Sophia
Trust and honesty are two key factors in every relationship.
I know nothing bad will happen.I have faith, so relax.
Why do Stacy's words keep ringing in my head like a church bell?
I wasn't doing anything wrong.. was I?
For two days, Lucas and I have practice hard for long hours. I wanted to say there was improvement on both parties but something told me he was already used to dancing.
"How was that?" I asked, breathless from the exuberant gyrations.
I was sitting on the gravelly ground while Lucas squatted in front of his backpack. He seemed to be rummaging inside it, and I was correct. He calmly pulled out a couple of water bottles.
"You were amazing, Sophia." The black-haired eighteen-year old offered me one bottle, which I gratefully accepted.
"Thanks," I said to him, blushing a little. I tried to twist open the cap but it was too tightly sealed.
"Let me." Lucas reached for my water bottle and effortlessly popped open the blue cap.
I gave him my thanks, feeling somewhat disappointed with myself. After replenishing my thirst, I put down the closed bottle on the gravelly floor.
"Am I that weak?" My voice was quiet as I gazed at my pale right palm.
Lucas froze,his bottle of water midway to his mouth. "Sophia."
"I'm just overreacting." I hugged my bare legs, the cold breeze nipping at my skin.
My heartbeat grew frantic when Lucas dropped on his left knee in front of me.
"Sophia, you're the strongest person I know." He reached out to tuck a stray lock of brown hair behind my right ear. "Never forget that."
I stared at him, a hundred questions running through my head: Why didn't he want to switch dance partners? Wasn't it normal for a guy to want to be with his girlfriend every chance he got? Or maybe I was being melodramatic? Too paranoid? Was I overthinking the situation too much? Perhaps I read too much into his gestures. Once again, I made baseless assumptions.
Once again, my heart was broken.
"Sophia?"
I blinked. "Y-yes?"
Lucas examined my distracted face for a moment. Then he extended his right hand to me.
"It'll be dark soon," he said, pertaining to the orange and purple sky. "We should head home."
I placed my hand on his, our fingers intertwined, and Lucas pulled me up off the ground.
His tender smile was making me crazy--I had to remind myself he is my sister's boyfriend.
That he isn't mine. He never was to begin with.
"Where did you learn to dance like that?" I asked him as we gathered our things.
"'Just Dance' and Dance Dance Revolution," answered the black-haired teenager.
I pressed my lips together while casting him quizzical glances. "You don't look.."
"Yeah ,I get that a lot." His brown eyes twinkled knowingly. "Bryce would often drag me to the arcade and badger me to dance doubles with him.He's the dancer of the family."
"And you prefer rock climbing?" I teased him after hoisting my green backpack behind me.
He slowly walked towards the door, and I followed him, falling into step beside him.
"You've improved a lot, Sophia." We started down the stairs.
"Translation: I was a terrible dancer before?" I joked. But truthfully, I was pleased to hear him praise my efforts. Although I wasn't entirely confident with my moves, I had become more confident about myself. I've learnt to sway my hips more softly, inducing a seductive demeanor into my choreography and expressions.
He playfully nudged my arm with his elbow. "You shouldn't sell yourself short. You're a terrific dancer."
I raised my right hand to adjust my oval glasses. "You too."
"I know."
"There's a fine line between confidence and arrogance, Lucas."
A light chuckle escaped his throat. We were still descending the stairs. There were a ton of them.
When we finally got to the bottom of the staircase, I was perplexed to see Lucas swerving in another direction.
"Lucas?"
"Yep?"
"I thought you were also going home?"
He slowed down slightly and shot me a smile over his shoulder. "Stacy just texted me. She said she wanted to have dinner outside, so I'm fetching her at the dance studio right now."
My chest constricted a little.
It felt as if multiple people had stomped their feet on my heart.
"Sophia, are you alright?"
"H-Hmm? Why wouldn't I be?" I stammered.
Lucas palmed my forehead. "Your skin has gone pale."
"I'm just tired."
He didn't look convinced but he didn't stress the topic either.
We arrived at the Orion Dance Studio within two minutes. Despite being a student in this university for six months, it was my first time stepping inside the studio.
It was everything Stacy described it to be: Massive,elegant, and air-conditioned. The floor was made of hardwood--perfect for dancing. And the walls were covered top to bottom in mirrors.
Upon entering the dance studio, Lucas and I were taken aback to see a third person inside.
The girl was tall, with light brown hair streaming to her small waist, and she sounded angry.
"You think you're so great?" she hissed at my blonde sister, who had her arms folded before her.
"I do, actually." Stacy wore a smile of satisfaction while she stood tall against the white wall.
Heather Salazar fumed at the sight of Bryce standing next to the pretty blonde.
The slinky brunette furiously jabbed a manicured finger at Stacy. "The best you'll ever be is my substitute!" she yelled, her face red with undisguised rage.
"Funny." Stacy's tongue was sharp as ever. "You were fired eons ago, so if I were actually in a relationship with THIS jerk, that would make me your replacement. And a better one, I might add."
Heather shrieked as she stomped her heel-clad foot on the hardwood floor. "You'll regret this!"
"I don't remember inviting you here in the first place, Salazar," taunted my twin sister.
"You'll get your karma soon enough, you bitch," snarled Heather as she stormed out.
Bryce let out a low whistle, shaking his head.
"Oh, hi, Luke!" Stacy chirped, as though she didn't just have a heated confrontation with one of her enemies.
I looked away when Lucas moved closer to peck her on the cheek.
"Sop, you look kind of tired," commented my fair-haired sister.
I nodded my head. "I'll get some rest at home. Turn around, Ace."
She wordlessly turned around. I reached for her right wrist and slid off her pink scrunchie.
Humming to myself, I gathered her long golden hair into a loose ponytail on her back. She had always told me it felt therapeutic whenever I did that.
"Thanks." My twin smiled at me as she spun to face me.
"Shall we go?" Lucas asked, holding out his right hand to Stacy.
I smiled. I smiled even as my sister happily wrapped her arm around her boyfriend's arm.
They bid me and Bryce goodbye. And then they left.
I silently prayed that my brown-haired companion didn't notice the lone tear sliding down my left cheek.