Crazy-I tried being normal once. Worst two minutes of my life.
"Come on, close the door, please."
Freya pretended to as she was ask as she closed the door behind her before shyly advancing into the biology class. She watched her classmates put on their blouses already ready for the class while she stayed on the sidelines of the group. She missed the first one with what happened so she didn't really know where to stand.
"Pssst! Freya!" Lu murmured, letting Freya turn to her group of Guzmàn and Valerio."Come and sit with us. I already warned the teacher."
Freya displayed a broad, relieved smile as she headed for the trio before slowing down as she swallowed as she met the eyes of Guzmàn and Valerio. The boys' duo watched her closely with different expressions that were still similar. Valerio seemed genuinely worried while Guzmàn seemed more uncertain and uneasy as he gauged her sympathetically.
Obviously uncomfortable under their looks and just as nervous as to how to act with them, Freya contented herself with putting on her blouse before turning to the professor, listening."I know it's Friday, but let's not get carried away, please."
"Here is the protocol for the experiment." Lu explained, handing her the notes she had made for her.
Freya gave her a nod in thanks before leaning on the bench to try to understand the process.
However, she soon paused at the feeling of a shadow hovering by her side. She looked up, looking at the tall brown leaning slightly towards her with an adorable little smile."So? You're back in great shape and ready to conquer the world."
"Well I don't really know about taking over the world but I'm getting better. Yeah." Freya nodded in a whisper with a small smile, touched by his attention before hesitating as she crossed her whiskey brown eyes again."And thank you. For following me."
"I don't think I helped much." Valerio reminded almost in a tone of disappointment letting Freya look up completely to gauge his concern.
However, their attention was soon dispersed as Rebecca's comment sounded not far from them."Now that's what I call getting carried away."
She edited a video of Guzmàn and Valerio of the party at Cayetena letting Freya roll her eyes with disinterest as she remembered that famous evening with bitterness. She shifted unconsciously from Valerio still somewhat annoyed by his behavior.
"I don't know what you find so funny." Lu commented, giving Rebe an annoyed look.
As promised, they were again enemies, or rather frenemies as Lu liked to be called.
Freya shook her head as she met Lu's gaze before giving Guzmàn a glance at his nonchalant intervention."Me. Don't you like it? I think the video is pretty ace."
Obviously, he had decided not to listen to anything Freya had told him.
She tried to ignore Valerio's gaze as she continued to ignore him while filling Lu's notes with her own annotations.
"I think you look ridiculous." Lu replied between her teeth clenched in indignation.
"Weren't you all saying that I needed to stop mourning and start living life?" Argued Guzmàn with sarcasm in his tone. "Well, that's what I'm doing."
Freya clenched her jaw at the blond's demeanor toward her friend before standing up as a sign of respect from their teacher.
"Valerio." She declared with a look of disappointment before turning to Freya sympathetically."I've already seen with Mrs. Astoria so you can do the exam, Freya. You just have to come see me after class."
Freya let a broad, relieved smile curl her lips before nodding."Thank you madam."
Their teacher walked away again to address the next table while Valerio jumped on the spot at the sight of his poor grade. Freya frowned at the contradictory brown before shaking her head again.
"Well, brother, chemistry is not your thing, right?" Lu commented, joining Freya's side to show her her exemplary grade.
"I've always been better at the practical side than the theoretical." Replied Valerio, waving his hands in the same passive-aggressive tone as his sister.
"Yeah, we saw that when you had your tongue at the back of Cayetana's throat." Freya whispered absently without looking up from her protocol.
Valerio raised his eyebrows at the sight of her closed expression before leaning on the table to try to catch her look with mischief."Maybe I can teach you."
"When Dad kicks you out for falling, will you be joking then, too?" Lu said, looking annoyed at the idiot.
"You're so good ... so good at being mean." Valerio replied with a broad smile.
Freya literally struggled not to let a smile escape her. Instead she left a little amused snort.
However, she hastened to lick her lips, pretending to read as she could once again feel the looks of the Montesinos duo on her.
****************
"Okay, Black Swan, it's time for you to check out."
Freya closed her locker before turning to Rebecca with raised eyebrows."You know I already told my sad story. I don't owe you anything."
"Oh, come on! Samuel will never gonna make it without you." Sighed Rebe, hopping on the spot.
