A new dancer?
A new dancer?
"Where is Mr B?" She asked the guy nearest to her.
"He is inside his office. Speaking with someone."
"Who?" She asked curiously.
"The new male lead dancer."
"Isn't that supposed to be you?" She asked with a confused frown.
"Well, some things happened at home. I won't be able to dance. Besides, this guy is a really good dancer. It's a good thing he is agreeing to dance with us even though I do not think he needs the money. He is from a rich family already." He whispered.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" She asked herself in a low voice. She was already used to dancing with the people here and a new person, she only hoped they wouldn't have any problems with each other.
"Mia.. good thing you are here already. Come" Mr B said immediately he came out of his office and led her to a corner in the studio to talk.
"I heard a new dancer is around." She said.
"Yes. I watched some of his dance videos already and I tell you he is good. I know you get easily irritated but try to get along with him. Okay?" He said in a pleading voice.
"Where is he?" She asked looking back.
"He is inside the office. I told him I wanted to speak with you first so you wouldn't be surprised."
"Okay. But what about the money?" She asked going straight to the point. It was the reason she was there after all.
"Uhm.. okay okay. I already got it ready. It's inside my office."
"Then let's go." She said and began to lead him inside but he pulled her by the arm back.
"Not so fast Mia. Promise me you won't back out. This cash is my last and I am going to put all of my hope in you. In fact, if you win this dance, you do not have to pay me back." He said with a grin.
The chances which were going to be open for him as the dance director was going to fetch him even more than ten thousand bucks so what was the point of asking her to pay back two thousand bucks?
"Really?" She asked with interest.
If he was going to ask her not to pay, it means she would have a part of the money to pay Mr Timothy for the coming month after the competition.
She had to keep paying Mr Timothy every month till the end of the next year.
"I promise you Mia. Trust me on this." He assured her. "So put your whole heart on this and do not disappoint the team okay?"
"Okay." She nodded and finally smiled.
"Good then. I'll introduce you to the new dancer now. Follow me." He said and began to head towards his office.
***************
As Chloe drove down to a café close to Leo's apartment, her heart kept beating fast. Every guy she saw by the road looking at her looked like David. She thought she was going to go crazy if he kept appearing everywhere. What was she going to do? She sighed and kept her focus on the road.
Love? Crazy!
She couldn't tell if she ever loved him or when she fell out of love for him. She couldn't believe she had been taking such responsiblity to cater for her boyfriend's family at her young age.
Just take a look at Jeremy. He wasn't from a rich family. According to what he told her, he was in the school through a scholarship. He was also still working to support himself. Would things have been different between herself and David if he had been a bit responsible like Jeremy?
She sighed again as her car pulled up in front of the café.
When she entered inside, she sighted Leo already seated there and he waved her over.
"Hey." She said as she took the seat opposite him.
"You do not look well. Is something up with you?" He asked curiously as he peered at her face.
"I am fine. Been stressing myself with school and work. But I'll try to minimize everything." She said.
"You should. Except you want me to forbid you from going to work."
Chloe laughed. "You know you cannot do that right? I am no longer a kid." She pointed out.
"Do not let mum and dad hear you. They would gladly prove you otherwise." He said with a light chuckle before asking..
"How are they?"
She knew he was asking about the family so she answered..
"Mum still complains you neither call nor come home. Dad is still indifferent about the whole thing. He probably still hates you for choosing the path you currently are taking. Louis is still a workaholic."
"While you are studious and a workaholic." He added making her glare at him.
"I am not a workaholic. I just like things being right and a lot of people are quite lazy."
"That is why you terrify your staffs and now you treat everyone like they are your employees. Anyways, we'd talk about that later. Why did you want to see me?" He asked.
She had suddenly called him that morning to say she wanted to meet him.
She paused for a few minutes before spilling it out.
"Can I relocate to your place?"
"What!?" Leo asked immediately making her chew her lip.
"Why?" He asked with a slight frown.
"I need to study hard for my final exams."
"You can always do that at home." He pointed out.
"I want to study together with Mia. I told you She's one of the best in class. I'd like to study with her."
'And I'd also like to get away from home for the time being because I do not know when that crazy David would suddenly show up there and cause trouble' She said in her head.
"No. You know I do not like living with people." He said bluntly.
"But you are living with Mia."
"She is one person. Two makes it a crowd." He said
He wasn't sure he liked the idea of any other person inside his house even though it was his sister. Leo and Mia... Perfect!
Leo, Mia and Chloe.... Imperfect!
"Is this just an excuse so I wouldn't be a third wheel?" She asked eyeing him suspiciously.
"That's not it. You can come and study with her if she wants it but not staying over at my house." He said. "I'm not sure she'd like to share a room and you obviously cannot share my room."
"You are mean." She said with a frown.
"You don't want me there because you want to have more time with Mia right? Are you already sleeping with her?" She asked.
"I will not let you talk about Mia like that." Leo said with an annoyed frown.
"You love her?"
"Why are you suddenly asking me a lot of absurd questions?"
"Because I want to be sure okay? Mia is my classmate and even though we do not get along pretty well, I think she is a nice person."
"And I am not?" He asked with a raised brow.
"I told her to be wary of you." She suddenly blurted out.
"So what— Wait what!?" He suddenly looked at her with wide eyes.
"You told Mia to be wary of me?" He asked with a displeased frown.
"I did. I was looking out for her. I didn't want you to hurt her the way you did Amara."
"Are you... out of your mind?" He asked in a raised voice causing the people inside the café to look at them.
"What right do you have to go behind my back and tell Mia all of that." He asked in a lower voice this time.
"Someone has to warn her at least." She said unapologetically.
"I see the way you always treat ladies. You act like you do not have a sister. Would you be pleased if someone treated me the way you treat other ladies? Maybe that's why I have such a bad luck when it comes to relationships because I am paying for my brother's sins"
"What sort of absurd nonsense are you spilling today?" He asked trying to contain his temper.
Chloe stood up angrily, fetched her bag and walked out of the café as she tried not to cry.
She hit her head repeatedly for failing to break up with David ever since. She always felt.. 'Things would be fine soon. You can't leave him now when he has no one else or you are going to be a bad bitch'. She had remained with him and now her life was messed up. She couldn't concentrate at work or in class and reading was now a problem for her. It was the reason she needed Mia to help her study but her brother was not willing to help because of his selfish desires.
She placed her head on her steering wheel and sobbed quietly. Just then, her phone began to ring. She took it out from her bag to see it was a call from Jeremy.
***********
Mr B ushered Mia inside to introduce the both of them to each other. The young man was sitting on a chair with his back facing the door which meant Mia could only see his back.
A frown creased her brow as she thought he looked familiar.
Seeing they were in, the young man stood up and turned to look at them.
Mia and Benjamin froze in place when they recognised each other.