33 | how dare you

HOW DARE YOU

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The ballroom lights dimmed, shifting from warm celebration tones to a cooler, suspenseful blue. The energy that had been so high after the group dances instantly shifted. The joy of perfect scores, the rush of applause, the laughter in the skybox — it all bled into silence broken only by the swell of dramatic music played by the band.

Diana stood on the stage beside Grayson, his hand resting firmly on her waist. His grip was stiff, heavy, more performance than comfort. She didn't shift away. She couldn't. Not with millions watching.

Her heart raced. It wasn't the good kind of adrenaline this time. This was fear. The tightness in her chest spread down her arms, her palms prickling with heat. She ran her hands down the skirt of her costume, trying to ground herself, her fingertips grazing the jagged tulle layers. The fabric crinkled under her touch, not nearly enough to quiet the storm inside.

Alfonso and Julianne stood center stage, their smiles subdued now, their voices careful and measured. This was the part of the night where everything slowed down — where hope and heartbreak balanced on a knife's edge.

"Tonight," Julianne's voice rang out, clear and steady, "we saw some incredible performances. The scores were high, the energy was electric, and every couple gave it their all."

"But now," Alfonso continued, his smile fading into solemnity, "it's time to find out who will be safe... and who will be going home tonight."

The crowd hushed, anticipation building. The band struck a suspenseful chord.

One by one, names were called.

Cheers erupted as couples embraced and stepped back. Diana clapped politely, forcing a small smile, but every time another name was called, her stomach twisted tighter.

The cheers for her friend's safety stung bittersweet. Diana wanted to be happy for them — she was happy for them — but it only amplified the tension coiling inside her.

The waiting stretched on, each announcement dragging her higher into anxiety only to drop her down again. She couldn't even hear the crowd anymore, not really. It was just a dull roar against the pounding of her own pulse.

Diana's knees wobbled. Grayson's grip on her waist tightened, almost painfully, as if he could anchor them both with sheer force. She wanted to shake him off, to step away, but she didn't. She just clenched her jaw and kept her eyes on the floor lights.

"And that means..." Julianne's voice slowed, careful, deliberate. "The bottom two couples tonight are..."

The pause was excruciating.

"...Grayson and Diana..."

Her stomach plummeted.

"...and Daniella and Pasha."

Diana barely registered moving, but suddenly she was walking down the stairs, Grayson's hand still locked around her waist. They stood side by side with Daniella and Pasha, Alfonso and Julianne between them. The bright studio lights bore down, white-hot and merciless, illuminating every flicker of expression on their faces.

The music swelled again.

Julianne spoke, her voice calm but drawn out. "One of these couples will continue their journey. The other... will be going home tonight."

The waiting was killing her.

Diana's hands started to shake, subtle tremors she couldn't stop. Grayson's grip on her side tightened further, only making it worse.

Her eyes darted instinctively around the ballroom, searching, reaching. And then she saw him.

Malachi sat in the second row, close to the judges' table, the stage lights glinting against his dark hair. He wasn't smiling, not really, but his gaze was steady. Protective. Reassuring. He tilted his head slightly, as if to remind her she wasn't alone.

Diana inhaled slowly. The trembling dulled, if only for a moment.

Alfonso's voice cut through the silence. "The couple leaving us tonight is..."

Another pause.

"...Grayson and Diana."

Her heart sank.

Gasps exploded from the crowd, louder this time. Even the judges looked taken aback — Bruno's mouth falling open, Carrie Ann shaking her head, Derek frowning in disbelief.

Diana blinked hard, her vision blurring with tears she hadn't wanted to cry. She hugged Grayson automatically, her arms circling his waist for the sake of appearances. He held her tightly, his grip fierce.

She stepped back, blinking through the sting in her eyes, swallowing hard. Sadness weighed heavy in her chest — sadness that her time on the show, her first season, had ended here. But beneath it, quieter, was something else. Relief. A tiny breath of freedom. The thought that she would no longer have to walk this strained, suffocating tightrope with Grayson.

Alfonso gestured them forward. "Grayson, Diana — come join us."

