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The wedding had been beautiful. So very sentimental and absolutely tugged at the heart strings, even for someone who only very tangentially knew some of the people there like Abby. She had even gotten tears in her eyes during the vows. Even the reception was perfect, or at least in her eyes. Yes, she was really an odd one out in this crowd of family and friends, but she was fairly decent at small talk and spent most of her time with Cliff’s family. It was always pleasant talking to them, even though Abby definitely missed the looks that passed between them whenever she assured someone asking that Cliff and her were just friends. They were not in a romantic partnership. Just teammates, classmates, and friends.
“Cliff,” Abby made her way over to Cliff, her dress swishing around her. She really did love the dress she got for the wedding. “Do you know when we need to show off the results of your training?” Cliff had spent weeks on learning to dance, learning a few styles and moves, all in preparation for today. “Is there a particular time or just when a song comes on?” She wasn’t quite sure on what the plan was but since the parental dances were just finishing up she knew they would be opening the dance floor in just a moment or two.
“Cliff,” Abby made her way over to Cliff, her dress swishing around her. She really did love the dress she got for the wedding. “Do you know when we need to show off the results of your training?” Cliff had spent weeks on learning to dance, learning a few styles and moves, all in preparation for today. “Is there a particular time or just when a song comes on?” She wasn’t quite sure on what the plan was but since the parental dances were just finishing up she knew they would be opening the dance floor in just a moment or two.
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The wedding was certainly something. Cliff, being a bit more privy to the nitty-gritty that happened behind the scenes, was as impressed as he was shocked that they were able to pull it off. He was plenty happy for the couple, of course, and (maybe begrudgingly) participated in a slew of family traditions spanning the length of the ceremony and up to a certain point during the reception before he was allowed to finally take a breather from it all.
Abby was a trooper the entire time, as he expected she would be. Maybe a bit clueless, considering the whispers he was hearing floating around and all the eyes on them whenever they were together, but then if she wasn't, he had a feeling they'd have had some kind of conversation a long while ago.
Meanwhile, he was just incredibly skilled at ignoring family gossip.
Cliff was just getting back from grabbing himself a drink when Abby came over, and he bobbed his head at her question. "Coming up soon here, once they open up the dance floor. If it's alright with you, I'd rather wait for my aunt and uncle to start dragging everyone in." He smirked. "Don't wanna look too eager, y'know."
Abby was a trooper the entire time, as he expected she would be. Maybe a bit clueless, considering the whispers he was hearing floating around and all the eyes on them whenever they were together, but then if she wasn't, he had a feeling they'd have had some kind of conversation a long while ago.
Meanwhile, he was just incredibly skilled at ignoring family gossip.
Cliff was just getting back from grabbing himself a drink when Abby came over, and he bobbed his head at her question. "Coming up soon here, once they open up the dance floor. If it's alright with you, I'd rather wait for my aunt and uncle to start dragging everyone in." He smirked. "Don't wanna look too eager, y'know."
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“Ah,” Abby chuckled even as she shook her head, “You mean you don’t want to look like you're showing off.” She shrugged and nodded, “That's fine with me. Just let me know when you want to covertly show off.” Overall she found it funny. He had spent weeks learning to dance, of course he wanted to show off. But she also understood. It was always more amusing seeing the surprise on other’s faces with things like that. Abby murmured that she would be right back and went to get herself a drink, knowing that they had a little bit of time. Unfortunately for her, that ‘little bit of time’ was less then she had predicted so when Cliff came to get her Abby downed the glass of wine she had gotten from the bar and followed him onto the dance floor.
They performed one of the dances perfectly, or as perfectly as they could. She absently noticed a few missed steps, a couple of beats that were just a little off tempo, but knew that no one else would have. Especially since they were in a more casual setting and not in a competition. The song ended and she was only slightly out of breath so when a slower, more intimate song started up, she mentally shrugged and shifted into a closer stance, her arms sliding around his neck even as he shifted into a closer hold as well. “Might as well prove that the first song wasn’t a fluke.” Abby told Cliff quietly before gently guiding him into a simple step. A dance step that definitely didn’t leave room for ‘the holy ghost’ as some prudes would prefer.
As they danced she became exceedingly aware of the heat of his hands and the crisp clean smell of him. The way they almost fit together. Even though it was a slower dance her heart rate rose, and Abby would have sworn she was starting to overheat. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, she mentally noted, trying to shake off the strange twist in her belly on the drink she had earlier.
