I woke up with the sun shining down on my face and an aching body. Not the kind of ache where you're just sore and need some stretching to fix it. But the kind where it was like your bones were heavy and every part of your body was tired.
I rolled onto my back before glancing at my clock. In bright red the time read 8 am, it wasn't even 9 am yet. Running my hands down my face I released a groan. Going to school has made it almost impossible for me to sleep in late.
Sitting up I tried to stretch my muscles. It didn't do anything of course but it convinced a little part of me that I felt better.
I got out of bed and quickly put my messy hair into a low ponytail before going to the bathroom. I needed to pee, wash my face, and brush my teeth before I started to feel even a little bit alive.
While washing my face little snippets of last night's events with the twins and brothers went through my head. I splashed water on my face again trying to clear the thoughts. Maybe I should try to drown myself in the sink water, has anyone died like that before?
Turning off the water I headed out back to my room. I haven't exercised outside of dance at school for a hot minute. Maybe I should work out today, practice some choreography on the lawn.
I went back to my room and changed into some workout gear. Black leggings, a faded green sports bra, and my black tennis shoes. Before going to the kitchen I grabbed my iPod then left my room. Tiptoeing down the stairs I entered the kitchen in hopes of finding a water bottle where I ran into Alyssa.
"Hi darling, how was your night? Rest well?" She was sitting at the island eating a slice of bread with avocado slathered over. "Yep, how was yours?"
"Boring like usual. Are you planning on working out?" she motioned to my outfit. I made a sound of agreement as I rummaged through the fridge for water.
"Oh, morning Richard." I heard shuffling which was Alyssa getting up behind me before walking over to Richard. "Morning sweetheart," he replied back quietly. I finally found the water so I closed the fridge. "Good Morning Christian." Richard greeted politely.
"Morning Mr. Mitchell," I replied quickly before hurriedly exiting the kitchen. "Wait, Christian." He called out, "Chris please." I inputted before letting him continue. "Chris." He corrected before continuing, "Tonight we are all going out to dinner and I hope and would appreciate it if you could make it."
I narrowed my eyes in speculation before releasing a breath and turning to look at him. "I'll try my best." Richard smiled at me, resembling his sons so much in that moment. Wait, no, the other way around. His sons resemble him right? Whatever, they looked like each other.
I gave him a nod before speed walking off. Feeling guilty that I was living in his house when he doesn't even know me for free. I basically ran to the backdoor where I was greeted with the sight of grass going on for miles once again.
I started to walk on the right of the house instead of the left. During my run before I noticed that there was a pool by the left so I didn't want to be near it when I practiced dancing. Nor do I want to work out right in front of the house where anyone could peek out a window and see me. Of course, they always could because I was still on the premises of the house. But that doesn't mean I'm going to go to the most obvious and easiest area.
Looking around a bit I finally found the spot I wanted to practice at. It was a little ways past the house and near to all the hallways and rooms that aren't meant for sleeping in. I didn't know exactly what rooms they were. All I know is that it's unlikely any of the guys will see me from here.
I set my things down and started to stretch getting into my zone. I wanted to start getting back into shape, maybe go for another run around the house, or do a HIIT routine. Being active was one of the only things keeping me grounded and stopping the crazy from taking over.
I played a random playlist and started my warm-up routine. Getting my muscles loose for a bit I went back to my iPod and went to the songs we danced to at school. I was going to go over the routines for a bit before it was down perfectly. I needed it to be ingrained into my bones to the point I could do it in my sleep. The problem is, there is no mirror for me to look at and analyze myself.
I played our first routine if there was even a tiny mistake I started from the beginning. Going from pausing the song and practicing the counts to playing the music and doing it. Repeating that over and over again till there was no need to even think of the action. Sweat was already starting to form on my forehead and neck.
After almost a hundred more takes I got it down without needing to stop and pause. Now I have to do it perfectly three more times before I am satisfied. Then onto the two other routines, I might even make new ones since I had nothing better to do. I was repeating it again when I saw a grizzly bear from the corner of my eyes and wasn't able to follow the turn through. I stumbled but was able to catch myself by running forward.
I turned to look at the grizzly to make sure I saw a grizzly bear on private property that had a literal fence. What I saw wasn't a grizzly bear but pretty damn close to one. Ash stood near the house with his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans. He was wearing a tight black henley shirt with the sleeves rolled up and staring at me with an amused expression.
"God damn it Ash now I have to start all over again," I grumbled. Going over to my iPod and restarting the song all over again. "Why are you even out here?" I asked to set the iPod down after pausing the song. Looking at him with my arms crossed, waiting for an answer and him to leave.
His eyes traveled down my body slowly, taking in my lack of real clothing. Before slowly traveling up again to meet my eyes and mimicking my stance. Crossing his thick arms over his chest and tilting his chin up. Even though he was already tall and didn't need to look down any more than he already was.
"Didn't know I needed permission to go to my own backyard." He teased, and the corner of his lips tilted up. I rolled my eyes at him, "Well what are you doing out here right now in this specific area?" I questioned in exasperation.
