Hi dear all ... so here comes chapter 34 of "Fire and Ice", the last chapter before the epilogue and the end of this story. Sorry for the delay, had little time lately!

What is on this chapter it's something I had decided already when I was planning the story at the beginning, it was something that I felt right for it and for the protagonist... Hope you'll like it, so please let me know and comment, vote etc... love you all for the support you always show to me, you're amazing!

I am almost sad this story is over, I will miss Travis and Alexi.

On the right, a fantastic banner made by azer90 xox

The title of the chapter refers also to the song I chose and to...you'll see it :-)

Dedicated to all of you, a big thanks to Purva194 for going back and voting again and again this story, thanks sweety! and then to Klovis for her lovely messages and dedicated in particular to KathleenaMiller :-)

Enjoy xox

TRAVIS POV

I barely listened to the teacher explaining something about, hell if I knew what he was talking about. Oh yeah, he mentioned something having to do with derivates and integrals. Whatever, my cousin had already told me everything about that and hell, I had quite a lot in my mind right now and I was sort of hyperventilating and couldn’t almost stay and sit still.

I crossed my legs over and over and mentally reviewed all the steps, leaps and moves of the ballet; the music was playing in my head softly and my feet tapped the leg of the desk, my head reviewing every single particular. A shiver of excitement and subtle fear travelled my spine and amplified through all my body, making me shudder and shake my head.

Today was Thursday and Saturday was the big day.

Hell, just thinking about it made me want to jump and start dancing around the class, but I suppose the teacher wouldn’t appreciate that very much.

Yeah, the big day.

The first night of the ballet, the first time ever playing such an important and central role and dancing at the MET. The night where I would turn into Puck and trick all the other dancers and make them have a weird dream, for then waking up all in love and happy.

I swallowed hard and clenched my fists, feeling my skin going cold for the sudden tension and nervous. Fuck. I shouldn’t be nervous; I knew that, because Natalia and the other teacher trained me to perfection, but would I be really perfect and dazzling as Alexi said? Would I keep up the expectations that people had in me and maybe exceed them?

Hell, I damn hoped so.

A hand reached my knee and gave me a tender and reassuring squeeze. It was from Alexi, my love. I turned my head on the side and my eyes met his sweet and damn breath-taking smile. He winked and then his hand softly travelled up and took mine. All the tension and fear evaporated when his fingers locked my fingers in a firm and protective grip.

“Baby, relax and don’t stress out, don’t let your mind have stupid doubts and questions. You’ll be perfect, dazzling...well, even more. You’ll be Travis Henderson over there and people will literally fall under your spell.” He murmured quietly, his icy-blue eyes shining with love and pride.

This was the other class he changed in order to be with me; even if it was only two classes we had together, it was still fantastic to sit beside him.

I bit my lip to repress the instinct of jumping him right there and kiss him senseless. Alexi knew how to calm me down anytime I was nervous or having doubts; any time I felt tired or uncertain, he would be there and reassure me, telling me to not worry about it, because he knew without any fucking doubt that I’d be simply amazing. What would I do without my Alexi? It’s true I had my mum supporting and cheering me in everything, she was incredible and gave me so much energy and love that I’d lost without her. But Alexi was different. Mum and Natalia were there and helped me, kicked my ass and made sure my steps would be perfect. But again, Alexi was something completely different. It was normal to feel nervous and insecure, even for someone like me; everyone was nervous at his or her prima. And this wasn’t even a proper prima for me, because I wasn’t the first dancer and but it was in some other sense. Alexi sensed every time my doubts or tension threatened to have a strong grip and would make it dissolve instantly. He would reassure me and make me feel once more the king of the world. No, the hell, the king of the universe. Alexi was beyond words and I wouldn’t be simply lost without him, I’d be completely damned.

I returned the smile and tightened the grip, staring intently at his fucking gorgeous eyes. I loved them, so clear they were almost transparent, so confident, so piercing and assertive. I could stare at them for hours. Hell, I really wanted to spend my entire life with him.

“Thank you Alexi, it’s just that I am afraid of missing something or doing some major fucked up error and then Natalia would kill me.” I cringed at the idea and shivered. She would really have my head, no fucking kidding.

He chuckled and softly stroked my cheek with our connected hands.

“I’m sure she’d do that, she seems the type.” He shook his head and smirked on one side of his wonderful mouth. Hell, just looking at his full and inviting lips I felt suddenly burning in want. “You won’t do any mistake, Travis. I know that, so relax.” He tilted slightly his head and his smirked darkened. “Baby, don’t tempt me in class, where I cannot just slam you down and take you senseless…” He almost growled. And I almost moaned hearing that.

I smirked back and played for a couple of second with my piercing, with the intent to provoke him even more. His eyes smoldered in lust and his fingers caged mine possessively. Hell, why couldn’t we be alone right now?

“Travis, you won’t escape me later.”

“I’m not planning on escaping you, baby.” I purred back.

We exchanged another heated glance and then went back to listen to class. I felt suddenly in my usual confident and cocky self, every doubt thrown to hell. The moment we went back listening, the teacher turned around and scanned the class, resting then his eyes on us.

“Mr. Lebedev would you like to solve this integral?” He proposed, probably thinking of catching my sexy beast unprepared.

