Why Rose and Samuel you ask. Because I'm a visual writer, and literally this entire story (I kid you not like most off all my other stories) comes from that gif you see. Yuppie. So, enjoy and leave a comment. Or, tell me. IDK. This is somewhat for the anniversary but I plan on writing more new stuff soon.
ps.... that song is the song he plays when he mad, (you''ll know when u get there) enjoy!!!☮☮
-Composed by Samuel, Performed by Rose-
She ignored the tricking feeling of sweat trailing down her neck. Her eyes focused on a spec that had been on that wall since yesterday. Her attention was strong, enduring even, through and through.
Admittedly, Rose hadn’t been dancing like she used to. Hours spent in the gym were traded for hours caring for her only daughter. But now that Samuel admitted himself a year break from composing. She took the advantage to spend at least four hours a day training as a solo. She was still young. Her career of dance was nowhere near over, but her duty as a mother had only begun.
It was moments after holding her first child when she knew it wasn’t going to be her last. It couldn’t be.
Rose loved children. Her priority had always been dancing before. And it still was, but why couldn’t she have two? She lifted her leg behind, extending her arms out openly, then gracefully posed in her final position as Odette. Just a single move brought back memories of an open view of thousands of people. They were clapping like penguins, while altogether smiling like elementary students at a zoo.
Her dance partner of six years wrapped his burly arm around her waist as soon as the curtain let down, “What a beautiful show. You did phenomenal.”
“Axel,” She couldn’t stop herself from blushing everytime. She turnt his face red in return, when she added, “Thank you,”
Before disappearing backstage, he kissed both her cheeks. Rose clamored down the digested chaos, losing him in an instant. She smiled at acknowledgements and casual congratulations. Voices were echoing all around her.
“Only five shows left, Red.” Rose grinned, not bothered at the silly nickname given to her on the first night of rehearsals. .
Her attention lingered on the orchestra’s room as some brass players and violinist hammered out. Sweat trickled off their brows. Then her eye caught his. The entire score was in his grip. A small detail she noticed for no apparent reason.
He nodded at her, next turning his back to lock the door. “You going to lock me in Mr. Lars.” a brunette surfaced with smudged eyeliner.
“Damn,” he teased.
She acknowledged Rose openly, “ Nice show tonight.”
“Oh, thank you. You guys always sound great.” Rose added a compliment.
“I’ve always wanted to be a dancer but I’m uncoordinated,” a surprise laugh slipped from Rose’s lips. “I’m serious. You think I’m kidding? Watch this.” She lifted her arms out, not wrong at all, it was when she spun like a lame kid getting kicked by their bully that made it awkward.
“Oh, no” Rose reached out for her. Samuel ended up moving in from behind. Thankfully supporting her back. “Maybe you should sit down? Get some rest? It's gotta be hot down there.”
“Like hell,” a small laugh bubbled out. “I’ll see you two tomorrow.”
“It was a very nice show.” Rose studied his arms as he swung them out. Perhaps a ritual he did after composing a long show. “Have a good night.”
+++
Rose thought maybe it would be weird to date from the same family her sister had been dating from. She was totally jumping the gun. At this point she’d only exchanged pleasantries. It wasn’t until a Friday night debacle she understood his true passion for his art.
Scene three, act two was a complete disaster. A meeting had been set eight hours before the next show to figure it out. Someone had been continuously complaining about the rhythm being butchered by half of the dancers.
Rose cancelled a family event to in order to come on time. With the way everyone sat there clearly bothered, possibly still high from last nights after party, it gave her clarity on how she felt. Pissed. There were only two more shows left. This was the only big mistake the cast had made. The odds of it happening were slim to none.
She wrestled a scrunchie off her arm, stuffing her red hair in a lame bun. Axel was on the edge of stage right speaking with the director. The lights above highlighted his tanned freckled back.
Rose took this time to stretch out. Even some of the other dancers sat with her stretching in unison.
Just as they began the splits, low and behold Samuel Lars walked on stage front and center. “I need it here,” he spoke to someone in the wings.
Axel glanced back, catching looks with Rose. “Someone is fucking dead,” he mouthed.
He was right. If the composer needed to come out of his hole and school the dancers, someone royally fucked up his music and he was offended.
The stage manager quickly rolled a piano on to stage before him. While the assistant lingered behind with a seat. Not a single person moved once he made himself comfortable. The director even retired in to a folding chair off in the corner, with her hand running through her stringy hair.
Soft and light, the melody of Swan Lake began to course through the veins of the instrument. He was precise, not missing a single beat. Emotion was poured in to each note with no lack of vulnerability. No strings. No horns. Just him and the piano.
Once he finished he looked up at everyone, blinking away the other world he’d just traveled back from. “I need you to dance like that.” Maria, their choreographer, nodded on the sidelines. “I’m tired of looking up at the screen and seeing some of you offbeat. The ballet isn’t about ballet. Swan Lake isn’t about ballet. It’s about the music.” he paused, to stand. “And I’m not saying your dancing isn’t important. I’d just rather go to an orchestral performance than a music-less ballet.”
She bit her bottom lip. A pin could drop and sound like a bomb.
To be told in dance that you weren’t front and center by the composer was like a slap to the face.
Samuel sat back down, breathing out from his nose. “Come. Let’s get this right.”
Rose took her place. She felt her breath shake once he looked her stark in the face. He signaled when he’d give her the first note by one press of a key, then a short nod. He did the same to Axel and the remaining dancers.
Just like that her note rang vibrantly. Her body took over instantly, gracefully. She felt his eyes completely on her, no longer immersed in his instrument, although his playing still as beautiful.
