The Most Dangerous Game (Harry Styles AU)

26

-Everly

I roll my yoga mat up slowly, glancing around the large room.

I'm surrounded by women completing the same task, gathering their things at the end of class.

"You're new right?"

I look to my left, finding a slim brunette smiling down at me.

"Yes." I return her smile. "It was my first class here."

"You'll get used to Juliet." She nods towards the instructor standing in the corner of the room. "Her methods are.. different, but she's really helped me strengthen my core. I'm Lillian by the way."

"Everly." I stand up and shake her hand.

"Nice to meet you."

"You as well.. So how long has Juliet been teaching?" I casually ask, tucking my mat under my arm.

"Ummm.. You know I actually just moved to Manhattan several months ago, so I'm not sure... Nadia would know.. Nadia!" Lillian waves her hand, getting the attention of a tall blonde across the room.

She smiles, making her way over to us and giving Lillian a hug.

"Nadia, this is Everly... Everly, this is Nadia." Lillian introduces us.

"Nice to see a new face." Nadia grins at me, her light Russian accent rolling across the words. "I could tell this wasn't your first time. Are you new to the Island?"

"No, just this gym. I've taken yoga for about... four years now."

"Well it shows." Nadia smiles.

"Thank you."

"We were just talking about Juliet." Lillian speaks up. "How long has she been teaching this class?"

"About two years maybe?" Nadia purses her lips in thought. "It was right after Meredith went missing."

My heart rate picks up at the sound of her name. I didn't think it would be this easy to work her into the conversation.

"Oh right." Lillian frowns. "I forgot."

"Meredith?" I look back and forth between the two women, making sure I don't seem overly interested.

"She was the instructor before Juliet. Don't really know why, she didn't need the money, probably just bored being only a housewife." Lillian informs me.

"And she went missing?"

"Was very sad." Nadia nods. "She was really sweet. The nicest woman you'd meet. They found her body months later. Rumor was her husband found out she was cheating on him, got rid of her. They could never prove it though."

"That's horrible..." I frown, focusing on Nadia. "So you knew her well?"

"I wouldn't say well, but we had brunch a few times."

"Do you think she really was cheating?" I ask hesitantly.

"Do I think?" Nadia chuckles. "I caught them more then once, in the women's locker rooms."

"You what?!" Lillian gasps, slapping Nadia on the arm. "You never told me that!"

"Well I wouldn't say caught I guess.. They were just talking when I saw them. But he wasn't supposed to be in there and they were always having these hushed conversations. I mean, obviously whatever sort of relationship they did have was a secret one."

"He worked here?"

"No, he took Meredith's class."

"What was his name?" I question.