Asshole, as if; you could dream of that. He didn’t like Alexi and his attitude, he thought my perfect boyfriend was a typical and dangerous brainless jock, and that only because he was the hockey star and because he had a damn perfect muscular body. Moron. My love was an amazing and wonderful person, not a stupid and brainless jock. Alexi wasn’t dangerous or anything; he would never hit someone without a valid reason. I scoffed at the teacher and Alexi simply shrugged and casted one of his best glacial glares.

“No problem, sir.” Alexi smirked and walked to the black board, and I kept my eyes glued to him and his ass. What a view he was.

I caught the girls in the class staring at him shamelessly and heard some of them sighing. Hell, an annoyed and jealous growl formed in my throat, but I let it go. Whatever, I knew Alexi was only and completely mine, so I turned my attention to him and smiled seeing him solving the math quest without a care and problem, having the teacher visibly rotting in annoyance. Asshole.

“Anything else, sir?” Alexi asked, eyeing him from above, given he was taller.

“No, that was good, Mr. Lebedev.” He answered, almost hissing.

Ah, my man was fantastic in every-fucking-thing.

At lunch Jasper fired me with trillions of questions about the ballet, he was probably more excited than I was. Ok, no, that would be too much, but he sure was.

“Boy Travis, I can’t wait to see you dancing.” He cheered, sipping his juice and smiling super sweetly and cute. “Uhm, also Nic is coming.”

“Really?” I asked. I liked his brother.

“Yep, uhm, I think all of us will be there.” Jas giggled at my expression of surprise.

I turned my look around and saw my friends all smirking like conspiratorial idiots. Hell, I loved them all.

“That’s true, man. We’ll be all there for you.” Hayden said. “Also Diane is coming.”

“I had no doubt about that.” I joked, knowing he wouldn’t go anywhere without her. “Thank you guys, you’re all fantastic.”

“Dude, we wouldn’t miss it for anything.” Derek grinned and playfully punched my shoulder. As you guessed, I had already given up time ago to his “dude”; I was at a point where I actually liked it.

“That’s true, Travis. I’m actually curios to see you dancing, Sasha always says you’re incredible and you’re gifted, not even talented…gifted.” River winked and smirked at his friend, who rolled his eyes and simply wrapped his strong arm around me.

“Right there, mate. Sasha wouldn’t shut up a moment about how hot and sexy you look when you dance. Ouch.” I think Alexi kicked Dima’ shin under the table.

“Ha ha ha…very funny, Dima. I think it’s you who never shuts up, mate. Isn’t that right? Who almost got us detention today?” Alexi objected slightly annoyed. I chuckled, because I remembered what he told me before.

“Not my fault if biology is the most boring subject ever. Man, can’t even concentrate. Plus, it’s true. When you told us about Travis’s ballet, you basically threatened us to be there. As if any of us wouldn’t anyway go and see his sexy ass dancing around.” He was clearly trying to annoying his friend and he sort of succeed, given how Alexi glared at him like a menacing beast. “Chill, I was joking.”

“Travis IS amazing, he’s simply the best; you’ll see, because you won’t be able to tear your eyes away from him and you’ll finally shut up.” He groaned and scooped me closer.

I completely melted in his embrace and rested my head on his chest, snuggling closer. Hearing Alexi’s words had me lost in my personal wonderland and I didn’t hear anything else more aside his voice.

SATURDAY EVENING AT the MET (Metropolitan Opera House of New York)

I was pacing around the dressing room like a tiger in a cage and I didn’t hear anymore my heart beating and my breathing. I think they both reached crazy and inhuman level of speed and depth. I glanced at the mirror and saw myself dressed as Puck. I smirked seeing the small horns place on my heads and the makeup, which made me look even more wicked and mischievous. The makeup artist did a helluva job here and I really resembled a magic and fairy creature; he said my white hair gave the perfect touch and didn’t need to cover them or use a wig.

Hell, that was fantastic.

I paced more and then sighed loudly.

“Travis honey, will you please calm down?” Said mum, looking at me with amused expression and shaking her head. “I’m so proud of you, love. You will dance perfectly, isn’t that right Natalia?”

“Of course he will, otherwise I’ll kick his sorry butt.” She snorted, flicking back a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “And, you don’t want to mess it up today of all days, right Travis?”

“What do you mean?” I fired back, stopping at once my pacing and studying her smirking green eyes. Hell, she didn’t tell me something on purpose and I knew it must be something big.

“Recruiters and talent-scouting from prestigious dance schools and academies are here tonight, also from your beloved Julliard. I spotted someone also from the Royal Ballet School of London.”

“What the hell?” I narrowed my eyes and felt my blood leaving suddenly my body.

“Yes, so you better don’t screw it up, Travis.” She was evil sometimes, I swear. More than evil, she was a sadist.

I groaned and sat down, making sure to not mess my makeup or outfit. Hell, if you could call an outfit what I had on myself.

“Oh baby, don’t worry. You love to dance and it’s your life, along with Alex. This is an important chance for you and we all know you’ll be at your best. You always are.” Cheered my mum, coming over and placing a soft kiss on my cheek. “They will all love you and they’ll beg to have you in their schools.” Yeah, you can guess from whom I inherited my self-confidence.

A knock on the door distracted me from my thoughts and when the door opened, everything magically disappeared and couldn’t give anymore a damn about anything.

Alexi was there, standing fucking hot and mouth-watering, outrageously gorgeous in his black suit with a tempting smirk on his strong face. Fuck, I wished I could jump him and have him screwing me out of mind. Travis, bad dog, bad dog. You can’t have a hard-on right now, that would be helluva uncomfortable to dance with.

