23. Sophie

23

SOPHIE

Rushing backstage after performing a number with the other pros and troupe dancers, I think about how easy it was to slip out of the laser focus I’ve always had with dance and connect with Trevor. Any other finale day, even when I was just a background dancer, my focus was completely on the performance ahead. If you weren’t on the floor with me, you didn’t exist. I’m still focused on dancing, but it exists along with other parts of life. Is this what it’s like to have balance? I’ve never had that before. It’s kinda nice.

I choreographed the pro dance, and it went well. It was relaxing not to have to explain every step and gesture because the pros understood what I was doing. I’m not as patient a teacher as Ian is. After two or three times, I want it to be perfect and move on to the next thing. But I hate moving on before it’s perfect, so multiple repeats are necessary. It’s frustrating, and I suck at hiding that. Thank goodness Trevor is easygoing and loves me.

Ian and I are dancing last. The two couples still competing for the Platinum Paw trophy danced well. Watching their dances, I sincerely think Trevor and I could’ve won with our choreography, but it doesn’t matter. Nothing was announced about Trevor not dancing tonight. I assume DeeDee will say something for the television broadcast, and maybe the studio announcer will say something for the ballroom. Whatever. It doesn’t really matter why he’s not here.

When it’s time for my freestyle dance, I go to my mark in the far corner of the dance floor and face the audience. I can feel everyone’s eyes on me. It’s my time in the spotlight. I thought I’d be excited. I am. But I’m also eerily calm. It doesn’t matter how this dance goes because I’m not dancing it with Trevor. It’s just steps and music, not our hearts and our feelings for each other. It’s hollow. My parents and brothers—minus Declan—are here to support me. Mom insisted she was just a proud mother and didn’t want to be introduced or acknowledged. It’s my night. Mom makes heart hands, and my brothers are smiling. Dad’s eyes are glassy. Okay, can’t look at Dad, he’ll make me cry. Someone yells out, “I love you, Sophie Mackenzie!” but it wasn’t Trevor’s voice, just a random fan.

The first notes of the music play. Ian’s going to enter from the upper opposite corner so he’s not visible to the audience yet. We’re dancing to a dreamy arrangement of The Proclaimers’ “(I’m Gonna Be) 500 Miles.” The choreography includes more ballet and lifts than Ian and I are used to doing together. It suits Trevor’s style of dance well and minimizes the stress on my ankle. I count, and I know when Ian enters the dance floor because I hear the audience react.

I turn and prepare to run toward Ian as the choreography calls for.

But I stop. It’s not Ian.

It’s Trevor. He’s here. On the dance floor. To dance with me. He walks toward me with his hand outstretched. I take it, automatically.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Dancing with the woman I love,” he says. He gives me a patented Trevor Carter flirty wink. “Let’s do this.”

My brain stops thinking, and I follow my heart as Trevor and I dance. I feel like I’m floating. Our lifts are effortless, the music flows. We’re dancing in a snow globe. It’s magical. The final pose has us sitting side by side, facing each other, with my hand resting on Trevor’s cheek. I don’t stop there. I lean forward and kiss him with all the love in my heart as the last notes fade. We keep kissing even as the audience bursts into applause. It’s only my father’s very loud, very stern “ahem” that breaks through and has us separating.

Trevor pulls me to my feet and leads me over to Ian, who’s wiping his eyes. The judges are passing a box of tissues down the line. My parents are hugging, and Mom is wiping Dad’s eyes.

“I don’t understand,” I say. “Why aren’t you at the game?”

“We couldn’t work it out for me to do both, so I’m here. I couldn’t let you down. I’m just part of the Devil Birds team. There are other people who can do what I do. You come first with me, Sophie. Always. I love you.”

Ian holds out the box of tissues for me, and I grab a bunch. I can’t speak, so I just nestle against Trevor’s chest. He’s wearing the black Devil Birds T-shirt with Shifty the Seagull on the front and jogger-style dance pants the wardrobe people got ready for him. They knew. They planned this. He’s barefoot. He looks like he does at home when we’re watching TV, and I love him for it.

“Ready to hear from the judges?” Ian asks after coughing to clear his throat. He has his hand resting on Trevor’s shoulder in a brotherly fashion.

“We’re being judged?” I ask, realizing that duh, we’re standing in front of the judges’ table.

“Keep up, twinster, you’re competing on a dance show. You danced with your partner in the finals, you’re being judged. Ready to hear their comments and your scores?”

I nod.

“Let’s start with Carlo.”

Carlo is the most mellow I’ve ever seen him. “That was magical, ethereal. The lifts were effortless, the musicality was magnificent. I’m speechless.”

Mary Ann truly is speechless and motions for Glen to speak.

“Sophie, I’ve watched you dance since you were a little girl. You’re extremely talented. What I saw here tonight was the best I’ve ever seen you dance. I know it’s not ballroom, but there was emotion and connection that’s so rare. Did you do the choreography?”

I nod.

“Do more. All of your dances this season have been beautifully choreographed. You have a gift.”

When the judges raise their paddles, they’re all tens. Which I expected. What I didn’t expect was for the screen above the stage to light up and show the arena where the Devil Birds are playing two blocks away. The crowd is waving and cheering and, as if choreographed, a sea of paddles with the number ten written on them are raised high in the air, and both teams are giving us stick taps. Apparently stick taps are applause in hockey.

“They took a time-out to watch your performance at the game,” Ian explains before turning back into a show host. “Now that the performances are done, and we have the judges’ scores, it’s time for the audience to vote!”

The numbers to text in votes for each couple flash on the screen, as does the website to vote online. We go to commercial break, and it’s pandemonium getting ready for the announcement of the winners.

“I love you, Trevor. Thank you for this. How did you pull it off?” I ask from our spot offstage.

“Ian coordinated it. I was dancing with you come hell or high water, but we weren’t sure of the logistics with the game. I meant it when I said you come first. I love my team, but not like I love you. If I had the flu, they could replace me with half a dozen other players. I’m hoping you find me irreplaceable.” The kiss he gives me is tender.

“I do.” Realizing what I said, I laugh. “But not for another ten years or so.”

“I’m fine with that. Just save your last dance for me.”

We’re called on stage, and the results are announced. Trevor and I come in second to a teenage social media influencer with a huge following. I don’t even care. The Platinum Paw trophy would’ve clashed with the décor of the pool house, anyway. The more important victory is that the Devil Birds win by a point and are keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Somehow the finale after-party merges with the Devil Birds’ victory party, so it’s a bar full of dancers and hockey players, family and friends. And I fit in. With all of them. I’ve gone from feeling like an outsider to being part of a community. Of multiple communities. So many of the dancers told me our dance was the best one and if it wasn’t for the power of the teen influencer’s mega fans we would’ve won. We should’ve won. They want me to choreograph dances on the summer tour. Not just group dances, but spotlight solos too.

The hockey players have been hugging me, and it feels like I gained a dozen new brothers. Not that I needed more brothers, but I’m touched by the way they rallied around Trevor and supported him throughout this whole experience. Supported us. Not once did I sense resentment or hostility from the team over the distraction Trevor dancing caused.

“Are you disappointed you didn’t win?” Miranda asks, handing me a glass of champagne. I look around the room. I’m reunited with my best friend, something I didn’t think was possible even a few months ago. My parents are at a table with Teagan, talking about something she’s showing them on her phone, all three of them nodding and smiling. Trevor’s laughing with his teammates and shoots me a sexy wink when he sees me watching him.

“Who says I didn’t?” I ask before taking a sip.