She hated how easy it was for her to notice him distancing himself. Because the Nate who cared? He teased. He madedumb hockey commentary about her ‘aggressive little foot flicks’. This Nate was giving respectful space, matching the tone she’d set like the emotionally literate king he apparently was now.
JesusfuckingChrist.
She cut the music after the first full run-through, lungs tight for absolutely no athletic reason.
“That gives you an idea of where we’re going,” she said, shoving her heart back down her throat as if she hadn’t just professionally friend-zoned the love of her life. “It has to feel natural.”
Nate huffed a sarcastic laugh under his breath. The first audible cue he’d given that this was affecting him.
“Right,” he said. “Natural.”
He didn’t challenge her. He just accepted the version of them she’d offered like it was the only thing on the menu. And for reasons Holly couldn’t even begin to fathom, it made something ugly and fragile twist low in her stomach. Because distance had been her idea. It was supposed to be the safe zone. But watching him give her exactly what she asked for without protest felt less like control, and more like realizing she’d accidentally returned something she might just want to keep.
“Let’s take a fifteen,” Holly said reining in her slow dawning existentialdread.
Take the Floor: Hair & Makeup Group Chat (leaked)
Jules:ok so are we pretending we didn’t all feel that temperature drop when Holly walked in today
Marissa:girl I thought the AC broke
Dev:Nate hasn’t smiled once and that man usually flirts with the craft services table
Jules:whatever happened in Copenhagen BROKE something
Marissa:they’re still doing Cha Cha together though
Dev:professional trauma bonding is still bonding
Anonymous Crew Confessional (submitted to production Slack):
I’ve worked six seasons ofTake the Floorand I have NEVER seen Holly Martinez dance around someone emotionally like she did today. She kept it clinical. Polite. Ice cold.
Meanwhile Nate looked like someone told him the dog died but he still had to hit his marks.
If this is fake dating, someone forgot to tell their nervous systems.
TTF Wardrobe Assistant Notes (private Discord):
Holly: hyper-focused, barely talking
Nate: following her lead like a kicked puppy trying to earn back privileges
Chemistry: still insane
Emotional status: catastrophic
Prediction: they either win the season or emotionally destroy each other first
66
MY KINGDOM FOR EYE CONTACT
Nate
“Getting suspended hurt. But watching her walk away killed me.”
Nate stayed where he was when Holly called the break. She didn’t look at him when she said it, just wiped her hands on her leggings and moved toward the hallway like she needed air more than she needed choreography. He watched the door swing shut behind her and felt the absence immediately, like someone had opened a window in winter and let all the heat out of the room.