They performed one of the dances perfectly, or as perfectly as they could. She absently noticed a few missed steps, a couple of beats that were just a little off tempo, but knew that no one else would have. Especially since they were in a more casual setting and not in a competition. The song ended and she was only slightly out of breath so when a slower, more intimate song started up, she mentally shrugged and shifted into a closer stance, her arms sliding around his neck even as he shifted into a closer hold as well. “Might as well prove that the first song wasn’t a fluke.” Abby told Cliff quietly before gently guiding him into a simple step. A dance step that definitely didn’t leave room for ‘the holy ghost’ as some prudes would prefer.
As they danced she became exceedingly aware of the heat of his hands and the crisp clean smell of him. The way they almost fit together. Even though it was a slower dance her heart rate rose, and Abby would have sworn she was starting to overheat. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, she mentally noted, trying to shake off the strange twist in her belly on the drink she had earlier.
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Cliff felt eyes on him for the first minute or so of the song, but the longer they were on the dance floor the more that feeling melted away and his only awareness was Abby. The way she felt in his arms, particularly when she stepped in closer for the slower dance. He couldn't help closing his eyes as he drew in a long breath—the strangest sense of intoxication coming over him at the smell of her perfume.
He shifted his hands, mindful of where he rested them despite the haze in his mind and the fluttering in his stomach. He could feel the eyes on him again but moved in closer despite them, his heart starting to race as the gap between them became perfectly nonexistent as far as he was concerned.
"I don't think we really practiced slow dances," he said quietly as he tried to steady his breathing. "How'm I doing?"
He shifted his hands, mindful of where he rested them despite the haze in his mind and the fluttering in his stomach. He could feel the eyes on him again but moved in closer despite them, his heart starting to race as the gap between them became perfectly nonexistent as far as he was concerned.
"I don't think we really practiced slow dances," he said quietly as he tried to steady his breathing. "How'm I doing?"
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“I… um,” She swallowed and tried to focus on the words, and not on his lips. Or the heat radiating off of him. Or where his hands were resting or how if they slid a little lower they –
Abby cut that train of thought off with a small shake of her head, and dropping her gaze down to focus on a spot just about at his collar bone, “I know but you're doing fine. Better than fine, your,” Her eyes had darted back up to his as she tried to reassure him that he was dancing just fine, even if they were slowing down with each passing musical bar, “great.” Her voice was breathy and seemed to be more than just dancing critique.
By the time the song was fading away with a weepy string sound they were practically standing still, so close Abby would have sworn Cliff could feel her heartbeat trying to outpace a hummingbird’s wings, and nearly… almost but not quite, kissing. The urge to just close the distance, to just press her lips into his, nearly swamped her. She had actually started to lean forward when the jarring synth sounds of some 80s pop started to blare making Abby yank backwards, arms falling to her side. “I… ah… um… I think we proved you don’t have two left feet,” She tried to recover. “Anyway…. I’m going to go,” She started to back away, babbling as she went, “the wine. It really went right to my head. So I’ll go get some air, or something.” With that she turned and headed in the direction of the patio doors, her mind just as jumbled as her feelings.
Was she really just about to kiss Cliff?
REALLY?
Abby cut that train of thought off with a small shake of her head, and dropping her gaze down to focus on a spot just about at his collar bone, “I know but you're doing fine. Better than fine, your,” Her eyes had darted back up to his as she tried to reassure him that he was dancing just fine, even if they were slowing down with each passing musical bar, “great.” Her voice was breathy and seemed to be more than just dancing critique.
By the time the song was fading away with a weepy string sound they were practically standing still, so close Abby would have sworn Cliff could feel her heartbeat trying to outpace a hummingbird’s wings, and nearly… almost but not quite, kissing. The urge to just close the distance, to just press her lips into his, nearly swamped her. She had actually started to lean forward when the jarring synth sounds of some 80s pop started to blare making Abby yank backwards, arms falling to her side. “I… ah… um… I think we proved you don’t have two left feet,” She tried to recover. “Anyway…. I’m going to go,” She started to back away, babbling as she went, “the wine. It really went right to my head. So I’ll go get some air, or something.” With that she turned and headed in the direction of the patio doors, her mind just as jumbled as her feelings.
Was she really just about to kiss Cliff?
REALLY?
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It took a second for things to register after Abby rather abruptly left him on the dance floor, having been completely drawn in and focused on her for the last few seconds of that dance. By the time he came to, only a few pairs of eyes were still on him—his parents, aunt, uncle, and cousin. Not that he cared at all what questions were running through their minds right then. He had his own questions about what all just happened, and a small, faint hope that maybe there was something there that, for all this time, he believed was an impossibility. Quickly glancing around, he caught sight of one of the patio doors closing, and just beyond it he could swear was Abby's retreating form.
"s**t," he muttered, springing to life and heading over to one of his other cousins, who hadn't really been paying attention because she was dealing with her own date being an absolute mess because of the open bar. A quick exchange of favors resulted in her handing him a small bottle, and he then bolted toward those same patio doors.
