New York • Sean & Kaycee

The Decision

Author's Note: So this is a bit different from what I usually do because it's an AU. But as in my usual works, I still try to make it as authentic, and as rooted in reality as possible. It's just that I've fallen in love with this idea, and needed to get it out.

~~~

When Sean suggested that they apply to different schools for college, Kaycee was initially onboard with the idea. He made a good point.

They had been partners over 3 years. They established a name for themselves, both as Sean & Kaycee and as individuals. They had taken on dozens of jobs, and attended hundreds of workshops over the years. But while they’re still young, they had to start thinking about the future. The fact was there was a life outside of the LA dance community, a life outside being “Sean and Kaycee”. It was time they found out what it was.

So they sent in their applications and crossed their fingers.

It was Kaycee’s idea not to tell each other which schools they had applied to. She didn’t want to be swayed by Sean’s choices, nor did she want him to be influenced by hers. She wanted them to choose entirely based on what they felt was best for them, even if it meant getting separated.

She started to regret this once the acceptance letters started coming in, along with the scholarship offers.

While they received a ton of praise from their families and friends, the reality hit them like a ton of bricks - they had to go their separate ways.

With every letter that came, they would immediately check the school’s location on the map, trying to find a match that didn't put hundreds of miles between them. But each time, their hearts just sank further. Separation seemed inevitable.

Kaycee blamed herself for putting them in that situation, but Sean did his best to lift her spirits. “You made us do the right thing, okay? It's just that the right thing isn't always easy. But whatever we decide  in the end, I promise, we will make it through together.”

After a few weeks, the influx of letters slowed down. One by one, the schools on their lists got ticked off. Sean and Kaycee, resigned to their fates, started shortlisting which schools they planned to go to. They began talking about contingency plans - who would visit whom first, where they could go for the holidays, promises to not miss each other's birthdays. They tried to keep the tears at bay, and focused on the future instead.

Until one day, at 2am, Sean is awoken by his phone ringing nonstop.

“Hello?” He answered, groggy and irritated. Whoever was calling better had a damn good reason for it.

“Open the door, Sean.” Came the response.

“Kaycee?”

“Yes. Now, open the front door please.” She said with a laugh. Sean looked at his phone, dumbfounded, to check that it was really was her calling.

Upon confirming that it was, he jumped out of bed and practically flew downstairs. Kaycee had been out of town for the past few days, assisting Tricia in a conference. He knew for a fact that her flight back was late last night. So why on earth was she standing outside his house at 2 in the morning?

The second he opened the front door, the petite brunette darted quickly inside. Without even a greeting or explanation, she bounded up the stairs, not bothering to check if he was following.

Sean stood frozen momentarily by the door, before he ran up after her. When he got to his bedroom, Kaycee had already turned on the lights and was just standing by his bed. Even from the doorway, he could see that she was visibly shaking. If it hadn’t been for her crazy wide smile, he would have thought she was sick.

“What’s going on?” He asked, quietly closing the door behind him.

She wordlessly pulled out a folded sheet of paper from her back pocket, and held it out to him. With one glance, he could see it was an acceptance letter. But in him half-asleep state, one thing stood out - the letterhead.

“Juilliard?” He said, more of a surprised statement than a fact. “You got in?”

She nodded. He lurched forward, and picked her up in a spinning embrace. He reveled in her infectious laughter in his ear.

“That’s amazing, Kayc! Congratulations!” Sean said, setting her down. He pressed their foreheads together momentarily, before looking her in the eyes. “When did you find out?”

“Just now. I opened the letter when I got home, and immediately raced over here.” Kaycee shook her head. “But that’s not it. That’s not what I’m so happy about.”

Sean cocked his head to the side, confused. She strode over to his desk, sifting through the many opened letters, until she found the one she needed. With a skip in her step, she raced back over to him, and raised the papers triumphantly.

“I found it, Sean.”

“Found what?”

“The combo.”

“What combo?” This wasn’t making much sense in his groggy mind.

“THE COMBO! Our combo, headass!” She giggled. Then, she slapped both sheets of paper in his hand. Before he could register what was on the other letter, she slapped her phone on to his hand, over the acceptance letters.

The Maps app was open, showing a route - Point A was The Juilliard School at Lincoln Center. Point B was the New York University Tisch School of the Arts at 2nd Avenue. But that wasn’t what she was really trying to show him.

“30 minutes?” He gaped, blinking twice to make sure he was reading the commute route correctly. She nodded, unable to hold back her ear-to-ear smile.

“Yup!” She said. “It might be a rough commute but-”

Sean lifted her up again in a tight embrace before she could even finish her sentence. “I don’t care. 30 minutes is nothing compared to hundreds of miles!”

They spun round and round until Sean got dizzy and dumped her on the bed, falling gracelessly next to her. Once their laughter subsided and they caught their breath, he turned to her, hope bubbling in his chest.

“So, does this mean what I think this means?” He asked, holding a hand out to her.

She nodded, glowing with joy and excitement, as she laced her fingers through his.

He laughed, squeezing her hand. "NYU and Juilliard, huh? We did pretty good."

“And the best part is you’re still stuck with me." She said. "Sean and Kaycee aren’t going anywhere.”