𝓡𝓸𝔂𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓢𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 (𝓡𝓸𝔂𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓢𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓞𝓷𝓮)

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓢𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓮𝓷

Dance class seems to be the same so far each day this week. Whether Monday, Wednesday, or today (Friday), it's just consisting of Arthur and I staring at each other.

The worst part is, each day, his gaze gets a little more... heavy on me. I have no idea why, I'm just me at the end of the day.

He just sits there with his hand running through his hair watching me, waiting for me to say something. 

I should say something, I really should, but my mouth isn't allowing it to happen. Especially because we're gonna be partners for the entire semester. We need to at least make some sort of progress. 

We've been given a page of icebreaker questions from the teacher to try to get us to speak to each other, but I'm scared to even pick up the paper.

He clears his throat, "Hello Cathy."

Cathy.

I've had nearly a week to get used to that, and I'm still not. There's just something about it that makes me shiver.

My hands, already trembling at my sides, go to grab the hem of my green dress.

Okay Catherine, we need to try and make some progress here. Even though could've killed me, and left an open hole on my neck, we can still be somewhat polite towards him.

He could've killed me.

My throat tightens.

He could've killed me.

"Are you- are you alright darling?" His voice is calm, somehow making his accent more prominent. 

My eyes widen. Why does he care about that?

And why does he keep calling me random names?

I nod. I need to say something before he thinks I'm a threat or something and stabs me.

"H-" Come on Catherine, "H-hi." I whisper.

He looks right into my eyes and asks, "How are you darling?"

Why does he always ask me that? Like how am I even supposed to answer that?

"O-o-okay?"

He nods and runs a hand through his hair while his other hand starts playing with his shoelaces.

He always does that.

Why?

The corner of his lip goes up momentarily before it goes back to normal.

Is he trying to smile at me?

He sits up straight and clears his throat again, "Cathy," he pauses, "I know you are probably frightened by me, and you have a good reason to be."

Frightened is a bit of an understatement. He quite literally almost killed me.

"But," he starts but pauses again, "Maybe you will also agree that if we are going to be partners for the entire semester, perhaps we should try to get on some sort of right footing here?"

I mean, he does have a point. If we're gonna be spending so much time together, we need to get somewhat acquainted with each other.

I simply nod and he does the same, "Wonderful," he pauses, "So um," he pulls his black suit away from his neck, "Can I- Do you-," he shakes his head and I swear his cheeks are turning pink, "I apologize this really is not fun for me either."

I raise my eyebrows at him. What is he trying to say? Is he trying to say it's not fun to speak with me because he would be right.

"W-what?" I mutter.