Danseur. |royce

prologue

Jacob seemed to cower behind Josh as his brother used his shoulders to nudge through the crowd—he was practically walking on the boy's feet. He bit back an annoyed expression as he realized Joshua lied to him.

This wasn't a kickback. It was a party.

The lyrics to the song couldn't be heard over the skull cracking base that seemed to vibrate the suburban home they'd snuck off to. Jacob winced, wanting to cover his ears. "Lighten up, big brother." Josh teased, turning to a clearly anxious Jacob. He didn't want to be here. He missed his bed. But he shuddered at the thought of being home alone, especially at night.

"How long are we going to be here?" Jacob brushed his hair out of his face. It was growing too wild and began to mirror his brother's large mass of curls. It was inches away from covering his eyes, much like Josh's afro. Trim our ends, he added to his imaginary 'To Do' list. "I'm sleepy." He yawned, squinting as the blue lapis lights appeared to make the house glow. He didn't want to complain but it was really starting to hurt his eyes.

The younger twin rolled his eyes. "I don't know. We just got here, bro loosen up." He gave Jacob a nudge. He cracked a smile at his brother's action.

"I have rehearsal tomorrow." He reminded Josh. Josh fought the urge to curse at his sibling. He was knit-picking now.

"You could've just stayed home, y'know," Joshua stated matter of factly as he folded his arms over his chest. "I'd hate to have you tired during ballet. I'd feel kinda shitty."

"I didn't want you here alone," Jacob frowned. The kitchen was their backdrop, and in this scene of contrasts, they stood. Joshua, clad in a black shirt and matching cargo shorts, exuded a dark simplicity. On the other hand, Jacob embraced his usual style – an oversized sweater, mom jeans hugging his frame, and a satchel slung casually over his shoulder. Their identical faces belied the divergence in their fashion choices, creating a visual narrative of individuality in their shared features.

"Why the hell you bring a bag?" Josh asked, glancing over at Jacob with a sudden look of disapproval. He was now sipping whatever it was in his red Solo cup. He didn't bother to offer Jacob anything—they were only serving alcohol.

"It has stuff we might need in it." Jacob smiled.

"Like?"

"Band-aids, bus passes, hair brush, chapstick–"

"You need help," Joshua laughed before his twin playfully shoved him. "I see some of my friends so I'm gonna go mingle. Are you good?"

"Uh," Jacob looked around, suddenly feeling uncomfortable in the small kitchen. The sounds of chattering and music poured into the area as he looked over the bar where the actual party was—the crowd of teens screamed the lyrics to a song he didn't know and danced in a provocative manner. "I don't know."

"I saw Craig." Jacob seemed to perk up at this news, suddenly warming up to the idea. Craig was also in ballet so they were well acquainted—the two would consider themselves friends in some manner. "Wait here. I'll find him and send him over." He reassured his brother. Jacob nodded before Josh ruffled his hair.

After a while, Craig made his way over, gracing the boy with a warm smile. He embraced Jacob and said, "You're the last person I'd expect to see here," accompanied by a sly grin. He thrust a cup toward Jacob, who accepted it cautiously. A quick glance into the cup revealed a clear liquid, and as he took a sniff, his expression soured – it was unmistakably alcohol. Craig, seemingly on a rebellious streak after Josh's warning about Jacob and substances, encouraged, "Drink," his gaze shifting toward the quieter boy.