To Be a Broken Smile (sequel to Tumbling Down - DM Fanfic)

Dancing Feet and Phone Calls (Ch.29)

I feel my mouth partially open.

How did this get in here? I wouldn't have put his sweatshirt in my bag.

Chloe: Getting in the shower at- What's that?
Me: One of his sweatshirts. But I didn't put it in there.
Chloe: I figured you would have had like 8 of his sweatshirts.
Me: No. I wouldn't have.
Chloe: Why?
Me: We had a fight a few days before we left. I haven't talked to him since.

I shove everything back in the suitcase, going to shower without another word.

That night, I take off all the makeup, glitzy clothes, and take my hair down. I put on sweatpants and a tank top, then look at Tyler's sweatshirt again.

I miss him. He's only upset because he knows what could happen. So do I.

Chloe comes up behind me.

Chloe: You can call him, you know.
Me: It's late. I can tomorrow.
Chloe: You won't have any time.
Me: I'll make time.

Chloe leaves the room to make a call home anyway. I sit on my bed, in this big, fancy hotel-looking room.

I start tearing up, and press the sweatshirt to my face. It smells like him.

Now I actually am crying.

I go to put it on, and I feel paper in the hood. A note.

I can barely read it due to tears, - and the fact Tyler's handwriting is awful - but I think it says something like "I love you. No matter what. Call me".

I check the time - 10:28.

He might still be awake. I dial his number and listen to the rings.

They stop, and I hear his voice.

Tyler: You know, I expected you to call like two weeks ago.

I can barely talk. My voice is all whispery.

Me: I've been...busy.
Tyler: Are you okay? What's wrong?

I think about how to phrase how it's all going right now.

Me: Everything.

Well that's a convenient word.

Tyler: Why?
Me: I think you can figure that one out.
Tyler: You just miss home.
Me: No. I don't miss school, much. I don't miss my sister or my mom or my house.
Tyler: What else is there?
Me: You. Abby. Clara. Dance. My dad. My dog. My-
Tyler: Hey, it's okay. You've made it through the worst of it.
Me: There's still a little over five months I have to be here! That sounds a lot worse than two weeks!
Tyler: I meant everything else. You got there. You know everybody. And you can't tell me you haven't made friends with at least one person in the show.

All true. All so annoyingly true. And I have talked to like three of the other girls. We've all sort of just...become a little homesick clan.

Me: Yeah I have. But it still sucks.
Tyler: I told you I wouldn't be great at first. Give it more time.

We talk for over an hour. When we hang up, I crawl into bed, wrapped in his sweatshirt. When I'm just about asleep, in no control of waking back up, his smell in the fabric is as if it's him.

~Two months later~

*Chloe's POV*

Normally, when a dancer or singer or actor or anyone performs, they get go into character onstage. And once said performance is done, the person will come off and act like themselves once again.

It's the exact opposite with Mackenzie. The girl I've grown up with is usually in these intense numbers which she sheds after walking back into the wings. She would then smile and laugh and go about her life.