Beneath A Casanova {#1}

Part 8

Part 8

Lexi didn’t know if she wanted to be irritated or relieved. Ever since Dante returned from his auditions, he had not given her a single look, as if trying to pretend that she didn’t exist at all. She was relieved, because she wasn’t receiving the hot intense stare from him anymore and she didn’t need to stop herself from turning towards the attention he showered her.

But at the same time, she was irritated at how hurt she felt. She should be glad that Dante was no longer looking at her. They had nothing to do with each other. They were simply fellow candidates, who had made through to the third round of auditions. She wasn’t even going to see him again until they came back at the end of the week to confirm their schedule now that they were officially in the competition.

The other five candidates who had been eliminated had left the waiting room already, while the remaining five –including her and Dante –stayed a little while longer for their briefing. The producers of the show would be bringing the candidates from the other states in, and the competition would officially kick off in full swing.

Lexi spaced out for most of the briefing, her eyes travelling around the room, always tagging on the handsome man. She recalled that he had said that he was thirty. She thought he looked younger than that. Yet, his figure of speech seemed to suggest that he was a lot older than that. He had always exuded an air of old confidence, as if he were very experienced about the way of life.

The briefing ended quickly, and Lexi watched as Dante jump up from his chair, as if all too willing to get out of the room. She noticed that he looked a little too pale. Was he sick?

Dante ducked out of the room shortly after the producer, and Lexi remained in her seat, frowning at the floor. What was wrong with him? She couldn’t fathom what inspired the change in him. He had always appeared to her as a charming man, a confident man, but now?

She nudged herself mentally. What was wrong her anyway? Dante Giacomo had nothing to do with her. He was just another competitor. She would just have to put with him for as long as he or she got eliminated.

But looking back, hearing his velvet voice through the microphone, she knew he was going to stay in the competition for quite some time.

With a sigh, she made her way back to the lobby where Alvron was no doubt waiting for her. He was going to have lots of words with her about Dante tonight again, and while she looked forward to telling her best friend about her mixed feelings towards the unnaturally handsome man, she dreaded the imminent teasing that was sure to come.

“Louis? I know I promised all of you, but I might not be able to do this anymore.” She stopped when she heard his soft voice of velvet drifting to her ears. On pure instincts, she stopped her feet and turned towards the source of the voice, where she could see a slit left open from the door at her side. Dante’s black figure lounged by the window, holding a phone to his ear.

“Okay, I’ll hold. It’s better if we talk face-to-face.” Dante replied after a short while, and Lexi held her breath. She looked around, but didn’t find anyone making towards her. This Louis man must have been the Frenchman who had gone into the café with Dante two nights ago, but as far as she could see on both sides of the long corridor, there was no such man.

“Thanks for coming. You’ve been my friend for so long… I don’t think anyone else knows me as well as you do.” Dante’s voice caught her attention, and she turned back to peek through the slit in the room.

She gasped silently, the breath catching in her throat. Her heartbeat quickened and she tried to understand what she was seeing. She rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times, trying to make sure that she wasn’t hallucinating. She pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming, and jumped at the sharp pain she induced on herself.