"Well, I was going to look at my bikes when I realized that there wasn't an overly talkative redhead that wasn't bombarding the house. Who knew she was out here," He paused for a second trying to think of the right word. His eyes keep dropping to other parts of my body before flicking back up. Seeming to be going through some kind of emotional dilemma.
"Dancing," I interjected, trying to help the poor man. "Right," he drawled out before continuing, "dancing for the last one to two and a half hours." I nodded at him. "If possible I would like to continue to do that."
"No one's stopping you but you." He replied before going to sit on the grass. I rolled my eyes again but went to play the song. I'm okay with dancing with an audience and Ash out of all the brothers seems to be the most indifferent towards everything. He pulled out his phone and started playing on it.
While he was doing that I ran through the routine again hitting everything like I wanted to. Taking a deep breath then a gulp of water I replayed the song and did it again. There was slow applause and I looked up at Ash. I thought he was on his phone the whole time, so I didn't know when he got off. He was staring at me, leaning against his arms that were on the grass.
We looked at each other for a bit before I turned my head. His eyes were also the most disturbing than all the other guys. Not as if they weren't as stormy as the others would become but because they seemed to see through everything. It freaked the shit out of me.
"You really like dancing don't you." He commented, not asking a question but just stating what he observed. "Yeah," I replied, taking another sip of water. "I love it, I wanted to be a dancer when I was younger. My mom was a dancer and I loved watching her, she taught me how to dance before I could even walk." I laughed quietly remembering my mom and how she would always tell me I was a born dancer. Came out of her womb doing a prioutté.
Ash sat there quietly for a moment, most likely catching how I talked about my mother in the past tense. "How much longer are you going to be out here," He asked me, changing the topic successfully. "I need to practice another routine from school too. Then succeed it three times perfectly, then I wanted to work on an unfinished piece or maybe do a quick workout."
I started to rotate my shoulder in a circular motion a few times. Stretching it out before doing the second routine. "Why so much?" Once again there was no judgment in his tone, just a question. "I need it to be perfect." I didn't over-explain it because that was the truth. I wanted perfection.
It was when I started the song, did the dance, messed up, stopped dancing, replayed the song, and restarted for the umpteenth time that Ash lost it. He groaned and lied down on the grass covering his face. "How much longer are you going to stop and start again? I've heard this song so many times it's going to make me nauseous."
The song wasn't over so I spoke while dancing. "You don't have to be here, you know." I panted while speaking trying to focus on my moves. "Why do you keep repeating it though? There's nothing wrong! At this point, I could do the damn dance perfectly." He lamented going through an emotional crisis.
I snorted at his dramatics doing the finishing move. "See, now I only have to do it one more time then I'm done with this one. You'll just have to listen to another song 100 times." Ash groaned, rubbing his face.
I waved him off before thinking of a wicked idea. Switching the schedule I had in my head I planned to practice the other school routines later. Right now I wanted to do an aerobic routine that showed off my flexibility. Knowing that guys got a kick at watching me contort my body.
Ash was by far the most like a stone than the others. Didn't talk a lot, when he did it was usually short sentences from what I can tell. He never put any effort into things unless he loved or cared about them. He also had a major stick up his ass, so I loved trying to ruffle his feathers.
"Well if you're out here you can at least tell me your opinion on my new routine." He took his hands off his face and looked at me skeptically. "Come on it won't kill you."
"Is it a different song?" He asked hesitantly. "It is in fact." I was trying to keep a serious face so he wouldn't know what I was planning. "Fine." He grounded out, not even trying to argue with me. I smiled at him and turned on the song. It was "Earn It" by The Weeknd, I first heard the song from fifty shades of Grey when Yaz made me watch all the movies with her.
The song started to play and I started to slowly bend backwards till my head hit the grass. I slid back onto my back before rolling over onto my stomach and pulling my leg up so my knee touched my chest. Kicking the leg laying straight up taping my toe against my butt before flipping onto my back and kicking my leg up to touch my nose. Then back down before sliding forward onto my knees and shaking my hips before rolling on my knees onto my butt. Opening my legs and dragging my hands up my thighs.
I heard a spew of quiet swears making me look up at him. Ash's face was stocky and his chin was clenched tight. But the whole time his eyes followed my every movement. I threw my right leg over my left, turning myself before slowly standing up. Going from my head down to bending up into a full stance. I slid my foot against the grass away from me than crossing my arms over my head while moving my hips left and right. I'd usually prefer to dance like this in a dimly lit room. Wearing tight or sexy clothing if I was going to tease a guy. But this would work I guess.
I did a backbend again going onto my forearms before going a handstand on my forearms. Bending my legs with one straight and one at a right angle, switching between the two. Before sliding back onto my stomach going into the splits.
I smirked at Ash manically, "So, what do you think?" I asked him, poorly hiding the amount of joy I got from this. His frown deepened but I continued, "I was thinking about performing it at school but it's not complete. Any thoughts" I stayed in the splits, liking the feeling of making him uncomfortable.
But when I looked into his eyes they were anything but uncomfortable. They looked full of heat and desire. Like a man lost in the desert who just found his first lake after days of no water. I schooled my features to keep the playful look on my face as his gray eyes pierced mine.
