Like Real People Do [🗸]

19. meet

I stumble into the Performance Art hall, slipping into the practice room I've slipped into many times before.

I have everything on my mind to tell Elliot. I want to tell him about how unsure I am regarding how the exam went. I'll tell him that I think it was okay but I was anxious as hell. I'll ask him if we can go out to eat, maybe talk about our kiss over lunch.

Is that a thing that people do? Talk about their kisses over lunch?

I suppose that I'm about to figure out. 

However, when the door opens, it's not solely Elliot in the room. He's in the midst of a dance as per usual, but his arms are around someone's waist, her arms swung around his neck. His partner. Classical music fills the room and they're good, of course. 

She's good. Far better than I was, that's for sure. I hover at the doorway. I figure I walked too long to turn around now, but I also figure that I should probably stay silent as they dance, not be some loud intruder.

I suppose I've come in at around the right time because they seem to be increasingly lagging in their movements, and his partner shakes her head, tsks and says that they should probably stop there for today. 

She's all big eyes, long red hair pulled into a bun, but while her eyes are doe-like, there's a sharpness to them. I can see exactly what Elliot meant when he said "cute but intimidating". If those aren't two accurate descriptions for her, I don't know what are.

He offers her a fist bump and she takes it, swinging her backpack over her shoulder as she makes her way out of the room. When she sees me lurking at the doorway, she offers me a bewildered smile before the door shuts behind her.

"Cute but intimidating," I nod as Elliot's eyes flick over to me. "Sounds about right."

"Isn't she?" Elliot says. "But she's alright."

"You were so lying when you said I was your favorite partner. She's incredible." I shoot over at him. "All of her movements are, like, effortless."

"She's been doing this shit since she was in pre-school," Elliot says, shaking his head. His eyes narrow at me. "For the record, though, I wasn't lying when I said you were my favorite partner." He's close to me now. "I'm not measuring it by how much dance experience you have."

"Oh?" Slips out of my mouth and Elliot nods, grin appearing on his. 

"Yeah," he says. "Anyway enough about my partner. She's cool and all but I've been spent this entire week with her. How are you? Long time no see." His lips part, eyes widening. "How was your midterm?"

"To answer the first question, I'm okay. For the second question, I have no idea." I shake my head. "I was an anxious wreck while writing that shit."

"I can imagine," Elliot says. "Sounds like hell."