“Travis, how are you?” He casually asked, closing the door behind him.

“He’s nervous and pacing around like a tiger.” Natalia answered for me and walked towards him. “Hello Aleksandr, I’ll leave him to you. I am sure you’ll know how to calm him.”

“Hello Natalia, thanks.” He and Natalia got to know each other a bit better during these past two months, because Alexi came over to see practice when he was free.

Oh, did I mention the fact his team won again this year the interscholastic championship? Hell, they did and I was there when it happened and that was last Saturday. It was fantastic and I couldn’t stand still the entire match, cheering and shouting like a madman, along with Jasper and Derek. Alexi will become one of the best ever hockey player, he’ll make history. I’m telling you. Hell, he’ll crush every opponent and bring his team to victory for sure, because he was a natural born leader and captain and I saw how he always knew how to direct the game, push or control his teammates and how they would follow his words no matter what. He’ll be fantastic.

“Travis, I’ll be there watching you. Love you, honey.” Mum squeezed my hands and her smile was like honey for me.

“Thank you mum, see you later then?”

“You bet.” She winked and followed Natalia. “Alex, see you later.”

“My father is there with Julie, Michelle.”

Mum and Natalia left the room and I flew towards my love.

“Baby, you look mind-blowing right now.” He took a step back and scanned every particular of me, his eyes hungrily and lustily travelling my body. I felt a strong jolt of desire electrocuting my body. “God, Travis. You’ll daze and put everyone out there in a trance. How do you feel?”

“Now I feel great.” I wasn’t kidding and saying something for the sake of it. It was the truth, the moment he entered the room, any tension and fear magically disappeared. “With you here now, I feel fantastic.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” He murmured, leaning down while having my hands in his warm and reassuring grip. “I’d love to kiss you, but I don’t want to mess up the makeup.”

I smirked and licked his lips slowly and wickedly. He growled and then met my tongue with his midway, letting them play and peck each other playfully.

“Hmm, later love. Later you’ll be all mine.” He pulled back. “When do you need to go?”

“In a couple of minutes.” I felt my voice grow slightly nervous at the thought of the imminent reality. I was really going to be there in front of thousands of people dancing and performing as Puck in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” of Shakespeare. Hell, it was damn real and not a dream.

“Baby, look at me.” Alexi demanded with firm and controlled voice. I looked up and met his shining eyes. “Travis, you have no reason to feel nervous. You’re simply perfect and if you’ll feel again nervous, just think that it’s only me out there and nobody else. Do you understand?”

I nodded and took a deep breath. Alexi was right, he always was.

“You’re right, babe. I’ll be dancing only for you tonight.”

We both walked out and before parting ways, he stopped me and whispered in my ear.

“I love you, Travis. I love you like crazy.”

I felt something burning in my veins and in my body. My love for him and the adrenaline for the coming performance. Yeah, tonight I’d dance only for my Alexi.

“I love you, too, Alexi.”

Our eyes locked for a sweet and intense moment and then he walked back to his seat, where all our friends were, along with my mum and Alexi’s family.

I joined the rest of the cast and they welcomed me with a tense smile; they all were nervous and bewildered at the same time.

The time came and the music began. We all took our places. My heart began to run and beat faster than ever, threatening to force its way out of my rib cage. My breathing grew harder and deeper. I felt the tension and adrenaline in the air, it was thick and palpable. I heard the murmur of the public, the light steps of my colleagues, and the swish of the costumes, the music increasing and the light darkening.

The curtain had been pulled up and the stage been exposed to the public.

My heart beat faster, but then I remembered Alexi’s words. Yes, I’ll be dancing only for him.

When it came the time for me to step on the stage, everything disappeared; my heart and breath suddenly evened down and went normal, something inside me took possess of my body and emotion. It was the determination and love I had for dancing. I wanted to dance, I wanted to dazzle and I wanted to trick all the public into a midsummer night’s dream and then wake them all up happy at the end.

I stepped and the music followed my steps and leaps.

ALEKSANDR POV

Travis looked like some ethereal and wicked creature from another world, from some fairy tale; only, you couldn’t compare him to a fairy or fey or elf. Travis was a creature of his own, a beautiful, enchanting and wicked being that would capture your heart and soul with just a quick glance. He was impossible to describe. Tonight I had no enough words to express how incredible he looked and how he effected me.

I already saw him dancing and training for this performance, but tonight he looked different.

His ink black eyes were shining with a bewildered and determinate fire that it was impossible to tear away my gaze from them; they were burning with determination and excitement and I knew everyone would fall under his spell.

When I saw him before, in the dressing room, I felt everything around me stopping and shutting up completely.

The makeup artist made an incredible job giving him a more wicked expression and air, underlining his natural tempting and cat-like attitude and his gorgeous face. He didn’t wear much and that was something else that stopped my breath. Travis had only super tight and silver-greenish pants, the one dancers use, and was almost half-naked; a simple strand of material of the same color with green leaves cascaded on one side of his chest, exposing his perfect muscles, abdominals, marble-like skin painted with a glittery paint, and his pierced nipple.

Travis looked as if he belonged with another world; he was more than simply gorgeous. And that look in his eyes…I knew he would be astonishing and perfect.