From the doors he could see where she stood, back still to him. Before he could think too hard about it and wind up chickening out, he opened the doors and headed straight for her, though rather than confront her about what the hell just happened he wound up leaning against the railing just beside her, one arm extended to hold up a bottle in front of her face.
"It might help with the alcohol," he said, a small smile on his face as he waggled the bottle. "You said you maybe had too much wine?"
"s**t," he muttered, springing to life and heading over to one of his other cousins, who hadn't really been paying attention because she was dealing with her own date being an absolute mess because of the open bar. A quick exchange of favors resulted in her handing him a small bottle, and he then bolted toward those same patio doors.
From the doors he could see where she stood, back still to him. Before he could think too hard about it and wind up chickening out, he opened the doors and headed straight for her, though rather than confront her about what the hell just happened he wound up leaning against the railing just beside her, one arm extended to hold up a bottle in front of her face.
"It might help with the alcohol," he said, a small smile on his face as he waggled the bottle. "You said you maybe had too much wine?"
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She was flushed, overly warm, and generally felt like she was coming down with something. That had to be the only explanation. That one glass of wine couldn’t have been enough to go to her head. She drank more while cooking for goodness sake. Abby took several deep, slow breaths as she clutched the railing, trying to wrap her mind around what had just happened. It was Cliff. Cliff! She was not getting all hot and bothered over him! She just wasn’t!
As the young woman stood there trying to calm down, she heard the door open behind her, so she wasn’t overly surprised when a figure joined her on the railing. She wasn’t even all that surprised when the person who had come to check on her was Cliff himself… the bottle however was surprising. One of those nutritional things. “Oh,” Abby hesitantly took the bottle and after reading it, mostly out of curiosity, she started to drink even while ignoring the way her heartbeat was still racing.
“Um, thank you. I think the heat and exercise just made the glass of wine go right to my head.” Abby finished off the drink and glanced over at Cliff, not quite ready to face what happened but aware that she had to at least explain some. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to bolt like that but well,” She shrugged slightly, “I needed to get some air,” before I did something stupid She silently added.
As the young woman stood there trying to calm down, she heard the door open behind her, so she wasn’t overly surprised when a figure joined her on the railing. She wasn’t even all that surprised when the person who had come to check on her was Cliff himself… the bottle however was surprising. One of those nutritional things. “Oh,” Abby hesitantly took the bottle and after reading it, mostly out of curiosity, she started to drink even while ignoring the way her heartbeat was still racing.
“Um, thank you. I think the heat and exercise just made the glass of wine go right to my head.” Abby finished off the drink and glanced over at Cliff, not quite ready to face what happened but aware that she had to at least explain some. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to bolt like that but well,” She shrugged slightly, “I needed to get some air,” before I did something stupid She silently added.
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He stayed quiet as she drank, only nodding his head when she thanked him. His attention was split between her and the patio door, because he really hoped his family would be more focused on the dance floor and…pretty much any other space besides where they were. It was hard enough to throw Abby off balance, but after what just happened he was hoping to ask and potentially his hopes dashed now rather than later.
"No worries, I get it," he said, locking eyes with a cousin who had just opened the door. They took the hint, thankfully, and headed in a different direction, and only once they were gone did he turn around and lean over the railing.
"The slow dance was a little unexpected," he went on, words slowing until he fully paused, considering for a moment before going on. "So was what happened kinda just after. I thought, maybe…" Another pause, much to his annoyance, and he pursed his lips. He wanted to be more specific about it; more direct when he asked her about that almost-kiss, but for whatever reason the words were stuck just on the very tip of his tongue.
"No worries, I get it," he said, locking eyes with a cousin who had just opened the door. They took the hint, thankfully, and headed in a different direction, and only once they were gone did he turn around and lean over the railing.
"The slow dance was a little unexpected," he went on, words slowing until he fully paused, considering for a moment before going on. "So was what happened kinda just after. I thought, maybe…" Another pause, much to his annoyance, and he pursed his lips. He wanted to be more specific about it; more direct when he asked her about that almost-kiss, but for whatever reason the words were stuck just on the very tip of his tongue.
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Abby was only able to keep eye contact for a moment before she began to study the empty bottle like it held the secrets of the universe. “I’m sorry, I really am. I didn’t mean to – ” She trailed off, absently picking at the bottle label. “The music, and the dancing, and the wine –” Once again she faded off, having lost the words to express just what had happened, or rather unable to puzzle it out herself.
