Ready to meet the Dwyers?

Chapter 34.

When the day of our first show off arrives, a stage is set on the football field for us to perform in front of a live audience. Family. Friends. University students, staff, and faculty. Ogden locals. Everybody. It will be the first time we get to perform our full routine, on a stage, and in front of people.

I haven't seen Bella yet today. Her parents arrived last night and will be here all weekend for our show-off today and the swimsuit shoot tomorrow. Since our uniforms are made and sponsored by their clothing company, they have a video crew who will be recording our training today, our performance, and I guess everything else backstage for a small documentary-style, hype commercial video.

Coach Hale wasn't thrilled. I think it's distracting too, but apparently, there was no way out of it.

Bella seems to be doing okay. She's made it a point in the past few days after our conversation to actually sit down and eat with me—which settled my worries and eased my nerves. She's been happy. Playful. Her full-of-energy self.

"Damn, look at the size of that thing!" I find her in the locker rooms, and she smiles shyly as I walk closer. She's in full attire. Gray and purple, sparkly uniform. Makeup on. Fake eyelashes. The biggest fucking bow known to humankind wrapped around her ponytail. "It's as big as your whole head!" I say, gently tugging one of the white ribbons.

"Shut up," she says with a laugh, softly punching my stomach and dropping her head on my chest.

"I missed you this morning." I let out a sigh, running my hands along her arms.

"Me too." She looks up, a sweet smile on her face.

"You doing okay?"

She hums her response, nodding.

"You look beautiful."

"Ha…ha…"

"Like a Christmas present."

She pushes me away playfully but with perfect timing as the doors swing open and in comes a cameraman with another man trailing behind him—Phil, I recognize from Bella's pictures—her step-dad, her dad.

I move a little farther from Bella, sticking my hands in my pockets.

"You ready, sweetie?" Phil asks, his eyes on Bella. The camera too.

Bella lifts up a hand against the camera, blocking the lens.

"You promised no bathrooms or lockers," she says to Phil, and now I understand why she was hiding in here.

"Right, sorry, sorry," Phil says quickly, waving the camera guy off. "You must be Edward." Phil turns to me, gold chain peeking out from under his open-collar button shirt.

"Nice to meet you, sir." I extend my hand to him, and he shakes it, squeezing my hand with unnecessary force.

"Likewise," he says, letting go of my hand then wrapping an arm around Bella's waist, guiding her away from me. She peeks back at me, shooting me a little smile.

I smile back at her reluctantly then huff with my hands on my hips as they leave, hating everything about this.

~.~.~

We warm up inside the gym before the show off. I'm distracted and off my game. I stumble. I even mess up my tumbling passes.

I'm not even nervous about performing. I'm just worried about Bella.

The cameras are constantly on her, and while she smiles for them and keeps her game face on, every chance she's out of the spotlight, a frown appears on her face. A deep breath. A little tremble of her fingers when she sets her hands on her hips.

I don't think anyone notices, but then again, no one else has their eyes constantly on her like I do.

When we both walk onto the mat to practice our partner stunt routine before the show, all cameras are on us.

"You okay?" I ask as I set up behind her. She nods and wraps her hands around my wrist, tapping her fingers over my skin to tell me that she's ready. "Do you want me to tell them to scram the fuck off?" I whisper in her ear and she giggles softly, shaking her head in response.

I breathe, I smile, and I start our routine.

Her movements are solid, precise, flawless. I'm the one struggling under her, but I do save every stunt and get through the whole sequence. Bella seems happy with me as she hugs me when we're done, but it does not seem to be good enough for Phil, as he asks if they can get some footage of the partner stunts with Jacob instead of me.

"It's nothing personal." Phil pats a harsh hand on my shoulder, while I watch Bella stunt with Jacob from the sidelines. It stings a little, but I remain calm, standing tall next to Phil, arms crossed over my chest. I smile politely at him and his still-fresh hair plugs, and just wait until they're done so we can get this day over with.

It's clear Phil didn't come here to play nice, but he's Bella's step dad after all. If anyone has to play nice, it's me.

~.~.~

Even though I was shaky during the warm up, the show off actually ends up going great. I guess everyone was pumped and hyped from the audience, and we, in fact, hit zero—hit every stunt with no falls or deductions—for the first time since we started practicing the routine in full.

With only three weeks until Daytona, now it's a matter of polishing it off, feeling more comfortable with it…more confident.

Bella and I also perform our separate routine for the partner stunt competition in front of the audience, and while I feel a little nervous at the beginning, it goes amazingly. Probably better than any other time we've practiced it. The nerves, the jitters, all disappear as we stand in the center of the stage, and when she's on my hands, it just feels like it's our time to shine together.

The crowd cheers. My heart beats fast. She wraps her legs around my waist as I hug her when we're done.

I'm pumped. I'm excited. I'm happy and proud.

I can't fucking wait for Daytona.