I sat down between River and Jasper, who was overly excited to see Travis. He asked how he was feeling and if he was nervous or anything, so I just reassured him; they were so close that you could tell Jasper was actually being nervous in place of Travis. Actually all my friends were eager and thrilled, because they never saw him. Jas did, so he had already an idea and that’s why I think he was so overjoyed. Derek and Dima asked so many questions about stuff I had no idea that at the end I snapped out. They just laughed and shook their heads; they knew my temper. Nichole explained them those things and after a minute, their brains were out of order, so they sat back and just shut up. I’m glad Diane was there with Hayden, so she kept him quiet and completely lost in her world.

“I didn’t have the chance to ask Jasper about that, but what role is performing Travis?” Nicholas asked, sitting right beside River. I knew they had something going on and he had told me few things; they actually matched very well together.

“He will be Puck.” I just said, quickly glancing at him and then returning my attention to the stage. River chuckled and I felt his fingers brushing my short hair.

“I honestly cannot wait for the performance to begin, he really must be amazing.” He murmured to me.

“You have no idea, River. He is way beyond amazing.” Nic heard me and he smiled.

“I heard that from Jasper.”

They announced the beginning and all the people immediately quieted down at once, making even a soft murmur sound loud. The music started and my heart followed the rhythm with a faster pace. The curtain went up and some dancers entered the stage and began to dance following the notes, very gracefully and interpreting the parts as actors. They were supposed to be butterflies and fairies.

And then …

Then it was Travis’s time.

He tapped on the stage with wicked and sensual grace of a feline and his eyes were shining of a magic and tricky light, focused and concentrated, playfully smirking at the public and moving around more elegant and gracious than anyone else there. So precise and sinuous he was. He leaped in the air with what seemed a split and his muscles flexed powerfully, for then landing on purpose on his four and smirking again wicked and alluring to us all. Then he made few pirouettes in at a sensual and inviting swiftness.

I was already under his spell and believe me, all of us were.

Travis joined a ballerina and they danced for few steps together, my eyes following him everywhere, my heart following his moves and expressions and beating at insanely crazy speed. He lifted her in the air and danced around keeping her with just one arm. Then gracefully set her back and playfully bowed, for then pirouetting and jumping around the stage looking indeed like a sprite.

God, Travis was indeed dazzling and stunning.

More dancers moved in and he disappeared, the music changed and so did the performance, but when he appeared again, I felt my breath stopping and my heart going senseless.

“Travis is, boy, I have no words to describe him.” Jasper whispered to himself.

My love perfectly and completely performed Puck, personifying the clever and mischievous sprite and trickster. His facial and body mimic was enchanting, it made you feel part of the play and anytime his hands and arms were stretched towards the public, you could feel the pull, you could feel him pulling you up with them and simply follow him as he wished. His steps were precise and explosive, but so elegant and light that sometimes I thought he was flying and not touching the ground. God, he was perfect; my love was born to be a dancer.

I peeked at my friends and they all had their eyes glued to the stage, in a complete trance. Michelle, Mrs. Henderson, was completely concentrated and had such a proud and overly happy expression on her face that it could melt anyone around her.

River brushed my arm and softly smiled at me.

“You were right; he’s gifted, not simply talented.” He murmured, returning immediately his attention to the ballet.

Yes, my Travis was gifted.

The last scene belonged to him. After releasing everyone from the spell and cleaning up the mess the sprite created, he let everyone go to their ways happy and in love; he moved from one side to other with ethereal grace and called around him all the other fairies, saluting everyone and saluting the public, almost asking forgiveness for the problem he caused. But was he really asking for forgiveness or simply playing again with us with his wicked and alluring smirk? You couldn’t tell, his expression was too tricky and spell-bounding to understand. What was sure was that everyone would forgive him everything and anything.

The music softly rolled off and then curtain went down. After a moment, they went back and the dancers came back, receiving the deserved acclamation and rounds of clapping. When it came Travis’s turn, the whole opera roared and I wasn’t exaggerating. He was a new dancer, he bewitched the entire audience and dazzled all of them, and now they were clapping his incredible gift and talent.

I wished I could fly over there and take him in my arms, and kiss him senseless for hours. My heart was still going crazy and insane, adrenaline and excitement flooding my veins and body and pulsing wildly in me.

Our eyes met for a couple of seconds and we exchanged a meaningful and full of love and bewildered look. I smiled and mouthed “I love you”, and he smiled the most gorgeous and breath-taking smile ever. 

TRAVIS POV

Everyone did congratulate me and came to shake my hands, and complimented; the entire crew and cast jumped around me and hugged me tight.

“Henderson, you have been extraordinary out there.” Cheered one of the other teachers that trained us.

“It’s true, Travis you were incredible. Oh my God, so, so…incredible.” One of the girls performing a fairy jumped on me and threw her arms on my neck.

“Thank you, Elisa.” I hugged her back and then put her down. “You’ve been amazing yourself.”

Natalia ran to me and threw herself on me, hell, literally. Good thing she was light and skinny.

“Hell, Natalia, are you planning to kill me?” I joked.

“OH MY GOD, Travis!! I’m so proud of you, you have been amazing and perfect. You didn’t mess a thing out there, you bewitched the audience. Did you hear the clapping? It was all for you.”

“Thank you..” I didn’t know pretty much what to say, I was still overly excited from the performance and the rush the adrenaline gave me, so I wasn’t connecting properly my brain.

All I knew was that I wanted to see my boyfriend; I wanted and needed to see Alexi and hear what he thought of the ballet.

