Ethan always has a way of showing up in Mason’s life when he least expects it. Here they stand, Mason hoping the other boy can’t notice he was just crying, and Ethan shifting his weight awkwardly between his feet, avoiding looking at Mason. For the first time Mason notices that Ethan seems to be shorter than him by only a few inches, and his curly dark hair is always tousled in a way that looks to be intentional. It’s a weird thing to notice at a time like this but Mason doesn’t know what he’s supposed to think or say right now.

Ethan’s the one who finally breaks the ice. “About the other day…” he trails off, unsure what to say.

“I’m sorry, Ethan,” Mason says quietly, finally meeting the dark haired boy’s eyes, “I...heard everything. I didn’t mean to but I just...I just wanted to say congrats. Sorry.”

Mason didn’t intend on telling the other boy that he saw the confrontation but in this moment he couldn’t bring himself to act like nothing happened. A look of shock registers on Ethan’s face but he hides it quickly, but not quickly enough to avoid it striking a nerve in Mason’s heart.  

“Oh. Okay. I thought maybe you...can you just not tell anyone?” The vulnerability in his voice leaving Mason feeling a little sad that Ethan thought he would be the kind of person to run around and tell somebody else what he saw.

“Of course not!” He responds, a smidge too defensive. “I uh...I’m not partners with Katie anymore, by the way.”

“Oh, really?”

He doesn’t know why, but Mason wants Ethan to know this. Ever since he officially started dancing with Katie he felt embarrassed by her behavior towards others, if his classmates started thinking they were alike it would crush Mason’s self esteem.

“Yeah…just so you know,” automatically feeling stupid Mason wishes he never said anything about Katie.  

“Okay well, Mr. Burkley actually sent me in here to get you. Lessons are starting and he said you’ve been in here for a while.”

A wave of embarrassment passes through the boy, he knew their instructor would send someone to retrieve him sooner or later and of course it had to be Ethan. It’s like some unknown force is continuously putting them together. It’s weird.  

“Oh, I didn't realize it had been that long. I’m not feeling well is all.”

Lying doesn’t sit right in Mason’s gut - he’s mostly an honest guy when it comes to anything (but feelings as of late) - especially when it comes to the ballroom, he’s always been taught and believed very deeply that dance is something to be treated with respect. The guilt at slacking off and making up an excuse already eats away it him so he tries to force it down, but he's learned that sometimes emotions fight back and there’s nothing to do to stop them. It would have been worse if he broke down in the studio and interrupted the other students, keeping them from dancing and drawing even more attention to himself. Mason silently thanks the stars above that he was the first student in the studio that evening, he would have never lived it down if everyone saw him break. 

“Okay, yeah. Sorry, I was supposed to come find you but I didn’t realize you were sick.” The other boy meets Mason’s eyes for the first time in a few moments, a meek smile spreads across his face. Reaching an arm up he nervously scratches at the back of his neck. “If you want I can come back later? Tell Mr. Burkley you don’t feel well?”

“No, I’m fine to come back to the studio, thanks though. I’ll be out in a minute,” Mason comments dryly, too emotionally drained to add any lightness to his voice. Feeling guilty immediately when the other boy’s face drops at his snippy tone the brunette quickly adds, “so we’re both solo now, huh?” He asks, the hint of a smile spreading across his face.

A deep rumbling chuckle escapes Ethan’s lips as the boy’s cheeks glow crimson.

“I guess we’re competing against each other now,” he smiles, “I’ll see you out there, okay?”

In an effort to lighten the mood Mason nudges Ethan with his elbow, “Hey, don’t tell anyone but I look like a fool when I dance alone, I think you’ll win.”

Both boys laugh at that comment but Ethan still seems to be flustered when he reminds Mason that Mr. Burkley is awaiting his arrival and now in turn, Ethan’s arrival as well. Mumbling a quick apology Mason watched as the curly haired boy leaves the room, telling him he’ll only be one more minute. Stealing a quick glance in the mirror he checks to see if his eyes are still puffy from crying, deciding he doesn’t look too much like a mess he runs after Ethan to follow him back to the studio.

By the time he’s back in position for the solo Waltz Mason steals glances out the three curtained windows along the wall of the studio, it’s that time of day when the light spills into the room at an angle that brightens all the girl’s heels and glistens against the sweat dripping down everyone’s foreheads. Everything bathed in an orange glow Mason watches himself in the mirror that runs along the entire wall in the studio; Ethan seems to catch his eyes in their reflection but looks away swiftly.

After many more long hours the aches in Mason’s legs, arms and back are shrieking. Sweat rolls down his forehead in beads and every part of him is exhausted but it’s a comforting feeling, a reminder of how hard he’s working towards his goal. Retrieving his hand towel and drink from the floor along with everybody else the boys and girls wander off to their respective changing rooms. Mason finds changing with everybody in the same space uncomfortable so he averts his eyes to the floor and only switches out his ballroom shoes for his beat up old sneakers; he’ll change back into regular clothes at home as he always does. All the dancers seem to finish up for the night around the same time and Mason finds himself walking out with his friends, the kids he’s grown up dancing with since he was six years old. Laughing their way out to their cars and or rides home Mason bids everyone goodnight once he spots his mom’s car waiting for him in the parking lot. Striding over to the car with his dance bag slung over his shoulder Mason greets his mom with a warm hello before sinking into the passenger seat with a happy sigh. 

Closing his eyes for a moment he feels the car begin to move beneath him, he opens his eyes at the perfect time to pass Ethan getting into what seems to be his Father’s car. Ethan looks up suddenly and meets Mason’s eyes through the windshield, raising his hand in a wave Mason smiles at the other boy, his newfound acquaintance - he felt they were on the brink of becoming friends which warmed Mason’s heart, who couldn’t use another friend? Ethan smiles a close lipped grin before hastily returning to a neutral expression, looking away quickly as he gets into his car with his eyes cast downward. Eyebrows furrowing Mason notices how Ethan suddenly seemed so deadpan compared to moments ago in the studio where he was quietly yet confidentiality dancing. Remembering the threat Ethan’s mom used, calling his Father, Mason feels empathy for the other boy as Ethan slams the car’s door shut and reminds himself to possibly text him later.  

“Is there a new student?” Mason’s mom questions, glancing over at the boy her son was waving at. Having also been involved with the studio for ten years as an active parent Mason’s mother had grown close to all the students and their parents.

“Yeah, transferred a couple weeks ago but I’ve only talked to him a couple of times.”

Mason never thought to mention the boy when he disrupted the last audition the brunette had, he tries to keep conversation dealing with potential new partners that won’t work out limited; he certainly won’t be mentioning how the only reason he's formally spoke with Ethan at all was because he accidentally eavesdropped on his mother yelling at him and then Mason had a mental breakdown in the middle of his lesson.  

Skirting the rest of his Mother’s questions the two of them end up driving home in silence, Mason staring out the window. The past few days have left his emotions run dry. He forced himself for so long to feel nothing and in the end he wound up feeling everything times a million. A dazed feeling washes over the boy, he’s done trying to figure out his emotions for the day.