A/N: My dear readers, a new chapter ;)
As usual, a big thanks to my betas tubazrcool, Dragon166, and 00Verisimilitude00, you are amazing :)
12.
Celeste was very anxious. This was the biggest show she had ever been in.
Just as a girl from the makeup crew was about to finish the final touch of her makeup, Celeste heard a knock on her changing room door.
She excitedly jumped from her seat, causing the makeup artist to let out an angry cry. Unheeding of the irate woman brandishing a tube of lipstick, Celeste ran to the door and opened it.
When she realized who was standing in front of her, her excitement rapidly faded away.
"Mathieu," she said quietly.
The Australian pilot walked in and glanced at her. "Wow, Celeste, I didn't expect you to jump in circles, but a little excitement at the sight of me would have been nice. Were you expecting somebody else?" he asked while leaning in to hand her a bouquet of white roses.
The young ballet dancer looked at the floor and bit her lip. Was it really that obvious?
"Yes," she admitted.
Mathieu let out a long sigh. "Is he really that special?" he asked, rolling his eyes.
Celeste took his arm and shoved him out of her changing room.
"Thanks for the roses, but you have to go now," she said, releasing his upper arm.
Before he got a chance to retort, she shut the door in his face, leaving Mathieu confusedly standing outside.
On the other side, Celeste turned around and leaned on the door. She tilted her head back, closing her eyes to avoid the curious look the makeup lady was giving her.
Abruptly her memories of last week came flooding back into her mind. After their awkward encounter in her hotel room, they had had a very long conversation. Mathieu had admitted that he had come to Metropolis because he had realized that he didn't want to live without her. Full of regret, he had been planning to tell Celeste everything what had happened between him and Tania, and maybe even propose. However, everything had disappeared into thin air, the moment he had first entered the hotel room. After Clark had left, Mathieu had also made clear that he wouldn't let her go without a fight because their love, according to him, was still strong.
Presently in her changing room, Celeste couldn't bare Mathieu's presence at the moment. So many things had happened and she needed time to think.
The beeping sound of an incoming text pulled her out of her thoughts. She walked up to the table, picking up her cell phone to read the message as she shooed the makeup girl out of her room.
-Can't wait to see you after the concert-
A smile flitted over her face while she punched out an answer. Just as she pushed the 'send' button, another knock on the door indicated that she only had five minutes until the show started.
-Can't wait, either-
Clark tucked his cell phone back into his jacket. He nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other as anxious thoughts shifted through his head. He hadn't been able to really talk to Celeste since their magical night. Mostly because of his two jobs, an erupting volcano in Iceland, the floods in Pakistan, and Celeste's hours-long rehearsals before the premiere of Romeo and Juliet.
He had only been able to see her once since then; one time after he had made the decision to pick her up after an evening rehearsal. After catching Clark's bespectacled appearance outside of the theater, Celeste had jumped up into his arms and had kissed him without permitting him to get some air. Unfortunately, a split second later, there had been a call for his help, and he had had to tell her that he had had to go. She had put her hand on his cheek after she had caught that I have to go look on his face and had pressed her lips fleetingly to his one last time before releasing him with an understanding smile.
The premier of Romeo and Juliet was sold out.
Hundreds of people were standing in the foyer of the Metropolis Dance Theatre in anticipation of the show.
In the middle of the crowd, Clark looked on his wrist watch, curious about Jimmy's whereabouts. Martha and Jonathan were standing next to him, engaged into a conversation with Lois and Richard.
Lois, as it turned out, had been given tickets by Perry to review the show, as a sort of follow up to Clark and Jimmy's piece, but she had decided to use it as more of a date opportunity than a strictly work related occasion.
Martha and Jonathan looked concernedly over to their adopted son. They had noticed that he had been acting strangely since they had arrived in Metropolis. Privately they hoped that he had found a way to cope with the new marriage and Lois's most recent pregnancy.
Catching sight of Jimmy, arriving just five minutes before the show started, Lois said exasperatedly, "Well Olsen, it's nice you decided to finally join us."
The young photographer just smiled at her.
"Lois you are your lovely self as usual," he said to her while he placed a kiss on her cheek. "I see the hormones haven't been getting to you," he finished, grinning as he caught Richard's eye.
Lois rolled her eyes. "I love you too; now let's go before the show starts without us."