But there was one thing she knew, one thing she could say, “It didn’t mean anything,” it couldn’t, “we are friends afterall. That's not something friends do.” Right? It was that last part that had her actually looking at Cliff, trying to read his expression but not really picking up anything. Was she seeing disgust? Confusion? Ridicule? Or was it just the shadows and her imagination? So what if she felt a twist in her gut at the idea of him rejecting her or the pain that sliced through her when she thought she saw revulsion in his eyes. She didn’t want to lose his friendship… it wasn’t exactly like she had all that many in the first place.
“Just forget it ever happened, ok?” If they pretended it never happened then everything could go back to the way it was. Abby definitely ignored the little pang of regret with that thought. It was for the best.
It had to be.
But there was one thing she knew, one thing she could say, “It didn’t mean anything,” it couldn’t, “we are friends afterall. That's not something friends do.” Right? It was that last part that had her actually looking at Cliff, trying to read his expression but not really picking up anything. Was she seeing disgust? Confusion? Ridicule? Or was it just the shadows and her imagination? So what if she felt a twist in her gut at the idea of him rejecting her or the pain that sliced through her when she thought she saw revulsion in his eyes. She didn’t want to lose his friendship… it wasn’t exactly like she had all that many in the first place.
“Just forget it ever happened, ok?” If they pretended it never happened then everything could go back to the way it was. Abby definitely ignored the little pang of regret with that thought. It was for the best.
It had to be.
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He'd been just about to say it when she spoke up. Apologized for making a mistake, chalking it up to the music, the dancing, and the wine. Cliff opened and closed his mouth in very quick succession, looking a bit like a fish out of water as he processed what she was saying–it hadn't meant anything to her.
And what she wasn't saying.
She didn't think of him in those terms, only saw him as a friend, and because that line was drawn in the sand didn't consider him as anything other than that–her best friend.
It was easy to keep all of the hurt and disappointment off of his face, but it was impossible to completely hide it in his eyes. He was smiling, sure, because that was fair enough! Best friends turned lovers was only common as a TV trope, not so much in real life. So he clenched his jaw and forced a smile despite the wrenching in his chest and the feeling of the world falling away from him as he lost all hope that Abby might ever see him in a different light.
That she might one day feel the same way he felt about her.
"Yeah," he said, throat tight but he choked out the words. Because even though she was inadvertently breaking his heart, that didn't mean that he wanted to lose her friendship, too. As long as she was in his life, he was sure he could carry on just like this.
He had to...
So. Clearing his throat, he repeated himself, hopefully sounding slightly more convincing. "Yeah, okay. Uh. Glad we cleared that up." Cliff managed a little chuckle as he reached over to gently pat her on the shoulder, though he couldn't quite meet her eye.
"Alright. I'm, uh. I'm gonna head back inside. Take as much time out here as you need, if you're not feeling any better after a bit just lemme know and I'll take you home. Sound good?"
And what she wasn't saying.
She didn't think of him in those terms, only saw him as a friend, and because that line was drawn in the sand didn't consider him as anything other than that–her best friend.
It was easy to keep all of the hurt and disappointment off of his face, but it was impossible to completely hide it in his eyes. He was smiling, sure, because that was fair enough! Best friends turned lovers was only common as a TV trope, not so much in real life. So he clenched his jaw and forced a smile despite the wrenching in his chest and the feeling of the world falling away from him as he lost all hope that Abby might ever see him in a different light.
That she might one day feel the same way he felt about her.
"Yeah," he said, throat tight but he choked out the words. Because even though she was inadvertently breaking his heart, that didn't mean that he wanted to lose her friendship, too. As long as she was in his life, he was sure he could carry on just like this.
He had to...
So. Clearing his throat, he repeated himself, hopefully sounding slightly more convincing. "Yeah, okay. Uh. Glad we cleared that up." Cliff managed a little chuckle as he reached over to gently pat her on the shoulder, though he couldn't quite meet her eye.
"Alright. I'm, uh. I'm gonna head back inside. Take as much time out here as you need, if you're not feeling any better after a bit just lemme know and I'll take you home. Sound good?"
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It hurt. It hurt so much more than she expected when Cliff agreed with her. She wasn’t sure why but it just made her ache. As if there was a part of her that was grieving over what could have been. What should have been. Unable to speak, knowing that her voice would crack even as Cliff just chuckled, Abby turned away to look out into the darkness once more and nodded.
She was going to take that time to get her head on straight. To shake off this strange melancholy that was settling over her. It was just the atmosphere. The venue, the decorations, the music… nothing more, nothing less. It didn’t matter that she felt like a piece of her was missing when Cliff turned to leave.
This was for the best.
It had to be.
She was going to take that time to get her head on straight. To shake off this strange melancholy that was settling over her. It was just the atmosphere. The venue, the decorations, the music… nothing more, nothing less. It didn’t matter that she felt like a piece of her was missing when Cliff turned to leave.
This was for the best.
It had to be.
