Lift // Hamliza

• chapter 12 •

• Alexander •

"Oh, we went to Taco Bell and we were talking about our moms. It got kind of emotional so that's why we're kind of a mess." I said. It was only a half lie. We did go to Taco Bell and it did get emotional, just not the way I said it did.

"M'Kay. Liza, sweetie I'm so glad your feeling better now. Are you going to dance?" Ah, she must've seen by dance bag in my hand.

"Yep. I'm gonna show Alex my competition dance. And then we can improv or whatever." She said, more towards me than to her sister.

"Ok. Well, have fun you two." She said with a little wave, then she walked off, sassy as ever.

"Clearly nothing changed with her while we were gone." I joked, and Eliza laughed a little as we walked through their maze of a house to the dance room. Her laugh was so gorgeous. It was like tiny little elegant bells, or something magical like that. It's beautiful and suits her perfectly.

"I have to change real quick but the room is right there, I'll be right back." She said quickly, snatching up a bag which I assumed contained dance clothes and shoes. I walked in the room and locked the door so I could change while she was gone. I quickly slid into my practice clothes and my black ballet shoes and opened the door, tossing the bag out as Eliza walked in.

Hot damn.

If I thought she was pretty before, she was even more gorgeous in dance clothes. She had on a black leotard with thin straps, not long sleeves like I'd expected. She had a light skirt and pink pointe Shoes is great condition. Her messy bun had been tucked up more neatly. How was it possible for a person to look this amazing?

I must've had heart eyes or something because she started blushing after a little bit and I snapped out of my trance.

She turned her music on and I stood to the side to watch.

I'll feel your fear for you,
I'll cry your tears for you,
I'll do anything I can to make you comfortable
Even if I fall down when you're not around,
Don't worry about me.
Don't worry about me.

A gentle song began to play and she swooped across the room, pirouetting and leaping and adding so much emotion to the song.

Cause if I fall, you'll fall,
And if I rise, we'll rise,
When I smile, you'll smile.
And don't worry about me.
Don't worry about me.

She kept dancing strongly, though I could see tears on her cheeks. I was a little choked up by the words and movements she put with them. At the first line she did a C - jump and landed on the ground, somehow on pointe. She leapt up and did a firebird at the second and on the third she simply chaîné turned for a while, alternating between high and low. On the last line, the don't worry about me, she did a graceful windmill turn, very slowly and precisely.

The song continued and by the time she finished she was still crying and I was on my feet applauding.

I motioned for her to come to me and she fell into my arms, stopping her tears almost as soon as I embraced her.

"That was beautiful, Eliza. Did you pick the song before or after...?" I didn't want to upset her so I left the question open.

"Before, actually. I actually finished my choreo right before I found out she was gone. I also designed my costume already too. Wanna see?" She asked with a smile. I nodded and she pulled me over to where her speakers were on a little cart and picked up a grey sketchbook. She flipped through about twenty filled pages until she got to the one she wanted.

It was a really pretty costume, perfect for the song and for Eliza.

"You drew this?" I asked. She nodded.

"Wow. That's really good, Eliza. Who's making it?" I had a hunch.

"Hercules." Yep, hunch was correct. Cool. He's one of my good friends. Maybe if Eliza and I are ever something more—

No. I can't think like that. We're friends. I'm helping her through a rough time. I'm not just gonna go up to her and ask her to date me all of the sudden. No matter how much I wanted to, I wasn't going to be that person. The one who gets friend zoned because they think a girl who's friends with them will date you.

I snap out of my thoughts when I hear Eliza speak.

"Pas de deux?" She asked with a smile, holding out her hand to invite me with her. I smiled back with excitement building up in me. The last time I danced pas de deux was when I was ten with my mother, and that hardly counted. I️ nodded quickly and she turned on some classical ballet music.

We started facing away from each other with our fingertips just barely ghosting each other. We continued to improv for a while, and I had to say, the way we danced made it feel like we were meant to be. I spun her out of my arms gracefully and as the music began to crescendo, nearing the end, I made my way over to her and swept her up, holding her above my head.

It wasn't hard since she wasn't very heavy at all. Dancing and working out in general had made me fairly strong over the years so I held her with ease.

The music began to get quiet and soft, measures away from the end. I lowered her down and we ended together, in the same position as before, but with our hands touching and our heads towards each other.

She smiled brightly as the song ended and the next began automatically. Instead of dancing, we just stood there, hand in hand, smiling. I don't know what went through my head but the adrenaline from dancing and her being so goddamn beautiful, I leaned in and just barely touched my lips to hers.