The tickets Celeste had given to them, were located in gallery, towards the front with a breathtaking glance on the stage. The big red velvet curtain hid the stage from view, and the orchestra was currently in the middle of the preparatory overture. After they had taken their seats, Jimmy looked at Clark.
"Are you excited?" he asked with a wide grin.
"Sssssshhhh," his friend tried to silence him, but unfortunately, Lois Mad Dog Lane White had already overheard what Jimmy had said.
Sitting behind them she leaned over and whispered into Clark's ear, "Why are you blushing Clarkie?"
He turned around and looked at her. The smile, which was apparent on her face, spoke volumes. Fortunately, to Clark's relief, the music started to play before he had a chance to respond.
Too caught up in his anticipation to finally see Celeste dancing again, he just shrugged and turned around in his seat to face the stage once again as the lights dimmed down, and the curtain rose.
Spotlights pointed on a band located on the left side of the stage, and a breathtaking piano solo soared out from the baby grand in the corner.
Jimmy and Clark covertly looked at each other, knowing exactly what was about to come next, for it was playing out exactly as they had seen on the day they had wanted to conduct the official interview.
Celeste was lying on the floor, covered with white lace chiffon.
After the male ballet dancers had uncovered her, the audience recognized her beautiful white chiffon dress as it softly floated up into the air as she ascended gracefully from her position on the ground.
In full costumes, make-up, and set, the scene had an unexplainable, magical effect that swept up the whole audience.
Clark, Jimmy, Lois, Richard, Jonathan, and Martha watched with rapt attention as the scene played out, and as the stage fell dark, Martha grabbed Clark's hand and smiled at him.
He smiled back, knowing how much she loved a good ballet production. Secretly he hoped that his parents would also like Celeste, as he was planning to introduce her to them right after the performance.
They spent the next ninety minutes, watching the unique ballet production. When another pop group appeared on the stage, Jimmy couldn't believe it. It was his absolute favorite band.
He elbowed Clark excitedly, once he realized what was happening. A light turned to the guitarist and the lead singer of the group. Another spotlight revealed a violin player.
Clark felt goose bumps appear all over his body as he heard the band play a brand new song. At first it was a haunting solo with competing voices from the violin and the electric guitar, but then, a moment later, the percussion joined in and the song took on a whole new edge. After a couple of minutes the beat stopped, and the audience could only hear the guitar winding down to the last few notes of the opening. The light changed into a cerulean blue and the band vanished as if by magic to the left side of the stage.
Celeste and Alexander appeared in the soft light and, offstage, the lead singer began to sing.
Alexander twirled his partner through the air in a close embrace. It didn't last, however, as they soon separated again. The male ballet dancer circled back around to Celeste and wrapped his arms around her waist as he embraced her from the back. While he was caressing her cleavage, he elegantly removed her beautiful long dress. Then he once again entwined his limbs with hers passionately.
For a split second Clark closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He felt like he would be with Celeste at that very moment. He could feel her soft skin, her beautiful hair, and her soft lips... When he opened his eyes again, the dancing pair on the stage once again became Romeo and Juliet, this time making love in very graceful and beautiful dancing steps.
Clark breathlessly watched them and gulped. It was very sensuous, artful and absolutely romantic how both of the dancers lay in each other's arms.
The transparent chiffon dress, Celeste was wearing, seductively emphasized her physique, and Clark's gaze stayed a bit longer on her perfect built buttocks than it should.
Suddenly it was very hot in the Metropolis Dancing Theatre.
Clark inhaled deeply and loosened his much too tight tie while 'Romeo' swirled his 'Juliet' across the stage.
Up in the gallery, Clark was dangerously close to hyperventilating. Stunned, he watched how the two dancers continued pretending to make love.
The lead singer became silent and the electric guitar started on another solo.
After their lovemaking, Alexander whirled Celeste across the stage once more, only to meet up with her again on the other side. He brushed his fingers gently through her hair, while his other hand searched for hers. They were staring deeply into each other's eyes for a moment, and continued to do so as the music lapsed into silence.
Then they both let go their hands very slowly in the deepest melancholy, and vanished from the stage in different directions.
The light faded and the curtain closed. Then there was silence in the theatre.
Jimmy glanced to Clark and was stunned about what he saw.
"Clark are you okay?" he asked.
The man sitting next to him was staring absently at the stage.
"Clark!" Jimmy spoke to his friend a bit louder this time.