Freya rolled her eyes at her insistence before shrugging her shoulders in acceptance."Fine, what do you want from me?"
*******************
"Where do people's secret lie? In their messages, photos and videos..."
"You want to steal her phone?" Exclaimed Nadia just as taken aback as Freya. The latter gave a scathing look at Rebe in response."If you get caught, you'll be expelled."
Rebe rolled her eyes in response before shrugging nonchalantly."No way. Doing it at school would be a drag. But isn't there a party in that flashy club tomorrow night? Lots of people around, everything half in the dark, everyone smashed... My phone got stolen three times like that. And I've done it twice."
Freya watched as Luís immediately swiped his phone towards him in distrust of Rebecca's words. The brunette rolled her eyes clearly against her brother's presence in this carnage.
However, it seemed like she really had no choice since Samuel and Luís seemed literally inseparable now.
"Samuel is not like you."
"No, he's a nice little boy who brings tea to his mother." Teased Luís sharing a wink to Samuel.
The latter rolled his eyes before nudging him slightly in boredom.
"Come on, he must have pinched something once." Objected Rebecca as she turned to Samuel."Not even at the supermarket?"
The latter raised his head before shaking his head in the objection."Don't even cheat when weighing the fruit."
"Shit, Samu, I don't know if that makes you an endearing or a textbook loser."
"But you're not a thief. Nor a detective or a spy."
Freya frowned at their muffled chat before deciding to put her idea out."Why is it so important to steal your phone?"
"No but I'm dreaming ... did you just miss the whole conversation or what?"
Freya rolled her eyes at the tall brunette."No, you didn't understand me. What I mean is that this high school is big. And it brings together the biggest heads in Spain."
"Wow thanks for the brochure speech."
Freya looked away, sighing impatiently before turning to Samuel again."Again, what I mean is that there is another way to get content from Carla's phone."
"Really? How?" Asked Nadia, confused.
"By finding a hacker." Sighed Luís in the making."A bit like Albert in Switzerland."
"Exactly." Freya accepted as she met her brother's gaze."You could have done it but you're not old enough to go to a club."
Rebecca's eyes widened at the sight of the duo's discussion before leaning towards Luís."Wait, you know how to hack ?"
"Albert taught me things." Luís replied before shrugging his shoulders with a suggestive smile."Among other things."
Freya shook her head at her brother, strangely more like the one she had known before giving a look at Rebecca.
"Well fuck! Who would have believed it ? I like you more and more the weirdo." Breathed the brunette with a chuckles before turning to Freya."See? We needed you."
********************
"Mhm, Freya? "
The hazel-eyed brunette hummed a visibly distracted response before finally lifting her head from her book just to display a slight frown anxious at the sight of Polo's expression."Polo? Everything is fine ?"
"Ye-yeah ... it's just ... well--"
"Well?" Freya asked with an uncertain little smile.
"You know what? No, forget it."
Freya found herself looking again after Polo's fleeing back. She widened her frown, puzzled before shrugging.
She didn't really know what was going on with Polo but she felt a deep sympathy for him. She just hoped that he could recover someday from his breakup with Carla.
He looked like a good boy.
*****************
Freya readjusted the shirt of her uniform before tucking it into the waist of her short skirt just as Lu continued the thread of the conversation."We're all going in red."
"Hmm."
Freya gave an uncertain look on Cayetana's back before giving Lu a new look. She didn't really know if it was jealousy who was talking or something else but she couldn't really make friends with Cayetana. There was just something off with her. Maybe that was the way she always boasted. Or maybe Freya just didn't like that she matched Lucrecia standards as well.
Despite her sometimes difficult-to-manage behavior, Lucrecia was important to Freya. She was her first real friend in this high school and in such a short time, she had become her best friend.
"I'm wearing this wonderful dress. Freya helped me choose it." Lu said, giving a knowing look through the mirror towards Freya."She doesn't look like it but she has exquisite tastes."
Freya rolled her eyes. "And I'm still here, Lu."
"Where could you be?" Lu replied, rolling her eyes in turn before giving a broad smile through the mirror towards Cayetana."We're meeting at the area upstairs. So VIP. Valerio always manages to sneak in. You can't miss it!"
Freya shook her head as she unhooked the straps of her bag from the locker room hooks before showing a broad grateful smile at the sight of one of the housekeepers entering with a cart of cleaning supplies."May I?"