We were all still overly hyper and excited and people from the staff and cast kept complimenting and coming over. Natalia took me away, because she knew I couldn’t wait to see mum, my friends and more than anyone else, Alexi. Someone stopped in front of us, a man in his late forty, dressed elegantly with black suit and a polite smile.

“Excuse me, are you Travis Henderson?” The man asked, with a strong British accent.

“Yes, it’s me.” He stretched his hand and I did the same; we shook hands and he smiled wider.

“Your performance had been brilliant and absolutely perfect, Travis. You have an incredible talent and I can see how you easily combine grace and power, modern and classic.”

“Thank you…” I wasn’t sure who this person was and why he was saying that to me.

“I’m William Niven, Sir William Niven and I represent the Royal Ballet School in London and after seeing your performance I would like to issue a proposal, Travis.”

My head began to spin and the air stuck in my throat without going up or down. Did I just hear well? He was representing the Royal Ballet School of London, one of the best school ever and one of the most famous and prestigious; he came and talked to me and complimented me. Hell, he said he had a proposal.

Wait. What did he mean with that? I mean … no … that couldn’t be, right?

“Sir Niven, what do you mean?” I whispered, barely hearing my own voice and feeling Natalia’s fingers gripping my arm stronger.

The man smiled and began to explain what he meant.

ALEKSANDR POV

Travis and I met right at his dressing room and our eyes locked together for a long moment. We took a step toward each other at the same moment and melted in a scorching hug, letting them our lips and tongues met. We lost ourselves in a long and hot kiss, drinking from one another and fusing our souls and mouths; I pressed him impossibly close to me and he blended totally in me, locking his fingers in my hair and pulling further to him. We broke the kiss when we heard someone clearing his throat. It was dad, glancing at us with a bear-like smirk and shaking his head amused.

I let go of Travis reluctantly, knowing also the others couldn’t wait to hug him.

Our friends and his mother went around him and told him how incredible and mesmerizing he had been, how they all felt like being actually part of the performance. His mother was out of mind for the joy and Jasper jumped at his neck and hugged him tightly; Travis hugged him back and they cuddled a bit together.

Then our eyes met again and I saw something in there. I didn’t understand what that was, but I knew something happened. They were overly wide and almost confused.

In a step, I was in front of him and my arms secured him in a possessive and loving hug.

“Baby, you have been beyond words. I don’t know how to express it, Travis. You were magic up there, you were perfect and you did it again: you dazed all of us.” I murmured in his ear, my hands firm around him.

He buried himself in my embrace and hugged me hard and tight.

“Thank you, Alexi. I couldn’t wait to see you and touch you and hear what you thought of the performance.” I looked up and he stared at me intense and burning. “Did you really like it?”

“Travis, like doesn’t even remotely cover it. I loved it, I … Travis, I don’t know how to say it. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from you, when you weren’t there I felt lost and I couldn’t wait to have you back dancing.”

He smiled, but I saw tension and confusion in his smile.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” I asked softly, not wanting anyone else to hear. Travis kept his eyes on mine and bit his lip nervous. He shook his head.

“Not here, Alexi. I need to tell you something, but not here.” He whispered back.

“Is everything ok? You’re worrying me.” I was really beginning to worry right now.

“I guess everything is ok, I just don’t want to tell you this now, with everyone here with us.”

“I understand, we’ll talk once we’ll be back home. Ok baby?” He nodded and slipped his hands on my neck, letting then his fingers ran in my hair. He smirked and pulled me down, our lips brushing.

“I love you, Alexi. You know what? Tonight I danced only for you.” Travis pulled me closer and smashed his lips on mine, slipping his tongue in my mouth immediately. I groaned and gripped his hips harder, slamming his body on mine and letting my tongue possess avid and wild his mouth. He softly moaned and pressed me closer.

It was late, it was past one in the morning, but neither of us could sleep. I stayed over Travis’s place tonight, because he didn’t want to let me go and he needed to talk to me.

I laid back on his bed and let my back rest on a pillow against the head of the bed and Travis had his head on my chest, his white hair tickling my chin. With his fingers, he was drawing lines on my skin, sending every time pleasant and inviting shivers of pleasure. One of my hands was on his arm and the other brushing his thigh.

“Travis, what happened before?” I asked calmly.

He pulled back and sat right beside me, boring his burning and piercing black pearls on my eyes.

“I don’t know from where to start to explain, I mean, hell, I can’t even believe it..” I placed a hand on his cheek and brushed his lips with mine.

“Baby, just tell me simply what happened, you don’t need to explain everything.”

He nodded and then straddled me to better look at my face.

“Well, when I was about to return to the dressing room with Natalia after the performance, a man stopped us and asked me if I was Travis Henderson. He had a helluva strong British accent, kind of posh.” He chuckled and then shook his head. “We both stopped and told it was me and he said he liked my performance and style of dancing, that it was great how I can mix classic and modern, elegance and power and I thanked him. He introduced himself as Sir William Niven and said he represented the Royal Ballet School in London.”

Travis bit his lip and took a breath. I took as well one, because I think I knew what he was about to say and I needed a long breath. My hands went on his sides and strongly gripped them, pulling him closer; I felt I needed to do that.

“He, he… He said he was offering me a scholarship and a chance to join and enter that school, that they would gladly do an exception for me, because I am already nineteen and you know, students entering that school are younger, but he said he really would be delight to have me there, that the school would be lucky to have me… but it’s a three years school, Alexi. It’s in London. I mean, hell, London…is in Europe, I mean.. I couldn’t answer and he said to think about it and then let him know. Alexi…I don’t know…it’s too far, I don’t want to..”