Three counts in he stopped them. “No. Again please.”
The dancers hurried to their starting positions, readily awaiting for that first note. He went over it around twenty times before Rose began rolling her eyes at every stop. “ Can you hear the music?” he called, playing it as everyone walked back to their position. “Stop thinking about the moves and just listen to the music.”
Axel placed his hands on his hips. “Can Rose and I have a go at it alone?”
Samuel yanked the grey pullover from his body, causing his chestnut hair to spray everywhere. “Please.”
Axel hummed, nodding towards Rose who was redoing her own hair. The moment the first note played she felt like the scene that Axel set was a completely different mood. It was intimate. Not private intimate. Their characters were in harmony with one another. Falling in love with one another. She lifted her chin in his hold, the connection between the two was all in the effortless effort to follow the music.To be the music.
Their last hold alarmed her core. Samuel’s hands were nowhere near the instrument. His eyes completely fixated on the two moving to their last counts. She finally relaxed when all he did was smile and murmur. “You are the music.”
“Everyone do that.” he pointed towards the two.
+++
She stood for her final encore. Her outfit seams poking her in the stomach. She didn’t care. Axel waved at a younger girl seated between his mother and stepfather.
Finally, the orchestra stepped out for their first bow ever. And the more she thought about it, the more ridicules it sounded. Leading the ensemble was Samuel, his messy hair from just two days ago was neatly pushed out of his face. He took a short bow, opening his arms out to gesture to his team instead. She could pick his family out anywhere. Not just because they were all strikingly beautiful but because they were all strikingly beautiful.
The after party was a wine filled fest stuffed in the corners of the dressing rooms. She wanted to see him at least once more. So, instead of hanging out with her usual crowd of thin lipped dancers, she shifted through the families and producers sharing short words and goodbyes by the exits.
Samuel lingered half in, half out of a small room that rumored had all the desserts. It must have been true because not a single dancer was past that point. “Finley didn’t know what happened?” he laughed.
“Hi,” her voice caught not only his, but a few other people’s attention.
“Hi,” he said, moving out of her way so that she could continue in. “Well done tonight.” before Rose could get a word in Samuel was already turning down the halls, hands combing through his hair.
She took a breath before following behind. “You too.” Samuel glanced at her as she kept up with his stride barefoot. “Do you have a contract with the theatre?”
“No.”was all he said on the matter. He pressed his hands in his pockets. “You know music very well,” they passed a couple settled on the floor with a plate of food. “ It puts you ahead of everyone else.”
“I used to play the violin. I quit because I wanted to be really good at something. One thing. ”
“You are,” she found herself blushing again. “Maybe I’ll see you in another show?” he stopped so they could look each other in the eye.
“Definitely.”
+++
The promise that wasn’t really a promise was fulfilled. He showed up to one other matinee show four months later. She almost melted in his arms when he hugged her.
Seven more months past and he’d been attached to yet another project that would include her.
This time was different. She was sad. Rose couldn’t imagine waiting another seven months to see him again. To hear his band leading the entire show.
Much like the previous after party Rose hurried to find him before he left.
“Listen to the fucking music,” Axel screamed, clearly drunk of his ass.
Samuel grinned at is terrible piano skills. “Hi,” Rose spoke.
“Hi,” Samuel placed his glass of red wine on the ground. “Well done tonight.”
“Thank you. You too.” she breathed.
Axel lifted his arms in the air. “Rosie show Samuel how we move. Show him how to be the music.”
“No,” Samuel responded quickly. “I...no...I can’t.” Axel continued his childish attempts at the piano. “I should get more wine,” he excused himself to everyone but Rose because she followed him out to the hallway. Her eyes watching as he twirled what was left of the drink then he downed it, placing it on a random table full of sorts of crackers and cheeses.
He was heading nowhere near the wine tables but down the halls that lead to the stage. As they got closer, he glanced back at her presence. “Can I do something for you?”
She couldn’t take her eyes of his back. “Could you play me something?”
Samuel’s brow arched. “Play you something?”
“Anything.”
He moved the piano that was nestled in the wings to the stage coolly. She followed him once he settled down signaling her to sit beside him. Like her feet, his hands had been callused. He let them wiggle nonchalantly. Rose could tell he was thinking. Then, slowly a sweet melody began flowing. He played like no one was watching, until a specific part coursed through the air. Samuel glanced at her sweetly, lips curling in to a smile.
There was no time better than now, so she decided to kiss him. Right there in the open. The ones that would’ve witnessed it were some left over tech crew. Maybe a security guard or two.
His playing ceased almost instantly, considering his hands were cupping her face. If it would have carried on she would jumped the stage.
She was surprised by her reactions of suddenly straddling him. And in result, he pinned her back to the piano beckoning an array of terrible notes to follow. His lips were soft. She could taste the wine that lingered. “We have to get off stage,” he stood carefully to let her down on her feet.
Rose, still wrapped up in the moment, only nodded as he rolled the piano back to its dusty home. She assumed he would casually stroll away, or tell her he had to get back to the party, but no. When they were out of the clear, Samuel pressed a soft kiss on her cheek. Checking his surrounds, he slowly lead her to a quieter area where the band met for practices.
This is where it all started.
+++
After practicing, Rose hurried home, grateful her daughter greeted her with open arms as soon as she spilled in the house. Rose planted a loud smack on her. “Hi, baby.” Rose glanced around the corner. “Samuel?”
That same sweet smile, and ember eyes lighting up the space wandered near. “Hi,”
“Hi,” she breathed.