THE SLOPES | shawmila

twelve.

Camila's heart had been racing all night, but now she just felt strangely calm. Her palms weren't sweating, and she didn't feel her voice shaking at all. She listened hard, hearing the crowd silent beyond the curtain. She shifted from foot to foot, hating the heels on the shoes she was wearing.

"How do you feel?" Nick asked, just low enough her only her to hear.

"Like I can't breathe."

"That nervous?" He raised his brows and she shook her head.

"No, it's the corset." She explained. "It's squeezing too tight."

Nick bit his lip as if he were trying not to laugh and Camila giggled, quickly putting back on her acting face as Rachel nodded to them from the backstage door. Their cue for thirty seconds.

"It's good luck to mess up on opening night." He said, seemingly reminding himself.

"Right, so it was a good thing you dropped your sword in the fight scene." She teased.

"That was because of these stupid silk gloves." He growled. "You know what—"

He tugged off the gloves and shoved them into the pocket of his waistcoat. Camila wondered if it was okay that he was abandoning part of his costume, but she looked over to see that Rachel hadn't noticed. Camila decided she wouldn't say anything.

"It's the final scene." Camila said. "We've got this. Just remember, don't look at my feet, keep your eyes on me."

"You don't have to remind me." He still didn't laugh, though he looked like he wanted to. "You remember, five seconds only."

"Trust me, I'll be counting."

"I'll be counting too."

The curtain rose and Camila and Nick stepped out into the wedding set. The white dress she wore was so elaborate, but she was practiced now in walking in it. Nick wore a matching white suit, his sword hanging from his belt.

They did the scene perfect, Camila keeping her eyes on him, though she was dying to look into the crowd. Nick took her hands and they danced, their eyes locked and Camila smiling even though the shoes hurt her feet.

She pictured Shawn when she kissed Nick at the end. As soon as their lips touched, she began counting in her head.

One...two...three...four...five—

They both tried to break apart without looking like they'd been dying too. Camila heard the crowd cheer, keeping her eyes on Nick until the curtains closed.

"Oh my God, let me take these fucking shoes off!" She whispered, letting him pull her by the hand backstage.

He finally laughed as she took off her heels and shoved them into a costume rack. Curtain call was the only thing left, and Camila was going to do it in just her stockings. She looked up to say something to Nick, but his eyes were no longer on her.

Marlene was only playing the background part of a noblewoman, but her costume was just as elaborate as Camila's, with tons of frills and bright pink makeup. It seemed to oddly fit her.

"You guys were so perfect!" She sniffled. "I literally started crying!"

"Hey, you're makeup's running, baby." Nick touched her face, wiping her eyes with his thumbs. "But I think you look totes adorable."

"Did you see him?" Camila asked, rolling her eyes. She herself couldn't afford to take her eyes off Nick for most of the show, but Marlene was in the background enough so that she could look at the crowd.