Saint Ambrose Academy: Unlikelies

6

NOVA

I'm laying in my bed, restlessly, this feeling is threatening to consume me whole. I straightened my hair out of boredom, hoping it'd kill enough time for me to feel tired but that wasn't working. I take another pain pill for the headache that reared its ugly head and get dressed in my dance clothes, needing to clear my head.

Grabbing a jacket to wear over my leotard and tights, I head throw my hair in a quick bun and head over to the studio rooms on campus. It's so late out no one will be there and I feel more at ease with this fact.

A couple is laughing as they make their way back to the dorms, I avoid them, wrapping my jacket tighter around me. I reach the studio and revel in it, already feeling miles away from my problems. Removing my jacket, I Bluetooth my playlist to the speakers and begin some stretches to loosen my body. After a couple of warmups, I let go, losing myself in the music. I started ballet before I was two, and after everything happened with my family, I had to stop classes. But I found ways to train still, sneaking into classes, and practicing at the community center. Although I am trained in multiple dance styles, this is the one that I spend most hours, blood, and sweat training for.

I don't know how long I'm dancing, it feels like going into a trance, but eventually, I stop for water. When I turn to my bag, I notice someone standing in the corner.

"Hey." The figure says and steps into a better-lit area of the room.

"Those are some nasty bruises, are you okay?" It's Lia Amherst.

Lia was one of the first people I got the chance to know here, we took a summer dance intensive together and for that one summer before starting school, I thought I had a friend. She was struggling with the ballet and flexibility portion of the class, and I helped her, just like she helped me with my hip-hop. We were extremely close, she is the only person here who knows I am adopted because she was the first and last person I ever told. But school came and she was a grade above me, popularity found her fast, and Cassia Russo adopted her as her best friend, making me the odd man out because Cassia decided she hated me from day one.

I don't blame Lia though, if ten-year-old me had been given the choice, stay me and continue being tormented or take a power trip? Not even I would have chosen to stay me.

"Uh y-yeah, just some falls during training, y-you know how it is..." I trail off not sure what she's doing here.

"I see, I'm sorry for intruding, I didn't mean to take you away from your training, I just saw you head this way and then I heard the music and well you dance beautifully Nova, you always have." She says this with a smile on her face.

"It's okay, was there something you needed to talk about?"

"no, yes, no. I'm sorry this is weird isn't it, it's me I'm making this weird. I guess I was just reminded of you today and we haven't talked in so long, and I kind of missed you." She rambles nervously, and I'm reminded of how sweet she truly is.

There isn't a kinder person in this school than her, but I can't count on her, I know this. If she had to choose, and she'll always be forced to choose; Cassia and Matteo would never allow me to have anyone, if they can't influence someone to stay away then they subject them to the same torment they give me. I don't want that for Lia. I don't want to make her choose, because even if she did choose me, it isn't something I'd want to do to her. I would be the cause of her pain and I don't want that. Not for her.

I don't plan to let her back into my life, it's not safe for her. But for just this one night, I will allow myself to pretend, or rather to be real with her again.

"I miss you too, Lia" I smile at her, my dimples coming out because it is a real smile. Even if it's just temporary; the emptiness cannot consume me.

She tells me all about her date with Enzo, and how amazing she thinks he is, I warn her to be careful, especially knowing that Cassia has had her sights on Enzo for an eternity. But she tells me not to worry, that they talked about it, and Cassia is more interested in his best friend these days. I don't really believe it but I drop it and let her tell me more about the date. I told her about my volunteer work, the animals on the farm, and my college plans and she laughed about how I'm always planning for the future.