He was clearly conflicted and confused. I understood him totally. They offered him an incredible chance, something he couldn’t let go or miss, something he had to grab and seize, but he was scared and confused, because he didn’t expect anything like that. And because the chance was in London. I knew that school, because I heard Nichole talking about it.

Travis was nervous and rested his head on my chest.

“What did your mum say?” I asked him, trying to keep my voice calm and steady, not sure I was very much succeeding in that.

I had to take a decision right now and it wasn’t a simple decision to take. It was a decision that would cost me a painful effort, a damn painful effort, but I had to do it.

“She doesn’t know it, yet. I wanted to tell you first, because I made a promise to always tell you things first.” He said, now looking up at me and sinking his fingers in the flesh of my sides.

“Baby, thank you for this.” I closed my eyes and pressed my lips on his forehead. I felt something grasping my throat and making it hard to swallow. I tried to, but I couldn’t do it. I took a deep breath. “What do you want to do?”

“I …I..don’t know, I mean, it’s amazing, because London is a fucking fantastic city and it would be incredible for modern dance and all of the influences you’ll have there and .. but it’s London, Alexi. Hell, it’s in another continent. I cannot do it, it’s too far, I don’t want to leave you and be that far…I mean, we want to live together..”

I closed again my eyes and gulped down what was crawling up my throat, the lump that was pressing hard and painfully. My hands went on his back and pressed him tight and close to me, possessive and strong. Travis was confused, because he didn’t want to go in such a far away city and be separated from me for at least three years. But that was the chance of his life, the chance to his dream. I swallowed down and took another deep breath.

Nothing will ever change between Travis and I. He didn’t need to fear that or to not live immediately with me. We will live together, not just now.

“Travis, look at me.” I softly pushed him back and our eyes met. I cupped his face in my hands and smiled with all the love I had for him. “Travis, you have to go, you cannot miss such a chance.”

“What?” He breathed out. “Alexi, the school is in London, hell, I don’t even know how many miles are in between…it’s..” I stopped him pressing my lips on his and we desperately kissed for a long minute.

“Shh...love, listen to me. It’s your chance, the chance for your dream. The Royal Ballet School wants you and you have to go. Travis, look at me and listen. Nothing will ever change between us, nothing. I will always love you, baby, always. Don’t give up such an opportunity because you don’t want to leave me. Travis, you won’t leave me, we’ll just have some miles between us and that’s all.”

“Alexi…”

“Travis, if the same would happen to me, what would you say?”

His eyes widened and his breathing stopped for few second. His mouth opened and then closed. He exhaled and placed his hands on my face, pulling our foreheads together.

Travis understood what I had I meant.

“I would tell you the same. To go, because nothing will ever change between us, because I’d call you every day with Skype, I’d...”

“I’d come visit you every possible time, and spend the holidays with you and write you e-mails and letters and love you and wait for you until the day we can go and live together.” I continued, taking then his mouth in a fired and wild kiss, letting my beast side completely out and unleashed.

It was costing me a physical and emotional pain saying that to Travis, letting him go so far from me, but I would never forgive myself if I were to stop him and keep him here close, just for my selfishness. That would be wrong and egoistic. If you even thought for a split of a second that this was easy for me, you’re highly fucking mistaking; I loved Travis like crazy and I needed him like the air; this was tearing me, but I knew it was the right choice and decision. I had no doubt about our love and us. I knew we would always be together and love each other the way we did now. I had no doubt about that.

Travis as well understood what I meant and felt the same.

“Alexi…thank you..I-I will miss you so much.” His voice was broken, but I could see a shadow of a crazily happy smile on his face. “Alexi...God, I love you so much and I always will. It’s just as you said, nothing will ever change between us, I have no doubt about it, hell, I know it. There is only you for me.”

His lips found mine and when our tongue connected, I lifted myself up and pushed Travis down on his back, hovering over him and kissing him deeply and senseless. He moaned in my mouth and I growled wildly, feeling now lust, love and many other feelings rushing and pulsing in my blood.

Yes, it cost me much, but I was out of mind happy for my love.

My fingers locked in his hair and tucked them harsher, having him groan louder, wrapping his legs around my waist and grinding our now hard members together. My other hand ran down his side and seized his hip, slipping then on his perfectly round and to-die-for ass; my fingers folded it in want and possessive, while my tongue rubbed and twirled around his crazily. Travis sunk his nails in my back and I hissed for the pleasure, loving when he scratched me and grew aggressive and wild. I thrust my tongue deeper, feeling our hard-on stroking together. Shivers of feral pleasure travelled my body and I growled more.

“Alexi…ahh…” He moaned when I attacked his neck.

I pulled back a moment and stared intently at his gorgeous and dazzling eyes.

“So, London calling, Travis?”

“London calling, Alexi.” My love whispered back. “I wonder what mum and our friends will say about it.”

“Your mum will be happy; I think I might understand how she’ll feel about this. Our friends, well, they’ll find it as the perfect excuse to have a summer trip in Europe.” I was sure they would all want to visit Travis in London. He chuckled at the idea and then he his fingers pulled my head down.

“Alexi, I’m the luckiest and happiest person in the world and that’s because you’re my boyfriend. You’re everything for me, baby.” He murmured on my lips, softly taunting them with the tip of his tempting tongue.

“You stole my words, Travis.”

