dancing in the stars (ballerina x singer wlw romance)

chapter four

Mila parks the car near the arts building where we need to be in a few minutes, we get out and start walking towards one of the benches in campus.
She sits down next to me and sighs, taking a big sip of her drink. "Hey, you never told me what happened with that girl- the one you saw outside Ocean's?"

Oh, yeah.
Remember the girl I saw inside the auditorium just a few hours ago? Well, Mila and I decided to go to Ocean's for some food and I accidentally-not actually- saw the girl from earlier going outside to make a call. I didn't mean to listen but I heard she was talking to her mom- who was asking for money, apparently. She was very upset and I don't like seeing people hurt; I grew up helping people. It doesn't matter if I didn't know you, if I saw you were upset I'd probably help you. My moms stressed a lot because of it- I would talk to strangers all the time when we were going out.
I saw this girl was about to cry and I forced myself to talk to her, just to ask her if she was okay and that gained me an ugly look and an I don't fucking care who you are. So there's that. I flinched when I heard her and she rushed inside without looking back. Maybe I deserved it- it was none of my business but I wanted to talk to her. That obviously didn't go okay. I guess a pretty face doesn't go with a kind soul, right?

"Nothing, I ask her if she was okay and she..." I shrug, wrinkling my nose. "She said she had to go. She was wearing the uniform so I guess she works there."

"Did you talk to her?" my best friend smirks.

I shake my head. "Nope." I lie, hiding my face with my hair. My friends say I don't know how to lie.

"Mhm. Liar."

"Gosh. I've been looking for you everywhere!" I raise my head at the third voice, immediately smiling when I see those crazy dark curls, emerald eyes and the golden-brown skin that I'm so familiar with.
Ava Lawson is dressed in a pink dress with a white coat above it- my best friend is the personification of pink and I absolutely adore her for it.

"Ava! Where the fuck were you? We haven't seen you in two fucking days!" Mila practically squeals and she jumps in first to hug her.

"Ugh, I know." she says, letting go of Mila to hug me. "Logan had a game and I'm having so much practice. I don't even have time to sleep." she says, wrapping her arms around me for a few seconds. "What are you doing here? Do you have classes?"

I let go of her and make room for her to sit between us. "No, we have some sort of event. I have no idea. I don't think we're doing it."

Mila nods in agreement. "We need to focus on the next performance."

"Mhm. What is it about?" Ava asks, I offer her my drink and she takes it to her lips without hesitation.

"We have to make a choreo on someone's song. I don't have time for that." I sigh, thinking about the girl who I'm about to disappoint- what if she needs the money and I'm just thinking about myself? "I don't know."

"We have to go." Mila says, looking up from her phone. I check my smartwatch saying we have ten minutes to make it to the building. "Are you doing something? Wanna come with us?"

Ava wrinkles her nose and raises a hand to her curls, brushing them away. "I can't. I told Logan I needed a ride home." Logan is Ava's twin brother, Luke's best friend and that's why it makes him my friend too- but I barely see him these days. The boys are too busy with hockey.

We say our goodbyes to our friend and start walking towards the building. My heart races in my chest at the thought that I have to let someone down- I don't like that feeling.
Mom says I'm a people pleaser and after a lot of therapy, I'm still learning to say no and think about myself instead of others. It's not easy and I know I have to say no right now, for my own good. I should absolutely kill Mila for dragging me into this. We shouldn't have applied to the dance classes in the first place.