Is There Anybody Out There?

Chapter 8: Dino

Vernon chuckles softly, "Well, yeah! Of course! You ARE the best dancer I've ever met, so..."

I felt myself blush before shaking my head a little, "No way... you're friends with Soonyoung, Minghao, and Jun! They're all better dancers than I am..."

Vernon smiled and looked me in the eyes, so kind and caring, "I mean, don't get me wrong, they are amazing, but you... you somehow become the music. Watching you dance is like being hypnotized! You're the best dancer in my opinion."

I smiled a little at him, trying not to become a giggly mess, "Thank you... I've practiced a lot growing up." I then noticed the clock. Oh shoot! I'm gonna be late! "I should really get going before Jeonghan blows up my phone, gotta walk thirty minutes to get home." Speaking of Jeonghan, I pulled my phone back out, sending him a text letting him know I was leaving, getting a thumbs up emoji back as soon as it said read.

He's a light sleeper, so he wakes up very easily with the smallest noise. That's what he told me when he said to text him every time I left Tiger Pounce to go home.

Vernon smiled softly, "I already told him I was here to get you... He knows you're safe. We can start whenever you're ready though."

Vernon already told him!? That means either he texted him, or his car is at my apartment building? I then noticed Vernon was holding my dance bag now.

I reached out for it, "You really don't have to carry my bag, it's heavy, especially after walking for a few minutes."

Vernon chuckled softly, shaking his head, "I could carry you for the whole walk if I needed to. I think I can handle this little bag."

I felt myself blushing, he really is like a prince from the fairytales my grandmother used to read me from her fairytale book... No! Chan! He's not your prince! Stop it! Besides, he's gonna notice just how bad state the bag is in, "Still, you really don't have to..."

Vernon smiled, the softness of it making me feel a little bit better, "I know, but I want to. You've been dancing all day, I'm sure you're tired, so let me carry it."

"I've only been dancing a few hours..." I sighed, "You're just as stubborn as Jeonghan trying to put aloe on my face for my sunburn..."

Vernon looked down at me, looking like he was taking in my sunburn, "Wow, ouch, you should listen to him... I could help if you wanted? I'm sure your arms are just as bad. That looks so raw..." he slowly puts his empty hand to my cheek, gently ghosting his thumb across the red rawness.

I let him touch me, blushing a bit, "No, don't worry about me! I'll be okay! I haven't been in the sun since yesterday! Jeonghan wasn't gonna let me come here but we agreed I can come if I let him put aloe on and he drives me! Did you know some cars have shades that you can put over windows in the backseat? It's really cool!" Jeonghan had put them up after telling me to sit in the back of his car.

Vernon chuckled softly, still moving his thumb, "Like the ones parents use for their babies? Yeah they are cool. Did he actually put it on then? You look like you've sweat it off. You should let me reapply."

"He wouldn't let me leave my apartment without him putting it on... There is more in my bag that he told me to put on after I was done..." I told him, blushing at the thought of Vernon putting it on my face. Just how close we'd get...

Vernon smiled softly, "Well, let's get going to your house and I can put some on you then. You probably need to change your shirt before I put it on since your arms got it too..." He then took me by the hand, leading me out of the door before locking it behind us. We then started the walk back to my place.

"Maybe... I do have my own locker here with the others. I just haven't put anything into it yet." I said, him saying that I should change my shirt before we put it on reminded me of the locker Soonyoung said I can use for my dancing gear and change of clothes.