They stepped up, cameras following. Julianne leaned forward, her tone warm. "Grayson, what has this experience been like for you?"

Grayson adjusted his mic, his voice thick with performance. "It's been unreal. Truly. I couldn't have gotten this far without my amazing partner. Diana, you've been incredible. I'm just sad we won't be able to continue this journey together."

His words washed over her. His hand found hers and squeezed, too tight, making her flinch inside though her face remained steady.

The band played their farewell music, and one by one, the rest of the cast spilled onto the stage. Pros and celebrities alike rushed to them, hugs and handshakes and murmurs of disbelief surrounding them.

"I can't believe it."

"You didn't deserve this."

"This is so wrong."

Diana smiled faintly through it all, hugging back, whispering thank-yous, nodding as if she could believe it too.

Then Dani slipped through the crowd, wrapping Diana in a fierce hug. Her lips brushed her ear, her words soft and hidden. "Now you can breathe again."

Diana's throat closed. She hugged Dani tighter, whispering back, "I know."

When they finally pulled apart, Dani's eyes shone, her smile proud. "I'm so proud of you."

Diana nodded, her chest aching, tears threatening again. But this time, they weren't just tears of loss. They were of gratitude. Of release.

The cameras caught the final wide shot — the eliminated couple surrounded by love, the ballroom still buzzing with shock. The credits rolled over the chaos, the band playing the theme, the hosts offering their final goodbyes.

And through it all, Diana stood tall, breathing deeper than she had in weeks.

The ballroom lights dimmed behind them, leaving only the faint glow of exit signs and the muffled echoes of crew cleaning up the stage. Diana and Grayson walked side by side down the narrow hallway, their steps quick, uneven, heavy with silence.

Diana's throat was tight. She wanted to say something—anything—to break the suffocating quiet. To at least end this night with civility. They had just been eliminated on live television, and though disappointment sat like a stone in her chest, she still felt a pang of responsibility for him. For them.

She opened her mouth. "Grayson—"

But his voice cut her off like a knife. "This is on you."

The words were so sharp, so certain, that Diana stopped walking. "What?" she asked, blinking at him in shock.

Grayson turned toward her, his eyes dark, his jaw tight. "We're out because of you."

Her breath caught. "Grayson, that's not fair—"

"It is!" His words were sharp, relentless. "You were too busy letting everyone believe you cared more about him than about this partnership. Every photo, every TikTok, every time you posted back a fucking red heart—" His voice cracked with fury. "You gave the fans exactly what they wanted. You ruined us."

"That's not—" Tears pricked Diana's eyes, hot and fast. "That's ridiculous! You're the one who couldn't handle it every time Malachi was around. You're the one who blew up at rehearsals, who turned everything into a fight!" Her voice trembled, but she pressed on. "We worked hard. We got good scores. We had one rough week, but besides that—every other week was great. You know that."

Grayson's laugh was humorless, bitter. "If it was so great, why are we standing here eliminated?" He stepped closer, so close she had to back up, her shoulders brushing the wall. His voice dropped low, venomous. "Maybe if I had a better partner—someone who wasn't too busy flirting with her little friend—I'd still be here."

The words sliced through her. Diana stilled, her heart dropping into her stomach. For a moment, she couldn't move, couldn't breathe. Her lips parted, but no sound came. Tears pooled in her eyes, blurring her vision.

And then—

Grayson was shoved back.

Diana startled, her head snapping up just in time to see Malachi plant himself between them, his frame rigid, his glare locked on Grayson.

"How dare you say that to her," Malachi growled, his voice low, shaking with controlled fury.

Grayson's bitter laugh returned, dripping with venom. "Of course. Of course loverboy shows up." He spread his arms mockingly. "Here to save the day, huh?"

Malachi didn't flinch. His stance was steady, protective, unyielding. "I'm here because you don't get to treat her like this. She's carried you through this competition. She's worked herself to the bone for you. And all you do is tear her down." His voice hardened. "She deserved better."