"There is no way you're performing that at school." His voice was lower than it usually was. I stood up slowly and blinked at him innocently, "What do you mean? Was it not good?" He glared at me as I pretended to not understand. "You know exactly why."
"Come on Ashy boy get your brain out the gutter. You can't handle watching a little dancing?" I taunted with a smirk. His glare became more dark, promising something more than intimidating fear, "Oh baby, there is nothing boyish about me." His voice was even lower and more gravelly than it was before making me flush.
"Yeah whatever, focus on that one specific word out of everything I've said to you." I crouched down grumbling while grabbing the iPod and going to play my other song. Ash realized what I was doing and jumped up from the grass. "I'm going to get food." he started to walk away quickly, almost as if he was running away from me. It made me chuckle thinking a big guy like him could ever be running away from me. He took a few steps before stopping and looking back "Want any?" I shook my head, "I'm good."
I don't like eating when or before I work out or dance. It makes me feel lethargic and ill when I go all out. Ash crossed his arms and asked me, "What time did you get out here?" Not thinking too much about his question I answer.
"Like an hour or two ago, I woke up at eight so maybe...eight-thirty?" Yeah, that sounds about right. I heard a low curse but thought it was just that tiny voice in the back of my head that will make me randomly hear things. "What have you eaten since then?" He questioned the sound he collected. Not the kind of collected where they just were but the kind where you had to consciously think about keeping yourself calm.
More hesitantly I answered, "Ummm, I didn't know. I usually don't eat before I dance so..." I trailed off as I looked up at him. He had a dark expression on his face that I hadn't seen before. He was sincerely mad at something and I'm the only one he has been around for the past hour or two so it must be me. "Woah there, is something wrong?"
I put my hands up trying to lighten the mood. "So you're telling me that you have been out here for almost four hours. Working out and haven't eaten anything, nor did I see you eat anything last night." He ground out. Surprising me that he was paying attention to me that much.
"I did eat something last night!" I argued. Ash gave me a look that said, 'stop bull shitting me'. "Then what was it, Chris?" He barked. I felt my pulse go up, taking it as a challenge. I went over my memories of last night trying to remember what I had eaten that day.
Only to realize I did skip dinner because I was going to dance. I also skipped lunch because I hated using Mr. Mitchell's and Alyssa's money that they put in the account. I sucked my lower lip into my mouth, hearing the little noise it made from the suction before snapping at him.
"Well even if I didn't what does it matter. I'm planning on eating after practice, I just don't like to eat before I dance. It's not that big of a deal." I was telling the truth when I said I was going to eat. I really didn't realize it had been so long since I had eaten. I also didn't realize how long it had been out here either. My brain has just been so focused on so many other things I haven't had time to prioritize my eating.
"Yeah no, you're eating now. You have been outside in the sun dancing for four hours with nothing fueling you. Your eating even if I have to force-feed you." He snapped. I raised my hands in surrender, "Okay a little much buddy. But you're right." I admitted.
He opened his mouth again before freezing. He was probably assuming I was going to argue again. He wasn't particularly wrong, I did like a good argument. But only when I knew I was right, in this case, I knew I was in the wrong. I should have eaten something at some point.
I crossed my arms and gave the same annoying smirk he and his brothers all seem to have inherited. "What? Did you want a fight? I can always give you one if you want. What is your opinion of ranch on pizza, oh even more controversial pineapples on pizza? We can get a real fight there, maybe even some fist throwing. Ever see SisterHood of the Travelling Pants? No? Good, terrible movie, if you really want to get me going just bring that up."
I was going to continue talking before Ash started swearing under his breath again. Next thing I knew I was over his massive shoulder, "What the hell!?" I exclaimed, starting to kick and hitting his back. "We wouldn't have gotten anywhere if I let you continue talking. And I couldn't listen anymore either."
"Ever hear of a thing called words you big giant! You know like 'please shut up you're annoying'. Not caveman style picking up." I started to punch him again on his back. It felt like I was hitting a brick wall, "Keep that up and I'll throw you." He bounced me on his shoulder getting me into a better position and winding me.
My tiredness finally kicked in from the hours of working out and no food. I felt a wave of dizziness come over me for a second but I ignored it. "That's kind of the whole point M.O.G." I retorted trying to keep my head up so the blood didn't rush. "What the fuck is a M.O.G?" He barked in confusion.
"B.F.G big friendly giant, you my friend are a M.O.G. Mean Old giant." I felt his chest vibrate and heard a little chuckle from him. "You're really asking for it Chris," he stated as if I didn't make him laugh for the first time since dinosaurs died. "I prefer spankings," I commented without thinking. Ash stumbled the same time I puckered my face realizing what I said.
"You know you're really tall. This is dangerous. I'd prefer if you didn't fall with me over your shoulder. Also what is with you and your brothers with the over-the-shoulder thing. I am a big girl and-" Ash cut me off before growling.
"If you don't shut up I really will spank you." He couldn't see me glaring at him but I was. I did shut up but I did it begrudging, well before getting one thing in. "See how well using words works." Before going quiet again. Needing to have the last word. Ash shook his head and let out a quiet snort as he carried me into the house.