UNMASKING THE DANCER

11. New York

     Diane's pov

       Breathing in the air of New York once again, I stepped down from the plane that afternoon with Mr Jon, the band and Jade behind me. The dancers and crew had left the day after we met Selene at the grocery store but that hadn't made the house any less loud.

      I, Jade and the band had used the remaining days in California to bond and have fun generally and that was why I was feeling so guilty about the lie I told them.

    It wasn't like I had a choice all right. It's just that I'll soon become a student at my aspired college and didn't want to have Jade or the band visiting me as kamilah and then finding out my secret. So I had told them that I lived in Canada and would be going there once we got to New York.

     They had believed me, making me much more guilty but......, there was nothing I could do about it.

     Moving through the crowd with our nose masks on and with a lot of people bustling around, we headed for the baggage reclaim area where we were to get our luggages. Some people stared after us probably trying to figure out who we were and why we were putting on nose masks but we increased our pace and got to the reclaim area soon.

    We collected our baggages in which mine was twice what I took to California due to all the shopping and headed for the parking lot. On getting there, I faced Jade and pulled her in for a hug,

     "I'm going to miss you so much" I said into her ears and felt her smile,

     "I'll miss you too" she whispered back, hugging me tighter.

    After a few more moments, we pulled back from the hug and I said my goodbye to the band generally just as a car pulled up beside us.

     "I hope to see you soon" Jade said before she and the band got into the car and I smiled,

    "Me too" I replied.

      We watched as the driver got down from the car to put their luggages into the boot and after that, he got back in the car before driving away. I waved at them until the car was out of sight before turning to Mr Jon,

     "So what now?" I asked,

      "We go check your new apartment" he replied and I became confused,

      "New apartment?",

      "Yeah. You can't stay in a hotel forever and if you're starting college soon, you definitely need an apartment",

      "Wow, I didn't think of that",

       "Sure but I did and that's why I'm a manager".

       I smiled at his statement just as another car pulled up and I watched as the driver of the car came out and greeted Mr Jon,

     Mr Jon replied him and helped in putting the luggage into the boot before he led me into the car. The driver got in moments later and drove away from the airport.

      I watched the passing buildings and enterprises with familiar excitement as the car moved and heard faintly the directions Mr Jon gave the driver.

     The car soon came to a halt in front of a tall building and I watched with awe as people went in and out of the building. Windows of some apartments were opened and I watched as a man stuck his head out the window.....

     "Aren't you getting down?" Mr Jon asked, interrupting my survey and I faced him,

      "I am, I was just......" He nodded in understanding before I could complete my statement and I kept quiet.