Dance with Me [h.s] (Completed)

Chapter 85

CiCi leaves the hotel and gets a cab to a restaurant about ten minutes away. The upscale dining establishment is the nicest place she has ever been in and she rethinks the fact that she dressed so casually. But she shakes away the apprehension and lets in the strength of her righteousness over the injustice of what happened five years ago. She walks into the room and searches the faces of everyone here, looking for one in particular. It doesn't take long to find it. He sticks out among the rest. A slim Italian man with a dancer's body despite his age, Hugo Felicetti.

The hostess looks at her and CiCi explains she's meeting someone and points to him. He sees her now and gives a wave to the hostess that it's okay to let CiCi through. She strides confidently across the room and doesn't wait for him to tell her to join him before sitting opposite him at the table.

"Ciro Toscano! I'm so glad to finally meet you!" he says enthusiastically, and she thinks about how happy it's going to make her to strip that away.

She smiles back at him politely, but something about her smile must tip him off because he drops his immediately and eyes her warily.

"What did you want to talk about?" his voice that was once lively, has now switched to composed. He must not be as dumb as he looks, CiCi thinks as she gives him a once over from his clearly dyed hair to his fake tan and expensive suit.

"I was in town for the competition and I remember you being a judge five years ago when I competed. I never got the chance to meet you then and I didn't want to miss out this time."

"The pleasure is all mine," he says, his guard dropping slightly.

"Do you remember me?"

"Of course! How could I forget?! The youngest duo to ever make it to the Worlds. Such an accomplishment to place second!" His enthusiasm is back up, a mask for his half-truths. "How is your partner, Zayn?"

"Zayn is good. He's back at the hotel. I should have brought him today."

"I would have loved to meet him too."

"Did you know he tried meeting you at the competition last time? You were his hero," she says, but he doesn't catch the past tense on 'were' that she uses.

"I'm sure we can arrange it before you two head home," he says generously.

"Last time he tried to meet you, he was such a silly fan boy," she says giggling, and she watches him buy into it. "He chased after you to get a photo with you." More giggles. "Right into some weird back hallway at the venue. And then he saw you talking to Pietro and knew better than to interrupt. Or maybe he was too shocked by what he saw. I'm not really sure," she says smiling pointedly at him.

He stills at the name, his eyes searching hers, looking for meaning and she simply smiles at him innocently.

The waitress comes and asks if she would like anything to drink.

"No, thank you. But he would like a stiff drink. Probably a double," CiCi says and give him another smile that's anything but innocent.

The waitress looks between them confused and Hugo simply waves her off and she leaves, eager to avoid any further awkwardness.

"Whatever you came here to say, you might as well just say it," he says as if he's bored with her. But CiCi sees the fear in his eyes and no amount of aloofness will hide it.

"In 2014, Pietro paid you to tilt the scores in Eddie and Martina's favor, making Zayn and I lose the trophy."

He clears his throat, then leans forward grabbing his glass of wine and taking a long gulp before putting it back on the table.