ℰ𝓉𝒽ℯ𝓇ℯ𝒶𝓁 － ℬ𝓊𝒸𝓀𝓎 ℬ𝒶𝓇𝓃ℯ𝓈 𝒳 𝒪𝒞

𝒜𝒸𝓉 𝑋𝑋𝐼

A/N: Splitting this into two parts! I'll post the next one soon, but I can't mentally write the other half after what I poured from my heart during the solo scene. Comment, vote, cry, I don't care, just enjoy this update, loves <3

CW: Discussions of cancer and it's impacts on family and intense descriptions of eating disorders. This really covers Alana's emotions throughout her performance. Stay safe, and it's never too late to ask for help if you are struggling with this same issue.

~

The bewilderment on Rebecca's face is entirely unreadable. Alana can't tell if it's because she's angry or disgusted. Her eyes are wide, and her jaw is still unhinged as her fingers are at her mouth. She is in her costume, fully ready for the performance, her hair curled and makeup done. She looked perfect, a severe contrast to her mangled expression.

"Bucky..." her unsteady voice falls from her lips, and she shakes her head, instantly turning her attention back over to Alana. "What-"

"Rebecca, this isn't what it looks like," Bucky says back, and his sister's brows pinch into confusion. Alana's head snaps in his direction, making eye contact with him and wondering what the fuck he was trying to say without looking like an idiot. He glared at her, and Alana shook her head.

"Really?" Rebecca tilts her head, seeming unconvinced. "You two didn't just..." she trails off, her hand gesturing to them both clearly having finished sex just seconds before this.

He looks completely humiliated, like he did something awful to break his sister's trust when she didn't necessarily need to know about this relationship in the first place.

"Rebecca-" he starts, sputtering out a few vowels and sounds to begin words, but it seems he doesn't have the ability to finish the sentence with a feasible explanation.

She laughs softly in disbelief.

"Wow," Rebecca huffs, running a hand into her curled chestnut hair. "I mean... I figured you were dating someone, but she was the last person I would have guessed..." her thoughts trail into the harsh reality, and her eyes widen, her complexion going completely pale.

From her perspective, Alana was cheating on Peter, and Bucky knew he was cheating with Alana. He had to know because Rebecca had been rambling on about the engagement in the car the past few times he drove her.

"Holy shit... Does-" she stops herself. "Does Peter know!? Is he- oh my god!" she gets tears in her eyes, completely misreading what was going on here.

Alana's eyes widen, and she seizes her sweats from the floor before running up to Rebecca to calm her.

"No! Becca... Peter, and I's engagement is completely fake. But no one else knows that except for my family and Bucky," she explains.

Rebecca looks into Alana's pleading eyes, her shock still evident on her face, but it fades into an even worse perplexity, attempting to process the words.

"Listen," Alana huffs. "We're sorry for not telling you. But we didn't want anyone to know because the more people that know, the more people could figure out the engagement is fake," Alana explains, her voice now calm, hoping to keep Rebecca at ease.

The brunette shakes her head, still in disbelief.

"But... There's an event planned. There's a wedding date-"

Alana hesitates, knowing how stupid this entire explanation sounds.

"Yes. But that's not for a few weeks," she confirms. "It's a press event Beck."