The audience roared with approval as Indie nodded emphatically. “Stan?”
The technical stickler adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. “There were a few moments where I could tell you were adapting on the fly,” he said, glancing at Holly with something that wasn’t quite admiration, but wasn’t far off. “And you performed through it. Youperformed betterfor it. Nine.”
Oh, now the audience was positively feral. Holly had goosebumps up and down her arms, and her breathing had started getting away from her before Nate reached to cover her hand on his arm with his free one.
“It all comes down to you, Chartreuse,” Indie said. “No pressure. Except, totally pressure.”
The glamazon didn’t speak for a moment. Juststaredat them both with quiet reverence. “That,” she said slowly, “was the first time this season I forgot I was watching a performance. I believed every second of it. Every touch. Every hesitation. Every choice.Nine.”
A perfect score for the genre she didn’t ‘do.’Holly stood there blinking into the lights, her hand still wrapped around Nate’s arm like he was the only thing tethering her to the ground. She hadn’t masked herself in sharpness this time, or hidden behind rhythm or technique. She’d been barefoot, exposed, rattled by sabotage, and still chose to trust him.To try.And now the audience was screaming, and her knees felt like they might give out, because this wasn’t just a win. It was a crack in the narrative she’d built around herself.
Indie was beside herself. “Twenty seven?! Are you kidding me?! I need someone to hold me back before I tattoo this routine on my ribcage.” She made a show of pressing the backof her hand to her forehead like she was categorically unwell before she turned dramatically to the camera.
“We’re going to commercial before I pass out. Don’t move, we’ll be right back with more dance magic after the break!”
@glitterandgrit on Instagram:
In all my years of covering reality competition, I have never seen two people soft-launch a soul bond via pas de deux. Is someone checking the floor foractualscorch marks?
@sapphiccritic (retweeted 47k times):
HOLLY DANCED BAREFOOT AFTER SABOTAGE. NATE SAID “I’D CATCH HER EVERY TIME.” I’m throwing my televisioninto the sea.
Sigrid
okay first of all
THAT WAS FUCKING AMAZING WHO EVEN ARE YOU
second of all
she leaned into you like a damn therapy dog
third of all
you are officially emotionally compromised
hashtag proud but also concerned
… spring wedding?
Nate
I can’t have this conversation with you right now. I’m questioning my existence.
Sigrid
don’t you dare… JUST HOLD HER NATE
Nate
SHE’S TOO PRICKLY TO HOLD, SIGRID
21
FAKED TO PERFECTION
Nate
