Still Dreaming

Chapter 6

*Chapter 6*

Everyday I'm shuffling..

With the song filling the room, each one of us move along to the beat. All of us is here to practice. We're just 7 all in all. All of them I've just met today except for Geoff.

"One, two, three, four..." says Geoff, counting in front of us and dancing at the same time. He's our leader. He was the one who recruited all of us.We both study journalism. I've known him even before college so we're pretty close. Mom and Dad just forced me into this and  he's part of the reason why I agreed to join in this competition thing. 

Like any other dance studio, there's a huge mirror that let's us see the way we dance.

I'm wearing a white tank top and red shorts paired with my red nike sneakers squeaking up the floor whenever I make small movements. My hair is tied up in a messy ponytail and I'm sweating. We've been practicing for an hour and a half.

I sigh, still dancing. I want to go home and sleep. Geoff rescheduled all of our practices and made it earlier. I got here by 7 and now, all I can think about is going home. I mean, this is enough practice for today. We still have 3 weeks before the competition and that's still a long time to prepare. Well, I think it is.

"Okay, guys!" Geoff says, stopping the music and clapping his hands once. "That's it for today. Don't forget to be back tomorrow." At once, the group scatter, striding towards their bags. Some call out goodbyes to Geoff as they were on their way out while some didn't even bother.

Panting, I wipe the sweat on my forehead using the back of my hand. As I slowly walk towards my bag in the corner of the room, both of my hands on my hips, Geoff calls out. 

"Hope!" Geoff says, jogging towards me. He's quite handsome, if you ask me. He  has this messy brown hair that's shoulder length long, has brown eyes that's just big enough and has a body that's lean and thinly mascular. I don't know how to put it in words but he's not thin or chubby but just enough to make him look... good.

Running his fingers through his wet hair, he stands in front of me, tired. "Do you mind if I keep the CD?" He says, still a bit out of breath.

"That's fine. I don't really mind." I say, walking towards my bag to get a towel. Geoff trails behind me, making me feel like something is up.

Sitting down on the floor beside my bag, I pat my face with the towel. "Bye, Hope!" Someone calls out. "Bye." I answer even if  I have no idea who that is. The exit door, banging, shut. Now, it's just Geoff and I. Silence fills the room. Geoff, exhaling loudly, sits down beside me.

"So..." He says, trailing off. Taking out the water bottle in my bag that I brought with me, I take a sip. "... what's up with you and Ken?"

I choke. "Whoa. Slow down." He says, patting my back as I cough.

"What are you talking about?" I say, furrowing my eyebrows and looking at him confusingly.

"You know what I'm talking about." 

"I don't know what you're talking about." I say, nudging him. "And whatever it is, I'm telling you, nothing's up."

"Going to the orphanage with him isn't something?"

"How'd you know about that?"

"Well, you know Ken and I are like bros." He says, narrowing his eyes.

"I didn't go there for him, okay? Ken's my best friend and just like what other best friends do, we hang out. There's nothting wrong about that." I say, blurting it out. "Besides, it just seems interesting."