This is How We Change the World Ch. 03

Maddy herself was no stranger to a dance floor. Weddings and Bat Mitzvahs. That one Quinceanera she'd been to. Her and Megan had never done anything so choreographed as Coyote Ugly in their time bartending together, but they moved constantly. That engagement had been pretty profitable, tips-wise.

Somehow, without taking a step, Lyric was still dancing circles around her.

It wasn't a competition, though. Maddy did her thing, and Lyric did hers. They moved around each other (once Lyric started moving around, at least) as much as they moved together. Without thought, and without planning, they fed off of each other.

The song cut off prematurely. Lyric knew first, head whirling to stare daggers at whomever was controlling the sound by the karaoke machine, and it was a full second later before Maddy realized the volume was fading out. Someone else was being shown where to stand, and where to look, and clearly trying to psyche themselves up.

In their absence, something magical had happened. Rose and Mars were clapping for them, and Mars was even smiling. Not the more reserved, defensive smirk she'd worn all night, or the blank expression of Sam's funeral, but a smile. Although the smile did lovely things to her lips, Mars face was built for smirking. Even her smile was kind of lopsided. Only Sebastian had maintained his droll demeanor, and even he had softened, somehow, in a way she couldn't pin.

They sat back down, and Lyric was glowing. She sipped at her drink, and seemed more at peace than Maddy had ever seen her outside of her day off.

As if she sensed something, Lyric leaned over and said, just loud enough to be heard over a terrible rendition of a Maroon 5 song, "I used to take dance classes."

Maddy raised her eyebrows, and gave Lyric a respectful nod. "I had no idea!"

She nodded, and said, "That was how it all started."

Maddy just blinked. It seemed like Lyric was telling her something significant, but in a way that planted a seed rather than opening a door. Maddy made a mental note to ask more later.

***

"You're even more quiet than normal. Was it a hard session in the group today?"

Lyric flinched and turned to look at Maddy, purposefully making eye contact and smiling before slumping and letting her gaze wander again. The regular ka-clunk ka-clunk of the rails beneath their feet.

"No, though maybe it was a little harder than usual? It is just... it didn't go the way I had envisioned."

"What didn't? The group?"

"No! The meeting after. With my friends."

"How did you think it would go then?"

Lyric sighed. "I don't know. Better. I just, they were so... they weren't nearly as nice to you as I had thought they would be. I don't know why they were so bratty at first."

Maddy made an understanding noise. The train rattled forward. Their stop was the next one, and lazily they got to their feet and shuffled towards the door.

"Maybe it was a tough day for them too," Maddy said when they exited the train. "And they are so young. I don't know about you, but when I was young, I couldn't really... the more tired I got, the more I tried to... drink more, and dance more, and fuck more, and just go faster. Anything to avoid my feelings."

Lyric didn't really relate to that, so she just shrugged.

"I didn't think it was all that bad," Maddy said.

"Yeah, but that's because of you! They just... the whole place, just, kinda... after we danced. I mean, suddenly everyone else was dancing too, and it got so... relaxed."

"Mm-hm," Maddy said in a non-committal way, when they turned the corner to the street Downtown Grind was on. "Maybe we should see them on our day off sometime, have a few drinks too."

"Nah, I dunno. I only see them after the group."

"So you only meet when you're all already tired and stressed?"

Maddy made it sound like it was childish, and maybe it was. Lyric felt a little defensive. "Yeah, but... I mean, I do other things on my days off. And I have my... side job. And I couldn't really ask them to visit me at work or anything."

Maddy gave her a long, searching look. "So you've compartmentalized your life into these parts that don't ever overlap?"

Lyric looked at her. Seconds passed and neither of them opened the door, though their shift was almost starting.

"You do," Lyric said. "You overlap all parts of my life."

Maddy bit her lip. She looked like she wanted to say something, but instead she took Lyric by the hand and squeezed for a second, and then she opened the door and they hurried to get ready for work.

***

The next few days were good. Easy. Lyric was still very bound up inside, fretting that her friends hadn't made a very good impression, but it got a little bit better with every passing day. Whenever Maddy brought it up, she brought up the funny moments, and they seemed to genuinely tickle her. It wasn't forced. It was good.

Really good.