Dance by Teodora Kostova

abruptly that the chair clattered to the floor with a loud bang,
cutting Adam off.
    “I’ll
let that slide because of our friendship. But don't say anything we won’t be
able to recover from, Adam. Don't make me choose between the two of you because
you’re not going to like the outcome,” Jared said, his voice low and deadly. He
was prepared to kick Adam's ass out the door if he so much as pronounced Fenix’s name incorrectly.
    Fortunately,
Adam thought better than to test Jared’s patience right now and didn't say
anything more. He shook his head in disgust as he walked out, slamming the door
behind himself.

 
 
 
 
    Chapter ten
    Jared

 
    By the time
Jared packed all his stuff and arrived at Queen Victoria, the Poison staff meeting had adjourned. He
went to the dressing room to look for Fenix, but he was not there. Dumping his
bags on the floor, Jared walked out and headed towards the rehearsal room. He
had a suspicion that’s where he’d find Fenix, since he probably hadn’t had time
to do any dancing before the meeting.
    The
rehearsal room was made like a replica of the main stage hall, only much
smaller. There were a few rows of seats, a stage, complete with lights, music
system and even a curtain. Jared felt the bass of the music before he heard the
rest of the melody. When he walked closer, he realised it was ‘My Songs Know
What You Did in the Dark’ by Fall Out Boy. They had
discovered early on that they had similar tastes in music and Fall Out Boy was a mutual favourite band. Smiling, he pushed the
door open and walked inside to see Fenix dancing on the stage, completely lost
in the moment. He was oblivious to Jared’s presence as he sneaked inside and
sat at the back row, blending with the shadows. Only the stage lights were on,
so it would be difficult for Fenix to spot him, even if he wasn’t completely absorbed
by the dance.
    Fenix
was beautiful. The way he moved was out of this world. Jared could not take his
eyes off him as he jumped and flew across the stage, arched his back in an
impossible angle, spread his legs in the most perfect split Jared had ever
seen. Clad only in black leggings, shirtless and barefoot, Fenix was a sight
that imprinted itself in Jared’s brain and, he suspected, would stay there
forever. His smooth, hairless skin was slick with sweat as Fenix leapt into the
air, spreading his arms wide and bowing his back in one flawless move, his
lean, hard muscles flexing as he landed back on the stage effortlessly.
    Jared
was gaping. He knew Fenix had to be very good if his musical was offered Queen
Victoria’s main stage, but what he’d just seen was beyond good. It was beyond
any scale of appreciation. Fenix was in a league of his own.
    The
song ended and ‘Alone Together’ began. It was a slower, more sensual rhythm,
and Jared’s pulse quickened while Fenix danced as if he was making love to the
song. He moved with leisurely, yet perfectly executed strokes, and he was
exquisite. Jared could not imagine anyone not falling immediately in love with
Fenix. His grace, his charisma and charm drew people in and, judging by himself , when you got to know him better, you loved him even
more.
    That
was why Adam's reaction was so puzzling. He’d encountered Fenix just a couple
of times and Fenix had never given him any reason to hate him that much. Jared
could not wrap his head around his best friend’s reaction. There must be
something he was not seeing. Adam was not an irrational person.
    Lost
in thought and mesmerised by Fenix dancing on stage, Jared did not feel someone
sit beside him until their shoulders brushed. Adam was sitting quietly, and
somewhat apologetically, next to him, looking at the stage straight ahead.
Jared knew his friend well – he was a hot head and often raged and yelled and
slammed doors, but his fury deflated as quickly as it had appeared. So he knew
Adam would seek him out to clear the air when he eventually calmed down, he
just didn’t think