Play Me That Song

4

This chapter is dedicated to MissyDoe2017 who is the first person to vote on every chapter!! Thanks- you rock!!
.
.

"Good job, girls!" I chirp. "I'll see you next week!" I call as the last little ballerina walks from the studio. I lean against the door frame separating the studio from the waiting area and wave at the few remaining parents and dancers exiting the main door.

As soon as I know they're all gone, I sigh heavily. I'm exhausted. Staying up until the early hours of the morning talking to Beau meant I had gotten virtually no sleep before spending the day teaching a myriad of dance classes. The mixture of physical exercise and little sleep is really wearing on me. I want nothing more than to go home, take a long bath, and fall asleep early. But I promised Emma that I would make an appearance on her podcast tonight, so it would be a while before I got any rest.

I wasn't sure at first, but Emma thought it would make a better show if she "'interviewed" me instead of just talking about me. I regret agreeing to her request now. I know without looking at the floor-to-ceiling- mirrors lining the walls that I look terrible. I steal a glance at myself anyways. My bun is frizzy and the circles under my eyes are so dark that my eyes look sunken in contrast. I wonder how I even made it through classes all day without scaring anyone.

"Have a good weekend!" Gracie, the receptionist, waves when I finally left.

"Thanks, you too!"

I pull out my phone as I walk down the sidewalk in front of the studio and around the corner to where I parked. Ignoring my other notifications, I focus on texting Emma. I have to make sure she knows I would need a shower and possibly an entire bottle of concealer before we started. I shudder at the thought of her ambushing me as soon as I walk in the door and pulling me on camera in my current state.

Even though I told myself not to, I open up my text conversation conversation with Beau to check for a nonexistent message. He had sent me a good morning text earlier which had erased most of the embarrassment I felt for having fallen asleep on the phone with him. Not that I haven't done that before, but it feels too intimate for whatever relationship limbo we are currently in. Ugh, what are we even? I'm all set to go on camera with Emma, live no less, to discus us, but I still have no idea what to even say.

I re-read the text I had sent him letting him know Emma had convinced me to go live with her. He had replied that I would be fine and not to worry. But how could I not? Not only do I not know what to say, but what if I have to answer questions from her fans? Or worse, from his? I had replied to him earlier, thanking him and letting him know I was still completely lost on what to say. I was hoping he would have taken the hint and sent me something I could memorize to repeat at the right time. I know he told us last night that whatever we did was fine.

Did that mean that he didn't care? Or just that he trusted my judgement? Or what?!?

I keep trying to scroll up. That message I had sent is the last one. He never replied, even though it has been hours. Suddenly, I'm filled with panic. I feel like an actor about to go on stage without ever having read the script. This feeling isn't just about Emma's podcast. I suddenly feel lost in life as I kept trying to scroll up, willing a message that was never sent to come through. I feel a longing for Beau that I haven't felt in a long time. I feel a tense need to be near him.

I raise my thumb and hover it over the phone icon at the top of the screen. I just need to hear his voice....

Don't.