“I’m fine, just a bit anxious” Jamie answers when Joseph hugs him from behind when he returns to behind the stage. Joseph and he are waiting their turn to enter the stage after Isaac as Rothbart finishes his scene.

He ties his head into a bun. He misses a few tendrils by the nape of his neck, his curly bangs touching his eyebrow. Jamie usually will automatically pat his head fondly and touch his soft hair. But now he just hugs his arms together to suppress the urge.

“You’re doing great, sweetheart. You always are” he gives a light peck on his cheek before he’s getting ready to leap to the stage and dance with Isaac in the scene when they’re fighting by the lake.

Truthfully, no one knows why Von Rothbart curses upon the Odette into a swan. It has always been a mystery. Some assume because she was too kind like any other fairy tale story. Some others confidently assume because of one side love. But mostly, people just don’t care about the reason behind it. He’s just evil and mystery solved. No one cares about the villain’s wellbeing, they just demand a happy ending.

But people aren’t just being evil without reason

2 weeks before the show.

Jamie had another breakdown in the dance studio bathroom after finding out what Joseph hid in his locker room; a few pairs of underwear and condoms

He locked the stall while dealing with another wave of a panic attack, gagging on the closet while he was still being on a strict diet

Jamie thought he was going to be insane

He tried for reaching the air to get the proper supply of oxygen, but his mouth needed to vomit something. He didn’t know which one he should do that would bring peace to his hazy mind at that point, he even couldn’t think straight. Everything is just blurry.

He never felt this lonely in his entire life. Betrayed by someone he thought he loved while people around him that he trusted enough to call friends, corporately hide the truth from him, fooled him, made fun of him, and laughed behind him for trusting the cheater.

He has no one to come to; he has no place to go to

It just him and-

“Hello! Someone inside? I need to use the bathroom. How long are you going to stay there?” someone kept banging on the door harshly.

Jamie tried to gather his common sense. He knew he couldn’t be like this forever. At the end of the day, he should face the reality and confront everyone who hurts him. He was not the one who should run away; he was not the one who should be ashamed.

Jamie opened the door to see the familiar unamused face—he just hoped he met someone, well… brighter

“what took you so long? You fall asleep there?” Isaac grunts, annoyed.

“There are three stalls here. Why the hell are you disturbed me?” he defended himself.

“This is my favourite one. Now I lost my urge to pee,” he sighed

And Jamie sighed louder, he just ignored him and straightly walked to the sink, he washed his hands and his face. He didn’t have much energy left to bicker with Isaac like usual.

“You know?” Isaac suddenly asked as he leaned into the stall, watching Jamie wash his face like he wanted to peel the skin off. There was concern conveyed in his dark eyes.

Jamie looked at the mirror with wide eyes, “You also had known it?”

Isaac sighed but nodded. Jamie closed his eyes to process the truth that everyone except him knew his boyfriend’s affair “does it make me a sinner against you?” Isaac asked peeking under his lashes.

Jamie snorted as he snatched the tissue with some brutality “you’re not the one who cheats on me” Jamie wipes his drenched face with that “people tend to wear the same skin with their circle to be accepted. Brian  wanted a perfect showcase, and he chose to keep silent, so everyone did the same thing because they didn’t want to get into trouble” Jamie took a sharp breath “I get it”

Isaac shrugged, “I just simply didn’t want to involve in someone’s relationship. I’m not on somebody’s side” he walked closer to standing beside Jamie, who still refuses to avert his gaze from the mirror.

Jamie bit his lips “what should I do now?” he massaged his forehead he didn’t want to ruin the coming showcase, but now he barely could concentrate on the practice, he kept vomiting making his body powerless and affecting his dancing performance and he was concerned he would pass out anytime, it wasn’t fair, he wasn’t the one who cheated why he should also bear the burden.

now this wasn’t also would drive him crazy and drain him mentally, but also he could jeopardize his career, his dream, his hard work

If that happened, it means all those betrayers would win and rub in his face the fact that he was nothing but stupid who was being tricked by the entire people he thought as friends

He couldn’t let them win

Isaac seemed to read the agony on Jamie’s hollow face “Nothing, just do what you're supposed to do when this hasn’t happened. Practice as you should, eat what you like, and get some rest as you deserve. You’re not the one who should beat yourself up. Why torture yourself when it wasn’t your fault?” Isaac cocked his head, searching Jamie’s eyes who now stared at him with a void gaze.

“you told me I should act as if nothing happened?” Jamie asked weakly At this point, he would just agree with Isaac and play along with his advice because Jamie was too whacked for arguing with him.

“I wish I’m not the one who tells you ‘time would heal’ or ‘the best revenge by showing you are doing great without them' because I do not believe in that cliché shit” He scoffed and Jamie agreed with him, he didn’t need that advice right now “I didn’t tell you to act as nothing happened, because it’s also a lie. I’m saying that you should wait for the right time, wait until you have regained your senses, wait until you are successfully doing the showcase, and just consider it as a truce when you should think what your plan with those people. Every war needs a plan Jamie.” Isaac reaches Jamie’s jacket and helped to zip it up “one day you’ll make a joke from this particular time, one day you’ll be the one who laughs at them. This time could be hard, but in the future, I bet you wouldn’t regret any of this. Even from the worst relationships, there are lessons you can take and make you a better person. That’s why experience is a priceless thing. ” He finished his words by fixing the hoodie to cover Jamie’s damp hair gently.

“I’ll wait to get my revenge,” Jamie sounded determined, he grinded his teeth as his eyes stared at Isaac’s lazy eyes fiercely.

Isaac is right, the show must go on.