Trevor smiles too at the sudden onslaught of memories. “I guess we did.”
When something doesn’t end the way you wanted it to, it’s easy to focus on all the bad parts and forget the good. But of course there were good parts. Otherwise, the ending wouldn’t have hurt as much.
And when things were good, yeah, he and Noah worked great together at keeping the band focused, and figuring out what would best benefit them and how to go about making those things happen. They wrote their fair share of music together too.
“I’ll think about it,” Trevor tells him.
Thankfully, it’s enough for Noah right now. He gives Trevor a tap on the forearm, then excuses himself to find a restroom.
Trevor scans the ballroom until he spots Skyler, who’s now on the dance floor shaking his hips not quite on rhythm to the song that’s playing. Trevor grins, unwilling to look away. For someone who’s made such a successful career out of performing, Skyler’s still a terribly awkward dancer when it’s unchoreographed. But the rest of the world must find him as hopelessly endearing as Trevor does, because they pay obscene amounts of money for the privilege of watching him do his thing.
Trevor only tears his gaze away when Noah returns, this time with Jermaine as well. They sit down and the three of them talk about their families. Well, Noah and Jermaine talk. Trevor listens. They know enough, though, not to askhim any family-related questions. And then before he can get too melancholy, Jermaine steers the conversation to Skyler’s new album and how much of a hit it’s going to be.
Trevor agrees, instinctually looking for Skyler again. Now he’s dancing with Megan’s grandmother to a mid-tempo song, becauseof course he is, and when he spins the two of them around, his eyes magically lock on Trevor’s right away. They watch each other for the remainder of the song.
When a slower song begins, Skyler’s elderly partner kisses him on the cheek and makes her way off the floor, leaving Skyler standing alone, swaying in place. He’s still looking at Trevor.
Jermaine elbows Trevor in the side. “You know he wants you to dance with him.”
“I can’t.”
Noah frowns. “Why not?”
“You know why not.” Because Trevor doesn’t get to have a normal relationship like other people do. Because when he was nineteen years old, he traded normalcy for fame, and no matter how much he’s tried, he can’t take it back.
“I know why youthinkyou can’t,” Noah says, “but I think you’re wrong about it.”
With that, Noah gets up and strolls confidently onto the dance floor, leaving Trevor and Jermaine behind. He takes Skyler’s hand, says something to him that Trevor can’t hear, and starts to lead him in a dance. It’s very high school prom, with Noah’s hands on Skyler’s waist and Skyler’s hands on his shoulders, a foot of space between them. But still, Trevor can’t take it.
Didn’t he and Noah just have their big heart-to-heart? He thought they were cool with each other. Why is Noah trying to hurt him now?
He breathes deeply, barely stopping himself from marching over there and pulling Noah away from Skyler. “What the hell does he think he’s doing?” he hisses at Jermaine.
“Pretty sure he’s trying to help you, dude.”
“What?” How the heck is Noah throwing it in his face thathe’sallowed to dance with Trevor’s boyfriend supposed to be considered helping him?
“Look.”
Trevor is looking. He can’tnotlook even though it’s killing him.
But then he realizes a few of the guests’ heads have turned to watch the dancing pair. And they don’t look shocked or scandalized. They look charmed, like they’re watching something silly and sweet.
Right. Because there were never any rumors of the two ofthemsecretly fucking each other.
Oli notices what’s going on, and with a shit-eating grin, he abandons his new bride and shimmies his way over to Noah and Skyler. He stands behind Skyler and grabs him by the hips, hands right below Noah’s on Skyler’s waist.
Trevor’s still a little irritated by all this, but he’s starting to get it. And yeah. Maybe Noahishelping him. He’s making the dancing not a big deal. Turning it into a quirky Boys Will Be Boys thing. Old friends messing around like they used to.
“Well?” Jermaine says.
When Trevor turns to him, Jermaine raises an eyebrow, andfine. Sure. He can do this.
At his timid nod, Jermaine grabs his hand and drags him over to their friends. Luckily, the song changes to a faster one, or Trevor didn’t know how this was going to work with all five of them. They form a tight circle and start dancing together.
But the music cuts off mid-song, and Oli points to Megan, who’s over by the DJ looking totally pleased. Then an all-too familiar melody starts to play. Trevor glances around at the other guys, and they all laugh.
That’s how they end up dancing to one of their oldest hits, even doing the choreography that was cheesy ten years ago and looks ridiculous now. The other people on the dance floor have moved to the perimeter to watch. Soon the five of them are singing loudly, and everyone else is laughing and clapping and cheering them on.