"Yeah, of course. We finished anyway." Freya replied as Lu joined her side to retrieve her things.
"Anyway ... it's better this way. At our last party, we tore your house down."
Freya notices the housekeeper pausing at the sight of Cayetana, leaving the brunette Bjørkaas to take a break from the confusion. She gave a look between the woman and the blonde lying from behind.
"Don't worry, it was no big deal."
"Ready?" Lu asked in English as she tucked her blazer in the crook of her elbow.
Freya watched as the blonde turned with a broad smile before losing it almost immediately at the sight of the cleaning lady."Go ahead and I'll catch up with you two. I need to..."
"Don't be too long." Lu replied as she pushed Freya towards the exit.
The latter frowned, following Lu in spite of herself before turning almost immediately to Lu once in the corridor."Did you notice how Cayetana changed her behavior when she saw the cleaning lady?"
"What cleaning lady?" Freya rolled her eyes at Lu's complete disinterest in the common people."Seriously, darling, you're too good for our world."
Freya wandered absently through the hallways still somewhat disturbed by what she had seen in the locker room.
She really didn't know why she distrusted Cayetana so much. She just had a way of annoying her that couldn't be explained.
Freya shrugged at her conclusion before stopping in front of her locker. She took the key out to open it before placing the notebooks and textbooks she was holding in her arms on one of the shelves in her locker.
"Freya!" Hailed Nadia suddenly letting the brunette Bjørkaas give a look over her shoulder.
However, she soon raised her eyebrows at the sight of Valerio following the muslim brunette with a quick step."Here, the notes you lent me when my father was in the hospital. I owe you one."
Freya took the notes with a broad smile before shaking her head."I don't think so, no. Not after the other night."
"Of course yes. Last night had nothing to do with service. I was really happy to spend some time with you and the others. Even with Lucrecia."
"What do I hear about my dear sister?" Suddenly said Valerio as he hastened to approach the duo with a broad puzzled smile.
"Lu, Rebe and Nadia slept at home." Freya replied before quickly crossing her arms over her chest as she gave him a suspicious look."Anyway, why do I feel like you annoy Nadia?"
Valerio left a chuckles as he lowered his head before shrugging."I'm not bothering her, I'm just trying to negotiate her hourly fees."
"Her hourly fees?"
"He wants me to help him study." Nadia explained, rolling her eyes with a small smile at the sight of Valerio. It was pretty obvious to Nadia that he seemed a little agitated over the Freya Inquisition. Maybe Rebecca was right after all.
Freya immediately left a dubious scoff."You want to study now? What happened to practice rather than theory?"
"Well, I tried to sell you the idea but you didn't seem very interested." Valerio replied immediately, suave before getting a little closer to the brunette Bjørkaas."But if you changed your mind--"
Freya immediately raised her hand in his face to push him away before giving a look of support on Nadia."I wish you luck. And I slip away while there is still time."
"What? Wait, no." Valerio exclaimed as he watched the brunette walk away with a broad smile before calling after her."You're breaking my heart, Freya Bjørkaas!"
In response, the brunette just raised her middle finger over her shoulder despite the amused looks in her direction.
Nadia watched the interaction visibly amused before giving a suspicious look at Valerio."You like Freya."
"Who wouldn't like her? You saw her." Valerio immediately said nonchalantly before resuming seriously."So ... about these lessons ?"
"Money can't buy everything, Valerio."
****************
"Other than that ... are you all right?"
Freya left a small smile at the request of Samuel before turning her head in his direction some nervous despite herself."Well, I should be suffering right now then. I guess accompanying a friend to the city jail to see his brother is not as horrible."
Samuel narrowed his lips as he looked straight ahead before giving a look at the brunette's profile."Why are you doing all of this? You never want to send everything around and live your own life?"
"Mhm, you talk like Luís." Hummed Freya in recognition before continuing to climb the small square near Samuel's house."Let me guess it was he who asked you to convince me to give up everything."
Samuel winced in response before giving her an apologetic look."He thought I might have more impact."
"I know he's just looking to help me." Freya sighed, adjusting her backpack over her shoulders before crossing her arms against her chest."But a part of me really cares about all of this. I know it. And it may sound weird but ... you don't know what it's like to stand on a stage. The feeling of flying. It's only when I dance that I feel like I'm finally free."
