Carlos couldn’t bare the sight before him. His rival, the man who caused him so much trouble and pain, shaking and lost in his own head. A face he saw so often deadpan and cold was splotched red and sticky from dried tears.
“Ugh- I’m.. I’m sorry. You should go.” Oscar didn’t know why said that. Of all the words he could push out between stifled sobs, he asked to be left alone. He couldn’t bear solitude, even if it was filled with the voice he hates listening to in interviews and the face he hates to see plastered on posters.
“Don’t tell me where to go. I won’t leave you like this.” His voice was stern but the echoes of it against the bathroom walls whispered a quiet concern which rung in the shell os Oscar’s ears.
Carlos’ hands still gently held Oscar’s fingers. His thumb ran over the knuckles on his pinky. The live wire running through Oscar’s nerves seemed to simmer down to a buzz under his skin. He didn’t know how long the two had sat there, but it was long enough for his breathing to slow and for his eyes to open and lock with the patient gaze of the man next to him. It looked as if Carlos hadn’t blinked the whole time, watching him with wide eyes and eyebrows furrowed. When Carlos realised Oscar had returned to his senses, his head tilted to the side as if asking “okay?”.
Oscar simply nodded. His chest still ached and his heart sat at the bottom of his gut. The sound of dress shoes on tile echoed once again as Carlos stood up first. He gently tugged at Oscar’s fingers, offering to help him up. Oscar exhaled as he lifted himself off the floor, back sore from sitting curled up for so long. He let himself be led out the bathroom by Carlos back to the ballroom. “Weird” he thought as he realised Carlos hadn’t let go of his hand, not once.
The ballroom lights had dimmed and the atmosphere had died down from raucous celebration to buzzing chatter over light music. As they approached an empty table, applause erupted around the dance floor nearby. The two watched through the crowd as the newlyweds in a fresh suit and dress stepped onto the dance floor, arms hooked around each other.
“The bride and groom will now have their first dance. May the love between them be eternal.”
Soft guitar twinkled through the air. And, Oscar’s heart drops. He knows this song, he knows it too well.
“Osc baby? Have you ever imagined us getting married?” Logan would ask while twirling Oscar’s hair between his fingers as they sit on the couch. The movie they put on is playing at the lowest volume and has been long forgotten as they enjoyed each other’s presence.
“I always imagined us married, maybe I never imagined the wedding.” Oscar buried his head deeper into Logan’s chest.
“Oh I’ve thought about the wedding. Down to our first dance song.” Oscar could hear the smile in Logan’s voice without looking up at all. He still moves though, shifting his head to look up at the silly grin plastered across Logan’s face. He waited patiently for Logan to continue, his eyes turning into crescent moons as he watches the man he loves. Logan excitedly reaches for his phone and flips on a song. ‘If you love her’ by Forest Blakk plays softly from the phone speaker.
Logan jumps off the couch, letting Oscar crash back into the cushions mourning the warmth. He extends his hand, offering it to Oscar.
“Will you dance with me, Mr Sargeant?”
“As if we’d take your name.” Oscar takes his hand to pull himself up, stumbling slightly into Logan’s chest as he regains his balance. “Sargeant-Piastri has a ring to it don’t you think?”
He feels hands snake around his waist and pull himself closer. They sway completely off beat and they try to correct it every time, resulting in feet stepping onto each other. Logan presses a soft kiss to Oscar’s lips.
“You can call us anything you want,baby.”
Oscar sighs and leans his head into the crook of Logan’s neck. He could spend forever like this.
Logan’s hands were resting on the brides hips and her eyes were locked on his. Oscar had barely survived the walk down the aisle, and now this?
“this is.. this was our..” he began mumbling under his breath as the spotlights spinning around rhe room staryed to glare too bright, too sharp.Suddenly, he felt a strong squeeze of his hand. he felt the slide of sweat between the cracks of his palm and felt horrible. the rough hand stayed, though, making sure oscar knew he was there. Oscar could keep it together for now, for logan. he couldnt make a scene. He promised hed stay for the after party.
In the final chorus of the song, the whole room was sighing as their hearts were filled with the love overflowinh on the dancefloor. As logan dips his wife down, he looks into the crowd. Unfortunately, his eyes find glossy brown ones watching, devastated.
it all seemed to slow, each guitar string deforming into waveforms and the song falling to silence. Logan didnt just see his best friend, he saw what he let go. and for a moment, just a moment, he wished he was holding someone else to this song.
the world caught up to speed, the guitar strings began to thrum again, and he was looking back into the eyes of the woman he loved, who he chose to love. he smiled and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. her soft laughter was a pleasant tickle in his ears, but there was a shade of brown that lived behind his eyelids he couldnt get rid of.
applause erupted and the crowd dispersed. Oscar stumbled to his table followed by Carlos closely behind. To anyone, Oscar was walking
normally back, forgive a bit tipsy, but completely fine. But to Carlos, he saw a shaken residue in his demeanor, a bit less control over his hands and feet. a slip through the cracks of perfection. Oscar threw back a glass of champagne and let a guttural groan escape his throat. Slumped back in his chair, he waited for 5 seconds before pouring another glass
This would become a pattern for the rest of the night, with the alcohol getting stronger as the night goes by. By 11.47pm, he didnt trust his balance enough to remain standing. To Oscars greatest surprise, he wasnt left alone for one second of the night.