#p:constance

Paige had already left the ball, and Mac was on his way out, when his only other friend approached him. Constance, was all dressed up, with a light blue dress and jewelry to match. She smiled at Mac. 

“Well don’t you look nice.” She said to him. She smiled brightly at him. “I’ve been dancing all night, and my heels are killing me.” 

Mac laughed. The only dancing he’d done all night was with Paige. “I supposed its murderous, having to dance the night away with well dressed, handsome strangers.” He leaned against the wall, preferring to stay away from the crowds of people. 

“Absolutely homicidal.” She laughed with him. She leaned against the wall too, rather close to his own space. She tilted her head back and looked at him. “So what have you been doing all night?” 

“Everything everyone else is doing. Dancing, avoiding the looks of people that think we are all troubled youths.” Mac shrugged. He saw no reason to tell her about Paige. Constance didn’t need to know about his girlfriend. He was picky about what people knew about him. 

“Of course. You should have come found me. You shouldn’t have to face that kind of torture alone.” Constance came closer to him, tugging on his sleeve a bit. “Plus, I would have loved to dance with you. Good musicians tend to be outstanding dancers.” 

“Maybe at the next ball? I’m all danced out tonight.” Mac really didn’t want to dance . He didn’t like to be close to anyone but Paige. 

“Aw, okay.” She smiled, tilting her head up again to look at him. “You will dance with me sometime, right?” 

Mac wanted to say no, but he didn’t want to hurt Constance’s feelings. “I guess so, sometime.” He said. She grinned. 

“Thank you Mac.” She leaned closer to him. “I really did miss you tonight. You look really great tonight Mac.” 

Mac wasn’t sure he liked where this was heading, but he had to be polite. He was nothing without his manners. “Thank you Constance, you look great as well.” That put a sparkle in her eye. 

“I was hoping you’d say that.” 

“Why do you care what I have to say?” Mac asks. His opinion really didn’t seem relevant in this current situation. 

She rolled her eyes. “You are really so oblivious.” She says, then brings her hand up, tugging his collar to bring him downwards. She presses her lips against his. Mac’s eyes went wide with shocked, and he pulled back from her. 

“No, no, no, no, no. Constance, I think you have the wrong idea...” He takes a step back. 

“And what idea is that Malcolm?” She says, stepping closer and leaning up again. “It’s just a kiss Mac, nothing major.” She attempts to kiss him again, but Mac puts a hand on her shoulder. 

“Constance. I have a girlfriend.” He says. 

She giggles. “Where? Where ever you come from? Mac, no one is leaving here, let her go.” She attempts to kiss her again, Mac keeps her at bay again.

“No Constance. She’s here. I met her here.” He’d always be loyal to Paige. 

Constance took a step back. The earlier sparkle was now disappeared. “You’re serious...” 

“Yes, I am serious.”

“Oh...” She said, backing off some more. There was hurt in her eyes then. “I’m sorry then. I didn’t know.” She smiled again, it didn’t reach her eyes though. “Make sure to keep your girlfriend happy then. She got a good one.” She leaves, quickly, not looking back. Constance felt her heart sink as she walked away. She should have known not to attach herself. 

Matthew played the piano in the rec room, thinking about what he was going to play Paige. He promised that he would. His new journal sat beside him, confessions for Paige. He smiled, he’d write more in it later today, but he was happy that he made the decision to write the journal in the first place. His fingers flew across the keys in a graceful spider-like dance. He used to play everyday, too bad he’d been trapped her with no muse for music. He was glad that it was back now. 

He played with such a focus that he didn’t notice that the door to the rec room was opened. He didn’t notice the footsteps behind him. He just played. He picked up tempo, suddenly angry and frustrated. He played the piano with passion, with emotion. Probably too much. He pressed the keys harder, faster, knowing that he was abusing the poor ivory keys, but then he didn’t care. 

He just played like his life depended on it, until his finger slipped, playing the wrong note. The mistake broke his spell, making him focus back onto the world around him. He stopped playing, brushing lightly over the keys of the piano. From behind him came a clapping. He jumped, turning around. 

Her long, wavy dark hair was shining, and she smiled, lighting up her eyes. “Beautiful. A little dark, but amazing.”

“I didn’t know you were there, I’m sorry.” He said immediately. He hated letting people listen to him play. 

“For what? That was incredible. You play beautifully. My name is Constance. I’m a musician too, violin, piano, but I sing a lot too.” Malcolm nodded, nervous. “Are you shy? I’m sorry, I’m really not, I just loved your playing.” 

“T-thank you... I’m not very used to playing around people.” He says quietly, glancing away from her. He thought for   second that he had to look back, but he remembered that not everyone needed to read his lips when he spoke, just Paige. That made he special. He made not of another confession. 

“Really? You should play professionally.... or... you should've. Before this place happened.” he gestured to the room around them. “Would you mind playing a song that I can sing too? I haven’t sang since I came here, and I miss it.” Mac understood that, so he nodded. She smiled, moving the journal on the bench next to him and sitting down. “Okay, do you know the song Take Me To Church?” She asked, he nodded, starting to play on the piano. 

She started singing, and he was amazed at how well her voice blended with the notes of the piano. He continued playing, and she sang. He decided that he would try to be friends with her. He was trapped here, he might as well try to be friends with more people. 

When it was over, she smiled at him. “You’re incredible. What’s your name?”

“Malcolm. Malcolm Aaron.” He said, smiling. “Your voice is beautiful.”

“Than you, I’ve spent my entire life singing. Anyways Malcolm, I have news for you. We have to be friends. Me singing and you playing? IT’s destiny my friend.”

“A-alright...” He says, a bit awkward. She laughed. 

“You are so awkward and cute. I think this is the start of a great friendship Malcolm Aaron.”