We walk off stage, hand in hand, until we meet her parents backstage. The woman standing next to Phil, Bella's mom, I assume, is in high heels and a flowery dress. She looks nothing like Bella. Her hair is lighter, shoulder-length, and she's much taller—almost as tall as Phil in her heels. Once we are near them, Bella lets my hand go to receive a hug from her mother.

"Oh, baby, you were amazing!" Renee pulls back, fixing Bella's hair, before looking at me, lifting her sunglasses to the top of her head.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Dwyer." I extend a hand to her, which she dodges, pulling me down for a hug instead.

"Oh my, you are tall," she says with a small laugh as she releases me. "Please, call me Renee. Mrs. Dwyer sounds so old!"

I smile politely as my eyes drift to Bella, who is embracing Phil. Bella had filled me in on the last name situation, and how she decided to keep her name after Renee married Phil and changed hers. I'm glad she did. Swan fits her so much better.

"Seriously, though…" Renee pulls on my arm, getting my attention back to her. "How old would you say I look?"

"Uh—" I'm taken aback by her question, feeling on the spot. Thankfully, I don't have to answer because Bella quickly comes to my rescue.

"Mom…" Bella stands next to me, her hand reaching for mine, fingers finding their place between mine. Could be my imagination, but I am pretty sure Phil scoffs while looking at our hands.

"Just a fun guess…" Renee sighs, still facing me, putting her shades back on and wrapping an arm over Bella's shoulder. "Don't you think we look more like sisters?"

"I…" My eyes flick between her and Bella while I try to buy time. I pretend to cough and clear my throat because no, they don't look like sisters.

"You don't have to answer that," Bella interjects with a laugh, sweetly looking up at me. I swallow hard, still a bit uncomfortable, feeling Phil's eyes on us.

"Ugh, you're no fun," Renee says, letting go of Bella, thankfully leaving the topic alone. My relief is short-lived, as Renee runs her hand across Bella's waist, feeling out the elastic band of her uniform bottoms. "What size did you end up with?" Renee asks. I can't hide my shock as my eyes bulge. "It's a little tight, no?"

It's not lost on me that Bella flinches away from her mother's hand, even though she tries to play it down with another small laugh.

"It feels fine," Bella says softly, shrugging, as I tighten my grip on her hand.

"Reservation's at six," Phil says in a stern tone, pulling his phone from his pocket and walking closer to Renee. "Pick you up from the dorms?"

Bella agrees with a nod, and we all say quick goodbyes.

As soon as they're facing in the opposite direction and walking away from us, Bella turns to me. She's smiling, of course, but she looks a little shaken.

I want to tell her her uniform fits her perfectly, but I remind myself to abstain from commenting on her size. So, I pull her to me while backing onto the scaffolding of the stage, resting my back against it. Her hand reaches for my waist, and she loops her arm around me, burying her face in my chest.

"You okay?" I breathe into her hair, holding her to me. "That was intense…"

"My parents?" she says into my shirt. "They mean well."

"If you say so."

"C'mon, be nice," she warns, still hugging herself to me.

"I am being nice." I take a breath, groan slightly, while her hands rub up and down my back. "I think the uniform looks great on you," I manage to say.

"Thank you," she says softly, face still pressed against my chest.

"Your mom was wrong about that."

Bella doesn't say anything, instead she takes a deep breath, humming with contentment into my chest.

"I wish the gray hid the sweat better," I say, trying for humor and lifting my arm, a clear sweat stain covering my armpit. "I'll be a sweaty mess in Daytona."

She giggles, looking up at me, and I run an exaggerated hand over my sweaty forehead.

"We'll have to bring you a towel." Her smile is in place. Her eyes on mine. But I know that face—it's the smile-through-the-pain face. She's tired.

I'm tired, too.

As the adrenaline from our performance dissipates, and the nerves from meeting her parents fade, all I'm left with is exhaustion. The months behind us feel heavy on my shoulders.

"You sure you're okay?"

She nods, tightening the grip her arm has around me, giving me a little squeeze.

"The whole day's been a lot," I elaborate. "With all the cameras following you and being pulled in every direction."

"I'm okay. I'm happy our routine went so well." Her smile stretches and my heart speeds up. "I'm so proud of us and the hard work we've put into it."

"Fuck, Swan…" I drop my forehead onto hers. "You don't know what that means to me. I'm so proud of us too."

She reaches up and plants her lips on mine, as I breathe out harshly through my nose.

While I am excited for Daytona, and I cannot wait to officially compete with her, I'm also looking forward to having some downtime afterward, together. To relax and just be with each other. Maybe we could go somewhere. No cameras. No commitments. Just us.

"I can't wait to have some time off together," I say, holding her face in my hands.

"Me either," she says against my lips.

"Do we have some time to relax now?"

"Not much," she says, pulling away from me. "I do want to get all of this off before dinner." She gestures to her face and her hair.

Right. Dinner. With her parents.

I nod in agreement and push myself up, reaching to hold her hand. Relaxing would have to come later.