Diana's tears slipped free, running hot down her cheeks. Her hands trembled at her sides as she watched the two of them face off.

Grayson stepped forward, his smirk twisting cruel. "You think you're some kind of hero? You've been nothing but a distraction. You're the reason she can't focus. You're the reason we lost. She let you get in her head."

Malachi's eyes narrowed, fire flashing in them. "No. You're the distraction. You and your ego. You pushed her down every time she tried to pull you up. You turned rehearsals into battlegrounds. She gave everything she had, and instead of appreciating it, you punished her for it."

Their words slammed into each other, fury and bitterness colliding. They were chest-to-chest now, faces inches apart, voices raised and echoing down the empty hallway.

Diana stood helplessly, her back against the wall, her body trembling as she tried to blink through the blur of her tears. Her voice was lost somewhere in her chest, drowned out by the storm unfolding in front of her.

Then — footsteps.

"Hey!"

Dani appeared around the corner, Pasha right behind her. Both of their eyes widened instantly at the sight before them — Malachi and Grayson nearly nose-to-nose, Diana crumpled against the wall with tears streaking her face.

"Enough!" Pasha barked, immediately wedging himself between the two young men, his hands outstretched to keep them apart. His tone was firm, commanding, brooking no argument.

Dani darted to Diana's side, her arms wrapping tightly around her shoulders. "Oh my god," she whispered, pulling Diana close. The moment she felt Diana's trembling, saw her tear-streaked face, her own expression hardened. She turned her glare on Grayson, eyes like steel.

Pasha looked between Malachi and Grayson, his voice steady. "That's enough. Both of you."

Silence fell, broken only by Diana's shaky breaths as she buried her face against Dani's shoulder.

Finally, Diana found her voice, small and raw. "Grayson... just leave."

His head whipped toward her, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You can't be serious."

She swallowed hard, her tears falling faster. "Please. Just leave."

He took a step forward, but Malachi moved instantly, blocking his path without hesitation. His shoulders squared again, his protective stance unyielding.

"Don't," Malachi warned, his tone dark.

Dani's voice rang out next, sharp and firm. "You heard her. Leave. And if you don't..." she glanced at Pasha, who gave a curt nod, "...we'll get security."

Grayson's eyes darted between them—Malachi's protective glare, Dani's ice-cold stare, Pasha's unyielding authority. Finally, he scoffed, muttering, "Unbelievable." He turned and stormed off, his footsteps echoing until they faded into silence.

The hallway went still.

Diana let out a shaky breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Her knees weakened, her whole body trembling as the adrenaline drained away.

Her eyes lifted through the blur of tears and found Malachi's. His glare had softened, replaced with a look of pure concern, his anger lingering only in the set of his jaw.

And then she moved. She pulled away from Dani just enough to throw herself into Malachi's arms.

He caught her instantly, holding her like she was breakable, like he'd never let her go. One arm wrapped around her back, firm and steady, while the other slid up to cradle the back of her head, his fingers gentle in her hair.

"It's not your fault," he murmured against her ear, his voice low but unwavering.

Her sobs came harder, muffled against his chest.

Dani stayed close, her hand rubbing soothing circles along Diana's back. "You did nothing wrong," she whispered fiercely. "You worked so hard. You gave everything. Don't you dare let him make you think otherwise."

Malachi repeated it, his voice steadier, firmer this time. "This is not your fault, Diana. Not even close."

And for the first time, she let herself believe them.

She cried, not just from the sting of elimination, but from the weeks of walking on eggshells, of carrying the weight of Grayson's temper, of swallowing her voice to keep the peace. Relief mixed with grief, spilling out of her in messy, unfiltered sobs.

But this time, she wasn't alone.

Malachi's arms stayed strong around her. Dani's hand stayed steady at her back. And for the first time in a long time, Diana felt safe.

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user CRYING

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graysonholt the best experience liked by creator

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freyaskye i think we need a recount! liked by creator

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GOODBYE GRAYSONor well... at least for nowhe will for sure pop back in once, maybe twice

but now we will get to focus solely on diana and her feelings for malachi

😊