Finally the reporter snapped out of it and moved his head to face his friend.
"Did you see that?" Jimmy exclaimed excitedly.
Clark nodded, as he still wasn't able to think straight. It was like Jimmy was asking him something through a thick curtain. Vaguely he caught something about drinks during the intermission, but he just shook his head. He needed to be alone to get his thoughts in line again.
The remaining ninety minutes of the production after the intermission were just as the previous ninety, stunning.
The whole time Clark only had eyes for Celeste, and in his mind the final dance only belonged to the beautiful ballet dancer.
She floated gracefully across the stage, dancing a movement just written for her. The young woman moved gracefully to the words of the lead singer. His beautiful voice and the stunning figures Celeste danced to the song were just breathtaking.
When the final notes approached, Celeste knelt slowly on the floor and stretched her hand wistfully into the air bemoaning over the loss of her 'Romeo'. Then she stabbed herself in the chest with a silver shining dagger while the curtain slowly closed in front of her.
The audience was absolutely speechless for a moment, still taking in the beautiful and unique ballet production, a masterpiece like nothing else before in this world.
Clark stood up and applauded. So did the other guests.
After a minute or so, the curtain opened once more and the performers bowed in front of the audience.
Jason Green was escorted to the stage and the audience clapped even more enthusiastically than before.
The applause roared back and forward like waves until the curtain closed and the lights came on. It was only at that point, the clapping slowly began to ebb as the first people of the audience left silently the room.
So did Clark.
He didn't even notice his friends and family anymore. All he wanted was to see Celeste, to be with her as soon as possible.
For him there was no denial anymore. He had fallen head over heels in love with the Australian ballet dancer. She had enchanted him like nobody else in his life.
As fast as he could, he walked to the dressing rooms, leaving the stunned Jimmy, Lois, Richard, and his parents in his wake. But even though he was in the possession of a press pass, there was almost no way to get through the cloud of journalists, TV-journalist, supporting dancers, and the stagehands.
Almost half an hour after the curtain had fallen, he finally managed to knock on Celeste's door.
While he waited for a response, his heartbeat accelerated until he was almost positive his heart was about to jump out of his chest.
But there was no reply.
He knocked a second, and a third time, with the same outcome. Nobody asked him to come in.
Concerned, he moved his glasses down to x-ray the room.
When Mathieu approached him from behind, he jumped a bit.
"Look who is there," the Australian pilot called out for him.
It was the first time the two men had met since their awkward encounter in Celeste's hotel room.
Clark rolled his eyes. Mathieu was just the person he wanted to see right now.
The other man pushed past the reporter and knocked on Celeste's dressing room door.
"I already tried," Clark pointed out. "Apparently she is still caught among all the journalists."
Mathieu looked at the press pass of the tall man in front of him, affixed on the breast pocked of his suit, indicating his place among the reporters.
"Shouldn't you be with the rest of them, Mr. Kent?" he asked, pointedly glaring at the pass.
Clark looked directly into Mathieu's eyes. "Maybe," he answered curtly.
Mathieu crossed his arms in front of his chest. "What are we going to do now?" he asked, visibly annoyed.
Clark was upset. Really upset. Mathieu drove him nuts and this didn't happen often to the mild-mannered reporter. "What about stopping playing games and trying to find out where Celeste is?" he snapped while he stepped back to let some of the supporting cast members pass.
"Excellent idea," Mathieu agreed. "How about you go back to your press buddies while I wait here until she shows up?"
Now Clark couldn't bear the annoying man anymore. As inconspicuously as possible, he moved his glasses down his nose, and tried once more to x-ray the changing room the moment Mathieu was distracted to step out of the way of some other ballet dancers.
Meanwhile, Clark's blood froze in his veins. The room was completely vandalized. On the floor he recognized splashes of blood, and a drag mark leading out of the room on other side.
Without even thinking about the fact that Mathieu and all the others were close to him, he super sped into the room, crashing the door in the process.
There he stood in the middle of the room, terrified, as he tried to process the scenario in front of him. An icy cold shudder moved down his spine. What in the world did happen here? he thought.
"Where in the world is Celeste?" Mathieu asked confusedly, jerking Clark out of his thoughts.
Clark knelt down and touched concerned the blood on the floor.
"I honestly don't know," he answered roughly, trying to piece together the pieces in his mind.