Our mouths reconnected immediately, like our heated bodies, and we lost ourselves in crazy, wild and full of love pleasure, making love the entire night.

TRAVIS POV:      LONDON, EARLY JULY.

We hopped off that crazy red bus and began to laugh like lunatics. Alexi was literally shaking with laughter and I loved to hear it, because it was powerful and full, it completely wrapped my ears and senses and I couldn’t help or contain my laughing.

“Hell, those guys were completely nuts.” I said, still snickering.

“I know and their accent was about to crack me. Shit, it’s even worse when it’s Scottish.” He shook his head and then laced his hand with mine. “Baby, where do you want to go now? How about some crazy shops? Bet you’ll find something you like there and in what you’ll look dangerously tempting.” Alexi winked.

“Hmm, like the idea. I’d love to look dangerously tempting for you.” I brushed my hair away from the forehead. London was the paradise of rock and punk shopping; I swear it. I found already so many incredible stuff, that mum might consider getting another closet.

“You always do, Travis.” He leaned down and claimed my mouth in a hot and losing-control kiss, right in the middle of a street of London, with taxies, buses, tourists and locals passing by. I didn’t hear anything. “Let’s go.”

We walked more around the very center of London and browsed all sort of shops: clothes, music, books, hell if I remember. Everything. Alexi as well did some shopping and we took millions of pictures together. We had already seen almost all the most tourist parts of London, not missing anything. I even dragged Alexi at the main train station looking for platform 9 and ¾ and it was there so obviously more pictures were taken. Yeah, I like Harry Potter, got a problem with that? Bite me. I don’t even want to start to list everything we saw, because we had been in London for already a week and our feet apparently never got tired, given how much we walked every fucking day. And at night or when we were back to my apartment, well, have your idea.

Wonder if the neighbors heard us … whatever, who gives a damn about it.

Oh yeah, maybe I should tell you something more about London.

After telling Alexi about the Royal Ballet School and the offer, I took a day to better reflect on that and on what he told me and I realized he was right. I couldn’t miss and let go of such an opportunity and if the same would happen to my love, I’d tell him the exact same words. To go and not miss it. Thus, I kicked back all the excruciating painful feelings the idea gave me and went to talk to mum.

Yeah, the idea of living thousands of miles away from Alexi for at least three years was damn fucking painful; I’d miss him every single day, the hell, every single hour like crazy. However, he was right, we would see each other in every possible occasion and we would talk via Skype. The night he told me that, it was the night I fell another time in love with Alexi. He didn’t think of himself or he didn’t even try to stop me or make excuses or pull out doubts; he had been completely selfless and thought of what was best for me and I knew what that cost him, because he later told me. He encouraged me and gave me the right advice, and told me over and over we’ll always be together, to not worry about that.

How could I not fall in love with him once again?

I told mum and she sat still and silent for few minutes, I guess processing the whole thing and then asked me what Alexi said. When I told her, I saw a smile creeping wider and wider on her face and then hugged me tight and whispered she was incredibly happy for me, that she knew all the schools would love to have me there and that Alexi was right. Hell, the moment she pulled away, a tear was there in her eyes and when our glances met, we both began to cry like two babies. No kidding. Hell, we both cried for minutes, just hugging each other.

What happened after that?

She immediately started to look for an apartment in London, because she would come over with me from time to time. Her studio had a branch also in there, therefore she just told she would spend more time taking care of business in the UK and she would promote a couple of persons here in New York to look after cases in her place. Yeah, mum was super cool.

She found an apartment, had the agreement with both studios and in September she would be here living with me. We found a lovely place not too far from the school, with an extra bedroom for guests. I loved the place.

When I told Jasper and the guys, well, that almost had me cry. Hell actually, Jasper and I cried like mental at the airport and thank God Alexi was there with me or I don’t if I would have been able to simply leave. I’d miss cutie very much, but he had already planned to come stay a bit with me in summer, before the beginning of school. And you know what? My hot, perfect and sex beast and beloved boyfriend was right: our friends were all coming over at the end of the month and staying here for a couple of weeks.

Hell, that’s gonna be crazy!

Alexi decided for one college in New York, studying mechanical engineering, but I knew his dream was hockey. The college actually offered him a sport scholarship and basically begged him to join. I knew he would lead their team to victory year after year. He said he would find a place where to live with River and Derek, so any time I was coming back, I could stay with him.

Our parents gave us the plane tickets for London as a present for our graduation, given we all ended it very well. Therefore, at the end of June, I flew to London with Alexi and we would spend our summer here together.

After an exhausting shopping session and sightseeing, we ended up resting on a bench right in front of the river, on the banks. We could spot the Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, and as well the London Eye, the giant Ferris wheel located at the banks of the Thames, the river crossing the city. I liked it and I was about to turn and ask Alexi when we could go and have a round, but he spoke first.

“Travis, want to go to the London Eye? I think it’ll be amazing, from there we can see pretty much everything.” He proposed, tangling his fingers in my hair and brushing them tenderly.

“I was about to ask you the same.” I smirked and pecked his lips.

“I saw you looking at that.” Hot and attentive sex beast. Hmm, I really loved him. How was I going to endure probably months without touching and feeling my Alexi? I had no idea.

When we reached the place, Alexi told me to wait a moment while he went to talk with a person there. The person, a woman around fifty years old with dark red hair and freckles all over her round face, smiled at us warmly and let us in.