"But it makes you sick."
Freya clenched her jaw at her friend's truthful words before shrugging as she swallowed."You can't understand, Samuel."
She accelerated the step visibly offended. However Samuel hastened to join her at a run with a sorry expression.
"You're right. I can't understand." Accepted the brown before giving her another serious look."But I want to try. Do you think I could come to this performance?"
Freya left an incredulous scoff before raising her eyebrows in the direction of the brown."You want to come to a ballet performance?"
"This is the least I can do after all you do to help me." He replied, sincerely grateful for her help and her presence in his life.
****************
Silence weighed on Freya's shoulders as she paced the studio floor with an expression of defeat.
She shouldn't be here. If Carmen learned that she had set foot here before Monday ...
And yet as she had explained to Samuel, she could not do otherwise. It was all she knew. The only way for her to feel free and trapped at the same time.
As she had already explained, she had lost some interest in dance. But that was the place where she felt herself. Where she could interpret someone else. Someone she was not.
Knock, knock, knock ...
Freya immediately turned on her heels at the intrusion simply to widen her eyes at the sight of the last person she expected to see in this studio.
Valerio pushed himself from the wall on which he had leaned to advance in the room whistling, impressed."My, my, this place is bitching!"
"What the hell—" Freya shook her head again in shock before dampening her lips, shrugging her shoulders, gaping." What are you doing here ? Are you following me now ?"
"Sorpresa!" The brunet exclaimed, standing up proudly with amusement at her reaction before putting his hands in the pockets of his Las Encinas-colored pants as he continued to watch the place."It is quite impressive. I can already feel the vibes of perfection and excellence."
Freya pursed her lips, crossing her arms over her chest before giving him an outraged look as he stopped at her height. He continued to look around before looking down at her with a broad smile."Oh come on, you're not seriously pissed off."
"How did you find me? "
"You left your GPS on." The brown replied casually, allowing Freya to widen her eyes in horror. Valerio immediately left a snort. "Nah, kidding. I just followed your driver."
Freya rolled her eyes at his boring attitude before letting out a weary sigh."I honestly don't know what's the worst between the two."
Valerio walked around her to head for the bar before absently tapping his palm on it as he turned on his heel. He continued to watch the place, genuinely intrigued before turning his mischievous eyes back to Freya.
"Come on, I'm crazy, not creepy."
Freya immediately gave him a flat look in the objection."You're not crazy."
"Really?" Valerio exclaimed, holding her gaze again as he joined the brunette in curiosity. "And what makes you say that?"
Freya swallowed as she supported his intense gaze before shrugging."I don't know. I just know that you're not really who you pretend to be."
"What am I then?" Valerio challenged, seeming to lose his smile somewhat as he stared at her seriously.
Freya narrowed her lips in thought before uncrossing her arms as she took a step back. She retrieved her backpack which she had previously placed on the floor under Valerio's watchful eyes before putting it on as she straightened up. She turned to an uncertain Valerio.
"I don't know who you really are. You only show me what you want." She crossed her arms over her chest again as she stopped in front of the brown with a small smile."I meant what I said the other day. You're probably one of the people in this high school who deserves the most to be known. The real you. Not the one who's on drugs or partying all the time."
She watched him for a moment before leaving a disappointed little smile as she turned around.She walked down the studio stairs with the feeling of an unfinished conversation.
However, she tried to continue.
Perhaps yesterday's conversation with the girls had turned her upside down more than she wanted to admit. Besides, Valerio didn't trust her enough to show him the real him. Or at least that was what she thought.
"Freya, wait! "
Freya turned sharply on her heels at the breathless brown call just to raise her surprised eyebrows at the sight of Valerio rushing towards her in a light jog. Valerio took a breath in pushing the sleeves of his shirt coupled with his blazer on his forearms before stopping at her height.
He swallowed as he took in her expectant face before speaking with sincerity."What if I'm not enough? If I ever show you who I am and you end up being disappointed with what you see."
"Does it matter that much to you?"
"Yeah. Your opinion matters to me." Confided Valerio looking almost nervous at the thought of admitting such a thing.
Freya left a shy little smile as she could strangely feel her heart speed up at his admission. She looked away in a second thought before returning her eyes to Valerio.
"I'm sure you won't disappoint me. "