Priceless

Chapter Three

Dear's words roam around my head as I go along the next few days. It's odd to know that she's helping me now. I'm glad she's really improved. But I notice that she's so good at knowing sorrow. I thought I knew it, but she talks about it so casually. Almost as if it lives with her every day.

"You!" I'm slapped back to reality as the dance instructor snaps her fingers at me. "Wake up. We're ready to start."

"But I'm not from the musical group, Ms--"

"I don't care. Can you play these notes?" She puts a book in front of me and I take a look at it.

"Sure. But--"

"Good. Now get on stage." She walks away without another word. I look over at Arden as I make my way up the side stairs. He does an exhausted shrug and Rihannon by his side holds the bridge of her nose. Other tired dancers watch me shyly get on the piano and clear my throat. The dance instructor claps twice and they all get in position.

Alright, David. You got this.

I start playing as I read the notes in front of me. I try hard to ignore the dance going on by my side. I know it'll distract me. They are amazing. I don't know what this new instructor sees so bad in it. Really.

But I continue to play until my eyes catch someone walking from the very back of the audience seats. With surprised eyes, I see Dear enter from the front entrance. She looks so small among so many seats below us. But her light brown eyes see me in her observation of the place. She does her beautiful smile and waves at me.

Now I get distracted as I smile back at her. I do a wrong key and everyone stops to look at me. My face turns red as I say, "I'm sorr--"

"Get off of there," the dance instructor says angrily. I quickly get off the stage and walk towards Dear. Some giggle, but I chuckle when I see Arden smirk at me when he sees Dear.

"Oh geez," Dear softly says to me after I give her a kiss. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to distract you."

"Don't worry. She's just in a bad mood today." We both quietly look over where the instructor is yelling at another classical performer student to play in my place. He quickly does as she says and concentrates hard not to make a single mistake.

"I can see..." Dear says. "I remembered you were playing today, so I thought I'd stop by to see all the behind-the-scenes work!"

"Yeah. I don't know why they called the whole department in. They're just working on the musical theater kids."

"Exciting."

"Depressing. She's so mean to them."

Dear chuckles at this as she leads me to a set of chairs. "But they are amazing."

"Apparently the instructor doesn't see that..."

"How...unfortunate." I smile at her mocking of my "smart words." She then intertwines her fingers with mine and lays her head on my shoulder. My heart melts at her gesture as I put a kiss on her head.

"How's your day been, my dear?" 

She does a soft scoff at the other way I use her nickname and says, "A little tiring. I have that interview today for that other job."

"I was wondering," I carefully say. "Why do you work at such scary places?"

Her muscles suddenly tense and she lifts up her head from my shoulder. "What places?"

"Like at that corner where we meet up sometimes. Your parents know that you're--"

"That's why I'm getting another job. To not be...in scary parts any more."