𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐲 - 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐩𝐞𝐳 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬

𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬

A few longer ones coming up for ya, try and enjoy! <333

Lauren walked down a winding corridor lit with bright fluorescent strip lights, her rucksack slung over her shoulder, a strong black coffee in her hand and her phone in the other. She distractedly reached the dance studio, noticing her... acquaintance sat on a wooden cupboard intended for people's belongings rather than a 19-year-old boy.

"Hey Richter," she called out, his head snapping up at the mention of himself. "When are my 'students' gonna get here?"

Joey hopped off the cupboard, abandoning his phone. "Well the class starts in exactly... eight minutes, so they'll be here in eight minutes, I guess."

"Cool, um, remind me why I'm doing this for you?" Lauren smirked, pulling her hair into a ponytail.

"Because," he started, matter of factly. "You owe me for pretending to be your brother on the phone to your professor when you really didn't wanna do your midterm."

She blushed, avoiding his eyes ashamedly as the two wandered around the studio. "Ah, that's why. But you're not even into dance, how did you get involved?"

"My mom's a high school teacher and some of the performing arts students want more opportunities outside of school, and they want to be taught by an actual dance teacher," he explained, grinning with his last statement as he complimented her.

"You consider me to be an actual dance teacher?" The brunette gasped, over-dramatically with a hand to her heart. "What an honour!"

"Exactly," he said, offering her a goofy smile that she instantly returned.

Joey and Lauren weren't exactly friends, they only knew each other through Basement Arts and their entwined friend groups. They'd been to a few of the same parties, starred in a musical together, and, through no fault of their own, hung out on a few occasions. Neither of them classed their relationship as a friendship per se, because anyone with eyes could tell there was something more underneath the teasing eye rolls and sarcastic remarks. And you know what they say, little boys who pull little girls' pigtails on playgrounds only do it because they like them.

The two brunettes made small talk for a few minutes before several teens entered the room, absolved in their own conversations.

"They're here," Joey smiled, clapping a hand to her shoulder.

"No shit, Sherlock," she rolled her eyes, smirking as he rolled his back.

Lauren went to say something to her dance students, but immediately closed her mouth and retreated backwards to stand next to Joey.

"What's up?" He asked, quietly. Joey noticed her wide eyes, the way she was fiddling with her thumbs, and her quickened breathing. "Is the famous Lauren Lopez nervous?"

She smacked him, hard, in his stomach. "Shut up!"

A few moments passed, almost silent between the two save for a couple of muffled groans from Joey.

"Yes... I'm nervous. I've only ever taught under 14's, and I know how bratty and judgemental high school seniors can be..." Lauren trailed off.

She continued to talk, quietly, but Joey couldn't focus on the words coming out of her mouth. He studied her face, her gorgeous brown eyes and her long lashes, the little scar on the left side of her face. She had moved to stand to his side, no longer leaning against the wall and blocking the teenagers out of her peripherals. He subconsciously moved forward a little, bringing the two closer, with his hands in his pockets and his eyes sparkling.

Lauren smiled, lighting up the room, as she seemed to catch on to Joey's wistful, miles away look. She noticed their close proximity to one another, and grabbed his wrist. She practically pulled his hand out of his pocket, and in response, he laced his fingers with hers. Joey smiled back down at her, a few pieces of hair falling onto his forehead.