A Study in Form (#LunaEast)

Celebration

The next day, Saree arrived at Sandy's ten minutes before their agreed meeting time only to find Eli already there chilling with a drink and a cake.

"You're here early," she couldn't help but comment as she took a place across from him in the booth.

"I couldn't make a lady wait," he replied. And her heart skipped a beat when Eli smiled brightly at her, the dimple on his cheek was so deep she could bury secrets within. She missed his smile, she realized, and how easily it came to him whenever they hung out. She missed his messy mop of hair which even now sat on top of his head as disheveled as ever. She missed his brown eyes and the way they lit up whenever he teased her or Mel. She missed his quick quips and the way his voice dips just a little lower when he wants to say something he might be teased for but goes and says it anyway.

She missed him.

"You want something to drink? Eat?" he asked, bringing her back from her thoughts. "My treat."

"You sure?" she asked.

"Yeah. I invited you over so we could celebrate your achievement. So my treat."

She raised her eyebrow at him for a second before caving in. "Okay, then I'm having what you're having."

"Got it. Be back in a sec." He grinned briefly before vacating his seat to head for the counter.

A few minutes later, he was back with a tray of iced mocha and a different donut.

"They ran out of the glazed one so I got the one stuffed with cream instead," he said by way of explanation. He put the tray on the table in front of her, careful not to spill the drink, before taking his seat.

"That's all right," she said. "Thank you for this, by the way."

"My pleasure," he said. Then he took his drink and motioned for her to get hers as well. "Cheers to your success as Odile!"

She chuckled. "Cheers!" They clinked their glasses of iced mochas together and took hearty sips.

"So," he said, putting his drink down, "how does it feel to have danced Odile?"

She sighed, trying to piece her thoughts and feelings together for a proper answer. "Honestly? It was overwhelming. I mean, dancing in front of Ella Castillano and pairing with Alex Crisostomo? I still can't really believe it, even after the fact. Only a few ballerinas can say they have done that and I am one of them now."

It felt like having a wish granted even before realizing one had been wishing for it in the first place.

"You were really amazing up there, Saree," he said. "My mom said she couldn't take her eyes off you. Said you were so graceful and clearly a cut above the rest."

"She did?" she gushed. "For some reason, I feel embarrassed right now." And she could literally feel her face heating up.

He chuckled. "Don't be." He tapped her hand to snap her out of it. "She knows her stuff, and she won't say those things if she didn't believe them to be true. "

"Well, if you put it that way," she said, picking up her fork and digging in to her donut.

They settled into a comfortable small talk while they shared the two donuts between the two of them.

After a while, Saree said, "You remember I told you I was talking to Ella and Alex last night?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Mel said she was curious, but she knew you'd share if it was important so she'd wait."

"Well, Ella said she loved my Odile and—"

She looked up and saw him looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to finish. She drew a deep breath and gave him a small smile before continuing.