Calore Dance Academy// Red Queen AU

Chapter 57

Do forgive me if the next two chapters are hilariously ridiculous. And do leave me some awesome comments! <3

As always, enjoy!

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"Mare. Come on. Let's work something out."

My boyfriend, wearing innocent, pleading eyes, smiles sweetly. His navy silk pajamas aren't helping. If only to romance me, Maven runs his hand through his curly hair a couple of times, leaving it all over the place.

In Julian's studio with an awakening city just through the windows, the Monopoly board is cast in morning light. With a firm vinyl floor beneath us, lovely mirrors across from the windows, and red brick wallpaper encompassing the studio, I feel at peace in the familiar setting. I was here only a few hours ago going through ballet technique at the barre.

The door to the hallway is locked tightly behind us.

Us, as in me, Maven, a female Soloist, and a Corps girl. As is one of the tournament's rules, we're all clad in pajamas. I have on a pair of red-and-black flannel pants, a grey henley, and crew socks with cat faces on them.

The first round of the Monopoly tournament started a half-hour ago. Julian, the official referee of today's final round, drew names from a hat, and Cal sketched out a tournament bracket on the gigantic movable whiteboard that he apparently owns. Maven happens to be in my first round.

"I'll give you New York Avenue to complete your colors," Maven says, eyeing my cards. If I make the trade, I'll gain a Monopoly. If I don't and instead bankrupt Maven—my boyfriend, having just paid a hefty housing repair fee, has landed on my Pacific Avenue, which currently bears three houses— his properties will be auctioned off by the bank.

At the moment, I don't have enough money to win that auction.

But Maven's dangerous.

Behind his charming grin lurks a boy that wants to win. He wants to make it to the finals and destroy his brother, however slim his chances are.

Maven's told me how Cal has taught him "the art of Monopoly" over the course of long lessons in his Hell's Kitchen apartment. Along with their hobbies of chess and watching Marvel movies, Maven and Cal play a whole lot of Monopoly together.

But I know Cal well enough to get that he's only revealed some of his tricks to Maven. To completely unveil his Monopoly strategy would be dangerous.

"Sorry, Maven," I tell him, shrugging unapologetically. "If you can't pay, you're out."

Maven's face falls.

For a moment, he looks a little annoyed that his trick didn't work.

The two ladies that we play with just pinch their lips together, holding back smiles. Neither of them is an actual threat to me. I don't have to worry about the auction. Every last ballerina in this building knows who's winning tonight, and they fully intend to help me get to the final round.

"Mare." Maven says my name again.

Patronizingly, I return my boyfriend's gaze.

"If anyone can take down Cal tonight, it's me. I've played Monopoly with him more than anyone. I know how he thinks. I can't be taken down in the first round because of a few rolls of bad luck."

I only blink. "No. You're out, Maven. Now stop arguing with me and text your brother."

In his father's office, Cal is currently lounging around in the Monopoly Winner's Robe. If I know anything about Cal, he's probably using his free day to watch Mets re-runs and old episodes of The Office, write out the choreography for our lessons and Julian's classes, and strategize against the players whose names make it up the brackets. Every time somebody loses, they text Cal, and he crosses their name off his whiteboard.