❝It is our choice of good or evil that determines our character, not our opinion about good of evil.❞
— Aristotle
The third dance instructor told us to reach the collective training studio.
I’ve never been there before so I just follow the others while walking there. I’m among Freva and Zia, who’re both on their phones. Not that I’m inclined to have a conversation with anyone at the moment. I’m really tired and want to go back to my dorm and sleep right now, which is probably what I’ll do the moment I reach my room.
Right then, my phone vibrates in my bag. I sling it forward to take it out to find a familiar number flash across the screen.
Nate: One turn behind you towards your right. Take a left.
Sighing, I type in a quick reply.
Harley: What happened to you needing me only when it’s necessary?
The read receipt turns blue, showing that he’s read my text. In a few seconds, his reply pops up.
Nate: It’s not about that. Just be here rn.
I close my phone and look at Freva. “I’ll be back.”
“Where are you going?” she raises her eyebrows in question.
I press my lips together and point towards my phone. “I’ve to call my mom.”
She rolls her eyes. “Didn’t know you were momma’s girl. Anyways, go. I can’t cover for you for long.”
“Thanks,” I say with a smile before turning back and following the instructions written on the text.
When I turn left, I find Nate leaning against the walk, just like the first time I met him. His expression is a mix of amusement and something I can’t figure out. He looks at me when I’m there but doesn’t say anything for a while.
“What do you want?” I finally say, breaking the silence.
He lets out a sigh before looking away from me. “So, you actually are smart, huh? You knew about the markings?”
I shrug. “I got an idea.” That isn’t it, actually. I did think up about the monitors and the fact that this activity was made just to make groups of ten bond with each other so that they understand their style of dancing and learn something. The thing about the negative markings… Well, I learnt that from my sister’s diary. The moment I remembered it, I knew Remi was doomed if anyone even got a gist of the situation. Covering it up was never an option for him.
“Tell me one thing, Kingsley,” he stands straight and runs a hand through his messy hair. Taking small steps towards me, he stops when he’s a lot closer than he was moments ago. “What’s the deal with your hand?”
I freeze. “What about it?”
He scoffs. “Don’t give me that now. Don’t say it’s fine because it’s clearly not. Now tell me, what’s the deal with it?”
“My hand’s alright,” I tell him but my voice breaks in the sentence and I don’t know what to do. I didn’t think anyone in the audience would notice it since Zia would probably be blocking the view but then it hits me. From where he was sitting, it probably was visible to him. “Nothing’s wrong with it.”
“Crap,” he mutters and takes a step forward, grabbing my arm. His grasp is soft and careful, not as rough as I thought it would be. “I didn’t realise you were a liar, Harley,” he whispers in my ear and a shiver goes down my spine.
His fingers hold the sleeve of my shirt which I put on the moment I stepped off the stage. He tugs it upwards slowly, being extra careful for some reason, and stops when it’s all the way up. His eyes roam around my scars with a neutral expression on his face.
Even though they’re fading, most of them would be visible to him considering how close he is to me.
“Nothing’s wrong, you say?” he whispers again, before putting the sleeve back in its place. “Yeah, right. Are you going to tell me now?”
“I don’t owe you an explanation about anything.”
He lets out a small laugh. “Sure you don’t. But by the looks of it, you’re overexerting yourself. I’d say take a break from dancing but I don’t think you’d listen to me.”
I take a step away from him, clearing my throat. “Are we done here? Because I’ve no interest in talking to you about it. I got into a little accident last year. It’s healed now but it hurts sometimes. That enough for you?” He smiles, not saying anything to me and I’m beyond annoyed at this point. I breathe out, turning away. “Don’t tell Valeria about it. She’ll bench me. And don’t bring this up again. I didn’t give you my contact details so that you could text me about things that are not relevant to our deal.”
“So, you’re saying our deal includes us not caring for each other till it comes to asking for help?” he questions. “I’d rather have you not injured when you’re doing my work.”
“Shut up,” I snap. “If there’s something you need me to do, I’ll do it no matter what as long as you hold to your end of the agreement. Don’t worry about it. Anything related to me is none of your business.”
He shrugs. “Fine by me.”
“So, are we done?”
He takes a moment but nods. “Yeah, yeah. We’re done here.” There’s something in his expression that tells me that there’s more to it and I think about waiting for him to say it but I know he won’t. I turn away and begin walking towards the studio alone, realising that I’m not that late and the conversation was over without a hitch or delay.
The joint session didn’t seem any different than a normal one. Nate arrives five minutes after me and walks over to the third years, engaging himself in a conversation. The session is short and over before I even know it. Freva, Line and the others call me to hang out but I refuse. I begin walking towards Minerva, with Sam walking a little ahead of me. We haven’t talked much today, except the time where he asked me whether I’m okay.
The moment I reach my room, I collapse on the bed and go into deep sleep, only being woken up by Jude the next morning at eight am to tell me that the rankings have been updated. Instead of checking them then, I walk out to the common room where everyone is huddled around the table, checking the rankings.
“Oh, thanks for showing up,” Hayette rolls her eyes, “Leo asked us to wait for you to see the ranking for some reason. She’s here now. Can we just check them already?”
“Yeah, please,” another girl chimes.
Elliot, who’s the only one sitting on the table with his laptop open, refreshes the page and it begins to load. “I hate this,” he mutters under his breath and just then, the webpage loads and the ranking chart are displayed instantly.
Leo and I exchange looks and he bursts into laughter in an instant. Remi’s no longer in the top ten. With the deduction yesterday, his ranks have dropped down to the early seventies, which I find hilarious. The top four rankings didn’t seem to have changed at all. However, there are a few new names that have appeared amongst the top ten.
FIRST YEAR RANKING LIST
1. Harley Kingsley
2. Rhett Carter
3. Atlas Elias
4. Ana Vorlkov
5. Yua Matsumi
6. Daria Liamme
7. Monica West
8. Lian Zhao
9. Roman Vermont
10. Lorano Diaz
I still have the unwanted lead. I’d be more than happy for Rhett to cross my score, but I won’t be going easy on him. I sigh, stepping back. The school has already mailed everyone their current personal scores and it’s our wish whether we want to tell others or not.
Today would be a normal half day, with our dance groups being made in the morning. Sunday would be an off, which I’ll probably spend inside my room all alone.
I should take these few hours of rest before everything turns against me.
No matter what happens, I’m sure of one thing.
I have no regrets.