me pinned so securely I could do nothing but take what he was giving, but I wanted more.

"Travis."

"Don't rush me, Blue. You know once I start," he whispered in my ear, "there's no stopping."

Then I was on my stomach.

I clenched my teeth, my legs shaking as his hands moved over my back. His thumb lazily traced a spot back and forth. Back and forth. I stiffened.

My scar.

Then his lips were on it, kissing it.

What happened to you?

Sucking.

Tell me.

I felt his tongue.

How did you get this mark?

My entire body began trembling. My back muscles clenched and unclenched with each kiss, each slow lick, each suck.

Without using words, he was still prying. Getting me to talk. Wanting to get inside my head. I gripped the sheets, burying my face into the pillows to muffle my whimpers.

"I'll tell you," I choked out, unable to handle the exquisite torture anymore. "Later, I promise. Travis. Please."

Like I weighed nothing, I was turned onto my back again. I forgot to breathe when his lips met mine, kissing me with a desperation that turned my bones to water. My breaths came in harsh pants. He traced my jaw with his lips, against my throat, my chest, my stomach, downwards, until he was in between my legs.

Like a bow, my back arched. I let out a shaky cry, fisting the sheets so tightly my fingers could've snapped. He was destroying me, driving me completely out of my mind. Every touch. Every sound he made. And I welcomed the insanity, because this was the best way to lose your mind.

And by the time he was naked and inside me, I was a mess of spiraling emotions, gasping for air, fighting to not drown in my suddenly larger-than-life feelings.

Too vulnerable. Too open. I was so willing to give, to surrender every inch to him. I was so very exposed.

He watched me so closely as he moved, and my heart thudded, wondering if he'd been able to figure out the feelings on my face. The feelings I couldn't hold back no matter how hard I tried. I wondered what he saw in my watery eyes. What he made of my trembling lips.

I think he saw. Because his brows drew together. His hand came to my cheek, softly brushing his knuckles against it, wiping a tear, before he cradled my face.

For the first time, I think, he said my other name.

"Nicole."

And when I shattered, I wondered if he heard my tiny little plea.

"Please, please don't break me."

***

I hope you enjoyed reading this :)

Do vote and leave a comment if you liked it. <3