The cabin was actually quite large and it was meant for at least twenty people, but somehow we ended up being alone. I peeked at Alexi and he simply smirked and wrapped his muscular and protective arms around me.

“I guess that’s why you asked me wait there; you scared the lady to let us be alone?” I mused and he chuckled, stroking his chin on my cheek.

“I didn’t need to scare her, I just asked if she could make us a favor and she’d been very nice.” He simply answered.

I leaned back on him and let my head, and back rest on his solid chest, feeling cozy and spoilt like a cat. We gazed outside and the view was spectacular, breath taking. It was already very late afternoon, evening time and then sun was beginning to set lazily and coloring London’s sky with thin red and orange strings. We could see all London from up there and I couldn’t tear away my gaze from the glass.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” I asked.

“Yes, it is.”

The wheel slowly moved around and I simply rested there on my love, looking out in awe. I felt Alexi slightly shifted behind me and then something suddenly appeared in front of my eyes.

It wasn’t something.

It was a ring.

A ring made of white gold, with two little stones sitting beside each other: one shining black and the second one gleaming icy-blue.

A ring was there between his fingers and it was there for me.

I opened my mouth for say something, but didn’t know what, my brain disconnected and the breath stuck in my throat, causing me to gasp for air. A ring. Alexi had a ring for me. I lifted my hand and, trying to control the emotional shaking, I touched it and felt my heart beating erratically. Alexi took my hand and then slipped the ring on my finger. I stared at it for few seconds without breathing and saying a word; just staring and gripping Alexi’s arm for keeping me steady, because I felt my legs trembling. A lump of love and something way bigger and deeper than simple happiness form in my throat and threatened me with tears. I turned back and locked my eyes with Alexi’s.

“Travis, it’s for you. The stones represent the color of our eyes, they represent us, baby. Wait a moment, read inside.” His eyes were so determined and so firm but full of love that I couldn’t move or say anything. I was completely hypnotized and speechless. He smiled softly and removed the ring for me. I looked inside and saw there were words carved all round the surface.

I will always love you. A.

I felt something warm rolling down my cheek, something pushing my throat and felt my entire body shiver for the emotions that were now overwhelming me.

“Alexi…it’s a.. I … I love it, I don’t know what to say…I love it, I love you..it’s a ..” I couldn’t properly formulate a sentence or have three words together that made sense. My voice was shaking and I felt more warm beads rolling down my cheeks.

“Travis don’t cry, please.” He whispered, closing the little distance between us and placing his forehead on mine. “It’s a promise ring, baby. I will always love you, Travis and nothing will ever change between us, as I told you that night in April.”

A promise ring.

Alexi gave me a promise ring and it was beautiful and he was right, the two stones had exactly the colors of our eyes.

“Thank you, love, I can’t stop, sorry, I’m just too happy and I love you too much, I can’t stop.” I was speaking with voice broken by the tears that couldn’t stop. “I don’t know, Alexi, but...it feels..”

“It feels like an engagement ring?” I just nodded and kept my eyes locked with his, not able to tear them away, not wanting to tear them away. “Well Travis, it is in a way, but the real one will come in another occasion.”

God, I loved him way more than mere words or actions could describe. He really was the love of my life, my other half, my world, my everything.

“Love you so much, Alexi.” I glanced back at the ring and smiled, smiled really wide and insanely out of mind for the joy. My eyes shifted back and then my hands pulled his mouth on mine and I kissed my Alexi for long minutes, out tongues fusing together and melting in hot and ardent dance. He pulled away a moment to ask me something.

“Do you know why I waited today to give you the ring?”

“No, why?” He smiled and shook his head, probably thinking or remembering something.

“Because exactly eight months ago we met, when you bumped into me and exactly on that rainy day everything began.” He cupped my face in his warm and possessive hands and pressed me in another kiss, having me this time moaning and grinding on him, wanting to be his and wanting feel him completely.

He remembered the exact day. I couldn’t almost believe it. Alexi remembered the date of that rainy morning of early November, when I bumped into him and somehow we met. When, as he said, everything began.

“I can’t believe you remember that day.. I will never forget that morning and I will never forget today, you are incredible Alexi and I will always love you, too.”

I tangled my fingers in his short black hair and took his mouth with my tongue, moaning more and louder, while he growled and then possessed my mouth with wild and beasty lust. His hands slipped on my neck, pressing me even closer, telling me I was his and only his; then they travelled on my back and send shivers of violent pleasure all over my body. Our lips dissolved in a scorching assault, our bodies lost contact with this world. His hands slipped lower and seized possessively my ass, pulling me up in a swift but assertive pull, having my legs wrapping around his waist. Alexi pushed me against the glass and we made out with London at our feet, the sun slowly and lazily setting down and the city pulsing of life and lights.

Around me, everything dissolved and disappeared, muting down completely. Not a sound, not a light, not a thing. There was only Alexi for me. My fingers tugged harder his hear and he growled in my mouth; I felt the ring and a crazy and overpowering wave of love and joy ran over my body.

He was right.

Alexi and I will always love each other like crazy, senseless and wild, and nothing will ever change between us; and as he said, everything began on that rainy morning of November.

Author's chit-chat:

How do you feel after reading this chapter. what do you think of it? Will you miss Travis and Alexi?

Did you like the final scene? Don't worry, an epilogue is coming tomorrow or in 2 days at the latest and then I'll start posting "Tricks of Love" ...

Btw, isn't Alexi one of the most romantic guy ever?